So You Say You're Apostolic

We hear it often..."we need to get back to our apostolic roots."   This is not as easy as it sounds because there are so many aspects and nuances of that culture that we do not know.
We have a lot of written information such as the book of Acts and the epistles. The Apostles, however, lived within this time period and knew of which they spoke.

There is one thing I am committed to focusing on in this blog, and that is the fact that these apostolics did not have New Testament writings. 

Most of the Apostles studies were from the Hebrew Bible itself which consists of the Torah, the Writings, and the Prophets ... what we know today as the Tanach. 

The Apostles also had commentaries from teachers like Hallel (Pharisees), Shammai (Sadducees) and Gamliel who Paul sat under.  These teachings and traditions found their way into many NT writings. The Apostles commentaries were known in the Greek as paradosis or 'a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing.' 
(2 Thessalonians 3:6)


These teachings ... oral traditions ... started with Adam and were passed down orally from generation to generation. I have a friend that can trace his lineage back 3500 years in the line of the Levitical priesthood. To this day a Levitical priest cannot touch a dead body.  And where do you think washing hands before saying a blessing comes from?

Here is a challenge for you...try going back to the Torah (Torah, meaning 'instruction'), the first five books of the Bible, and look for Messiah.  Not in the places you have already been taught about, but in other places.  
Learn some of the Hebrew language and open up your mind to more understanding of the deep teachings within the Bible. When you do this, you will find Him and a renewed hunger for the Word.

Traditions

Paradoseis (παραδόσεις) is the Greek word we find in 2 Thes. 2:15 where Paul says, "hold onto those traditions which you have been taught..." What traditions? According to Thayers Greek lexicon Paul is speaking of the Jewish oral traditions and laws passed down from generation to generation. Not having grown up Jewish like Jesus and His Apostles we can learn much from many of these "traditions". You can find things about baptism (known as ritual immersion in a mikvah) or even the Holy Spirit, which is rarely mentioned in the OT, and that is why you can still find today people like those in Acts 19. "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." 

Here is an example from the Mishnah.... regarding Proverbs 15:33 "Heedfulness leads to cleanliness, cleanliness leads to purity, purity leads to holiness, holiness leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to [the gift of] the holy spirit, the holy spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, resurrection of the dead leads to the world to come, and the world to come leads to the Shekinah."

Why does all this occur? Out of reverence, wisdom, honor, and humility; therefore it is said, "The fear of the Lord is the discipline of wisdom; humility precedes honor."

(The Mishnah or Mishna (/ˈmɪʃnə/; Hebrew: מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition"), from the verb shanah שנה, or "to study and review", also "secondary," is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions known as the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic literature.)

Practice What You Preach

This morning my wife and I went to Beth El Synagogue before we went to #CLCGV to meet with a lady from their gift shop for items for CLC's Craft Fair. As the ladies conducted business I videoed a young man putting on tefillin and snapped a shot of their tallit closet. 

We see in chapter 18 of Genesis the story of Abraham giving hospitality to 3 visitors. I find it interesting that they waited around for Abraham to prepare such a big meal. 

I was looking at some menorah's that were on display when someone approached me and asked if I would like a bagel and coffee. Of course I partook and sat with some men next to the rabbi. When we were finished eating I found myself saying with them a blessing for after the meal in Hebrew. I thought of this story of Abraham's kindness (chesed) and realized that is what happened. They saw me and were hospitable just like Abraham. 

#PracticeWhatYouPreach. 

What Is Man?

"And the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground"

The Hebrew word for earth is adama. It is no accident that the earth can yield fruit and bring life and that is an everlasting connection with man. There is great potential in that. 

That gives us a little more insight into other verses like, Psalm 85:11-13

"11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps."

Like the ground, man can produce a virtually unlimited bounty of fruits. 

The word Adam is comprised of the letter aleph, followed by dalet and mem, the letters than spell the word dam which means blood.

The letter aleph can also mean "to teach" in addition to leadership which is related The the word "aluf" which is a tribal leader. Even though there is great power in the blood it is considered to be lower in the aspect of man. 

So you can keep your blood from boiling and getting mad by allowing "aluf" to control your "dam". 

When you take dominion over your impulses (notice that pulse is within impulse) they become subject to God's created image. We resemble God. 

This leads us to the word "adameh" which means I will liken myself, indicating one's ability to emulate God.

Writing On The Ground

What was Jesus writing on the ground in John 8:6 and again in John 8:8? Of course we know this was a test. Roman law did not permit execution for adultery. 

When they brought the adulteress they did it wrong. Both the man and the woman had to appear and there needed to be two witnesses of which there is no mention. This was a violation of the Oral Law. At the Nicanor gate of the Temple the priest would write on the ground the law that was broken and the names of the accused. This could actually be written anywhere that was not permanent and the ground was a good spot. This is what Jesus did and showed that they were not keeping the law, so he did it. 

This goes deeper when we look at some Jewish history. Every year at Yom Kippur the high priest would immerse in a mikvah (ritual bath) 11 times for a cleansing in between each ceremonial portion of the day's sacrifices. 

At the end of the day there would be a celebration with rejoicing over God having received the sacrifice and their sins pushed forward for another year. At the conclusion of the celebration the high priest would say, "Oh LORD, the Mikveh of Israel...' just as the mikveh (purifying bath) cleansed me on this day, may the Holy One (Messiah), blessed be his name, cleanse all Israel when He comes." Jeremiah 17:13.

Starting at age 12 every Jewish male heard this. A man 60 years old would have heard it 49 times. Remember all males had to by law be in Jerusalem for Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and most came for Yom Kippur anyway because it was only five days before. 

Jeremiah 17:13 says, "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters."

This verse probably came to their mind, most likely starting with the elders, and they filed out leaving only Jesus and the accused woman. 

This verse can be amplified even more to say, "Oh YHVH, the Immerser (BAPTIZER ) of Israel, all those who leave your way shall be put to shame (publicly embarrassed), those who turn aside from my ways will have their names written in the dust and blotted out, for they have departed from YHVH, the fountain of Mayim Hayim (the waters of life)..". 

Jesus gives people a chance to choose the right path as he gave these accusers. They could have just taken the embarrassment and repented but they chose to leave. They rejected Messiah and did not repent. Jesus was fulfilling messianic prophecy. It is interesting to note that the day before on Shemini Atzeret (8th Day Assembly) Jesus proclaimed in John 7:37-39 that he was the fountain of living waters. Then he comes right back with, "I am the light of the world"... this was the very morning that the four great lamps of the court in the Temple (which were called "The light of the world" were being extinguished after being kept lit for the entire week of the Feast of Tabernacles). 

So what do we learn from this? Are we the accusers who think we have it all together because we pray more, give more alms, were smarter and work hard to gain Heaven? Or are we the accused and we have given up because we been caught in a continuous cycle of sin? Scared that God doesn't care or will forgive. 

Jesus offered forgiveness... the accusers walked away, but the woman was redeemed. 

Jesus offered restoration... the accusers walked away, but the woman found new life. 

Jesus offered hope... the accusers walked away, but the woman found all she needed. Hope springs eternal. 

“Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

Ki Tavo

Ki Tavo | כי תבוא | "When you come in "

Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8  

Prophets: Isaiah 60:1-22  

Gospel: Luke 23:26-56

Bikkurim or first fruits symbolizes that we are to give everything we have in service to our God.

Adam was in charge of the bikkurim (first fruits) of the Garden of Eden. Had Adam not eaten of that first fruit he would have lived forever with a perfect body. The bikkurim should bring healing into our lives. This is why tithing shall be forever linked to God's Holy Spirit. We have access to that healing...

Jewish farmers take their most precious harvest in hand, and remind themselves how it came to be. Rather than self-congratulation for their resourcefulness and success, they consciously, even demonstrably, thank God for this produce.

Rabbi Ari Kahn

Is it a commandment to rejoice?

You shall rejoice in all the good that God has given you and your household...(Deut. 26:11)

The concept of "simcha" (שמחה) or happiness in Judaism is very important. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov said that all our problems derive from sadness. When a person is sad, he frees his emotions while שמחה (joy) can release a persons creativity and brings him/her closer to God.

How can we be joyous when we are wrapped up with so many problems and when each of us is struggling with life and its meaning?

Here's how.... "In all the good that God has given to you."

If we take a moment to look deeper at our lives, if we count our blessings and see all the good that God has given to us, we will see that we can put away the sadness that keeps us from worshipping.

What does it mean to "walk in His ways"?

(Deut. 28:9). We are to strive to adopt all of the characteristics and virtuous actions that are attributed to God. Following His commands is not enough....We must not only focus on what we do but also on who we are.

#HeSaidFollowMe

Shoftim Musings

Shoftim | שופטים | "Judges "

Torah: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9  

Prophets: Isaiah 51:12-52:12 

Gospel: Matthew 26:47-27:10

God said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am going to do? Abraham is about to become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed. I know him for he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep God's way, doing tzedaka and mishpat. God will then bring about for Abraham everything He promised.  (Gen. 18:19)

Appointing judges – even honest, upstanding judges – is not enough. We must do more than uphold the law and insure the proper functioning of the legal system: Our society must be one in which the quest for justice is both constant and uncompromising.

Rabbi Ari Kahn

Pursue perfect tzedek (or, constantly and relentlessly pursue tzedek), so that you will live and occupy the land that the Almighty your God is giving you. (Deut. 16:18-20)

The Hebrew word for justice is tzedek. 

Tzedaka is the word for charity. 

A Tzadik is a righteous person. 

A righteous person seeks justice and gives charity.

You shall not close your hand against your needy kinsman.- Deuteronomy (Devarim) 15:7

Man is in the image of a Temple, and his heart is like the Holy of Holies.- Yonatan Eibshutz