"It is difficult to overestimate the love that the rabbis had for their Bible. On a good day, they would link text after text after text.... This was called "stringing pearls"--bringing together passages from different places in scripture. in order to explore their great truths. [Donna note: In our day, this process is known as using rhetorical links.]
This is how Jesus taught as well. Listen to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. These passages are thick with references to Isaiah and the Psalms.
Blessed are the poor in spirit...
Blessed are those who mourn...
Blessed are the meek...
Each of these passages would have reminded the crowd of passages in the Bible in which God had promised to rescue his faithful followers. Jesus was pulling together various scriptures to make one major point: that God is faithful. He cares for us and will bless us if we seek him even when life is painful."
Continued....
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I'm anxious to see how these all string together. Thanks for letting us in on the "secret" that the people hearing this sermon understood.
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