Subject: Hebraic Roots Glossary - Part 3
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 22:53:22 +0000
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: JOHANVR <johanvr@srvnac3.nac.ac.za>
Subject: Comprehensive Glossary of Hebraic Terms - Part 3
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Expository Glossary
of Terms Used in
Messianic Teaching (Part 3)
Copyright February 1998
Expository Glossary of Terms used in Messianic Teaching
Order this Glossary from:
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Preface
This Expository Glossary of Terms used in Messianic Teaching was
developed for a Messianic study group that has been meeting in the
Helderberg area of South Africa since mid-1995. We plan to publish
three studies on the Messiah, entitled:
King Messiah
The Coming of King Messiah
The Festivals of King Messiah.
The Expository Glossary of Terms used in Messianic Teaching explains
unfamiliar terms that talmidim (students) will encounter in their
studies.
Students are requested to notify us (in writing) of all difficult
terms used in the three monographs listed above, which have been left
out, ore are not adequately explained, in the Glossary.
Key
Entries followed by the symbol [G] are Greek terms.
Entries followed by the symbol [L] are Latin terms.
Entries followed by the symbol [A] are Aramaic terms.
Almost all other foreign-language entries are Hebrew.
(Part 3)
Beit Hillel
The School of Hillel. Pharisees who stressed YHWH's chesed (loyal
love) towards all people who turn to Him.
Beit Midrash
House of Study that was a part of or adjacent to ancient synagogues.
The sages taught that "if you meet the Evil Inclination along the
road, drag him off to the Beit Midrash; there you will conquer him."
Beit Shammai
The School of Shammai. Pharisees who stressed a particularly strict
adherence to the Torah, and tended to hate Gentiles. They gained
control over Judean society at the time of the birth of Yahushua, but
lost their grip on the religious life of the nation with the
destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
Ben-Adam
Aramaic: Bar-Anash.
See: Son of Man.
Ben-Noach
Literally: a son of Noach. A non-Jew who worships YHWH, observing the
Noachide commandments.
Berachah
A blessing.
Betzah
Roasted egg, a symbol for the second sacrifice of Passover.
Bibliotheca Sacra
A specific American Theological journal. First published in 1843,
Bibliotheca Sacra is the oldest theological journal in the Western
hemisphere. It has been in continuous publication for 142 years.
Dallas Theological Seminary in Texas, USA, acquired the journal in
1934. Dr. Rollin Thomas Chafer, Lewis Chafer's brother, edited the
journal from 1934 through 1939; Lewis Sperry Chafer edited the journal
from 1940 to 1952, and Professor John F. Walvoord was the editor from
1952 to 1985, when Professor Roy B. Zuck became editor.
Bigdey ha-lavan
White vestments (of the High Priest)
Bigdey ha-tzahav
Golden vestments (of the High Priest)
Bikkur
Examining or investigating.
Bikkur Cholim
Visiting the sick-a pious duty, carried out in the past by Chevra
Kadisha.
Bikkurim
The Offering of the First Fruit.
Bimah
The raised platform in the synagogue from which the Torah is read and
from which worship services are usually conducted; the platform is
called tevah in Sephardic synagogues. The Reader's stand in a
synagogue.
Binding and loosing
In Mattatiyahu 16:18-19, Yahushua states ".I will build my church.I
will give you the keys of the Kingdom." It is easier to understand
this passage if we first understand its sister passage in Mattatiyahu
18:15-18. Both passages discuss a "church" which has the power to
"bind" or "loose." Now the terms "bind" and "loose" are
Hebrew/Aramaic idiomatic expressions meaning to "permit" or "prohibit"
in a court of religious law. These technical halakhic terms are
employed many times in the Talmud. Table G. summarises a number of
notable occurrences:
Table G.:
Table of some passages in the Talmud where the halakhic terms "bind"
and "loose" are used in the sense of forbidding and permitting in a
religious court of law.
VersionOrderTractateJerusalem Zera'imBerakhot 5b; 6cJerusalem
NashimSanhedrin 28aBabylonian NashimAvodah Zarah 37aBabylonian
NashimNedarim 62aBabylonian NashimYevamot 106aBabylonian Mo'edBeitsah
2b; 22aBabylonian Zera'imBerakhot 35aBabylonian Mo'edHagigah 3b
Mattatiyahu 18:16 quotes Devarim 19:15 regarding witnesses before the
court (Devarim 19:15-21). The topic of Mattatiyahu 18 thus appears to
be that of the authority to administer courts which permitted or
prohibited, as enacted in Acts 15. Now the word "church" here in the
Greek is "ekklesia;" in Hebrew it is "kahol" or "kahal" and in Aramaic
it is "edat." All of these words simply mean "assembly." In fact,
"ekklesia" is the word used for "assembly" throughout the Septuagint;
the Septuagint talks repeatedly of the "Ekklesia of Israel." (The
founders of dispensationalism overlooked this and therefore portrays
"the church" as being an exclusively New Covenant phenomenon; they
developed their theology from English translations of Scripture, where
the term "Church" suddenly appears in the New Covenant scriptures.
This oversight fuelled their conceptual fragmentation of salvation
history.)
The word ekklesia does not always refer to the Body of Messiah,
sometimes it refers to a mob (Acts 19:41), sometimes the "assembly" of
Israel (Acts 7:38) and sometimes it can refer to a court (as in Acts
19:39). Since Mattatiyahu 18:16 quotes Devarim 19:15, it follows that
the ekklesia spoken of in Mattatiyahu 18:17 must be ".the judges who
serve in those days." which are mentioned in Devarim 19:17. Now if the
"church" which "binds" and "looses" in Mattatiyahu 18:15-18 is a
"court" or judicial council (a Beit Din such as in Acts 7:38) then it
is this same "church" that is mentioned in Mattatiyahu 16:18-19. The
"keys of the Kingdom" refers to this authority to make halakhah, i.e.
make judicial rulings which are solidly based on Scripture. Also read
Revelation 3:7, which quotes Yesha'yahu 22:22. This "church" which
has the keys of the Kingdom, then, is the ruling council which is seen
meeting in Acts 15.
The Roman Catholic Church claims to have inherited this authority
through apostolic succession. However, their "halakhah" is a horrid
and often pagan perversion of Scriptural truth, and therefore carries
no weight whatsoever-halakhah may never contradict Scripture.
The Body of Messiah still has the authority of courts. Local
congregations may make locally applicable halakhic rulings on many
issues. (A Bible-school may, e.g. forbid students to smoke or consume
alcohol.) Sadly, we have become so ignorant and divided that any
large-scale application of this authority of courts may lead to
incessant quarrels and possibly even a cruel inquisition. Therefore
it is the best to wait for the King to come and restore right-ruling
to the earth, to magnify the Torah, so that the will of UYUW be done
on earth, as it is done in heaven.
Binyamin
Benjamin. "Son of my Right Hand."
When a Jewish household had a meal, the youngest son would always sit
at the right hand of the father. Binyamin was Ya'akov's youngest son,
and also the last son of his beloved wife, Rachel. When a rabbi and
his talmidim (taught ones; disciples) enjoyed a meal, the talmidim
would also be arranged around the table in order of their age, with
the oldest talmid sitting at the left hand of the rabbi and the
youngest at his right hand. At the Pesach Seder meal, everyone would
recline to the left, so that the head of the youngest talmid would be
the closest to the chest of the rabbi. Based on information in the
Gospels, we infer that Yochanan was Yahushua's youngest talmid,
whereas Yahudah the betrayer was the oldest.
Birkat HaChodesh
The blessing of the New Moon.
Birkat haMazon
Benediction over food; grace after meals.
Bitul Torah
The neglect of the study of the Torah.
Blood Covenant
To the ancient Hebrews a blood covenant was the most binding, sacred
agreement one could enter into. The making of blood covenants seems
to be a universal concept found among all peoples in even the most
remote parts of the world. The custom of making blood covenants can
be found among American Indians as well as in the deepest most remote
parts of Africa. The origin of the blood covenant custom looms
somewhere beyond the horizon of history.
The customs surrounding the making of a blood covenant among the
Hebrews involved:
1. Exchanging garments and swords (1Sh'muel 18:4)
2. A blood sacrifice (Genesis 15:9-17; 31:43-54; Yirmeyahu 34:18-19)
3. A memorial covenant meal (Genesis 31:54)
There are several examples of covenants in the Bible. Lavan entered
into a covenant with Jacob (Gen. 31:43-55). And David made a covenant
with Jonathan (1Sam. 18:1-4).
When two men were in a covenant relationship everything they owned and
their very lives were offered to each other. Moreover a person with a
covenant relationship held heirship rights with the one he is in
covenant with. For this reason David was the legal heir to the throne
when Jonathan and Saul were killed. One of the best pictures we have
of the power of the blood covenant is given in 1Samuel 18-20. Because
of their covenant Jonathan pleaded with his father the King on David's
behalf (1Sam. 19:4-7). And because of the covenant David sought out
Jonathan's son Mefiboshet so as to show kindness to him and make him
as one of his own sons (2Sam. 9).
Now our covenants with YHWH are patterned after the Hebrew blood
covenant customs. In the same way we:
1. Exchanging garments and swords (Ephesians 6:11-17)
2. Have a blood sacrifice (Hebrews 9:12-22)
3. Have a memorial covenant meal (Mattatiyahu 26:26-29)
As covenantors with the Messiah we also have an inheritance (Romans
8:15-17; Ephesians 1:11, 14, 18; Hebrews 9:15-17; 1Peter 1:4).
This inheritance is the topic of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The
author shows that the Messiah was "made heir of all things" (1:2, 4)
and the "firstborn" (1:6; 12:23) (an inheritance term, see note to
12:23). He shows that the oath which made Abraham's seed the chosen
people was a covenant (6:13-14), and that the oath which makes the
Messiah a priest after the order of Malkitzedek (7:20-22) is the New
Covenant (Heb. 7:22; 8:6-13). He also shows that this is a blood
covenant sealed with the Messiah's blood (Heb. 8 & 9). The author
argues that because of this covenant relationship we have an
inheritance (9:11-22). Since we are blood covenantors with the
Messiah who is heir of all things (i.e. the Kingdom (1:13; 2:5-9) we
inherit with him (1:14; 2:10-18; 9:11-22; 12:23).
"Bnai Noach" and the "Netzarim Movement"
Generally speaking these groups are anti-trinitarian, do not believe
that the NT is authorative scripture, are vehemently anti-Christian in
their writings, believe in keeping both the Oral and Written Torah, do
not believe that the Messiah was born of a virgin and do not believe
in that religious Jews need to accept Yeshua as the Messiah.
Many would view because they reject some of the fundamentals of the
faith that they would be regarded as a "cult" yet they embrace their
"Hebraic Roots". While embracing their Hebraic Roots, they diminish
emphasizing the role and place of the Messiah in their religious
worship and follow a worship style which is more closely associated
with Rabbinic Judaism. They try to distance themselves from anything
"Christian".
Messianic Judaism shouldn't be confused with Bnai Noach and the
Netzarim Judaism movement. The Bnai Noah and Netzarim Judaism
movements consist mostly of non-Jews. While they embrace the true
roots of the faith, they do so in an unbalanced way and reject some of
the most fundamental aspects of the Redemption.
Boethuseans
A religious party of the first century composed of wealthy and
influential members of the priesthood, similar in doctrine with the
Tzadokim (Sadducees).
Boneh Yerushalayim
The blessing over the rebuilding of Yerushalayim.
Born again
Some thought on Yochanan 3:1-12:
Yochanan 3:1
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Probably Nakdimon ben Gorion, one of the three leading councellors in
Yerushalayim. According to the Talmud he was wealthy enough to feed
the entire city for ten years (b.Gittin 56a). One rather lenghthy
Talmud story tells us that once, during a drought, Nakdimon made a
deal with a Roman General so as to procure twelve wells of water for
the Jewish people. According to the story, Nakdimon promised the
General to repay him either twelve wells or twelve talents of silver
(a tidey sum) before the expiration of one year. On the last day of
the year it still had not rained, so Nakdimon went to the Temple to
pray. His prayer was answered and it began to rain and refill the
wells. The Roman General, however, demanded the silver, saying that
the cloud-cover had caused the day, and thus the year, to expire
prematurely. Nakdimon returned to the Temple and prayed again, this
time the clouds removed and the sun shined out, thus the General was
satisfied. (b.Ta'anit 19b-20a) the Talmud also tells us that
"Nakdimon" was only his nick-name and that his real name was Buni
(Ta'anit 20a). The Talmud also reletes that a certain Buni was a
student of Yahushua of Nazareth and was himself martyred sometime
after Yahushua's death (b.San. 43a). The Talmud suggests that the
nickname Nakdimon was taken from NAKAD meaning "to shine" "because the
sun shined out for him" (b.Ta'anit 20a). A more likely source is NAKI
DAM "innocent of the blood" based upon his actions recorded in
Yahchanan 7:45-52; 19:39. The Greek equivelant name Nicodemus has a
meaning all of its own NIKOS DEMOS "victorious people." There would
be no reason for Buni to have this Greek name as a nickname, but the
sound-alike Greek name may have been used by the Roman occupiers in
there dealings with this very wealthy man, as the Talmud does record
that he had dealings with the Roman General stationed at Yerushalayim
(b.Ta'anit 19b-20a).
3:3 BORN AGAIN: The idea behind such an expresion can be found in the
Talmud ".a proselyte is like a newborn infant." (Yevamot 48b and 62a).
3:5-6 BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT.BORN OF THE FLESH.BORN OF THE
SPIRIT
Yahushua ties this in as an elaboration of the previous phrase "born
again;" He is apparently referring to two Tanakh passages:
Ezekiel 36:24-28
For I will take you from among the nations,
gather you out of all countries
and bring you into your own Land
Then I will sprinkle clean WATER on you,
and you shall be clean;
I will cleanse you from all your filthiness
and from all your idols.
I will give you a new heart
and put a new SPIRIT within you;
I will take he heart of stone out of your flesh
and give you a heart of FLESH.
I will put My SPIRIT within you
and cause you to walk in My statutes,
and you will keep My judgements and do them.
Then you shall dwell in the Land that I gave to you fathers;
you shall be my people,
and I will be your Elohim.
Yesha'yahu 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the
dry ground. I will pour my Spirit upon your seed, and my blessing
upon your offspring.
It is easy to understand why the metaphor of a birthing process is
used of receiving the righteousness (tzadekah) of YHWH. When one is
unredeemed, you are a living corpse, a criminal under the penalty of
death. As far as the life in the World to Come is concerned, it is as
though you are dead, unborn. When one received redemption, one is
born as a citizen of the World to Come. There is a passing from guilt
to righteousness, from imminent death and punishment to chayah l'olam
va'ed (everlasting life). Also see Yesha'yahu 23 & 26. This is why
one who turns away from idolatry and self-righteousness and worships
YHWH ba'ruach v'ba'emet (in spirit and in truth), i.e. empowered and
indwelt by the Ruach that was upon the Maschiach, in accordance with
the covenantal promises of YHWH, which centres in the atoning and
redeeming work of Messiah Yahushua, is born again, passing from death
to life.
The following NT Scriptures should also be examined when studying the
concept of rebirth:
Mattatiyahu 3:11
I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come one
who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He
will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Mattatiyahu 3:16
As soon as Yahushua was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that
moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of YHWH descending
like a dove and lighting on him.
Luke 3:16
Yochanan answered them all, ``I baptise you with water. But one more
powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy
to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Yochanan 1:31-33
31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with
water was that he might be revealed to Israel.''
32Then Yochanan gave this testimony: ``I saw the Spirit come down from
heaven as a dove and remain on him.
33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to
baptise with water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come
down and remain is he who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.'
Yochanan 7:38-39
38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living
water will flow from within him.''
39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were
later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since
Yahushua had not yet been glorified.
Acts 8:39
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of YHWH suddenly took
Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way
rejoicing.
#ENTER THE KINGDOM OF YHWH: As we have shown earlier, the "Kingdom of
#Elohim" is an euphemism for the Kingdom of Israel (as in 1Chron.
#28:5; 2Chron. 13:8). Thus in order to enter the Kingdom and be
#regathered to the Land, the Jewish people would have to be born of
#water (made clean), born of flesh (recieve a heart of flesh rather
#than stone) and recieve the Spirit of YHWH so as to walk in the
#statutes.
3:8 THE WIND BLOWS: In the Aramaic this is a word play, as the word
for Spirit RUCHA can also mean "wind" and is the word used for wind
here. This gives the double meaning "The Spirit blows.".
3:10 ARE YOU A TEACHER OF ISRAEL, AND DO NOT KNOW THESE THINGS?: These
are things Nakdimon should have known, being a Jewish teacher. This
points away from the idea that Nakdimon merely misunderstood an
idiomatic expresion.
3:12 IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS AND YOU DO NOT BELIEVE HOW
WILL YOU BELIEVE IF I TELL YOU HEAVENLY THINGS?: An example of
antithetic chiasmus as well as a clear kol v'chomer statement. This
gives us the very important information that that which Yahushua has
just spoken of, was earthly rather than heavenly information.
Yahushua was speaking of an earthly Kingdom. Since most of John deals
with heavenly things, this Gospel never returns to the subject of the
Kingdom. John's theme is Yahushua as the source of life and light
(enlightenment), not his Kingdom offer. However, Yahushua's earthly
PASHAT teaching of a Kingdom offer must be grasped before advancing to
his heavenly SOD teachings on life and light.
B'rachah
Plural: Berachot.
Blessing, benediction.
B'rachot HaShachar
The blessings of awakening recited each morning.
B'rit
Covenant.
Brit-Am
See: Lost tribes of Israel.
B'rit Milah
Covenantal circumcision of male Israelites.
B'rit Chadashah
New Covenant; Renewed Covenant.
B'shem
"In the name of."
Byor
Laver.
Before the kohanim (priests) could begin the Temple services, they had
to take set-apart water and pour it over their hands and feet. This
water was drawn from the Byor or laver-a large copper basin in the
courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash.
Chag
Plural: Chaggim.
Festival. Literally: circle. Every chag is an island in time set
apart, made kadosh, that had to be celebrated in a specific way at a
specific place. Why? To communicate with us in foreshadowing,
prophetic patterns which teach us about the Footsteps of the Messiah
in a concrete way, so that we would not miss the real events when they
came to pass.
Chag-haAsif
Festival of ingathering-a term for Sukkot.
Chag haKatzir
Festival of reaping. Shavuot.
Chag haBikkurim
Literally: Festival of the First Fruits; another name for Shavuot.
Chag haGeulah
Festival of redemption.
Chag Same'ach
Literally: "joyous festival"; greeting used on the festivals.
Chai
Literally: life. When Jews drink, they wish each other L'Chayim ("to
life").
Chalil
Flute. Literally: pierced one-a term for the Messiah. At a specific
point in the Sukkot celebrations, everything becomes quiet. Then a
chalil begins to play, and the man who plays it, leads the procession.
Likewise, the pierced One leads us, and will be the leader of
Yisra'el in the Millennium.
Challah
Plural: Challot.
Bread baked with egg in dough, eaten on Shabbat and festivals; the
challah used on Yom Teruah is round, often containing raisins,
symbolising a sweet year, distinguishing it from the Shabbat challah
that is braided.
The priest's share in the dough.
White braided Sabbath bread; name of the dough tithed from bread
baking.
Chametz
Food prepared with leaven, by extension referring to all foods and
utensils forbidden on Passover. Leavened bread and anything made with
wheat, rye, barley, oats, or spelt, which has not been supervised to
ensure that it has not leavened; refers to prohibited foods during
Chag HaMatzah.
Chanoch
Enoch.
Order this Glossary from:
Johann van Rooyen
PO Box 5276
HELDERBERG
7135
SOUTH AFRICA
E-Mail: JOHANVR@NAC.AC.ZA
End of Part 3
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