Purpose

In 1990 I began a journey to discover the Hebrew roots of Christianity. At that time there were few resources available to lead the way through the uncharted territory.  But as I stumbled along I found hidden gems that shed light on my path and on scripture. With each “aha” moment would often come the question, “Why wasn’t I taught this?”, or “Why do we believe this ? After a while I began to see a pattern and it drove me into researching Church history in particular and Biblical history in general. But this search often took me off the beaten path. It reminded me of when I toured Israel. The secular tour guide would often steer us to what they thought Christians wanted to see: the cathedrals and shrines, when what I really wanted to do (metaphorically) was go underneath the buildings to the vaults holding ancient manuscripts to understand where the changes occurred. 

In Jerusalem I went on a fascinating tour of the western tunnel that begins at Wilson’s arch near the wailing wall and proceeds along the base of the temple mount until it exits at Via Dolorosa on the north side. We first descended some stairs which gave me glimpses into numerous side passageways. I knew that there were miles of tunnels and labyrinths under Jerusalem and I could only imagine how easy it would be to get lost there. Half way down the western tunnel we passed a blocked arched entrance to a side passage that leads under the Temple mount. After the 1967 war, the Jews who dug the western wall tunnel went into this passageway to see what they could find. But their activities were discovered by the Muslims above them who promptly started a riot. The passageway was blocked up and remains so even today. The point is that exploring all of these side tunnels can get you lost and off track in a hurry. Similarly, whoever is going to study the Jewish background of the faith must remember that the goal is to love the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with greater intensity through a better understanding of God’s Word. So, having a good sense of balance and direction are key attributes to not losing your way in the catacombs of Biblical research. The journey is worth it, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

The purpose of this blog is to dig for the truth. Sometimes the truth is illuminating and sometimes it is unsettling; but it is always rewarding. Truth is a person:  “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6


Dennis Kananen