Tag Archives: Yeshua

Did Yeshua Break the Sabbath?

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Matthew 12:1–14, On the Sabbath. (See also Mark 2:23–28; also see note on John 5:18.) From this passage, many Christians reason that since Yeshua is the Lord of the Sabbath, it was therefore permissible for him to break it. Does this passage substantiate this line of reasoning from Hebraic thought? Let’s examine this issue.

First, there is no law in the Torah prohibiting picking food to eat as one is walking along the way. This is not harvesting a field — something which is work, and is thus forbidden on the Sabbath. Instead, Yeshua was violating a non-biblical, man-made Jewish legal regulation.

Moreover, this scripture teaches us that there are levels of Torah laws, and some laws take precedence over others. For example, the priests technically violated the Sabbath during the tabernacle and temple service, but were guiltless because Torah commanded them to do certain things on the Shabbat that otherwise would have been forbidden. The Talmud explains this by saying that whenever a positive commandment and a negative commandment contradict, the positive commandment takes precedence over or supersedes the negative one (b. Shabbat 133a). What Yeshua is teaching in this passage is that the temple service trumps the Sabbath, and human need or saving life (i.e., the ox-in-the-ditch scenario) trumps the temple service. This view is confirmed by the Jewish sages (b. Yoma 85b). In verse six, when Yeshua said, “But I say unto you, that in this place is one [a supplied word and not found in the Greek] greater than the temple” he is not saying that he is greater than the Sabbath, and hence it is permissible for him to break it. If this were true, then two things would be true which contradict the Scriptures: a) It is permissible for Yeshua to sin, for sin is the violation of the Torah, and b) YHVH magnifies his word above his name (Ps 138:2); therefore, he’s obeying his own word (making him a liar!) by breaking the Sabbath, which he commanded men to keep (Exod 20:8–11, the fourth commandment). What Yeshua is really saying here is that the thing greater than the temple was the hunger of his disciples.

Furthermore, Leviticus 18:5 states, “You shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them.” The Jewish sages take this to mean that a commandment can be set aside to save life (again, the ox-in-the-ditch scenario). The saving of a life trumps the keeping of the commandment, since this verse says that man is to “live by [the Torah]” not die by it. Therefore, it is permissible to “violate” the Sabbath to preserve life. In fact, the sages go so far as to say that any commandment could be broken to save a life except those against murder and sexual immorality (b. Sanhedrin 74a).

This is why Yeshua quotes Hosea 6:6 that YHVH desires mercy (or loving-kindness), not sacrifice; the knowledge of Elohim, not burnt offerings (Matt 12:7). The heart and spirit of the Torah, in Yeshua’s thinking, are the weightier matters of the Torah although they do not replace the letter of the Torah. In Yeshua’s mind, to properly keep the Torah, one needs to keep both the letter and the spirit (Matt 23:23).

On several occasions, Yeshua used the Hosea 6:6 passage to teach us that love, compassion and mercy for one’s fellowman takes precedence (at times) over fulfilling the letter of the law, although this is not a justification for habitually and intentionally violating the Torah (Matt 9:12–13; Mark 12:33; Luke 10:36–37). Paul echoes this truth about the preeminence of love in the famous chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13. There we learn that all manner of spiritual activity is meaningless in the eyes of Elohim if it is not accompanied with love.

In Mark 2:23–28 (the corollary passage to Matthew 12:1–7), Yeshua declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; therefore, the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath” (verses 27–28).

Yeshua is greater than the Sabbath because he is the lord of the Sabbath, for he created the Sabbath (verse 8), and because he was the perfect epitome of walking out both the letter and spirit of the Torah. Whatever he was doing on the Sabbath, it wasn’t a violation of the Sabbath’s no work principle. Also, saving life was greater than the temple service, as is Yeshua who was the Living Torah-Word of Elohim incarnate.

 

Who Are the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel?

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Matthew 10:6, Lost sheep of the house of Israel. The phrase the house of Israel has several different possible meanings depending on the context of the surrounding verses in which it is found. The phrase the house of Israel is used 146 times in the Scriptures. Prior to the division of the united kingdom after the death of Solomon, this phrase referred to all twelve tribes of Israel. Afterwards (during the time of the prophets), it was used in contradistinction to the phrase “house of Judah” in reference to the Northern Kingdom.

herd of white sheep

In the Testimony of Yeshua, Yeshua makes reference to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:6; 15:54). Elsewhere in the Testimony of Yeshua this term refers to all twelve tribes of Israel (Acts 2:36; 7:42; Heb 8:10), and in some references it refers to just the Northern Kingdom (Heb 8:8). The context of the passage of scripture surrounding this phrase determines its meaning.

Although this phrase can include all the tribes of Israel and not just the Jews who were largely from the tribe of Judah, in Matthew 10:6, Yeshua seems to equate the lost sheep of the house of Israel with the Jews who were living in the land of Israel in his day, and not to the rest of the Israelite tribes who were at that time scattered among the Gentile nations. It was Yeshua’s priority to take the gospel message first to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, and then to the rest of the world, and he expected his disciples to follow this same pattern (Acts 1:8).

In the larger sense, the Scriptures reveal that all of YHVH’s people have been like sheep that have gone astray spiritually, every man to his own way, because of sin (Isa 53:6). So in the broadest sense, this phrase refers to all the tribes of Israel including Gentiles with which they have mixed themselves through intermarriage.

Eventually, the gospel message is for everyone universally. Yeshua demonstrated this when, on several occasions, he ministered to non-Jewish Gentiles including preaching the gospel message to the Samaritan woman in John chapter four. 

 

The Hebraisms of Light Versus Darkness in Yeshua’s Saying

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Matthew 8:12, Children/Sons of the kingdom. This is a Hebraism or biblical metaphor for the Jewish people. They are the ones who were first presented with the gospel message, but most of them rejected it. The sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness because they didn’t accept Yeshua the Messiah, who is the light of the world (John 1:9; 8:12). It’s rather ironic to be cast into darkness for not accepting the light. Unrepentant sinners prefer darkness over the light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19), so in the end they get what they really wanted.

Anointing

Outer darkness. (Also 22:13; 25:30.) Ancient banquets were held at night in brilliantly lit rooms, and anyone excluded from the feast was cast outside into outer darkness. In his teachings, Yeshua’s uses this term as a metaphor for judgment in reference to those who will be excluded from his kingdom. In the oriental mind, in the days before street lights, it was a dreadful thing to be found outside, late at night no lamp or simply a small clay lamp of that day that put out a tiny, dim flame (Manners and Customs, pp. 62–63). This speaks of the fear that those whom Yeshua will reject will experience.

 

Noah—Prophetic Pictures of Yeshua and End Time Events

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Genesis 6–8, Noah’s flood provides allegorical insights relating to end-times prophecy. In Matthew 24:37, Yeshua compares the end times to the days of Noah. The story of Noah has allegorical implications that give hints about end-times prophecy.

Noah's Ark

In 1 Peter 3:18–22, we learn that the story of Noah is also a picture of salvation and water baptism. Noah is a prophetic type of Yeshua.

To start with, Noah building the ark is a prophetic picture of the redeemed believer working out his own salvation (Phil 2:12), yet while doing so according to YHVH’s exact plans or specifications (e.g., repentance from sin, faith in Yeshua, baptism for the remission of sins, and faithful obedience to YHVH’s commandments).

Noah builds an ark of safety from Elohim’s wrath or judgments against sinful man. The ark is a metaphorical picture of the believer’s salvation, and Noah is a spiritual picture of Yeshua. The flood is also a picture of water baptism for the remission of sins, which ceremonially pictures the death of the old sinful man, and the birth of the new spiritual Continue reading →

 

In Hebraic Thought, Who and What Is the Narrow Gate?

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Matthew 7:13, Enter the narrow gate. Here Yeshua speaks of the straight gate and the narrow way that leads to life versus the wide and broad gate that leads to destruction.

Open Gates And Wall

In Genesis 28:10–22, we have the account of Jacob’s dream of a ladder reaching into heaven. The dream greatly amazed Jacob and afterwards he concluded he had had a divine encounter. He named the spot where he had the dream Beth El meaning “House of El (God)” and concluded that this spot was “the gate of heaven” (verse 17).

In Hebraic thought, “the ladder” to heaven is equivalent to the Tree of Life, which is another term for the Torah of Elohim. We know that Yeshua was the Torah-Word of Elohim made flesh ( John 1:1,14). Not only that, Yeshua likened himself to a ladder reaching to heaven ( John 1:51).

Furthermore, we see both Moses and Joshua describing the Torah-law of Elohim as a (narrow, by implication) path from which one must turn neither to the left nor to the right (Deut 5:32; 17:11, 20; 28:14; Josh 1:7; 23:6).

In Proverbs, the path of wisdom (i.e., Torah) is also likened to a (narrow, by implication) path from which one must not turn either to the left or to the right (Prov 4:27). The term “gate” (or door) itself in Matthew 7:13 is a Hebraism referring to the means by which one enters into the Tabernacle or Temple of Elohim (Exod 27:14, 16; 32: 35:17; Ezek 40:3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 etc.).

The Tabernacle (or Mishkan) of Moses was representative of the pathway to redemption or salvation. Before actually entering the tabernacle, one encountered the altar of the red heifer, which pictures the cross of Yeshua. To enter the tabernacle, one passed Continue reading →

 

Yeshua Is the Living Torah

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Yeshua was the Torah-Word of Elohim that was Elohim, and who came to earth to live in flesh form (John 1:1–14).

He was the I am that was before Abraham (John 8:58)

Rom 10, Yeshua is the ultimate expression, end goal of fullest fulfillment of Torah (Rom 10:4). Paul equates Yeshua, the Living Torah, with the written Torah of Moses (verses 5–10). In Rom 10:11 through 21, Paul goes on to relate this very truth to being the central message of the gospel that Isaiah prophesied (Isa 52:7) would be preached to redeem both houses of Israel to Yeshua their Messiah.

Yeshua, was the Torah-Light-Word led who instructed, fed and watered Israel through the wilderness.

1 Cor 10:4, Yeshua was spiritual Rock that fed the Israelites.

Acts 7:38, Yeshua was the one who spoke from Mt. Sinai and who was with the angel that led the Israelites in the wilderness.

Yeshua is the Living Manna (John 6:48–51).

Yeshua equates himself with Torah (John 6—manna).

Yeshua referring to himself as the Light of the world (John 8:12, 9:5; 12:46) urged his disciples to believe in that Light and to become children of Light (John 12:35–36).

Believers are not only called to emulate their Master and become light as he is light, but they are called to put on the “armor of light” which is likened to walking in righteousness (Rom 12:12–13) after the similitude of their Father in heaven who is called the Father of lights (Jas 1:17) and who dwells in unapproachable light (1 Tim 6:16). This is the same light that caused Moses’ face to radiate with light upon descending Mt. Sinai after having been in the presence of YHVH (Exod 34:33, 35).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Yeshua urged his followers to be lights in this dark world and to be a candlestick on a hill (Matt 5:14–16).

 

Yeshua the Messiah in the Every Book of the Bible

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In Genesis, Yeshua is the eternal Torah-light of the world, the breath of life and the seed of the woman.

In Exodus, he is the Passover lamb, the Torah-Word of Elohim, and the way to the Father in the tabernacle.

In Leviticus, he is our atoning sacrifice and our high priest.

In Numbers, he is the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

In Deuteronomy, he is the prophet like unto Moses.

In Joshua, he is the captain of our salvation who leads us into the kingdom of Elohim.

In Judges, he is our judge and lawgiver.

In Ruth, he is our kinsman redeemer.

In 1 and 2 Samuel, he is our trusted prophet.

In Kings and Chronicles, he is our reigning king.

In Ezra, he is the builder of our temple, which houses the Spirit of Elohim.

In Nehemiah, he is the rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life.

In Esther, he is our Mordechai who saves us from those who would kill, steal and destroy us.

In Job, he is our ever-living Redeemer.

In Psalms, he is our shepherd to lead us in the ways of Torah-life.

In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, he is our wisdom.

In Song of Solomon, he is our Loving Bridegroom.

In Isaiah, he is the Suffering Servant who bears our sins, the Repairer of the Breach between the two houses of Israel, and the Prince of Peace.

In Jeremiah, he is our Righteous Branch.

In Lamentations, he is the weeping prophet.

In Ezekiel, he is the one who rejoins the two sticks of Israel bringing them to worship Elohim together his temple.

In Daniel, he is the fourth man in life’s fiery furnace and our Ancient of Day.

In Hosea, he is the faithful husband forever married to the backslider.

In Joel, he is the baptize of the Holy Spirit.

In Amos, he is our burden bearer.

In Obadiah, he is mighty to save.

In Jonah, he is our great foreign missionary.

In Micah, he is the messenger of beautiful feet.

In Nahum, he is our strength and shield, and the avenger of Elohim’s elect.

In Habakkuk, he is Elohim’s evangelist crying, “Revive thy works in the midsts of the years.”

In Zephaniah, he is our Savior.

In Haggai, he is the restorer of Elohim’s lost heritage.

In Zechariah, he is a fountain opened up in the house of David for sin and uncleanliness.

In Malachi, he is the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in his wings.

In Matthew, Yeshua the Messiah is the King of the Jews.

In Mark, he is the servant.

In Luke, he is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.

In John, he is the Son of Elohim.

In Acts, he is the Savior of the world.

In Romans, he is the righteousness of Elohim.

In 1 Corinthians, he is the Rock, the Father of Israel.

In 2 Corinthians, he is the triumphant one giving victory.

In Galatians, he is your liberty. He set you free.

In Ephesians, he is the head of his spiritual body.

In Philippians, he is your joy.

In Colossians, he is your completeness.

In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, he is your hope.

In 1 Timothy, he is your faith.

In 2 Timothy, he is your stability.

In Titus, he is truth.

In Philemon, he is your benefactor.

In Hebrews, he is your perfection.

In James, he is the power behind your faith.

In 1 Peter, he is your example.

In 2 Peter, he is your purity.

In 1 John, he is your life.

In 2 John, he is your pattern.

In 3 John, he is your motivation.

In Jude, he is the foundation of your faith.

In Revelation, he is the Righteous Judge of the world, the Avenger of the saints, your coming King, your First and Last, the Beginning and the End, the Keeper of creation, the Creator of all, the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times. He always was, he always is and always will be. He’s unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone. He was bruised and brought healing. He was pierced to heal our pain. He was persecuted and brought freedom. He was dead and brought life. He is risen and brings power. He reigns and brings peace. The world can’t understand him, the armies can’t defeat him, the public schools can’t kick him out and the leaders can’t ignore him. Herod couldn’t kill him, the Pharisees couldn’t confuse him, the people couldn’t hold him, Nero couldn’t crush him, Hitler couldn’t silence him, the communists can’t destroy him, the atheists can’t explain him away, and the New Age can’t replace him. He is life, love, longevity and Lord. He is goodness, kindness, gentleness and Elohim. He is holy, righteous, mighty, powerful and pure. His ways are right, his word is eternal, his will is unchanging, and his eyes are on me. He is my Redeemer, he is my Savior, he is my Guide, he is my peace, he is my joy, he is my comfort, he is my Lord, and HE RULES MY LIFE!

Author Unknown, edited by Natan Lawrence