REF: ESW020126EN
One of the greatest challenges when studying the Bible faithfully and in depth is that it was written in historical, cultural, and linguistic contexts very different from our own. Throughout its pages—both in the Old and New Testaments—we find numerous idioms, also known as Hebraisms, which were expressions unique to the Hebrew culture and the times in which the various books were written.
These idioms cannot be understood literally, nor can they be directly translated into our modern Western mindset without risking a misinterpretation of the original message.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is an expression specific to a language or region that has a meaning different from what its individual words suggest. In other words, it should not be taken literally.
Modern Examples to Understand Idioms
To understand the challenge, consider how idioms differ across English-speaking countries today:
- In the United States, if someone says, “he kicked the bucket,” they mean someone died. But someone unfamiliar with the expression might think it refers to a literal act involving a bucket.
- In the United Kingdom, the phrase “I’m knackered” means very tired, but an American might be confused or completely miss the meaning.
- In Australia, to say “she’s a fair dinkum Aussie” means she’s a genuine Australian, but in other countries, “fair dinkum” might mean nothing at all.
Just as cultural idioms can confuse English speakers from different regions, the same occurs when we read the Bible without understanding the Hebrew idioms of the time.
Hebraisms and Biblical Idioms Often Misinterpreted
The Bible is full of idiomatic expressions that can confuse modern readers if interpreted literally. Here are a few examples:
1. “Hate Your Father and Mother” – Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children… he cannot be My disciple.”
(Luke 14:26, NKJV)
In our culture, “hate” implies strong emotional hostility. But in Hebrew, this idiom meant to love less—a comparative statement about priorities. The Messiah was not advocating literal hatred, but rather teaching that loyalty to Him must come before all human relationships.
2. “A Good Eye and an Evil Eye” – Matthew 6:22-23
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness…”
(Matthew 6:22-23, NKJV)
In Hebrew thought, to have a “good eye” meant to be generous, and a “bad eye” meant being greedy or stingy. This is not about physical eyesight, but rather one’s attitude toward others and material possessions.
3. “Lay Up Treasures in Heaven” – Matthew 6:20
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6:20, NKJV)
This phrase is often interpreted in a mystical or vague way, but in Hebrew culture, it was a clear idiom meaning to live a righteous life, storing up favor before God. The “treasure in heaven” is not literal wealth in another realm, but spiritual reward resulting from obedience to God’s instructions.
4. “Binding and Loosing” – Matthew 18:18
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
(Matthew 18:18, NKJV)
In Jewish tradition during the first century, “to bind” and “to loose” were legal terms that meant to prohibit and to permit, respectively. Jesus was speaking of spiritual discernment and authority in the community—not mystical powers or magical declarations.
The Key: Analyzing Context and Connecting the Old and New Testaments
It is essential to understand that during the time the New Testament was written, the only recognized Scripture was the Old Testament—the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Therefore, everything Jesus, Paul, and the apostles taught was based on the Torah, and their words often contain direct references and idioms drawn from it.
Not recognizing these references and connections is one of the primary reasons why many modern Christian doctrines have distorted the original teachings. For example:
- When Paul speaks of “grace”, he is not advocating the abandonment of God’s Law (Torah), but describing the undeserved favor that leads to repentance and a life of obedience.
- When Jesus says He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), “fulfill” does not mean to end it, but to bring it to its true meaning and practice.
Paul: The Most Misunderstood Apostle
One of the most illustrative examples of misunderstanding due to lack of context and idiomatic expression is that of the apostle Paul (Sha’ul). Ironically, though he was a Pharisee trained in the Torah (Acts 22:3) and deeply committed to the Scriptures, his letters have been used for centuries to justify abolishing God’s Law.
But how did this happen?
What Caused the Confusion?
- Paul wrote to communities of new believers, mostly non-Jews, who were unfamiliar with the Torah and the Hebrew worldview. He therefore used analogies and explanations adapted to their context.
- Many idioms and legal terms from Hebrew were misunderstood in later translations, especially into Latin and then into European languages.
- Doctrines that developed centuries after Paul, such as the replacement of Israel by the Church or the abolition of the Sabbath, Feasts, and dietary laws, were shaped more by Greek and Roman thought than by what Paul actually taught.
Even Peter warned us about this:
“…our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles… in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”
(2 Peter 3:15-16, NKJV)
Examples of Misinterpretations of Paul
Romans 6:14 – “You are not under law but under grace”
Common Misinterpretation: We don’t need God’s Law anymore because we are under grace.
Reality: In context, Paul is speaking about freedom from the power of sin, not the removal of God’s commandments. Grace empowers us to obey, not to sin (see Romans 6:15–16).
Colossians 2:16–17 – “Let no one judge you in food or in drink…”
Common Misinterpretation: The Sabbath, Feasts, and dietary laws are no longer valid.
Reality: Paul is defending believers who had begun to observe the Sabbath, Biblical Feasts, and food laws, telling them not to let others judge them for doing so. He is opposing human philosophy (Colossians 2:8), not abolishing God’s instructions.
Galatians 3:10 – “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things…”
Common Misinterpretation: The Law itself is a curse.
Reality: Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 27:26, showing that the curse comes from disobedience, not from the Law itself. Jesus redeems us from the curse of sin, not from living according to God’s commands.
Paul, Jesus, and the Torah: One Unified Message
Jesus said:
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
(Matthew 5:17, NKJV)
In its Hebrew context, “fulfill” means to bring to fullness, not to cancel. Paul affirmed this same view:
“Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”
(Romans 3:31, NKJV)
“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”
(Romans 7:12, NKJV)
Restoration: Returning to the Original Teaching
Many modern doctrines that claim the Law was abolished or that believers are no longer expected to keep the Sabbath or observe God’s Feasts are based on misinterpretations of Paul.
We must return to reading Paul as he was: a Torah-observant Jew who believed in Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah and taught the nations to live according to God’s commandments.
Today, in what Scripture calls the “Restoration of All Things” (Acts 3:21), the Spirit is awakening many people—like in the first century—who keep the faith of Yeshua and the commandments of God (Revelation 14:12).
Conclusion
It is not enough to read the Bible from a modern lens. We must understand its Hebrew idioms, cultural expressions, and above all, connect the Old and New Testaments as one unified, eternal message.
Only then will we avoid doctrinal errors and return to the ancient path that God established from the beginning and that Jesus, the apostles, and Paul faithfully confirmed.
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’”
(Jeremiah 6:16, NKJV)
Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV)
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