It’s necessary for heaven to receive [Jesus] until times of restoration for all the things God spoke about through the mouth of his holy prophets of long ago. - Acts 3 & 4

This part of Acts seems to move energetically and purposely through what transpired in Jerusalem before corruption from within and persecution from without forced many Christians out and thus ignited the explosion of Christian missionary work and the spread of the apostle's message. I get pumped just reading through it.

When you look at Peter’s words to the people and the temple authorities, you don’t see dry speeches. He doesn’t give doctrinal dissertations, though teachings are certainly contained in them. And he doesn’t give motivational speeches intended to encourage people to just be more socially active and live moral lives while quoting “Old Testament examples” here and there, though living a holy life is part of it. In Peter’s words you see him telling the climactic event of the grand epic that Moses and the Prophets were all leading up to, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! Peter heals this man born crippled so that he can focus (the healing is called a sign) on telling the people and the temple authorities about what Jesus has done to restore all things (as he did this born crippled) and bring about promised the time of restoration.

Yahweh Knows the Way of the Just - Psalm 1

I have to say, this has to be one of my favorite Psalms. Opening up to it for me is like entering Cedar Point, and checking out the large main map which is my guide for the park. These rides lead to fun, those rides lead to lame. Anyways...We had to memorize this Psalm for Hebrew class at Martin Luther College, and recite it to the class at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. The Hebrew is elegant, concise, and holds nothing back. And it’s very Jewish (not to say this Middle English here isn't, but...yea...). Now, you might be saying, “Duh, it’s in the Bible.” But let me explain.

It reminds me of the beginning the Didache, which is the earliest Christian “church order.” Jewish catechetical instruction (teaching-centered instruction) characteristically started off with two ways of life, one leading to death, the other to life. And the one you followed depended on your response to God’s Word. And so it is here. Now, of course here in the Psalms God’s Word is primarily his “Torah,” which means his instruction, which is something God has revealed. If anyone ever said meditation is a quirky “Buddhist” or “Eastern” thing, look no farther than Psalm 1:2. The Hebrew יֶהְגֶּ֗ה often refers to muttering…Now, I should say that meditation here is outward focused on God’s Word, and not our own feelings or thoughts.

I like how most translations say, “Blessed…” The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible [though there is some Aramaic…]) uses the same word (Μακάριος) Jesus does in Matthew 5 in his so called “Beatitudes” to start off his Sermon on the Mount where he calls for Israel to be Israel. Quite woodenly literal the word אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי means “Happinesses of...”