Thank you for the information that it is important. But you didn't really answer my question. Relative to the Tanakh, how important is it? Is it on par with the Tanakh?
It is not compared to the Tanakh or Talmud. The code of Jewish law is taken from sources in the Tanakh and Talmud and compiled. It basically is the Tanakh and Talmud.
ANALYSIS OF ZECHARIAH 12:10
10. "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication, and they will look onto Me whom (et asher) they have pierced and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep for Him like the weeping over a first born. 11. In that day there will be a great mourning in Jerusalem like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12. and the land will mourn every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself; and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself; and their wives by themselves..."
"They (the Roman soldiers) shall look on Him (Jesus) whom they (the Roman soldiers) pierced.
"they will look onto Me concerning whom they have pierced and they will mourn for him"
Read this:
http://www.messiahtruth.com/zec13.html
Let's see if you can accept that this entire
Psalm is of the Moshiach, because once you read the
entire psalm, you will see that if you want this person to be Jesus, then you need to also accept that:
1) Jesus declares that he is not G-d, but that he loves and worships the one G-d.
2) Jesus declares his defectiveness and his unworthiness before G-d.
3) Jesus acknowledges that the Patriarchs were superior to him.
4) Jesus declares that it was the non-Jews, the enemies of Israel, who plotted against him and sought his destruction.
5) Jesus didn't want to die and begged G-d over and over again while on the cross to get him out of there!
6) Jesus cried out to the Jewish people to serve HaShem only, to glorify Him alone, that every Jew should praise HaShem as their One and only G-d.
7) Jesus admits to having made a vow, and declares he will one day atone for that.
This is but the tip of the iceburg!
I actually translated and wrote out all of the verses and how to have it be Jesus, and show that in every instance, he clearly says he isn't a diety, or even supernatural, nor even worthy of being in the same class as the Jewish patriarchs, and that it is G-d alone who deserves all praise. But it ended up being pretty long and I didn't want to take up so much disk space unless the moderator allows it. But it does paint an interesting picture!
So if you want this "piercing" to be Jesus, fine! But then you also have to remove all supernatural attributes and deification from him as well.
Ok?
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22:2 - "My G-d, my G-d, for what purpose have You forsaken me, and my crying words are far from my Help?"
(Here we have Jesus on the cross, a distraught man feeling abandoned by G-d. He believes that his words are being ignored by G-d, far from the One who can help.)
22:3 - "My G-d, I call out by day, and You do not answer! And [I call out] at night [and You do not answer me]! And there is no inner-quiet/calm for me."
(Jesus declares that he has been feeling abandoned by G-d, not just at this instant, but day and night, over a period of time, alone and despondent. Feelings of abandonment and despair are based on fear, and it is normal for a human being who is condemned to die to be afraid and feel abandoned, and takes a tzaddik such as a Rabbi Akiva to face his execution declaring his faith in G-d.)
22:4 "But it is You Who are holy, [it is You] Who inhabits the praises of Israel."
(Jesus is declaring that only G-d is the expression of "kedushah", this experiance that is beyond the grasp of humanity, including himself, and that Israel has always declares it's praises to G-d alone and no other.)
22:5 "It was with You that our fathers felt secure, [trusting], and you provided for them [delivering them from their distress]."
(Here Jesus is declaring that just as G-d helped the Patriarchs out of their time of trouble, he too wanted to be saved from this hour of terror. But unlike them, he did not feel very secure, or trusting, for his feelings of abandonment are immense).
22:6 "It was to You that they cried out, and they escaped danger because of You. They trusted in You and were not dissapointed [in their expectation of deliverance]."
(Jesus is declaring that only G-d can help him, just as he helped the Patriarchs. Jesus is declaring that not by his righteousness, but the righteousness of the Patriarchs may he be delivered from this terror. It is a formula that every Jew uses as part of the Amidah and Tachanun, knowing that we don't measure up to their righteousness, but may we be delivered through the memory of their righteousness.)
22:7 "But [compared to them] I am a worm, and not a man, I am scorned of men and despised by the nation."
(Jesus declares that he recognizes that he is not at the level of spirituality as the Patriarchs, asks G-d to deliver him from his terror on their righteousness even though he does not deserve it. And the Jewish people, he says, declare that he is not worthy, they they want nothing to do with him.)
22:8 "All those who see me, scorn me. The reject me with a sneer of the lip and their shaking head."
(Jesus is acknowledging that everyone, without exception, reject him. Mocking him, belittling him, or shaking the head, wondering how someone could fall so far. He is friendless and alone, with only G-d to talk to.)
22:9 ["They are saying:] 'Let us toss it to HaShem! He will deliver it, He will save it', [and they mockingly say] 'He takes pleasure in him'."
(Jesus is saying that his enemies are planning to rip him off of the cross, since he already said the "My G-d, my G-d, while he was on the cross, and this comes next. And they now want to do something really nasty, just to prove that G-d has no real interest in this man, treating him as though he is not a man, as Jesus recounted in the previous 2 verses. Now what could be nastier than a crucifixion? [shudder!])
As a side note, "gohl" [cast/wrest] implies difficulty in holding onto something before casting an object, pulling it away before tossing it aside)
22:10 "For it was You thrust me from the womb, [it was You Who] gave me hope [while I was nursing] upon my mother's breast."
(Jesus is declaring that while he may not have wanted to be born, and maybe his birth was not an easy one, still, as far as he could remember, he always trusted in the One G-d, that G-d would always be there to help when Jesus needed it. And he really needed help now.)
22:11 "It was upon You that I was sent from the the uterus, from the womb of my mother. You are my G-d."
(Jesus is declaring that he has always been drawn to G-d, even before he was born, that he had an innate knowing and devout experience of G-d, even while in the womb, declaring that the One G-d is his G-d too!)
22:12 "Be not far from me, for misfortune is imminent, since there is no help."
(This repeats the theme of verse 2-3, where Jesus feels that he has been abandoned, and declares that there is no human help that can get him out of this mess, and that if G-d doesn't come through, the G-d he has always believed in, then he will soon die.)
22:13 "Many bulls have come around me, the brave ones of Bashan have encircled me!"
(Jesus is noting that the powerful ones of the non-Jews are all around him, for Bulls are typically representative of powerful nations, just as 70 bulls were sacrificed for the 70 powerful nations in the Temple. Bashan was, at the time of this Psalm, one of those nations. Jesus was telling G-d that the place where he was being crucified were full of goyim of various kinds who wanted him dead. Blast those Romans! [darn] those Greeks!)
22:14 "They open up their mouth against me, they are a lion, ravening, roaring."
(Here, Jesus is saying how all of the enemies of the Jews who are also his enemies and have put him in this predicament, are "roaring", attacking him in unison, seeking his destruction as the non-Jewish enemies have plotted for his death).
22:15 "I am spilling out, like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has become like wax that is melting within my deepest parts."
(Here, Jesus is saying that he is like water, which has no form of it's own, for he feels like he has no support from man or G-d. Even his limbs no longer are of any use, for he is feels crippled, weak, and despairs, his heart poured out to the One G-d).
22:16 "My strength is dried up like a clay shard, and my tongue feels glued to my palate. And You have set me to be covered with the dust of death."
(Jesus feels that his limited strength is failing, he is thirsty and requires water to survive, he knows that without G-d saving him, that he will soon die.)
(Ok, I will let the next verse read "pierce" just for the fun of it!)
22:17 "For dogs have already surrounded me. A company of evil doers who are piercing my hands and feet"
(Jesus is saying that while he is on the cross, non Jews, or "dogs" (See Matthew) are sorrounding him and piercing his hands and feet.)
22:18 "I recall to myself all of my "bones" They (the evil doers) behold this and look at me."
(Jesus is recalling the past of those who came before who are long dead (as he did in verse 5), and the evil non-Jews who did this to him see this and stare in bewilderment that he is not crying for them to let him go, but is instead recounting the deads of the righteous Jews who are the foundation of Israel)
22:19 "They divide my garments among themselves, casting lots for my clothing."
(Here Jesus is declaring that the non-Jews, the enemies of the jewish people, are taking his property, and they are even gambling to see who can get the best of these expensive garments.)
22:20 "But You HaShem, do not be far off. You are my strength. Hasten to help me!"
(Jesus is saying that he is but mortal, weak, and dying, and that only the One G-d can help, for only He is the true source of all strength.)
22:21 "Deliver my soul from the sword, and my one and only from the power of the dog"
(Here, Jesus is praying that he not die by the sword, and that the people he was yechid/united with should not be overpowered by their enemies as he has been.)
22:22 Save me from the lions mouth, for you have already heard me from the horns of the Re'emin")
(Jesus is saying that the evil doers (See verse 14) who seek his death and the death of the Jewish people are upon him. Jesus doesn't want to die and cries out for deliverance, just as he has recounted again and again asking to be saved.)
22:23 "I will declare Your Name to my bretheren, I will praise You in the midst of the congregations with songs proclaiming Your mighty acts."
(Here, Jesus is saying that if he survives this, he will speak of HaShem to the Jewish people, praising HaShem to all of the congregations of Jews everywhere, and speaking not of himself, but only of the greatness of HaShem.)
22:24 "You [Jewish people] who are in awe of HaShem, praise Him with songs proclaiming His mighty acts. All of you children of Jacob, glorify Him (G-d) and stand in awe of Him (G-d), all of you people of Israel!"
(Here, Jesus turn his atttention away from himself and cries out to the Jewish people to do what he has promised to do, to praise HaShem only, and serve Him in all of His ways.)
22:25 "For He (G-d) has neither despised the nor abhored the lowliness of the poor, nor has He hid His presence from him, and when he cried to Him, He heard!
(Here, Jesus is declaring that blessed are the poor for they will know G-d and he will respond. In this way, he is recalling his sermon on the mount and declaring himself as an "ahni", a poor man who has nothing of his own)
22:26 "From You comes my praise, in the great congregation I will pay my vows, in the presence of those who are in awe of him"
(Here, Jesus is declaring that any praises that he recieves is by way of HaShem, and not of anything that he has done. He is also saying that one day, he will come before G-d fearing Sanhedrin, and will pay his "neder" (a vow). A Jew who makes a vow is required to bring an atonement for having done so. It's a sin with a method of correction. Perhaps this relates to his promise to come back?)
22:27 "Let the meek eat and be satisfied. Let them praise HaShem, those who seek Him, may your hearts be alive forever"
(Here we have Jesus speaking of the humble Jews, that they should come together, celebrate, and bench together. He speaks of those who seek to serve HaShem and no other G-d. And declares that their passion should be the type of passion that should live forever, to serve the One G-d.
After all, if you want to give this
psalm to Jesus, you have to give him
the entire psalm!
Psalms 22:19 (18 in some versions) reads: "They divide my clothes among them, and for my garment they cast lots." A misunderstanding by the author of the Gospel of John influenced the way he applied this verse to his version of the division-of-the-clothing incident (John 19:24; cf. Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, Luke 23:34).
The author of John misinterpreted the Hebrew parallelism as referring to two separate acts. In biblical poetry, which is based on parallel structure, the repetition of an idea does not indicate its duplication in reality (cf. Zechariah 9:9). Seeking to harmonize this crucifixion story with the psalm, John states that the soldiers divided Jesus' garments among themselves, but that they could not divide the inner garment, which was seamless, so they cast lots for it. "They said therefore to one another: 'Let us not tear it, but let us decide by lot whose it will be'" that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'They divided my outer garment among themselves, and for my apparel they cast lots'" (John 19:24). Evidently, John created this legendary casting of lots to meet what he believed to be a messianic requirement of Psalm 22. In this way, the crucifixion tradition was rounded out to agree with what John thought was the prophetic message of this psalm.
But, what is the truth of the New Testament claims? If Jesus was scourged as part of the crucifixion process and then his clothes were once again placed on his wounded bloody body (Matthew 27:26, 31; Mark 15:15, 20, John 19:1) why would the soldiers want to divide up these blood soaked garments? Indeed, if the scourging continued along the route to the crucifixion, Jesus' clothing would be nothing but bloody rags of no value to the soldiers. For that matter, it is questionable if the soldiers would have placed a purple robe on the scourged body of Jesus. Purpled dyed material was extremely expensive and reserved for royalty. It is probably for this reason that the story arose that he was wrapped in a purple robe, the color symbolic of royalty. The truth is that there is no truth to the New Testament claims.
it seems that you put a lot of time in it.. it's great to see that you're devout!!
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