Post by alon on Apr 17, 2018 11:07:51 GMT -8
This week’s readings:
Date of reading- 21 April 2018/ 6 Iyyar 5778/ 6-2-5778
Name of Par’shah- Tzaria- She Will Conceive/ Leper
Par’shah- Leviticus 12-13
Haftara- 2 Kings 4.42-5.19
Brit Chadashah- Matthew 8.1-4, 11.2-6; Mark 1.40-45; Luke 2.22-24, 5.12-16, 7.18-23
D’rash:
2 Kings 4:42-44 (ESV) A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
I have said many times there is nothing “new” in the “New Testament.” When you become quickened to it then the more you read the word, the more you begin to see this truth everywhere:
Matthew 14:16a-21 (ESV) … you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Often it is obvious, like these two passages. At other times things were prophesied about or the groundwork laid in scripture. Sometimes too we must look to the Mishna; as many of Yeshua’s teachings were taken from this source; some almost verbatim. Now of course there are additional details given us in explanation, for example in Revelation. But the groundwork for those things were laid down in prophecy throughout the Old Testament. Not one thing in the New stands alone, apart from the Old. Without the Old, there would nor could ever be anything New! The New builds on the Old, better explains the Old, and often just reiterates the Old. I encourage you to start watching for these parallels as you read the Bible.
One of the things expected of HaMoshiach when He came was that He would explain
better. The B’rith Chadashah is actually the besorah of Yeshua in His deeds and teachings; and later told through His shaliachim. So whenever you see something you think is “new,” then look to the Old for complete understanding. After all, if you are looking at a better explanation of (meaning in this case all sacred writ that came before), it stands to reason you must know what is being explained before you can fully understand the explanation.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
And as we know, the only scripture at the time this was written was the TNK; the Old Testament (representing all Jewish sacred writings).
I want to go a bit farther in the haftara reading than what is listed:
2 Kings 5:20-22,25-27 (ESV) Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” … He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
Rabbi talked last Shabbat about the training of prophets. I don’t know the entire history as he does, so cannot comment on schools for prophets. But there was a time when prophets were trained by serving one already anointed a prophet. In this way not only the gift, but the character of the prospective prophet could be judged by his mentor. Now there were those who though not anointed were still prophets, but who used their gift for evil. Balaam was such a person. Then there is Elisha who himself served Elijah, and was anointed a prophet of Yisro’el because he was deemed worthy. Now we are not told if Gehazi was actually being considered for the role of an anointed prophet of Yisro’el or not. However the severity of his punishment suggests to me he might have been:
Luke 12:48 (ESV) But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Date of reading- 21 April 2018/ 6 Iyyar 5778/ 6-2-5778
Name of Par’shah- Tzaria- She Will Conceive/ Leper
Par’shah- Leviticus 12-13
Haftara- 2 Kings 4.42-5.19
Brit Chadashah- Matthew 8.1-4, 11.2-6; Mark 1.40-45; Luke 2.22-24, 5.12-16, 7.18-23
D’rash:
2 Kings 4:42-44 (ESV) A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
I have said many times there is nothing “new” in the “New Testament.” When you become quickened to it then the more you read the word, the more you begin to see this truth everywhere:
Matthew 14:16a-21 (ESV) … you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Often it is obvious, like these two passages. At other times things were prophesied about or the groundwork laid in scripture. Sometimes too we must look to the Mishna; as many of Yeshua’s teachings were taken from this source; some almost verbatim. Now of course there are additional details given us in explanation, for example in Revelation. But the groundwork for those things were laid down in prophecy throughout the Old Testament. Not one thing in the New stands alone, apart from the Old. Without the Old, there would nor could ever be anything New! The New builds on the Old, better explains the Old, and often just reiterates the Old. I encourage you to start watching for these parallels as you read the Bible.
One of the things expected of HaMoshiach when He came was that He would explain
better. The B’rith Chadashah is actually the besorah of Yeshua in His deeds and teachings; and later told through His shaliachim. So whenever you see something you think is “new,” then look to the Old for complete understanding. After all, if you are looking at a better explanation of (meaning in this case all sacred writ that came before), it stands to reason you must know what is being explained before you can fully understand the explanation.2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
And as we know, the only scripture at the time this was written was the TNK; the Old Testament (representing all Jewish sacred writings).
I want to go a bit farther in the haftara reading than what is listed:
2 Kings 5:20-22,25-27 (ESV) Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” … He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
Rabbi talked last Shabbat about the training of prophets. I don’t know the entire history as he does, so cannot comment on schools for prophets. But there was a time when prophets were trained by serving one already anointed a prophet. In this way not only the gift, but the character of the prospective prophet could be judged by his mentor. Now there were those who though not anointed were still prophets, but who used their gift for evil. Balaam was such a person. Then there is Elisha who himself served Elijah, and was anointed a prophet of Yisro’el because he was deemed worthy. Now we are not told if Gehazi was actually being considered for the role of an anointed prophet of Yisro’el or not. However the severity of his punishment suggests to me he might have been:
Luke 12:48 (ESV) But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
