Sha

In Paleo Hebrew Sha was drawn as Teeth. The Teeth concept shows up throughout the books of (21) Jonah, (43) Luke and (65) Third John. By studying Teeth in these books all of Sha's meanings can be learned.

In Jonah Sha is _____

Jonah does not receive the word of Yahvah (21 Jonah 1:1-3)

We'll see as this report unfolds that a dominant aspect of teeth is what you have "received" from God. God wanted to give Jonah a mission, because he wanted to give Nineveh a message, but Jonah did not bite. Instead he headed for Tarshish.

Jonah buys fare on ship (21 Jonah 1:3)

Jonah bought passage to Tarshish. He received the right to travel on the ship (or at least he thought so).

Yahvah sends storm on ship (21 Jonah 1:4)

God had not given Jonah the right to travel to Tarshish, God had given Jonah fare to Nineveh, so God sent a storm on the ship to block it's passage until Jonah cooperated.

Each sailor cried out to their God (21 Jonah 1:5)

Each sailor cried out to whatever God they knew or had received. They did what they knew to do, even if misguided.

Sailors worried about perishing (21 Jonah 1:6)

The storm at sea was so great the sailors were hoping just to survive. The idea of perishing or dying plays to the consuming nature of teeth and gives us another sense of the letter.

Who was responsible (21 Jonah 1:7)

The idea that one of the crew or passengers, received onto the boat, was responsible for the storm, is a good example of something received.

Sailors ask for Jonah's profile (21 Jonah 1:8-10)

When the sailors ask Jonah where he is from, what he does, and what nationality he is, they want to know who they have received on their ship. Jonah answers saying he is a Hebrew, worships Yahvah who made heaven and earth and sea. That his God made the sea is an important detail for the sailors in the middle of a storm at sea.

Jonah acknowledges his culpability (21 Jonah 1:11-12)

Jonah tells the sailors that the storm is his fault and the fix is to throw him overboard. They eventually follow his advice and the storm stops. Receiving Jonah is in fact what caused the storm.

The sailors attempt to row to land (21 Jonah 1:13)

The sailors attempted to row to land before throwing Jonah into the sea. The picture of oars lined up in a row is an expression of teeth. Teeth are lined up in a row. This use of teeth will show up again later.

Jonah swallowed by whale (21 Jonah 1:17)

This is a great pun. When the whale swallows Jonah it receives Jonah. But God sent the whale for Jonah's benefit, so technically Jonah received the whale, though it's fairly clear he didn't want the whale at first. God has ways with his children.

Clinging to idols forfeits grace (21 Jonah 2:8)

There's a key line in Jonah's prayer from within the whale that captures the receiving sense of teeth. Jonah says people who cling to idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. They don't receive the grace that God would give them.

Yahvah sends Jonah to Nineveh (21 Jonah 3:1-3)

The second time Yahvah tells Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah receives the word, and goes. Yahvah is sending Jonah to Nineveh, which is an opposite on receiving. Generally speaking, sending follows receiving. One isn't sent till they receive where. One can't give what they don't have.

Nineveh will be overturned (21 Jonah 3:4)

The message Yahvah gave Jonah to speak was one of impending destruction of Nineveh. Destruction is a teeth thing.

Ninevites believe God and fast (21 Jonah 3:5)

Ironically, the Ninevites receive Jonah, and God's word through him, and fast in response. To abstain from food is another example of teeth. It's an opposite to consuming food. There's a pattern in scripture, and that you hear in personal testimonies, about receiving revelation and such from God during times of not eating.

King's proclamation reiterates the fast (21 Jonah 3:7-9)

The king reinforces the fast as the right response and adds that if the people turn from their sins and seek God's forgiveness that perhaps God won't destroy their city as threatened.

Nineveh did not receive destruction (21 Jonah 3:10)

The destruction Jonah warned about never landed on Nineveh because they received God's word instead.

Do you have the right to be angry? (21 Jonah 4:4)

Jonah was angry that Nineveh was not destroyed and asked God to take his life. He was asking to be destroyed or consumed. But Yahvah said, "I haven't given you the right to be angry." That's not a right you've received from me, much less to die.

God provides and destroys the vine (21 Jonah 4:6-7)

Jonah sat east of the city and watched. God caused a vine to grow to shade Jonah. Jonah received the vine from God. The next day God sent (opposite of receive) a worm that chewed the vine (with it's teeth) and caused it to die (be destroyed).

Nineveh is Yahvah's (21 Jonah 4:10-11)

The book of Jonah ends with a comparison between the vine and the people of Nineveh. I'm having trouble finding words for the comparision, but the sense is Nineveh is Yahvah's, Nineveh was received by God, and if Jonah had a problem with them he in fact had a problem with God. That Nineveh is compared to a vine is probably not random either as a vine is a symbol used of God's people many times in scripture.

In Luke Sha is _____

An orderly account (43 Luke 1:3-4)

Luke is an "orderly account," but not in the sense of time. Rather Luke is written so Theophilus can receive it, and we by extension. This is accomplished throughout the book by showing how something was given or received, or where it came from. So Luke begins saying the stories are handed down by eyewitnesses of Jesus. He then shows how each story happened (was received), whether through an angel encounter, a lineage, a word from God, a fulfillment of scripture or otherwise. Watch the pattern in the following examples to get the full sense of this idea.

John from Aaron (43 Luke 1:5)

We're given the background or provenance for the story about John the Baptist. Zechariah was a priest in Abijah's division and his wife Elizabeth was also descended from Aaron. The provenance of John starts with Aaron and the priesthood and comes through Abijah and John's parents. John received this ancestry from God and it explains some things about who John is and what he does, because we are only the sum of what we've received.

Zechariah and Elizabeth obedient to God (43 Luke 1:6)

In contrast to Jonah, Luke begins by saying Zechariah and Elizabeth were obedient to God's commands. They received God's commands blamelessly, Jonah did not.

Elizabeth barren (43 Luke 1:7)

There's a sense of destruction or consuming in the absence of receiving life in the womb. The spelling of the letter Sha plays to this circumstance quite well. It's the letters Sha and Noon, where Sha is teeth and Noon is seed. So it means receiving/consuming seed. In the case of Elizabeth, the seed was continually destroyed, and never bore life.

Zechariah goes into the temple (43 Luke 1:8-10)

Zechariah was received or taken into the temple, to pray that his people would be received by God. He also went in on a schedule, which is lined-up like teeth and could be another aspect of Sha.

Zechariah's prayer received (43 Luke 1:13)

Zechariah encounters the angel Gabriel in the temple and Gabriel tells him his prayer has been heard by God and Elizabeth will conceive and bear a son. First, God had heard and received Zechariah's prayer, and second, Elizabeth would receive (Sha) his seed (Noon) to life.

Zechariah does not believe Gabriel (43 Luke 1:18-20)

Zechariah could not believe (receive) Gabriel's message that Elizabeth would conceive. Gabriel's response was to say, I was "sent" from the throne of God to tell you this message, so you won't be able to speak until the day it happens for not believing me. That Gabriel is sent, is related to teeth, because people are sent for the purpose of being received, which Zechariah misses in this case.

Elizabeth conceives (43 Luke 1:24)

Elizabeth conceived and little John began growing in her womb. The seed was received instead of destroyed.

Jesus would sit on his father David's throne (43 Luke 1:31-35)

Gabriel visits Mary and tells her she will conceive and have a son she is to name Jesus, and he will sit on his father David's throne and reign forever. The sense here is Mary is received by God, Mary is going to receive life in her womb, from God no less, and this life, while being from God, is also descended from David and ultimately fulfills the promises made to David.

Mary visits Elizabeth (43 Luke 1:39-41)

When Mary entered Elizabeth's house and greeted Elizabeth, the baby John leaped in Elizabeth's womb. The sense here is Mary is the messenger, sent from Gabriel, from God, and when she is received into the home and gives her greeting, something transfers from Mary to Elizabeth such that Elizabeth is filled with (receives) the Spirit and speaks a message back to Mary about Jesus. Classic John and Jesus interaction here via their mothers. Also, we're being shown the provenance for what was said by being shown how it happened, which helps us receive the message too.

Jesus not received in a town (43 Luke 9:51-53)

When Jesus is not received or welcomed in a particular town he is not being consumed (taken in). He is banished.

In Third John Sha is _____

In truth (65 Third John 1-4)

We often talk about truth being inside someone, like the truth that's in Gaius, mentioned in verse 3, but the elder and even Gaius appear to be caught up in the truth themselves, as if the truth were alive and as a person had received them into itself. The rhetorical effect of this letter is as if to say, the elder and the brothers and Gaius and Demetrius are in the truth, but Diotrephes and those aligned with him are outside (even though they go into a building). The idea that truth is the unseen character in the story that's weighing actions and receiving some people and rejecting others presents a fascinating angle to the story. Perhaps the truth is a synonym for Jesus and he's deciding by our actions who he will receive.

Gaius receiving the brothers (65 Third John 5)

When Gaius receives the brothers into his house he's consuming them, like food. He's receiving them, taking them in, internalizing them. By receiving them he's receiving their message.

Diotrephes not receiving (65 Third John 9)

Diotrephes did not receive the brothers or the elder or Gaius. This is a contrast to Gaius who received the brothers into his house.

Gossiping maliciously (65 Third John 10)

The elder says Diotrephes was gossiping maliciously against the brothers and such. Gossip and malicious words are another aspect of teeth, though one that has the potential to consume people and destroy. We even use the phrase "back bitting" to this day. To gossip or speak maliciously about someone is the opposit of receiving them. It's like spitting them out of your mouth because you don't like the taste. It's okay not to swallow everyone you meet, in facts that's best, but it's not okay to speak against people with the intent to hurt or destroy, as Diotrephes was apparently doing.

Casting out of church (65 Third John 10)

Diotrephes not only did not receive the brothers, and gossiped, but he also cast (vomited) out of his church those who wanted to receive the brothers. To vomit something, like a whale vomiting Jonah, is a teeth thing. Instead of receiving it's rejecting.

Praising Demetrius (65 Third John 12)

There's a good report by everyone for Demetrius. This good report and speech is probably a contrast to the gossip and malicious words used by Diotrephes. A good report or reputation certainly helps reception.

See you shortly (65 Third John 14)

The elder plans to visit Gaius and talk face to face. He's planning on being received into Gaius' house just as the brothers were.

Summary

Sha is:

• receive
• consume
• destroy
• masticate
• internalize
• line-up
• order
• provenance (?)

Words

Words with Sha include:

Fire () star teeth

Fire is spelled with star and teeth. The star represents light or something that is bright. Teeth in this case represent consuming. Fire is a "bright consumer." The fact that we can heat and cook with fire are by-products of fire. The essential characteristics of fire is it's light and ability to consume.

Sheep () teeth eye

Sheep is spelled teeth eye. Teeth are used to eat and eyes for seeing. On the one hand sheep "eat what they see" meaning they may be careless about what they eat. On the other hand sheep "receive insight." Childlike openness appears to be a characteristic that God rewards with insight, at least for awhile. Eventuall sheep need to grow into shepherds, which means they can discern good from bad food.

Apostle () teeth staff arm fence

Apostle is spelled with teeth, staff, arm and fence. Teeth here relates to receiving, the staff means "to," the arm is for lifting and the fence is a fence or border. Putting it all together, apostles are "received to lift fences" or apostles are "received/sent over borders."

The sense here is that an apostle is someone who travels and in so doing he/she crosses borders and really breaks them down because they bring news and connection that extends beyond the local area. The teeth can mean receive and send at the same time. Apostles are sent out from one location and received at another, from which they are sent to be received again and so forth. Think Paul in Acts if this isn't registering.

Paul received his call from Jesus to "go" in Acts 9 or so. Paul is probably the most significant apostle in the Bible after Jesus who left the sky for our land to break down some fences between God and humans. Curiously, before Paul encountered Jesus and was called as an apostle he seemed to be functioning in a degenerate form of the gift. He would go out to places like Damascus and "consume" or "destroy" people.

Jesus

Jesus is the Consuming Fire.

Sha includes the concept of "receiving." In this verse the idea of receiving God's kingdom is paired with the fact that God is a Consuming Fire. Whoever wrote Hebrews knew the concept space of Sha and used it here.

Stroking

The book of Jonah follows the strokes used to write Sha.

1 (bottom right to top right)

Jonah is told to arise and go to Nineveh.

To "arise" means to go up. That the top of the first tooth is Nineveh becomes obvious when Jonah is told again to go to Nineveh when we get to the top of the other tooth.

2 (top right to middle)

Instead of going to Nineveh Jonah goes "down" to Joppa.

The "down" here indicates the direction of the second ling segment. We're now at the middle of the letter, where the Taag is, the crux of the matter or story. We'll be here for awhile as Jonah goes to sea and is eventually cast into the water and swallowed by the whale.

3 (middle to top left)

Jonah is eventually vomited out of the whale and is told again to "arise" and go to Nineveh.

As before the command to arise and go to Nineveh hits the top point of the tooth. This time, however, Jonah actually goes.

4 (top left to bottom left)

After walking through Nineveh and proclaiming 40 days till disaster Jonah leaves the city to watch the fireworks from a distance.

That's it. Jonah doesn't go anywhere else. The story ends with Jonah sitting in this location east of the city. So the book of Jonah hangs nicely on Sha.

Sha and Luke

Similarly Sha is an outline for the opening statement in Luke.

1. (bottom right to top right)

   43 Luke 1:1
   ¹Since many have desired to have in writing the story of those works with which we are familiar,

   Many have "desired" to have a written account of Jesus. They wanted this, but it was out of their reach or control, it was above them. This is line segment 1 and it goes up to the top.

2. (top right to middle)

   43 Luke 1:2
   ²according to what was handed down to us by those who, from the beginning, were eyewitnesses and ministers of that very word,

   The eyewitnesses "handed down" their testimony. The down gets line segment 2, into the middle of the Sha. We're now at the Taag where the crux of the matter rests, the testimony of those who saw Jesus.

3. (middle to top left)

   43 Luke 1:3
   ³and since these were also seen by me because I was near, and considered them all very carefully; I will therefore write to you everything in its order, most honorable Theophilus,

   Since Paul, or whomever the author is, has interviewed the witnesses, he will write the account down. He can reach the top.

4. (top left to bottom left)

   43 Luke 1:4
   ⁴so that you may know the truth of the words by which you were made a convert.

   Now Theophilus can have a written account, the thing that the people in verse 1 (line segment 1) desired. There's symetry here. Some call this a chiastic structure. You could call it a Sha structure.

Sha and Third John

The short book of Third John also hangs nicely on the letter Sha.

1. (bottom right to top right)

   65 Third John :1-4
   ¹The elder: To the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
   ²Our beloved, I ask above all things that you may prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers.
   ³For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified concerning the truth that is in you, even as you live a true life.
   ⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children follow the truth.

   Line 1 is the opening of the book. Words like "above all" and "no greater" play to the upward line this section of the book follows.

2. (top right to middle)

   65 Third John :5-10
   ⁵Our beloved, you do faithfully what you do to the brothers, especially to those who are strangers,
   ⁶who have borne witness concerning your love before the whole church for the good things which you have done for them by supplying their needs, as is pleasing to God,
   ⁷because they have gone forth for his name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
   ⁸Therefore we ought to welcome such so that we may be fellow helpers to the truth.

   
   ⁹I wrote to the church that Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, would not receive us.
   ¹⁰Therefore if I come I will mention the things which he did, gossiping against us with malicious words; and not content with this he not only did not receive the brothers, but also forbid those who would like to receive them, and cast them out of the church.

   Line 2 affirms the traveling brothers and praises Gaius for receiving them and helping them on their way. This praise however is headed down to the crux of the matter, at the Taag, which is the way Diotrephes does not receive the brothers and even casts out of his church people who do receive them.

3. (middle to top left)

   65 Third John :11-12
   ¹¹Our beloved, do not follow what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God; but he who does evil has not seen God.
   ¹²Demetrius has been given a good report by all men and of the church, and of the truth itself; yes, we also testify for him, and we know that our testimony is true.

   Line 3 takes us from the crux of the matter, Diotrephes being a jerk, to praise for Demetrius as we climb back to a high point again. Just as Gauis and the brothers were praised on the way down to Diotrephes, we now have praise for Demetrius on the way back up.

4. (top left to bottom left)

   65 Third John :13-15
   ¹³I had many things to write, but I do not want to write them to you with pen and ink;
   ¹⁴however, I trust I will shortly see you, and we will speak face to face.
   ¹⁵Peace be to you. Our friends salute you. Salute the friends each one by his name.

   Finally line 4 finishes the book with some closing comments.

So Third John is framed around the probelms with Diotrephes. He sits in the middle of the Sha, at the Taag. He's the crux of the matter. On either side there's praise for Demetrius and the brothers. The outer strokes of Sha are the opening and closing sections of the book.

By Ryan Eaton
Posted Monday, Dan 30, 13000