If Anyone Teaches Contrary to the Words of Jesus

Paul gave this instruction to Timothy who was on a mission to establish congregations among former gentiles in Ephesus:

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

So what are the words of Yeshua?

• Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)
• Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)
• Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, *without neglecting the others*. (Matthew 23:23)
• If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
• Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)
• 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)

Chiasm in Psalm 67

This chiasm in Psalm 67 emphasizes God's justice to all peoples. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom," indeed, but those peoples who fear Him and keep His commandments do not need to fear His justice, for all nations will be judged righteously and fairly.

• V1-2a - God bless us & make himself known to all the earth
• V2b - Salvation among all nations
• V3 - Let the peoples praise God
• V4a - Let the nations sing & rejoice
• V4b - God judges all peoples fairly
• V4c - God guides the nations
• V5 - Let the peoples praise God
• V6a - The earth shall yield a harvest
• V6b-7 - God bless us & let all the earth fear him.

An alternative (and probably more correct) breakout brought to my attention by a friend on Facebook:

• V1 - God bless us and make his face shine on us
• V2 - Your way be known on earth and your saving power among all nations
• V3 - Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you!
• V4a - Let the nations be glad and sing for joy
• V4b - You judge the peoples with equity
• V4c - Guide the nations on earth
• V5 - Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you!
• V6 - The earth has yielded its increase. God shall bless us.
• V7 - God shall bless us. Let the ends of the earth fear him!

A Differently Spelled Gospel

"Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the Lord, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons. Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father's brothers." (Numbers 27:3-4)

A man's name is more than the label on his birth certificate. It is who-he-is, the sum total of his character, his legacy, the whole crater he makes in this world. So, too, God's Name isn't just a collection of sounds & letters.

Yeshua said to "preach the gospel & make disciples of all men". He didn't say "preach paleo-Hebrew & make all men transliterate the Father's name thusly".

People who fight over the correct English(!?) spelling & pronunciation of YHVH have completely missed the point. If they believe that such things are the same gospel proclaimed to the nations by Peter & Paul, then they are the subjects of Paul's warning to the Galatians against those who teach "a different gospel...who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ."

They have elevated trivia above truth.

"Jesus died for your sins" is not the Gospel

The Gospel isn't "Jesus died for your sins." That's only part of it and not even the main part. The Gospel is "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Jesus's death and resurrection were necessary to make the Gospel a reality.

Because of the Gospel, the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent, accept Yeshua as King, and be immersed as a testament to your own death and resurrection into new life as an obedient citizen of the Kingdom. Then go and teach others to do likewise.

Common-Sense Interpretation of Scripture

Reading the Bible literally or allegorically will get you into all kinds of error. The Bible is both literal & allegorical, sometimes at the same time. Knowing which passage is which is usually just a matter of a little common sense, but sometimes it's more difficult. It can require some study, prayer, and wisdom.

It's also important to keep in mind that all 66 books were written by actual people for the benefit of actual people. This means that it was written using human languages including idioms, cultural and contemporary allusions, puns, sarcasm, and even jokes.

If your interpretation of a passage doesn't take all of this into account, there's a very good chance that your interpretation is wrong. Even if you have considered all factors and put in a lifetime of study, if you aren't willing to entertain the idea that you could be wrong...you probably are.