March was a tough month for
me. Wolf Schubach, my very good
friend and mentor of over 25 years, passed away after a grueling battle with
cancer. An immigrant from Germany following World War II, we bonded over our ancestral
connection to Deutschland as well as our similar interest in the archeology of
Israel. Beyond this though was our common passion for the Word of G-d. Wolf loved
the Scriptures and the Hebrew Language, down to their very jot and tittle. Though
a biologist by education and a business man by vocation, his passion for the
last 15 years was in meticulously translating the Hebrew Old Testament. Four
separate times he painstakingly translated through the entire text, working as
he went to understand the unique meaning of each Hebrew word so he could
express this unique meaning in an accurate English translation. Translating the
Scriptures for Wolf was an expression of his worship of G-d!
Is it possible that for
some of us, the Scriptures are too familiar? Could it be that we take them for
granted, treating them as nice literature but not what they really are: G-d’s miraculous Word! Paul challenges us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 with
the miraculous and supernaturally unique nature and purpose of the Scriptures:
“All
Scripture is breathed out by G-d and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of G-d may be
complete, equipped for every good work.” (ESV)
Wolf appreciated Paul’s
challenge, and spent the latter years of his life maximizing his ability to
understand the Scriptures for himself. He challenged me to do the same.
Consider for yourself: do you take the Scriptures for granted or are you
maximizing the Power of G-d’s Word?
Forward for Messiah,
Rabbi Kirk Gliebe