Stoned-Campbell Disciple

For a while now I have been getting “messages” through my FB feed and sometimes through Messenger. This morning I got another message and I will say a word. So I want to urge caution.

If your “minister” (!?), a person who claims the Bible is our authority!, states that context is not important for understanding Scripture or understanding the “words of scripture,”(as in the actual definitions of words!) you have good reason to doubt what that person says.

If the minister then goes on to mock (literally) Hebrew or Greek and then uses the word “Hesed” to illustrate his derision, something is not quite right. If the minister says no one knows “your hobby on hesed” and “it is not an important idea, it is never found in the New Testament” then it is almost time to run from sheer nonsense.

Hesed is indeed a Hebrew word. The New Testament is written in Greek so the Hebrew word does not occur but its Greek translation does. It is in fact one of the most important words in the entire Bible. Maybe the words “Yahweh” and “Jesus” are more important but Hesed will rank not far behind for Hesed describes WHO Yahweh is. The Holy Spirit sure talks a lot about Hesed even if that “minister” does not have any idea what it is.

The inspired writers use the term Hesed 246x. It is translated into Greek as “mercy,” “righteousness,” “grace,” and other ways. It is “steadfast love” “love” “loyalty” “loving-kindness” “hell will freeze over before I give you up.” Entire books (literally) are written on this one word. Lots of them. Hundreds of articles have been written on it.

To use an astronomical example (since the Bible does and I like Astronomy!) to describe the significance of this word, Hesed is like the Sun in our solar system. As the Sun outshines everything in the solar system so Hesed does in Scripture. In fact the Sun is the only object that actually emits light in our solar system. Every object, planet, moon, asteroid, comet, dust particle, every object is visible only because it reflects the light of the Sun. Thus it is in the Bible, everything is visible and measured by its relation to Hesed. And as the Sun the center of gravity (more massive than everything in the Solar System combined) demanding everything orbit it, so Hesed is in Scripture. There is no solar system without Hesed, there is no creation without Hesed, there is no life without Hesed, there is no Abraham, Israel, David, no temple of praise without Hesed, there is no hope without Hesed. Every thing “orbits” Hesed. Hesed is the center of gravity in the Bible.

Hesed in fact, according to the express words of the Spirit, is infinite (beyond the heavens). Hesed is eternal (everlasting). Gravity never ends. So Hesed reaches beyond infinity. Hesed is Yahweh’s self-proclaimed character, almost like a name tag. This isn’t even an exaggeration. Scholars call this “linguistic gravity.”

In the Bible the inspired writers sing songs about Hesed. They write poems about Hesed. Prayers are laced with Hesed. Hesed evokes the deepest longings, emotions in the Bible. In fact the very word Hesed evokes worshipful feelings on a regular basis in Scripture. Any so called preacher who mocks this kind of stuff betrays a serious lack of understanding of biblical faith, in fact we can question if such a person has any conception of biblical faith.

Just a quick survey of the Holy Spirit’s words (Hesed according to Psalms).

Psalm 5 – I enter your house/Presence because of Hesed

Psalm 6 – You save me because of your Hesed

Palm 13 – In trials, hard ones, I trust in your Hesed

Psalm 17 – Display the wonders of your Hesed to me

Psalm 18 – Hesed is poured out upon his king (anointed)

Psalm 21 – Real kings RELY on Yahweh’s Hesed

Psalm 23 – Hesed hunts me down forever

Psalm 25 – Yahweh remember Hesed, forget my sin because of Hesed

Psalm 31 – I praise & rejoice in your Hesed. Save me by Hesed

Psalm 32 – The one who trusts/has faith will find Hesed

Psalm 33 – Make your Hesed REST upon us

Psalm 36 – Your Hesed reaches beyond the heavens

Psalm 40 – Your Hesed and Truth are the guard/protection around me

Psalm 44 – Redeem us according to Hesed

Psalm 52 – Hesed is constant, it never varies. We trust Hesed

Psalm 62 – Hesed belongs to Yahweh

Psalm 63 – HESED IS BETTER THAN LIFE ITSELF

Psalm 85 – Hesed and Truth/faithfulness are bound together in God

Psalm 94 – Your Hesed will support me

Psalm 98 – Yahweh remember Hesed

Psalm 100 – Hesed is eternal

Psalm 103 – My song of praise to Yahweh’s Hesed

Psalm 107 – Those who are “wise” get lost in meditation on Hesed

Psalm 119 (8x) – Hesed is my comfort, give life according to Hesed

Psalm 136 (26x!!!) – Hesed endures FOREVER

Psalm 144 – Hesed is my fortress

Psalm 147 – Yahweh cherishes those who Trust/have faith in Hesed

We are just touching the tip of the iceberg in this very brief survey (remember Hesed occurs 246 times!). Any preacher, any teacher, who dismisses “context” whether it is literary context or historical context or even canonical context simply is the like the person Paul warns against in 1 Timothy 1.6-7.

And the person who openly mocks – and uses God’s Hesed to do it – understanding English words in light of the actual Hebrew or Greek the Bible was inspired in, has simply revealed themselves to be amazingly ignorant in the true definition of that word.

A person does not have to be a Hebrew scholar to go to heaven. A math teacher does not have to be a PhD in mathematics either. But teachers ought to have some basic understanding of the deeper reality upon which their entire craft hangs. And you as a Christian deserve to know the word Hesed long before you ever hear the word “psallo,” or “eis” or even “baptizo!”

“I will exult and rejoice in your Hesed/steadfastlove” (Psalm 31.7)

“We ponder your Hesed/steadfast love,
O God, in the midst of your temple” (Psalm 48.9)

“I will sing aloud of your Hesed/steadfast love in the morning” (Psalm 59.16).

“Let those who are wise pay attention to these things
and consider the Hesed/steadfast love of the Lord” (Psalm 107.43, NRSV)

The Holy Spirit declares a person “wise” who ponders the Hesed of Yahweh. So it is strange to hear such verbiage from a supposed preacher. I recommend loving such a person. Praying for such a person in the hope they will grow in wisdom, knowledge and Hesed/grace/steadfast love. But such a person will not be teaching a class where I have any say about it.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 16th, 2024 at 8:17 am and is filed under Grace, Hebrew Bible, Love, Ministry, Patternism, Precision Obedience, Worship. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.