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In the first episode of Season 3, we get to know Judas Iscariot and see the Sermon on the Mount from the “inside.” We also meet Joanna, another of Jesus’s female followers. This episode is another touching and creative part of the story seen through the eyes of The Chosen series. 

To see my previous articles Explaining The Chosen, find them here.

Sitting Shiva

Matthew’s father felt he had been betrayed by Matthew and declared he had no son. Matthew’s family acted as if Matthew had died when he suggested they sit Shiva for the next seven days.

Sitting Shiva is a beautiful Jewish custom where the family of the dead takes a seven-day break from work, other social interactions, etc., and spends time together. They gather in their own or the deceased’s home and mourn, heal, and remember the one they lost to this earthly life. 

This healing custom is a healthy way to support those whose earthly lives have been drastically changed by losing a loved one. But in The Chosen, Matthew’s father used it to distance the family from Matthew because of his status as a tax collector for the Romans. 

Judas of Kerioth

When Judas met Jesus, Jesus referred to him as Judas of Kerioth. But how do we know where Judas came from? It’s assumed he came from Kerioth because of his name: Judas Iscariot. Judas Iscariot is close to Judas Ish Kerioth, meaning “man from Kerioth.” 

Jesus then comments on the meaning of Judas’s name. Judas is a Hellenized form of his Hebrew name, but he was probably known among Jesus and other Jews as “Yehudah.” In your Bible, “Yehudah” is perhaps written as “Judah,” and it was a common name in Jesus’s time. 

Yehudah (יְהוּדָה) is a combination of the words Yah and Yadah. Yah is a name for God, used in many places in the Bible, and Yadah means to give praise, particularly with the hands, as Jesus points out in this scene. The word Yad means “hand.”

Aaronic Blessing

Before dismissing the disciples, Jesus prayed a blessing over them, and this blessing probably sounds familiar to you. From Numbers 6:22-27, the Aaronic Blessing (or Aaronic Benediction) goes like this.

The LORD make His face to shine upon you

(Ya’ayr Adonai panav ‘aylekha – יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָין אֵלֶיךָ)

And be gracious unto you.

(Veekhoonekha; – וׅיחֻנֶּךָ׃)

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you

(Yeesa’ Adonai panav ‘aylekha – יׅשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ)

And give you peace.

(V’yasaym l’kha shalom. – וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֺם)

Joanna

After the disciples disperse, we meet Joanna, a wealthy woman out of her element but interested in Jesus. Not mentioned more than a couple of times in the Bible, Joanna was a follower of Jesus. We know that she was wealthy because Luke 8:3 tells us she was one of a group of women who contributed out of their own means. 

The other thing we know about Joanna is that she was Herod’s steward, Chuza’s wife. The Bible doesn’t tell us what her husband thought of her visiting Jesus, but I’m guessing that may have been complicated! We also know she was one of the women who visited the tomb after Jesus’s resurrection, when the angel appeared and told them the good news, “He is not here. He has risen!”.

Joanna told the women that she was from Machaerus. Machaerus was the location of one of Herod’s palaces – where John the Baptist was beheaded at Herodius’s request.  

The Mezuzah

I’ve explained the mezuzah in Explaining The Chosen, Season 1, Episodes 7 and 8, and Season 2, Episode 7. Four times in this episode, a character touches the mezuzah (the small box nailed to the doorpost). The first was Rabbi Yussif, as he walked into the room where he talked to Jairus, and later in this episode, as he left the same room. Then Judas touched the mezuzah in the doorway before leaving his house, then again after returning to retrieve his plant. 

A mezuzah serves as a physical reminder of the words of the Shema (Deut. 6:4-9).

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, (NASB)

The Shema is where we’re instructed to make God the center of our lives. We’re to teach His word to our children as we go about our day. His words should be bound to us and even be written on the doorposts of our houses. It teaches us what we’re supposed to be doing with our time on Earth and how to live as one of God’s people. We must love God with all we are and make sure His word saturates every area of our lives!

The Anointed One

When Judas was telling his plans to follow Jesus to his sister, Devorah, he called Jesus “the anointed one.” In Hebrew, “anointed one” is “mashiach” (מָשִׁיחַ) or “messiah.” 

And a side note: Devorah, Judas’s sister’s name, “Deborah,” in English, means “bee,” as in the honey-making insect! 

We got to know Judas and learned what the Sermon on the Mount may have been like for the disciples. And what an ending this episode had! Will Matthew reconcile with his father? We’ll find out in Episode 2!

In the last episode of Season 2, we see Jesus’s followers making preparations for Jesus to deliver his sermon to a vast crowd. The curiosity of the Romans and suspicion of the Jewish leaders continues to grow as the disciples navigate Jesus’s ministry and disputes among themselves.  

Caution: Spoilers ahead! Haven’t seen it yet? Click here to view!  

Looking for my other articles Explaining The Chosen? Find them here!

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Selling the land

In the opening scene, men claiming to be descendants of Simeon negotiate a land purchase from a descendant of Reuben. They lied to say they were descendants because they knew they would not get the sale otherwise. 

It must have been known then, even outside the Jewish community, that the nation of Israel would not sell land to outsiders. Not willing to sell the land may sound selfish, but it’s out of obedience to God. 

The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.

Deuteronomy 25:23

There’s a heated dispute (and has been for thousands of years) about who the land of Israel belongs to, but those who believe the truth of the Bible take God at His word. God says the land is His, and He promised that Abraham and his descendants would live there, so we know the Jewish people are its rightful owners (Gen. 15:18-21 and other verses).

Hellenism

John says that Simon the Zealot’s obsession with exercise “smacks of Hellenism.” He’s referring to the pagan Greek influence that had begun to creep into Jewish life. Exercise doesn’t sound like a concerning threat to the Jewish people, but there were worse consequences of Hellenism.

Greek and Jewish cultures were very different, but the Greeks (and Greek-like Macedonians) lived in the same areas at this time, so there was an incentive to assimilate. Some Jewish people adopted a Greek way of life, including worshipping idols and other practices forbidden by God. 

The attraction to assimilate was strong, not just because it led to more peaceful cities or for political reasons. Sometimes it was forced. The story of the Maccabees that led to the celebration of Hanukkah tells of a horrific time when the Jewish people were heavily persecuted and forced to abandon their religious practices. 

But remember, we live in a fallen world and know that those who worship the one true God will be persecuted. Jesus knew this persecution would happen and gave us some encouraging words.

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

Unfortunately, God’s people have experienced persecution throughout history, do currently, and will in the future too. If you follow God and His Son, know you may be mistreated because of your faith. Jesus warned that they persecuted him and that following him would come with the possibility that we would also be. 

When you experience actual persecution, know that it’s because you’re on the right side of the eternal perspective. It’s right to follow God’s Word, even if those around us don’t understand why we do what we do.    

They all want to follow in the right way

After we see Ramah and Mary studying Psalm 139, Thomas and Tamar consider the disciples’ arguing. Thomas comments, “They all love our rabbi and want to follow him in the right way. They just can’t agree on what that right way is.”

His comment reminded me of what I see going on in so many circles of Believers today. We all have a heart to follow God in a way that pleases Him, but we often disagree on how it should be done. Instead of focusing on what unites us, we allow our differences to divide us. 

It takes determined intentionality to ensure we don’t get onto this path. A fallen world surrounds all Believers, but we must not get distracted and start acting like the world. We must respect each other as we respond to the guidance and conviction of the Spirit in how we’re led. We can lovingly wrestle with differences in Scriptural interpretation and humbly hold each other accountable when we stray. The human tendency is to let our pride take hold and cling to our side, but we must focus on eternal things and keep unity as one of our highest priorities.

The House of Shammai  

Shmuel and Yanni spoke with Shammai about their concerns about Jesus and his ministry, and he seemed to relish in the friction it would cause. As I explained in Episode 5 of Season 2, the two prevailing schools of thought in Jewish leadership at the time were the houses of Shammai and Hillel. These two rabbis had differing perspectives on how Biblical laws should be lived out. Shammai tended toward more strict adherence to the commandments, while Hillel aimed to reform these rigid views with a more compassionate and people-centered interpretation of Scripture. Jesus was more on the Hillel side, as he demonstrated when he challenged the Pharisees on some aspects of Jewish law.     

These two schools of thought tended to be aggressive toward one another. This disagreement even resulted in fighting at times. Hillel essentially won over most Jewish leadership, as modern Judaism now leans more toward the Hillel.

The healing of the world

When Jesus and Matthew are writing the sermon, Jesus points out that he wants his people to participate in the healing of the world, not its destruction. 

There’s a concept in Judaism called Tikkun Olam, meaning “repair the world.” In response to our broken world, this concept encourages people to do whatever’s within their capability to fix the world around them. Tikkun Olam inspires people to care for the environment, foster healthy relationships, give to charity, etc., to restore the earth to the state of the Garden of Eden.

Although we won’t be able to reach the perfect state of the Garden, there are things we can all do to improve the world around us for ourselves, others, and future generations. The theme of Tikkun Olam is that we do all in our power to do what we can to improve the world we live in.

And that wraps up the final episode of Season 2! I look forward to covering Season 3, so follow Hebrew Roots Mom on social media or sign up for the newsletter to find out when new articles are published. Find all my articles Explaining The Chosen here. 

If you haven’t seen my previous reviews on Artza Boxes, you may not know that they are such a great idea for those who love Israel! Artza features a different area of the Holy Land each quarter, sending unique items from local artisans right to your door!

This quarter, the Mount Carmel region is featured. In the Northern part of Israel, the term Mount Carmel can refer to the surrounding mountain range or just the steep southernmost end of it. Cities in the area include Haifa and other small towns. 

Biblically, Mount Carmel was where Elijah spent much of his time. He challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to a contest to see who was the one true God of Israel on Mount Carmel. It’s also where Elijah cursed the young boys who jeered at him, which resulted in bears coming out of the forest and killing 42 of them! 

In Hebrew, Mount Carmel is הַר הַכַּרְמֶל (Har HaCarmel). Carmel (כַּרְמֶל) means garden land or fruitful place, and the word literally means “vineyard of God”! The area is lush, covered with many different types of trees, and archaeologists have discovered wine and olive presses from ancient times. 

Use coupon code HEBREW20 to receive a 20% discount 
on your Artzabox subscription!

In this box, those at Artza have thoughtfully added meaningful items from the Mount Carmel region. They thought of the significance of everything – even down to the box’s color, inspired by the included photo of the sunset on Mount Carmel, which is included in each Carmel Artzabox.

Here are the items featured in the Carmel box.

Liba De Alma Earth Necklace

This necklace will be my most used item from this quarter’s box! It’s a necklace with a pendant that holds soil from Israel. With this necklace, you can keep an authentic bit of the Holy Land close to your heart. It makes a lovely addition to any outfit and will surely be a conversation piece!

As Believers, what is on our hearts should be the things on God’s heart. Biblically, the Land of Israel is very special to Him, and it should be to us, also. This necklace gives us a way to demonstrate our love for Israel and to remind us to pray for the Holy City as God tells us to do in Psalm 122:6 – “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

These meaningful necklaces are handmade by Bat El (her name means “daughter of God”!) and Shira. They collected soil from various places in Israel and crushed and layered it beautifully to create these pendants. They hope these necklaces will remind the wearers of the beauty and blessings that come from Israel.

Cocoa Tahini Spread

My family loved this addition to the Carmel box! My kids love Nutella and we all agree that this Tahini Spread is SO much better! It’s not as sweet as Nutella and is very flavorful. And it arrived right on time as we’re celebrating Passover and Unleavened Bread this week. It’s been a perfect topping for all the matzah we’re snacking on! 

Coconut Coated Hazelnuts

Grown in Israel, these hazelnuts would be delicious by themselves, let alone with the fantastic coating they have! They’re covered in a tasty and crunchy outer layer that perfectly accompanies the hazelnut inside.

These tasty treats are made by Gidi Mizrahi, a man from one of Jerusalem’s oldest merchant families! You can see Mizrahi’s love for the Land just by looking at the package of these Coconut Coated Hazelnuts. This verse is on the front: “…take the best fruits in the land… a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds…” Genesis 43:11. These coated Hazelnuts are for sure some of the best of the Land!

Hand Painted Ceramic Psalms Plate

Decorated with richly-colored leaves and flowers, this hand-painted plate boasts Psalm 96:12, “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” What a wonderful reminder for God’s people to join with creation and rejoice! 

Herbal Carmel Spice Mix

This aromatic spice combination says it can be used on fish or grilled chicken breast, baked potatoes, anti pasti, pizza, cheese, and vegetable dishes. That’s quite a long list of uses! It comes with a recipe card for Carmel Mountain Chicken, which my family thought was delicious!

A change from the usual blend of spices, this mix also contains hyssop, coriander, and chives. The package says it’s “Inspired by the flavors of Carmel mountain,” and the herbs are from that area. What a pleasing way to experience the Carmel region!

Dr. Dabour Organic Body Lotion

This body lotion is silky with a gentle fragrance, perfect for smoothing your skin after a bath or shower. It has a pleasant but not too powerful scent and contains pomegranate, olive leaf, lavender, and grape seed oil to leave your skin soft and smooth. It also doesn’t leave your skin greasy after use, as many lotions do!

Dr. Dabour is widely known as one of Israel’s top doctors. He has a unique approach to healthcare, combining the wisdom of ancient traditions with modern medicine to positively affect the lives of his patients. This luxurious body cream is just one of his many creations that use the valuable offerings of the Holy Land.

Painted Flowers 

Yair Emanuel is a well-known Israeli artist. You can find his recognizable art worldwide, known for its vivid colors and joyful designs like birds, pomegranates, and flowers. Another of his pieces was featured in the Artza Golan Heights Box, and it’s a delightful addition to the shelf just above my desk. 

These flowers are just perfect for Spring! They are large and bright and make me look forward to the ones that will pop up in my yard now that the weather is warming. The colors – orange, purple, and teal and the detailed designs make a cheerful, energetic combination.  

Raw Wooden Trivet/Cutting Board

Made from the trees of the forested Carmel region, this addition to the Premium Subscriber box is even more meaningful with the following verse on it:

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

This verse and the one from Psalms on the plate I mentioned above are such joyful verses! Isn’t it amazing that God’s creation gives glory back to Him? We should do so also!

Use coupon code HEBREW20 to receive a 20% discount 
on your Artzabox subscription!

Mount Carmel Postcards

Each Artzabox includes two postcards featuring images of exciting scenery in the area. This box is no exception. One of the postcards discusses the Israeli Druze, a community that has inhabited the Carmel area for over a thousand years! The other features a stunning photo of the site that’s thought to be where Elijah challenged the pagan prophets.  

Map and Hebrew Cards

Two cards included in the Carmel box haven’t been in previous Artzaboxes, but I hope this is a new item they intend to include from now on! One is a map of Israel with the Carmel area highlighted. The other is exciting for us Hebrew lovers. It has a few Hebrew words, with pictures so we can learn a little vocabulary of the Land. 

Would you like to order an Artzabox for yourself or as a gift? Here’s a coupon code for 20% off of your first order: HEBREW20 

In the second to last episode in Season Two of The Chosen, we see the tension rising, with Rome and the Jewish leaders becoming more concerned about Jesus’s influence. Jesus continues his ministry, teaching what we now know as the Lord’s Prayer to his most loyal followers. 

Looking for my other articles Explaining The Chosen? Click here!

Caution: Spoilers ahead! Haven’t seen it yet? Click here to view!  

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Yehudah

During Shmuel and Yanni’s conversation with Yussif, they reference a man named Yehuda, perhaps better known as Judah. Now, it’s the wrong place on the Biblical timeline for them to be referring to Judah, son of Jacob (even though they mention Tamar in the same scene), so they’re talking about a man named after Judah. 

Judah is a son of Jacob that we know a lot about since prophecy states that the messiah will descend from his lineage. Yehudah (Judah) is also the ancestor of the Jewish people or the Yehudim, as they’re called in Hebrew in the Bible.

False Witness

Shmuel and Yanni reacted with stunned silence when Yussif asked, “And what if you discover the healing was not on Shabbat?”. Why such stress? Because if they accused Jesus of healing on Shabbat and that was not true, they would be considered false witnesses. And the Bible says false witnesses are to be punished.

If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you. Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 19:16-21 (NASB)

Depending on what punishment Shmuel and Yanni had in mind for Jesus (the penalty for blasphemy was stoning), their being incorrect in what they accused him of would bring that down on them! They were in a very serious situation, and it was of utmost importance that their testimony was correct!

“The grain thing”

When Simon and Andrew talked in the boat, Andrew expressed concern that Jesus had led the disciples to pick grain on Shabbat. He worried that it would draw negative attention from the Pharisees, which it did, as we see in the Gospels (Matt. 12:1-8). 

The Pharisees accused Jesus of violating the Sabbath. Many, even today, see this as Jesus breaking a Law to demonstrate that we no longer have to adhere to Biblical Law as his followers.

The only problem with this interpretation is that no Law in the Torah says not to pick grain on the Sabbath. The “law” Jesus broke was a “fence” around the Law (fences are also discussed in Explaining The Chosen: S1 E4, S1 E8, S2 E3, and S2 E6) that the Pharisees had created. Like many Believers do today, the Pharisees wanted to help God’s people avoid disobedience by making rules for how to live. Some current examples would be when Christians decide never to be alone with someone of the opposite sex or to avoid alcohol. 

The Fourth Philosophy

The Roman officer told Shmuel and Yanni that their information about the whereabouts of Jesus was outdated and asked them what they knew about the Zealots. “The Fourth Philosophy?!” Says Shmuel questioningly. 

The Zealots were Jews that were very passionate and intensely disliked the Romans and the Pagan influence they brought when they were in power. They were considered a fourth philosophy (or sect) of Judaism, with the other three being the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.

Jotapota

While traveling to Jotapota, Gaius and Atticus discuss the state of Jotapota. Atticus describes the four sects of Jews found there and that the praetor there held his power loosely compared to elsewhere. 

Josephus reports Jotapota (also known as Yodfat) as the site of a famous battle during the Jewish revolt against the Romans. Because of the great concentration of all Jewish sects, especially the Zealots, this city put up a long and bloody battle but was eventually defeated. The residents were killed or enslaved by the Romans.

Lord of the Sabbath and Son of Man

Andrew was upset that word could reach the Sanhedrin that Jesus claimed to be the Lord of the Sabbath and the Son of Man. In Exodus 31:13, God says the Sabbath belongs to Him. For Jesus to claim to be Lord of the Sabbath is a huge statement!

The Son of Man is a phrase used throughout the Old Testament to indicate a person’s humanity, but it’s also used in reference to the messiah. Daniel 7:13-14 describes the Son of Man as the one that comes on the clouds to whom everlasting dominion is given! Just as the claim to be Lord of the Sabbath, using the phrase “Son of Man” to describe himself would have caused quite a stir!

Jesus’s race

When Quintus talked to Jesus, he said, “If your race weren’t so repugnant and odious, I’d offer you a job!”. Why would he say such a thing about the Jewish people?

People groups that lived near the Israelites and, later, the Jewish people didn’t understand their way of life. Historic resources document that the Egyptians were confused by the Hebrew people. They considered them lazy because they kept the Sabbath and strange because they worshipped only one God. The Romans disliked how the Jewish people answered to a higher authority than them. 

Even more recently, we see this hatred and misunderstanding from the Nazi party and even see it in our culture today. Historically, one belief that kept people divided and hating one another was to see the other group as less than human. It’s not easy to hate and be abusive to a fellow human being, but it seems far more reasonable if you’re convinced that the other is of non-human status and unworthy of equal treatment. 

Less-than-human is how the Romans viewed Jesus’s people as a mass to be controlled, not a group of individuals chosen by our Creator. I appreciate how The Chosen’s writers ensured Jesus stood with his people when confronted with Quintus’s insult. I’m sure Jesus didn’t like how the Romans hated his people, God’s chosen people.

The anti-semitism demonstrated in this scene of The Chosen should remind Believers that we should view the Jewish people as God does. God has a heart that welcomes all, but the Bible is clear that he has a special place in His heart for the Jewish people. If we are Bible believers and believe in God’s sovereignty, we must be the first to recognize the value of the Jewish people to the world.

“Sorry about your cousin.”

Quintus, in his arrogant way, apologizes for what happened to Jesus’s cousin, John the Baptist. We know how this sad story went because it’s recorded in Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:17-29. In short, John confronted Herod because he married his sister-in-law while his brother was still living, against the law of Levirate marriage in Leviticus 18:16.  

Herod professed that he was Jewish (this is questionable historically) but didn’t keep the Laws of the Torah. When John confronted Herod, it greatly offended Herod’s new wife, Herodias. After Herodius’s daughter performed a dance that satisfied Herod and his guests at a party, Herod offered her whatever she wanted. At the guidance of her mother, she asked for John the Baptist’s head on a platter, and that’s what she got! 

Like other prophets in the Bible, John was given the gift of prophecy, which cost him his life. He boldly obeyed when God gave him messages for the people even though he wasn’t liked. Although we may not have been given the gift of prophecy, we should learn from an obedient servant like John. He boldly spoke the truth and gave his life to serve God, even until the end.

The Lord’s Prayer

In this scene, Jesus teaches his followers to pray, as recorded in Matthew 9:6-13 and Luke 11:2-4. This prayer has become precious to all of Jesus’s followers since and is a meaningful prayer for Believers today as well.

Although you probably learned the Lord’s Prayer in English, and it’s recorded in the New Testament in Greek, it’s likely that Jesus and the disciples initially said it in Hebrew or Aramaic. For this reason, many have memorized and recited it in one of those languages instead. 

Here it is if you want to learn the Lord’s Prayer in Hebrew.

אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם

Ah-vee-noo, she-bah-shah-mah-eem, 

Our Father Who is in Heaven 

יִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֶךָ

yeet-kah-dahsh sheh-meh-kah

holy is Your name

תָּבֹא מַלְכוּתֶךָ

Tah-vo mal-choo-teh-kah

Your Kingdom come

יֵעָשֶׂה רְצוֹנְךָ

Yeh-ah-seh reh-tson-neh-kah

Your will be done

בָּאָרֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁר

bah-ah-rets ka-a-sher

on earth as

נַעֲשָׂה בַשָּׁמָיִם

na-ah-sah va-shah-mah-yeem

it is in heaven

תֶּן־לָנוּ הַיּוֹם

ten-lah-noo ha-yom

give to us this day

לֶחֶם חֻקֵּנוּ

leh-chem choo-kah-noo

our daily bread 

וּסְלַח־לָנוּ אֶת־אַשְׁמָתֵנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר

oo-seh-lach la-noo et ahsh-mah-teh-noo kah-ah-sher

and forgive our sins as 

סֹלְחִים אֲנַחְנוּ לַאֲשֶׁר אָשְׁמוּ לָנוּ

so-leh-chim ah-nach-noo la-ah-sher ahsh-moo lah-noo

we forgive those who sin against 

וְאַל־תְּבִיאֵנוּ

veh-al teh-vei-eh-noo

and lead us not

לִידֵי מַסָּה

lee-dey mas-sah

into the hands of temptation

כִּי אִם־הַצִּילֵנוּ

kee-eem ha-tzee-leh-noo

but deliver us

מִן־הָרָע

meen hah-rah

from the evil one

Side note: The last part of the Lord’s Prayer (For thine of the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen) isn’t here because it isn’t in the Biblical text and was later added by the Protestant church. I’m not opposed to the addition; I just didn’t include it here.

Some think Jesus spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew. He probably spoke both (maybe among other languages as well). If you’re interested in the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, here’s an excellent resource for that: https://jesusspokearamaic.com/Libraries/LordsPrayer-StudyGuide/Study-Guide-Lords-Prayer.pdf

What a great way to wrap up the episode. I look forward to finding more fascinating gems in future episodes! Find all my articles Explaining The Chosen here.

Join Stephanie Pavlantos and me on her podcast, Grafted, in discussing the Torah and how it relates to us as Believers. Listen here!

My guest is Holly Eastburg from HebrewRootsMom.com.

Is the Torah still relevant to us today? Does it have anything to do with Salvation? Do we really need to keep the Torah with its laws and teachings? Is there a more significant spiritual blessing for those who do? Holly and I discuss that and more in today’s episode.

The Chosen is such a well-done series based on the Bible. Its creators aim to depict the lives of Jesus and his disciples in a way that’s true to the Bible and their culture.

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Ahimelech and the Showbread

The opening scene of this episode comes from 1 Samuel 21. I love how the creators of The Chosen tie the Old and New Testaments together! That’s how the Bible is – not two different parts – just one incredible story!

Ahimelech and his wife, Jafa, discuss the possibility that their oldest child won’t be able to be a priest due to what sounds like an injury. A man couldn’t serve in the Temple or the Tabernacle if he had any handicap, sore, congenital disability, etc. (Lev. 21). Ahimelech decided to train his other son to serve instead. 

While training Abiathar, Ahimelech gets a visit from King David. According to Leviticus 24:9, God said the showbread in the Temple and Tabernacle could only be eaten by the priests, but we see this command being broken to save the lives of David and his men. 

There is a concept in Judaism called pikuach nefesh, where saving a life takes higher priority than keeping a Commandment. Because humans are made in God’s image, the pikuach nefesh, meaning “watching over a soul,” allows for breaking a Law to save someone’s life. This principle teaches that, while we’re to obey God, we must not follow in an automated fashion but navigate the world and its numerous different situations with common sense and discernment from the Spirit. 

Jesus brought this concept up in Matthew 12:11 (and later in this episode) when he talked about rescuing a sheep from a pit on the Sabbath. Usually, sheep-keeping duties would be suspended on Shabbat, but his point was that no one would leave it there to suffer until the Sabbath ended, and you would use common sense and rescue it anyway.

Although this principle isn’t mentioned anywhere in the Bible, Jewish rabbis have concluded that this is okay with God because, in the story of David and his men eating the showbread, for example, God didn’t punish Ahimelech or David for them eating the bread. 

When Rahab hid the spies in her house in the Book of Joshua, she lied to keep them safe. Usually, lying would be wrong, but in this case, she was protecting God’s people and helping to further His kingdom. Her actions led to her and her family being rewarded with protection and even being listed in the genealogy of Jesus a couple thousand years later!

God made Laws for us to follow but doesn’t want us to become mindless robots in our obedience. He wants us to love the people around us and use the common sense and discernment He has given us in all situations.

The Showbread

I find the showbread an intriguing addition to God’s design for the Temple. Each week, the priest was to remove the bread from the previous week and place new, freshly made bread on the table of the showbread. The priests then ate the “old” bread. 

We know God doesn’t need us to bake bread to sustain Him, so why was fresh bread required, displayed on a table made just for that purpose, in the Temple each week? 

Like other things God has commanded us to do, there are lessons in the showbread. There are probably many more lessons, but the one I see clearly is that of God’s eternal provision and faithfulness. There were twelve loaves of showbread displayed each week. The twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes that descended from Jacob (Israel) – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Thirteen are listed here – lists in the Bible differ on which twelve are included. 

God has miraculously cared for and protected His chosen people throughout history, even through the most horrific adversities. When they were wandering in the wilderness, God provided. They remain a nation even though they have been split apart and scattered all over the earth, and evil people throughout history have tried to extinguish them. The twelve loaves show that God is a faithful God. He can be trusted and knows what’s best for His people. 

Some trust in chariots

When Mary and Ramah talk about Mary Magdalene being missing, Mary says, “some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in Adonai our God.” This is a beautiful reminder from Psalm 20:7. 

While the rest of the world is being tossed on waves of emotion and stress of the world, we can be solid and focused because our trust doesn’t lie in the things and people around us. We know that, no matter what happens here on earth, God is in control, and He’s the ruler of the universe. Even more than that, we’re His people; he knows and cares for us personally! 

This verse is such wisdom from Mary’s character. As Believers, when we see the world’s problems begin to affect us, giving us anxiety and depression about our circumstances, we need to check to see if our trust has fallen away from our God and replace our focus where it belongs.

613 Laws

The Sons of Thunder, James and John, watched Simon the Zealot perform his morning exercises and commented that they couldn’t be Zealots because the 613 Laws were already too much for them.

They refer to the 613 commandments because that’s how many commandments were given in the Torah. Rabbis studied the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy), looking for the times God told His people to do something. They found 613 times and concluded that there are 613 total commandments. The 613 includes the Ten Commandments, which summarize the other 603 commandments into ten more general statements. 

Many of these commandments cover how to run the Temple. Others say how we’re to treat others, such as Leviticus 19:18, which commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” And still others tell us how our relationship with God should be, as in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  

The creators of The Chosen show the disciples bemoaning the commandments they must obey, but the Bible teaches us to have a good attitude about God’s Laws instead. Here are some things the Bible says about God’s Laws:

They are perfect: Psalms 19:7 (this verse will be quoted later in this episode by Shmuel in his conversation with Dunash), James 1:25

They’re not burdensome, and obeying them shows we love God: Deuteronomy 30:11, 1 John 5:1-5

They’re not just for Israel but for all people: Numbers 15:15-16 

They bring us freedom: Psalms 119:44-45, James 2:12

They are holy and good: Romans 7:12, 1 Timothy 1:8

They should be our delight: Psalms 1:2, 119:35, Proverbs 29:18, Romans 7:22

This list is just some of the positive things Scripture says about the Law, although there are many more! Now let’s look at what Jesus had to say about the Law.

 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:17-19, (NASB)

Here’s another quote from Jesus about the Commandments:

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

John 14:2, (NASB)

And yet another:

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:10, (NASB)

And one last quote from Jesus concerning the Law:

 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Matthew 19:16-17, (NASB)

It may seem like aiming to keep all 613 Laws in the Bible is confining and will bring a life of suffering, but the Bible tells us the opposite. Our God gave us a list of the best ways to live, and, as His people, we should embrace them and the blessings they bring to our lives.

And, while we’re on the subject of Laws, I’ll make clear that the commandments God gives show us how to live, but they do not save us. As we grow in faith closer to Him, we will continually align our lives with His ways and increase in obedience to Him. As we do this, the Spirit will convict us, and we will further embrace and learn to love the Laws He gave us out of His love for us. Through the process of maturing in faith, we will align our lives more and more with what God has in mind for us.

Not even half of a beitzah

Thomas surveyed the amount of food the disciples had and lamented that they didn’t “even have half a beitzah of flour.” The word “beitzah” means “egg” in Hebrew, but the measurement “beitzah” was an amount equivalent to the capacity occupied by one egg. Think about it. How much flour takes up the same amount of space as one egg? Not much! Thomas was right to be concerned – except they happened to be with Jesus, who ensures they’re well provided for!

The Son of Man

The two rabbis, Dunash and Shmuel, discussed the “sin” of Jesus, telling the former paralytic to carry his mat on Shabbat. Shmuel pointed out that Jesus had “invoked the title “Son of Man from the prophet Daniel.”

Here’s the verse Shmuel was referring to.

I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And was presented before Him.

Daniel 7:13, (NASB)

Most Jewish and Christian sources say the Aramaic idiom “Son of Man” in this verse refers to the Messiah. The term “Son of Man” is also used throughout the book of Ezekiel and elsewhere in the Bible, where it’s used to describe humans. Saying they’re “Sons of Man” highlights the contrast between mere mortals and the Almighty God.

In response to Shmuel’s comment, Dunash says, “Yes, many have.” What does he mean that “many” have invoked the title “Son of Man”?

Josephus records the lives of other messiah-type figures who lived around the same time Jesus was on Earth. These other messiah figures may have been what the character Dunash was referring to. He may have also been referring to Ezekiel and others who called themselves “Son of man” in a non-messianic way.

Second witness

Further on in the conversation between Dunash and Shmuel, Dunash asked Shmuel about a second witness to confirm what happened at the Pool of Bethesda when Jesus told the paralytic to carry his mat.

A second witness wasn’t just a good way to confirm the validity of a testimony. It’s required in the Bible to convict someone. Leviticus 19:15 says that two witnesses must be present to convict someone. While a second witness could obviously still lie, this was to prevent most cases where a person could falsely accuse someone of a crime.

An Abandoned Woman

Shmuel brings up a devastating situation. When a woman was the sole witness to her husband’s death, she not only carried the grief of witnessing his death but had her life completely ruined afterward.

The law of the abandoned woman, the agunah, was another fence drawn around the Law by the Pharisees of the time. Because of the two-witness Law, they created this set of circumstances for a woman who was the only witness to her husband’s death. They tried their best to ensure that the Law was obeyed, but this situation would have put widows in a desperate situation, which is contrary to the Spirit of the Law. 

Law Reform

Dunash says, “These are the Laws that Shimon, like his father Hillel, is seeking to reform.” I discussed the differences between the houses of Shammai and Hillel in my article on Episode 5 of Season 2. These different viewpoints are why Yanni suggested they go to the house of Shammai with their case against Jesus. The house of Shammai was more rigid in adherence to the Law, and Hillel was known for adhering more to the spirit of the Law – a more liberal view. 

You can easily see which side of these Pharisaical arguments Jesus was on. He deeply respected God’s Law but didn’t hold the fences around the Law above God’s actual Law. He also seemed to have a more liberal perspective on the Law when it conflicted with preserving life, as in the example of David’s men eating the showbread. 

Shabbat Shalom

In the synagogue in the Wadi Kelt, Madai, the priest greets Lamech, the rabbi, with the words “Shabbat Shalom.” This is a standard greeting on the Sabbath. Saying “Shabbat Shalom” is wishing another person a “peaceful Sabbath.” 

I covered this greeting in my article on Episode 2 of Season 1 as well. The word Shalom encompasses even more than just peace. It’s a beautiful word that means peace, wholeness, completion, and more. Read 9 Hebrew Words to Bring You Closer to God for more on the word Shalom.   

Picking grain on Shabbat

The rabbi and priest were upset that Jesus and his disciples were picking grain on Shabbat. This story comes from the Books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They are accused of breaking the law, but it doesn’t say in the Law (Torah) not to pick grain on the Sabbath. When Jesus was accused of breaking the law by picking grain on the Sabbath, he was accused of breaking a law made by people, not God.  

As I wrote in my articles on Episode 3 of this Season and Episode 8 of Season 1, not picking grain on the Sabbath was another “fence” built around the Law by the rabbis to prevent people from coming close to breaking one of God’s commands. While the fences may seem extreme, it’s a similar practice to when Christians abstain from alcohol. No command says not to drink alcohol. They don’t drink so that they and others aren’t led into the sin that could result from drinking.

Jotapota

The priest, Madai, suggests they bring their complaints about Jesus to the protestors at Jotapota since there will be important people there. 

Jotapota (Jotbathah) is listed in Numbers and Deuteronomy as one of the places the Israelites camped while wandering the wilderness. At the time of Jesus, it was an area where the Jewish people eventually fought the Romans and lost under devastating circumstances. Josephus recorded that over 40,000 Jewish people died, and over 1,000 women and children were taken into slavery!

And that brings us to the end of yet another great episode! Stay tuned for my article on Episode 7!

In another fantastic episode of The Chosen, we get a Hebrew lesson, the inside scoop on John the Baptist’s intent to confront Herod, and a glimpse of what a demon-possessed life may look like.

Haven’t seen it? Click here to watch!

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Mary’s Blessing

In some of my other articles on The Chosen, I’ve written about the many daily prayers in a practicing Jew’s life. They invite God into every aspect of their lives and acknowledge His blessing and provision throughout each day. 

As Mary is picking persimmons, she recites the following blessing.

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, 

Who left out nothing in His world and created pleasant creations 

And good trees so that people can derive benefit from them.

In Hebrew, this blessing is:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, 

שֶׁלֹּא חִסַּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיוֹת טוֹבוֹת 

וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבִים לְהַנּוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם.

And it’s pronounced:

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam, she’lo chisar b’olamo klum u’vara vo beri’ot tovot ve’ilanot tovim le’hanot bahem b’nei adam

Then she recites Psalm 139:8. This is the verse Phillip was teaching Matthew in Episode 3 of this season.

If I ascend to heaven, you are there; If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Psalm 139:8

Thousands Named Jesus 

When Jesse, the former paralytic, is being questioned by the Pharisees, Yanni, and Shmuel, he says that all he knows about Jesus is his name. Yanni comments, “There are a million Jews here for the festival, thousands named Jesus.”

We generally know who someone is referring to when they say “Jesus,” but it was a common name in Jesus’s time. The name Jesus is a variation on the Greek word for Jesus, Iésous (Ἰησοῦς, pronounced ee-ay-soos). 

His Hebrew name (what his family, disciples, and other Jews would have called him) exposes more meaning to his purpose here on earth. 

In Hebrew, it’s “Yehoshua” (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ), which is the same name as “Joshua.” In Aramaic, it’s shorter – “Yeshua” (יֵשׁוּעַ). Both Aramaic and Hebrew would have been spoken when Jesus was on the earth, and both of these languages are in the original Old Testament texts. 

Yehoshua and Yeshua are both a contraction of two root words: Yahweh (יהוה) and “yasha” (יָשַׁע). Yasha means “to deliver,” so combining the two means “God delivers,” “God saves,” or “God is salvation.” This significance makes the angel’s announcement to Joseph in Matthew 1:21 even more meaningful. The angel says, “you are to give him the name Jesus [Yehoshua/Yeshua] because he will save [yosheea] people from their sins.” 

Jesus of Nazareth

When Shmuel says, “It was him! It was Jesus of Nazareth!” Jesse chuckles and questions, “Nazareth?”.

Scoffing at Nazateth is, again, as in previous episodes, a reference to people of that time questioning the messiah’s ability to come from a place like Nazareth. In John 1:46, Phillip tells Nathaniel about Jesus, and Nathaniel responds incredulously, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”. Nazareth was a little, no-name town, so people had a hard time believing their long-awaited messiah could come from such an insignificant place.  

Forbidden Miracles

When Atticus finds Jesse and questions him, Atticus says that Jesse probably wants to shout from the rooftops about what happened to him but implies he cannot because it’s “forbidden.” Why would such a wonderful thing be forbidden?

According to Jewish interpretation of some of the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 35:5-6 and other verses), there are four types of miracles only the messiah could perform – healing congenital disabilities (blind, lame, etc.), casting out demons that were deaf and without speech, cleansing leprosy, and raising someone from the dead after more than three days.

In the Bible, the Pharisees were often there when Jesus performed miracles and objected to him doing so. They questioned the source of his healing power because they watched for the messiah to come and ensure that the people adhered to Jewish law.

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.” And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. “If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? “If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Matthew 12:22-28 (NASB)

But Jesus did indeed heal with the power of God, and he used those healings as evidence that he was the messiah when John the Baptist sent word asking if he was. In responding this way, Jesus demonstrates that he fulfilled the messianic prophecies in Isaiah 35 and other places.

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.

Matthew 11:4-5 (NASB)

Morning Blessings

Simon the Zealot is saying a blessing which is a common blessing said in the morning. Called the Elohai Neshamah (the first two words of the blessing), it goes like this.

My God, the soul that you placed within me is pure. You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me, and You preserve it within me. And in the future, You will take it from me and restore it in the Time to Come. All the time that this soul is within me, I am thankful before You, Adonai, my God and the God of my fathers, Ruler of all creation, Lord of all the souls. Blessed are You, Adonai, Who restores souls to dead bodies.

It’s traditionally said in Hebrew. In Hebrew, it’s:

אֱלֹהַי, נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי טְהוֹרָה. אַתָּה בְרָאתָהּ, אַתָּה יְצַרְתָּהּ, אַתָּה נְפַחְתָּהּ בִּי, וְאַתָּה מְשַׁמְּרָהּ בְּקִרְבִּי, וְאַתָּה עָתִיד לִטְּלָהּ מִמֶּנִּי, וּלְהַחֲזִירָהּ בִּי לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה בְּקִרְבִּי מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי. רִבּוֹן כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲדוֹן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, הַמַּחֲזִיר נְשָׁמוֹת לִפְגָרִים מֵתִים

It’s pronounced:

Elohai neshama shenatata bi t’horah hi. Ata b’ratah, atah y’tzartah, atah n’fachtah bi, v’ata m’shamrah b’kirbi v’atah atid litelah mimeni ulehachazirah bi leatid lavo. Kol z’man shehaneshaman b’kirbi modeh (or modah) ani lefaneicha, Adonai Elohai v’lohei avotai, Ribon kol hamasim, Adon kol haneshamot. Baruch atah Adonai, hamachazir neshamot lifgarim metim.

This blessing can be followed by a deep breathing pattern like Simon demonstrated in this scene. 

In Jewish tradition, a person’s soul leaves the body at night during sleep, then returns when they wake. Jesus recites another of the morning prayers, the Modeh Ani, in Season 2, Episode 1, which also addresses the concept of the soul returning to the body.  

Demon possessed man

Simon says to the demon-possessed man that a demon will go on and pass through the waterless places and find someone else.

The waterless place is an intriguing concept in the Bible. Two different Hebrew words are translated as “waterless” in English. One, found in Job 6:17, is זָרַב, which means “scorched,” and the other is אִין in Zechariah 9:11, which means “to be nothing” or “not to exist.” It’s unclear whether the waterless places mentioned here are referring to hell or another place, but wherever it is, it doesn’t sound pleasant! A place that’s scorched and doesn’t exist isn’t one I’d like to pass through!

Jesus mentions the waterless places in his teaching recorded in Matthew 12 and Luke 11. He says that when demons are cast out, they leave the person and travel through the waterless place, seeking rest and never finding it. So creepy!

Demon’s sense of smell

The demon-possessed man mentioned that he could smell Simon and, later, that he could also smell Jesus. Demons smelling Jesus isn’t recorded in the Bible, but demons are often reported to have a smell of sulfur. Biblically, sulfur is known as brimstone. When mentioned in the Bible, it’s related to the wicked and their punishment. 

Whether or not demons could smell Jesus, there does seem to be some scent that crosses the spiritual/physical barrier in the case of demon possession. 

At the end of the Feast

Simon says he hugged his brother at the end of the Feast. What Feast? The Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot is what he’s referring to. Would you like to learn more about Sukkot? Read my article, Explaining The Chosen, Season 2, Episode 4, for an explanation. 

“Oy!”

Like I did at one time, you may think the expression “Oy!” is merely a Jewish form of “Oh my gosh!” but there’s more to this exclamation than that. 

When John the Baptist says, “Oy, the hassle of it all,” he’s using a Biblical expression. Found in Numbers 21:29, Psalm 120:5, Proverbs 23:29, and many other places, the word אוֹי (pronounced “Oy”) is a lamentation most commonly translated as “woe” or “woe to me!”.

Herod is marrying Herodias

Why did John the Baptist mention to Jesus and his followers that Herod was divorcing his wife to marry Herodias? Just to update them on the latest in celebrity drama? 

No. In this conversation, the writers of The Chosen are setting up the sad and unfair situation where John is martyred. This story is recorded in Matthew 14 and Mark 6. To summarize, King Herod Antipas, who was supposedly Jewish but sided with the Romans, divorced his wife to marry his sister-in-law.

However, it’s forbidden in the Law (Leviticus 18:16) to marry one’s brother’s wife while the brother is still living. As a Jewish king, Herod had a responsibility to follow the Law but chose not to, and when John called him out on this violation, Herod’s new wife, Herodias, wasn’t happy. At Herod’s birthday party, when her daughter was dancing before his guests, Herod was pleased with her dancing. He offered her whatever she wanted, up to half of his kingdom. Her mother told her to ask for John’s head on a platter. She did, and, unfortunately, that’s what she got. 

Later in this episode, John the Baptist says that Herod is afraid of him, but he is being honest, not prideful. Herod’s fear of John is Biblical, as reflected in the two chapters (Matt. 14 and Mark 6) that told the story of John’s beheading. This fear is why Herod didn’t just kill him in the first place, rather than waiting for the request from Herodias’s daughter.

John the Baptist also says later, speaking of Herod, “He might not be as bad as his father, but he’s still bad.” Herod Antipas came from a rough family. He and his brothers were tetrarchs in the areas controlled by the Romans. Their Jewish descent was questioned, but they seemingly only acted Jewish when it served them. Their father, Herod the Great, is known for the many buildings he built, including the remodeling and expansion of the Temple and Temple Mount. He’s also known for having Jewish infants murdered around the time of Jesus’s birth. He left some great historical architecture, but he was a bad man indeed!

Hebrew lessons

Mary is teaching Hebrew to Ramah in the next scene. They’re going over the second part of Paslm 7:1, “O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge…”. 

Mary points out that the “root” is “chet-samech-hey,” which looks like this: חסה. In Hebrew, there’s a three-letter root to almost every word that reveals its meaning. Added to the three-letter root are prefixes and suffixes to tell more about the word.

For example, the word they’re discussing is חָסִיתִי (cha-see-tee). Its root is חָסָה (cha-sah), which is a verb meaning “take refuge.” The letters added to the word change it into the first person singular form, making it “I sought refuge.” 

But Ramah comments that there’s no hey, and she’s correct. When a word ends in hey, and a suffix is added, the hey drops off, making it difficult to recognize the root word. That may be why Ramah is struggling with this word.

Words with the same root are similar in meaning, not just appearance. As Mary and Ramah continue to the next part of the verse, “from my pursuers and deliver me,” they skip over one root I think is very important. The word translated “save me” is הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי (ho-shee-ay-nee), which is from the root ישע. Another word we get from this root is Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ), Jesus’s name, which I discussed above.  

The Elijah-ness of John’s role

Jesus says that they both know the “Elijah-ness” of John’s role. John the Baptist and Elijah have commonly been compared among Christians, but what are the similarities? There are many in the Bible. Both were desert-dwellers who dressed strangely and lived off of the land. Both were called to prophesy to Israel at a time they had turned from God, and both preached a message of repentance to the people and the leadership. To study many things these two have in common, read Twenty-five Similarities between Elijah and John the Baptist.   

Some believe that John was the “Elijah” sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. Luke 1:17 says that John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. And Malachi 3:1 says, “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple…”

But if these verses mean that John the Baptist is a resurrection of Elijah, someone didn’t tell the prophet himself. He denies being Elijah when asked.

They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

John 1:21 (NASB)

So, while John the Baptist did walk on earth with Elijah-ness, he wasn’t Elijah himself, and we can still look forward to Elijah returning to prepare the way for our messiah when he comes to rule his kingdom!

Prophecy and song

John the Baptist mentions his abba’s (dad’s) prophecy and Jesus’s eema’s (mom’s) song. In Luke chapter 1, Mary’s song and Zechariah’s prophecy tell of Jesus’s role as savior. John knows that what was said about him and Jesus is being fulfilled.  

Belial, spawn of Oriax

This demon’s name, Belial, is found throughout the Hebrew text of the Old Testament and once in the New. Belial is mentioned as a being but also as a concept – commonly translated as “worthless.” 

He’s the subject of much Jewish and Christian thought and has been proposed to be Satan’s right-hand demon or even his predecessor. Oriax, Belial’s supposed father, is a notorious demon from extrabiblical sources. 

“Nicodemus has influence, but he’s not Caiaphas”

Shmuel says the above vehemently as they leave after attempting to make amendments to the case against Jesus. 

In John 3, Nicodemus is called a “ruler of the Jews.” Because of this and the Sanhedrin authority he had to at least somewhat defend Jesus in John 7; he’s thought to have been a Pharisee of very high standing. Jesus also refers to him as “the teacher of Israel.” 

On the other hand, Caiaphas was the high priest, so he ranked above Nicodemus. He’s the one who would eventually bring the charge of blasphemy against Jesus, and we know how the rest of that story goes…

Hillel and Shammai

Yanni said, “…there are two schools of Mishnaic thought,” and Shmuel finished his statement with, “Hillel and Shammai, of course…”.

First, let’s define Mishnaic thought. The Mishnah is a written document (book) containing the previously oral Jewish traditions. The Mishnah contains interpretations and practical applications of the Torah. For example, what exactly does it mean to “keep the Sabbath holy”? The rabbis had a specific answer to this question to guide the Jewish people and keep everyone on the same page as far as what could or couldn’t be done on the Sabbath.  

Rabbis Hillel and Shammai were well-respected Jewish sages who lived about 2,000 years ago. They were devoted scholars, but they disagreed on many things. Conditions for divorce, the procedure for lighting Hanukkah candles, and whether to allow anyone to study Torah or only chosen students. 

Hillel’s school of thought is more liberal than Shammai’s, and Hillel’s is what is followed by most observant Jews today, but both opinions are expressed in the modern-day Mishnah.  

These groups were also divided politically. In Jesus’s time, the school of Shammai sided with the Zealots, and Hillel wanted to find a more peaceful existence with the Romans. They sometimes disagreed to the point of killing members of the other side, but this was the exception, as most disagreements between the two schools were peaceful and respectful.

And we can look forward to Episode 6 to see what Mary’s up to in Jericho and more! Would you like to receive updates from Hebrew Roots Mom? Follow me on social media or sign up for the newsletter!