Waiting for the Rain
By Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
February 7, 2023
At last — it’s raining in israel. this has been one of the driest winters on record in israel in nearly sixty years. the forecast calls for more rain – and when it rains in israel, it comes in the form of a torrential down pour – but it’s unlikely that we’ll see the record rainfalls of the last four years that have left the sea of galilee at its highest level in 30 years. nevertheless, and even though modern technology has reduced israel’s dependence on rainfall, israelis still breathe a collective sigh of relief when the heavens open and the rain starts falling. and that brings us to james 5: 7-8.
James writes to the messianic Jewish community scattered throughout the Diaspora. Having just demonstrated that God will bring an end to the oppression of the rich in verses 1-6, James urges his brothers to exercise patient endurance “until the coming of the Lord” (v.7). When the Lord returns, he will make things right. The evil will be punished and the righteous rewarded. So, be patient.
Hallowing God’s Name
By Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
July 11, 2023
In Matthew 6:9 Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” What exactly does that mean and who exactly is doing the hallowing? Part of the mystery has to do with the fact that the term “to hallow” is a bit obsolete even though it’s favored by virtually all English translations. Hallowed is simply an old-fashioned King James kind of word that means consecrated or set apart as holy.
Our real interest, of course, is in the Greek word that stands behind the English translation. The Greek verb ἁγιάζω (hagiázō) means to honor, sanctify, set apart, make holy. A spruced-up translation of verse 9 is “Our Father in Heaven, sanctified be your name.” But still, what does that mean? We are so familiar with this verse (even without “hallowed”) few of us pause to think about what Jesus is actually saying. How can God’s name be sanctified anymore than it already is?
The Tribes of the Land
By Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
January 10, 2023
After the Tribulation, according to Matthew 24:30, the second coming of Jesus will take place. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς (phulai tes ges) will mourn as consequence of his appearance. The NIV translates this phrase as “all the tribes of the earth.”
While not a direct quotation, the phrase is a very clear allusion to Zechariah 12:10-14 in the LXX (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible). The Greek word φυλή (phule) means “tribe.” The Greek word γῆ (ge) can be translated in several ways, including “land”, “earth”, and “ground”. In the context of Zechariah 12, it's clear that the text is referring to the tribes (φυλή, phule) of the land (γῆ, ge) of Israel who will mourn for the one whom they have “mocked” (“pierced” in the Hebrew).
No Room in the Inn?
By Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
December 21, 2022
When Joseph and a very pregnant Mary arrived in Bethlehem on a cold winter night, so the story goes, they were turned away by a heartless innkeeper and were forced to take shelter in a lonely barn on the outskirts of town because there was no room for them “in the inn.” While that version of the story of Jesus’ birth tugs at the heart strings and makes for a great Hallmark Christmas Special, it’s not accurate.
Throw which Mountain into the Sea?
By Dr. Noel Rabinowitz
November 26, 2022
While traveling from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus cursed a fig tree that had borne no fruit to teach the disciples a lesson about the judgment that was coming upon the Temple and the Jerusalem religious establishment. The disciples were so enthralled by how quickly the fig tree had withered they completely missed the point of the illustration. They were, Matthew reports, “amazed.”
Jesus nevertheless takes advantage of the moment and turns it into an opportunity for a lesson on a prayer. He reassures the disciples that if they have faith and do not doubt, they will be able to much more than was done to the fig tree. “… even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matt 20:21-22)