Shalom, and thank you for checking out this site! My name is Jonathan Brown, the primary admin for Bechirah.
I study and write a lot in my free time. I typically write articles/teachings to combat common doctrinal issues that I believe do not hold up to the test of Scripture. We are told to prove (test) all things and to hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21) as well as to prove (test) all spirits, whether they are of Elohim (God) (1 John 4:1). Our Scriptural example should be the Berean Assembly in Acts 17. They searched the Scriptures daily to determine if what Paul (Sha’ul) taught was right. And how did they “test” Paul’s words? By studying Scripture. The New Testament was not yet written at that time, so the only “Scripture” that existed was the Tanakh, or Old Testament. All Scripture is for instruction, reproof, training in righteousness, etc (2 Timothy 3:16).
Below is a little of my background and how I have come to view things the way I do.
I grew up in a Sabbath-keeping home with the Scriptural dietary food laws, the Leviticus 23 Feasts and so on. I was raised third generation in Torah-observance. I do not say that to brag on myself, but rather on my parents and grandparents, because they have left a priceless legacy. I grew up mostly in a home-church type of setting. Not a very large group, though full of faithful believers, meeting together every Sabbath. I was taught the 7th-Day Sabbath from before I can remember. Same with the Food Laws and Feast days. My father actually has video of my family celebrating the Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) from before I could walk. I was home-schooled from kindergarten through my senior year of high school, so the best social interaction I got was through a home school co-op group and the local non-denominational church’s youth group. The youth group didn’t serve to teach the students a lot of TRUTH, as much as it was to keep kids in a safe, "Christian" environment two nights a week. Surprisingly enough, however, a lot of false doctrine still seeped into my belief system without me realizing it. Though I must say I am grateful for it. Without having learned false doctrine and then, later down the road, learning Truth, I wouldn’t have felt a contradiction. Without seeing conflicting doctrine, I was less likely to fully study it out on my own.
When I was 16 I began visiting a Messianic Jewish Synagogue in Memphis, TN. It changed my life in many ways. It was there that I began to actually study things out for myself. No longer simply being told doctrine, but actually looking it up and finding the truth for myself. It was also there that I met the woman that would become my wife. After visiting the Synagogue for roughly two years, I had learned a lot. I learned good things that hold up to the test of Scripture and I also learned false things. But even hearing someone teach falsehood can sometimes be a good thing. It it our responsibility to search the Scriptures (as the Bereans did in Acts 17), so if someone is teaching, we should be studying it as well and not simply buying what they’re selling. Any good teacher should want you to study it for yourself, even if you come to a different conclusion. Many times I myself have said “If I’m wrong, prove it.” That is, if I’m wrong, show me in Scripture where my error is. In doing so then that person has studied it out for themselves as well. And I do not mind being set straight, since the “straight and narrow path” is where I desire to be.
But, back to the story. I got married at 18 (a month before she and I turned 19) and we have two Yah-given sons (so far). We moved out of Memphis and have met a lot of wonderful believers that we are very proud to call our family. Our local congregation meets just outside Chattanooga, TN (actually in Cleveland, TN) and we have a steady group of between 30 and 60 Believers each week. I have seen so many massive blessings in my life the past few years, it has become difficult to count them. Blessings in home life (not the least of which is having two children), blessed with a wonderful job, blessed with a new place to live, etc. Many blessings. Father יהוה (YHWH) has been working in my life and I can clearly see that. So with this site I hope to, in turn, bless others. If anyone finds my writings helpful, WONDERFUL! If they find them to be false, then as I said, prove it. And let me know. I enjoy studying Scripture with someone who DISAGREES just about as much as with someone who AGREES, provided we can have mutual respect and let the WORD (not men) be the authority. Should you come across anything you find to be in error, please send me an email through the contact page.
Now you may reach this point and wonder, "what qualifies you to write about all of this, Mr. Brown?" That's a fair question. I do not have a Ph.D in Biblical Studies, or in Theology, or in Near Eastern Culture. I do not have a degree in Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek. But I do have the Scriptures, and a working knowledge of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. I am not asking you to believe whatever I say because of some supposed credential, or on account of my level of education. Rather, I ask only that you give me that opportunity to explain why I am saying what I am saying, to present the evidence for it, and then you, in turn, go and look it up, and test it for yourself. Of all the Shelichim (Apostles), Paul was the only one with "formal education" in the religious studies of his day, and even he claimed to be the "least" of the Shelichim (see 1 Cor. 15:9). Studying commentaries and interpretations of men does not qualify you to be a teacher. Rather, with a calling as such from Elohim, only diligent study of the Word can qualify one as that.
That being said, I continually study and research material on other languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. I am working on a little Ge'ez [Ethiopic] here and there, and hope to incorporate Arabic in the future), as well as the culture and history of the Ancient Near East. Our Creator chose to reveal His Word with words, and as such language is vitally important in understanding Scripture.
I pray that this ministry can be useful, and a blessing to those seeking the Truth. And perhaps even to strengthen those that just need a little encouragement or reinforcement.
Shalom,
J. A. Brown
I study and write a lot in my free time. I typically write articles/teachings to combat common doctrinal issues that I believe do not hold up to the test of Scripture. We are told to prove (test) all things and to hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21) as well as to prove (test) all spirits, whether they are of Elohim (God) (1 John 4:1). Our Scriptural example should be the Berean Assembly in Acts 17. They searched the Scriptures daily to determine if what Paul (Sha’ul) taught was right. And how did they “test” Paul’s words? By studying Scripture. The New Testament was not yet written at that time, so the only “Scripture” that existed was the Tanakh, or Old Testament. All Scripture is for instruction, reproof, training in righteousness, etc (2 Timothy 3:16).
Below is a little of my background and how I have come to view things the way I do.
I grew up in a Sabbath-keeping home with the Scriptural dietary food laws, the Leviticus 23 Feasts and so on. I was raised third generation in Torah-observance. I do not say that to brag on myself, but rather on my parents and grandparents, because they have left a priceless legacy. I grew up mostly in a home-church type of setting. Not a very large group, though full of faithful believers, meeting together every Sabbath. I was taught the 7th-Day Sabbath from before I can remember. Same with the Food Laws and Feast days. My father actually has video of my family celebrating the Festival of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) from before I could walk. I was home-schooled from kindergarten through my senior year of high school, so the best social interaction I got was through a home school co-op group and the local non-denominational church’s youth group. The youth group didn’t serve to teach the students a lot of TRUTH, as much as it was to keep kids in a safe, "Christian" environment two nights a week. Surprisingly enough, however, a lot of false doctrine still seeped into my belief system without me realizing it. Though I must say I am grateful for it. Without having learned false doctrine and then, later down the road, learning Truth, I wouldn’t have felt a contradiction. Without seeing conflicting doctrine, I was less likely to fully study it out on my own.
When I was 16 I began visiting a Messianic Jewish Synagogue in Memphis, TN. It changed my life in many ways. It was there that I began to actually study things out for myself. No longer simply being told doctrine, but actually looking it up and finding the truth for myself. It was also there that I met the woman that would become my wife. After visiting the Synagogue for roughly two years, I had learned a lot. I learned good things that hold up to the test of Scripture and I also learned false things. But even hearing someone teach falsehood can sometimes be a good thing. It it our responsibility to search the Scriptures (as the Bereans did in Acts 17), so if someone is teaching, we should be studying it as well and not simply buying what they’re selling. Any good teacher should want you to study it for yourself, even if you come to a different conclusion. Many times I myself have said “If I’m wrong, prove it.” That is, if I’m wrong, show me in Scripture where my error is. In doing so then that person has studied it out for themselves as well. And I do not mind being set straight, since the “straight and narrow path” is where I desire to be.
But, back to the story. I got married at 18 (a month before she and I turned 19) and we have two Yah-given sons (so far). We moved out of Memphis and have met a lot of wonderful believers that we are very proud to call our family. Our local congregation meets just outside Chattanooga, TN (actually in Cleveland, TN) and we have a steady group of between 30 and 60 Believers each week. I have seen so many massive blessings in my life the past few years, it has become difficult to count them. Blessings in home life (not the least of which is having two children), blessed with a wonderful job, blessed with a new place to live, etc. Many blessings. Father יהוה (YHWH) has been working in my life and I can clearly see that. So with this site I hope to, in turn, bless others. If anyone finds my writings helpful, WONDERFUL! If they find them to be false, then as I said, prove it. And let me know. I enjoy studying Scripture with someone who DISAGREES just about as much as with someone who AGREES, provided we can have mutual respect and let the WORD (not men) be the authority. Should you come across anything you find to be in error, please send me an email through the contact page.
Now you may reach this point and wonder, "what qualifies you to write about all of this, Mr. Brown?" That's a fair question. I do not have a Ph.D in Biblical Studies, or in Theology, or in Near Eastern Culture. I do not have a degree in Hebrew or Aramaic or Greek. But I do have the Scriptures, and a working knowledge of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. I am not asking you to believe whatever I say because of some supposed credential, or on account of my level of education. Rather, I ask only that you give me that opportunity to explain why I am saying what I am saying, to present the evidence for it, and then you, in turn, go and look it up, and test it for yourself. Of all the Shelichim (Apostles), Paul was the only one with "formal education" in the religious studies of his day, and even he claimed to be the "least" of the Shelichim (see 1 Cor. 15:9). Studying commentaries and interpretations of men does not qualify you to be a teacher. Rather, with a calling as such from Elohim, only diligent study of the Word can qualify one as that.
That being said, I continually study and research material on other languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. I am working on a little Ge'ez [Ethiopic] here and there, and hope to incorporate Arabic in the future), as well as the culture and history of the Ancient Near East. Our Creator chose to reveal His Word with words, and as such language is vitally important in understanding Scripture.
I pray that this ministry can be useful, and a blessing to those seeking the Truth. And perhaps even to strengthen those that just need a little encouragement or reinforcement.
Shalom,
J. A. Brown
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