QUICK WORD STUDY – PERFECTION גמרא
Matthew 5:48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Jesus is speaking in Aramaic and not Greek. In Aramaic the word for perfect is gmeera. Among the Semitic people there is a fairly common phrase used for a learned person, gmeera biolpana which means that this person is acquainted with every branch of learning. A lawyer or one who is well versed in the law is called a gmeera bnamosa. Gmeera among Semitic people means one who has an understanding. In fact when a young man reaches maturity he is said to be a gmeera or one who has reached the level of understanding to be considered an adult. In the context Jesus is instructing His disciples to have an understanding of the Kingdom of God like God understands His kingdom, that it is inclusive, not exclusive. Not just the Jews but all are welcome into His kingdom.
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