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Beginner’s Torah Lesson #6: How the "Church" went Wrong! Greek Dualism verses Hebrew UnityBy Rabbi Edward Levi Nydle- B’nai Avraham
"But YOU, speak what is fitting for sound teaching." Titus 2:1 This is the sixth Beginners Torah Study and may be the most in-depth lesson I have presented to Messianic Yisrael. I pray you will study it with an open heart and mind to gain an understanding of the Hebraic mind-set. I have tried to provide enough Scripture and resource documentation to support what this teaching is presenting to the student of the Torah. One of the biggest challenges we have faced in proclaiming the Two House Truth is that fact that "Christians’ as a whole are totally ignorant of "church" history and the major players in the reinterpretation game played with the Hebrew TaNaK and the Brit Chadasha (REnewed Covenant NOT NEW! See Yirmeyahu 31:31). They have no knowledge of the influence of the Greek philosophical schools and the Hellenists on the Yahudim and the early "church fathers". They think "Christians" have always believed and viewed the Scriptures as they do today. This lesson’s purpose is to expose the influence of the Greek-mindset on the "church fathers". How then did the "church" go wrong in its interpretation of the Scriptures that resulted in the severing of the TRUE FAITH from its Hebraic roots? Why has it corrupted the ancient belief that our Rebbe Yahshua and His talmidim taught to Yisrael? What is the difference between Greek thought and Hebraic thought? How has it effected our thinking and our interpretation of the Scriptures? I hope to help you as the student of Torah answer this dilemma with this teaching from the Scriptures and other sources of historical importance. Rav Shaul instructed his student Timothy, "But you, stay in what you learned and trusted, having known from whom you have learned, and that from a babe you have known the Set-Apart Scriptures (the Torah), which are able to make you wise for deliverance (salvation) through belief in Moshiach Yahshua." 2 Tim.3: 14-15. Rav Shaul also admonished Timothy to entrust the words he had learned and heard to men who were competent to teach the Torah-2 Tim.2: 2, " And what you have heard from me among many witnesses, ENTRUST these to TRUSTWORTHY men who shall be competent to teach others as well." This is a pure rabbinical practice to pass the teachings you have received and learned from your Master or rabbi on to your personal students. This is exactly what our Rebbe Yahshua HaMoshiach did with His 12 talmidim. He spent time with them in order to correctly impart His Torah and halakah to them as His disciples or students.
We know from Scripture that Timothy ‘s father was a Greek and his mother was from Yahudah. He had been taught the Torah in his home from a youthful age, as the Brit Chadasha did not exist at that time. Rav Shaul, knowing full well that Moshiach had come, still gave Timothy the charge or instruction to impart to future generations of Yahshua’s talmidim sound Torah doctrine and teachings. This means Timothy, as Rav Shaul’s student would teach them from the Hebraic mind-set of the Torah and the fathers. He was not to teach any doctrines contrary to what He learned in the Torah of Yahweh. Over the last 2000 years, what has been called the "church" left the original Yisraelite Olive Tree and cut itself off from the Semitic culture that was prevalent in the ekklesia of Yahshua from the beginning. Rav Shaul tells us this is because of UNBELIEF (Romans 11:17-24). The so-called "church fathers" did not heed the exhortation that Rav Shaul gave to Timothy to continue in what they had learned from the beginning which was the Torah taught in the context of Hebraic thought. The Believers in Yahshua as the Moshiach became more and more Hellenized and were led away by strange teachings (see Ivrim-Hebrews 13:9) as Greek thought crept into the congregations. A Greek spirit entered into the Body of Moshiach and the result was the birth of heretical teachings based upon Greek philosophical teaching rather than the Torah of Yahweh. That fact they left the Hebraic thought patterns and the Torah left them vulnerable to these doctrines of demons and anti-Torah theology of the Greeks. When the Body of Moshiach (Yisrael) left its roots, then a new religion "Christianity" was birthed out of the womb of Greek thought and culture. It became a religion separate from the Torah based belief of Yahshua and the original Good News proclaimed by His talmidim. It was a religion ABOUT Yahshua, but not the religion OF Yahshua! Rav Shaul gave many warnings to the congregations that this would happen:
Because we have not heeded Rav Shaul’s warnings in the Scriptures we are still reaping the harvest of that separation (Gal.6: 7-8) from the Olive Tree of Yisrael and the Torah. We are now faced with the dilemma of people are trying to read and understand a Hebraic book through Greek culture and thought. This Greek viewpoint is so entrenched in the minds of people that unless we pull out the ROOT, it will continue to bear fruit and reproduce tares among the wheat (Matt.13: 24-30).
The tragic result has been a "spiritual schizophrenia" in the Body of Moshiach.There is an unholy MIXTURE (shatnetz) of trying to combine the Greek and Hebraic thought patterns into one "new" religion (see my article "Garment of the Soul" at www.bnaiavraham.net). There are three main areas that need immediate correction in order for the Body to return to the true faith once delivered to the set-apart ones by the TRUE FATHERS OF THE FAITH- THE TALMIDIM OF REBBE YAHSHUA HAMOSHIACH (Yehudah-Jude 3). ECHAD not Dualism First, we must begin to view ourselves in terms of a total unity or ECHAD. Greek thinking is dualistic in nature. It comes from the Greek philosophers like Plato. Platonism believes in a duality of worlds: the material and the immmaterial, spiritual world. It views this material world as inferior to the immaterial and therefore it is evil and corrupted.
Plato believed that the human soul had its origin in the heavens and therefore longed to return to that celestial realm called "heaven". The human soul needed a release from the body to be truly FREE.The two (body and soul) could never be reconciled in a total unit once again. The soul was viewed as set-apart while the body or material was corrupted and incapable of being reconciled to the purity of the soul. The body was viewed as a prison for the soul and salvation could not be experienced until the death of the body. The soul then escapes the body and flies away to heaven into the realm of the spirits to live forever in a life of bliss free from this evil and corrupt world. We must make careful note that the father of "Christian" thought, Origen, was an avid student of Plato in the Alexandrian school.
The Greek philosophy therefore influenced not only the early Believers in Yahshua through those from the nations (Ephraim), but also filtered into the assemblies through the Greek/Hellenistic Yahudim that came to belief in Yahshua as the Moshiach (Acts 6:1;Acts 9:29). Hellenists were Yahudites that spoke and lived culturally as GREEKS. We find that ANTINOMIANISM (opposition to the Torah) actually helped some "church fathers" believe in this dualistic thought of the Greeks.
Marcion was heavily influenced by the dualistic thinking of Plato and Gnosticism.He believed the world was created by an evil Demiurge (a term the Gnostics borrowed from Platonism) who was a "god" of battle and demanded bloody sacrifices of animals to satisfy his anger. Marcion believed this "god" was revealed in the pages of the TaNaK. He viewed the TaNaK as an inferior book and an antithesis of the "NEW TESTAMENT". He insisted the "NEW" revealed the true "god" in the "Christ" and was a "god" of love and mercy. Marcion exalted the writings of "Paul" and held that "Christians" were "free from the law". He was believed that the "church" was wrong in trying to combine "Christianity" with Judaism.He held one supreme goal in his thoughts and motives- to rid Christianity of TRACE of Judaism.He became the archenemy of the "Jew’s Elohim-Yahweh!" His doctrines are alive and well today in the Neo-Marcionism of the "church". See "The Ghost of Marcion" at www.yourarmstoisrael.org. So we can see how dualism brought about the concept we know today as the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament" as two different covenants or books that are irreducible. We view the "New" as superior and taking the place of the "Old". The Hebraic mind sees the Scriptures (the TaNaK and the Renewed Covenant) as ONE-ECHAD book given to Yisrael not a separate entity called the "church". The Brit Chadasha is a RENEWAL of the previous covenant made with BOTH Yahudah and the House of Yisrael (Ephraim) according to Yirmeyahu 31:31-40. Hebraic /Scriptural thought viewed the world as good, even though it was fallen and needed redemption, Yahweh, who called it good, had created it (Bereshith-Genesis 1:31). Therefore, Yahweh had created the world for man and for his good. This was to be his habitation or home. It was IN THE WORLD that man could fellowship, commune, worship, and serve Yahweh. There was no dualism to the Hebrew mind. The body and soul were ONE single unity, as were the material and immaterial worlds. The Yisraelite was called to serve Yahweh with his whole being which included his heart, soul, and might. It was within THIS world where he could obey and perform the mitzvot. He COULD have his body (flesh) obey his soul’s desire to please Yahweh by the Torah. Through the mitzvot he could develop and improve his soul as he performed the commands in obedience (Philippians 2:5-16). He could make an impact on his world IN THE NOW of life! To the Hebrew, through observance of the commandments in the Torah he would be involved in pulling the "spiritual" DOWN to the earth into the world of his work and social interaction, so that the pursuit of them no longer were a distraction to him in his pursuit of Yahweh, but it became a full part of them. This is the Scriptural pattern or tabnit. His pursuit of material goods and his social life was not to detract from his pursuit of Yahweh, but to be an integrated into that pursuit of spirituality. The Hebrew liturgy and Siddur would NOT have included the singing of the popular hymns such as –"I’ll fly away", "Heaven is sounding sweeter all the time"or "I got a mansion just over the hilltop" by the early Believers in Yahshua. This type of Platonic thinking was ridiculous and absurd and viewed as a cop-out to their responsibilities to serve Yahweh in the here and now. Their songbook was the Tehillim (Psalms). Their desires were not focused upon the future life, but learning how to serve Yahweh and their fellow man in the here and now with the knowledge they were accountable before Yahweh for their works done in His Name. Yahshua Himself told many parables about stewardship of what Yahweh had given you (Luke 12:42; 16:1-8). A steward (oikonomos Greek) was a manager, overseer, or administrator of a HOUSEHOLD or estate. This is exactly what Yahweh gave Adam over the earth at creation. The Tehillim tell of Yahweh as Melek (King) over ALL the earth but also the earth was given to man as a home and inheritance. This is the Hebraic tension in thinking. Romans tells us the culmination of the promise to our father Avraham was the WHOLE EARTH (Romans 4:13). He and his seed were to inherit it from Father Yahweh (Gal.3: 16-29). This is mind staggering to even comprehend! Two Heresies Dualistic Greek thought brought about the heresies of asceticism and Gnosticism. Asceticism is a life-style where all fleshly pleasures are to be forsaken as evil and appealing to the flesh. One must learn to restrain oneself from them and mortify the flesh according to this doctrine. There were man-made dietary restrictions, seclusion into monasteries, forfeiting of all possessions, vows of celibacy and silence, and other man-made doctrines (1 Tim.4: 1-5; Col.2: 8, 21). The Gnostics taught that one gained salvation in escaping the body by esoteric or hidden knowledge (it comes from the Greek word-gnosis, which means knowledge). They also practiced asceticism in order to flee the evils of the world. Both these ideas have their origins in Greek dualistic thought.
The Scriptural/Hebraic way of thinking teaches that physical pleasure is not the highest good or goal in the life of the Believer, BUT one should receive it in an attitude of thankfulness and gratefulness to Yahweh for His provision. We are to be careful not to let our possessions possess us nor are we to abuse them. They can become idols if they come between Yahweh and us. But the Scriptural solution is NOT asceticism and denial of all pleasures, but rather we are to dedicate all these to Yahweh and become good stewards over what He has blessed us with in this world. The Scriptures are very "worldly" oriented. Man is given a charge to establish civilization not escaping it. All things upon the earth come from Yahweh’s hands (Yeshayahu 44:24). We are accountable to our Creator for all He gives us to enjoy. We are to take the material world He created and set it apart for His use by using it to fulfill the mitzvot. Even our Rebbe Yahshua enjoyed the pleasures of Yahweh’s creation. He never called his talmidim to escape this world (Yochanan 17:15-19) but rather to be wise and faithful stewards who were accountable to Yahweh for their service to Him IN the world. Yahshua Himself was accused of being a drunkard and winebibber. Also, our Rebbe’s teachings and parables are full of the rich images of weddings, Feasts, farming, celebration, nature, family, and eating and drinking. These are all things that occupied the everyday life of the Yisraelite and common ideas that they could relate to rather than otherworldly teachings and concepts. Today’s Believers have become too focused on singing, teaching, and waiting for the land of heaven and the pleasures of the olam haba instead of focusing upon the importance of setting apart THIS world and their opportunity to bring esteem to Yahweh right now (1 Cor.6: 20). In this world we serve Yahweh with our whole being, even the body (see Romans chapter 6). We are to offer it up daily as an offering, as a priest before Yahweh (Romans 12:1-2). Whatever we do IN this world we are to bring esteem to Yahweh (1 Cor.10: 31). Since the body and soul were at enmity to one another according to Greek thought, then marriage and family were also viewed in a negative light. Marriage became an inferior way of live, thus ignoring Yahweh’s FIRST command to multiply and replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28; 2:18). The Scriptures clearly teach that marriage is set-apart, honorable, and undefiled (1 Tim.4: 3-4; Ivrim-Heb. 13:4). The book Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) is perhaps the most sensual book of the Scriptures celebrating the sexuality and human relationship of marriage as a type of Yahweh and his relationship with Yisrael.To the Hebrew mind celibacy was a form of paganism practiced by the goyim. We can see then how the ‘church fathers" views of marriage (Jerome, Augustine, Luther, and Thomas Aquinas) perverted the Scriptures to show marriage and family relations in a bad light. They established a priesthood that practiced celibacy. This also resulted in the Catholic doctrine concerning the Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity of Miriam, and her bodily assumption into heaven. The Gnostics called marriage, " a foul and polluted way of life"
Does this sound like Hebraic Torah thinking? How can the SEED of Avraham fill the earth if we all practiced celibacy and did not marry? How can Yahweh bring about all the prophecies concerning ALL Yisrael if they do not fill the earth with SEED? Why does the TaNaK always speak of children as a blessing from Yahweh (Tehillim 127:3; 128:3)?
Notice how the "church fathers" ascetic Greek doctrines of marriage and family are in complete opposition to the Torah and its teachings!
Hebraic thought must hold everything in a dynamic UNITY not dualistic thought. Because of the influence of the Greek Plato and other philosophers, our minds became entrenched in the twisted Greek dualistic doctrines. This ALL came about because of the "church" severing itself from the Olive Tree of Yisrael and Hebraic thought. The "I’ll Fly Away" Mentality
[NOTE: This section is not a meant as a refutation or put down of those who believe in the spirit going to heaven after death nor an affirmation of the soul sleep doctrine. There are good people on both sides of this non-salvation issue. This section is calling Messianic Yisrael back to a proper Hebraic/Scriptural balanced view of living a life focused here upon this earth, and serving Yahweh with all one’s heart, mind, and strength instead of gazing into the heavens Acts 1:10-11. Rabbi Ed] We must correct the mistake of focusing upon other-worldliness. This is called the false doctrine of otherworldly spirituality. Today’s "spiritual person" is pictured as always looking into the heavens and praying. They are so spiritual that they do not have time for "worldly pleasures" and relationships in the world. To be super spiritual in Western thought means to be life denying. They try to detach themselves from this world and transcend into a higher existence. They become totally consumed with "soul winning" and "ministry", so their loved-ones can "go to heaven". It is almost as if they are fire-insurance salesmen. Rather than really caring about people and their needs they look for another notch to put on their "gospel gun". Any activity that seeks to take care of the concerns of this world-the physical, material needs of other people is looked upon as non-spiritual and inferior to the spiritual work of the "ministry". They are also under the false Greek doctrine that "heaven" is to be their eternal home. Yet our Rebbe Yahshua HaMoshiach spent most of His time with people IN THE WORLD.Their needs moved Him with compassion to act on their behalf to ease their pain and suffering while pointing them to the Torah and the Father. He ministered to the sinners so much so the religious and pious said; And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and the sinners, they said to His taught ones, "Why does He eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Mark 2:16. This false assumption of being spiritual comes from the Greek concept and view of the psyche –psuche or "soul" and "spirit" or the dividing of the triunity of man. The Greeks viewed the soul as an immaterial, non-physical, immortal part of the person. They taught that the soul (not the spirit) was the immortal part of man. They always divided the person into spirit, soul, and body and did not view man as a whole BEING or unity. They taught at death the SOUL would leave the body and go to heaven. The Brit Chadasha never views salvation and full redemption apart from the bodily resurrection (Rom.8: 21-23). It speaks of the person as a whole UNIT that needs to be made whole again by having a bodily resurrection with the "spark of life" or ruach coming back into the body to quicken it (Yochanan 6:40;Rev.20: 5-6) thereby receiving salvation/healing/redemption for the whole body and soul. Scripturally man is viewed as a total ECHAD unity or a whole person with the spirit, soul, AND body as one "package".
Hebraic thought has the understanding that the "soul" is the BEING or person. People are viewed as a UNITY, a single UNIT- a whole person.
Yahweh’s plan is to have the WHOLE person as ONE UNITY preserved until Yahshua returns. In the resurrection we will be made WHOLE with complete redemption or salvation for the entire man. Only after the ruach comes back into a man is the soul and the body are "quickened or made alive again" (Romans 8:11). Then and only then do we experience true complete salvation or deliverance. The body MUST be included in the redemptive process in order for man to be a WHOLE UNIT in the plan of Yahweh. Our Rebbe Yahshua always spoke of healing of the body as making a person WHOLE (Matt.9: 21-22; 14:36; 15:28,31). This word is SOZO or various forms of the word meaning, " to save, deliver, make whole, preserve". Divine healing is a "flash forward" to experience a small foretaste of the resurrection. The damaged part is made "whole" or "saved" from sickness or disease in this world! The SOUL or BEING also needs "saved" by belief (Ivrim-Hebrews 10:39). The soul AND the body die and "sleep" until the ruach makes it alive again in the total redemption of the person (Yechezqel 18:4). The soul and body does not possess immortality until the resurrection (1 Timothy 6:16; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54; 1 Timothy 1:17) as the ruach reenters the BODY AND SOUL. A person is NOT a soul that inhabits a body. The soul or "being" stands for the person himself. The Torah teaches that man is an animated body rather than an incarnated soul. This is why I like the translation of The Scriptures by the ISR from South Africa. It uses the word BEING instead of "soul". In Hebrew a "living being" is nephesh chayyah. Mans soul is the vitality of his life-never a separate part of a man. The Hebrew word ruach means wind or breath (air in motion). It is Yahweh’s power that created and keeps all things (Yeshayahu 31:3; 40:7; Tehillim-Ps.33: 6; 104:29-30). Nephesh and Ruach carry the idea of ANIMATION and LIFE. The function of breath or wind is to bring alive or energize a whole person, his body, and soul (Acts 2:2). We can know understand why the Torah is "spiritual" as Rav Shaul taught (Romans 7: 12,14). It can quicken or make alive (Read Tehillim –Psalm 119:25,40,107,154,156,159;Romans 8:11) because it breathed on by the Ruach HaKodesh (2 Tim.3: 16) and it is actually alive! It was the Ruach blowing upon the bones of all Yisrael that began the process of bringing them together on Shavuot 33 CE. It is a partial fulfillment of Ezek.37.Yahweh’s Ruach is the "life-giving force" that quickens or revives His people Yisrael. Also, it is interesting to note that the Hebrew idiom "to know (YADAH) Yahweh" is NOT about having an intellectual knowledge of Him.Rather it means to experience in THIS LIFE UPON THE EARTH the real POWER and presence of Yahweh through His acts of compassion, love, and chesed. It is a knowing by experience, just as a husband and wife know each other by intimate contact with one another and becoming ONE. It is a revelation of Yahweh as Mosheh experienced in Shemot (Exodus) 34:1-7. So, to the Hebrew mind true spirituality was not to turn INWARD, but it meant to be fully human, fully alive, and empowered by Yahweh’s Ruach to serve Him and our neighbor through the Torah and the mitzvot by LOVING YAHWEH AND OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES. The Hebrews KNEW and experienced the reality of Yahweh IN their everyday experiences and by walking in obedience to His Torah.They affirmed creation by bringing and finding a sense of set-apartness in the here and now or what we call the material world. There was no separation of the set-apart and the "secular" areas of life. There was no DUALISM of worlds. Every aspect of life was to be set-apart to Yahweh. Work AND worship were both an expression of our life before Yahweh. We are to live in this world and yet use all of the creation in the instructive manner in which Yahweh has given us in His Torah (see Col.3: 23;Titus 1:15). We can look to the heavens and yet keep both feet on the ground! This TRUTH is reflected in the Scriptural manner of Hebraic blessing found in the Siddur (Prayer Book). We do not "bless things", as is the "Christian" practice. Things do not need to be blessed, as they were all created good. We as Messianic Yisrael BLESS YAHWEH THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE WHO HAS CREATED ALL THINGS! This is the pattern of our Rebbe Yahshua and the Torah (see Matt.26: 26;Luke 24:30;Deut.8: 10). Yahweh alone is worthy of blessing and praising for the good gifts that He gives us as Yisrael.The ancient Hebrews NEVER would have thought to bless the food and wine they ate and drank. It was a completely foreign (pagan) concept to them. Why would one imply the creation was bad or unholy when Yahweh declared it was good (Gen.1: 31). That is an insult to Him.To bless the gift rather than the GIVER of the gift is strange Hebraic theology. It suggests what Yahweh has declared clean is profane and must be blessed by a "magic" prayer that makes it set-apart. No, the Torah has already set it apart by declaring it clean and good. If the Torah sets it apart then we bless Yahweh Who gave us the food (1 Tim.4: 4-5). The practice of saying "grace" before a meal is a Greek dualistic thought that is saying that material things must be made "holy" by a special prayer. Thus, we have the Roman consecration of the Eucharist by the "priest" and the false doctrine of transubstantiation. We are told in the Torah to thank Yahweh AFTER we have eaten and are satisfied (Deut.8: 10). The Torah tells us to bless Yahweh for the good land which He has given Yisrael and its bounty He has provided by His chesed. NOTE: The first thing Yahweh set-apart in the Torah IS NOT A MATERIAL OBJECT, BUT IT WAS SPACE IN TIME-the Shabbat or 7th day (Gen.2: 3). Scriptural history is NOT about how Yisrael celebrated space, but the revelation of how they learned to set-apart TIME and events. In this WE AS YISRAEL CAN LEARN THE VERY PRESENCE OF YAHWEH IN OUR LIVES AND HIS QUICKENING POWER OF THE RUACH HAKODESH RIGHT HERE ON EARTH IN OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES AS WE LIVE OUT HIS TORAH THROUGH THE MITZVOT! True Deliverance (Salvation) During the time of the Middle Ages, the doctrine of salvation became centered on escape from this world. One was not truly "saved" until they left this world. The "good life" was looked upon one that one longed for escape from this mortal life and this world’s problems and pressures. If we look around today we can see this in the "church". Everything focuses on "the sweet by and by" and the joy that awaits them in "heaven". Unfortunately, their whole salvation experience is focused on some future life in the heavenly realms where they will be freed from this "sinful world". The word salvation was redefined in Greek terms to fit the dualistic system of thought within the "new religion of Christianity."
In contrast to this Greek dualistic thought, the Hebraic mind viewed salvation as experiencing Yahweh’s power and presence IN THIS WORLD. They would know Yahweh, and this salvation would change their lives and society. It was practical application of the Torah and its principles in this world that would transform society. There was a link between "redemption" as an individual and the community as a WHOLE UNIT. To the Hebrew mind, one was to affirm His presence in EVERY experience of life, and trust in His chesed and grace to deliver them IN it. Their identity was found in COMMUNITY, not in isolation from others. The earth was to be their home and was given to man forever. Their lives were to bring esteem to Yahweh through their worship and work IN this world. Once again we MUST return to the TaNaK and the Hebrew original to obtain our word definitions. The Torah and NOT the Brit Chadasha is our word dictionary to find our word meanings. YASHA, the Hebrew verb "to save or to deliver", is NEVER used in the TaNaK in the sense of escaping to heaven. It means to liberate, to deliver from evil, to have victory, to be free from oppression, and welfare in THIS WORLD! Yahweh SAVES (YAHSHUA) or SALVATION is seen as saving His people Yisrael from evil (Deut.20: 4), even by human agency if necessary (1 Sam.11: 9). This concept of salvation is also found in the Brit Chadasha. The prophecy over the Moshiach Yahshua by Zechariyah in Luke 1:71-74 includes the concept of a NATIONAL deliverance of Yisrael from their enemies. The Exodus itself teaches us that salvation involves concern for a physical well being in THIS world as well as the spiritual well being of the nation. Tehillim (Psalm) 72 is speaking of Dawid Melek Yisrael, but it is also speaking of the Moshiach. The Moshiach is to be BOTH Savior and King. We can see, therefore, that the ministry of our Rebbe Yahshua HaMoshiach was a picture of this Hebrew verb –YASHA. He healed the sick, set free the oppressed, and saved them from their Torah breaking (sin) IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE MESSIANIC AGE TO COME (olam haba) Luke 4:16-21. Our Rebbe taught us as His talmidim to be involved in the lives of people in order to set them free and to bring WHOLENESS to them in this world. He is YAHWEH’S SALVATION HERE UPON THE EARTH! Belief (faith)- An action word The second concept that needs correction is a Scriptural view of belief or what is commonly called "faith". To the average Believer "faith" is a mental activity that involves intellectual assent to the truth found in the Scriptures.It remains in the realm of the mind with no action attached to it. We say a prayer and you are "saved" by faith. This is NOT the Hebraic or Scriptural concept of belief. (Ya’akov-James 1:19-25; 2:12-26). We have allowed the Greeks to redefine our Scriptural words to fit their philosophy. Let us return to the Hebrew once again to obtain our word definitions and meanings to the Hebrew mind-set. The Hebrew verb- AMAN means "faith, trust, believe, support, nourish, make firm or lasting". Notice it is a VERB.It is interesting that the Hebrew words-OMENET (nurse) and OMENOT (pillars) come from this root. The Hebrew word –EMUNAH means "faithfulness, trust, firmness, stability, support, to be reliable". It is first used in Shemot (Exodus) 17:12 concerning Mosheh hands being EMUNAH or steady or firm so the battle could be won over the Almalikites. This required an action on the part of Mosheh for deliverance to come to Yisrael. So we can see by the law of first usage it refers to being steady, firm, reliable, or faithfulness. Habakkuk 2:4 sates that, "the righteous one lives by his steadfastness."This is quoted by Rav Shaul in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11.IN THIS CONTEXT THEN WE CAN SEE THAT THE SITUATION THE YISRAELITES FOUND THEMSELVES IN WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A DEEPLY ROOTED DEPENDENCE UPON YAHWEH AND HIS WISDOM.THEY WOULD NEED "FAITH" TO STAY STEADY, FAITHFUL, TO OUTLAST THE IMPENDING DAY THAT WAS COMING. Our Rebbe Yahshua repeated this same concept in Mattithyahu 24:13, "But he who shall have ENDURED to the end SHALL BE SAVED" also see Matt.10: 22. Another word derived from the root AMAN is EMET or truth. It means steady, firm, sureness. Yahweh is abounding in AHAVAH and EMET (Ex.34: 6; Num.14: 18). His Word is truth. The Torah is steadfast or reliable (Yochanan 17:17). Therefore Scriptural belief MUST be based upon the TRUTH of the Torah (Romans 10:8-21) and its steadfastness. We can now understand that to the Hebrew mind FAITH meant confidence or trust in Yahweh and His Word.It required one to step out into LIFE to act on that trust or belief that he had in Yahweh and the Word he received from Him by prophecy, dream, malakim, or the TaNaK (Ivrim-Heb.11). What he had in his heart was translated and affirmed by his actions IN LIFE .It was not playing mental gymnastics or theory. It was a sure reality IN LIFE. A person who had belief was committed to Yahweh, and could venture into the unknown in full assurance and expectation that Yahweh would be there. It required ACTION! We can step into tomorrow knowing that Yahweh will be waiting for us there. A person without belief in Yahweh will cling to the past in fear, thinking Yahweh will not be there in the future. This is what happened to our forefathers in the wilderness journey of 40 years. They kept looking back to Mitsrayim (Egypt) and were fearful of what tomorrow would bring. In contrast to the Yisraelites unbelief, every one of our Elders in Ivrim/Hebrews 11 ACTED because they had belief. The Word tells they obtained witness by their belief. Fear (which is the opposite of belief) will paralyze you into non-action and passivity. Our Rebbe taught us NOT to be fearful of what tomorrow will bring, and that Yahweh would provide for us if we seek His kingship and righteousness (Matt.6: 24-34). In fact, He says we are men of little or small belief if we worry and fret about these material things and His provision for the future.
True belief is a leap of action rather than a leap of thought. Therefore Scriptural belief or faith MUST operate in the realm of TODAY and this world. Faith will confront the wrongs in this world and transform lives NOW to prepare us for the age to come. A Sense of Community The final concept that the "church’ has twisted in its thinking is the individual verses the community. Dualism fosters the idea of seclusion and withdrawal from society as a whole. It becomes self –oriented and seeks its own welfare rather than the good of the community. The Hebrew word –ADAM can mean a man as an individual or mankind as a whole UNIT. The Torah was given to each Yisraelite as an individual but yet to ALL Yisrael as a community. We are MISHPACHAH or family. A family includes not only the immediate family but also the NATION AS A WHOLE COLLECTIVE UNIT.How can we tell that we are part of the Elohim family? Let us turn to the words of our Rebbe Yahshua HaMoshiach.
The Hebrew words-AM (people) –CHAVURAH (community)- and KEHILLAH (assembly or congregation) emphasize accountability and togetherness as a community of Believers.We are our brothers keeper (Gen.4: 9). As Messianic Yisrael we need to take responsibilities such as tzedakah (charity or alms), abstaining from lashon ha-ra (gossip), hevra kadisha (burial of the dead), visiting the home-bound and sick -bikor holim, kindness to animals, and Zionism or support of the Nation of Israel. In the Brit Chadasha the book of Ya’akov (James) covers all the community aspects for the Believer in HaMoshiach Yahshua our Rebbe.It is the most "Hebrew" book in the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant) as it stresses life and behavior within the community of Believers. Ya’akov gets down to the practicality of our walk (halakah) in Yahshua and the inter-personal relationships within the Messianic Community.His book is a commentary on the teachings or Torah of his half-brother Yahshua HaMoshiach found in the Sermon on the Mount in Mattithyahu 5-7.Ya’akov’s teaching show that belief is expressed within the community by action and not just words. Belief and works are not conflicting values as commonly misunderstood but complimentary. It is a faith that works within this world by observance of the Torah mitzvot in the Messianic Community that is an expression of our truly believing in Moshiach. He is our example to follow (I Yochanan 1:6). His love is expressed through us to our neighbor As He lives IN us and THROUGH us as Yisrael.
Messianic Yisrael is the BODY of Moshiach and each individual is a member of that Body. We are the SEED (family) of our Father Avraham.We are all ECHAD or ONE corporate personality (Yochanan 17: 18-26; 1 Cor.12: 13;Rom.4: 11,16;Gal.3: 26-29). The group identity becomes our own, yet we are individuals. We seek out each other’s best interests considering others better than ourselves (Phillipians 2). We are to be a community of living, loving, learning, worshipping, praying, assembling (Ivrim-Hebrews 10:25), and study. Yisrael will only be as strong as the sum of the individual members of the BODY. When one is suffering, we all are suffering (1Cor.12: 26; Gal.6: 1-6). True spirituality is oriented towards the community. When we severe our ties with Hebraic thinking and focus on "our salvation" we become selfish and self-centered and fail to be community focused. This great Restoration of ALL Yisrael through Moshiach Yahshua is a NATIONAL RESTORATION that will come through individuals laboring IN COMMUNITY to bring about the return of the "Lost Sheep of the House of Yisrael". Conclusion If we carefully study this "Beginners Torah Lesson", we will understand that it is imperative that Messianic Yisrael returns to the Hebraic mind-set and forsake the Greek Platonic dualism of the "church". It has resulted only in misapplication and misinterpretation of the Word of Yahweh (see 2 Kepha –Peter 3:15-18). It is ONLY by the renewing of the mind to Torah based thinking that we can return to Yahweh and His Torah (Romans 12:1-2). Greek Philosophical thought was the vehicle that heresies entered the Body of Moshiach and only Scripturally renewed minds would help us to return to the Torah and Yahweh. Let us as Yisrael not continue in the lies and mistakes of our fathers (Yirmeyahu 16:19). May Yahweh bless your understanding of this teaching. Rabbi Edward Levi Nydle B’nai Avraham Messianic Congregation, Ottumwa, Iowa "O Yahweh, why do You make us stray from Your ways, and harden our heart from Your fear? Turn back, for the sake of Your servants, the TRIBES of Your inheritance." Yeshayahu 63:17 "Do not be conformed to this world-this age, fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs. But be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind-by its new ideals and its new attitude-so that you may prove (for yourselves) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of [Elohim], even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His sight for you). Romans 12:2 Amplified Bible |
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