Using the bible as a main historical reference

Hour 1 of Open Line on November 1, 2025 @15:11

Question:

I have recently been listening to a podcast that's going over Jewish and eastern understanding of the bible that's talking about Midrash and other literature which dwells on the bible in hebrew in Jewish. How do you use that stuff to further our understanding of the bible?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=658646&hour=1

Summary of answer:

Dr Michael Rydelnik says the best way to understand the bible is to read it. The mistake is to think that we need all sort of background literature to understand the bible. If we need the historical background to the text, the bible itself is the best reference. For example, the background to Isaiah 7 is 2 Kings 16 and the background to the book of Ephesians is Acts 19. Let scripture interpret scripture. Secondly, there may be some background that we may have forgotten that the author of scripture presumes the audience knew. For example, in Matthew 23, Jesus is talking about the seat of Moses and Matthew records that. Matthew knows that Jesus knows about the seat of Moses and the audience knows about the seat of Moses but the current reader of scripture don't. That's when it is good to do research to understand the seat of Moses. Historically, the seat of Moses was thought to be discovered in the city of Chorazin in Galilee and it suggests a literal or symbolic seat of authority for teaching Torah in synagogues.

Do You Possess the Marks of the New Birth? By J.C. Ryle

Would we know what the marks of the new birth are? We shall find them already written for our learning in the First Epistle of John. The person born of God “believes that Jesus is the Christ,” – “does not commit sin,” – “does righteousness,” – “loves the brethren,” – “overcomes the world,” – “keeps himself from the wicked one.” This is the person born of the Spirit! Where these fruits are to be seen, there is the new birth of which our Lord is speaking. They that lacks these marks, is yet dead in trespasses and sins. (1 John 5:1; 3:9; 2:29; 3:14; 5:4; 5:18).

1 John 5

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

1 John 3

⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 2

²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 3

¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

1 John 5

⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5

¹⁸ We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Source: www.jcryle.info

God's Jealousy

Open Line 30th August 2025 Hour 1@2:20

Question from Listener:

I have always found Exodus 20 verse 5 which says "You shall not bow them to them (idols) or worship them for I the Lord your God is a jealous God, punishing the children for the father's sins to the third and fourth generation for those who hate me." I have always found this to be a difficult verse because the word 'jealous' has so many negative connotations and I suffer from God having negative traits, so can you the proper translation of this verb and is it related to zealous or are they different?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=653333&hour=1

Summary of answer:

The Hebrew word that is used here can be translated as 'jealous' or 'zealous'. The real issue is: "Is it a negative trait to be jealous?" There is human trait of feeling jealousy which is unmerited, undeserved but it is appropriate, for example, for a spouse to feel jealousy if the husband or wife is acting in a way that is inappropriate. The result will be that the spouse is jealous and that's appropriate. The word jealous as it is used here is about exclusivity: There is one God and He is exclusively God and going after false gods will stir up that jealousy. The same idea is used in other places in the New Testament, for example, Romans 11:11, to make Jewish people jealous because salvation rightfully belongs to them and now it's been given to someone else. So, if it is a rightful jealousy, it is perfectly okay.

Scripture:

Exodus 20

⁵ you 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, -nkjv

⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; -kjv

⁵ You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, -nasb

⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, -niv

Romans 11

¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. -nkjv

¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. -kjv

¹¹ I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. -nasb

¹¹ Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. -niv