- Christians and Jews are both convinced that they have God figured out, and pretty much know "the Truth." Both groups are wrong.
- Jews rely on their sages, and on their traditions, to explain theology. There is a LOT of great stuff to learn from the sages, but they are not always right, and some of their writings and thoughts are pretty "out there" with little basis in scripture (no disrespect intended.)
- Christians treat the writings, work, and beliefs of the First Council of Nicea and the First Council of Constantinople much the same as Jews treat the sages. Christians act as if these councils had special divine direction for what they did and wrote, and were inspired by the Holy Spirit. They did not, and they were not. These were purely political and theocratic councils of men that came to conclusions that directly contradict the Word of God.
- In addition, Catholics have given the Pope powers not accorded to his office by God. Eastern Orthodox have given their prelate powers not accorded to his office by God. And modern protestants have come to view the work of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jacobus Arminius and others as "the final word" on how Church government and theology ought to work, what "Messiah" means, and how God expects his followers to live. These men suffered from a variety of spiritual shortcomings including antisemitic attitudes, cultural limitations, and social and political expectations, all of which led, in many cases, to theological conclusions that contradict the Word of God and the origins of Yeshua Ha Mashiach.
- Due to these historic departures from the pure Word of God, Judaism and Christianity have suffered an epic schism, starting barely 100 years after the resurrection of Yeshua and continuing right up to the present.
- In spite of all of this, God continues to move and work in the affairs of men; and in these "last of the last days" a lot of long standing theological ideas and constructs are going to be swept away as we prepare for the return of the Messiah.
So, with that as background, I have been reading the book of Hebrews this week.
Hebrews is particularly interesting because it is written by a Jew, to a group of Jews. But these Jews were believers in Yeshua as Messiah; so the book occupies a unique place among the Writings of the Apostles. It gives us non-Jews a much needed glimpse into how the Jews perceived and received a very Jewish Messiah - the man most modern Christians call Jesus Christ.
Here, then, is what I've gathered from this book so far:
Chapter 1: The writer goes out of his way to tie together many of the obvious, obscure, and esoteric mentions of Messiah in the Tanakh ("Old Testament"), as well as explain and make obvious how Yeshua is the fulfillment of many things the Jews expect in a Mashiach. In addition the authority and power of Messiah is directly ascribed to Yeshua. The author contrasts "the days gone by" with the present time, and previous revelations with the current revelation, indicating the progressive nature of the Father's revelation to His children. The author also identifies these "days of Messiah" as "the latter days" referenced in the the Tanakh.
- The universe was created "through" Yeshua Ha Mashiach, which reaffirms John's assertion that "in the beginning was The Word, and The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. By him all things exist, and nothing exists apart from him."
- Yeshua is not a prophet or an angel; he is identified as the son of God, and the heir - God has given to him all things, and made him higher than any angel or man.
- Yeshua, as the son, is the image (literally the "eminence" or "radiation" or "glory") of the Father; a reference to the Sh'khinah glory of God, which is inextricably intertwined with the Ruach HaKodesh - the Holy Spirit. I believe this establishes the fact that Yeshua, although physically a man in every respect, did not have his own spirit; but instead was born with the Spirit of the Living God; whereas those of us who are the redeemed are born with our "own" spirit, which, when we are redeemed, is wed to the Holy Spirit, who then comes and dwells with us - we become "one spirit" just as a man and wife become "one flesh."
- The author then takes this one step further in verse 3, asserting that Yeshua is the "very expression" [gr. character] of God's essence. This is the only place in the Writings of the Apostles where this term is used. This concept is perfectly Jewish in origin - see the writings of Philo of Alexandria.
- Yeshua, due to his perfect merit and perfect sacrifice, is accorded the right to sit at the right hand of the Father. Again, in Jewish theology, this is no insignificant imagery, since it is understood that no one has the right to sit (assume a seated position) in the presence of God.
Chapter 2: Having established that Yeshua is above even Moshe, and is, in fact, the very incarnation of all that is contained in the Torah, the writer admonishes his readers several times to "take heed" and "be careful" to pay close attention to what they are learning, since this new revelation is even more important than the previous revelations the Jews had received. The importance of Torah (the revelation given to Moses at Sinai) is affirmed and reiterated, and the author further defines the relationship between man, the Mashiach and the Father, specifically:
- The Redeemer and the redeemed have a common origin (vs. 11.)
- This includes a common physical nature (vs. 14)
- Yeshua considers the redeemed to be his brothers and sisters (vs. 11-14.)
- The writer establishes that Yeshua is just like those he is redeeming (vs. 17) - except, of course, without sin, as called out in detail later. Thus he is better than the angels, better than Moshe, better than the patriarchs, and better than any other human being, even though he exists in the image of a human being.
- Moshe was a servant, but Yeshua is a son.
- Yeshua is the "prophet of prophets" - an emissary conveying God's truth to his people.
Chapter 4: Verse 1 says, literally, let us be terrified of the possibility that... any one of us might be judged to have fallen short. Verse 9 and 10 explains why it is still important to keep Shabbat. Verse 10 especially reinforces the continuation of Shabbat observance. This verse is correctly translated as sabbatizein which clearly includes the strict observance of Shabbat, not merely a passive reference to some ethereal state of rest. However, the words used, and the context of these verses, make it clear that, as with other prophetic imagery, Yeshua's advent has transformed Shabbat, made Shabbat so much more than it was previously. The rest of the text establishes that this "rest" includes a rest from animal sacrifices (because the advent of Yeshua has fulfilled the purposes of animal sacrifice, and therefore they are no longer needed.) But it also implies resting from any "works of the flesh" - not just physical labor, but also the self-struggle in which one tries by his/her own efforts to be "good enough" to merit the favor of Adonai. (As also in Romans 3 and 4.)
Verse 11 and 12 reinforces the preeminence of Torah, and the "living" nature of the Word of God, while at the same time verse 13 reinforces that Yeshua is the "real deal" - the Torah made flesh, the spiritual reality realized, which [especially] replaces the temporary and prophetic forms of priesthood established in Torah with the permanent high priesthood of Yeshua. To me, this is affirmation that some parts of Torah are still "in force" while other parts have been fufilled - replaced with the "reality" that the imagery of Torah pointed to.
Just a footnote here: many Christians misunderstand Romans 2 and James 2:10, incorrectly interpreting these passages to indicate that they are "free" from the Torah (whatever that means.)
This is, in my opinion, an incorrect understanding of the passages. What these passages are trying to convey is exactly what I often ask my believing friends: what does it mean to be "free" from the law? Can I commit adultery? Can I murder? Can I steal? Most believers would say "of course not!" To all of these things; so we agree that we are under at least "part" of the law. Now the question is, "which parts?"
I would submit that we are under the WHOLE law - the teaching of Moses stands. With the advent of Yeshua some parts have been fufilled, as discussed previously; but other parts, as illustrated by the Ten Commandments, continue to be applicable to all believers today. Yeshua did not absolve us from responsibility before the Torah, which as Paul clearly states, gives us the clear and undeniable definitions of sin. Rather, Yeshua has assumed the role of advocate and redeemer, providing absolution as long as our hearts remain pure - our heart's desire is focused on obedience.
Chapter 5 and chapter 6 goes into greater detail about how Yeshua is the "once and for all" High Priest in the Judaic line; it explains his lineage (tribe of Judah vs. Descendent of Aaron which, coincidentally, could allow the two priesthoods to co-exist, with obviously very different purposes) and directly links him to Melchizadek; this reference is not insignificant to Jews, since the Sages have much to say about Melchizadek and his role as either forerunner to, or preincarnate version of, the Messiah. Unlike the descendents of Aaron and the descendents of David, where king and high priest are two separate individuals and two separate offices, Melchizadek is identified as both priest of God most high and king of Salem (identified with Jerusalem.) So Yeshua represents the reuniting of Priest and King into one individual.
Verse 4 also establishes that the Messiah is called to his office, just as Aaron and his sons were.
The rest of chapter five explains the speific role of the Messiah in redemption, how the redeemed become redeemed, and what the righteous look like - those who are obedient to the Word of God.
Chapter 6 presents a summary of the "theology of Messiah"
Acknowledgements:
Verse 4 also establishes that the Messiah is called to his office, just as Aaron and his sons were.
The rest of chapter five explains the speific role of the Messiah in redemption, how the redeemed become redeemed, and what the righteous look like - those who are obedient to the Word of God.
Chapter 6 presents a summary of the "theology of Messiah"
- To be redeemed by Messiah one must turn from works that lead to death (repent)
- To be redeemed by Messiah one must trust in God the Father - in His goodness, His willingness to forgive, His justice, and His mercy.
- To be redeemed by Messiah one must submit to "washings" - immersion in a mikvah or "living water", which is not a one time event, but something that is done for a variety of purposes, ONE of which is to acknowledge repentence and cleansing from sin - what Christians call "baptism."
- Once redeemed by Messiah, one must submit to s'mikhah, that is, the laying on of hands in preparation for work one will have to do for the kingdom of God.
[A side not here: I believe when this passage is understood along with other passages in the writings of the apostles, the order of progression becomes more clear: 1) repent 2) have faith and profess it 3) submit to a ceremonial washing 4) submit to a laying on of hands, during which you recieve the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts you will need for your particular ministry and 5) go out and do the work. - To be redeemed by Messiah means that one accepts there is an afterlife (resurrection of the dead) with an associated reward for the faithful and punishment for the apostate.
The author labels these the "elementary teachings" of the Messianic covenant, and clearly assumes the reader already has an understanding of these doctrines.
In verses 4-6 the writer is NOT addressing Armenianism vs. Calvinism, as is supposed by many Christians; rather the author is reiterating that, once one has experienced redemption by the blood of Messiah, to turn back again to the sacrificial system of the temple with its inherit inability to atone for sin completely, is not only a waste of time, but puts one's position in Messiah at risk, since the implication of such an act is that Yeshua's once and for all sacrifice is somehow not sufficient.
I note here that not all (in fact, not many) of the Temple sacrifices were intended for the remission of sin; but Yeshua covers ALL of the purposes of the sacrificial system in that 1) He atones for sin 2) He opens the way for us to approach the Father, and be heard 3) He becomes the intermediary of an ongoing relationship between his brothers and sisters and his Father. So, while offerings may still be appropriate, the need for sacrifices is satisfied once and for all, and it is important to know the difference.
Chapter 7 reinforces the connection to Melchizadek and compares the presentation of Melchizadek in Genesis with the circumstances of the life of Yeshua, illuminating the similarities and reinforcing Yeshua's rightful claim to the titles of High Priest and King. This chapter then goes on in verses 11 and 12 to reinforce that the Priesthood and sacrificial ceremonies of the Torah have been "transformed" by the advent of the Messiah. It is important to note here that the wording does not indicate an "overturning" of Torah, but rather an "updating" of Torah in the sense that some parts are now completed; but the structure remains, the purpose remains, the importance of using Torah as a yardstick of righteousness remains, even while recognizing that "definition" does not have the power to "deliver." Torah shows us we are sinful; Yeshua makes a way out of our sinful state, and presents us with the opportunity to be conformed to the image God intends for us - an image which includes perfect obedience to Torah, as modeled by Yeshua. The rest of the chapter develops these themes and concludes once again that Yeshua is Prophet of prophets, High Priest of high priests, King of kings, Lord of lords.
Chapter 8 reinforces that, even though the priesthood and the sacrificial system are being transformed, Torah remains as the very expression of the nature and character of God - and the definition of righteousness. The author makes the case in verses 6-13 that this "new covenant" is in keeping with God's progressive revelation, and is not replacing Torah, but rather making Torah more explicit; the new covenant of the Messiah adds detail and richness to the Torah that was not previously revealed. This chapter also draws one to the inexorable conclusion that if one considers oneself a "Torah observant Jew" then one must accept this "New Covenant" as part of the Torah one is keeping. But the purposes of Torah, and the promises of Torah, remain inviolate. The Torah is eternal; God said so Himself, and He cannot lie.
Chapters 9 and 10 present a picture of the earthly Tabernacle, assure us that the earthly Tabernacle was but a shadow of the "real", heavenly Tabernacle, and then tell us an important truth: whereas only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, Yeshua has made it possible for all of the redeemed to enter the Most Holy Place, as often as we choose. When Yeshua died, the veil in the temple was torn in two - a physical act representing a spiritual reality - the way into the Holy of Holies is now opened by the blood of Yeshua. Chapter 10 ends with a great encouragement - "we are not the kind who shrink back!"
Chapter 11, the faith chapter, is a great encouragement to all believers. Never, never, never give up! The author holds up many examples, from the famous to the virtually unknown, from every walk of life (including a harlot!) to say to us "You can do this! If you fall down, repent, get back up, and keep on walking!"
Chapter 12 encourages us to use the information and encouragement of chapter 11, apply it to our own lives, and be assured that if we persevere, we will win the prize of eternal life - we will obtain the final, eternal shalom that God intends for his children.
Chapter 13 is like a cool down after a vigorous workout; some further gentle admonitions and encouragements, some personal information, and a closing blessing. Take a deep breath.
So, what does all of this say to me, in a nutshell?
- Jews need Yeshua - they need to acknowledge the New [Messianic] Covenant is just as much a part of God's will and God's Word as the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants - and in fact, is the natural progression of these covenants.
- Gentile believers need to acknowledge that the Torah is really the only scripture - the very Word of God, the instruction book given by the Creator. The Prophets and Writings of the Tanakh, and the writings of the Apostles, are really all just commentary and illumination, affirming and explaining and commenting on the Torah.
- Jewish and Gentile believers both need to recognize who and what Messiah is, and how he has impacted our perception of Torah. He is NOT the westernized, fair skinned, long haired, soft demi-god presented by modern "orthodox" Christianity. Neither is he the mystical incarnation of some "god consciousness" as presented in Jewish mysticism such as Kabbalah. He is the final realization of the High Priesthood, the final blood sacrifice. He is all that is needed. He does not do away with Torah, but makes a way that we can accept Torah without the inevitable death that disobedience to Torah carries. We are now free to enter into all the purpose and promise of Torah in its purest realization.
- Gentile believers need to recognize, as Paul said, that the value of being Jewish is great in every way; first because to them are entrusted the oracles of God. We need to respect, defend, and love the Jews, and the Jewish roots of our faith; we need to remember and be sensitive to the fact that we are grafted in - not to replace, but to grow along side the native branches.We need to be willing to learn from our Jewish brothers and sisters, just as they need to be willing to learn from us. The schism between us needs to be closed.
- Jews need to recognize their own purpose, that the oracles of God were entrusted to them, so that they in turn could share and explain the oracles to the rest of the world, leading the world into the "Owr" - the light of God. They need to acknowledge that God has made a way, a perfect way, for goyim to be added to the number of the righteous through the advent of Messiah; and the day is coming when we will be one company, one body, one community under God the Father. There will no longer be Jew or Gentile, slave or free, rich or poor in that day.
- Both Jew and Gentile believers need to recognize and acknowledge the shortcomings of their theology. Abominable things have been done to Jews in the name of Christ. Jews have allowed their Messiah to be hijacked and turned into something he was never meant to be, by people who were not raised with a true understanding of what Messiah is. "Christians" have made many false and slanderous claims against Jews, which are in direct contradiction to God's own statements about how He views His chosen people. Jews have come to view their relationship to God as something to be hoarded, rather than shared; or in some cases hidden, rather than exposed to the light. Jews need to "loosen up a little" and be willing to dialog - not with mainstream "Christianity", which represents virtually nothing of the Truth of God, but with individual Gentile believers who are willing to acknowledge the failures of a man made religion and who are hungry to return to a pure religion as established and defined by God. Jews need to be willing to reconsider, not the Christ of a decidedly anti-christ system, but the Yeshua of the Bible, Yeshua Ha Mashiach. Jews need to be willing to re-examine the accounts, historicity, and scriptural veracity of the claims of Yeshua and his Talmidim (Jewish disciples), and consider if, in fact, Yeshua is the Messiah promised by Moses and spoken of by the prophets.
- Now, more than ever, Jewish and Gentile believers need to return to the pure Word of God, lay down the teachings and traditions of men that have caused so much division, and prepare as one people for the arrival of our King.
Acknowledgements:
Stern, David H.: Jewish New Testmant Commentary; Jewish New Testament Publications, Clarksville MD. 2015
Christian Reflections on a Jewish Messiah - s'mikhah (James Prather) 2009.
Stern, David H.: The Complete Jewish Bible; Jewish New Testament Publications, Clarksville MD. 1998
New American Standard Bible; The Lockman Foundation. 1963
Calvinist-Armenian Controversy. Messianic Apologetics (quoted from Hebrews for the Practical Messianic) J.K. McKee, 2012
Wikipedia: Jacobus Armenius as of Feb. 27, 2017.
Calvinist-Armenian Controversy. Messianic Apologetics (quoted from Hebrews for the Practical Messianic) J.K. McKee, 2012
Wikipedia: Jacobus Armenius as of Feb. 27, 2017.
