Have You "Crossed Over?"

I’ll admit from the very beginning, the next few paragraphs may be more of connecting patterns than literal, word for word translation connections.

In today’s reading, in John chapter 5, it stood out to me that Yeshua used the specific words that He did. When He states, “whoever hears My word and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life” He continues to say that this one “has crossed over from death into life.” Today, the words “crossed over” stood out to me.

There doesn’t seem to be a direct Hebrew equivalent for us to follow, but the principle remains quite clear, in my opinion. “Depart; move; go” is the simplest meaning, in Greek. This, of course, took me back to Abraham, the first man referred to as a “Hebrew.” (Genesis 14:13) This translates as one who has “crossed over; one from beyond” and, over time, became the primary way to distinguish Yahweh’s set apart People from foreigners.

From the very beginning, Yahweh’s people were ones who were called out and found to be willing to go. This becomes a foundational principle that fills the pages of the entire Bible, from cover to cover. We even see this when Yeshua calls His talmidim (disciples) away to follow Him. They were simply regular men that were called out to become a student of the Master. We are no different.

To bring us back to John 5, I find it intriguing that Messiah used such similar verbiage to explain what takes place when a man places his trust in the Father and the Son and “crosses over” from death unto life. Could it be that the hearers of this message understood the deeper meaning that most of us have not noticed? I think it’s quite plausible.

You see, we’ve been invited into the covenant of the Most High and the way in today is the same as it’s always been. One must willingly leave all that he knows, forsake his own life and cross over unto what the Father has called us to. It is here where we find eternal life. Messiah invited His hearers to leave behind the ways of the nations – both religious and secular alike – and follow Him. And following Him was following His Father, just like righteous men like Abraham did so many years ago.

Praise Yahweh for the layers of His wonderful Word. May it change us from the inside out today. Shalom.