Remez

I learned a new word. This a not a common word, to my understanding. "Remez" refers to a method of textual interpretation used by Jewish students of the Torah. Not just any students...the best of the best. In Biblical times, (maybe still today in some places) Jewish boys would go to "school" at the Temple and learn the Torah from a Rabbi. By the time they were about 10 or 12, all Jewish boys were expected to have the Law of Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy) memorized. Then, the best students went on to study further and memorize the rest of the Torah (Old Testament). Then, the best of those would go privately to "follow" a Rabbi for the purpose of becoming a Rabbi.
This was a big deal.
Part of that training was what they called "remez." This was characterized (at least in one way) by the practice of reading one bit of text and actually referring o another. Jesus did this more than I could have guessed. This is why in so many different places of the New Testament He says something and then the Pharisees or other leaders in the Jewish community want to kill him.
Example: John 10:33-38
Jesus quoted to them from Psalm 82:6 "I have said you are gods." He tells them that by Scripture all who follow God are gods themselves, that is they are sons of the Most High. But, they undrstand that Jesus is referring to Psalm 82:7 "But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler." He was calling the leading people of the Jewish community-the Chosen of God-mere men. He said they fall like any other ruler, thereby identifying them as common people. The Jewish people of Christ's day saw themselves as better than any others--even better than some that called themselves Jews.
There were many other hidden ways that Jesus taught the disciples one thing and condemned teachers of the law with another text at the same time.
What an amazing Rabbi Jesus was!
That's my Savior.

Help

Wow, so May was my last post...time really waits for no man.
Since May, I have had and recovered from hernia surgery, a new job, and many changes in ministry work. Missouri has had a very wet spring and summer. I hear it will be a cold winter, which is fine with me.
Joshua is getting big-he just passed the "big 6 months" and is wearing clothes labelled for 12 months. I just realized I don't have a current pic on this computer (I'm not home).
We are planning a trip to the Philippines for next year, and it is shaping up to be quite an intense couple of weeks. When the word started spreading about us coming, jobs lined up faster than we could imagine! Its hard to not be excited about that, but there is oh so much to do between now and then. Like raising money. This will be a fairly expensive trip, but very rewarding.
Here's my pitch---
Can you help?
The folks in the Philippines are hungry for the Gospel--hungry like Americans are for
iPods and HDTV.
E-mail me or call me if you want to know anything about this trip.