which means something completely different today than it did when the KJV was written half a millennium ago, so does the modern word 'grace'. The meaning and usage of words change and evolve. 'Lust' back in 1611 did not mean a sexually perverse spirit but to eagerly desire something, good or evil. Thus in King James' day you could lust after the flesh or lust after the Spirit (Ruach). How can we "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Master (Lord) and Deliverer (Saviour) Yah'shua the Messiah", as Yah'shua did and as we are commanded to (2 Pet.3:18) if we're not sure what it means?
Did Yah'shua Grow in Grace or Favour?
You may have noticed that when I quoted the ISRV messianic version the translating committee opted to use the word "favour" instead of "grace":
"For sin shall not rule over you, for you are not under the law but under favour" (ISRV).
The scriptures say that Yah'shua grew in charis (Lk.2:52). The word charis here is translated "favour" in the KJV. Many marginal notes show "grace" as the alternative translation. If charis is exclusively 'unmerited pardon' as some have believed, how could Yah'shua, who never sinned, grow in unmerited pardon? And especially how could He grow in unmerited pardon with man when He never sinned against any man? The translation here (Lk.2:52) of "favour" is obviously the correct one. It is easy to understand that Yah'shua grew in favour with Yahweh and man. In Luke 4:22 the people were amazed at the gracious ('favourable to men') words which proceeded out of Yah'shua's mouth. Here the Greek word for gracious is also charis.
Favour and Grace are Not the Same
In Acts 2:46-47 we find the disciples "...having charis with all the people" (KJV). In Acts 7:10 we find Yahweh gave our forefather Joseph charis in the sight of Pharaoh. The King James Version Bible has translated charis as "favour" here. In other places we find charis translated "favour" too (Ac.25:3, Luke 1:30; :46) because favour is the obvious meaning.
Why not Favour?
It is not totally clear why some do not like the definition of favour for grace. However, it does have the implication that it does not matter what you do once you have accepted Yah'shua the Messiah as your Saviour, and that I suspect is the attraction for some Christians. Many believers know that it does matter what Christians do! We must keep the commandments. We know that "[Elohim gives his Ruach] to those who obey Him" (Ac.5:32). So how does "favour" fit into the equation?
Grace is Favour
In Webster's 1994 Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, the third definition of grace is "favour". Under the theological definition, "unmerited favour" is found. Unmerited favour implies that there also can be favour that is merited too. Obviously. Therefore there is the favour which we don't deserve and can't be earned, and there is the favour which we deserve because we have earned it by our deeds. Is it not therefore more logical to render charis as "favour" rather than "grace", as the ISRV does, in this context?
Why Do We Receive Yahweh's Favour?
The misunderstood part of the 'grace versus works' argument is that man receives Yahweh's favour (grace) for two different reasons. First, Yah'shua died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom.5:8). Most all of Christendom would agree that this is Yahweh's "grace" - His undeserved loving kindness or unmerited favour:
"For Elohim so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes on him might not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
This is the first part of the salvation process, that we are cleared of the death penalty over us assigned because of breach of Torah which previously we had resolved under the Old Covenant by a temporary covering through the Mosaic sacrificial system. A Christian is justified (has his past sins paid for) by Messiah's death as the Lamb of Elohim. There is nothing we as Christians can do to pay for our sins except die or accept Yah'shua's death for us. Man was favorued by Yahweh with this redemption! Why?! Why was man favoured (graced) with our past sins being paid?
Reason #1: Why Favour to Man?
Yahweh did not favor with salvation the angels who sinned! Yahweh did not offer angels sonship (Heb.1:5; 2:6-10). Yahweh favoured man because we are made in His image. Awesome is the favour we have received! The offspring of any being looks like the father in kind, does it not?
"...we are the offspring of Elohim" (Ac.17:26, 28-29, KJV).
"Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of Elohim" (1 Jn.3:1, KJV).
Those who do not believe that man is made in Yahweh-Elohim's image cannot even understand why we receive charis (grace) for our justification.
Reason #2: Growing in Favour (Grace)
The other reason we receive Yahweh's favour (grace) solves the 'grace versus works' dilemma. How does one grow in favour with any boss? By keeping his directives or commands! Once we have believed in Yah'shua's sacrifice to pay for our sins (breaking the Torah or Yahweh's commandments), and once we have repented (started keeping the commandments) and are baptised, we receive the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit). We are now the children of Elohim (in a sort of begettal state) by the indwelling of the Ruach. We have Yahweh's seed in us (1 Jn.3:1-2,9). Now we have grown in (grace) favour in Yahweh's eyes!
So the second reason we receive grace (favour) is because we have the Ruach haQodesh in us leading us to keep the commandments (mitzvot) in their spirit and intent (1 Pet.1:22). As we learn to better keep the commandments, we can receive more of Yahweh's precious Ruach (Eph.5:18). Notice Stephen was full of the Ruach haQodesh near the end of his life (Ac.7:55, 60). We grow in favour with Yahweh by maturing in the keeping of the commandments!
Not under the Law, but under Favour
Satan, the god of confusion, would certainly not want us to fully understand this very important issue! (Job 1:6, 1 Cor.14:33, 1 Thess.2:18). So he has caused the modern word "grace" to be so used in religious circles that it has become ethereal and unreal. He would have us believe 'it is too wonderful to be understood'. He would have us believe that being saved by grace alone means we don't have to keep the commandments any more but be led by our fickle feelings or heart only.
We Make Mistakes
Christians are not perfect. They may make a mistake and sin! They may not keep the Bible Sabbath perfectly every week. But they are not openly working on God's Sabbath days. They are not sinners in the sense of being dead in sin, like working on Sabbath and keeping Sunday and thinking they are serving Yahweh. Under the Old Covenant Torah each sin required an animal's death in sacrifice (Num.15:27-28; Lev.4:13,20,22,26-27,31,35; Lev.19:22). Under favour (grace) repentance of the sin is required and looking to Messiah (Hebrews 10:10-11, 21; 1 John 2:1-4). It means constant washing by the water of the Word.
Called to be Perfect Under Grace
True Christians are under great favour from Yahweh but are simultaneously called to be perfect. Yahweh watches over us as any good father watches over his children and favours them (1 Pet.3:12; 5:10-12; Mt.5:48; 1 Jn.3:10). He even favours them with chastening when needed (Heb.12:6; Rev.3:19). If you are a father you know this to be true. You continue loving your children no matter what they do - you extend unmerited favour or grace to them. But at the same time there is conditional favour too - you favour those who do what is good and right but do not show favour to those who are constantly in rebellion. Thus Yahweh could say:
Jacob and Esau
"'Was not Esau Jacob's brother?' says Yahweh. 'Yet Jacob I have loved; but Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness" (Mal.1:2-3, NKJV).
Such passages are only confusing to those trapped in wrong thinking. Does this mean that Yahweh had no heart-love for Esau? Not at all. Yahweh loves everyone - he shows all people unmerited grace by offering His Son in atonement, just as a true father loves all of his children. So how could He "hate" Esau yet "love" Jacob" at the same time? This was his response to their works - and what did Esau do?
"So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him" (Gen.27:4, NKJV).
When Yahweh Shows Merited Favour and When He Does Not
Yahweh cannot ever favour someone who hates another person. Therefore Yahweh favoured ("loved") Jacob and disfavoured ("hated") Esau. We may not hate a person though we may hold them in disfavour - we are permitted to only hate sin.
This means - put bluntly - that Jacob was his 'favourite' and He blessed him accordingly. However, this was not a favour based on the biases of the human flesh but upon perfect divine judgment. Yahweh did not, however, overlook Jacob's faults either, but continually refined him until at the River Jabokk he finally became an overcomer and earned the name of Israel. We must do no less.
Isaac favoured Esau, we presume, because he served his father's stomach so well, yet Jacob was the spiritual boy who deserved his father's favour. Esau was his father's 'favourite' and wrongly so, a favouritism which led to tragedy as we know. As both Christians and parents we are to show both unmerited favour for love's sake - and specifically the the sake of the love expressed for us on the Cross - as well as merited favour based on good works. Don't we reward our children when they do well, and withhold rewards when they do not, punishing them when they do evil? Of course we do, just as Yahweh does. That does not mean that we stop loving them or that we reject them when they do wrong - we still extend grace and undeserved loving kindness to them, as Yahweh does to us. They still remain our sons and daughters.
The Impartiality of Yahweh
Modern translations confuse the issue by mixings words. Therefore the New King James Version would have us believe that "God shows personal favouritism to no man" (Gal.2:6, NKJV) whereas a better translation would be:
"God shows no partiality" (NASB)
"Elohim shows no partiality" (ISRV)
The context is people who thought they were important, for Yahweh accepts no man's "person" (KJV, RSTNE):
"Moreover, those who were the acknowledged leaders - what they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by outward appearances..." (JNT).
So we must be careful with English translations and double check them - that is why we recommend our people to have multiple translations and reliable lexicons. Yahweh shows no favouritism or partiality based on human judgments. He loves us unconditionally as sons and daughters but He shows little or no favour to law-breakers. On the contrary, He punishes them.
Faith and Works United
The harmony between faith and works, which the apostle James so clearly explained 13, is therefore understood of Paul too. There was no conflict between the two writers as Martin Luther believed 14 and many modern Messianics believe today. We can do absolutely nothing to earn the grace (unmerited favour or undeserved loving kindness) bestowed by the atonement of Messiah but we absolutely can, and do, earn Yahweh's favour by obedience to the commandments. Even then that 'deserved favour' is a kind of grace (undeserved favour) because we are empowered to obey only by the indwelling of the Ruach haQodesh - in our own selves we are incapable of generating righteousness:
"But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" (Isa.64:6, NKJV).
A Matter of Choosing Obedience or Rebellion
But it would be wrong to think of this as totally passive on our part - we still have the choice to be obedient or rebellious, and to exert an effort. We can trust Yahweh or not in choosing obedience or rebellion. And if we make the choice to be obedient, doing as we are told, then we are empowered to walk in that favour. The difference between those who believe only in grace and those who believe in grace and favour is the difference between the first and second resurrections, being willing to endure all things for our Master, as I have told you so many times. And personally I do not think that is a little thing. Therefore let us therefore keep Yahweh's commandments - all of them - and stay in his favour.
The Period Between Sukkot and Pesach
What does this have to do with the 'inter-festival' period I spoke of at the beginning? Everything. The period between Sukkot and Pesach is the invisible 'grace' period when we don't have to 'do' anything (festival-wise - obviously Shabbat or Sabbath and Rosh Chodesh or the New Moon continue to roll around each week and month, respectively) and the period between Pesach (or arguably the New Year a few days before) and Sukkot when we are commanded to assemble and 'do' many things. In a very loose sort of way the non-Festival Period is for those 'under grace' who are born again, trusting in Yah'shua, and heirs to the general resurrection of salvation (i.e. Evangelicals), and the Festival Period is for those Evangelicals who are under Yahweh's Favour as obedient disciples or talmidim of Torah - who guard the commandments (mitzvot) and do them diligently under Yahweh's Grace. It's what makes them 'Messianic Evangelicals'. It follows that you cannot be a Messianic and be saved without first being an Evangelical.
Understanding the Earthly and Heavenly Menorah
If you look at the diagram of the dual earthly and heavenly Menorah I showed you at the beginning you will notice something very interesting, namely that there are seven solid 'beams' or 'rays' that proceed horizontally and downwards out of the central pillar coloured pale blue and five broken 'beams' or 'rays' that proceed vertically out of the central pillar coloured pink. Together they make a total of twelve 'beams' or 'rays'. The pink beams represent Yahweh's Grace or Unmerited Favour which there is abolutely nothing we can 'do' to merit them other than to adhere to Yah'shua and endure He remains IN us through trusting Him. Five is the number of Grace as traditionally understood by Protestants. The pale blue beams represent Yahweh's favour toward us - His approval of us - which we earn by our obedience to Torah and specifically observation of the Kashrut laws 15, Festivals 16, Sabbaths 17 and New Moons 18. The latter are manigested in the earthly and visible sphere, just as the Menorah was, whereas the former are largely invisible.
Conclusion
Today we have learned that there are two kinds of grace - the undeserved favour of Yahweh which we can never earn that comes from trusting Yah'shua for our salvation - and the merited favour which comes from obedience to our Heavenly Father's laws or Torah. We cannot ever earn the resurrection of the saved but we can, through our choice to be obedient or not, determine whether we inherit the first or second resurrections. We have seen that obedience is also a function of grace inasmuch as we are incapable of full obedience without the presence of the Ruach haQodesh empowering us to live the way Yahweh wants us to - the Torah lifestyle. We have also learned that Paul was not against Torah but against legalism or the attempt to earn salvation. It is never a question of Grace vs. Law but of Grace-&-Torah-Obedience vs. Legalism.
We will be developing this important subject in the next few weeks including taking a hard look at Yahweh's Gifts. We are going to ask ourself eactly what a Divine Gift is, and especially how salvation is a 'gift' and what the relationship between a gift and obedience to Torah is. As we enter the 'quiet time' between the end of one cycle of festivals and the beginning of the next, let us use these months to focus on what Grace really is and respond obediently to His commandments in such a way that we may walk in Yahweh's continual favour and blessings. Baruch haShem Yahweh! Amen.
Click here for Part 2
Acknowledgements
[1] Bill Hillebrenner, The Plainer Truth about Grace
Endnotes
1
MLT does not observe Hanukkah or Purim which were added later without divine mandate (the first at the insistence of the Pharisees and second under the initiation of Queen Esther) and appear during this six month period in the Talmudic calendar.
2
See Hanukkah
3
See Purim
4
See, for example, The Triumph of Grace and the Will to Surrender and Messianic Evangelicals
5
The Scriptures (Institute for Scripture Research, North Riding, South Africa: 2000), p.1091, footnote #l.
6
David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary (Jewish new Testament Publications, Clarksville, Maryland: 1992), pp.552-3
7
David Stern Messianic Jewish Manifesto (JNT Publications, Jerusalem, Israel: 1988), Chapter 5, pp.125-187
8
C.E.B.Cranfield, Romans (International Critical Commentary, Edinburgh, T&T Clark: 1981), Vol.2, p.853
9
See Messianic Heresies Exposed
10
A Hebrew primacist believes that the New Testament was orginally written in Henrew or Aramaic (with perhaps one or two exceptions) and that when there are conflicts in translation, deferral should in most cases be given to the Hebraic text.
11
Strong's Concordance #G5485
12
For example, "gay clothing" (Jas.2:3, KJV) does not mean homosexual attire.
13
"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one Elohim. You do well. Even the demons believe -- and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of Elohim. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:14-26, NKJV).
14
Luther dismissed the Letter of James as a mere "straw gospel" and sought (unsuccessfully) to have it removed from the Bible canon.
15
See Kashrut
16
See Festivals
17
See Sabbath
18
See Rosh Chodesh
Author: Lev-Tsiyon
Glossary of MLT Hebraic, Greek and English Terms
For other terms and full details please see the  Micropedia
A
Adon(ai) = Master, a pagan fertility god, Adonis; used by many Messianics but not MLT
(a)eon(ian) = 7 dispensation- or age-long time periods, not forever (see le-olam-va-ed)
Alef-Tav = Alpha-Omega, A-Z, first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet = Yah'shua
Amen = truly, let it be so, written Amein by some Messianics
Apocrypha = Hebraic Scriptures not a part of the Protestant canon (e.g. Baruch)
Anti-Messiah = Hebraic term for the end-time Antichrist or anyone opposed to the Messiah
antinomian = lawless Christian who disregards all or part of Torah/commandments
Ashkenazi Jew = East European Jew descended from the Turkic-Japhethite Khazars
Assembly = church, congregation, ekklesia, community, fellowship, koinonia, gathering
Azazel = the Yom Kippur scapegoat
B
Baal, Ba'al = any other master than Yahweh, usually demonic in MLT terminology
Bachor(im) = firstborn son(s)
Bar/Bat Mitzvah = Son/Daughter of Commandment, covenant to obey Torah at age 12
being = soul, the whole person (spirit and body), e.g. "my whole being"
Beit, bet, beth = house, e.g. Beit Yisrael (House of Israel), Beth Lechem (House of Bread)
Beit haMikdash = Yahweh's Temple in Yerushalayim
B'rit Chadashah = the New Covenant; B'rit Chadashah Scriptures = New Testament
B'rit Milah = circumcision - abolished in the B'rit Chadashah, replaced by Mikvah
C
canon = authoritative Scripture (Heb. qaneh, Gk. kanôn = measuring instrument)
Catechumen = a serious, covenanted investigator seeking Mikvah or Baptism in MLT
Chag haMatzah = Feast of Unleavened Bread, second of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Chavurat Bekorot = MLT's Priesthood Order, Holy Order and Assembly of the Firstborn
Cohen = priest; Cohen Gadol = High Priest (also spelled Kohen)
Council of Yah's elohim = the heavenly Assembly of the Firstborn or Chavurat Bekorot
D
demon = fallen malek or angel in rebellion against Yahweh (Heb. shad; see Êl-Shaddai)
derech = the Way, Path or Road - Yah'shua and the Gospel are the Way
Drash = moral or homiletic interpretation of Scripture - see PaRDeS
E
Echad = One, Union of two or more in one (as opposed to Yachid) - see Elohim
Echad Godhead Doctrine = Father Yahweh, Son Yah'shua and Sevenfold Ruach (Mother)
Êl, Eloah, Elah = God the Father, Yahweh
Êl-Elyon = Most High God, Yahweh
Êl-Shaddai = Master/Lord over all shads or demons
Elohim = God, the Godhead (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), lit. 'Mighty One(s)', 'Ruler(s)'
elohim = Israelite judges, rulers, angels or gods (false deities, idols, demons)
emunah = faith, actively trusting, clinging or adhering to (especially Yahweh or Yah'shua)
emet = truth, Yah'shua is the Emet
Ephraimite = descendant of the patriarch Ephraim and head of Messsianic Israel
F
Feasts of Yahweh = the 7 annual Moedim (Pesach, Chag haMatzah, Yom haBikkurim, Shavu'ot, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot)
G
Gan-Eden = Garden of Eden, Paradise and state of the purified heart in Messiah
goy(im) = nation(s), Israelites or gentiles not born in or converted to the Covenant
H
hallelu-Yah = praise Yah(weh)!
Heylel = proper name of Satan or haSatan = the Adversary, the devil
Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone)
Hochmah = Wisdom, title of the 7-fold Ruach haQodesh
I
IDL = International Date Line, false man-made time division in Pacific Ocean
IDL Zone = Area between the true Divine Date Line (Lake Van/Eden) and the false one
Israeli = citizen of the modern Edomite-Khazar Republic of Israel (not Biblical Israel)
Israelite = citizen of biblical state of Israel or a modern follower of the Messiah
J
Jew = post-biblical term describing descendants of Edomite and Khazar converts to Judaism
Johannine = pertaining to the Apostle Yochanan (e.g. Gospel of John)
Josephite = descendant of the patriarch Joseph, the head of Messianic Israel
Judahite = a person in direct descent from the patriarch Judah, forefather of the Messiah
Judaism = a Talmudic-based religion rejecting Yah'shua the Messiah
Judean = a citizen of the Kingdom or Province of Judah until the 2nd Century diaspora
K
Kadosh la Yahweh = set-apart or dedicated to Yahweh, 'Holiness to the Lord', MLT motto
Karaites = Jews (from 700 AD) who reject the Talmud and accept only the Tanakh
kashrut = keeping kosher, food laws of Yahweh and correspinding lifestyle
Ketuvim = Writings or Hagiographa of the Tanakh
Khazar = a Turkic convert to Judaism ~700 AD forming the Ashkenazi Jewish community
kosher = clean foods authorised by Yahweh for human consumption
L
Lashon Hara = evil-speaking, gossip or slander
legalism = false route to salvation through works (self-salvation)
le-olam-va-ed = dispensation- or age-long, aeonian, not eternal, forever or for eternity
Lev = heart, as in Lev-Tsiyon = heart of Zion
Lev-Tsiyon = Heart of the Fortress [of Yahweh], Hebrew name of MLT's founder
M
Master = Lord, Sir, Adon(ai) - (one in authority, a ruler - a king, husband, prophet, judge)
Malak(im) = Angel(s), heavenly supernatural messenger(s)
manna = wafers of honey, bread from heaven (lit. 'what is this?')
matzah = unleavened bread, see Chag haMatzah
Menorah = 7-armed candlearbra = the 7 annual Moedim and 7-fold Ruach haQodesh
Messiah = Christ; Anti-Messiah = Antichrist
Messianic Community = Body of Christ, sum total of all true believers; all true fellowships
Messianic Israel = all who worship Yahweh, trust in Yah'shua, obey Torah and overcome
Messianic Jew = Messianic convert from Judaism still clinging to Talmudic traditions
Midrash = aggadic interpretation of scripture viâ Drash, a scriptural discussion
Mikvah = baptism by immersion of convert into Yah'shua or of wife into husband
Mishpachah = family: nuclear, congregational, tribal or the whole of Messianic Israel
MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon = family of the heart of the fortress [of Yahweh]
Mishpat = right-ruling or judgement
mitzvah/mitzvot = commandment(s)
moed(im) = appointment(s) of Yahweh, 7 Annual Feasts, Sabbath and Rosh Chodesh
N
Nefilim, Nephilim = giant offspring of materialised demons and human women
Nevi'im = prophetic writings of the Old Testament or Tanakh
New Birth = spiritual conversion in the Ruach haRishon, being 'born again' with new heart
Nidah = a woman's menstruation period during which no intercourse is permitted
O
Olive Branch = collection of revelations, prophecies and visions published by MLT
P
Paraclete = Comforter, Advocate (NEB), Counsellor, Ruach haQodesh (Gk. paraklêtos)
PaRDeS = method of textual interpretation (homiletics) - see P'shat, Remez, Drash, Sod
Patriarch = a father who is head of his family, clan or tribe (lit. 'father-ruler')
Pentateuch = first five books of the Tanakh (Genesis-Deuteronomy), also called Torah
peribolaion = headcovering worn by daughters/wives in submission to fathers/husbands
Pesach = Passover, first of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Peshitta = an Aramaic version of the Bible
Prototrinitarianism = early, simplified MLT formulation of the Echad Godhead Doctrine
Prush(im) = Pharisee(s)
Pseudepigrapha = Non-canonical Hebrew writings additional to the Apocrypha
P'shat = literal, contextual, philological, exoteric, outer meaning of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Q
Qadosh Qadoshim = Holy of Holies, most sacred set-apart room of the Beit haMikdash
Qodesh, Kodesh = set-apart, holy (see Ruach haQodesh)
R
Rabbi = Teacher, term used by Messianic Jews and some Messianic Israelites = Pastor
Refuge, the 12 Cities of = divinely protected MLT fortresses during the 7-year Tribulation
Remez = hint or allegorical level of Hebraic understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Rosh Chodesh = monthly New Moon appointment of Yahweh
ruach = spirit of a person (lit.'breath')
Ruach Elohim = Spirit of God (the Spirit of the collective Godhead or Elohim)
Ruach haChamashee = 5th Ruach presides over Yom Teruah and Yom Chamashee
Ruach haQodesh = the Sevenfold Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost (lit. 'Set-Apart Breath')
Ruach haRevee = 4th Ruach presides over Shavu'ot, Yom Revee and Bar Mitzvah
Ruach haRishon = 1st Ruach presides over Pesach, Yom Rishon and the New Birth
Ruach haShanee = 2nd Ruach presides over Chag haMatzah and Yom Shanee
Ruach haSheshi = 6th Ruach presides over Yom Kippur and Yom Sheshi
Ruach haShleshi = 3rd Ruach presides over Yom haBikkurim, Yom Shleshi and Mikvah
S
Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone)
Satan = rebel archangel Heylel, father of lies, devil, chief demon (lit.'Adversary')
Sephardic Jew = West European Jew of mixed blood containing many Judahites
Septuagint = Greek translation of the Tanakh, LXX
Shegal haShabbat = 7th Ruach (Sabbath Queen) presides over Sukkot and Yom Shabbat
Shekinah = Divine Presence and Glory of Yahweh-Elohim
Set-apart = holy, sanctified, consecrated, dedicated, separated (to and by Yahweh)
Shabbat-Shabbaton = High Sabbath (e.g. Yom Kippur)
Shalom = heavenly peace, standard Hebraic greeting invoking Yahweh's peace
Shamash(im) = servant(s), deacon(s), attendant(s)
Shavu'ot = Pentecost or Weeks, fourth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Sheol = grave or pit, euphamism for Hades or hell - also see Tartarus
shofar = ram's horn, blown during Yahweh's Moedim
simcha = joy, keynote of Sukkot
Sod = mystical, anagogic, inner or esoteric understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS
Sukkot = Tabernacles or Booths, seventh of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Synagogue = Greek word used by Jews and Messianics (but not MLT) for a meeting house
T
talmid(a) = male/female disciple or student
Talmud = scriptures, teachings and commentaries belonging to non-Messianic Judaism
Tanakh = acronym for Old Testament Scriptures - Torah, Nevi'im & Ketuvim
Tartarus = place of imprisonment under the earth for rebellious angels and Nephilim
teshuvah = repentance, remorse and contrition leading back to Torah obedience
Torah = Yahweh's teachings or Law; New Covenant Torah includes Yah'shua's teachings
Tribulation, the Great = the final 7 years of the present aeon when Anti-Messiah rules
Trinity = Catholic Godhead formula - see Echad Godhead Doctrine and Prototrinitarianism
Tsiyon = Zion, a fortress, a name of Jerusalem and a prominent hill
Tzitzit/Tizitziyot = tassel(s) worn by men in remembrance of Torah
U
Universalism = salvation of all at the cosmic Yovel, with different rewards and punishments
Y
Yachid = one, single person or item, as opposed to Echad (many in one, unity)
Yah'shua the Messiah = Jesus Christ (the Son)
Yahudah = Judah - see Judahite
Yahweh, Yah, YHWH = the true Name of our Heavenly Father, also carried by Yah'shua
Yahweh-Elohim = LORD God (the Father, Yahweh as Head of the Godhead or Elohim)
Yahweh haQatan = the sent Yahweh = Yah(weh)'shua, Malak of Yahweh's Presence
Yam Suf = Sea of Reeds, the true Israelite Exodus water crossing, not the Red Sea
Yarden = Jordan River (lit. 'meanderer')
Yerushalayim = Jerusalem
Yisrael = Israel (lit. 'ruling with Êl') = true believers under the New Covenant
Yom Chamashee = 5th day of the week (Thursday, Friday in IDL Zone)
Yom Din, Yom haDin = (the) Day of Judgement
Yom haBikkurim = Feast of Firstfruits, third of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yom Revee = 4th day of the week (Wednesday, Thursday in IDL Zone)
Yom Rishon = 1st day of the week (Sunday, Monday in IDL Zone)
Yom Kippur = Day of Atonement, sixth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yom Shabbat = 7th day of the week and Sabbath Rest (Saturday, Sunday in IDL Zone)
Yom Shanee = 2nd day of the week (Monday, Tuesday in IDL Zone)
Yom Sheshi = 6th day of the week (Friday, Saturday in IDL Zone)
Yom Shleshi = 3rd day of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday in IDL Zone)
Yom Teruah = Day of Trumpets, fifth of the annual feasts of Yahweh
Yosef = Joseph - see Josephite
Yovel = Jubilee or Year of Jubilee
Z
Zaqen(im) = elder(s) of an assembly or congregation, or senior members of a community
Zoë Life = Greek term for spiritual life in the Messiah
Commonly Used MLT Abbreviations
For additional abbreviations and explanations,
please see the Micropedia
A
Amp.V(er). = Amplified Version of the Bible
Aram. = Aramaic
AV = Authorised Version of the Bible - see KJV
B
BCAY = B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh - see NCCG
BoA = Books of Abraham (e.g. 1Abr., 2Abr., etc.)
C
cp, cf = compare with
CB(Q) = Chavurat Bekorot
CEV = Contemporary English Version of the Bible
ch. = chapter
CJB = Complete Jewish Bible
CLNT = Concordant Literal New Testament
CYe = Council of Yah's elohim
E
Eng. = English
F
ff. = and onwards/forwards
fn = footnote
G
Gk. = Greek
GNB = Good News Bible - see TEV
H
Heb. = Hebrew, Hebraic
HEM = Holy Echad Marriage, eternal marriage
HO = Holy Order - see Chavurat Bekorot
HOC = Holy Order Collection of revelations - see OB
HRV = Hebraic-Roots Version of the Bible
I
ibid. = ibidem (lit. 'in the same place'), referring to a book previously cited
ICJC = Independent Church of Jesus Christ, earlier name of NCCF
ISRV = Institute for Scripture Research Version of the Bible
J
JB = Jerusalem Bible
JBP/Phillips = J.B.Phillips translation of the New Testament
JNT = Jewish New Testament
K
KJV = King James Version of the Bible - see AV
L
LB = Living Bible
lit. = literally or literature
LXX = Septuagint, Greek translation of the OT
M
MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon
Moff. = Moffatt translation of the Bible
MRC = Messianic Renewed Covenant Version of the NT
MS(S) = Manuscript(s)
N
NASB, NASV = New American Standard Bible/Version
NC&C = New Covenants & Commandments - see OB
NCCF = New Covenant Christian Fellowship, earlier name of NCCG
NCCG = New Covenant Church of God, earlier name of MLT - see BCAY
NCP = New Covenant Press, publishing arm of MLT
NCW = New Covenant Witness, MLT magazine
NEB = New English Bible
NIV = New International Version of the Bible
NKJV = New King James Version of the Bible
Nor. = Norwegian
NT = New Testament, B'rit Chadashah
NWT = New World Translation of the Bible, unreliable Jehovah's Witness version
O
OB = Olive Branch - see NC&C
OJB = Orthodox Jewish Bible (Phil Goble)
op.cit. = opere citato (lit. in the work cited)
OT = Old Testament, Tanakh
P
p(p). = page(s)
pl. = plural - see s.
PWNC = Prophetic Words of the New Covenant, revelation cataloging system - see OB
Q
QED = quod erat demonstrandum (lit. which was shown to be proved)
R
RCF = Restoration Christian Fellowship, earlier name of ICJC
RhQ = Ruach haQodesh, Holy Spirit
RSTNE = Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition of the Bible
RSV = Revised Standard Version of the Bible
RV = Revised Version of the Bible
S
s. = singular - see pl.
S&G = Smith & Goodspeed Version of the Bible
T
TEV = Today's English Version of the Bible - see GNB
V
Vulg. = Biblia Vulgata, Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible
W
WEB = World English Bible
Glossary Copyright ©2007 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved
|
This page was first created on 16 October 2009
Last updated on 16 October 2009
Copyright ©2009 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved
