Musing – Do we view Our World through a Greek or a Hebrew mindset?

 Hebraic Musing – Do we view Our World through a Greek or a Hebrew mindset?

Did you know that your thinking is more Greek than Hebrew?  We have been trained to see the world and the Bible from a Greek mindset!  BUT, the Bible is written in a Hebrew framework.  This has nothing to do with language or nationality!  There are distinctive differences in our thought processes:
Process Oriented:
Greek    - Cognitive; Appealing to the intellect; Heavy program emphasis; Emphasizes education
Hebrew - Active; Appeals to the heart; Emphasizes direct participation; Emphasizes age & wisdom
Biblical Application:
Gr        - Belief without cost to self; Bible is data that must be taught
Heb     - Doers of the Word; Bible is reality that must be confronted
Ministry Activity:
Gr        - Large impersonal groups: Leader-directed, controlled
Heb     - Small intimate groups; Leader as facilitator
Fruit:
Gr        - Mutual toleration; Transparency discouraged
Heb     - Love, acceptance, forgiveness; Transparency encouraged

We in the U.S. have been raised with a Greek mindset.  We are…
 - Competitive – Winning; Focus on accomplishments like Learning, Money, Status
 - Dichotomy of opposed parts, chose either, can’t integrate: Must be either Good or bad,  Yes or no

The Bible was Written primarily in the Hebrew language, using Hebrew “idioms”, by Hebrews, in the Hebrew way of thinking.  The Bible’s Hebrew “mind set” is all about behavior or doing, not understanding; Learning or accomplishing; Just DOING!   Life is seen as walking (moving), Living out one’s faith, expressed as “Halakah”, walking in faith; Hearing (Shema) isn’t just hearing, it is doing what was heard; People participate as equals; Skills are learned by demonstration and practice.

Biblical/Hebrew Culture is based on FAMILY, with FATHER as leader!  Metaphors for Abba & Kingdom.
In Greek thinking, the EDUCATED (teachers, doctors, lawyers, pastors) have a special place, and generally are not challenged. 
In the Hebrew Bible, leaders are chosen from among the common, then empowered by Yehovah for service: 
 - David the shepherd boy became King
 - Moses an escaped murderer became the leader of Israel
 - Fishermen became the leaders of the believers
 - Sha’ul (Paul) worked as a tent maker while doing ministry

Torah – to aim at the Mark.  It is NOT the pass-fail, right-wrong, good-bad of Greek thought. 
The Greek concept of either “Law or Grace” began with the Greek Septuagint translation of Old Testament, about 275 B.C.  It was Ordered by Egyptian King Ptolemy Philadelphus and used by Jews in Alexandria (Egypt).  In the Septuagint, Torah (meaning teaching or aiming at a target) was translated “nomos” meaning “law”.  From there on it unfortunately has became a dichotomy of either law or grace.  Luther took the church away from the unity of the Bible by making “law and grace” the foundation of the protestant movement.  Torah became just history, less relevant or not relevant.

Hebrew allows for many levels of interpretations with both literal and figurative meanings:
 - Outside of time constraints – Allowing for past, present and future as we read it
 - Often a figurative prophetic meaning(s)
 - Four Hebraic ways of interpretation of Scripture:
            - P’shat – the obvious, words mean what they say
            - Remez – hints at something deeper, even prophetic
            - Drash – a diligent search for meaning and practical application (could be personal)
            - Sod – deep, hidden message that is buried in the text

Ministry method differences:
Greek:  Large groups, Clergy over laity, Use of 5-fold ministry to justify un-Biblical role avoidance, Teaching by programs, Audience not involved, as spectators, Meet in “Church”
Hebrew:  Small groups, Peer facilitator, Discussion, All participate, Share various gifts of Holy Spirit, Takes place in any location, typically homes.

Meaning of SOUL?
Greek:             The immaterial part of a person – spirit; Deep feeling or emotion
Hebrew:          “neh-fesh”; Body; Man, person; Mortality; Vitality

Understanding SPIRIT
Greek:             State of emotions; Spirit being; Supernatural being; Life force
Hebrew:          Mind; Courage; Disposition; Seat of emotions; Seat of mental acts; Seat of moral character

Greek misconceptions of Yehovah
 - If HE loves us, how can he allow bad things to happen?
 - Why did HE instruct Moses and Joshua to kill the natives living in Canaan?
 - How can HE send people to hell?

Yehovah is not Greek. HE is Hebrew and He is:
 - Sovereign (can do as HE wants)
 - Just (HE will not go against our free will)
 - HE will give us challenges to allow us to grow
 - Willingly forgives when we repent

CONCLUSION:
  When we look at the Bible through Hebrew eyes, it will become more alive and we gain new understanding!

Points to ponder

Which is more important?  Our Greek view, or the Bible’s Hebrew view?

Which language would you like to study?  Greek or Hebrew?

Shalom,                                              

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          May 21, 2024
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*   Transcribed & edited from a .PPT received from Johanna Shager Hocker, February 5, 2014

 

Here are a few more Hebrew words, concepts & sayings to consider:

Unique concepts of Hebrew
 - Covenant – “Berith” in Hebrew, eternal promise of love and provision between Yehovah & Israel.
 - Sabbath – based on 6 days of creation, then rest.  Sets apart the people of Israel and those adopted, grafted in.
 - Circumcision – covenantal sign.

Names in Hebrew perspective: Child’s name can describe situation at birth; Child’s name could be based on marital issues; Name is descriptive of the person; Expresses relationship with Yehovah, with “yah” or “el” at the beginning or end of the name; New Names given by Yeshua prophetically calling the person to a new level:
 - Simon - Peter, from impulsive to “rock”
 - Abram - Abraham, from “high father” to “father of a multitude”; Added “Hei”, the breath of God!
 - Jacob – Israel, from “heel catcher” to “he will rule as Elohim”

Hebrew Idioms are expressions whose meanings can not be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up:  “Evil eye” – a stingy person; “Good eye” – a generous person; “good & evil” – all things, anything or nothing; “open the eyes” – receive new knowledge; “apple of His eye” – ‘His very life’; “three days journey” – a long distance; “Dan to Beersheva” – all of Israel.

Hebrew words - with interesting meanings:   - Know: variety of meanings: recognition, intimacy (sex);  Upon my knees: figuratively means adoption;  Fat: rich; Merry: drunk;  Shiloh: “tranquil” but refers to Messiah (until Shiloh comes);  Going “UP” to Jerusalem: elevation, not direction;  Congregation: the whole country of Israel;  Hand: power;  High Hand: confidently and fearlessly;  (2)Great Hand: power and achievement;  Salvation: help deliverance, blessings Divine;   Uncover: disgrace and reveal;   Uncover nakedness: incestuous sex, Lev. 18;  “His father’s skirt”: sex, as in Ruth 3:9;   Stiff necked: obstinate, as ox that refuses to submit to yoke;   Afflict your soul: fasting,   Arm: “strength”

Musing – Take on a Giant Challenge and how might the LORD use you?

 Hebraic Musing – Take on a Giant Challenge and how might the LORD use you?

How can any of us take on a Giant Challenge like “Saving” the world?  A little personal testimony:

I accepted the Lord on August 28, 1977.  When I came home two days later and told my wife that I accepted Jesus Christ as my LORD and Savior, she informed me that she and all our children had already accepted Jesus.  Typically, when the man of the house gets saved, he wants to assure that his whole family also gets saved; but my family was already saved.  So what should I do?   So, ever since then I have always felt it was my job to evangelize the rest of the world.  But isn’t that a Giant Challenge?

After becoming involved with the FGBMFI (Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International) we moved to Escondido, and found myself elected president of the FGBMFI chapter in Vista, CA.  I found myself sharing my testimony as the speaker at various Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner meetings in Southern CA.  An evangelist friend who ministered world-wide kept inviting me to the Philippines.  While it sounded interesting, the Holy Spirit kept saying “No”.   A few months later I was seated at the head table at a dinner meeting alongside the featured speaker, Garmond Mindt, who had his evangelistic ministry in the Philippines, holding large and very successful crusades.  After a short discussion, Garmond invited me to come do a tour in the Philippines with him and his team.  This is when I took on a Giant Challenge!  I said “Yes” and made arrangements to go, despite the fact that I was unemployed and had a family of 6 hungry children to support! 

After an indescribably impactful three weeks ministering in the Philippines, I came home still unemployed; but the Lord had His surprise for me.  In a few weeks and after a few phone calls, I committed to employment with my old consulting firm, Alexander Proudfoot, to work and live with my family in Belgium, Europe, for two years.  After making all the “move” arrangements in Escondido, CA, I found myself on that long flight to Europe with time to spare and some curiosity, so I opened my diary from the Philippines trip and tallied up the cost of that trip – it totaled $3,200, money spent on faith!  More time to kill so I recapped the compensation package for this Belgium employment with salary, housing, tax benefits and education allowances for the two children, etc.  It totaled $320,000.  As I looked at that number I recalled one of the big messages I picked up in the Philippines – “Give to God and He will provide a 100-fold blessing”!  I was in tears, realizing that the Giant Challenge I took to go evangelize in the Philippines resulted in a 100-fold blessing!

Since working, living, and ministering in Europe for three years (they kept me an extra year), my jobs and my heart have had me doing an extraordinary amount of international travel enabling me the experience of sharing the Gospel rather freely in 33 countries outside of the States in the years ever since. 

Thank you, Lord, for providing me with a Giant Challenge, and the H.S. boldness to say yes!

Points to Ponder

If we feel called to do foreign missions, shouldn’t we also be evangelizing at home?

What happened to the Bible characters who accepted Giant Challenges?

How much faith does it take to accept a Giant Challenge?

What might happen if the Lord asks you to take on a Giant Challenge?

What Giant Challenge does the Lord have in front of you?

“The light that shines the farthest, shines brightest close to home” – Garmond Mindt’s favorite saying.

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          May 14, 2024
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Musing – How Powerful is your Testimony?

 Hebraic Musing – How Powerful is your Testimony?

Here is my testimony in three parts – before, what happened, and since.

I am Joe Brusherd, a retired CPA, Int’l consultant and CFO for a variety of companies.  Some 80+ years ago I grew up in Cicero, Illinois, as the oldest of eight children.  After college, my career started as a CPA.  My wife and I raised six children which has multiplied into a family of 38 so far, and still growing.

I had limited understanding of God during the first 37 years of my life; did not know God’s purpose for my life despite these Three Questions and Answers from my first grade catechism class that stuck with me all my life:

Q. – Who made me?                          A. – God made me.
Q. – Who is God?                              A. – God is the Supreme Being who created all things.
Q. – Why did God make me?           A. – God made me to worship Him; and to praise Him forever.

During those years my selfish ways, my anger, my unclean thoughts plagued me; and in desperation I agreed to go on a Catholic Marriage Encounter weekend to enrich our marriage, which desperately needed enrichment.  After that experience in 1976, I became a curious seeker of the God I had known as a child.  I enjoyed the fellowship with other married couples, but one couple I especially admired and respected.  Bill and Mary Blessing had something I wanted; and they frequently referenced their “Cursillo” experience. 

On a Thursday in August 1977 friends of Bill Blessing drove me the 80 miles for a three day “Cursillo” retreat.  As I got out of the car, I asked them “Aren’t you coming in?”  They answered, “No, we were just giving you a ride” and they drove off.  That act of sacrificial love was just the beginning.  On the second day a priest, Father Tony Tascheta, spoke and his message, presentation and style was awesome.  I kept thinking that he missed his calling; he should have been a VP of Sales!  I was in a daze, so we went to the Chapel. 

As we walked into the Chapel, I saw Father Tony Tascheta on his knees praying and thanking Jesus for all the words Jesus had given to him for “the men out there”, like me. 

My knees gave out and I found myself kneeling, crying crocodile tears and saying almost out loud “Jesus Christ, you are real.  I need to learn more about you.”  At that moment I knew I would never be the same.  The peace in my inner being was unimaginable.  I no longer had the feelings of desperation that resulted from knowing I was a sinner and, most of all, that I had been trying to hide them from God, my Creator.

At the closing ceremony we entered a big hall and I saw Bill and Mary Blessing there; they had cut their vacation short in order to be there for me.  I fell apart.  As part of the closing ceremony, we each were to stand up as the Spirit led and tell what the week-end meant to us.  Eventually I went to the podium, froze, fell apart and finally blurted out “I talked to Jesus!”  That’s all I could say!  That’s not much of a speech but it meant volumes.  I was never so choked up in my life.

Very late Sunday night the Blessings gave me a ride home.  I immediately woke up Peggy, my wife, and said, “Peggy, guess what happened to me on the week-end?”     She said, “What?”      I told her, “I talked to Jesus”.   She asked, “Does that mean you’re ‘born again’?”    I answered “I don’t know what you call it, but all I know is that I talked to Jesus. … And I want you and all our kids to experience what I experienced.”     She replied, “Too late Joe, we already have.  We’ve all been praying for you.” (She could have added “…for 10 years.”)

That was in August 1977.   I was 39 years old.  So I know how blind a man, a husband and a sinner can be.  I found out why Jesus told Nicodemus “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”  And since by family was already “saved”, it is now my job to witness to the rest of the world! 

That is how Jesus came into my life.   What is YOUR testimony?    Please share it with me.

Points to Ponder

What life was like before?
What happened at that revelational moment?
What has life been like ever since?

People may argue with your teachings & preachings, but they cannot argue with your testimony!

“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,” Acts 4:33

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      May 7, 2024
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”