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Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Matthew 5:8 Part 1 of 5

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

There is so much contained in the few words of this verse, we could stay on it for a long time. I'm especially intrigued by two words. In the TLV translation above, they are translated as "pure" and "see." The Greek word translated "pure" is katharos (phonetic spelling: kath-ar-os). Part of the Strong's translation (G2513) is "clean, pure, unstained, either literally or ceremonially or spiritually; guiltless, innocent, upright."

The other word (translated as "see") is hora'o (phonetic spelling: hor-ah'-o). Part of the Strong's translation (G3708) is "see, look upon, experience, perceive, discern, beware."

Please indulge me for a moment ... Here is my own amplified translation of Matthew 5:8 - <>Shout for joy if you are guiltless in heart, for you are among those who will experience God.

This raises the question, "How does a person become "clean, pure and unstained" of heart? After all, we're born into a problem we didn't create. Because we didn't create it, we can't fix it. In Hebrew, we sing, Ki Ayn Banu Ma'a'sim, meaning, "For we have nothing in us to make (a way of fixing the problem)." Here is a link to the liturgical song I'm referencing. It features Shilo Ben Hod and his band (many of whom came to Shomair last year).

It is a question that demands an answer. If you know Yeshua, you know the answer, because He is the answer: John 1:29 The next day, John sees Yeshua coming to him and says, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!, which is perfect match with this ... Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says Adonai. "Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will become like wool."

To be "washed in blood" and come out clean (white as snow) is a great and notable work of God (aka "miracle"). It is implicit in the subject verse. As John is addressing the 7 Churches in the book of Revelation, he offers these words of greeting in the name of the Lord ... Revelation 1:5 from Messiah Yeshua, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood.

We all need a clean heart. Only through believing in Yeshua do we get a clean heart. That's it for today. I'll write more on this next time. Can you see how this might take all week?

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:04am Comment Comments: 0