Part
Three of Five Introductory Articles
Thematic
Analysis
The
Secret to Rightly Dividing the Torah of Life
Introduction
Thematic analysis is the most important concept in Scripture hermeneutics (interpretation). Where did this concept of thematic analysis originate? Jerome, Ignatius, Origen, Tertullian, Martin Luther, John Calvin? No. It was developed by the Rabbi's and Sages of traditional Judaism. That's right. No matter how much Messianic and/or Christian disciples may think that traditional Judaism has missed the boat concerning who is the Messiah, the fact is, any non-Messianic Rabbi who has been thoroughly trained through study of the Torah and Talmud can probably tell you and I more about the Messiah from the Tanakh (Old Testament) than most of us can demonstrate from the New Covenant Scriptures. The technique of thematic analysis was discovered by the sages of Israel as they began to diligently study the Torah. They left no stone unturned in their pursuit of its wisdom. In so doing, they discovered that Adonai used patterns of themes in His word. Furthermore, they discovered that these themes, when viewed together, helped unify and clarify the prophetic message of the Torah. I am convinced that the thematic analysis of Scripture is the key to understanding the Scriptures properly. I personally exhort you to carefully and thoughtfully read this article. I've chosen some of the most obvious examples of thematic connections from Scripture which clearly demonstrate that this is Adonai's ordained method of understanding His eternal Words. Hopefully, after you've finished this article you will see the importance of thematic analysis.
Adonai has placed a tremendous calling on the Jewish people. As Paul stated in the book of Romans:
1What advantage, then, is there
in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2Much in
every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of
God. (Romans 3:1-2)
Part of that calling is the unique method of learning the Scriptures called thematic analysis. In thematic analysis we search for the underlying theme/topic of each passage of Scripture. By connecting the themes of Scripture, line upon line, precept upon precept, the Scriptures open up to us in a unique manner that is clearly inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). Passages that seemed obscure begin to make sense and numerous levels of wisdom and understanding unfold before us.
Therefore, it behooves us to learn from the Jewish people. To discover how they did this, we need to review a portion of Part One of this series concerning the Parsha divisions on a kosher Torah scroll.
We know that Adonai commanded Moses to write the Torah as five separate books. Since Adonai had him separate those words into five separate books, we surmise that each book has a unique message or theme. In other words, Adonai separated his words into five books for a reason. The most obvious reason should be that the different books contain a unique message that is separate from, yet part of the overall message of the five books together. I think most people would agree that each of the five books carries its own unique theme or purpose, so I won't try to prove that fact. Within each book each of the five books of the Torah, the words are written with two paragraph-like divisions interrupting the flow of the words. This paragraph-like division is called a Parsha. Now if Adonai has separated His eternal word into five books, each of which carries a unique theme, wouldn't it be logical to assume that the divisions within each book have a similar purpose? Wouldn't it be logical to assume that the Parshiot (plural of Parsha) are important? Wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that Adonai divided each book into Parshiot for a reason? Otherwise, why would they be necessary?
We all know the function of chapters and paragraphs. They are added to aid the reader in understanding the flow from topic to topic. Since Adonai commanded Moshe to separate the individual books into smaller paragraph-like sections or Parshiot, I surmise that each Parsha was written as a separate unit because each of those Parshiot is trying to convey a unique thought, theme, concept or understanding.
Therefore, since Adonai inspired these
divisions I think they are VERY important.
It is fine to use the chapter and verse designations of man. They are extremely helpful However, shouldn't we be more concerned with divisions that Adonai has INSPIRED? Shouldn't we be more concerned with understanding how He wanted us to understand the flow of topics in His Torah.
Well, this is how the Jewish people have always thought about the Parshiot. Let me quote to you from RASHI, the most revered Torah scholar in all of Judaism:
These short breaks were given [together with the Torah by God] to allow Moshe Rabeinu the opportunity to contemplate from one "parshiya" to the next, [in order] to understand the flow from one topic to the next, [and if this was necessary for Moshe Rabeinu] then even more so - we who study Chumash must pay attention to these breaks![1] (emphasis mine)
There are two types of Parshiot. A Parsha Stumah and a Parsha P'tuchah. Here is an example of what the Parsha divisions look like …
s—Parsha Stumah (plural, stumot)—A paragraph-like break inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, still preserved on kosher Torah Scrolls, where there are at least nine blank spaces between a word and the next word, all on the same line of text.
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
p—Parsha P'tuchah (plural, p'tuchot)—A paragraph-like break inspired by the Ruach HaKodesh, still preserved on kosher Torah Scrolls, where there are blank spaces extending to the end of a line of text and the subsequent text does not begin until the next line. (Hebrew is read from right to left)
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
~yhla
~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla ~yhla
I have defined a Parsha as a paragraph-like division because they aren't paragraphs in the strictest sense of the word. Some Parshiot can last for two or three chapters without a break, while others may last only one sentence! We should not try to force them to function exactly as paragraph markers. We need to use them as Adonai intended them to be used. They are thematic divisions inspired by Adonai. The sentences within each Parsha contain a unique theme or topic.
The first step in thematic analysis of the books of the Torah is to find the theme of each parsha. This is done by making thematic connections within the parsha. Sometimes, we need to make thematic connections to other parsha's in order to understand the parsha under examination. A basis for understanding thematic analysis of Scripture is found in Isaiah 28:9-10:
9"Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make
to understand the message? Those
just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? 10For precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little,
there a little."
This simple passage tells us two things; 1) how Adonai wants to teach us knowledge and 2) how He wants to help us understand the message [of Torah]. I'm sure you've noticed that the Scriptures are not written as most theological works of man, where each subject/doctrine (the doctrine of sin, the doctrine of justification, the doctrine of imputation of righteousness, the doctrine of last things, the doctrine of substitutionary blood atonement, etc.) is taught separately and thoroughly. In fact, many view the Bible as a hodgepodge of unrelated stories. This passage however, tells us that we 1) gain Adonai's knowledge and 2) understand the message [of Torah] as we examine the entirety of Scripture precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little. In other words, we must take the Scriptures and stack them one upon another. If we do this with Scriptures that are thematically related and compare and contrast them, looking for the obvious and subtle similarities, His knowledge will unfold in a unique fashion. In this manner we will gain an understanding based on the entirety of Scripture instead of a few isolated "proof" texts taken out of context. As you progress through this study, I guarantee you will be amazed at how simple, yet profound, is this concept. Furthermore, you will be amazed at the importance of this foundational hermeneutic tool. The examples of thematic analysis in this paper and the conclusions drawn from them will show you 1) how awesome is our God, 2) how this type of analysis is thoroughly inspired by Adonai, 3) how it will preserve you from error and 4) how you can be assured you are making the proper interpretations.
Thematic analysis involves gaining an understanding of the overall theme of a passage of Scripture. By theme, I mean the underlying (usually unwritten), topical subject of the passage. Although this may seem somewhat subjective (as in reading between the lines), for the most part it can be quite objective. In order to understand thematic analysis, let's contrast two approaches for studying a passage which I call the microscopic and panoramic approaches. In the microscopic approach, we thoroughly dissect a passage. We answer every important question for every phrase in the verse—who, what, when, where, why and how. Furthermore, we do word studies, examine context, etc. In short, we leave no stone unturned in searching for the minutest detail of the passage. However, in the panoramic approach, we sit back, ignore the detail, and take a "panoramic" view of the passage, looking in general at the passage, to determine its general theme. We search for the general topic, the underlying message, the overall subject, and/or a summary of the passage instead of focusing in on the details. This panoramic approach will allow you to do thematic analysis. Furthermore, you will discover that many passages dealing with entirely different subjects will converge—through the common theme—to teach a truth. This truth will become apparent as you compare and contrast[2] the thematic connections that exist between the Scriptures. Now, let's see how these divisions help us to interpret the Torah thematically.
Part
I
Finding the Underlying Theme of a Parsha
The fourth Parashat HaShavuah is entitled, "Vayeira." It runs from B'reishit 18:1 - 22:24. Within that portion of Scripture, we find six Parsha divisions as follows.
·
B'reishit 18:1 - 19:38 s
·
B'reishit 20:1 - 20:18 s
·
B'reishit 21:1 - 21:21 p
·
B'reishit 21:22 - 21:34 p
·
B'reishit 22:1 - 22:19 p
·
B'reishit 22:20- 22:24 s
We will restrict our study to the first Parsha Stumah, B'reishit 18:1 - 19:38 s. Hopefully, through this exercise, you will learn the following:
1. The parsha divisions will help us understand which passages should be interpreted
together.
2. The parsha divisions are the basis for helping us relate (seemingly unrelated) passages of Scripture.
3. The parsha divisions will help us to understand the overall theme of a parsha.
4. The parsha divisions will help us properly interpret the stories of the Torah.
After reading B'reishit 18:1 - 19:38, note that there are no other parsha divisions within it. This tells us that every portion of this parsha has one common theme. Even though the parsha divisions suggest that this parsha carries one unique theme, there seems to be two separate and unrelated stories in this parsha—one concerning the promise of a son and another concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Without knowing that they are linked together by Adonai in one unit (parsha), one may think they are totally unrelated stories. However, the fact that Adonai put them both within one parsha forces us to realize that there is a common theme that unites them. Furthermore, it forces us to search for a common theme that will unite them.
If we examine the text
closely, we will notice that there is a connection between them. The angels are
present in both stories! In the
first story, they announce the promise of a son. In the second story they engage Abraham
in a conversation and are the agents of the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah. Thus, we have a clear textual connection between these two
seemingly unrelated passages. Next,
let's find the thematic connection.
Note that Genesis 18:17-19
appears to be sandwiched between these two seemingly unrelated stories. The position of these verses between
these two stories suggests that these verses may contain information to link the
two stories thematically as well as textually.
17And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing [the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah], 18since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." (Genesis 18:17-19, emphasis mine)
Notice that Adonai confides in Abraham concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because 1) He’s going to make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation, 2) all nations will be blessed through him and 3) Abraham will instruct his family to do what is right and just. Notice that this verse has now supplied a thematic connection between the two seemingly unrelated stories of this parsha. The promise of the son (whose destiny will be to give rise to the nation) is now connected to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
We may gain more wisdom by finding other verses thematically connected to verses 17-19. These verses are clearly thematically related to the original promise in Genesis 12:1-3.
1 Now the
LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your
father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2I will make you a great
nation; I will bless you
And make your name great; And you shall be a
blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who
curses you; And in you all the families
of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3, emphasis mine)
Making ourselves aware of the ultimate purpose for Abraham and his family (by noting the thematic connection between Genesis 18:17-19 and Genesis 12:1-3), helps us see that the two stories of our parsha (the story of the promised son, who will be the first step in starting the nation and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) are CLEARLY related. We learn from Genesis 12:1-3 that Adonai's ultimate purpose is for blessing to flow from the nation of Israel to all other nations. Therefore, the Torah is teaching us that the future nation of Israel, a nation that practices righteousness and justice, will be a potential source of blessing to nations like Sodom and Gomorrah! But how so? Because they will pass on (Genesis 18:19—9For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him ) a legacy of doing righteousness and justice. This will culminate in a nation of righteousness and justice. It will be this nation’s example of righteousness and justice (their ultimate purpose) that will be the blessing to mankind, leading them from sin and idolatry to worship the one and only true God.
Now let's see how this will happen. Thematically, what is Abraham doing when he tries to stay the hand of judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah? He is interceding on their behalf! In his intercession, Abraham requests that the cities be saved for the sake of any righteous ones in them. We all know that Adonai's will is for all to come to repentance. Therefore, why would he not destroy a nation for the sake of the righteous within it? He wouldn’t destroy it in hopes that the righteous will be a positive influence on the unrighteous, bringing them to proper teshuvah (repentance). This little conversation is a prophetic picture of how the future nation of Israel will be able to save other nations of the world like Sodom and Gomorrah. Adonai won't destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous people are found in it because His hope would be that the ten righteous people bring the rest of the nation to repentance through their intercession and example of righteousness and justice. So likewise, the nation of Israel will be able to save cities like Sodom and Gomorrah because they will be the example of righteousness and justice.
In summary, these two seemingly unrelated stories (the promise of the birth of Isaac and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah) are part of one parsha division. This tells us that one common theme should unite them. Adonai plans to make Avraham into a great nation. This nation is destined to become one that represents the one and only true Elohim to all other nations. They are to be a nation that practices righteousness and justice. In this manner they will be a blessing to all nations, showing them true righteousness and justice so that they can perform proper teshuvah and not need to suffer divine judgment (remember the flood and the generation of the tower of Babel). The other nations will perform teshuvah as a result of the example of righteousness and justice found in Israel and their intercession on behalf of those nations. In order to impress upon Abraham Avinu (Abraham, our Father) the scope and gravity of his calling, He gives Abraham a chance to see what will happen to mankind (the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah) without the positive influence of a nation characterized by righteousness and justice. This real life example will serve to motivate Abraham to fulfill his calling to be the father of such a nation. Without the knowledge that these two stories are part of one inspired division, one may be tempted to interpret each independently of the other. Further evidence in support of our interpretation is correct can be gleaned from the story of Jonah. Remember, Adonai was going to destroy Nineveh. However, through Jonah's preaching, the nation was spared judgment! Remember, part of the interpretation was that the nations would be saved through the intercession of Israel. Evidence supporting that interpretation can be found in the following passages:
7Even them I will bring to My
holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings
and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of
prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 57:7, emphasis mine)
Abraham's intercession on behalf of Israel was a prophetic picture of the calling of the nation of Israel. Just as he interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah, so too would the nation of Israel be responsible for interceding on behalf of all nations!
Part
II
Other Applications of
Thematic Analysis
The Common Theme of Sin
& Judgment
Let us look at the first few stories in the book of Genesis. I will give a general heading for each story and then I'll show you the basic underlying themes the Spirit has shown me.
· The Fall of Man (Genesis 3)
· Adam and Chavah sin against Adonai
· Adonai punishes everyone involved in the sin
· General Theme—Sin and Judgment
· Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)
· Cain sins against Adonai
· Adonai drove him from the face of the earth[3]
· General Theme—Sin and Judgment
· Generation of the Flood (Genesis 6-9)
· Sins of the generation of the flood
· Adonai destroys them from the "face of the earth" but saves Noach
· General Theme—Sin leading to Judgment, Righteousness leading to salvation
· The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)
· Rebellion of mankind
· Adonai scatters man over the earth
· General Theme—Sin and Judgment
· Prophecy of Jacob over Simeon and Levi (Genesis 49:5-7)
· The sin of Simeon and Levi
· Adonai will scatter them throughout Israel
· General Theme—Sin and Judgment
All of these stories involve a sin of some sort and Adonai's response to the perpetrator(s). Therefore, the general theme of all of these passages involves sin and judgment. As you contrast these stories you will note that the circumstances are totally different for each story. But, as you compare the stories, you will see that although the circumstances are different for each, they all involved sin on the behalf of mankind and a response of judgment by Adonai. In other words, although these stories seem unrelated in their specific subjects, they are all thematically connected through the common them of sin and judgment! More importantly, if you compare the actual judgments meted out, you will discover another amazing thematic connection. All of the judgments involve some type of separation/scattering from a source of blessing…
· Adam was separated/scattered from the blessings of the garden of Eden.
· Cain was separated from the blessings of the fruit of the earth.
· The generation of the flood was separated from the blessing of life on earth.
· The generation of the tower of Babel was separated/scattered from each other.
· Levi and Simeon were scattered within the nation of Israel instead of possessing a unique physical inheritance.
This is no coincidence. These stories paint a consistent picture of the important theme of sin, judgment and how Adonai deals with the sinners. The idea that man is accountable to Adonai for his actions is the predominant theme that runs throughout this first portion of Scripture. Seeing how strongly these unrelated stories are connected thematically, let's add one more passage to the mix. What do you think will be the ultimate punishment for the children of Israel if they forsake Adonai?
Deut 4:27—And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations.
Once again we see the common theme of separation/scattering from a place of blessing. Separation from the land of Israel and its protection is the ultimate judgment upon an Israelite. Is this surprising. No. It's a perfect example of how seemingly unrelated passages converge to teach one primary concept. Note the consistency of each example. They all point us in the same direction. This is why thematic analysis is so important. Each story repeatedly reinforces the same conclusion, almost forcing us to see the truth that Adonai wants us to see.
The Deeper Significance of
the Ten Commandments
Moses made the following statement to the children of Israel as he recounted to them the events that occurred at Mount Sinai:
13So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. (Deut. 4:13, emphasis mine)
Why and how could Moses call the ten commandments Adonai's covenant? We know he gave Israel many other commandments. Therefore, why did He single out these ten and essentially say that they were equivalent to the entire covenant? In order to answer these questions, let's look at the ten commandments thematically. Below, I have listed the commandments and the theme associated with each.
· Commandment #1— I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Theme—Know Adonai, Believe in Him, Remember what He has done for us
· Commandment #2—You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Theme—Idolatry Forbidden
· Commandment #3—You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
Theme—Sanctification of Adonai's Name
· Commandment #4—Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Theme— The number seven and a time for man to rest
· Commandment #5—Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you
Theme—Respect for authority
· Commandment #6—You shall not murder.
Theme—Sanctification of life
· Commandment #7—You shall not commit adultery.
Theme—Sanctification of sexual intimacy
· Commandment #8—You shall not steal.
Theme—Sanctification of property
· Commandment #9—You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Theme—Sanctification of truth
· Commandment #10—You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
Theme—Contentment
After reviewing these themes you'll need one other piece of information. If you study the entire book of Deuteronomy, you will discover that it is a series of four speeches delivered by Moses to the people of Israel. Chapters 5-26 comprise the main (and longest) speech. If you analyze the speech of Deuteronomy 5-26 thematically, a series of amazing thematic connections will surface. The theme of each section of the main speech matches identically with the theme of the ten commandments! In fact, except for one exception, the themes of the main speech are in the exact order of the ten commandments!
· The themes of Commandment #1 (know Adonai, believe in Him, remember what He has done for us) and #2 (idolatry forbidden ) are also the major themes for Deuteronomy 6-11![4]
· The theme of Commandment #3 (sanctification of Adonai's Name) is also the theme for Deuteronomy 12-14![5]
· The theme of Commandment #4 (the number seven and a time for man to rest) is also the theme for Deuteronomy 15-16![6]
· The theme of Commandment #5(respect for authority) is also the theme for Deut 16:18- 18:22![7]
· The theme of Commandment #6 (sanctification of life) is also the theme for Deut 19-21![8]
· The theme of Commandment #7 (sanctification of sexual intimacy) is also the theme for Deut 22:10-23:19![9]
· The theme of Commandment #8 (sanctification of property) is also the theme for Deut 23:20-26![10]
· The theme of Commandment #9 (sanctification of truth) is also the theme for Deut 19:15-21![11]
·
The theme of Commandment #10 (contentment) is also the
theme for Deut 24![12]
Through thematic analysis we see that Moses used the ten commandments as a basis upon which to deliver all of the other laws to the children of Israel. These thematic connections emphasize that all of the laws given in Moses' main speech have their foundation in the ten commandments given at Sinai. Once again, we see that there are beautiful patterns to Adonai's Word, given to help us receive His intended interpretation. After viewing these inspired connections, do you think there's any way to separate the ten commandments from the other commandments of the Torah?
Part
III
Thematic Analysis in Word Studies
Another type of thematic analysis involves studying
Scriptures that contain a particular word, concept or phrase. The "here a little, there a little"
principle established in Isaiah 28:9-10 is a wonderful tool to use to gain
understanding about any subject. As
I stated before, Scripture is not written like a theological treatise of
man. Ninety-nine times out of a
hundred, the information about any one subject will not be found in one
location. It will be dispersed
throughout the Scripture (here a little, there a little). That's why thematic analysis, along with
the principle of Isaiah 28:9-10, is so important. We must learn how to connect seemingly
unrelated passages together by noting their thematic connections! Then the wisdom from above will
naturally follow. The beauty of
this method of learning is that we are constantly going to the Scriptures
seeking a thematically significant interpretation from Scriptures instead of
supplying an interpretation from our own biased thoughts. By connecting passages
thematically, you maintain your focus on context and theme. This helps you to get His
interpretation. After all, our goal
should be to determine what He intended to communicate. Thematic analysis will keep you from
pulling Scriptures out of context, bestowing your own (or someone else's)
interpretation on them. In April of
2002, I asked Adonai for understanding on the true significance of whole burnt
offerings. This is how I was able
to use thematic analysis to find the answer.
The Purpose of Whole Burnt Offerings
The whole burnt offering is called an olah (h'lA[), and is one of the primary offerings listed in Leviticus 1-6. Here are some passages from the Torah which mention the olah and the interpretation of the themes surrounding their usage. After each passage I'll list some of the themes.
In Genesis 8:20-21 Noach offered olah to Adonai. The context is that Adonai has just destroyed man from the earth.
20 Then Noah built an altar to
the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered
burnt offerings on the altar. 21And the LORD smelled a soothing
aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for
man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor
will I again destroy every living thing as I have done." (Genesis
8:20-22)
· Since Noach, who was termed righteous in his generation, is making the offering (and not the generation of the flood), we surmise that the one who offers the olah must be in right moral standing with Adonai. This suggests that the relationship between Adonai and the one offering the olah is significant.
· The fact that Adonai entered a covenant with Noach after offering the olah is more evidence suggesting that the relationship between the worshiper and Adonai is important.
· There is a thematic connection between the olah offering and its pleasing effect upon Adonai.
In Exodus 24:5-8 Israel offers olah as they enter into covenant with Adonai
4And Moses wrote all the words of
the LORD. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of
the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
5Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6And Moses took half
the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the
altar. 7Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing
of the people. And they said, "All that
the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient." 8And Moses took
the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, "This is the blood of the covenant which
the LORD has made with you according to all these words." (Exodus
24:5-8, emphasis mine)
· Once again we see a covenant being made at the time of olah offerings, which re-emphasizes the relationship between Adonai and the worshiper.
· A new thematic connection is made between obedience to Adonai and olah offerings.
In Exodus 29:18, 25, another thematic connection is made between the olah offering and its pleasing effect upon Adonai.
In Genesis 22 Abraham attempts to offer Isaac as an olah offering.
6So Abraham took the wood of the
burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand,
and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7But Isaac spoke to
Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then
he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering [olah]?" 8And
Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering [olah]." So the two of
them went together. (Genesis 22:6-8, emphasis mine)
· Another thematic connection is made between an olah and obedience since this was a test of Abraham's faithfulness to obey Adonai's voice, even though the commandment seemed to contradict the promise concerning Isaac's offspring.
· Even though Isaac is not actually sacrificed, this passage hints (remez) that a person can be an olah. According to Hebrews 11 and Romans 4, Isaac was actually offered as an olah in type and foreshadow.
Let's follow the theme of obedience since it seems to be a dominant theme connected to olah offerings. We read in Psalm 40:6-8:
6Sacrifice
and offering You did not desire; My ears
You have opened. Burnt offering
[olah] and sin offering You did not require.
7Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is
written of me. 8I delight to
do Your will, O my God, And Your law
is within my heart." (Psalm 40:6-8, emphasis mine)
· Once again these verses make the connection between olah and obedience (I delight to do your will and your law is in my heart), specifically, obedience to the commandments of Adonai.
What is the significance of the words "my ears you have opened?" This phrase reminded me of the law of the bondservant in Exodus 21. The servant who wanted to serve his masters forever had to go through a procedure where his ear was bored through with an awl on the doorposts. In this manner the servant's ear was "opened."
1 "Now these are the judgments
which you shall set before them: 2If you buy a Hebrew servant, he
shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay
nothing. 3If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if
he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4If his
master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife
and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. 5But if the servant plainly says, "I love my
master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' 6then
his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his
master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
(Exodus 21:1-6, emphasis mine)
· What was the significance of piercing the ear through on the doorposts? That question may be answered with another question. What is on the doorpost of any Torah observant Israelite? A mezuzah, containing the commandments of Adonai. The picture presented in Psalm 40 and thematically connected to Exodus 21 is one where the servant had his ear pierced on the doorposts which contained the commandments of Adonai. Therefore, his ear was "opened" to hear and be obedient to the commandments of Adonai. It is significant that all of the New Covenant Scripture writers claimed to be bondservants of Yeshua! We know their ears were opened to the commandments of Adonai.
· In Exodus 21 we also see that obedience is connected to service.
· The passage in Psalm 40 states that the olah offering of the animal was not what Adonai really wanted! The Psalmist, speaking prophetically on behalf of the Messiah (who is called the Servant in many passages in Isaiah), states that his obedience is what Adonai truly wanted. Whereas, the passage in Genesis 22 only hinted that a person could be an olah, this passage in the Psalm explicitly states that a human olah, offering himself in dedicated service to the obedience of Adonai's commandments, was truly what Adonai desired.
Through these various Scriptures we are consistently receiving a picture of the olah being connected to the obedience and service of the worshipper. Is this clearly expressed anywhere else in the Tanakh?
30 And Jephthah made a vow to the
LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house
to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD 's, and
I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering [olah]." …34 When
Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah,
who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of
tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor
daughter. 35 When he saw her,
he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and
wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."
36 "My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD . Do to me just as you promised, now
that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But
grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and
weep with my friends, because I will never marry." 38 "You may go,"
he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and
wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she
returned to her father and he did to her
as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom
40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to
commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite. (various passages from
Judges 11, emphasis mine)
In this story, Jephthah made a vow that whatever came out of the door of his house to meet him (he was thinking of whichever animal of his came out to greet him) would be sacrificed as an olah. To his dismay his daughter came out. He admits he cannot break the vow. She also encourages him to fulfill his vow. Does he sacrifice her as an olah? Well, yes and no. No, he didn't put her on an altar, kill her and burn her to Adonai. But, yes he did dedicate her to a lifetime of service and odedience to Adonai! That's why it states in verse 38 that she would "never marry." She was an olah just as Isaac was. They were offered in complete service to Adonai. Is this not the understanding that the Apostle Paul had?
1 I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice
[olah], holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (spiritual
act of worship—NIV). 2And do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of
God. (Romans 12:1-2, emphasis mine)
When Paul wrote this verse he had an olah in mind because he knew the olah was a picture of our dedicated service in obedience to Adonai's commandments. This was also the understanding of Jephthah and his daughter. Note how beautifully the words "will of God" in verse 2 connect thematically to the words "I delight to do Your will" in Psalm 40:8! Lastly, let's look at another thematic connection between Genesis 22 and Romans 12:1-2.
5And Abraham said to his young
men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad[1]
and I will go yonder and worship,
and we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:5, emphasis mine)
In Abraham's mind, he was set to offer Isaac. As he left his young men, he said he and Isaac were going to worship. The NIV states that if we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, we will be rendering a "spiritual act of worship."
Through thematic analysis we've seen quite plainly that the olah, or whole burnt offering, was a picture of a worshiper in covenantal relationship with Adonai, offering himself to Adonai in complete service and submission to the His commandments.
Part
IV
Relating the Torah and Haftarah Portions Through Thematic Analysis
During various times the Jews were forbidden to study the
Torah (first five books) by their captors.
The Jewish people overcame this obstacle by reading portions of the
prophets and psalms that were thematically connected to the Torah. In this manner, they were able to study
the Torah without ever having to really read the Torah. As you progress in studying the Torah
thematically, you will be able to relate the Haftarah portions to specific
portions of the Torah. Thematic
analysis is the tool the sages of Israel used to make these connections.
For example, in the Torah portion entitled Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) Joseph is reunited with his brothers after years of separation and family disunity. The Haftarah portion chosen to connect thematically with that story is taken from Ezekiel 37:15-28. The passage in Ezekiel discusses the reunification of the two houses of Israel by the hand of the Messiah. The following are just a few of the thematic connections readily evident.
· Joseph and Judah are the two main characters in the Genesis account of the separation and family infighting. This was a prophetic picture of the eventual separation of the children of Israel into the divided houses of Judah (the southern kingdom of Judah) and Joseph (the northern kingdom of Israel/Joseph or Ephraim).
· In the Genesis account, Joseph, a type of the Messiah, is the main figure instrumental in uniting the family. The Ezekiel passage states that the house of Judah and the house of Israel/Joseph will be reunited by the hand of the Messiah
Part V
Thematic Analysis and the
Words of Yeshua
Yeshua constantly used the principles of thematic analysis in his teaching. For example, in Matthew 24, when Yeshua is talking about the days preceding his return, why does he use the story of the rebellion of man before the flood instead of the rebellion of Korah to typify mankind before his return? He does so because the flood account is thematically connected to His second coming in numerous ways. Here are just a few:
· The moral character and sin of mankind had reached such a grave level that only the destruction of mankind was the appropriate judgment. So likewise, the sin of mankind will reach a level such that annihilation is the only acceptable judgment. That's what the day of the Lord is all about, when Zephaniah says that Adonai will "remove man from the face of the earth." Those same words were used concerning the generation of the flood (Genesis 6:13).
· The flood occurred after a long period of preaching by Noach, calling on men to repent. So likewise, the Day of the Lord will occur after a period of preaching (during the tribulation). In fact, this period of preaching actually started when the gospel went forth to the nations.
· The flood occurred during a time when men scoffed at Noach's message of impending judgment. So likewise, the period right before the Day of the Lord will be a period of time when men scoff at our pleas to repent. That's the theme Peter uses in his epistle.
1 Beloved, I now write to you
this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of
reminder), 2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken
before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[1]
the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last
days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of creation." 5For this they willfully forget: that by the
word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in
the water, 6by which the world that then existed perished, being
flooded with water. (II Peter 3:1-6, emphasis mine)
The rebellion of Korah is not thematically related to the Day of the Lord or the second coming. The rebellion of Korah is thematically related to covetousness and pride. Korah was not satisfied with the important position Adonai had already given him.
Examples such as these could literally be multiplied hundreds of times. Yeshua, as well as all of the writers of the New Covenant Scriptures, understood thematic analysis and used it extensively. I hope the examples in this paper have encouraged you to begin to look at Scriptures thematically. As you read the Mishpachah Beit Midrash Torah portion commentaries you will see how thematic analysis will open the Scriptures to you in a new and living way!
The Flood of Noach—A Picture
of Our Salvation
Let us look again at the story about the flood from a thematic standpoint (Genesis 6:1 - 8:22). I have noted the following themes through my study.
ü Genesis 6:1-6, 11-12—The theme of these verses is the sinfulness of mankind.
ü Genesis 6:7, 13; 7:17-24—The theme of these verses is judgment/wrath on the ungodly.
ü Genesis 6:8-10; 6:18 - 7:1—The theme of these verses is grace and mercy bestowed upon a remnant of mankind.
ü Genesis 6:14-16; 7:2-17; 8:1-19— The theme of these verses is salvation/redemption/ deliverance of the righteous.
ü Genesis 9:20-22— The theme of these verses is a covenant in blood.
We see a perfect picture of the entire message of salvation through the sacrifice of Yeshua by simply examining these themes. Mankind deserves the judgment of death because of his sinfulness. However, because of the grace and mercy of Adonai, He will extend salvation to those, who like Noach, are found to be