Happy days with Vladimiro Di Vito: Bible Project Introduction

Happy days with Vladimiro Di Vito: Bible Project 

Aliza Nesher <aliza@biblesforisrael.com>
Wed, Jul 20, 10:11 AM
to me

Shalom Vladimiro,

My name is Marty Verk, the Managing Editor of the Messianic Prophecy Bible Project.

I want to bring you up to date on the timelines of our project and new developments.

First, I want to thank you for your gifts and offerings. Please remember that our Bible will not be sold, it is the Word of God, and it will be given out freely.

Many of you are asking for a timeline as the people working on this project before I took over as Editor were expecting to have it completed a long time ago.

FIRST BOOKS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER 2018

My timeline is that I expect in the late summer or early fall of this year, we will be sending you the First Book of the Bible – Genesis - and hopefully every month following - you will receive from us another couple of books of the Bible. This will include both our new English Translation and Commentary.

We will first finish the Torah (First Five Books of Moses), then the Nevuiim (the Prophets), and then the Ketuviim (the Writings).

MEMBERSHIP INTO THE UNITED BIBLE SOCIETIES, A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION

The Messianic Jewish Bible Society has recently received membership within the United Bible Societies (UBS), which is a worldwide organization of Bible Societies in more than 200 countries.

Being a member of this society now gives huge exposure to our work; so that along with the Jewish people, the unsaved Gentiles around the world will learn about the Messianic prophecies.

Being part of the United Bible Societies (UBS) also gives us accountability and accessibility to many wonderful resources. UBS operates in over 200 countries and territories around the world. That is the whole world except for a few small Islands and Arab countries!

UBS is a strategic resource for the translation of the Tanakh (Old Testament), which has already been translated into more than 600 languages and the New Testament, which has been translated into more than 1,500 languages.

“The Torah will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:3)

UPDATE ON OUR ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE

Along with our membership into the UBS, I would like to update you on the work of our New Translation of the Bible.

We are not just creating commentary on the Messianic prophecies, we are also creating a New Translation of the Bible.

We have completed the first run through of our process by updating the terminology used in the Tanakh. This incorporated software along with personally reviewing and updating the basic text to a more modern and culturally relevant work. This is only one of the first steps in the process.

Work is also progressing on the research for the commentary as it relates to the understanding of the development of The Messianic Hope of The Messiah.

This is not going to be a typical Christian Bible, I am currently working with and putting together a larger team of Jewish and Christian scholars, to ensure that a balanced approach is maintained.

One of the people I am working with is an Orthodox Rabbi who has been working in Jewish Doctrine and Rabbinic Interpretation.

Another is a Hassidic Rabbi with expertise in Mishna and Gemara as well as modern applications of Halachah.

The Mishna was written after the destruction of the second Temple from 70 – 200 AD. The Gemara is the commentary and discussions on the application of the Mishnah, which was written between 200 and 600 AD. The Mishna and Gemara make up what is known as the Talmud.

The Halachah is a compilation of the final rulings that have been handed down, sort of like when judges give a final ruling to enact laws in the legal realm.

This Hassidic Rabbi is also an expert in the Zohar and Jewish mysticism, which will be helpful in dispelling certain Jewish beliefs today that are not Biblical. An example of this would be reincarnation, a doctrine that has crept into many circles of modern Judaism.

A third Rabbi I am working with served as a chaplain in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during his time of army service. After his service, he left the Rabbinate and now teaches at a university while continuing to maintain his studies in Rabbinic Law.

One of the passages of Talmud we are focusing on is a rabbinic discussion that references Daniel 7:9-13. This Scripture speaks of two thrones being set up, with the Ancient of Days on one of the thrones. On the other throne sat one who came riding on the clouds of heaven whose appearance was that of the son of man.

We find in the Talmud that the famous Rabbi Akiva, who lived in the first century, believed in some form of a plurality within the Godhead, but that was considered to be the Heresy of the Pagans and first Jewish followers of Yeshua (Jesus), whom the Jewish Rabbis were fighting in debates.

The following is the Rabbis' discussion on this issue recorded in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 99a):

One passage says: His throne was fiery flames; and another Passage says: Till thrones were placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit!

There is no contradiction: one [throne] for Him, (GOD) and one for David, (Coming with the Clouds of Heaven); this is the view of R. Akiva.

Said R. Jose the Galilean to him: Akiva, how long wilt thou treat the Divine Presence as profane! Rather, [it must mean], one for justice and one for grace. Did he accept this explanation from him, or did he not accept it?

Come and hear: One for justice and one for grace; this is the view of R. Akiva.

Said R. Eleazar b. Azariah to him: Akiva, what hast thou to do with Aggadah? Cease thy talk, and turn to the laws concerning defilement through leprosy-signs and tent-covering! Rather, [it must mean] one for a throne and one for a stool; the throne to sit upon, the stool for a footrest, for it is said: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My foot-rest.

[Footnote to parallel passage: R. Akiva was a great authority on these laws, whereas his Haggadic interpretations were not always acceptable because the sages thought he tended to obscure the true monotheistic concept of God.]

This little discussion demonstrates that Jewish leaders and educators believed in the idea of what scholar's call “Two Powers in Heaven." These were not competing divinities. Rather, they were distinct in their expression but in complete harmony with each other.

There is of course more to this discourse.

I simply want to give you a taste of the information and issues being covered in the Messianic commentary that will be in our New Messianic Prophecy Bible.

Please continue to pray for Bibles for Israel and our Messianic Bible Society as we press on to the goal of providing an unbiased clear and accurate New Bible translation with notes and commentary for/to both the Jew and Gentile. Romans 1:16

Thank you and Shalom,

Marty Verk

Managing Editor

The Messianic Prophecy Bible Project

Many blessings in Yeshua our Messiah,

Aliza Nesher
Ministry Staff
Bibles For Israel
Email: aliza@biblesforisrael.com
Phone: (US) 1 (718) 215-0838
Text: (US) 1 (718) 215-0838
Website: www.MessianicBible.com

If you have any questions, concerns, negative or positive feedback regarding Aliza , I encourage you to e-mail me;
Michael Fair, President, Board of Directors: mike@biblesforisrael.com

"I will bless those who bless Israel… and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3)