Category Archives: Bible Study

Mary through the Gospels

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Zechariah and Mary each asked a question in the Gospel of Luke; Zechariah was concerned about what the future held for him and Mary asked about the present and how God would fulfill His will. Zechariah got nine months of no speech and Mary received charitoo. This study of Mary came about because I wanted to see her journey through the Gospels.

When Mary said “yes” to God, I am pretty sure she was aware of how a pregnant, unwed teenager in Nazareth would be treated. She still said, “yes” and set an example for anyone who would follow her Son and His Father. The customs and traditions of 1st century Galilee are not our modern customs or verbiage. There has been a lot of ink used on the legends, traditions, and dogma that surrounds Mary, the mother of our Lord. Hebrew thoughts and familial relationships that were recorded in Greek have occupied some of this maelstrom of ink. The multiuse thought of “brothers” and kinswoman/female-relative did show up in this study. I did find that “cousin” was used once in reference to Mark and Barnabas.

συγγενίς | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com kinswoman used 1x for Elizabeth

ἀνεψιός | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com  Mark the cousin of Barnabas, 1x

God, “the Father of her Child” was her shield and buckler. The words of Gabriel, Elizabeth’s greeting, and Joseph‘s dream formed a wall around the obedient, young woman. Personally, some of the things I found were interesting, but they do not change the facts. The Virgin Mary’s Son willingly offered Himself as a “sin sacrifice” and rose from the dead. He now sits at His Father’s righthand waiting to come back and claim His Bride.

To find the references to Mary was not as easy as you may think. The translation you use will affect search terms and possible the number of times something is listed. I used several translations to check myself and I am still not sure I got them all. The terms I found and used include Mary, parents, His mother, dear woman, and mother of Jesus. In the RSVCE Matthew used Mary, in referring to Jesus’ mother, five times, Mark once, and Luke twelve times. John does not use her name, Mary, at all; instead, he refers to her as “Jesus’ mother”. My takeaway, Jesus had a mother who was descended from David and was called Mary. It was clear He loved and respected her His whole life.

John – “The disciple who Jesus loved.” On the cross Jesus transferred the care of His mother to John. We know John went and spent time in Asia and we assume Mary went with him. It would seem Luke had a personal interview with her, so Ephesus seems like a great location for that to have taken place. (Or Jerusalem, when John left Judah is unclear.) At first, I thought it strange John not using the name Mary, but now I view it as respect and separating himself from any thought that she was his birthmother.

I did not expect to change anyone’s thoughts or beliefs about Mary, but here are all of the times I found her referred to in the Gospels and Acts.

 Introduction – Luke 1:27, Matthew 1:18

Mary and Gabriel – Luke 1:30,34,38

Mary and Elizabeth – Luke 1:39, 41, 43, 46-55 this is Mary’s song of praise, 56

Mary and Joseph, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem – Matthew 1:18, 20, 24;Luke 2:5, 16, 19, 33, 34, 39

Mary and the Wisemen, to and from Egypt – Matthew 2: 11, 13, 14, 20, 21

Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem at Passover – Luke 2:41, 43, 48, 51

Mary (the mother of Jesus) and the Cana Wedding – John 2:1, 3, 4, 5, 12

His/Your Mother and His/Your Brothers – Matthew 12:46, 47, 48, 50; Mark 3:31, 32; Luke 8:20

Mary and His Brothers – Part 2 – Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 6:42

Mary the Mother of James. I have included these but there were many women named Mary at the Cross and Grave. Matthew 27:56 and Luke 24:10

His Mother and John at the Cross – John 19: 25, 26

Mary the Mother of Jesus – Praying   – Acts 1:14

Epiousios a Second Thought

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Bread in the Bible – Epiousios is my post on this great concept that first appeared in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew. My second thought about this word/concept comes as I have mused on its possible meanings and origins. I will count myself as one who sees if it is in the New Testament, it has as a foundation in our Old Testament. So, what was Jesus thinking about in the Sermon on the Mount, and saying in Hebrew or Aramaic, that Matthew wrote in Greek with a brand-new word? I hope this gives you something to think about.

There are two separate provisions for food that caught my attention. I will say that even these flow from Father God’s desire for our faith to be proved as we pray for the miracle.

Manna for the Sabbath

Israel had seen the power of their God in the plagues He used to set them free. They walked through the Red Sea and danced about because of the deliverance. Then they complained instead of seeking that awesome God about water and food. What if? Father may your will be done and forgive us our debts. Yes, I have come a long way and still have some to go.

Exodus 16:22 is the instructions to collect a double portion AND that it would stay good for the seventh day. Work for six and fellowship on the seventh, nobody went hungry and not a lot of cooking. Prep and planning were needed, but that was still on the workday.  

The Year of Jubilee – This event/term gets thrown around a lot, but I am not sure that the “resting” part is properly brought into the sermons. See Leviticus 25:8. Jubilee is a second year of rest FOR THE LAND and the Children of God. It only happens every 50th year and follows the Sabbath Year of rest, see Leviticus 25:1. Yes, the Father wanted His land to rest eight years out of every fifty. The exile to Babylon is tied to Israel’s failure to give the land its rest (See 2 Chronicles 36:21). Yes, there is more to that story. Yes, other things happened during Jubilee.

Work six and rest one, does that sound familiar? The Children had to have the faith that God would provide in the sixth year for the seventh, and in Jubilee that the sixth year would produce enough for two years and the following year until the crop had matured.

I want to believe that during Joshua’s lifetime that it was observed. We have to remember that in the travels of the Exodus they did not plant or store supplies. It is not recorded anywhere that Jubilee was observed. “What if” is the only thought that echoes in my mind.

One for a Gentile Widow and Elijah

1 Kings 17 has two narratives about miraculous provision. Elijah was fed by the ravens and the widow was able to feed Elijah and her family during a drought because of believing God’s word. These may not fit the pattern I gave, but they are still part of the lesson for faith and provision.

Give us today our epiousios bread.

Zechariah and Mary – Christmas 2024

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Last Sunday I watched Brother Past, our unobtrusive head usher, welcome Mr. Present, the current chairman of the board, and Future, a new prospective member. Present and Future demanded Past seat them on the front row; it was tense.

Back in school, Ms. Uno told me that in the future; I, Trey, would be parsing words. Everyone actively laughed at me. Well, this present post will get to the root of the words of two important people in Luke 1 – Zachariah and Mary.

The tension, for me, comes the fact that both ask “how” and use an “indicative 1 singular” verb. Well, that is the way most modern translations read. Zechariah (1:18) and Mary (1:34) receive two different responses from Gabriel. Elizabeth got nine months of blissful silence, and Mary received charitoo. In Mark’s translation it would read, “How can I know?” In the Greek both verses share the word – ginōskō. At this point I will encourage factchecking, so use MOUNCE, Strong’s G1097, Luke 1:18 Greek Text Analysis (biblehub.com), and Luke 1:34 Greek Text Analysis (biblehub.com).

I view this as adding to my other Christmas post on Zechariah, and Mary. See Christmas Light | Mark’s Bible Study (ificouldteachthebible.com) for the star.

Zechariah or Zachariah (Not the Old Testament prophet)

This old cohen, who had faithfully served many years had been chosen for a special honor. He was to go into the empty Holy of Holies and burn incense, this was done in the seventh month on the Day of Atonement. (See Leviticus 16 and 23.) Paradigms and definitions, compare the meaning of cohen to priest.

Oh, the hallowed copy of the Ark that Moses had constructed has not been found; the real one was/is in Heaven. Metaphorically, we might say the Chest was about to be placed in Mary, (See The Poles and The Mercy Seat)

I looked but could not find an age requirement for serving as a cohen. Levities had to stop serving at the age of fifty (Numbers 8:25). In 1 Samuel 4:18 Eli was 98 and he had started at 58. How do you think his sons were doing as cohen?

Mary or Mariam

This teenage granddaughter of King David, through Nathan not Solomon, has a special place in history. Tradition and legend have been added to her story. She is found in the Gospels doing things at key points in Jesus’ story. I want to focus on two; her willingness to submit to the Father and her comment to the servant at the wedding, “Do whatever He tells you.” (NIV)

Two Forms of Ginōskō

Zechariah uses gnosomai and Mary uses ginōskō. Zechariah’s word is a future, middle voice form that shows he was concerned about himself and how it would affect him. Mary’s is a present, active voice that wonders how God is making this happen.

Compare and Contrast

Old vs. New. Law vs. Charitoo. Known vs. That Can’t Happen. Elijah vs. Elisha. Father God talked many times about Gentiles being part of His Family, and how the heart played into being a “branch on that vine”. Both were given a task: Zechariah would father a child that would announce that salvation was being provided; Mary would carry the Child that would provide the final offering, so we could be accepted again. Zechariah “knew” the Torah and may have been a Sadducee. Mary had some training, but she “knew” that a virgin of Judah would have a Child, and probably held to the teachings of the Pharisees. A light translation of that is no angels or miracles vs. angels exist and God can do anything He wants.

My parsing may not have been great, after all it is Grammer to me. My BIG takeaway is the new levels that Zechariah and Mary represent in the story of the Father sending His Son to bring His Family together.

Have a Merry Christmas and think about the Little Lamb who was born in Bethlehem.  

Hard or Harden in Exodus 1 – 14

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This study help is for Exodus 911 (will be live 10/1) and The Wonders that Plagued Egypt. These listing from the Strong’s are for hard or harden, and several other words in the Exodus 1 – 14. The list of verses at the bottom are every time the Hebrew words were used. (God bless translators.) Not all of the listing will show “hard” I saw things like the staff being in the hand. I did put biblehub.com and blueletterbible.org listings; both are great, and I have no connection to either, they are just great study aids.

Looking at other references that use these words can give you an idea of the scope of what God did with Pharoah and how he reacted. you will notice that the Hebrew has good and bad side to each of these words.

H 2388 – chazaq: to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen

H3513 – kabad or kabed: to be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

H3515 – kabed: heavy

H7185 – qashah: to be hard, severe or fierce the word for Rachael’s labor Gen.35:16, before the plagues began Ex 7:3, and what the fathers told children about leaving Egypt13:15

qasheh: hard, severe

Exodus

  • 1:14 – 7186
  • 4:10 – 3515
  • 4:21 – 2388
  • 4:21 – 2388
  • 4:4 – 2388
  • 5:9 – 3513
  • 6:9 – 7186
  • 7:3 – 7185
  • 7:13 – 2388
  • 7:13 -2388
  • 7:14 -3515
  • 7:22 – 2388
  • 8:15 – 3513
  • 8:15 – 3515
  • 8:19 – 2388
  • 8:19 – 2388
  • 8:24 – 3515
  • 8:32 – 3513
  • 8:32 – 3515
  • 9:2 – 2388
  • 9:3 – 3515
  • 9:7 – 3513
  • 9:7 – 3515
  • 9:12 – 2388
  • 9:18 –3515
  • 9:24 – 3515
  • 9:34 – 3513
  • 9:35 – 2388
  • 9:35 – 2388
  • 10:1 – 3513
  • 10:14 – 3515
  • 10:20 – 2388
  • 10:20 – 2388
  • 10:27 – 2388
  • 10:27 – 2388
  • 11:10 – 2388
  • 11:10 – 2388
  • 12:33 – 2388
  • 12:38 – 3515
  • 13:15 – 7185
  • 14:4 – 2388
  • 14:4 – 3513
  • 14:8 – 2388
  • 14:8 – 2388
  • 14:17 – 2388
  • 14:17 – 3513
  • 14:18 – 3513

H__llow – A or O, You Decide?

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Hallow or hollow as a question comes from a study on the Lord’s Prayer, Hebrew 10:14, and a short night of sleep. Grammer, tenses, and etymology are not real big in this study.

Hollow has several uses, but they revolve around something having an empty or not filled space inside.  

Websters Dictionary 1828 – Webster’s Dictionary 1828 – Hollow

Hallow is associated with being set apart as holy or sacred.

Websters Dictionary 1828 – Webster’s Dictionary 1828 – Hallow

The 1828 Websters’ is a good resource; it has Bible references, when appropriate, and is missing 200 years of humanism and cultural references. The contrast can be striking at times.

Hallow is what caught my attention. It is a good 1500’s Geneva and King James Bible word and is used in many modern translations. If you continue on your internet search, you might find a few references to the Lord’s Prayer or Father God. That may not be inappropriate, I just found it a bit odd to purposely leave them out. There were videos on hallowing the Name of the Lord.

This post started as a pointed and cute question on whether you are empty or filled with the Holy Spirit because of Jesus. We are holy because of Jesus’ sacrifice and His blood covering us in the sight of the Father. So, are you hollow or hallow?

Father God is holy, and He has agape for us; He loves righteousness and justice. These are important to Him. So, they should be important to us. The Father and Jesus wants a family that chooses to belong to Them and allows the Holy Spirit to work in them and through them.

Yes, things and places are holy and hallowed in the Bible. I see that as occurring because God ordered them that way, but He wants a holy people. In Man’s attempt to prove ourselves holy we add things to God’s Word and Works. An example is the Sabbath. God declared it holy and said to rest; Man, then started listing things to make sure that we “rest”. Jesus even talked about Man making the gold in the Temple more important than the Temple or Altar it was on (Matthew 23:16 +17), or gifts that should be helping Family but were being withheld. To put this into perspective, God paved the streets in heaven with gold, has a glassy sea (sapphire?) that His throne sits on, and pearls for gates. They are holy because He is in Heaven, the Holy City. (On a science note, glassy may just be smooth and something can be clear and have a color.)

To further your study, use this as a help.

Leviticus 22:32 Hebrew Text Analysis (biblehub.com) This passage has both words in it.    

Strong’s Hebrew: 6942. קָדַשׁ (qadash) — to be set apart or consecrated (biblehub.com)

Strong’s Hebrew: 6944. קֹ֫דֶשׁ (qodesh) — apartness, sacredness (biblehub.com)

To make holy.  ἁγιάζω | Free Online Greek Dictionary | billmounce.com