The Scattered 153 Ministries Newsletter

What Does Hebrew Roots Mean?

Hebrew Roots is a term loosely applied to people, groups, ministries, congregations, fellowships, etc. that:

· Observe Shabbat/Sabbath on the seventh day of the week instead of another day of the week

· Observe Passover instead of Easter

· Observe The Feasts of the LORD, but not Christmas

· Obey the Commandments of YHVH/The LORD

The above is true of most people in the “Hebrew Roots Community”, but is really a very generic description.

Continued on page 3

Understanding The New Testament

The First Day Of The Week?

(1 Corinthians 16:2)

Sunday Morning Church Service?

Has Sunday (the first day of the week) really replaced The Sabbath Day (the seventh day of the week) as the day for the Covenant People to gather and worship?

That is what we have been told, isn’t it?

We are referred to the term “First Day of the Week” as proof of this.

This term or phrase is found 8 times (by my count) in the NT, (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 16:2)

The six instances from the Gospels are referring to the morning after the resurrection. Surely no one would try to convince us the use of the term “First Day of the Week” as used in the Gospels is a reference to a Sunday morning church service.

So, that would leave us with 2 scriptural passages as candidates for Sunday morning church services. Those two passages contain Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2.

Before we consider Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2, let us figure out what the term “First Day of the Week” as used in the Gospel accounts is talking about.

A quick reading of the six verses from the Gospels will show the term “The First Day of the Week” is speaking about the time/morning/day after the resurrection of Yeshua/Jesus.

(continued on page 4)

In This Issue

What Does Hebrew Roots Mean?

Word Of The Month: Concrete and Abstract

Understanding The New Testament: The First Day Of The Week?

Commandment Of The Month: The Ten Commandments

Ministry News and Updates

Upcoming Events

Final Thoughts

A Ministry and Gathering Place for Modern Day Hebrews

January/February 2018

B’nai Ha-Elohim

בני־האלהים

www.scattered153.com

scattered153@gmail.com

Word Of The Month

Concrete vs Abstract

In this section of our newsletter we are going to look at a word or word pair each month. However, this month we are going to explain how we will be doing this over the coming months.

We will be seeing the meaning of the word from the Ancient Hebrew Pictographic Language and the ancient Hebrew Culture. That is, we will seek to find the word’s original meaning.

The ancient Hebrew Language was a “concrete” language. Meaning, not all, but most of the words in the Hebrew were related in some way to one of our five senses (see, hear, taste touch, smell).

The Greek and English languages on the other hand are “abstract” languages, meaning many words are not something that can be sensed with one of the five senses.

Let us look at some examples of concrete and abstract words:

Concrete

Tree, Bird, Man

Abstract

Holy, Big, Good

Can you see (no pun intended) the difference between the two?

Many words in our English Translations have lost their real meaning We are going to search and find the real/true meaning of several of the words contained in the scriptures.

Some of the Words or Word Pairs we will be looking at in the coming months are: Good and Evil, Love and Hate, Holy, Keep and Obey, and many others.

Commandment Of The Month

In this section of our Newsletter we will be looking at one or a group of the commandments, statutes, or judgments of YHVH/The LORD.

We will take them back to their original Hebraic meaning and try to compile a list of understanding to each one we look at. We will try to follow a pattern in our “list of understanding”. It will look like the following:

· State the instruction (commandment, etc)

· Find its original meaning

· Why it is given, what is its purpose

· Who it applies to (man, woman, king, everyone)

· How it is/can/should be observed today

We will seek to understand all of these aspects for each one we study.

For this issue we are going to look at “The Ten Commandments”. We are not going to look at each one individually, but instead all of them collectively.

We find the “The Ten Commandments” in Exodus Chapter 20 and Deuteronomy Chapter 20. We also find reference to “The Ten Commandments” in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4.

The primary Hebrew word for commandment is mitsvah. This word mitzvah is found nearly 200 times in the scriptures and is almost always translated as commandment and this is the word usually used when we think/speak of an instruction about what we should or should not do.

If you do a word study with your Strong’s Concordance you will find the word translated as words in Exodus 20:1 and translated as commandments in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13 and 10:4 is Strong’s number 1697 – devar.

Devar is defined by Strong’s as: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing;. It conveys the meaning of a matter/issue in the sense of a young married couple deciding on where to live. In other words they have an issue to decide.

continued on page 13

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What Does Hebrew Roots Mean?

There is much more to being a Modern Day Hebrew and the Hebrew Roots of The Faith than discussed in this short article. The Scattered 153 Ministry has and will be producing much more in-depth information and teachings on being a Modern Hebrew, on keeping the Oath we/you made when you came into covenant with The King of the Universe and the necessity of keeping the Oath and confidently following The Way of YHVH/The LORD, lest we be found as those described in:

Jeremiah 5:4 Therefore I said, surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD nor the judgment of their God.,

or those described in:

Matthew 7:22 and 23 Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name: and in thy name have cast out devils: and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In short, those people who are a part of the Hebrew Roots Community, have come to realize “there is a little more to this faith/religion thing than what I am being told or what I have been told.

Let us not forget, who Israel was and is: they were/we are Hebrews.

We invite you to join us on the journey that is called “The Way of YHVH/The LORD”

Gen 18:19  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 

Pro 10:29  The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 

What Does Hebrew Roots Mean?

In short, the foundational aspects of “Hebrew Roots” are:

• Seek to understand the scriptures from the context/culture of the people of the Ancient Near East (historically in time and geographically in location)

• The above narrowed down to understand the scriptures from the context/culture of the ancient Hebrew people

• Study the scriptures in regard to the above by taking the scriptures back to the Ancient Hebrew and Paleo Hebrew alphabet/language for a better understanding of the scriptures than is provided by the English translations, or, the Greek Language (which originated from the Paleo Hebrew) and/or the Babylonian/Aramaic form of Modern Hebrew.

Studying and understanding the Scriptures from a “Hebraic Perspective” opens the scriptures up and gives them much more meaning and enables us to more deeply understand the message the Creator of the Heavens and the earth has for us.

Most, but not all, of the people in the Hebrew Roots Community came out of Christianity/Church. Of course, some have come from Judaism Islam, atheism and other “religions”.

Some in the Hebrew Roots community did not come from another faith/religion at all, but, instead are second or third generation Modern Hebrews. That is, they had parents that raised them with an understanding of the Hebrew Roots of the Bible and teaching them The Way of YHVH/The LORD and the things that are pleasing in the sight YHVH/The LORD. Also teaching them the difference between Holy and Unholy, clean and unclean righteousness and unrighteousness, obedience and disobedience of the Commandments of the LORD (which leads to blessing or curses). They were also taught the need to understand and observe the Sabbath Day and The Feasts of The LORD.

Continued on next column

In short, those people who are a part of the Hebrew Roots Community, have come to realize “there is a little more to this faith/religion thing than what I am being told or what I have been told.

Let us not forget, who Israel was and is: they were/we are Hebrews.

We invite you to join us on the journey that is called “The Way of YHVH/The LORD” (Genesis 18:19, Proverbs 10:29, Acts 18:25)

(Genesis 18:19, Jeremiah 5:4 and many other verses)

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First Day Of The Week? continued

This (the morning/day after the resurrection) is a very specific point in time which occurs one time every year and is not a reference to Easter Sunday (no one was going up to Jerusalem and the Temple at this point in history to celebrate Easter).

To properly understand the phrase “First Day of the Week” we have to go back to the OT/Torah to really see what is going on here (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, and John 20:19) and what is being said to us.

We also must remember that the time of the resurrection is during the time period of Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:1-5 and all the other Gospels testify of this), actually, it is during The Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Feasts of the Lord

Lev 23:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 

The Passover

Lev 23:4  These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 

Lev 23:5  In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. 

Lev 23:6  And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 

The Feasts of Firstfruits -Yom HaBikkurim, The Day of Firstfruits

Lev 23:10  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 

Lev 23:11  And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 

(This is the weekly Sabbath occurring during the seven days of The Feast of Unleavened Bread)

The Feast of Weeks – Shavuot/Pentecost

Lev 23:15  And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 

(this is still the weekly Sabbath during the seven days of The Feast of Unleavened Bread)

Lev 23:16  Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 

Lev 23:17  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. 

(This is now speaking of Shavuot/Pentecost)

I left some of the verses out for the sake of space, but, left those getting to the heart of the matter. 

Note: The firstfruits of verse 10 and the firstfruits of verse 17 are not the same firstfruits. Those in verse 10 are of the barley crop and those of verse 17 are of the wheat crop and occur at different times.

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In Summary:

1. Passover (The sacrifice of the Lamb) is on the 14th day of the Month of Aviv (the first month of the Biblical year) and can occur on any day of the week (Lev 23:5)

2. The Feast of Unleavened Bread starts on the 15th day of the 1st month and can occur on any day of the week (Lev 23:6)

3. The first and seventh days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread are Holy Days/High Sabbaths/High Days (Lev 23:6-8, John 19:31) and, again, can occur on any day of the week.

4. There will always, without fail, be a weekly Sabbath Day sometime during the 7-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, but the weekly Sabbath always occurs on the 7th day of the week (during any and every 7-day period there will always be at some point the 7th day of the week, as well as one each of the other days of the week)

5. The Day of Firstfruits (occurring during The Feast of Unleavened Bread) always occurs on the day after the weekly Sabbath (23:11)

6. The Day of Firstfruits begins the counting of seven Sabbaths and 50 days, the 50th day being Shavuot/Pentecost (Lev 23:16, Num 28:26)

7. All of the above, 1-6, was very well known and was not a secret to the people of the 1st century (Luke 6:1 and below).

In the Gospel accounts, the phrase “The First Day of the Week” is a specific reference to the Day of Firstfruits (the beginning of the counting of 7 Sabbaths and the 50 days leading to Shavuot/Pentecost, Lev 23:11, 15) that occurred during the time frame of the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua/Jesus as we see below. It is not a reference to Sunday or Easter Sunday. We will see more detail about this a little farther along in this article.

After the Resurrection (The counting of the 7 Sabbaths/50 Days leading to Shavuot/Pentecost):

John 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (this is day 1 of the 50 days leading to Shavuot/Pentecost)

John 20:26  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

Acts 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

Acts 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

(Pentecost (fiftieth day) is the end of that 50-day period spoken of in Leviticus 23:16.)

The above portion of our study has shown that the phrase “First Day of the Week” as used in the Gospel accounts is, as previously stated, a reference to a specific day/point in time (day 1 of the counting of 7 Sabbaths and/or 50 days) leading to Shavuot/Pentecost. It is not a reference to Sunday morning Church service or Easter Sunday.

We are going to look at the Greek used in the phrase “First Day of the Week” later in our study, but now, we are going to look at Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:2.

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Acts 20:7

Acts 20:1  And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 

Acts 20:2  And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 

Acts 20:3  And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 

Acts 20:4  And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 

Acts 20:5  These going before tarried for us at Troas. 

Acts 20:6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 

Acts 20:13  And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 

Acts 20:14  And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. 

Acts 20:15  And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. 

Acts 20:16  For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. 

* Please take note: in verse 6, Paul did not sail with the others but joined them later (verse 14).

** Notice verse 6 shows us that these verses are speaking about the timeframe of Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread.

It is important to know the location of Paul, Luke (the writer of the book of Acts) and the others in the passage above.

1. In verse 4 Paul, Luke, the disciples and those listed in verse 4 were in Philippi

2. In verse 5 Paul, Luke and the disciples other than those listed in verse 4 were still in Philippi and those listed in verse 4 have left for Troas, but Paul has not left at this point.

3. In verse 7 Paul (and Luke) are still in Philippi. This verse is using the same phrase “First Day of the Week” as was used in the Gospel accounts and we can see from verse 6 Paul does not leave until after The Feast of Unleavened Bread has concluded.

4. Chronologically, verse 7 occurs before verse 6. We can know this because “The First Day of the Week” occurs after the weekly Sabbath that occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

5. Paul and some of the disciples met on “The First Day of the Week” (verse 7) and then left after the conclusion of The Feast of Unleavened Bread (verse 6).

6. Luke is present in verse 7, but, left in verse 6 along with the other disciples, only Paul left on foot.

7. Verse 7 tells us they were leaving on the morrow, verse 6 is the morrow

8. Verse 13 shows us that Luke was on the boat that left in verse 6 and Paul was not

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As for what Paul was doing in verse 7:

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached G1256 unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech G3056 until midnight.

Acts 20:9  And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching,G1256 he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

Acts 20:10  And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 

Acts 20:11  When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked G3656 a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

Acts 20:13  And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, G1299 minding himself to go afoot.

The word translated as “preached” in verse 7 and “preaching” in verse 9:

Strong's G1256 – dialegomai διαλέγομαι

Root Word (Etymology) Middle voice from διά (G1223) and λέγω (G3004)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 13x

The KJV translates Strong's G1256 in the following manner: dispute (6x), reason with (2x), reason (2x), preach unto (1x), preach (1x), speak (1x).

This word, G1256, is translated as preach or preached only two times and both times is in this passage we are looking at. This word G1256 is never translated as “preach” anywhere else in the NT. Now, let us find out why by looking at two words that are not used in the passage of scripture we are looking at.

Those two words are:

Strong's G2784 – kēryssō κηρύσσω Part of Speech - verb

Root Word (Etymology) Of uncertain affinity

KJV Translation Count — Total: 61x

The KJV translates Strong's G2784 in the following manner: preach (51x), publish (5x), proclaim (2x), preached (with G2258) (2x), preacher (1x).

Strong's G2097 – euaggelizō εὐαγγελίζω Part of Speech - verb

Root Word (Etymology) From εὖ (G2095) and ἄγγελος (G32)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 55x

The KJV translates Strong's G2097 in the following manner: preach (23x), preach the Gospel (22x), bring good tidings (2x), show glad tidings (2x), bring glad tidings (1x), declare (1x), declare glad tidings (1x), miscellaneous (3x).

The reason we looked at the two words above is because these are the two primary Greek words for “preach” or “preached” and to compare them with the word translated as “preached” in verse 7 and as “preaching” in verse 9.

So, we can see Paul was not giving a Sunday morning sermon, but instead, was speaking/talking with the disciples on “The First Day of The Week” about his plans (Acts 20:11, 13, and 16). This was The Day of Firstfruits/Yom Habikkurim (yes, Paul was still observing The Feasts of The LORD, Acts 20:16, Acts 18:21,

1 Corinthians 5:8,) and left on the morrow, after the Feast Days were over (Acts 20:7, 11, and 6).

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To look a little further into this passage, let us look at some of the highlighted words from the passage:

Verse 7 Strong's G3056 – logos λόγος

Root Word (Etymology) From λέγω (G3004)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 330x

The KJV translates Strong's G3056 in the following manner: word (218x), saying (50x), account (8x), speech (8x), Word (Christ) (7x), thing (5x), not translated (2x), miscellaneous (32x).

Verse 11 Strong's G3656 – homileō ὁμιλέω

Root Word (Etymology) From ὅμιλος (G3658)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 4x

The KJV translates Strong's G3656 in the following manner: talk (2x), commune with (1x), commune together (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage - to be in company with, to associate with, to stay with, to converse with, talk about: with one

Strong’s Definitions - to be in company with, i.e. (by implication) to converse:—commune, talk.

Verse 13 Strong's G1299 – diatassō διατάσσω

Root Word (Etymology) From διά (G1223) and τάσσω (G5021)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 16x

The KJV translates Strong's G1299 in the following manner: command (7x), appoint (4x), ordain (3x), set in order (1x), give order (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage - to arrange, appoint, ordain, prescribe, give order

Again, looking at this passage a little deeper than just a casual reading, it is not hard to see that Paul was talking to his associates about his/their upcoming trip and was doing so on the Day of Firstfruits (“The First Day of the Week”) and then left the next day just as he planned/told them (verse 13 and 6). He was not giving a sermon at a Sunday Church Service.

1 Corinthians 16:2

We will visit this verse in the closing part of this article, but first we need to look at the phrase this article is about.

“The First Day of The Week”

Again, this term or phrase is found 8 times (by my count) in the NT, (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 16:2).

Verse Greek Transliteration Greek word for “Week”

Matthew 28:1 mian sabbatōn σαββάτων  

Mark 16:2 mia tōn sabbatōn σαββάτων  

Mark 16:9 prōtē sabbatou σαββάτου

Luke 24:1 mia tōn sabbatōn σαββάτων  

John 20:1 mia tōn sabbatōn σαββάτων  

John 20:19 mia sabbatōn σαββάτων

Acts 20:7 mia tōn sabbatōn σαββάτων 

1st Cor 16:2 kata mian sabbatou σαββάτου  

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The Greek word sabbatōn (σαββάτων) Strong’s G4521 is the Greek word used to translate the Hebrew word Shabbat H7676 into Greek when the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the OT) was translated.

i.e. Shabbat = Sabbatou/Sabbatōn = Sabbath

Several forms of the word Sabbaton are used in the NT (sabbatōn/sabbatou/sabbasin and perhaps others as well). Going back to the Greek in the Septuagint shows Sabbaton is the plural form of the word, and if not, it is used as the plural form. Also, Sabbatou is the singular form or at least it is used at times in the Septuagint as the singular form.

The Greek word mia/mian is Strong’s 3391 and means one or first.

The Greek word tōn is Strong’s G3588 and means the or of the.

The word for day in Greek is Strong’s G2250 – hemera. It is not found in any of the 8 times the phrase “The First Day of the Week” is used. It is inserted by the translators.

Why would this be?

Inserting the word “day” in and of itself is not an issue as the phrase is referring to a “day” and inserting it here is part of helping us understand the Greek that is translated. However, also translating the plural word Sabbaton as the singular word “week” instead of correctly translating it as “Sabbaths” makes the phrase “The First Day of the Week” appear to say something that it does not actually say.

It appears the translators thought the phrase was speaking of any Sunday during the year, but as you can see from our study (you can do a similar study on your own) the phrase “The First Day of the Week” is a reference to Day 1 of the counting of seven Sabbaths/50 days. Again, it is not a reference to a particular day of the week.

Each of the 8 verses is relating to a very specific time period, the period of 50 days between the Day of Firstfruits (during the Feast of Unleavened Bread) and Shavuot/Pentecost. They are all actually speaking of Day One of the 50 days. None of the eight verses is speaking of a day, week, or Sunday at just anytime within the year.

Each of the 8 times the phrase “The First Day of the Week” is used it would more properly be translated as “The First of the Sabbaths” or “The Beginning of the Sabbaths” or “Day One of the Sabbaths” with one exception. We will look at that exception now.

Back to 1 Corinthians 16:2

1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection (G3048) for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

1Co 16:2  Upon (G2596) the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings (G3048) when I come. 

1Co 16:3  And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 

1Co 16:4  And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. 

1Co 16:8  But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 

1Co 16:15  I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) 

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We see from verse 8 that the timeframe of our passage is the time preceding Shavuot/Pentecost, which as we now know is the time period of the counting of the 7 Sabbaths/50 days. So, this puts us in the same general timeframe as the other 7 verses using the phrase “The First Day of the Week”.

In verse 1 and 2 the words collection and gatherings are the same Greek word (Strong’s G3048). This is the only two places in scripture the word is used.

Lets look at this word:

Strong's G3048 – logeia Root Word (Etymology) From (G3056) (in the commercial sense)

KJV Translation Count — Total: 2x

The KJV translates Strong's G3048 in the following manner: collection (1x), gatherings (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage - a collection of money gathered for the relief of the poor

Strong’s Definitions - from G3056 (in the commercial sense); a contribution:—collection, gathering.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3048: λόγια

a collection: of money gathered for the relief of the poor,

* (Not found in secular authors (cf. Winer's Grammar, 25).)

It is important to know:

· Strong’s Concordance was first written in 1890.

· Thayer’s Greek Lexicon was published in 1885 which was a revised and translated edition of C.G. Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, which was first published in 1841.

· The King James Version of the Bible was first published in 1611, over 200 years before the publication of Strong’s Concordance or Thayer’s Greek Lexicon.

· Strong’s tells us the root word for Strong’s 3048 is Strong’s 3004 (we will look at this word below). Strong’s starts with G3048 (our word) and tells us it comes from Strong’s 3056 logos which in turn comes from Strong’s G3004 Strong's G3004 – legō

Now, let us look at the word legō, Strong’s G3004:

Strong's G3004 – legō λέγω

Part of Speech verb

Root Word (Etymology) A root word

KJV Translation Count — Total: 1,343x

The KJV translates Strong's G3004 in the following manner: say (1,184x), speak (61x), call (48x), tell (33x), miscellaneous (17x).

Outline of Biblical Usage - to say, to speak, affirm over, maintain, to teach, to exhort, advise, to command, direct, to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, to call by name, to call, name, to speak out, speak of, mention

Strong’s Definitions - a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

The root word of Strong’s 3048 logeia, is Strong’s 3004 legō and as can be seen above, the definition has nothing to do with taking up a collection/donation.

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Why is this important to our study?

If you notice, the Strong’s and Thayer’s definition is based on the KJV translation, which indicates a collection of money for charity or a donation, kind of like putting money in the collection plate on Sunday morning.

But, if the definition of our word (Strong’s G3048 logeia) is not a collection/donation (in a donation plate type of matter), then why does it seem to be saying that?

Consider 1 Corinthians 16:2 from the Latin Vulgate (www.latinvulgate.com), a Latin translation from the 4th century from which the Roman Catholic version of the Bible is translated.

1 Corinthians 16:2 per unam sabbati unusquisque vestrum apud se ponat recondens quod ei beneplacuerit ut non cum venero tunc collectae fiant

In English from the Douay–Rheims Bible (a Roman Catholic version of the Bible)

1Co 16:2  On the first day of the week, let every one of you put apart with himself, laying up what it shall well please him: that when I come, the collections be not then to be made.

The word translated into collections is the Latin word collectae.

We find the definition for collectae from http://www.latin-dictionary.net

From Latin-dictionary.net

collecta, collectae - Definitions: Collect at Mass (eccl.), Collection, contribution, meeting/assemblage

Now, consider along with the above from the Latin Vulgate/Douay–Rheims Bible, Acts 20:7, from the New Jerusalem Bible (another version of a Roman Catholic Bible).

Acts 20: 7 On the first day of the week we met for the breaking of bread. Paul was due to leave the next day, and he preached a sermon that went on till the middle of the night.

While The New Jerusalem Bible is a recent translation/version, it along with the Vulgate using the word collectae shows us the origin of the idea of a collection being taken during a Sunday Church Service.

The KJV translators some 1200 years later passed along this idea of a Biblical Sunday Church Service which today, another 400 years after the KJV translation, is still with us.

So, with over 1600 years of this tradition having been passed along to us, it can be very difficult to accept there is not any Sunday Church Services in the Bible.

As we have already seen, the phrase “The First Day of the Week” is a reference to one particular day of the year. Again, that is the Day of Firstfruits/Yom Habikkurim that occurs on the day after the weekly Sabbath Day which occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

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What occurs on this day (OT = Day of Firstfruits, NT = The First Day of the Week)?

Lev 23:10  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 

Lev 23:11  And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 

Exo 22:29  Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: ……..

Exo 23:15  Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 

Deut 16:16  Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 

Deut 16:17  Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. 

(1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered

him, that there be no gatherings when I come.)

Take a minute and compare Deuteronomy 16:17 and 1 Corinthians 16:2.

This is the reason a “collection” was gathered. It is not something set aside to put into a donation plate on Sunday mornings, it is the Firstfruit Offering that was to be taken to Jerusalem, hence the reason this “gathering” was going to be taken to Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:3).

Note: The word upon in 1 Corinthians 16:2 (we have been working with the KJV) is the Greek word

Kata Strong’s 2596 (refer back to our chart to see this or look it up in your concordance). It is translated as “every” in several translations/versions. Translating the word kata as every indicates this collection/gathering was to be done once per week.

However, kata is not the primary/usual word for “every”. The word predominantly translated as every is Strong’s G3956 – pas and is used over 1200 times in the NT, thus, no reason to use kata (Strong’s 2596) if “every” was really intended to be used here, not to mention the word kata does not mean “every”.

Thus, translating the word kata as every in this verse is, at best, a gross mis-translation.

The word translated as Week is Strong’s G4521 Sabbatōn, but it is in the singular form sabbatou σαββάτου.

This was “the exception” we talked about earlier as here the word sabboton is in the singular form.

(Mark 16:9 uses the singular form sabbatou also. However, Mark 16:9-20 is acknowledged by many

scholars as being an addition to the original scriptures and not actually part of the scriptures – you can do

a quick web search and verify it for yourself.)

The “gathering” in 1 Corinthian 16:2 is the Firstfruits Offering as found in Leviticus 23:10 and 11. It is to be gathered on The Day of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:11). It is a one time, once per year event, not a once per week event.

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Conclusion

We have found the phrase “The First Day of the Week”, in every use of the phrase, is a reference to Day 1 of the 50 days leading up to Shavuot/Pentecost. It is not a reference to a particular day of the week, nor to any and/or every Sunday during the year.

So, in conclusion, there is not any Sunday observance in the NT scriptures (Luke 4:16, Acts 13:27, Acts 13:42, Acts 17:2, Acts 18:4).

What is the origin of Sunday observance?

I will leave it to you to answer that question (a quick web search will help you), but I can assure you, the answer is not found in the Holy Bible.

Les Collinsworth,

Modern Hebrew,

Scattered 153

Commandment Of The Month continued

The word devar in and of itself is not good, bad, right or wrong, but just a thing/matter/issue to consider and act upon or in regard to and in the matter (no pun intended) of the Ten Commandments/Matters is a matter/issue for us to consider and act upon each and every day.

The Strong’s definition is correct, but is only a starting point, it does not give us the full understanding/meaning of the word. Remember, we are seeking a deeper understanding of the scriptures, that is a Hebraic/Hebrew Roots perspective.

It is from the Ancient Pictographic Hebrew that the original/underlying meaning is seen. The word devar is spelled דָּבָר. Reading right to left is Dalet, Bet, Resh (Hebrew is read right to left).

If you look at a Hebrew manuscript or an Interlinear Bible you will see that the first letter of the Bible (in the first word in Genesis 1:1) is the letter Bet (the first letter in the Hebrew below, going left to right) and can be seen below:

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Let’s take the letter Bet back to its “Hebrew Roots”.

In modern Hebrew the letter Bet is written like this: . However, modern Hebrew is not how Hebrew was originally written. Hebrew has gone through several changes over time. Prior to today’s modern Hebrew, the letter Bet was written in what is called the Late Hebrew as .

Prior to the “Late Hebrew” the Bet was written as in Paleo Hebrew.

And before the Paleo Hebrew, the letter Bet was written as in the early or Pictographic Hebrew.

This earliest writing or picture of the letter Bet is a picture of a floor plan of a house, or more precisely, a tent. It just so happens that the Hebrew word for house is בֵּ֥ית and is pronounced as “beyt” or “bet”.

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So, we see that the Bible starts with a House. That is, the creation account is the story of building a house. This house is YHVH’s house or the House of God (Bethel in English, בּית־אל or beyt el in Hebrew).

Of course, it is not only the letter Bet that was written as a picture in the early Hebrew, all the other Hebrew letters were as well. Two more letters that are very relevant to our study are the Dalet and the Resh .

The Dalet is a picture of a door, or more precisely a tent door flap, just like the door flap on your tent you camped out in this summer. This letter can convey several meanings such as movement (a tent door flap moves back and forth as you enter or exit the tent), hang, dangle, entrance, and can also mean weak or poor as a person that walks around with their head hanging down.

An example of a word using the Dalet is: דָּם, this would be written as in Paleo Hebrew and in the Pictographic Hebrew would be .

Now, before you get frustrated with the above, lets put the three forms of the word in a chart:

דָּם

Modern Hebrew Paleo Hebrew Early/Pictographic Hebrew

The point of looking at these letters in this way is to actually see the Hebrew Language and even the individual letters convey a meaning to us. We cannot see this in our English translations, or in the modern Hebrew writing/language/manuscripts.

So now, back to our new word above. We have introduced a new letter and that is the second letter in the word above (remember Hebrew is read right to left). It is the letter Mem .

The letter Mem is a picture of waves on the water. Some of the meanings of this letter are liquid, water, chaos, sea, mighty and massive, from the size of the sea and chaos from the storms of the sea.

So, if we put the letter Dalet (movement) and Mem (liquid) together to form a word we get the word for the back and forth movement of a liquid and the word is Blood or in Hebrew it is Dam as in A-dam or Adam.

The last letter for us to look at is the letter Resh . The letter Resh is a picture of a man’s head and would be written as follows:

Modern Hebrew Paleo Hebrew Pictographic Hebrew

This letter can convey the meaning of: head, beginning, chief (as in hierarchy or authority), top, man, among others.

An example of a word using/showing the meaning of the letter Resh is רַב, Strong’s H7227. The word is rav and translated into English as: many, great, captain, and mighty among other words.

The Strong’s definition includes; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality), also: captain, elder, exceedingly, great(-ly, man, one), master, mighty,

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The real/original meaning of this word is derived from the Resh – (captain, abundant rank, mighty) and the Bet- (house). In other words, it means the Authority of the House.

Now lets go back to our word, Devar (as in the Ten Words, not commandments) and look at this word in its Hebrew forms/writing:

All of the following are the same word and all are spelled (right to left) Dalet, Bet, Resh

דָּבָר

Modern Hebrew Paleo Hebrew Early Hebrew

So, by looking at the Early/Pictographic Hebrew we can see the following:

Dalet = Door or entrance

Bet = House

Resh = Chief, captain, mighty

The three letters combined give the foundational meaning of: The entrance to the house of the authority/captain/or mighty one.

Did you see that!!?

Do you see what “The Ten Commandments” really are?

They are the entrance, the door to enter The House Of God, The House the Bible is written about.

Don’t be misled into thinking the “Ten Commandments” are just a list of do’s and do not’s. There are commandments contained in the “Ten Words/Devarim” and if you count them you will find more than ten.

“The Ten Commandments” are actually “The Ten Matters” and are the set of issues/matters that are of the most importance to the Creator and therefore to you.

Until someone with more authority than the Creator comes along to change the way to enter His house, let us not try to figure out a different way to enter His house, nor listen to someone that tries to tell us this door is an old door that was for other people and now has now been closed and now we enter His house by some other entry way.

No, let us simply abide by His instructions and enter into His house in the manner He says to enter it.

Let us not be as the wedding guest in Matthew 22:9-14

Les Collinsworth,

Modern Hebrew

The Scattered 153

* All of the Paleo and Pictographic Hebrew Letters are from the Ancient Hebrew Research Center, www.ancient-hebrew.org

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Ministry News and Updates

We are excited to have our website www.scattered153.com ready for you to access. It is not completely finished, but is available. The Video Teachings have not been downloaded yet, but the website is available,

We currently have a few articles, and this newsletter available.

We will be posting Teaching Videos on a regular basis. One per month, perhaps two on occasion.

We are also working on a YouTube channel that will be available at some point this month.

We are planning on hosting a Passover Celebration, Meeting on/for The First Day of The Feast of Unleavened Bread, and also a Shavuot/Pentecost Meeting/Gathering. We will give/post updates and agendas for these events for those who are interested. Keep checking our website for details.

My wife Tina is working with a Lady/Ministry located in Embu, Kenya that we hope to be able to give you details about in the near future. The name of the Ministry is Yahweh Women Group and can be located by doing a search on Facebook. Please give them a visit on Facebook.

We are also working with a Ministry called House of Hope, located in Pakistan. The founders name is Ahsan Masih. He has an orphanage for about 30 young boys and also travels to different villages teaching the Truth from the Scriptures.

Ahsan has a goal of supplying 100 Bibles to 100 families in each village in the Urdu Language. You can find out more about Ahsan and his ministries on Facebook and https://hebrewnationonline.com/house-of-hope-pakistan/

Please give Ahsan and his ministry a visit on Facebook.

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Upcoming Events

MeetingsEvents

Feb. 17th - Monthly Fellowship meetingPassover – We will be celebrating

We will be reading and studying the Torah PortionPassover near the end of March,

Terumah/Offerings (Exodus 25:1-27:19) and thedepending on the Barley being Aviv and

Haftorah Portion I Kings 5:12-6:13the sighting of the new moon. We will

More details in the near future.

March 17th - Monthly Fellowship meeting

We will be reading and studying the Torah PortionFirst Day of Unleavened Bread – We will

Vayikra/And He Called (Leviticus 1:1 – 6:7)be hosting a Fellowship Meeting on this

and the Haftorah Portion Isaiah 43:21 – 44:23day. We will post an agenda in the

upcoming weeks.

Shavuot - We will be hosting a Gathering/Meeting for Shavuot again this year. We will post more info in the coming weeks.

We hope and would like to see y'all here.

You can reach us at 606-662-6521 or scattered153@gmail.com or on our website: www.scatered153.com

Les Collinsworth

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Final Thoughts

Thank you for reading our newsletter. This is the first of our newsletters. It is our hope and prayer that we will be publishing this newsletter or a monthly basis.

Being that this is our first one, the format/layout may change in the coming months as we try to figure out the best layout and style of presentation for the newsletter.

We welcome your comments and are considering a short section in which we answer one or two reader questions per newsletter at some point in the future. So, if you have any questions contact us through our website or email us as scattered153@gmail.com

Shalom to each of you and we look forward to hearing from each of you and perhaps seeing you at a Fellowship Meeting or one the Feast Day events.

Les Collinsworth,

Modern Hebrew,

Scattered 153