Monday, November 19, 2012

Hebrews 11:26

"...accounting the reproach of Anointing greater riches than the placed-into-tomorrows of Egypt: for he looked unto the hire-from-giving."

The Etymological New Testament consistently translates the Greek word often rendered "treasure" as "placed-into-tomorrow."  This ultra-literal translation reflects the three part original.  Our treasure is that which we place into tomorrow, that on which we stake the future.  The Egyptian culture, like so many today, was banking on its golden riches as its security.  Because he trusted, Moses was able to see a little longer term.  He was looking "unto the hire-from-giving."  The meaning of the word is "reward."  But, it is interesting to note the etymology.  The word "hire" (or "wage") is part of its etymology.  This reward toward which he looked, was a hire-from-giving.  As noted earlier in this eleventh chapter of Hebrews, one's reward is in direct relationship to one's trust. Reward and trust are intimately related in the divine sphere.  

In the verse above, Moses' sense of value appears by our modern standards to be completely misplaced.  Bearing "the reproach of Anointing" makes one far wealthier than the riches of the dominant culture of that time.  Moses staked his life, placed-into-tomorrow his life, on his trust in this anointed way. 

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