Founder’s Blog

Linguistic Bridges

One of the strengths of the Delitzsch Hebrew/English Gospels is an innumerable number of what I call, "Linguistic Bridges." Delitzsch's word choice frequently draws the reader back to messianic references in the Tanakh making beautiful links and bridges to the Gospels. These links can only be discerned and realized when one is familiar with the Hebrew--which may account for the historic success that the Delitzsch NT has had in communicating the Gospel to Jewish people. One cannot help to make these needed and powerful substantiating associations.

For the non-Hebrew reader our hope through the Delitzsch Hebrew/English Gospels is to reveal these affirming links that give greater context and substance to the Gospels. Here is an example from our commentary in Torah Club v.3.

The Seven Spirits of Messiah

The Spirit of the LORD will rest (nachah, × ×—×”) on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:2)

Isaiah says that the Spirit of the LORD will rest upon Messiah. The sages identified the Spirit of the LORD resting upon the Messiah as the same Spirit of God that hovered above the waters of creations. Isaiah says that the LORD anoints His Messiah with seven spirits: 1) the Spirit of the LORD; 2) the spirit of wisdom; 3) the spirit of understanding; 4) the spirit of counsel; 5) the spirit of strength; 6) the spirit of knowledge; and 7) the spirit of the fear of the LORD. God equips the Messiah with these seven attributes to prepare Him for the great work of ruling over His people and the whole earth.

In the Gospels, the Holy Spirit of the LORD descended upon Yeshua in the form of a dove and bestowed upon Him the seven attributes. Delitzsch detects an allusion back to Isaiah 11:2 in John 1:32-33. Isaiah says, "The Spirit of the LORD will rest (nachah, × ×—×”) on Him." In his Hebrew translation of the Gospel of John, Delitzsch highlights the connection between the passages by translating the Greek (meno) with the Hebrew nachah (× ×—×”):

Yochanan testified and said, I beheld the spirit in the likeness of a dove descending from Heaven and resting (nachah, × ×—×”) upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to immerse in water said to me, "The one on whom you see the spirit descending and resting (nachah) is the one that will immerse with the Holy Spirit." (Yochanan 1:32-33 emphasis added)

Sometime after His baptism and anointing at the Jordan, Yeshua returned to His hometown in Nazareth. On the Sabbath, He read a haftarah portion from Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news" (Isaiah 61:1). He closed the scroll and declared, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21).

Please keep our entire team in your prayers this week. We are bringing this project to a close and need your prayer. Please pray for wisdom for all of the final decisions, for our editors, proofers, and for the strength to get everything completed. Please also join us in our prayer that the Delitzsch Hebrew/English Gospels will not only open up new understandings of the Gospels but it will most importantly bring a fresh passion and love in the hearts of people for the Messiah.

About the Author: Boaz Michael is the President and Founder of First Fruits of Zion.

Discussions

---

comments powered by Disqus