“Y’honatan made a covenant with David,
because he loved him as he did himself.”
-1 Samuel 18:3
Honestly, I don’t think the Complete Jewish Bible translates verse 3 well.
The problem is the CJB employs what’s called a dynamic translation.
This refers to a method of translation that focuses on conveying the original text’s meaning and essence rather than strictly adhering to a word-for-word translation.
Normally, this can be a good thing because the translator tries to convey what’s being said.
But sometimes the meaning can get quite cluttered.
Where it says Jonathan loved David as himself, the original Hebrew says his NEPHESH became intertwined with David’s NEPHESH to the point where Jonathan loved David as his own NEPHESH.
NEPHESH or נפש means “soul” or is sometimes translated as “living soul”.
The point is that Jonathan’s soul became so interwoven with David’s soul that the Scripture says He loved David as his own soul.
Following on the heels of yesterday’s post, there is nothing homosexual about this at all.
It’s talking about a healthy bond or unity between two or more entities with each other.
Ya feel me?
Yeshua had that same bond with his Father in heaven to the point where he could say “The Father and I are one and the same”.
The body of believers in Messiah are also supposed to be interconnected in the same way.
This is talking about nothing more or less than the nature of love believers are to have for one another.
That is the kind of bond of love that David and Jonathan formed.
It is a kind of devotion and companionship that isn’t possible without the Lord as the glue that binds it together in peace and harmony.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Therefore I, the prisoner united with the Lord,
beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called. Always be humble,
gentle and patient, bearing with one another
in love, and making every effort to preserve
the unity the Spirit gives through the binding
power of shalom. There is one body and one
Spirit, just as when you were called you were
called to one hope. And there is one Lord,
one trust, one immersion, and one God,
the Father of all, who rules over all, works
through all and is in all.”
– Ephesians 4:1-5
“I pray that they will all be one,
just as you and I are one—
as you are in me, Father,
and I am in you.
And may they be in us so
that the world will believe
you sent me. “I have given them
the glory you gave me, so they
may be one as we are one.
I am in them and you are in me.
May they experience such
perfect unity that the world
will know that you sent me
and that you love them as much
as you love me.”
-John 17:21-24
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