RSEA.D. Notes Week 146

Torah Study Notes for Week 146 of the Torah Reading Cycle

thecord.life/notes/week146

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

  • Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 28:1 – 29:29
  • Prophets (P): Isaiah 55:6 – 58:8; Micah 7:18-20
  • Apostolic (A): Romans 10:1-21
  • Additional (ADD): Baruch 3:9-37

Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

The Blessings (15 Total Blessings)

  • בָּרַךְ barak (H1288) means “to kneel” because ancient Israel would kneel to present a gift (cf. Genesis 33:3). בָּרַךְ barak is equivalent to εὐλογέω eulogeō (G2127) is from a compound of εὖ eu (G2095) and λόγος logos (G3056); to speak well of, to bless (thank or invoke a benediction or praise upon, prosper).

28:1 It will happen, if you will listen diligently to YHWH your Elohim’s voice, to guard to do all his commandments which I command you today, that YHWH your Elohim will set you high above all the nations of the land. 2 All these blessings will come upon you, and overtake you, if you listen to YHWH your Elohim’s voice.

  1. You will be blessed in the city,
  2. You will be blessed in the field.
  3. You will be blessed in the fruit of your womb,
  4. the fruit of your ground,
  5. the fruit of your animals,
  6. the increase of your livestock,
  7. and the young of your flock.
  8. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
  9. You will be blessed when you come in,
  10. and you will be blessed when you go out.
  11. YHWH will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you.
  12. They will come out against you one way, and will flee before you seven ways.
  13. YHWH will command the blessing on you in your barns,
  14. and in all that you put your hand to.
  15. He will bless you in the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you.

The Results of the Blessings (6 Verses)

  • 28:9 YHWH will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you will guard the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, and walk in his ways. 10 All the peoples of the land will see that you are called by YHWH’s name, and they will be afraid of you. YHWH will grant you abundant prosperity in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers to give you. 12 YHWH will open to you his good treasure in the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You will lend to many nations, and you will not borrow. YHWH will make you the head, and not the tail. You will be above only, and you will not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of YHWH your Elohim which I command you today, to guard and to do, 14 and will not turn away from any of the words which I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other elohim to serve them.

The Curses (7-8 Total Curses)

  • אָרַר arar (H779) means “to spit upon” and is equivalent to the Greek word ἐπικατάρατος epikataratos (G1944) can literally translate to “doom upon” and means to be accursed, execrable, or exposed to divine vengeance.

28:15 But it will come to pass, if you will not listen to YHWH your Elohim’s voice, to guard to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come on you and overtake you.

  1. You will be cursed in the city,
  2. You will be cursed in the field.
  3. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.
  4. The fruit of your womb,
  5. the fruit of your ground,
  6. the increase of your livestock,
  7. the young of your flock will be cursed.
  8. [19 You will be cursed when you come in, and you will be cursed when you go out.](DSS)(mss)(LXX)

The Result of the Curses (48 Verses)

  • 28:20 YHWH will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the evil of your doings, by which you have forsaken me. 21 YHWH will make the pestilence cling to you, until he has consumed you from off the land where you go in to possess it. 22 YHWH will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with fiery heat, with the sword, with blight, and with mildew. They will pursue you until you perish. 23 Your heavens that is over your head will be bronze, and the land that is under you will be iron. 24 YHWH will make the rain of your land powder and dust. It will come down on you from the heavens, until you are destroyed. 25 YHWH will cause you to be struck before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and will flee seven ways before them. You will be tossed back and forth among all the reigns of the land. 26 Your dead bodies will be food to all birds of the heavens, and to the animals of the land; and there will be no one to frighten them away. 27 YHWH will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with the tumors, with the scurvy, and with the itch, of which you can not be healed. 28 YHWH will strike you with madness, with blindness, and with astonishment of heart. 29 You will grope at noontime, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways. You will only be oppressed and robbed away always, and there will be no one to save you. 30 You will betroth a woman, and another man will lie with her. You will build a house, and you won’t dwell in it. You will plant a vineyard, and not use its fruit. (Deuteronomy 20:5-7; The [judges](DSS) will speak to the people, saying, “What man is there who has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6 What man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not used its fruit? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use its fruit. 7 What man is there who has betrothed to a woman, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.”) 31 Your ox will be slain before your eyes, and you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be robbed away from before your face, and will not be restored to you. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and you will have no one to save you. 32 Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people. Your eyes will look and fail with longing for them all day long. There will be no power in your hand. 33 A nation which you don’t know will eat the fruit of your ground and all of your work. You will only be oppressed and crushed always, 34 so that the sights that you see with your eyes will drive you mad. 35 YHWH will strike you in the knees and in the legs with a sore boil, of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 36 YHWH will bring you, and your king whom you will set over yourselves, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers. There you will serve other elohim of wood and stone. 37 You will become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where YHWH will lead you away. 38 You will carry much seed out into the field, and will gather little in, for the locust will consume it. 39 You will plant vineyards and dress them, but you will neither drink of the wine, nor harvest, because worms will eat them. 40 You will have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you won’t anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off. 41 You will father sons and daughters, but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity. 42 Locusts will consume all of your trees and the fruit of your ground. 43 The sojourner who is among you will mount up above you higher and higher, and you will come down lower and lower. 44 He will lend to you, and you won’t lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.

More Results of the Curses

  • 28:45 All these curses will come on you, and will pursue you and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you didn’t listen to YHWH your Elohim’s voice, to guard his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you. 46 They will be for a sign and for a wonder to you and to your seed forever. 47 Because you didn’t serve YHWH your Elohim with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; 48 therefore you will serve your enemies whom YHWH sends against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack of all things. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. 49 YHWH will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the land, as the eagle flies: a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a nation, strong of face, that doesn’t respect the bearded, nor show favor to the young. 51 They will eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed. They also won’t leave you grain, new wine, oil, the increase of your livestock, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish. 52 They will besiege you in all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout all your land. They will besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land which YHWH your Elohim has given you. 53 You will eat the fruit of your own womb, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom YHWH your Elohim has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies will distress you. 54 The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye will be evil toward his brother, toward the woman whom he loves, and toward the remnant of his sons whom he has remaining, 55 so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his sons whom he will eat, because he has nothing left to him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in all your gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil toward the husband that she loves, toward her son, toward her daughter, 57 toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her son whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of all things in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in your gates.

More Results of the Curses

  • 58 If you will not guard to do all the words of this Torah that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YHWH your Elohim, 59 then YHWH will make your smitings and the smitings of your seed fearful, even great smitings, and of long duration, and severe sicknesses, and of long duration. 60 He will bring on you again all the sicknesses of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they will cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this Torah, YHWH will bring them on you until you are destroyed. 62 You will be left few in number, even though you were as the stars of the heavens for multitude, because you didn’t listen to YHWH your Elohim’s voice. 63 It will happen that as YHWH rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so YHWH will rejoice over you to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be plucked from the land that you are going in to possess. 64 YHWH will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the land to the other end of the land. There you will serve other elohim which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. 65 Among these nations you will find no ease, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot; but YHWH will give you there a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and pining of soul. 66 Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be afraid night and day, and will have no assurance of your life. 67 In the morning you will say, “I wish it were evening!” and at evening you will say, “I wish it were morning!” for the fear of your heart which you will fear, and for the sights which your eyes will see. 68 YHWH will bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way of which I told to you that you would never see it again. There you will offer yourselves to your enemies for male and female slaves, and nobody will buy you.

An Additional Covenant

  • 29:1 These are the words of the covenant which YHWH commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.

Their Hardened Hearts

  • 29:2 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that YHWH did in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land; 3 the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. 4 But YHWH has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day. 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not grown old on you, and your sandals have not grown old on your feet. 6 You have not eaten bread, neither have you drunk wine or strong drink, that you may know that I am YHWH your Elohim.

29:7 When you came to this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon and Og the king of Bashan came out against us to battle, and we struck them. 8 We took their land, and gave it for an inheritance to the ones of Reuben, and to the ones of Gad, and to the half-tribe of the ones of Manasseh. 9 Therefore guard the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do. 10 All of you stand today in the face of YHWH your Elohim: your heads, your tribes, your elders, and your officers, even all the men of Israel, 11 your little ones, your wives, and the sojourners who are in the middle of your camps, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water, 12 that you may enter into the covenant of YHWH your Elohim, and into his oath, which YHWH your Elohim makes with you today, 13 that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your Elohim, as he spoke to you and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 14 Neither do I make this covenant and this oath with you only, 15 but with those who stand here with us today before YHWH our Elohim, and also with those who are not here with us today, 16 for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the middle of the nations through which you passed; 17 and you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them;

29:18 lest there should be among you man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart turns away today from YHWH our Elohim, to go to serve the elohim of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that produces bitterness or wormwood; 19 and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I will have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart,” to destroy the moist with the dry. 20 [Elohim](LXX) will not consent to forgive him, but then YHWH’s anger and his zeal will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and YHWH will blot out his name from under the heavens. 21 YHWH will separate him for evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the Torah.

29:22 The generation to come—your sons who will rise up after you, and the foreigner who will come from a far land—will say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses with which YHWH has made it sick, 23 that all of its land is sulfur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, doesn’t produce, nor does any grass grow in it, like the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which YHWH overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath. 24 Even all the nations will say, “Why has YHWH done this to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?” 25 Then men will say, “Because they abandoned the covenant of YHWH, the Elohim of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, 26 and went and served other elohim and did bow down to them, elohim that they didn’t know and that he had not given to them. 27 Therefore YHWH’s anger burned against this land, to bring on it all the curses that are written in this book. 28 YHWH rooted them out of their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and thrust them into another land, as it is today.”

29:29 The secret things belong to YHWH our Elohim; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this Torah.

Exhortation
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)

10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to Elohim is for [them],(mss) that they may be saved. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for Elohim, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of Elohim’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of Elohim. 4 For Messiah is the goal of the Torah for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the Torah, “The one who does them will live by them.” (cf. Leviticus 18:5) 6 Now the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into the heavens?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:12) That is, to bring Messiah down; 7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:13) That is, to bring Messiah up from the dead.” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” (cf. Deuteronomy 30:14) that is, the word of faith which we proclaim: 9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and believe in your heart that Elohim raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” (cf. Isaiah 28:16) 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. 13 For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (cf. Joel 2:32) 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a proclaimer? 15 And how will they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (cf. Isaiah 52:7) 16 But they didn’t all listen to the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (cf. Isaiah 53:1) 17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of [Messiah].(mss) 18 But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly, “Their sound went out into all the land, their words to the ends of the world.” (cf. Psalms 19:4) 19 But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says, “I will provoke you to zeal with that which is no nation. I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.” (cf. Deuteronomy 32:21) 20 Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.” (cf. Isaiah 65:1) 21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” (cf. Isaiah 65:2)

  1. “For the Christian, the law ceases to be in effect now that Christ has come”.
    • #1 — Messiah is the Goal of the Torah for all who believe.
    • télos (a neuter noun) – properly, consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results.

What does this mean? How is Yeshua the GOAL or FULFILLING PURPOSE of the Law?

Consider the following paraphrase:

  • “If you believe (i.e. have faith in the word of the gospel), the end-purpose, object and fulfillment of your Torah-keeping will be Yeshua”.
  • He’s talking to the faithful, the Believers.

This is Paul’s conclusion — now he’s going to present his argument (i.e. the evidence).

“PROVE IT, PAUL!”

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by/in them.” (cf. Leviticus 18:5)

  • The one who does them (e.g. the commandments), will live by them. The one who does not do them, will not live by them. (See Torah portion, blessings and curses)

Now, here is where we have been taught that Paul is presenting “the righteousness of the law” before he proceeds to contrast it with “the righteousness of faith”.

  • Note that he has simply presented the word of God from Leviticus 18:5 — it’s a factual statement.

6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this…

  • “The Righteousness of Faith” — see, Paul is contrasting true righteousness with a legalistic, works-based righteousness…right?
  • The primary reason we come to this conclusion is the word, “BUT“.

“But the righteousness which is of faith…”

  • Deh — A primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc. — also, and, but, moreover, now
  • Semantic Range: after (2), also (2), another* (8), even (4), even though (1), former* (1), however (6), moreover (1), moreover* (1), nevertheless (1), now (267), or (6), other (1), other hand (4), others* (3), partly (1), rather (1), so (12), suppose* (1), then (6), therefore (1), though (1), what (1), when (3), whereas (2), yes (1), yet (25).

The semantic range implies that “deh” in verse 6 should be read as a continuation not as an adversative, or contrast.

So let’s read it that way —

6 NOW (or, “moreover”), the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into the heavens?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:12) That is, to bring Messiah down; 7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:13) That is, to bring Messiah up from the dead.” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” (cf. Deuteronomy 30:14) that is, the word of faith which we proclaim” (Rom. 10:6-8)

  • It’s clear that Paul is NOT contrasting “The Righteousness of the Law” with “The Righteousness of Faith” and arguing that keeping the Torah is not of faith.

WHY? PROVE IT, PETE!

  • #1 — He has already stated that keeping the commandments lead to LIFE (not death) (See Deut. 28-30)
  • #2 — He actually equates Messiah and the commandments by quoting Deut. 30:11-14 and substituting, “Messiah” for the commandments
  • # 3 — The point Paul is trying to prove is that Messiah is the GOAL and OBJECTIVE of the keeping the commandments!

So, if Paul is NOT contrasting “The Righteousness of the Law” with “The Righteousness of Faith”, what is he actually saying?

To answer this, we need to get rid of the “either/or” Greco-Roman mindset, and remember Paul is a Jew and reasons from a Hebrew mindset of “both/and”.

KEY POINT: The righteousness of faith is Elohim’s righteousness (vs. 3) and it has two sides on the same coin.

  • Heads: Believing that if you keep the commandments of the Torah you will live and that you CAN do them because “the things that are revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this Torah” (Deut. 29:29)
  • Tails: Believing that, “if you will confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and believe in your heart that Elohim raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (vs. 9). 
  • Both require that we take YHWH at His Word (i.e. believe Him) and we act by doing what He commands us (i.e. obey Him).
  •  “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected (teleioó — verb form of Telos)…you see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (Jam. 2:24-26)

This is why the writer of Hebrews says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

KEY POINT:
Righteousness is a gift of God given through covenant to the one who believes His word and obeys it, resulting in blessing and LIFE. There is no distinction made between any word that He has spoken from Genesis to Revelation.

Oh yeah, and guess what Greek word is used in Hebrews 11:6 when it says, “And without faith..” — it’s “Deh”!

Summary:

  • There is no righteousness apart from faith nor is there righteousness apart from the Law.
  • The only true righteousness is God’s Righteousness.
  • Revealed in His (entire) and obtained by faith and works — e.g. trusting obedience
  • Covenant faithfulness must always involve BOTH keeping the commandments AND confessing with our mouth that Yeshua is Messiah and Lord

Anything less — on either side — reflects a zeal for God, but in accordance with knowledge. It reflects an ignorance of God’s righteousness, where we seek to establish our own righteousness, rather than subject ourselves to YHWH’s authority and the righteousness He has established by His Word.

Does anyone have specific questions or need any clarification from what was said during the Summary or Exhortation?

Application & Discussion
Living the Word and following Yeshua (Acts 2:37; Romans 2:13)
Questions, input, and sharpening (Proverbs 27:17; Luke 2:46)

Romans 2:13 For it isn’t the hearers of the Torah who are righteous before Elohim, but the doers of the Torah will be justified.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

    1. What questions or comments came up during your family’s discussion of this week’s study?
    2. “What other related Scriptures did you find during your study of this week’s portion?”
    3. Have you ever experienced something from this study or something related to it?
    4. “What changes do you need to make in your life to align with what you learned during this week’s Torah Study?”
Additional Study Notes

The Book of Enoch (also known as 1 Enoch) was written during the second century B.C. The older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) of the text are estimated to date from about 300–200 B.C., and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to 100 B.C. Various Aramaic fragments found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as Koine Greek and Latin fragments, were proof that The Book of Enoch was known by early Jews and Christians.

Yeshua, the Chosen (Elect) One

Enoch 40:1 And after that I saw thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand, I saw a multitude beyond number and reckoning, who stood before the Lord of Spirits. 2. And on the four sides of the Lord of Spirits I saw four faces, different from those that sleep not, and I learnt their names: for the angel that went with me made known to me their names, and showed me all the hidden things. 3. And I heard the voices of those four faces as they uttered praises before the Lord of glory. 4. The first voice blesses the Lord of Spirits for ever and ever. 5. And the second voice I heard blessing the Elect (Chosen) One and the elect (chosen) ones who hang upon the Lord of Spirits. 6. And the third voice I heard pray and intercede for those who dwell on the land and supplicate in the name of the Lord of Spirits. 7. And I heard the fourth voice fending off the Satans and forbidding them to come before the Lord of Spirits to accuse them who dwell on the land. 8. After that I asked the angel of peace who went with me, who showed me everything that is hidden: ‘Who are these four faces which I have seen and whose words I have heard and written down?’ 9. And he said to me: ‘This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.’ And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days.

Enoch 62:5-8 And one half of them will look at the other, and they will be terrified, and will cast down their faces, and pain will take hold of them when they see that Son of Man sitting on the throne of His Glory. 6 And the mighty kings, and all those who possess the land, will praise and bless and exalt Him who rules everything that is hidden. 7 For from the beginning that Son of Man was hidden, and the Most High kept him in the presence of His power, and revealed him only to the chosen. 8 And the community of the Holy and the chosen will be sown and all the chosen will stand before him on that day. 9 And all the mighty kings, and the exalted, and those who rule the dry ground, will fall down before him, on their faces, and worship; and they will set their hopes on that Son of Man, and will entreat him, and will petition for mercy from him.

בִּכּוּר bikur (H1061) means “firstfruits” of the crop (cf. Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 26:2) and בְּכוֹר bekor (H1060) means “firstborn” of the womb of a woman or animal (cf. Leviticus 27:26; Deuteronomy 15:19); both Hebrew words signify the chosen or elected as belonging to YHWH. בִּכּוּר bikur comes from the root word בָּחַר bachar (H977) which means “to choose” in the sense of an examination to select, or elect, the choicest. בָּחַר bachar is equivalent to the Greek word ἐκλεκτός eklektos (G1588) means to be elected, chosen, or selected.

Beloved and Chosen (Elect)

ἀγαπητός agapētos (G27) means beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love and comes from the root word ἀγαπάω agapaō (G25) which refers to devoted love and affection for someone or something. ἀγαπητός agapētos is equivalent to the Hebrew word אָהַב ahav (H157) literally means “I will give” (cf. Genesis 22:2; Genesis 25:28; Genesis 27:9; Genesis 29:18; Exodus 20:6; Exodus 21:5; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:19; 1 Samuel 20:17; Psalms 11:7; Psalms 119:47; Matthew 5:43-44; Matthew 6:24; Mark 12:30-31; John 3:19; John 11:5; John 14:15; Romans 13:8).

    1. Matthew 3:17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
    2. Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”
    3. Mark 1:11 A voice came out of the heavens, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
    4. Mark 9:7 A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
    5. Mark 12:6 Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
    6. Luke 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the heavens, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”
    7. Luke 9:35-36 A voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.(mss) Listen to him!” 36 When the voice came, Yeshua was found alone. They were silent, and told no one in those days any of the things which they had seen.

“The better [manuscripts] give “chosen.” (Comp. the use of a like word in 1Peter 2:4; 1Peter 2:6.) Assuming this to have been the original reading, the “beloved” of the received text must have originated in the wish to produce a verbal as well as a substantial agreement with the other Gospels.” Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

1 Kepha (Peter) 1:1-2 Peter, an emissary of Yeshua the Messiah, to the chosen ones (elect) who are living as foreigners in the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Yeshua the Messiah and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Matthew 22:11-14 But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’ 14 For many are called, but few chosen.” 14 For many are called (invited), but few chosen (elected).

1 Kepha (Peter) 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Yeshua, The First Fruits

1 Corinthians 15:20-24 But now Messiah has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep. 21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Messiah the first fruits, then those who are Messiah’s at his coming. 24 Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

Yeshua, The Firstborn

Romans 8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Born From Above

John 3:1-9 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Judeans. 2 He came to Yeshua by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 3 Yeshua answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born from above, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Yeshua answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

We Are His Harvest

Luke 10:1-2 Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he was about to come. 2 Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.