Study Notes Week 50

Torah Study Notes for Week 50 of the Torah Reading Cycle

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

  • Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 50:1-26
  • Prophets (P): Zechariah 14:1-11
  • Apostolic (A): Hebrews 11:21-22; Matthew 18:21-35
  • Additional (ADD): Jubilees 45:13 – 46:8
Hebrew + Transliteration English
1 וַיִּפֹּל יוֹסֵף עַל־פְּנֵי אָבִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עָלָיו וַיִּשַּׁק־לוֹ:
–Vayippol– –Yosef– –al-penei– –aviv– –Vayevk– –al–av –Vayishaq–lo 1 And Yosef fell upon the face of his father and wept over him and kissed him.
2 וַיְצַו יוֹסֵף אֶת־עֲבָדָיו אֶת־הָרֹפְאִים לַחֲנֹט אֶת־אָבִיו וַיַּחַנְטוּ הָרֹפְאִים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל:
–Vaytsav– –Yosef– –et-avadav– –et–ha–rof’im– la–ḥanot– –et–aviv –Vayakhantu– ha–rof’im– –et–Yisrael 2 And Yosef commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Yisrael.
3 וַיִּמְלְאוּ־לוֹ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַחֲנֻטִים וַיִּבְכּוּ אֹתוֹ מִצְרַיִם שִׁבְעִים יוֹם:
–Vayyimle’u– –lo– –arba’im– –yom– ki ken –yimle’u– –yemei– ha–ḥanutim– –Vayyivku– –oto– Mitsrayim –shiv’im– –yom– 3 And forty days were fulfilled for him—for thus the days of the embalmers are fulfilled—and the Mitsrim wept for him seventy days.
4 וַיַּעַבְרוּ יְמֵי בְכִיתוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר יוֹסֵף אֶל־בֵּית פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֵיכֶם דַּבְּרוּ־נָא בְּאָזְנֵי פַרְעֹה לֵאמֹר:
–Vayya’avru– –yemei– –vekhito– –Vayedabber– –Yosef– –el-beit– –Par’oh– le–mor Im–na –matsa’ti– –ḥen– be–eineikhem– –dabberu–na be–oznei– –Par’oh– le–mor 4 And when the days of his weeping had passed, Yosef spoke to the house of Par’oh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, please, in the ears of Par’oh, saying,
5 אָבִי הִשְׁבִּיעַנִי לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מֵת בְּקִבְרִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרִיתִי לִי בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן שָׁם תִּקְבְּרֵנִי וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה־נָּא וְאֶקְבְּרָה אֶת־אָבִי וְאָשׁוּבָה:
–Avi– –hishbi’ani– le–mor –Hineh– –anokhi– –met– be–qivri– –asher– –kariti– –li– be–erets– –Kena’an– –sham– –tiqbereni– ve–‘attah e–‘eleh–na ve–‘eqberah –et–avi ve–‘ashuvah 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Look, I am dying; in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Kenaʿan—there you shall bury me.” And now, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will return.’”
6 וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה עֲלֵה וּקְבֹר אֶת־אָבִיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבִּיעֶךָ:
–Vayomer– –Par’oh– –‘aleh– u–qevor– –et–avikha ka–‘asher– –hishbi’ekha– 6 And Par’oh said, “Go up, and bury your father, according as he made you swear.”
7 וַיַּעַל יוֹסֵף לִקְבֹּר אֶת־אָבִיו וַיַּעֲלוּ אִתּוֹ כָּל־עַבְדֵי פַרְעֹה זִקְנֵי בֵיתוֹ וְכֹל זִקְנֵי אֶרֶץ־מִצְרָיִם:
–Vayya’al– –Yosef– li–qbor– –et–aviv –Vayya’alu– –ito– kol–‘avdei– –Par’oh– –ziqnei– –beito– ve–khol– –ziqnei– –erets-Mitsrayim– 7 And Yosef went up to bury his father, and there went up with him all the servants of Par’oh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Mitsrayim,
8 וְכֹל בֵּית יוֹסֵף וְאֶחָיו וּבֵית אָבִיו רַק טַפָּם וְצֹאנָם וּבְקָרָם עָזְבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן:
ve–khol– –beit– –Yosef– ve–eḥav– u–beit– –aviv– –raq– –ṭappam– ve–tsonam– u–veqaram– –‘azvu– be–erets– –Goshen– 8 and all the house of Yosef, and his brothers, and his father’s house—only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen.
9 וַיַּעַל עִמּוֹ גַּם־רֶכֶב גַּם־פָּרָשִׁים וַיְהִי הַמַּחֲנֶה כָּבֵד מְאֹד:
–Vayya’al– –‘immo– gam–rekhev– gam–parashim– –Vayehi– ha–maḥaneh– –kaved– –me’od– 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and the camp was very great.
10 וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד־גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־שָׁם מִסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל וְכָבֵד מְאֹד וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָבִיו אֵבֶל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים:
–Vayyavo’u– –‘ad-Goren– ha–‘Atad– –‘asher– be–‘ever– ha–Yarden– –Vayyispetu– –sham– –misped– –gadol– ve–kaved– –me’od– –Vayya’as– le–aviv– –evel– –shiv’at– –yamim– 10 And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Yarden, and there they lamented with a great and very heavy lamentation; and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.
11 וַיַּרְא יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֶת־הָאֵבֶל בְּגֹרֶן הָאָטָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵבֶל כָּבֵד זֶה לְמִצְרַיִם עַל־כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ אָבֵל מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן:
–Vayyar– –yoshhev– ha–‘aretz– ha–Kena’ani– –et–ha–‘evel– be–Goren– ha–‘Atad– –Vayomru– –‘evel– –kaved– –zeh– le–Mitsrayim– ‘al–ken –qara– –shemah– –‘Avel-Mitsrayim– –‘asher– be–‘ever– ha–Yarden– 11 And the inhabitant of the land, the Kenaʿani, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, and they said, “This is a heavy mourning for the Mitsrim.” Therefore its name was called Avel-Mitsrayim, which is beyond the Yarden.
12 וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בָנָיו לוֹ כֵּן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּם:
–Vayya’asu– –banav– –lo– ken ka–‘asher– –tsivvam– 12 And his sons did to him just as he had commanded them:
13 וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֹתוֹ בָנָיו אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ בִּמְעָרַת שְׂדֵה הַמַּכְפֵּלָה אֲשֶׁר קָנָה אַבְרָהָם אֶת־הַשָּׂדֶה לַאֲחֻזַּת־קֶבֶר מֵאֵת עֶפְרֹן הַחִתִּי עַל־פְּנֵי מַמְרֵא:
–Vayis’u– –oto– –banav– –‘artsah– –Kena’an– –Vayiqberu– –oto– bi–me’arat– –sedeh– ha–Makhpelah– –‘asher– –qanah– –Avraham– –et–ha–sadeh– la–‘aḥuzat–qever me–‘et –‘Efron– ha–Ḥitti– ‘al–penei– –Mamre– 13 And his sons carried him to the land of Kenaʿan and buried him in the cave of the field of Makhpelah, which Avraham bought with the field for a possession of a burial place from ʿEfron the Hitti, before Mamre,
14 וַיָּשָׁב יוֹסֵף מִצְרַיְמָה הוּא וְאֶחָיו וְכָל־הָעֹלִים אִתּוֹ לִקְבֹּר אֶת־אָבִיו אַחֲרֵי קָבְרוֹ אֶת־אָבִיו:
–Vayyashav– –Yosef– Mitsraymah –hu– ve–eḥav– ve–khol–ha–‘olim– –ito– li–qbor– –et–aviv –‘aḥarei– –qavro– –et–aviv 14 And Yosef returned to Mitsrayim—he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father—after he had buried his father.
15 וַיִּרְאוּ אֲחֵי־יוֹסֵף כִּי־מֵת אֲבִיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוּ יִשְׂטְמֵנוּ יוֹסֵף וְהָשֵׁב יָשִׁיב לָנוּ אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר גָּמַלְנוּ אֹתוֹ:
–Vayyir’u– –aḥei-Yosef– ki–met –‘avihem– –Vayomru– –lu– –yishtemenu– –Yosef– ve–hashev– yashiv –lanu– –et– kol–ha–ra’ah– –‘asher– –gamalnu– –oto– 15 And the brothers of Yosef saw that their father was dead, and they said, “Perhaps Yosef will hate us, and indeed return to us all the evil that we dealt to him.”
16 וַיְצַוּוּ אֶל־יוֹסֵף לֵאמֹר אָבִיךָ צִוָּה לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ לֵאמֹר:
–Vayetsavvu– –el–Yosef– le–mor –Avikha– –tsivvah– lifnei –moto– le–mor 16 And they commanded to Yosef, saying, Your father commanded before his death, saying:
17 כֹּה־תֹאמְרוּ לְיוֹסֵף אָנָּא שָׂא נָא פֶּשַׁע אַחֶיךָ וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי רָעָה גְמָלוּךָ וְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא לְפֶשַׁע עַבְדֵי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ וַיֵּבְךְּ יוֹסֵף בְּדַבְּרָם אֵלָיו:
–Koh–to’mru le–Yosef –‘anna– –sa–na –pesha– –‘aḥekha– ve–ḥattatam– ki –ra’ah– –gemalukha– ve–‘attah –sa–na le–pesha– –‘avdei– –Elohei– –avikha– –Vayevk– –Yosef– be–dabbram– –elav– 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Yosef, “Please, forgive, please, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you.” And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the Elohim of your father.’ And Yosef wept when they spoke to him.
18 וַיֵּלְכוּ גַּם־אֶחָיו וַיִּפְּלוּ לְפָנָיו וַיֹּאמְרוּ הִנֶּנּוּ לְךָ לַעֲבָדִים:
–Vayyelkhu– gam–eḥav– –Vayyipelu– le–fanav– –Vayomru– –Hinenu– le–kha la–‘avadim– 18 And his brothers also went and fell down before him, and they said, “Behold, we are to you as servants.”
19 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף אַל־תִּירָאוּ כִּי הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנִי:
–Vayomer– –‘alehem– –Yosef– –‘al–tira’u– ki –hataḥat– –Elohim– –ani– 19 And Yosef said to them, “Do not fear; for am I in the place of Elohim?
20 וְאַתֶּם חֲשַׁבְתֶּם עָלַי רָעָה וְהָאֱלֹהִים חֲשָׁבָהּ לְטֹבָה לְמַעַן עֲשֹׂה כַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה לְהַחֲיוֹת עַם־רָב:
ve–‘attem– –ḥashavtem– –‘alai– –ra’ah– ve–haElohim– –ḥashavah– le–tovah– le–ma’an– –‘asot– ka–yom– ha–zeh– le–haḥayot– –‘am–rav 20 And you—you planned evil against me; and the Elohim planned it for good, in order to do as it is this day, to preserve alive many people.
21 וְעַתָּה אַל־תִּירָאוּ אָנֹכִי אֲכַלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת־טַפְּכֶם וַיְנַחֵם אוֹתָם וַיְדַבֵּר עַל־לִבָּם:
ve–‘attah– –‘al–tira’u– –anokhi– –‘akhalkel– –etkhem– ve–‘et– –ṭappkhem– –Vayyenaḥem– –otam– –Vayedabber– –‘al–libbam– 21 And now do not fear; I will sustain you and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spoke to their heart.
22 וַיֵּשֶׁב יוֹסֵף בְּמִצְרַיִם הוּא וּבֵית אָבִיו וַיְחִי יוֹסֵף מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים:
–Vayyéshev– –Yosef– be–Mitsrayim– –hu– u–beit– –aviv– –Vayeḥi– –Yosef– –me’ah– va–‘eser– –shanim– 22 And Yosef dwelt in Mitsrayim, he and his father’s house; and Yosef lived one hundred and ten years.
23 וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף לְאֶפְרַיִם בְּנֵי שִׁלֵּשִׁים גַּם בְּנֵי מָכִיר בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁה יֻלְּדוּ עַל־בִּרְכֵּי יוֹסֵף:
–Vayyar– –Yosef– le–‘Efrayim– –benei– –shilleshim– gam –benei– –Makhir– ben–Menasheh– –yulladu– ‘al–birkhei– –Yosef– 23 And Yosef saw Ephrayim’s sons to the third generation; also the sons of Makhir, the son of Menasheh, were born upon Yosef’s knees.
24 וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל־אֶחָיו אָנֹכִי מֵת וֵאלֹהִים פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֶתְכֶם וְהֶעֱלָה אֶתְכֶם מִן־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב:
–Vayomer– –Yosef– –el–‘eḥav– –anokhi– –met– ve–Elohim– –paqod– –yifqod– –etkhem– ve–he’elah– –etkhem– min–ha–‘aretz– ha–zot– el–ha–‘aretz– –‘asher– –nishba’– le–‘Avraham– le–Yitshaq– u–le–Ya’aqov– 24 And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am dying; and Elohim will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which He swore to Avraham, to Yitshaq, and to Yaʿaqov.”
25 וַיַּשְׁבַּע יוֹסֵף אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד אֱלֹהִים אֶתְכֶם וְהַעֲלִתֶם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַי מִזֶּה:
–Vayyashba’– –Yosef– –et–benei– –Yisrael– le–mor –paqod– –yifqod– –Elohim– –etkhem– ve–ha’alitem– –et–‘atsmotai– mi–zzeh– 25 And Yosef made the sons of Yisrael swear, saying, “Elohim will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
26 וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף בֶּן־מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים וַיַּחַנְטוּ אֹתוֹ וַיִּישֶׂם בָּאָרוֹן בְּמִצְרָיִם:
–Vayyamat– –Yosef– ben–me’ah– va–‘eser– –shanim– –Vayakhantu– –oto– –Vayyisem– ba–‘aron– be–Mitsrayim– 26 And Yosef died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Mitsrayim.

Torah Portion Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

Genesis 50:1-26

  1. 50:1 And Yosef fell upon the face of his father and wept over him and kissed him.
    1. Jubilees 45:16 And he gave all his books and the books of his fathers to Levi his son that he might preserve them and renew them for his children until this day.
  2. 50:2 And Yosef commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Yisrael. 3 And forty days were fulfilled for him—for thus the days of the embalmers are fulfilled—and the Mitsrim wept for him seventy days.
  3. 50:4 And when the days of his weeping had passed, Yosef spoke to the house of Par’oh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, speak, please, in the ears of Par’oh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Look, I am dying; in my grave that I dug for myself in the land of Kenaʿan—there you shall bury me.” And now, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will return.’” 6 And Par’oh said, “Go up, and bury your father, according as he made you swear.”
  4. 50:7 And Yosef went up to bury his father, and there went up with him all the servants of Par’oh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Mitsrayim, 8 and all the house of Yosef, and his brothers, and his father’s house—only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and the camp was very great.
  5. 50:10 And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Yarden, and there they lamented with a great and very heavy lamentation; and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.
  6. 50:11-12 And the inhabitant of the land, the Kenaʿani, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, and they said, “This is a heavy mourning for the Mitsrim.” Therefore its name was called Avel-Mitsrayim, which is beyond the Yarden. 12 And his sons did to him just as he had commanded them:
  7. 50:13 And his sons carried him to the land of Kenaʿan and buried him in the cave of the field of Makhpelah, which Avraham bought with the field for a possession of a burial place from ʿEfron the Hitti, before Mamre, 14 And Yosef returned to Mitsrayim—he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father—after he had buried his father.
  8. 50:15 And the brothers of Yosef saw that their father was dead, and they said, “Perhaps Yosef will hate us, and indeed return to us all the evil that we dealt to him.” 16 And they commanded to Yosef, saying, Your father commanded before his death, saying: 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Yosef, “Please, forgive, please, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you.” And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the Elohim of your father.’ And Yosef wept when they spoke to him. 18 And his brothers also went and fell down before him, and they said, “Behold, we are to you as servants.”
    1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And they instructed Bilhah to say to Joseph, Thy father commanded before his death to speak to thee, Thus will you say to Joseph, Forgive now the guilt of thy brethren and their sin, for They committed evil against thee; but forgive, I beseech thee, the guilt of the servants of the God of thy father. [JERUSALEM. And they instructed the tribe of Bilhah the handmaid of Rahel to say, Thy father before he was gathered commanded, saying.]
    2. Exodus 24:16-17 Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17 Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
    3. Deuteronomy 24:7 If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him, then that thief will die. So you will remove the evil from among you.
  9. 50:19 And Yosef said to them, “Do not fear; for am I in the place of Elohim? 20 And you—you planned evil against me; and the Elohim planned it for good, in order to do as it is this day, to preserve alive many people. 21 And now do not fear; I will sustain you and your little ones.” And he comforted them, and spoke to their heart.
  10. 50:22 And Yosef dwelt in Mitsrayim, he and his father’s house; and Yosef lived one hundred and ten years. 23 And Yosef saw the sons of Ephrayim to the third generation; also the sons of Makhir, the son of Menasheh, were born upon the knees of Yosef.
    1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And Joseph dwelt in Mizraim, he and his father’s house. And Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s sons of the third generation; also the sons of Makir the son of Menasheh, when they were born, were circumcised by Joseph.
    2. Jubilees 46:1-2 And it came to pass that after Jacob died the sons of Israel multiplied in the land of Egypt, and they became a great nation, and they were of one accord in heart, so that brother loved brother and every man helped his brother, and they increased abundantly and multiplied exceedingly, ten weeks of years [2242 A.M.], all the days of the life of Joseph. 2. And there was no Satan nor any evil all the days of the life of Joseph which he lived after his father Jacob, for all the Egyptians honoured the sons of Israel all the days of the life of Joseph.
  11. 50:24 And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am dying; and Elohim will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which He swore to Avraham, to Yitshaq, and to Yaʿaqov.” 25 And Yosef made the sons of Yisrael swear, saying, “Elohim will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
  12. 50:26 And Yosef died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Mitsrayim.
    1. Josephus 2.8.2. Joseph also died when he had lived a hundred and ten years; having been a man of admirable virtue, and conducting all his affairs by the rules of reason; and used his authority with moderation, which was the cause of his so great felicity among the Egyptians, even when he came from another country, and that in such ill circumstances also, as we have already described. At length his brethren died, after they had lived happily in Egypt. Now the posterity and sons of these men, after some time, carried their bodies, and buried them at Hebron: but as to the bones of Joseph, they carried them into the land of Canaan afterward, when the Hebrews went out of Egypt, for so had Joseph made them promise him upon oath. But what became of every one of these men, and by what toils they got the possession of the land of Canaan, will be shown hereafter, when I have first explained upon what account it was that they left Egypt.
    2. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And Joseph died, the son of a hundred and ten years. And they embalmed him with perfumes, and laid him in an ark, and submerged him in the midst of the Nilos of Mizraim. [Jerusalem. And they embalmed him, and laid him in an ark in the land of Mizraim.]
    3. Jubilees 46:3-8 And Joseph died being a hundred and ten years old; seventeen years he lived in the land of Canaan, and ten years he was a servant, and three years in prison, and eighty years he was under the king, ruling all the land of Egypt. 4. And he died and all his brethren and all that generation. 5. And he commanded the sons of Israel before he died that they should carry his bones with them when they went forth from the land of Egypt. 6. And he made them swear regarding his bones, for he knew that the Egyptians would not again bring forth and bury him in the land of Canaan, for Makamaron, king of Canaan, while dwelling in the land of Assyria, fought in the valley with the king of Egypt and slew him there, and pursued after the Egyptians to the gates of ‘Ermon. 7. But he was not able to enter, for another, a new king, had become king of Egypt, and he was stronger than he, and he returned to the land of Canaan, and the gates of Egypt were closed, and none went out and none came into Egypt. 8. And Joseph died in the forty-sixth jubilee, in the sixth week, in the second year [2242 A.M.], and they buried him in the land of Egypt, and all his brethren died after him.

Apostolic Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

  1. Today we’re going to talk about forgiveness. 
    1. In our portion, the Master gives us an incredible parable to teach us deep truths about forgiveness and how the Gospel reveals it in its fullness.
    2. Before we go there, it’s essential that we look at the foundation laid in the Torah because we know that Yeshua came to bring Torah to fullness, not to teach us something new.
      1. “The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me” (John 14:24).

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

  1. What is the primary purpose of God’s Law? 
    1. The common understanding is that the Torah sets the standard for sin and righteousness in human behavior.
      1. Topical Definition: “God’s Law refers to the divine instructions and commandments given by God to guide the moral, spiritual, and social conduct of His people” (BibleHub).
    2. This premise leads us to view keeping the commandments as the key to personal holiness and a life that pleases God.
  2. However, the teaching of Messiah reveals a different emphasis.
    1. “And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets” (Mat. 22:40).
    2. Paraphrase: “Of YHWH’s own teaching and instruction for humanity, what does He consider of greatest priority and importance?”
      1. His answer is, “Love”.

KEY POINT:

Above all else, the Torah is a guide for relationship — first with Elohim, and then with one another.

  1. Because YHWH created all things, He naturally understands the proper order for His Creation. 
    1. Healthy relationship is grounded in certain foundational principles which God has given us in His Torah.
  2. #1 –God created man for covenant relationship with Himself; however, Adam’s sin violated that relationship.
    1. “But like Adam they have violated the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously with Me” (Hos. 6:7).
  3. #2 – The Father’s plan of redemption has always been to restore covenant relationship with mankind.
    1. This began with Passover, a picture of the greater covenant in Messiah.
      1. “Then I will take you as My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the labors of the Egyptians” (Exo. 6:7).
  4. #3 – God gave His Torah to the people He redeemed as the means to foster relationship with them.
    1. The Torah is not primarily a list a rules for good behavior that we observe to make God happy and/or keep Him from being angry with us.
      1. Rather, the Torah is a blueprint for knowing God so that we might love Him with our whole heart. 

KEY POINT:

Love for God flows from knowing (yada) Him which comes by keeping His Word. 

  1. When we get this out of order, we violate our covenant relationship with Him.
    1. Trying to love God apart from keeping His Word is a deception.
      1. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:3-6).
    2. We cannot know Messiah apart from keeping God’s Word.
      1.  “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Mat. 7:23).
  1. #4 – Sin disrupts relationship and is evidence that we have failed to love God and love our neighbor. 
    1. “Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah — indeed, sin is violation of Torah. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the Adversary; for the Adversary has sinned from the beginning. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:4-10)
    2. “The one who says that he is in the Light and yet hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling. But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:9-11).

KEY POINT:

We cannot understand or practice forgiveness without understanding what sin is and how it affects relationships.

  1. One of the foundational principles in the Torah is that genuine love is a commitment (i.e. covenant) of personal responsibility towards God and towards one another.
    1. Because sin is so disruptive and harmful to relationship, God’s Word teaches that we are obligated to address it.
      1. “Do not hate your brother in your heart, but rebuke your neighbor frankly, so that you won’t carry sin because of him. Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am YHWH” (Lev. 19:17-18).
    2. There are several important principles in this passage:
      1. Love is demonstrated by open communication up to and including rebuke. 
      2. Hatred is characterized by staying silent and avoiding confrontation.
        1. “In illustration of this precept the Jewish canonists remark, “when any man sins against another he must not inwardly hate him and keep silence, as it is said of the wicked, ‘And Absalom spoke unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon’ (2Samuel 13:22) (Ellicott’s Commentary).
      3. Covenantal love for another person is demonstrated by showing them their sin so that they can repent and be restored.
  2. God models this principle for us in His relationship with us.
    1.  “See, blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty” (Job 5:17).
    2. “For the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights” (Pro. 3:12).
    3. “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Messiah” (Eph. 4:14-15).

KEY POINT:

According to scripture, reproof is a sign of favor rather than rejection, and love is characterized by correction when it is warranted.

  1. For most of us, this is not how we approach our relationships.
    1. For example, it probably seems more normal (and loving) to us to do the following:
      1. Avoid difficult conversations that might offend the other person.
      2. Tell the other person that you’re not upset when you really are.
      3. Excuse sin in another person’s life because, “Who am I to judge?”
    2. However, if love is seeking another person’s greater good, is this really love?
      1. More important, are we loving God with our whole hearts and fulfilling our covenant commitment to Him when we fail to love as He loves?
  2. Having laid some foundational principles from Torah, let’s turn to the teaching of Yesua and the Apostles on forgiveness.
    1. “[Yeshua] said to His disciples, ‘It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard (#4337)! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” forgive him.’ The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” (Luk. 17:1-5).
    2. The Master begins this passage by highlighting the effects of sin and the importance of keeping it out of our relationships.
      1. G4337. prosechó – “beware; give attention”.
        1. Lexicon: Prosechó centers on deliberate, continuing attentiveness. Whether translated “pay attention,” “beware,” “devote,” or “take heed,” it always demands an active, focused response rather than casual notice. The verb addresses the mind (understanding truth), the heart (cherishing truth), and the will (acting on truth).
    3. The basis for Yeshua’s instructions is Leviticus 19:17-18.
      1. If a brother or sister sins, rebuke them; the goal is repentance and restoration of relationship with God and with others.
    4. This teaching is not just for personal offense but sin in general – i.e. transgression of God’s Word.
    5. Forgiveness and restoration must be from the heart, as evidenced by a willingness to offer it as many times as it is warranted.
  3. In our parallel passage in Matthew 18, we see a similar context.
    1. The chapter begins with verses regarding “little ones”, stumbling blocks, and the devastating effects of sin (Mat. 18:1-15). 
      1. The message applies not only to literal children, but more important, to the converted sinner genuinely seeking the kingdom of heaven through repentance and discipleship.

KEY POINT:

Whether you are a brand-new Believer or decades into the faith, you must be resolved to war against sin on behalf of yourself and others. 

  1. All of this context provides the foundation for the familiar passage on reconciliation and conflict resolution in Matthew 18:15-20.
    1. “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Mat. 18:15-20).
      1. #1 – As with Leviticus 19:17-18, we have an obligation to address sin in our relationships.
      2. #2 – This is to be done in private with no one else involved so as to “cover the transgression” (Pro. 10:12; 1 Pet. 4:8).
      3. #3 – We are bringing conviction that will lead them to repentance, which requires kindness, the Word of truth, and the working of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
        1. “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4).
        2. “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting” (Psa. 119:160).
        3. “And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8).
      4. #4 – Addressing sin is a judicial process and should be governed by the rules of justice established in Torah (i.e. “due process”). 
        1. Wilson, Douglas R. and Booth, Randy. A Justice Primer. Canon Press, 2022.
  2. Peter then asks Yeshua about how to apply His teaching.
    1. “Then Peter came up and said to Him, ‘Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times” (Mat. 18:21-22).
      1. This is a slightly different number than Luke 17:4, but simply uses seven, the number of completion, to express that forgiveness is unlimited.
      2. “Some rabbis had fixed a limit on forgiveness from an erroneous interpretation of Amos 1:3; Amos 2:1. “For three transgressions, and for four,” etc.; but the usual precept enjoined forgiveness of three offences only, drawing the line here, and having no pity for a fourth offence. Ben-Sira bids a man admonish an offending neighbour twice, but is silent as to any further forgiveness (Ecclus. 19:13-17)” (Pulpit).
    2. It is a mistake to conclude that Yeshua is teaching a new level or depth of forgiveness that supersedes or surpasses the Law.
      1. He is merely bringing out the truth of the foundational principles His Father established for relationships in His Torah.
        1. “I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad” (Psa. 119:96).
  3. This brings us to the parable of our portion.
    1. The disciples are struggling with the concept of unlimited forgiveness.
      1.  “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” (Luk. 17:5).
    2. If we are honest, most of us also struggle with this concept of forgiveness.
      1. When an offense is disproportionate, or repeated, or exploitative, we feel that forgiveness might be a violation of justice.
      2. This is why proper church discipline rooted in Leviticus 19:17-18 and Matthew 18:15-20 is so important. 
        1. The Father is clear about the effects of sin on relationships and will not let it go unpunished.
        2. We have an obligation to participate in that process according to scripture.
    3. At the same time, the act of forgiveness is not contingent on whether or not the other person repents or acknowledges their sin.
  4. This parable is about the kingdom of heaven – i.e. the reign of the God upon the earth through Messiah.
    1. Parables are stories that teach one central point using familiar concepts that each represent something else.
      1. King = God
      2. Servants = Israelites
      3. Debt = Sin
    2. In ancient times when people owed a debt and no longer had collateral, they were put in debtor’s prison until someone else could cover the debt.
      1. Alternatively, they could be sold as slaves, including all of the children. 
    3. The debt owed by the first slave was so large it could never be repaid.
      1. For those who like to see the math:
        1. 1 talent = 72 lbs = 1152 ounces
        2. 1 ounce = $4000
        3. One talent = $4.6 million. 
        4. Ten-thousand talents = $46 billion dollars.
    4.  The servants was obviously making a false promise that he would repay the debt, yet the king still had mercy. 
      1. The text says that he “released him” and “forgave the debt”.
        1. This is a complete settling of accounts that extended to complete freedom, both financially and physically.
    5. Despite the great mercy of the king, the servant’s heart remained unchanged and full of anger towards his fellow slaves. 
  5. The response of the king reveals the key message of the parable.
    1. “’Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’” (Mat. 18:33).

KEY POINT:

Above all else, forgiveness is an act of loving obedience to God in response to the Gospel.

  1. Additional thoughts:
    1. Forgiveness is about obedience, not feelings.
      1. “From the heart” means with the understanding of the Gospel message, not necessarily affection for the other person.
    2. Repentance is a fundamental part of the process of forgiveness, but not a prerequisite.
      1. Repentance is for other person’s greatest good; forgiveness is for yours.
    3. Forgiveness will be more difficult, if not impossible, unless you have experienced it personally with God for your own sin.
      1. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You” (Psa. 86:5).
      2. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
      3. “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).
    4. The health and life of every relationship we have will flow out of our relationship with the Father through Messiah. 
      1. Cultivate and deepen that through a lifestyle of repentance.

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?”
    5. What thoughts and questions do you have from today’s study?
    6. What makes a heart ready to forgive?
    7. What can we do as Yeshua’s disciples to communicate the King’s true heart of mercy to unbelievers so they know God’s heart?
    8. What lessons have you learned about forgiveness?
    9. How do we know when we need to implement Matthew 18:15-21?

Additional Notes

סָלַח (salaḥ)
Pronounced sah-LAKH
Hebrew Letters: ס (Samekh) + ל (Lamed) + ח (Ḥet)
Strong’s: H5545
Common translations: forgive (19x), forgiven (13x), pardon (13x), spare (1x)

The Hebrew word סָלַח salach (H5545) means “to pardon” and comes from a root word סַל sal (H5536) which means “to lift a basket up on the head” (cf. Genesis 40:16-18) in the sense of lifting a person out of a debt (cf. Matthew 18:21-27). סָלַח salach is equivalent to the Greek word ἀφίημι aphiēmi (G863) which means “to send away” and, when related to forgiveness, means “to let go, give up, or remit” a debt.

In concrete Hebrew imagery, סָלַח doesn’t mean “to erase guilt” in a legal sense (as in later Western thought). It means to lift up and carry someone back into the protection of the camp or covenant, to restore the broken boundary. This forgiveness is not emotional or abstract; it’s an act of restoration by taking someone who was separated (by sin or offense) and bringing them back inside the safe fence of relationship or community.