Zion's Voice

Brit Hadashah Reflections      22    

Torah portion                Exodus 35 : 1 –40 : 38

Haftarah portion        Ezekiel 45 : 16 – 46 : 18

Brit Hadashah              Luke 3 : 1  - 4 : 44

 Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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Since our last reading, the text jumps a period of approximately 18 years. Luke is quite precise about the date. John the Baptizer, cousin of Yeshua, in response to the calling of Almighty God, began his powerful repentance ministry. He was absolutely fearless in his proclamation of the sin of the people of his day. In particular it was their neglect of the commands of Torah (which was a consistent theme of the ministry of Yeshua later), which included the care of the poor and disadvantaged, which caused his apparent anger at the situation.

Luke makes very clear that this message was in direct fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 52. I note that Isaiah said “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God”. That is an interesting prophecy. I think it has at least two possible interpretations. It is undoubtedly true that all will SEE the salvation of God, but I do not think that ALL will experience that salvation.

“Brood of Vipers” doesn’t seem to be a charitable phrase to use to people who come to be baptized does it? And yet, both Matthew and Luke record these words used by both John the Baptizer and Yeshua. Evidently, there was a discernment that these people were playing some kind of lip service, in a manner of ‘keeping up appearances’, when they presented themselves for baptism. Luke records the reaction of a small selection of those people. As we look at these groups of people, just see if you can recognize any who still might well be alive today!

“What shall we do then?” was the common question put to John. “If you have more than you need, and see someone without, share what you have” was the first response. The Tax gatherers were enriching themselves at the expense of the community. (brings visions of our politicians to my mind). “Collect what is necessary and no more” was John’s response. (He might have said ‘be careful with other people’s money’). Then to the soldiers who were harassing people and taking money to ‘go easy’ on them. “Don’t intimidate people and make false accusations. Be satisfied with your wages as they are”.

In each of these cases, John the Baptizer might have said “Live righteously, be honourable, and don’t take advantage of others”. It sounds easy, but today we could list dozens of examples where in our everyday lives we can recognize those who could be “spotted” for similar conduct. So the message of John is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. Just ponder that for a moment. Because John hadn’t finished. He proceeded to warn them, that the One coming after him would be even more thorough. “He is the One with a winnowing fan in His hand, and He will THOROUGHLY clean out the threshing floor, take the “wheat” into His barn, and the ‘chaff’ He will burn with unquenchable fire”.  Read Hebrews 10:31. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. And if any is unsure what that means, just read the verses of Scripture which precede it. John’s reward for his preaching was that he ended up in prison!

Salvation is NOT by works, but the way we choose to live our lives is a pretty good indicator of genuine repentance of past sin.

Our text then moves to the baptism of Yeshua, followed by a genealogy of His earthly ancestry. Chapter 4 begins with His wilderness sojourn during which He endured a quite appealing time of testing by Satan. It was ‘appealing’ because what He was offered was a shortcut to ‘glory’ which did not involve dying on a Roman cross. Dear friends, EVERYONE who repents of sin and turns to Yeshua is tested by Satan, and very often the temptation he offers us can appear quite appealing!  So we should take very careful note of the way Yeshua dealt with those tests. On each occasion, Yeshua directly, and accurately, quoted from the Scriptures. Learn from this how important it is for us to both read and study the Scriptures in order to equip ourselves for the challenging temptations which come our way. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”  Says the writer to the Hebrews.

We conclude our ‘reflection’ today with Yeshua back in His adopted ‘home’ of Capernaum. There He encountered a man, in the synagogue, who “had a spirit of an unclean demon”. The demon quickly recognized Yeshua as “the Holy One of God”. And he was terrified of Yeshua. A lesson for us here. Demon spirits (and they do exist) have little fear of you and me, but at the Name of Yeshua of Nazareth, they will run a ‘proverbial’ mile. In His Name, he gave power to His disciples to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. To receive that power dear friends requires repentance of sin and a close walk with the One of whom those spirits are terrified. His Name is Yeshua. (Salvation)         

Shabbat  Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections      21         

Torah portion                  Exodus 30 : 11  – 34 : 35

Haftarah portion          Ezekiel 36 : 16 – 38

Brit Hadashah                Luke 1 : 1  - 2 : 52

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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We begin our ‘reflections’ in the Gospel of Luke this week. It would be interesting to discover when this account was penned. Scholars have put this, together with “The Acts of the Apostles” (as a kind of two part series) as late as 80 – 90 C.E. I have a problem with that date in that two major events took place before that time, and neither is mentioned by Luke. Firstly, the destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. by Titus of Rome, and secondly, the death of his friend Paul. (Who also does not mention that destructive event, because he is believed to be have been condemned to death by decapitation by the Emperor Nero soon after the great fire of Rome in about 66 C.E.)

However, regardless of the date, both Luke and Acts, are dedicated to a person called Theophilus, of whom very little is known. But one suggestion which came to some prominence about 500 years ago is that he might well have been a righteous and influential Priest operating in the Temple in Jerusalem. Remembering that almost 30% of the Apostolic Scriptures is contained in these writings to Theophilus. And with the small exception of one passage in Matthew’s gospel, ALL the emphasis on “Alms and Almsgiving” is contained in these books. By the time they were written, the general Temple Priesthood had been corrupted, not the least because the High Priesthood was no longer hereditary, but because it had great wealth potential was sold to the highest bidder. Hence “Alms and Almsgiving” for the poor was an extremely low priority. But not for Luke!

Then right up front, Luke gives us the account of the appearance of an angel, Gabriel by name, to a righteous Priest called Zacharias. It is also possible that Luke’s detailed knowledge of these events may well have been because of a close friendship between these two upright and righteous Priests, Zacharias and Theophilus (but that is pure conjecture on my part).

Understanding the Hebraic nature of the gospels delivers one of the most interesting deductions which may be made out of this angelic appearance to Zacharias in regards to its timing. Based on the reasonable assumption that Elizabeth became pregnant with John the Baptizer very soon after Zacharias’ week of duty in the Temple was completed, it is easily deduced that our Master, Yeshua, would have been born at about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles the following year. Probably early September by our modern calendar. The clues to this (do your own research) are in Luke 1:5, 1 Chronicles 24:3 and 10, Luke 1:23 and 24, Luke 1:26. (Hint! Priestly service in the Temple was for one week at a time, by divisions, commencing at Passover.)

We are also told in chapter 2, regarding the birth of Yeshua in Bethlehem (Hebrew ‘Beit Lechem’ meaning House of Bread!)  that there was ‘no room at the inn’. If you have deduced from the last paragraph, as I have, that Yeshua was indeed born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the three ‘pilgrimage’ festivals when all males were required to attend Jerusalem for that eight day celebration, you will readily understand why there was no lodging available because of the vast crowds of visitors. (Bethlehem is a mere 5 miles from Jerusalem) Messianic believers would also know that it was, and STILL IS, the commandment of God to build “booths” called ‘Succahs’ as a temporary shelter during this festival as a reminder of the Israelites wilderness journey. Many conclude that the temporary dwelling of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem was, in fact, in one of those “booths”.

All of the above indicates the importance of a Hebraic understanding of the Scriptures to appreciate the message. Chapter 2 covers a lot of ground and many years with little comment. But we are told about two righteous people who knew the Scriptures and who had been anxiously awaiting the appearance of the Messiah. Firstly Simeon. His words of thanksgiving to the LORD are prophetically astounding. As he held the baby Yeshua in his arms he said “For my eyes have seen Your salvation (‘yeshua’ in Hebrew) which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”  Isn’t that amazing. Secondly, an elderly lady Anna, a prophetess who proclaimed the Messiahship of this baby to all those who faithfully worshipped in the Temple. Finally, we are given an account of the 12 year old Yeshua, having had His Bar-Mitzvah (otherwise He would have been not be allowed to speak in the Temple) not only reading, but teaching with authority in the Temple.

But Miriam, His mother watched this Child’s development with awe. As indeed do we.      

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections      20  

Torah portion               Exodus 27 : 20 – 30 : 10

Haftarah portion       1 Samuel 15 :2–34

Brit Hadashah             Mark 15 : 1 - 16 : 20

 Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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As we saw last week, the die was cast when Yeshua confessed that He is indeed the Son of the living God, YHWH. His appearance before Pontius Pilate was something of a formality. Yeshua was charged with blasphemy and sentenced to be crucified on a Roman cross. But, to his credit, Pilate made one final bid to release Yeshua. It was Roman custom to release one prisoner at the Feast of Passover. Those who sat on the Sanhedrin, stirred up the large crowd, and given the choice of releasing Yeshua or Bar Abbas, a convicted murderer, they chose the murderer. It sounds, and indeed is, a very sad commentary on human behaviour. But the mitigating factor in this story is that God was totally in control of the outcome.

Jews have, for all time since that event been taunted with the label of being “Christ killers”. Dear friends, make no mistake, this was the deliberate act of a holy God, providing for Himself the Lamb without blemish to be slain in sacrifice for our sin that we might draw close to Him in worship and praise. Mankind will NEVER understand the love that was extended to us on that awful, yet triumphant day. But throughout the ages there have been millions who have miraculously come to faith in Yeshua as a result. Praise God.

Understanding the very Hebraic nature of this event ought to quite naturally cause us to celebrate this mighty act of salvation at the time appointed by God for such celebration. Yet very few Christians do. How odd. It is the first annual “mo’ed” (appointed time) mentioned in Leviticus 23. It is the first of seven “mo’edim” (appointed times), which Almighty God described, not as Jewish Feasts as many Christians interpret them, but as MY FEASTS. In effect God is saying “I will be there to meet with those who come at MY appointed time”. There is great blessing available to all who celebrate that time, not the least because it is the remembrance of the act of our salvation. Of course, Jews remember the time when God saved them out of Egypt. Jews who have additionally come to faith in Yeshua have a double reason to celebrate don’t they?

How many of us would turn down an invitation to meet with some high ranking dignitary who specially invited us to an appointment? And yet millions of Christians do. Not once only, but SEVEN times every year.

Earlier, in Matthew 12:39, Yeshua had told the Pharisees that the only sign they would receive of His deity would be the sign of the prophet Jonah. That sign was about to unfold before their eyes.  As Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the fish, so Yeshua would be 3 days and 3 nights in the grave. And so it was. Many Christians have engaged in all sorts of date and day manipulation to try to get 3 days and 3 nights out of the time from Good Friday to Easter morning. Friends, it didn’t happen like that. When we understand the Hebraic nature of this event it all falls quite naturally into place.

Yeshua was put into the grave before the Sabbath. YES. But it was NOT the weekly Sabbath which is how Christians have mistakenly identified Good Friday as the day of Yeshua’s crucifixion. It was the Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is the day after Passover. (Please read  Leviticus 23: 5 – 7.) And He was resurrected from the grave immediately following the weekly Sabbath. Then the ladies discovered the empty tomb very early on Sunday morning. Thus completely fulfilling the sign of the prophet Jonah.

(I put it to you that Yeshua was crucified on a Wednesday afternoon, the next day being the Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday (3 days) and Wednesday night, Thursday night and Friday night (3 nights) in the grave. Resurrection took place on Saturday evening, immediately after sunset, which a Hebraic understanding will tell you was the first day of the week).

 We end our ‘reflections’ in Mark’s gospel, with the record of Yeshua’s ascent into the heavenly realm and “sat down at the right hand of God”.  (which is a bit of a problem for those of the Seventh Day Adventist Church who are erroneously taught about what they term ‘investigative judgment” following the stoning of Stephen).

There are at least twelve records in Scripture about Yeshua appearing to various ones after His resurrection and before His ascent into heaven. The Apostle Paul records (1 Corinthians 15:6) that He appeared to more than 500 persons at one time. And today, dear friends, He enters into conversation with any who approach Him in prayer. In my personal experience He talks to me directly through His written word. May god bless you as you engage with Him too.             

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections    19

Torah portion                   Exodus 25 : 1  – 27 : 19

Haftarah portion           1 Kings 5 : 26 – 6 : 13

Brit Hadashah                 Mark 13 : 1  - 14 : 72

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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Yeshua and His disciples left the Temple (after He had thrown out he traders as we discussed last week) and returned to the Mount of Olives, from where one is able to see the whole city of Jerusalem, including the Temple area. It is truly one of the most captivating sights in the world.

“Do you see these great buildings?” Yeshua said. “They are going to become a heap of rubble”. Wow!! Talk about a conversation stopper. The disciples were naturally curious about when it would be, but they certainly did not express any doubt that the Master might be mistaken. Then, carefully and clearly, Yeshua spelled out the programme of events which we refer to today as “the end times”. There are libraries of books and commentaries written on this subject, (much of it speculatory) and I do not feel that I can cover such a topic in this brief ‘reflection’. It is indeed a study in its own right. Sufficient to say that in reading carefully through Yeshua’s words, it is possible to conclude that we appear, at the very least, to be at the beginning of the end (and we might even be much closer to the end than most of us realize). For those who wish to delve into this topic, your study might well start in the book of Daniel, and will end in the Revelation of Yeshua given to the Apostle John.

As a matter of fact, the Temple was destroyed by Titus of Rome less than 40 years after Yeshua’s prediction, and scholars have calculated that Jerusalem itself has been ‘laid waste’ about 17 times during all its history.

Yeshua had entered the city in great triumph and with much adulation in last week’s reading. But, the Scribes and Pharisees, with the active encouragement of the Chief Priest sought, by trickery, how they could get rid of Him once and for all time. But they were conscious that with Passover just two days away, and with Jerusalem crowded by visitors for the festival, there could be an uproar if they moved too quickly. However, what they could not control was the fact (as we know from history) that this was precisely “God’s appointed time” to transact the final sacrifice by which mankind, forever afterwards, could draw close to Himself. They could not possibly have known, that what they conceived as an evil act of murder, was, in truth, the way in which God Himself voluntarily provided the gracious means of salvation for a sinful people.

There are just two observations to be made as we read the rest of this chapter of Mark’s gospel. Passover is the first of the annual Hebraic ‘feasts’ called “mo’edim” in Hebrew (‘appointed times’ in English) which are specified in Leviticus 23.  It is a perpetual remembrance of the time when God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. A lamb without blemish was killed and its blood was painted on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. On this occasion, exactly to the timing God had specified, Yeshua became the voluntary Passover Lamb, and through the sacrifice of His blood, forever afterwards, those who metaphorically paint that blood on the doorposts  and lintels of their life receive salvation from the ‘slavery’ to sin by which we are bound.

The second observation, which emphasizes the voluntary nature of Yeshua’s sacrifice, is gained by an understanding of the ‘hebraic’ nature of the encounter Yeshua had with Caiaphas the High Priest. The story is well known. Yeshua was silent during most of His interrogation, but there came a moment when He spoke. And for that He was condemned.

Now we need to understand some of the commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures to grasp the significance of this encounter. Firstly, Leviticus 21 :10 has a specific instruction for the High Priest that he is not to tear his clothes, in particular referring to the holy Priestly Garments. Secondly, Leviticus 5 : 1 specifies the guilt consequences for any person, who put under oath to speak, does not do so.

In the first matter, of course, the High Priest violated that instruction by tearing his garment, and in so doing rendered himself ineligible to enact the Priestly function of slaughtering the Passover Lamb. In the second matter, Yeshua fulfilled that commandment by confirming His identity as the Son of God, In so doing, He ‘signed His own death warrant’, and fulfilled the absolute requirement of the Passover Lamb, which was to be completely ‘without blemish’. Perfect in accordance with the Torah instruction. At the same time, establishing Himself as “The Great High Priest” who sacrificed Himself, the Lamb without blemish, at that Passover.  Hallelujah, what a Saviour.

Be blessed as you study the depths contained in this portion of Scripture. Share that which God reveals to you with someone you love. 

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections   18         

Torah portion                  Exodus 21 : 1  – 24 : 18

Haftarah portion           2 Kings 12 : 1 – 17

Brit Hadashah                 Mark 11 : 1  - 12 : 44

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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Yeshua begins the last week of His life on earth in triumphant fashion. The people recognized that He was their Messiah. “Hosannah! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” was their joyful proclamation. How could they have been so sure? Because here He was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, EXACTLY as Messiah was prophesied to come by the prophet Zechariah 500 years earlier. (Read Zechariah 9:9.)

This would be the turning point, hundreds of years of oppressive occupation by foreigners was about to come to an end! Their joy almost palpable. “Our Messiah has come to set us free. Hallelujah.” One can hear them shout. Anyone who has visited Israel will readily picture the scene. The walk down the hill from the Mount of Olives and into the Old City through the Lions Gate is a ‘must do’ tourist experience. The Temple on your left, and the Antonio Fortress slightly to the right. The Apostle Mark records that Yeshua had a good look around ‘at all things’, and then went back up the hill to Bethany on the Mount of Olives.

The next day, Yeshua returned to the Old City, but shock! horror! instead of turning right to clear out the Romans from their base in the Antonio Fortress, He turned LEFT, into the Temple courts and cleared out the traders who had set up shop there. The Temple had been turned into a place of business. (It is not too much of a stretch to see some parallels in some of our church structures today is it?)

Christians are apt to miss the decidedly ‘Hebraic” nature of the charge laid by Yeshua at this Temple scene. We all know the charge, but not its origin. “A house of prayer for all nations” is actually a conditional promise contained in Isaiah 56. Read the first 6 and ½ verses and the condition is clearly set out. It is for those who “keep the Sabbath”, a key covenant promise made by the Israelites. The “den of thieves” reference is a quotation from Jeremiah 7. Read the whole chapter. To put this into a modern context, Yeshua is effectively saying “Do you think you can do all the religious stuff, say the right words, go to church every week, and by that get a licence to live just as you please?”  Then He says, “remember Shiloh”. (Read the account of that in 1 Samuel 4, wherein the Israelites misused the Ark of the Covenant and lost it to the Philistines as a result.)

So Yeshua gave them a sermon in just those two phrases. And it is a sermon from which there is much to be learned even today for any willing to take note. And there is MORE.

Mark chapter 12 declares the parable of the owner of a vineyard who, when He had completed it and made it fruitful and profitable leased it to some tenant vinedressers. The parable is full of meaning for every age of mankind. The servants who were sent to gather some of the produce were rejected and killed. There were many of them over a period of time. They are interpreted as being analogous to the many prophets and leaders who have been sent, to the Israelites, and by extension to all of humanity, over the centuries, their deeds and warnings documented in Scripture for our understanding.  Then, because we know the end of the story, Yeshua makes reference to Himself, the Son of the Owner of the vineyard. He knows that He is shortly to be rejected and killed. He is the “stone which the builders rejected, and is now the chief cornerstone”. That on which the whole ‘building’ is erected and stands firm. That which we know today as “the church”. Not ‘a church’ but “the church”.

Then at the end of our reading, Yeshua again speaks a warning and condemnation of those who found themselves in positions of authority, leaders of the assemblies. They dress the part, they speak the right words, they are always found in the best seats, are found mixing with the ‘important’ people in the community. Does any of that strike a chord?

He completed the picture by contrasting the plight of the poor widow (and make no mistake, in their community a widow would be poor, which is why so much emphasis in ‘living righteously’ was put on caring for ‘widows and orphans.) who out of her poverty, gave so much, and which was used to support the lifestyle of the leaders.

Yeshua did not mince His words. He still doesn’t. All throughout the Scriptures we are told that when we belong to Him, we are required to show that relationship in the way we live our lives. It is not a self-seeking or self-indulgent lifestyle. It is a life of service, in another place described by the Apostle Paul as a ‘life of slavery’ to Yeshua. So much for the teachers of the ‘prosperity gospel’.        

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections    17

Torah portion                    Exodus 18 : 1  – 20 : 23

Haftarah portion            Isaiah 6 : 1 – 7 : 6 and 9 : 5 – 7

Brit Hadashah                  Mark 9 : 1  - 10 : 52

 Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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Yeshua took Peter, James and John with him to a ‘high mountain’. It is traditionally thought this to be Mt. Tabor, a few miles east of Nazareth. But the site of the ‘confession of Peter’ which we discussed last week is in Banias, in Northern Galilee. That is much closer to a higher mountain, Mount Hermon. However, the site is immaterial to the event. Yeshua’s appearance was visibly changed to a brighter than bright whiteness. He glowed. Not only that, but two other men, identified as Moses and Elijah, appeared there on the mountain in conversation with Yeshua. Wow!!

My Bible describes the disciples as ‘greatly afraid’. I think we can all identify with that can’t we? It was an amazing spectacle to be sure. I have no idea how these men recognized Moses and Elijah, whom they had certainly never met. Maybe Yeshua introduced them. What we do know is that neither of them had an earthly burial place. In fact, Elijah did not die a natural death, he was transported into heaven, and Moses, even though he had a ‘normal’ death, where he was buried is a “God secret”.

The other thing we know is that both Moses and Elijah had very high standing in the eyes of the disciples (in fact in the eyes of all Jews). Moses is forever identified as God’s messenger in leading the Israelites out of Egypt, and subsequently bringing ‘Torah’, and Elijah was known to them as the “prince” of prophets, not least because of the way he faced down the 400 prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel. And now, before their very eyes they see their Master, Yeshua, in conversation with these giants of their faith. IF they needed any proof of Yeshua’s identity, here they see Him in close company with Moses and Elijah. But there was more. The VOICE. “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him.”

Talk about a ‘life changing’ experience! It is hard to imagine anything to compare with what they witnessed.  But they had questions. “Why do the scribes say Elijah must come first?”  Yeshua told them, not only must Elijah come first, but he has already come! He spoke of His cousin, John the Baptizer. There are a number of reasons why. From the Hebrew Scriptures we know that they dressed alike (2 Kings 1:8 and Matt 3:4). We know that they preached a similar message (Malachi 4:5,6 and Luke 1:17) Both of them had very high profile enemies (1 Kings 18:17 and Matthew 14:3). Some may point out that in John 1:21, John flatly denied that he was Elijah, but this may be explained because there was a belief that because Elijah had never actually died, that he was still around roaming the earth. John’s denial was that he was NOT the ACTUAL Elijah who had been transported into heaven many years earlier.

Later, when the three had returned to the where the crowds were gathered, they were confronted by a discussion about the failure of the disciples to exorcize a particularly nasty demon from a man who had suffered the agony from childhood of being rendered deaf, dumb and smitten with uncontrollable fits. To my mind there are two notable features of this healing. The first is the action and words of the distraught father of the man. He had the faith to bring his son to Yeshua. But he said “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”  Yeshua’s response, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes”. Sounds so easy doesn’t it? With tears of pleading the distraught father said words which so many of us need to learn. “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!”  I think the father was saying “I’m doing my best, I’m doing all I know to do, but I still need help, I need Your healing touch too.”

Maybe, as some evidence of this, we find Yeshua travelling south again, with His disciples. During the journey, He told them about His impending death and resurrection. They clearly did not understand this, but were afraid to ask Him any more details. What they did discuss however, and evidently with some disputation was what their ‘pecking order’ would be after the announced death of the Master. How human is that?

But Yeshua, discerning their hearts, called them together and said more words that need to be burned into our spirit as followers of Him. It is plain and unequivocal. “If you desire to be FIRST, then take your position as last of all, and servant of all”.  Friends, we have generated a hierarchical structure of authority within our modern day churches which is diametrically opposed to that statement. We have adopted the hierarchical business model with high sounding names, adding words like “senior” and “chief” to Biblical ministries which were intended to be ‘servant ministries”. Dare I say it?  We would do well to abandon the “greek” and put on the “Hebraic”.                    

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections      16        

Torah portion               Exodus 13 : 17  – 17 : 16

Haftarah portion       Judges 4 : 4 – 5 :31

Brit Hadashah             Mark 7 : 1  - 8 : 38

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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Another challenge from the Pharisees! Yeshua’s disciples eating bread without washing their hands in the Pharasaically prescribed manner.

This is where an understanding of the “Hebraic” mindset is so vitally important to understand the message. Whilst it is hygienically advisable, it is not halachicaly prescribed that hands be washed before eating. It is part of Rabbinic tradition, but not part of Torah instruction.

Yeshua meets the challenge head on. He promptly reminds them of other ‘traditions’ which they observe which are not only Torah commanded, to respect, honour and support parents, but which they had circumvented by their tradition. Namely “Corban”. A ‘device’ by which they say that the benefit which would ordinarily accrue to parent support, is given for Temple service, hence they become exempt from parent responsibility.

Then Yeshua launched into an explanation for the benefit of the multitude of folk who followed Him wherever He went. Regrettably, this explanation, whilst perfectly clear to the Jews being addressed, has been used by gentile Christians to abrogate the Deuteronomy 14 dietary commandments of Torah.

Get your mind into gear! The explanation is quite simple. First and foremost, the audience was 100% Jewish. They were familiar with, and observant of, the Torah commands of Kashrut. All of them. So when He says “There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him”, He was specifically referring to the eating with unwashed hands, which was the complaint raised by the Pharisees. He goes further “but the things which come out of him, those are the things which defile a man”. A very pointed reference to the teachings of the Pharisees about the circumnavigation of the Torah with manmade traditions.

Then in expansive explanation “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man”. None of these things have any relationship to the intake of food. The reference in verse 19 regarding the “purifying all foods” is universally understood to be a reference to the function of the human dietary system wherein the goodness of food is absorbed and the ‘unclean’ or residue of food is purged. It has NOTHING to do with the ‘laws’ of Kashrut.

The healing of the Syro-Phoenecian girl is noteworthy. This event in Matthews gospel draws a comment from Yeshua about His earthly mission, which He said was ONLY to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel”. But it gives us an example of the widespread effect of Yeshua’s earthly ministry that even at this very early stage, non-Jewish people were exercising immense faith in Him, and received amazing blessing as a result.

Chapter 8 continues with Yeshua’s healing miracles, but also contains the account of an important dialogue between Yeshua and His disciples. His question was simple. “Who do men say that I am?”  It was a reasonable question because we have read a number of times that where people did recognize His identity He quickly charged them to tell no-one.

They proffered many answers to the question. Some say “this”, some say “that”. In fact there appeared to be many “opinions” regarding Yeshua’s real identity. It seems likely that not much has changed has it? “He was ‘a good man’”. “He was a prophet”. “He was ‘whatever’”, we might hear today.

But then, in my mind’s eye, I can imagine Yeshua looking intently at those close disciples. “But who do you say that I am?”

It is a burning question. It required an answer. It still does. Mark records Peter’s response as both short and direct. “You are the Christ”. (a Greek translation of the Hebrew word ‘meshiach’ into ‘cristos’ and then English). “You are ‘the anointed One’”. Immediately, Yeshua instructed them to tell no-one about His identity. Why? I believe the reason is that just as Yeshua told Peter (recorded in Matthew’s gospel) that this revelation was of God Himself, and upon that confession of revelation Yeshua would build His church. So today, the identity of Yeshua is revealed by God, through the agency of His Holy Spirit, directly to each individual who is to be part of His Church. Not ‘the church’, His Church.  And how do we know when we are members of His Church?   Read Mark 8 : 34 – 38, Yeshua’s own words describing that membership.      

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections   15         

Torah portion               Exodus 10 : 1  – 13 : 16

Haftarah portion       Jeremiah 46 : 13 – 28

Brit Hadashah             Mark 5 : 1  - 6 : 56

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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The Scripture passage this week has many accounts of the healing power which was exercised by Yeshau and His disciples. The first example being the demon possessed man from the Gerasene region on the Eastern side of Lake Genneseret. Gentile territory.

Everyone knows the gist of the story, but there is more to the detail than is obvious to Christian eyes. We are not told specifically why Yeshua chose to visit this area, but we know the result. The “Hebraic” mind sees this incident awash with ‘uncleanness’. The poor man was possessed by an ‘unclean’ spirit (in fact a legion of many spirits). He was found inhabiting an ‘unclean’ place where the dead were buried. (Those who have visited Jerusalem will know that the closed up Eastern Gate of the Temple was ‘guarded’ by the Ottoman Moslem occupants of Jerusalem by a vast cemetery, which remains to this day, because they argued that the Jewish Messiah would not defile Himself by passing through a cemetery on His prophesied return through that Eastern Gate).  When the man was released from the bondage of those alien spirits, they found refuge in the 2,000 strong herd of ‘unclean’ animals, who promptly died when they went over a precipice into the water below.

The ‘Hebraic’ mindset, familiar as it was with ritual uncleanness, would not venture within a mile of this poor man without significant religious consequence. Yet, it appears almost as if Yeshua sought him out, as if to make a special point to those who witnessed the miracle.

The good news of this event is that the man returned to his home clean and in his right mind, speaking in all the mainly pagan region known as the Decapolis (today’s Jordan) about his healing experience. One might think that the local people, having seen the miracle, would bring their sick to Yeshua for healing. But they pleaded with Him to leave the district. Someone once uncharitably commented that somewhat like today, there are many who would rather have their pigs than their Saviour. So Yeshua promptly returned to the other side of the Lake where He was greeted by a multitude who were enthusiastic to see Him back again.

There is a lesson here for us. I have heard evangelists say that Yeshua is ‘pleading with us to accept Him as our Saviour’. He is the Son of the Living God. He offers us the gift of salvation, bought with His own blood. We are drawn to Him by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. The ‘pleading’ should surely be ours, not His. I am confident in saying that no-one is pressed into that position by Him. In our story, He was asked to leave. And He did. It is not God’s wish that any should perish, but if that is our choice, He moves on. Ponder that thought as you read it in this passage of Scripture.

The healing ministry continued. The 12 year old daughter of Jairus, a ruler in the synagogue community, raised from death to life.  The lady with a twelve year history of ritual uncleanness due to the ‘issue of blood’, getting worse each day.  One can only marvel at the immense faith of this desperate lady (do not minimize the devastating effect of her condition on her social and community life).  But she reached out and ‘touched’ the hem of His garment (probably a Tzitzit, the prayer shawl worn by observant Jews). Read the dialogue which took place between Yeshua and His disciples.

And all the while, the religious Pharisees, as we learned last week, attributing such miracles to Satan and in so doing, “blaspheming against the Holy Spirit”. O how careful we should be today to give glory to God for His marvellous works.

Our reading continues with the account of the vengeful death of John the Baptizer. Yeshua and His disciples were heartbroken. “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” He said. So they took a boat and moved to a quiet part of the shore around the Lake. But the multitude of followers guessed where they would go and ran around the Lake (Those who have visited Israel would know that it is relatively easy country to walk around in Northern Galilee).

With great compassion, Yeshua taught the people ‘many things’. But it got late and there was nowhere to buy food. This is where the Scriptures tell us about the 5,000 men who were present. There would have been many women and children present too. The multiplication of the five loaves and two small fish is another “Sunday School” favourite. And finally, we are told about Yeshua’s command of the wind and the waves. What a mighty Saviour we have.           

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections     14

Torah portion                   Exodus 6 : 2  – 9 : 35

Haftarah portion           Isaiah 66 : 1 – 24 :13

Brit Hadashah                 Mark 3 : 1  - 4 : 41

 Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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We ended last week with Yeshua declaring Himself Lord of the Sabbath. In our day, a most “Hebraic” pronouncement. This week’s reading finds Yeshua again attending the synagogue on the Sabbath. Surely anyone can see that Yeshua was as Jewish as it is possible to be, and yet some appear to have difficulty accepting His Judaism. In these early chapters of Mark’s gospel we find Yeshua emphasizing, by healing, His Messianic credentials, and at the same time ‘rattling the cages’ of the religious community by challenging their practice of putting great high fences around the Torah. Sabbath observance is a foundation stone of Judaism, but man-made restrictions regarding these observances are, to many of us, quite ‘over the top’.

I distinguish between Pharasaic Judaism, with its strict man-made rules of observance, and Messianic Judaism, which recognizes Yeshua as Messiah, which I believe was the Apostle Paul’s conversion experience on the Damascus Road. (Acts 9). And which I believe should be embraced by all who claim to love Him. (Read John 14:15 and John 15  for a refresher).

So Yeshua healed the man with the ‘withered hand’, taught in the open air to many thousands of His disciples on the shores of Lake Kenneret, and then went to quiet place, a local mountain, and called to Himself those 12 men in whom He could see the right spirit and attitude ‘that He might send them out to preach’. He chose those 12 men to be His close disciples. These men were entrusted with the “power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons”. But this ‘power’ was to bring glory to God, not for self-aggrandisement or self-enrichment. I cannot help but compare the situation today, where the exercise of such power, when evident, is most often attributed to the person exhibiting that power. It causes difficulty for that person to remain walking “humbly before his God” doesn’t it?

The Scribes and Pharisees present had witnessed Yeshua’s healing miracles. But they were so enraged by His evident association with healing and forgiving sins, a power which only God Himself could exercise (Isaiah 43:25 and Jeremiah 50:20), that they sought to “destroy Him”. They went further, by attributing His miraculous healings to the power of Satan. This drew from Yeshua, that often mis-understood saying “.. but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness ..”. Mark then qualifies this with the statement that it was because they had said “He has an unclean spirit”.

The situation was unique to that time. Yeshua Himself was present healing sicknesses. The Pharisees were present as eye-witnesses to those healings. And yet, they steadfastly and stubbornly resisted the evidence of His Messianic qualification. Many thousands of others did not. It was their total rejection of His identity as Messiah, coupled with their weak attempt to attribute the healings to Satan, which constituted their ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’.

The question arises “how, today, is the Holy Spirit blasphemed?” Bear in mind that we are dealing with an unforgivable act. There are plenty of people around praying for healing in Yeshua’s Name. There are many who boldly attempt to exercise the ‘gift of healing’. Well, there are at least two ways of ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’ which we learn from our reading today. Firstly, to attribute healing, when prayed in Yeshua’s Name, to Satan. Secondly, stubbornly rejecting the identity and person of Yeshua, when the Holy Spirit is present convicting us of the truth that He is the Son of God. Now I want to be crystal clear here. I have written a number of times in these ‘reflections’ that worship of God is what we DO, not what we say. So it is simply not good enough to merely assent with your mind that Yeshua is the Son of God (even the demons in our reading today said that). The Holy Spirit is blasphemed when we know the truth, but blatantly and stubbornly reject His call to follow Him. (Read John 14:15 and John 15 again).

Finally, it is noteworthy in our reading today that immediately following this, Yeshua changed tack. He began teaching the people by parables.

“And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.”

Be blessed again as we read this Scripture passage, asking the Lord to reveal truth to us that we might be careful not to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.                       

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Brit Hadashah Reflections   13         

Torah portion               Exodus 1 : 1 – 6 : 1

Haftarah portion       Isaiah 27 : 6 – 28 :13 and 29 : 22, 23

Brit Hadashah             Mark 1:1 - 2 : 28

Hebraic understanding of the Gospel of Yeshua

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The gospel of Mark is the shortest, and probably the first written, account we have of life in Israel when Yeshua walked this earth. Mark does not ‘beat about the bush’! He starts with “.. the gospel of Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God”. No qualification, no apology, no ambivalence, no ambiguity, ‘because I met Him, walked with Him, learned from Him and I was there when He left this earth and ascended to His Father in Heaven’, he might be saying.

Then he began his story, it’s like a ‘once upon a time’ opening. Having established that Messiah Yeshua is the subject, he takes a step back to tell us that John, Yeshua’s cousin, was the personal fulfilment of prophecies that indicate that the way would be prepared for Messiah. Look at Exodus 23:20, Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. (references which are made very convenient for us today, but at the time of Mark’s writings there were no chapter and verse divisions in the parchment scrolls of Scripture).

And what was the message of John as he ‘prepared the way’? Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. We may be tempted today to think of water baptism as a relatively modern invention of the church. But it is a practice which was instituted when God gave Torah, His instruction for righteous living, to Moses. It was a preparatory ritual of cleansing for those who were to appear before a holy God. And to understand the Hebraic tones of the gospels, we need to know what the sin is from which repentance is required. In our churches we are usually taught that ‘that sin’ is some personal misdeed or attitude. Well, that could be right, BUT, ‘the sin’ (‘chata’ a Hebrew word which means ‘to miss the mark’) which our Bibles teach, is the blatant neglect of “Torah”, God’s instructions. Yeshua taught that He was sent ‘only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’. (see Matthew 10 and Matthew 15). They were following what He called the ‘traditions of men’ rather than the Torah of God which was given to Moses. Hence they were ‘lost’.

Additionally, we are informed that as He was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum (now a well preserved and excavated tourist site in the Galilee), that those present were astonished at His teaching, because He taught with a freshness of insight, and with an authority of His own, not, as was commonly taught by other teachers, in the name of some previous Rabbi.

When Yeshua was confronted by the paralysed man let down through the roof of Peter’s house, obviously knowing why he was brought there by his friends, He chose to say “Son, your sins are forgiven you”. Now the religious men there, familiar with the Scriptures, knew that this was an act of God alone (see Isaiah 43:25 and Jeremiah 50:20). So, to them, this appeared as a blasphemous statement. Then Yeshua, discerning their thoughts, addressed the paralytic man, “.. arise, take up your bed and go to your (own) house”. Clearly illustrating His credentials as both healer and forgiver of sins. God Himself in a human body.

Then follows the calling, as a disciple, the hated tax gatherer Matthew, called Levi in Mark’s gospel, and had a meal with him and other tax collectors. Bringing from Yeshua His famous remark “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. Tax gatherers were a hated clan, their very occupation requiring them to be official thieves and robbers. And as servants of the Roman rulers, even more despised. Yeshua’s words in Mark 2: 21,22 give us an insight into His motivation for selecting as his disciples men who had no ‘religious’ baggage. The ‘new wine’ is the revelation of Himself, His person, His identity, His calling, His mission. The Scriptures are full of clues and references to His coming, both then, and on a future occasion. Many of them, and many of us, are blinded by the ‘religious’ teaching we have received, so that we cannot recognize Him as He is, and what His requirement is of us. I have said in previous ‘reflections’ that we worship God in what we do, not in what we say. It is how we live our lives, not in what we say we believe. Yeshua called these fishermen and tax collectors to Himself and they were immediately transformed from a previous lifestyle to a new lifestyle, it showed. It is quite “Hebraic” in its outworking. It’s a doing thing.

Our reading concludes with an unequivocal reference to the Sabbath Day. The fourth commandment says “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (set apart)”. Yeshua says He is the Lord of the Sabbath, and that the Sabbath was made for man, for man’s benefit and delight, for man’s rest and pleasure. Enjoy it in His company.    

Shabbat Shalom

RS