Jan 27, 2024
GENESIS 44-45:
Yesterday we heard of Joseph's brothers on their first and second
trips to Egypt. [GNT only: Regarding my comment in yesterday’s
podcast about Joseph giving wine without limit, it is likely that
He was showing the normal generosity of a wealthy host. I very much
doubt that under these circumstances his brothers would have
allowed themselves to become drunk.] We pick up the story, still in
Joseph's palace on the second trip.
JOB 27:
In the NLT, this chapter is the 2nd chapter of Job’s
six-chapter-long speech. But in the GNT Zophar interrupts and
carries on through chapter 28.
FIRST PETER 1:
In the last chapter of Mark’s
Gospel, we read about the resurrection of Jesus. Since Mark very
likely wrote his gospel based on Peter's information, it seems
fitting that we move to Peter's two letters now. Evidently Peter
spent the last decade of his life in Rome, where he was martyred
around the year 64. Mark (whom Peter fondly refers to as ‘his son’
in chapter 5) was with him in Rome when this was written. Silas—
whom we will hear of later in Acts, was the secretary for writing
this letter. Scholars do not doubt that this letter is from
Peter.
For those who want to delve deeper in studying this short letter, I encourage you to search out and mark every occurrence of these repeated words: trials/suffering, hope, joy, grace, and glory.
You will note that whenever the NLT has written ‘Jesus Christ’, I read it as ‘Christ Jesus’. Most English Bible translations simply follow the order that the Greek has, which sometimes has ‘Christ Jesus’ and other times ‘Jesus Christ’. In Greek it doesn’t matter which order is used. However for English, it does matter which order is used. Now, I realize that saying ‘Jesus Christ’ sounds natural to our ears, but it is not really grammatical. English puts titles first. Let me give an example using ‘Doctor Jones’. If I say, “Jones Doctor is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. I stubbornly insist that it would be better for English speakers to use the grammatical order, ‘Christ Jesus’, because that makes it clear that ‘Christ’ is His title, not His last name. The title of Christ— by the way, comes from Greek and means the same as Messiah, which comes from Hebrew. Both terms mean ‘the anointed one’.
NLT Translation notes:
Job 27:13 [You say//0], “This is what the wicked
will receive from God;
[I also added ‘You say” to verses 16, 18, and 22.]
14 They may have many children, [(you say,)]
but the children will die in war or starve to death.
16 “Evil people [(you say)] may have piles of money
and may store away mounds of clothing.
20 Terror[s] overwhelm[0/s] them like a flood, [(you
say,)]
and they are blown away in the storms of the night.
====
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ
Jesus*//Jesus Christ]. [and this
change will be made everywhere.]
[*Even though the Greek has the order as 'Jesus Christ' and that
order sounds natural to our ears, it is not grammatical. This is
shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say,
“Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will
say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama
President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order
for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used.
The title of Christ, by the way, means the same as the same title
from the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean 'the anointed
one'.]
5 And through your [fully believing//faith]* in
Christ, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this
salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to
see.
[*As I have discussed in other footnotes before, the word 'faith'
in English has developed many meanings, and because of that it
makes the meaning unclear to use the word ‘faith’ in Bible
translations in English. In Greek, 'faith' and 'believe' are just
the verb and noun form of the same word.]
7 These trials will [prove//show] that [you truly
believe//your faith is genuine]. [Your
believing//It] is being tested as fire tests and purifies
gold—though your [believing//faith] is far more
precious than mere gold. So when [you continue strong in
your believing in spite of many trials//your faith remains strong
through many trials], it will bring you much praise and
glory and honor on the day when [Christ Jesus//Jesus
Christ] is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do
not see him now, you [fully believe in//trust]
him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
9 The reward for [believing in//trusting] him will be the salvation
of your souls.
[It greatly damages the cohesion of a passage when the translators
sometimes translate the same Greek word as ‘believe’ and the noun
form as ‘faith’. Now the NLT translators went even further by using
‘trust’ instead of ‘believe’. I urge us to use ‘believe/fully
believe’ everywhere, so we can see the cohesion that centers on
this term. One might say that the New Testament writers were
harping on it! If people are afraid of the error of easy-believism,
then I wouldn’t mind using the word ‘trust’ everywhere. But my main
point is, let the cohesion be seen.]
14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back
into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
[Back then you didn’t know any better.//You didn’t know any
better then.]
16 For [God says in//0]
the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
21 Through Christ you have come to [believe//trust] in God. You
believe that God raised Christ from the dead and gave him
great glory. [The result is that you fully
believe//And you have placed your faith] and hope in God.
[moved to the front→ because
he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great
glory.]
25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And
[included in the word of the Lord that remains forever
//that word] is the Good News that was preached to
you!
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.