Four aspects of Cleansing Purification Sanctification 1. Heart (The Inner Core: Desires, Motives, Will)The heart is the root of all defilement (Mark 7:21-23: evil thoughts proceed from the heart). Yeshua purifies it at the deepest level.Initial Cleansing: By faith in His blood, God cleanses the heart directly—"cleansing their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:9). The blood of Yeshua purges the conscience from dead works (Hebrews 9:14) and sprinkles the heart clean from an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22). Specific Process:Repentance and confession → God creates a clean heart (Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God"). Draw near to God → purify hearts (James 4:8). Obey the truth through the Spirit → fervent love purifies the soul/heart (1 Peter 1:22). Yeshua's Role: He addresses inner corruption (Mark 7), fulfills Ezekiel 36:26 (new heart of flesh instead of stone). The heart, being spiritual/inner, endures the refining fire of trials and Holy Spirit conviction ...
Resolving the Jeconiah Curse: How Gowra in Matthew 1 Reveals the Davidic Promise Through a Daughter The genealogy in Matthew 1 has long puzzled readers: it traces Jesus' (Yeshua's) lineage through the royal line of David and Solomon, but includes the cursed figure Jeconiah (Jehoiachin/Coniah), whose descendants were declared ineligible for the throne (Jeremiah 22:24-30). How could the Messiah come from a line God seemingly cut off? Andrew Gabriel Roth, in his Aramaic-focused translations and commentary, offers a compelling resolution through the "Gowra Scenario." The key lies in the Aramaic word gowra (ܓܒܪܐ) in Matthew 1:16, which Roth translates contextually as "guardian" or "protector-male" rather than strictly "husband." This distinction allows the Joseph in verse 16 to be Mary's father (a guardian figure in her line), not her husband (who appears in verse 19 with different contextual implications). By separating the two Josep...