Articles
 The Upper Room Discourse 79
 The Upper Room Discourse 78
 The Upper Room Discourse 77
 The Upper Room Discourse 76
 The Upper Room Discourse 75
 The Upper Room Discourse 74
 The Upper Room Discourse 73
 The Upper Room Discourse 72
 The Upper Room Discourse 71
 The Upper Room Discourse 70

Series [All]
 Daniel Juster (61)
 Fruit of the Spirit (8)
 Guy Cohen (56)
 Introduction to Messianic Judaism (24)
 Juster summer trip
 Mark Rantz (2)
 The Mitzvah Book (93)
 Tikkun Articles (5)
 Torah Thoughts
 Zion's Glory (3)

Archive


 

Monday, 3 July 2017
There is no other

Psalm 49:8(7) "No man can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him." (TLV)

Such a significant verse. It really sets up a problem that can only be resolved by one who is not a man, but is known as the Son of God.

Here is an expanded translation of the first half of this verse: "A brother cannot in any way redeem a man."

The second half amplifies this thought: "(One) cannot give to God a bribe." The word translated here as "bribe" is Kofer which is the same Hebrew letters in Kippur as in Yom Kippur usually understood as the Day of Atonement.

This cannot be done by a brother (or another man). We (humanity) have/has a problem known as sin (transgression of the Law). This demands a solution that can't be fixed by those afflicted with the problem in the first place.

The sinless one (see Hebrews 4:15) came to make restitution (restore that which was lost, Luke 19:10). In Hebrew we say Ayn Od meaning "There is no other." Our only proper response is to be eternally thankful.

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:11am Comment Comments: 0