Summary of New Testament From a Jewish Point of View Class - 8/22/2022

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We had a smaller than usual group today since Odette and Steve had other commitments and could not attend.  

Jo Ann, Dan, Dave, Karen, Robin, Norky, Merrill, and Amy attended.  We began with singing our usual “Give Me That Old Time Religion” introduction. 

Here’s a summary of what went on written by Dan:

We read Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 to complete the letter. The major theme of these chapters was about household relationships, These included relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and slaves. We read in the commentary that similar ideas are spoken of in the Talmud. In this letter, Christ is mentioned in place of God. Wives were to obey their husbands, children their parents and slaves their masters. An important provision is that husbands are to love their wives, parents not be make their children angry and masters are not to threaten their masters. An interesting note in the commentary is that in the Talmud husbands were to be "tender" toward their wives, but there is no duty for a husband to love his wife. 

There was a portion that told believers to not be tricked by the devil and to "put on the full armor of God", with a warrior's armor and weapons used as an analogy for various virtues. Jo Ann said that she was once compelled to memorize this section of this letter.

Jo Ann’s additions:

We also read the grey box that preceded Chapter 5 which commented on guidelines and rules for households.

Robin pointed out the contradictions in Chapter 5.  Paul says to love your wife as Christ loved the church but then he also says that the wives are subject to her husband.  Jo Ann wondered if in the Islam religion if husbands are told to love their wives.  (Example from the true story Not Without My Daughter, where a husband from Iran holds his American wife prisoner in Iran when they were supposed to go on just a two week vacation there.)

We talked about how to raise children.  

Merrill shared that he raised his kids in church so they learned a lot about God and morals. Dan mentioned the “papa” being the head of the household in Fiddler on the Roof which Merrill doesn’t remember ever seeing!

Dave’s daughter went to Temple Israel’s Torah Center and Robin’s kids all were part of their congregation in New Jersey.  We talked how many young Jews leave temple after their Bar Mitzvah, but that is an exception at Temple Israel since there is so many activities that keep young teens wanting to still be a part of the temple.  Jo Ann mentioned Jewish summer camp also makes a difference.

Karen explained that South Carolina is known as a very Christian state but is also secular too.

Robin pointed out that Chapter 6 is very nice to read because it has so many concepts from the Torah and Tanach.

We ended with us singing together our usual MIsheberach Jewish healing prayer.

Please comment if anything needs to be added to this summary.

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