Special Features of the Hungry Hearts Bible Commentary
A sometimes out-of-the-box resource for students of the Bible
The Hungry Hearts Bible commentary is always a work in progress, based on 44-plus years of daily Bible reading by the author, along with diligent study, comparing English translations with biblical languages and the work of respected scholars.
1. The main body of the New Testament text in this commentary is based largely on the Koine Greek Text of Stephens 1550, as found in the Interlinear Greek-English New Testament by George Ricker Berry, the original Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of 1894, and Scrivener’s Greek Interlinear TR of 1894. All is compared diligently with original languages, ancient texts and versions, along with the work of respected commentaries and scholarship. Some New Testament portions of early translators (such as Tyndale and others) are used as well. Tyndale based his work on the Koine Greek of the Majority Text. Koine Greek was the everyday language and lingua franca of the Greek speaking world in the days of the apostles. Koine Greek is the language the New Testament was originally written in.
2. Where the text of the King James Version is followed, archaic language is updated in most cases, but The AV (Old & New Testaments) is followed unchanged where the language and sense of the translation is clear to modern readers and in accord with the original languages. Where the meaning is clearer, wording from other translators and non-copyrighted translations are used.
3. References containing [TR] in bracketed superscript are alerts that some Minority/eclectic Greek texts contradict the Ben Chayyim Greek text, which is called the Majority/Received Text because there are so many extant (still existing) texts that attest to its widespread usage—over 5000 of them.
Textus Receptus is the Greek text that underlies the New Testament of the King James Version and other Bible versions such as Young’s Literal Translation. In instances where the reader sees bracketed superscript [TR], doctrines essential to the Christian faith, such as the Godhead, the Virgin Birth, the Blood Atonement, the Deity of Christ, and the Physical Resurrection of Christ, are almost always negatively impacted or even deleted completely from certain [usually Alexandrian] texts. What most readers are not aware of, is that verses are deleted from some modern translations, because the claim is made that some verse or other is “not found in the best manuscripts.” These usually refer only to two manuscripts, of which there is by no means consensus that they are the best. It is always a good idea to read a wide variety of opinions before prayerfully forming our own. In the multitude of counselors, there is safety.
4. As in all commentaries, some interpretive paraphrasing is present in this one (sometimes but not always accompanied by footnotes)
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6. Where a Hebrew or Greek word has no adequate English equivalent—or the traditional translation is in question—the original word may be included but left untranslated. This commentator is not in agreement with translator habits of leaving words (they do not know the meaning to) untranslated. The practice is not only insulting to lay-readers but disingenuous and outright thievery. Bible students have a right to know the word is there, even if no one believes they can understand the translation of it. In some cases [but not all], the Strong’s Greek [G] or Hebrew [H] reference number may be notated beside an untranslated word.
7. Where the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament, some of the Hebrew words may be noted in superscript.
8. The practice of substituting the words “Lord” and “God” in place of the Hebrew names and titles of our CREATOR, are rooted in Jewish superstition and English antisemitism. In this commentary, the Hebrew names and titles of the One True GOD may remain untranslated in places. Examples are: YHWH (YAHWEH) instead of LORD / Elohim instead of God / Adonai instead of lord. In any case, it should always be a capital LORD/ Adonai when referring to our LORD and Savior, Jesus the Messiah, Yeshua Ha Mashiach. To his Jewish followers, there was ever only ONE LORD and ONE GOD, YHWH, ADONAI ELOHIM.
9. The biblical people of GOD, His people Israel, worshipped only one GOD. They did not have a GOD and a god. That means any who they called “GOD,” (as in the case of Thomas calling Jesus, “My LORD and my GOD) must of necessity be references to ADONAI ELOHIM, the God of the Burning Bush—YAHWEH. All three of those names/titles are plural, encompassing the Godhead. And all the fulness of the Godhead dwelled in Jesus in physical form.
10. New Testament quotes of Old Testament passages that include the word “LORD” in referring to Yahweh [YHWH], the Hebrew Tetragrammaton יְ הוָה [YHWH] will be used.
11. Proper names may appear untranslated in their original form. Mary, for instance, was called Miriam. In the Greek text, the Hebrew names of Old Testament persons may be used. E.g.: The name of the first woman is not “Eve.” The name given to her, after The Fall, by her husband [who was not commanded by God to name his wife], is the Hebrew, Chavvah [pronounced Kavah]. The name “Eve” is a clichéd misnomer rooted in Greek transliteration. Why translators uniformly and consistently use a Greek transliteration of Chavvah’s name, even in the Hebrew portion of the Holy Scriptures, can only be attributed to historic antisemitism.
12. Since all the fullness of the Godhead dwelled in Jesus in physical form, the words of The Most High God are in Arial font and in red print, both in the Old Testament and the New.
13. Scripture cross-references and short alternative readings are noted in-line with the text, in super-script or bracketed. Longer commentary is located in footnotes.
14. As both the Hebrew and Greek texts were originally written without punctuation, and punctuation is often a controversial sticking point in theological interpretation, most punctuation is largely removed from the main body of the scripture-commentary text.
15. PARENTHETICAL STATEMENTS: A parenthetical statement denotes a time-gap between one event and another, thought both may be described in the same verse or passage: (\) indicates a possible non-chronological parenthetical statement. Bible prophecy has many such passages in which there is a “free-flow” of non-chronological foretelling of events. (-) indicates a possible chronological parenthetical statement. There are many such in scripture: Some parenthetical statements (-\) indicate a possible duality, where a scripture could be speaking to both the people it was initially written to and/or people who will live in the future. There could be a long period of time (a parenthesis) between one statement (-) and the statement immediately following it, even if both statements are contained within the same verse. Isaiah 9:6 is an example of a chronological parenthetical prophecy (though not a duality): “For unto us (-) a child is born (-) Unto us a son is given (-) And the government shall be upon his shoulders…” The (-) indicating chronological parenthetical gaps of time between the Savior’s birth (-) death, resurrection, (-) and his 2nd Coming and establishment of his earthly kingdom.
16. English-Translation-Theology: The Bible was not written in English. This commentator believes, therefore, that some words are better left untranslated as there are no good English equivalents for every Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek word. In some instances, attempting to use one English word [or an English phrase] to convey meaning for a Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic word that has multiple meanings—can cloud understanding and result, not in clarity and truth, but rather, in, what this writer calls misleading English-translation-theology.
17. Gender-Biased-English-Translation-Theology: As in every chapter of every Bible [to a lesser or greater degree depending on the translation], there are instances of gender-biased-English-translation-theology. These can be overt but sometimes covert in subliminally elevating the male sex over the female sex. One of the most common covert examples are where all people are referred to as either "he, him, his, or himself," where no such designation can be justified in either the text or the context. God called the human race, 'âdâm, and not “man.” This is important to note because women are not men [male] and should not referred to as such. The word 'âdâm is frequently used in the Hebrew text to describe all humanity, all mortals. In this work, women are referred as women, as she, her, or herself. Mixed crowds are referred to as they, them, themselves, or people, mortals, humans, but not as “he, him, himself, or men.” Because of The Fall, all languages are androcentric (male-centered), including English, but it is time to stop translating ancient sacred texts in such a way, when we know better. Semantics are important, as language informs attitudes.
** Historically loved, poetic, and extraordinarily beautiful passages of the King James Version are left largely unchanged, even in their androcentric forms: e.g., Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.
This commentary is intended to be a faith-building resource and blessing to all who read it.
Jocelyn Andersen is the author of several non-fiction books, including, Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified, a Study of HOPE.
She will be releasing e-book and print [comprehensive] commentaries on every book of the Bible she features in this column. Click HERE to subscribe to book release announcements via her newsletter and for links to all her Substack columns. Connect with Jocelyn on Goodreads and LinkedIn.
Note from the editor: I read my Bible every day, always picking up today where I left off yesterday. I have been doing that for over 44 years. The posts on this column will usually come one-three times per week and will usually be short with notes on whatever passage I happen be reading on that particular day.