Biblical Heritage Center Blog

  This is no easy task. It involves appreciating what biblical texts meant in their earliest contexts and then explaining how over the centuries different communities with different concerns developed different interpretations. This war continues today, when a Christian tells a Jew, “ You obviously don t understand your Bible because, if you did, you would see how it predicts the Messiah Jesus ,” and when a Jew responds, “ Not only do you Christians see things in the text that are not there; you mistranslate and you yank verses out of context .” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/82c0541f0191/are-you-sure-you-understand-what-we-are-exploring

  In the Jewish culture before 70 CE, sacrifice or gift to Yahweh Elohim at the Temple had no atoning effect unless the person giving them has a pure heart. But in this story, at the moment this person was standing in the closest place to Yahweh Elohim on Earth, priests are waiting to do their rituals, other people are in line waiting to present their sacrifices/gifts – at that very moment this person remembered saying things Jesus warned him not to say! What should he do? Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/49b04589c491/how-many-people-did-you-forgive-today

  The teachings of Jesus are very much like the Jewish Rabbis in tractate Avot: The Sayings of the Fathers -- almost no laws, consisting instead of short statements of advice, ethics, and wisdom. One of the most important teachings of Jesus – that Americans (Christians and everyone else) urgently need to do today is found in Matthew 5:21-26 -- “how to exercise impulse control and self-discipline when they become angry!” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/e21de67d035e/thinking-like-a-member-of-the-kingdom-of-elohim-in-2025

  One of the most remarkable and misunderstood stories in the Bible is our story -- the ADAM .   Day Six of creation is about the creation of “creatures of the Earth” – animals and humans . It is important to understand the things that humans and animals share, as well as the things that make them different. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/3e383891cee9/a-kingdom-of-people-like-us

  The Parable of the Great Day of Judgment is probably one of the most well-known parables of Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46). The opening words of the parable reveal some very important clues that most people today never see -- this is the judgment of nations , not individuals. This parable is found only in Christian Bibles, but the parable was written for Jewish people who knew the Jewish Scriptures behind the parable. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/b8537f32b2bd/ancient-wisdom-for-modern-families-nations

  I do not believe that members of those Christian groups believe “God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations.” I also believe that Christians want to do what Jesus taught! So let’s begin there. The Jesus who lived and taught in Jerusalem, Judea, and the Galilee began his movement with these words. “Turn! The Kingdom of Elohim is here!” The Jewish members of the audience knew Jesus was referring to Exodus 18:20-30. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/2f0ce78a5b43/a-source-of-shared-beliefs-and-values-for-christians-jews-and-american-citizens

  We now know the word “ Ten Commandments ” do not appear in the Hebrew text of the Torah Scroll ( Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, or Deuteronomy ). English translators should have translated the Hebrew words “ Ten DEVARIM ” as “ Ten Words ” or “ Ten Legal Sayings .” Question 1 : How would you discuss this information with others? Does knowing the words are “legal sayings” instead of “commandments” change the way you view them? Continue reading by clicking here: https://mailchi.mp/e518fbf0a1b2/questions-for-accurately-discussing-beliefs-related-to-the-ten-commandments

  And Yahweh said: “Behold,  I make a covenant . Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you  are  shall see the work of Yahweh. For it  is  an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you this day. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/a29778746596/the-second-set-of-stone-tablets-that-most-people-know-nothing-about

  When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day Yahweh called to Moses from within the cloud. Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights . . . The tablets were the work of Elohim; the writing was the writing of Elohim, engraved on the tablets. Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/0fc3eef0a079/moses-threw-the-writings-of-elohim-at-the-people

  In Texas, the Ten Commandments are in the spotlight again. A 2025 law in the state of Texas that requires all public schools in the state to include the Ten Commandments in the classroom. This is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate the benefits of Exploring the Bible and Biblical Heritages. The Ten Commandments are not as polarizing as Bible verses linked to other Christian and Jewish beliefs. I will use the Hebrew words “ Elohim ” and “ Yahweh ” instead of the standard English translations “ God ” and “ LORD .” Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/5d1bf9307256/is-the-exodus-20-story-about-the-ten-commandments

  The Bible’s Wisdom of the Beginnings is found in the Torah scroll . The wisdom contained in this scroll speaks to families universally . One of the greatest teachers of this ancient family wisdom was Jesus. He only taught for between one and three years. He wrote nothing down, yet his teachings continued to be passed down orally and later written down. Now we are learning from them today. I believe you will understand how this wisdom about dealing with anger could benefit many people today! Continue reading at - https://mailchi.mp/093ff1ea5d85/how-to-build-fences-around-anger