June 2019
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 39
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
Paul continued his fatherly advice to the young Timothy in his role as leader of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus. He wrote about the way Timothy should relate to people of different age groups. It is sound practical advice. That he recognizes that older people, with many years of life experience probably already know things that younger people are still learning. And that he understands that, for a young man in his position, the younger women may have a capacity to misunderstand his actions as he embarks on teaching them. So Paul entreats him to show proper respect for each age group. Widows are given special mention. Those “who are real widows” is a reference to the fact that they have special needs because they have lost the support of husbands who took care of them. English translations suggests some might even claim to be widows but are not. The Torah commands that widows and orphans are to be cared for because of their particular vulnerability. There was no ‘social security department’ of Governments, so the “ekklesia” was expected to provide that security for its needy members. However, there is also the injunction that those with close relatives should be provided for by those relatives. Additionally, there is the need for sound judgment in respect of widows, who when married were both hospitable and good mothers, and might still be able to attract another husband!
It is clear that Paul had expectations that married women should be engaged in the care of their homes and their families. A full-time task for any person. It is a matter for speculation what Paul might write today to an “ekklesia” which has families with small children. It seems almost a given today that both parents continue in their pre-marriage occupations, and many times small children are handed over to complete strangers in a child-care centre for their early life training. The very time when they are so impressionable! “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” is the way Solomon expressed it in Proverbs 22. Attitudes and practices are sown into the minds of very young children by those who care for them. Selah.
Paul instructed Timothy to teach the people to care for their own family when they had the capacity to so do, and not to rely on handouts from the rest of the ‘ekkelsa”. Those who laboured in the teaching ministry were not to be neglected either, if those duties impinged on their capacity to earn their own living. Then a curious inclusion. “Use a little wine for your stomach’s sake” is open to improper interpretation. Perhaps an emphasis on the word “little” would have been in order!! But this phrase appears in the middle of advice about taking care to delve into a person’s character before offering them the blessing of fellowship. It might have been that Timothy’s frequent bouts of infirmity was being taken advantage of by some. Paul was intent on impressing the young Timothy to take care of his own health so that he could make sound judgments about those in his sphere of influence, because Paul knew full well that the world has plenty of folk capable of hiding the truth if it brought advantage to themselves.
The ‘master/servant’ situation is difficult for us to fully comprehend in our modern society, but evidently there were cases where both master and servant were believers, and therefore “brothers in the Lord”. Sometimes this situation led to dispute and argument. Paul’s advice was that Timothy withdraw from such disputes, knowing that the relationship was one of complexity which needed to be worked out between the persons involved in love and respect for each other in their roles. (My personal experience as an employer of many christians in my business life gave me insight into the way some sought to use our “brotherliness” to gain advantage. Paul said there should be no partiality, and I came to understand that perfectly!).
Finally, a comment on another widely misquoted text. How often have you heard it said that “money is the root of all evil”? I have heard it often. But what Paul actually said was that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money is an everyday necessity in the conduct of our lives. There is great blessing in sharing that which God has provided with others in need. And it is not difficult to see “love of money” as ‘money accumulation’ for its own sake. Honesty before God, and with one’s self, soon reveals intent. For some, too much money is never enough!! That is ‘the love of money’. From that, Paul said, flows a root of all kinds of evil. Not the least being selfishness and avarice. “Command those who are rich to do good .. ready to give, willing to share” is what Timothy was told to say to the “ekklesia”. Let us ask God how we can use our money wisely, and to prompt us to seek areas of need.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 38
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
“If a man desires the position of a bishop …” So Paul inadvertently opened a veritable ‘can of worms’ for religious leaders in the last 1700 years, since the Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea. The ‘church’, divorced from its Judaic roots, has conjured up a meaning which results in whole-hearted embrace of our hierarchical church structures, extending even to virtual dictatorship in some cases. Certainly it was always intended to be an exemplary position, as evidenced by the characteristics and moral standards listed for such person. But it was not a position of rank, as we understand it, but within the “ekklesia” a position of one who gives significant loving service, in humility, as a leader and teacher. Such a person, was encouraged by Paul to seek that close relationship with his Saviour and Lord in order to qualify him for such service as a true disciple of Yeshua.
There is endless discussion about Paul’s qualification list. Not many would honestly claim to fulfil them all. Often they would be mostly qualities recognized by others rather than presented by a particular individual in a job application sense. There is some ambiguity about one condition. Does “the husband of one wife” mean married only once? Or, as some hold, having only ‘one wife at a time’? Whatever it is, this formidable list means that a ‘bishop’ is a very special man indeed. Highly respected by the “ekklesia”, and carrying authority as a result. Deacons and their wives are similarly expected to have exemplary qualities. It is such a high standard, and this is for those who desire to be servants of the Lord within the “ekklesia”. So we might question why is such a standard expected? Paul provides the answer, “so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the “ekklesia” of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” That is a remarkable undertaking. Paul is saying that those of us who are believers, present ourselves to the world as representatives of YHWH Elohim , and our behaviour, even in the way we conduct our family lives, impacts on those who are unbelievers because they look at us as God’s representatives. Check the list out again and do some self-assessment! It is extremely challenging. Over and over again I see the Scriptures as prescriptive of how we should behave, what we should DO, as opposed to what we say. They provide an instruction manual of righteous living, not just a series of feel-good stories.
Timothy is warned that “some will depart from the faith and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” In every “ekklesia” there have been attacks of the enemy resulting in some falling away. And one of those attacks is to quite subtly cause misinterpretation of this very instruction of Paul’s. In Chapter 4:3 the words “to abstain from foods” are used. Most of us were taught in our churches that this is a reference to the dietary laws of the Torah weren’t we? But it is not, otherwise we believe those dietary laws are part of “the doctrines of demons” according to verse 1. As in other epistles, Paul is warning Timothy against the philosophies of the Gnostics and Ascetics, which we remember teach that abstention from some things leads to a “higher spirituality”, allowing entry into the very courts of heaven. This is the “doctrine of demons”. The Torah, as we will discover later in our study of this letter, made Timothy “wise unto salvation” being, as it is, God’s instruction for righteous living.
Finally, for this week, Paul gives Timothy practical advice, of which every believer should take careful note. Having told him to ignore any who made comment on his youthful age, he said “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” That is a good start eh? But then “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” An encouraging charge to this young man. And if we read the Scriptures as they were intended to be read, it provides an encouraging charge to all of us too.
Of all Paul’s epistles, this one probably contains the most practical instruction to believers. We know it was written to a young man setting out on his pastoral call. But it is full of practical advice for any who desire “the position of a bishop”. That high calling to the service of our God and Saviour, to which all should aspire. But in that aspiration, take careful note of the path that Paul describes. The personal qualities necessary in such aspirant. The attention and diligence required in personal behaviour. The need to diligently pursue the God-given gift within. And perhaps then to steadfastly hold to the truth of God’s revelation, seeking, in prayer, His continual guidance and direction on a daily basis. You will be blessed as you study this letter of Paul’s to the young Timothy.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 37
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
Timothy was born in Lystra of a Greek father and a godly Jewish mother, Eunice. With the able assistance of his equally godly grandmother, Lois, he was schooled in the Hebrew Scriptures from an early age. As a very young man, he met with Paul, whom he joined in ‘apprentice’ ministry. Later entrusted with the oversight of the “ekklesia” in Ephesus, it was there he received these encouraging pastoral letters, probably written during Paul’s imprisonment years in Rome.
Paul’s concern, affection, and care for Timothy is immediately obvious from his introductory words. “A true son in the faith”. What a tribute!
The occasion when Paul “went into Macedonia” is not clearly defined in Scripture, (some think it may have been a time when Paul was released from prison in Rome and allowed to travel) but he obviously had some communication with Timothy then, and told him to stay in Ephesus and protect the “ekklesia” from false doctrine. I speculate here that possibly things were getting difficult for the young Timothy and he may have told Paul of the problems he was facing and that a change of scenery would be appreciated! By this stage of his life, Paul was well versed, both in the Scriptures and in the heretical doctrines which had sprung up to deceive and deviate believers from true faith in Yeshua as Saviour. In large measure, the falsehoods emanated either from Judaizers, as in the “ekklesia” in Galatia, or from philosophic Gnostics, as in Colossae. It seems likely that here in Ephesus the concern came from the teachers of the philosophers, described by Paul as ‘fables and endless genealogies’.
In his excellent commentary on the “Jewish New Testament”, David Stern sees two other possibilities. Firstly a pride based Judaism which took ancestry as a source of superiority. And secondly, a trend which is not uncommon today in Messianic believers, those who attempt to endlessly search for some trace of Jewish ancestry in justification of their elation at the affinity they find in their love of God’s chosen. He goes further, and I quote. “The modern day version of giving “attention to myths” and “speculating instead of doing God’s work” is excessive concentration on God’s plan for the future, so that people foolishly focus on doomsday and neglect good deeds here and now.”
The certainty is that this letter to Timothy contains many truths which apply, not only to the situation in Ephesus then, but to the reader of this letter today, and particularly to Pastors and Teachers of “ekklesia” in the 21st century. Writing about that sincere faith, Paul concludes “from which some, having strayed have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law (God’s instruction for righteous living) understand neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.” That is straight talk indeed. There are many in our “ekklesia” today who even teach that the ‘law’ is obsolete!! Now understand this. When Paul gave these instructions to Timothy, the ONLY Scriptures available were the Torah, the Prophets and the Psalms. That teaching was not obsolete then and it is not obsolete today. Paul affirms again, as he instructed Timothy out of those Hebrew Scriptures, that God’s instruction was not for the righteous, but for the sinners, of whom we are part. If there is any doubt read verses 9 and 10, wherein he specifies readily identifiable sins. Then the good news. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. Paul claimed to be chief among them!
“There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all”. No matter what the heretics and the philosophers teach. Gnostics hold that there are various beings between God and man. We remember that there was a time when Moses was the mediator between God and man. Yeshua became the promised “Prophet like Moses” in that sense.
As we continue in chapter 2, we come to Paul’s discourse on the role of women. In verse 8 he writes about men praying with uplifted hands (see Ps 63:4 and Ps 134:2) and verse 9 begins with the words “in like manner also”, which continues the theme of prayer. But mostly we concentrate our attention on the women’s dress etc. Now I believe, in the context of life in Ephesus at that time, to be a direct reference of comparison between the worshippers of God, and those women at the temple of Artimus in Ephesus (temple prostitutes no less) who were gaudily dressed to attract men’s attention! Additionally, the women in the “ekklesia” are exhorted to ‘learn in silence’. A Hebraic understanding here readily allows us to understand the priestly nature of a man’s position in his home. He was responsible then, and should be today, for the teaching and nurturing of his family in the things of God. Paul is instructing Timothy of his Pastoral role within the “ekklesia” of teaching men, many of whom would be Gentiles, in the manner and form of worship and conduct. It was Hebraic. It should be still!
The issue of women ‘teaching’ men is unpopular in our churches isn’t it? But Paul seems to be quite unequivocal in his declaration that women are not to exercise spiritual authority over men in the “ekklesia”. However, the word ‘silence’ is better translated ‘at rest’.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah Reflections “Shavuot”
Torah portions Exodus 19:1 to 20:23 and Numbers 28 :26 - 31
Haftarah portion Ezekiel 1 : 1-28 and 3 : 12
The Torah of YHWH given to Moses
Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 have the commandments about annual observances of the “mo’edim”. (The Hebrew word for “appointed times”, which in turn is usually translated into English as “feasts”). These are times when God specified He would meet with His chosen ones.
Today, they are most often referred to as “Jewish Feasts”. That correctly describes the fact that they are observances remembered by Jews. But it is an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures.
When God gave these instructions to Moses, He carefully worded these ‘appointed times’ (mo’edim) as MY ‘mo’edim’. They may be characterized as times when God says, in effect, “I will be there to meet with you on these specific occasions”. Those who choose not to attend miss an opportunity of blessing through meeting with Him at His invitation.
This ‘appointed time’ is fixed in relation to Pesach. Seven Sabbaths plus one day later. ( In the Christian reckoning, it is called “Whitsun” and is seven weeks after Palm Sunday, but it bears no relationship at all to the ‘mo’ed’ of the Lord specified in Leviticus 23.) Some pretty exciting things happened at Shavuot, and the festival (also known as the Feast of Weeks) figures most significantly in the prophetic calendar as it relates to Yeshua.
Firstly, by Jewish calculation, and there is good evidence for it, this was the time when Moses was on the mountain communing with the Lord and receiving the instructions for righteous living, which we know as Torah. (see Exodus 19:1) That, in my view is cause enough to celebrate. The very Word of God, which is ‘sharper than any two-edged sword’, came to us at this time of the year. An immeasurable blessing. My Bible tells me that Moses spoke “all that the Lord had told him” and wrote it in a book.(Exodus 24: 3 and 7). More importantly, that was the exact time that the first covenant was sealed, when the people voluntarily agreed as they said “all that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient”.
Secondly, according to Acts 1, Yeshua returned to His Father 40 days after his resurrection from the grave. But He told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem. Just 10 days later was the festival of Shavuot. Jerusalem was overflowing with people, there for the festival from all over the known world (as it is today for the three pilgrimage festivals). Then came a sound ‘like a mighty rushing wind’. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, the One who points to Messiah, was sent to minister His blessing to those who would receive it.
The disciples, already emboldened at meeting the resurrected Lord Yeshua, were imbued with power from on high. No longer the ‘shrinking violets’ who were shattered by the death of Yeshua on that cruel Roman cross. They spoke boldly to the throngs of people in the Temple courtyard, and miracle of miracles, the foreigners present all heard these fishermen from Galilee speaking in their own several languages. It is almost impossible to imagine. But by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, over three thousand were added to the company of believers that very day. Now that surely is another reason to celebrate.
But there’s more!! Both events related above did not stop.
Today, we have the precious Holy Scriptures, written in so many of the world’s languages. The faithful Jews who were entrusted with those Scriptures have carefully preserved them for our blessing and instruction down through the ages. In the early days, meticulously copying by hand every ‘jot and tittle’. Every yod and vav.
The Holy Spirit of God is alive and well in the earth today. His role on earth is to point us to Messiah Yeshua, by any and all means possible. He brings strength to the ‘weary’, comfort to the ‘afflicted’, guidance to those who seek, and blessing to all who ask.
So if any still wonder why we should celebrate Shavuot, I trust that this ‘reflection’ will provide some answers. But there is a much greater and compelling reason. God commanded it. His promise, is included in the introductory remarks of this ‘reflection’. He will be there to meet all who come. It is a special time. It has never been revoked.
You will be blessed as you meet together and thank Him for His unspeakable gift.
Shabbat Shalom
RS
Brit Hadashah Reflections
Brit Hadashah Reflections 36
Hebraic understanding of the Apostolic letters
2 Thessalonians 1 : 1 to 3 : 18
1 Thessalonians was one of Paul’s earliest letters, full of encouragement. It is thought to have been written about 52 C.E., probably from Corinth, following a glowing report from Timothy after his recent visit there. This “ekklesia” in Thessalonica was born (Acts 17) when Paul and Silas (Acts 16) had a vision to visit Macedonia. Because some misunderstanding arose from his first letter, Paul was constrained to write again a short time later. Today, it is a city called Salonika, of over 1 million people, it was then an important port city on the Aegean Sea.
Some commentators think that the two letters to this “ekklesia” were written by different people, because they consider that there are some contradictions about the second coming of Yeshua contained therein. This is not the case. Certainly there appeared to be some apparent misunderstanding, which Paul was quick to explain in this second letter, and to that extent we should be mindful that here we have an expansion, or more complete account, by Paul, of the events which he said would take place before Messiah Yeshua would return to this earth. As is the case with all Scripture it is quite unwise to “cherry-pick” individual verses to build a doctrine. And most of us are quite capable of, and reasonably good at, that!
If there had been telephones then, Paul might have cleared up the problem with a quick chat. But distances were substantial for the mode of transport available, and handwritten letters had to be conveyed in person from one place to another. In the intervening time frame, any misunderstanding would have had plenty of time to take root. That appears to be the case here, and also Paul addressed some issues of false teaching which had crept in to the “ekklesia”. We ‘reflected’ last week about the fact that some members had stopped working because of their conviction that Yeshua’s return was imminent. Possibly even in the next several days or so. Paul addressed that in his first letter, but obviously not well enough! The chapters and verses in our Bible today are convenient for reference but did not exist in the original! However, in chapter 1 Paul again commends this “ekklesia” for its faith walk, and encouraged them that their detractors would receive their just rewards from God Himself. Obviously, there were ‘imitators’ of Paul sowing seeds of doubt and confusion in their ranks regarding the teaching about the return of Christ. Some even holding that Christ had already returned! Paul countered this with “Let no one deceive you by any means: for that Day (of the Lord) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” Here clearly, Paul is declaring at the very least that the ‘Day of the Lord’ will come AFTER the revelation of ‘the Beast’ of Scripture, which most identify as ‘the Anti-Christ’, and that revelation will not be positive until he demands to be worshipped in the Temple. But at present there is no Temple, but there was when Paul wrote this letter. For that reason we are better placed to understand the timing of the Lord’s return than were those who lived in Paul’s day. Interestingly, this ‘anti-christ’ is also described as “the man of lawlessness”. To the extent that that is a description of someone who separates himself from Torah (which is translated as “Law” in our Bibles), the world, and even the present day church, is brim full of candidates for that role. It is also an inconvenient truth that many of our churches today see great revival coming! Well that may well be, but should that be the case, then the Lord’s return is even further away than many of us think, because Paul declares that Yeshua’s return will be preceded by a great falling away!
We take this declaration of Paul lightly at our peril. He was taught by the Lord Himself, and his words are to be carefully noted. He actually describes a situation we see today with this statement. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of truth, that they might be saved.” There is such deception abounding today. The forces of the evil one are rampant in society at large, and in many countries, including Australia, it is even against the law of the land to speak opposition (under threat of their being offended) to these evil influences in our community. Then “finally”, Paul often has a “finally” doesn’t he? And this “finally” has some real bite, because Paul seeks to crystalize all that he wanted to say when he began to write! He assumed an air of authority, and he didn’t mince his words, so please take careful note. He prayed for their deliverance from unreasonable and wicked men, then assured them that the Lord would guard them from the evil one. But there were conditions. He went into “command” mode. Space does not permit expansion here, but his words are sufficient. “Withdraw from a fellow brother who walks in a disorderly way!!” He reminded them that he provided them with the example of ‘orderliness’. With an eye on those who used the excuse of the Lord’s imminent return to stop working he said “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” How direct is that? But there was more. “Any who disregard” my word in this letter is to be ostracised.” Wow! But do not treat him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother (in love). So much for the wishy washy way some deal with issues today eh?
Shabbat Shalom
RS