ARAMAIC STUDY – LOOKING TO JESUS – CHOR חור Cheth Vav Resh
Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We throw these words out so much that we never really stop to considered what Paul is asking us to really do. We are to look unto Jesus. Big deal I am always looking to Jesus and I bet you do also. We get in trouble and that is the first thing we do is look to God. Yet, the Greek is more profound. The word for look is aphorao’ which is not just looking at something, it is focusing your entire attention on something. If you go to a basketball game you are looking at the players. You may even be looking at, say, player number 27. But if player number 27 is at the free throw line with just seconds in a tied game you and everyone else are aphorao’ at 27, you are focused on player 27 to the exclusion of everything else. That is what Paul is saying about looking to Jesus, focusing your entire attention on him. In the Aramaic the word is chor which is not just staring or focusing your entire attention on number 27 but it is doing so with the expectation he will sink that ball in the basket and win the game. Paul is saying: “Focusing your attention with expectations on Jesus. You know what happens when you do that? You really do see Him. Honest Native American. (Just want to be politically correct).
Here is a neat question. If we are focusing our entire attention on Jesus what are we looking at? There is nothing there to look at. Let’s jump back one chapter. In the Aramaic Hebrews 11:1 reads: “Faith is the conviction of Divine imagination and the revelation of what we Divinely imagine is a reality.”
Do this, imagine Jesus in any way you would picture Him. For instance, I imagine Him hugging me. I see in my mind’s eye, my imagination His embrace. At that moment I firmly, without doubt believe He is embracing me and I honestly feel His loving embrace that I almost weep.
I know what you are thinking: “He is playing mind games, just tricking himself into believing Jesus is embracing him.” W. Spencer Walton was a 19th Century missionary who founded the Sailor’s Rest in Duban, Natal. During the Boer’s War he ministered to the British soldiers and distributed Bibles to them. He had a longing in his soul to introduce these men to Jesus. Where did this passion come from? He wrote about it in verse:
I’ve seen the face of Jesus,
It was a wonderous sight,
Oh glorious face of beauty
Oh gentle touch of care,
It is here so blessed,
What will it be up there.
Hey, this old boy saw something when he chot or aphorao to Jesus. As a child I remember attending the Billy Graham crusades in Chicago. As we left the meeting one night the choir sang an old hymn:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full into his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
This was written by Helen Lemmel in 1918 who was greatly influenced by W. Spencer Walton.
Since that day I was haunted by those words, “look full into His wonderful face” I would pray over and over to see His wonderful face but all I could do was imagine it. Then one day while I was living in silence I meditated on these verses in Hebrews and I began to exercise my imagination. I imagined I saw Jesus and I imagined feeling His touch but I quickly told myself it was all made up, I am playing a game with myself. But, you know what? I doggedly stuck with this exercise until one day I truly, honestly believed I saw Jesus and saw Him hugging me. A peace and joy swept through me like I never knew before. I now believe I have seen His wonderful face. I have since been doing this exercise and it is just natural for me now. Every time I want to feel the presence of God, feel His peace and love, I just close my eyes and imagine him and my imagination and belief brings this to a reality.
Sounds crazy, no? Try it, exercise your imagination and practice His presence. I’ll bet like W. Spencer Walton, Helen Lemmel and Chaim Bentorah you will see Jesus, you will carry on daily conversations with Him and you will feel his loving embrace.
When I was a very young child I saw the famous picture of Jesus at the door with the scripture of Rev 3:20…..Behold I stand at the door……I knew even than that it was a metaphor for my heart and I was talking to Him even than (long story!!) and said “I want you to come into my heart”. I grew up in the Lutheran church and the evangelistic “message” was not part of the teaching as I recall…..no come down the isle and get saved type thing. Not long after that I was walking to the store near our house, praying and crying….I looked up and just left of the center of my focus a round “window” opened and I saw His face, smiling! I am 68 years old and this is as clear today as it has been for all these years (I was in about the 2nd or 3rd grade) I have recalled His face in prayer and in my daily walk more than I can count. I grew up thinking everyone knew Him….I was shocked to learn some didn’t. I love your Word Study and have been drawn to Hebrew for over 50 years. I can not express how much your books and studies have meant to me…….this lesson today encouraged me to write and thank you! My experience was personal and private and I saw it as Jesus being there for me. My life at that time was beyond horrific. He wrapped me in His arms and protected me and has never ever left!! The oneness and Love God and I share is a treasure beyond words……I am grateful that you have the awesome ability to put it into words! Thank you
Amen. One of my favorite writings of yours that I’ve read so far. Thank you, Sir!
I also know what you say to be so in my own faith journey. I imagine hearing the voice of Jesus in conversation with me, but the words are His to me not trumped up on my own whim. They can be correction or counsel given clearly and fairly, loving tone yet meant not to excuse but help me be the type of son He knows I can be.
David