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Matthew

Note Journal Prayer

19

:

16

“

And behold, one having come to Him said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I might have eternal life?”

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
one One. Adj-NMS H1520 εἷς eis
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
having come To come up to, come to, come near (to), approach, consent (to). V-APA-NMS H4334 προσελθὼν proselthōn
“Teacher, A teacher, master. N-VMS H1320 διδάσκαλε didaskale
what Who, which, what, why. IPro-ANS H5101 τί ti
good [thing] Intrinsically good, good in nature, good whether it be seen to be so or not, the widest and most colorless of all words with this meaning. Adj-ANS H18 ἀγαθὸν agathon
shall I do (a) to make, manufacture, construct, (b) to do, act, cause. V-ASA-1S H4160 ποιήσω poiēsō
I might have To have, hold, possess. V-ASA-1S H2192 σχῶ schō
eternal Age-long, and therefore: practically eternal, unending; partaking of the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting. Adj-AFS H166 αἰώνιον aiōnion
life?” Life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence. N-AFS H2222 ζωὴν zōēn

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible And behold, one having come to Him said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I might have eternal life?”
King James Bible And And, behold, one having come to Him said, “Teacher, came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do do, that I might may have eternal life?”life?
Hebrew Greek English And behold, one having come someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I might have may obtain eternal life?”life?"
New American Standard Bible 1995 And behold, one having come someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I might have may obtain eternal life?”life?"