Why?

“The inhabitants of earth have many tongues, those of heaven have but one.” 

Some of the world’s leading teams of Bible scholars, illustrate how “back-translation” from Greek to Hebrew clarifies “difficult words of Jesus.”  Greek codices Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, etc., and nearly all English translations read that Yeshua (Jesus) taught His followers to “hate” father and mother, μισει (Luke 14:26).  Traced back to the Greek Septuagint μισεῖται (Gen 29:31), then “back-translated” into the Hebrew, שְׂנוּאָ֣ה  (Gen 29:31), we find a contextual example that Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah” (Genesis 29:30).  The next verse illustrates by context that the Hebrew שְׂנוּאָ֣ה simply means Leah was “less loved.”  A more accurate reading of Luke 14:26 would then be; “If anyone comes to me, and loves his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, even their own life, more than me, this soul cannot be My disciple.“

What are the ramifications of Bible translations and theologies that encourage people to hate others that don’t follow a certain belief or religion?  Religious hatred at the hands of “God’s people” causes people to feel victimized by God, obviously, religious hatred is an aberration of the original “mindset.”  Ever wonder to what degree substandard translations are responsible for division, religious entitlement, and hatred?

Hundreds of such examples reveal far deeper elements of God’s Eternal love.  There’s more to come that needs to be shared with the world.

Closing the Gap

Chronologically, there’s a 200-300 year gap between the events of the New Testament and existing Greek manuscripts that record these events.

Linguistically, there’s a gap between definitions and applications of spiritual terms between Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

Culturally, there’s a gap between the Greek gods of Hades, Tartarus and Kurios as found in Greek New Testament Bibles and the God of the Hebrews, Yahweh (the LORD) and His Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

Spiritually, there’s a gap between modern Christianity and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Relationally, there’s a gap between what God says He loves and what religion says about what God loves.  The one gap we all need to close, the ultimate gap, is any distance between us and truly hearing the Voice of God in our lives.

“Then He said to them, “Therefore, every teacher who is instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven is like the head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52)