I get it, most of us haven’t taken any Hebrew-as-a-Second-Language classes. Naturally, a lot of names in the Bible can sound confusingly similar. For example, a group of them has been bugging me for the longest time so I’ve decided to lay them all out, in hope that they can be settled once and for all….
利未記 {li4-wei4-ji4}Old Testament – Penteteuch Pronunciation isn’t particularly hard for this one. It helps to slow down at first:[li-VI-ti-kuhs] As its name suggests, Leviticus addresses the priestly duties within the tribe of Levi. A contemporary reader may find it difficult to relate to the regulations of an ancient but newly minted nation, but Leviticus was a…
撒母耳記下 {sa4-mu3-er3-ji4-xia4}Old Testament – Historical Books I know you know how to pronounce Samuel. I know you know what 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel talk about. So why bother talking about them here? But please indulge me with just two questions. First, “Who wrote 1 Samuel?” Samuel, you might say, and that’s not wrong. But 1 Samuel 25:1 says,…
Christians. At the mention of this word, a whole array of emotions, experiences, connotations, and implications come to mind. Depending on who you are, they take on vastly different colors. If you are reading this, chances are this word solicits a deep conviction that resonates from the inside out, influencing your thoughts, attitudes, and actions….
那鴻書 {na4-hong2-shu1}Old Testament – Minor Prophets The anglicized pronunciation of Nahum can either be:[NEY-uhm] or [NEY-huhm]. Basically, it’s optional to pronounce “h”. Nahum is a book of prophecy addressed to Nineveh 尼尼微 {ni2-ni2-wei1}, not Israel or Judah. The literal meaning of the word “prophecy” is “burden“. So imagine God placing a crushing burden upon Nineveh. Who can…
This week, we turn our attention to another good king. But before going any further, let’s be reminded of what Jesus said in Mark 10:18, “… No one is good—except God alone.” Jesus did not exaggerate. No matter which king we look at, or what kingdom he belonged to, none finished his life with a perfect score. And…
約伯記 {yue1-bo2-ji4}Old Testament – Wisdom Books Job, is quite possibly the most misunderstood Book for many reasons. First, let’s get the easy one out of the way. It’s not pronounced like “job” as in “good job” or “Steve Jobs”. Instead, it sounds like how you would pronounce “jobe”. If you finish the entire book, all…
加拉太書 {jia1-la1-tai4-shu1}New Testament – Epistles Pronounce as [guh-LEH-shuns]As in “garage-LAte-cushions“ The Letter to Galatians is a special Book in New Testament. While the other letters were either addressed to the believers of a city (Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians) or to a single church in a city (1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians), Galatians was addressed to multiple churches in the region of Galatia [guh-LEH-shuh]. Only…
以弗所書/以弗所书 {yi3-fu2-suo3-shu1}New Testament – Epistles Ephesians, read as [i-FEE-zhuhnz], is a theological treasure trove. New believers can come here to gain a solid grasp on the foundation of the Faith. “Seasoned” Christians can always take a deeper dive and receive yet another insight into how to glorify God with their lives. It is for that reason,…
Putting the rabbits, eggs, and chocolates aside (yes, they are all very delicious), what is Easter really? The obvious answer is the time to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which took place during a Passover in the early 1st century. But why “Easter”? What’s so “east” about it? The name “Easter” has a…