Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Hakahal Chukah Achat (The Community of One Law)
So I sent out an invitation for Gene to clarify his views and he responded here:
http://dailyminyan.com/2012/08/21/are-gentile-believers-obligated-to-the-mosaic-covenant/#comment-2260
His view is that the community (kahal) referred to in the Sinaitic Covenant is different from the community (kahal) referred to in the New Covenant. He concludes, therefrom, that the obligation to observe Mosaic Torah is derived only from the Sinaitic Covenant.
This view can be refuted by demonstrating that the New Covenant (1) includes Mosaic Torah and (2) includes gentiles in the community of Israel.
First, note that there is one law for every member of the community of Israel:
"...hakahal chukah achat..." (Numbers 15:15).
Second, note that the New Covenant involves both categories of Torah, the chukim and mishpatim (Ezekiel 36:27).
Third, note that the New Testament includes gentiles in the kahal. The word "ekklesia" (translated into English as "church") is a translation of the Hebrew word "kahal." We see this, for example in Acts 7:38 in which the kahal of Israel in the desert is referred to as "ekklesia." Next, observe that Yeshua is the governing head of the ekklesia:
Colossians 1:18 "And He [Yeshua] is the head of the body, the church [ekklesia]..."
Since we know that Yeshua is in Israel, it follows that those who are in Yeshua are also in Israel. And we see this confirmed by Paul when he says that the gentiles are no longer excluded from being citizens (politeia) in Israel, that they have in fact become fellow citizens (sumpolites). Presumably, this inclusion was accomplished by the fact that Yeshua is the Passover Lamb and participation in the Passover is something only a citizen of Israel is permitted to do.
Therefore, gentiles have been inducted into both the Sinaitic Covenant and the New Covenant. This is perhaps why Paul can say without qualification that the gentiles are no longer strangers to the plural covenants (Eph 2).
May we all come together as a unified community in our time. May we all show ourselves worthy of being included in the Community of One Torah (Hakahal Chukah Achat).
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Great post Peter, I like your summation.
ReplyDeleteThanks, brother.
DeleteWhat an excellent illustration of eisegesis (in other words, outcome-based theological interpretation).
ReplyDeleteDIT/BE start from a premise - a false one. Namely, that the congregation of Messiah must maintain a distinction between Jew and Gentile. It sounds good, especially those of us who abhor supercessionist teachings. The problem is, there is no biblical basis for this - in fact the opposite. DIT/BE falsely brings up the Torah distinctions between male/female, ben Aharon/am Yisrael, haLevi/am Yisrael, etc. - and then ignore the over thirty times in the Torah where ger toshav and native born are to be the same.
Starting from this desired outcome, they work backward. Invariably they resort to very troublesome "hermeneutics." They conveniently draw (selectively) from whatever anachronistic concept they can to prove their main point. Remember, the ultimate goal is not to limit Torah observance to Jew only - it is to provide Torah as the unique identity mark for ethnic Jews. A by-product is that "some of Torah is not for Gentiles." Conveniently, they draw anachronistically from the church, divisions of Law categories (something they would argue vehemently against otherwise - after all, they admit the Torah is a single commandment) - all to explain why "the Torah" is for Gentiles - just not the "Jewish parts." Huh?
In this process, they must make things up out of whole cloth. Ignoring every reference to ger toshav, they plug in the anachronistic "proselyte" in spite of the fact that Galatians teach quite clearly that even if there were such a category - it would be a group of people cut off from the covenant. They make up "Jewish commandments" that almost always include a direct word from HaShem that these are for the ger and the native born both.
When their exegesis fails, they pull out Mishnah and Talmud and anachronistically apply 2nd and 3rd Century passages and read them back into TaNaKh, at the very expense of the Apostolic Scriptures they claim to give authority to. How else could you explain that they even contemplate something as absurd as "becoming Jewish" by "ritual conversion" - when Galatians quite clearly forbids it?
It just makes you shake your head in wonder.
Bravo, Jews=0, Rick=1.
DeleteGene, you represent all Jews?
DeleteRick,
DeleteOutstanding! So easy to understand. But the Shlomovitche's of the world will just sow fear. The are afraid of a small group of OL people when the Churches is full of assimilated Jews...Screwed up priorities...
Rick,
DeleteIncisive as always. I'm wondering whether you found Tim Hegg's theory persuasive about how Paul didn't want the gentiles becoming ritually circumcised because that would've meant subjecting themselves to Rabbinic authority? I thought it was a good point and was wondering what others thought.
Peter,
DeleteI do think that the authority was an issue. I go back again to the Eighteen Measures. That had a profound effect on Pharisaic Judaism, and I think it was cautionary for the Yeshua branch as well.
However, I do not think that was the prime motivator. I think the prime motivator is what we see in Peter's vision: the thinking that some men get to choose who are approved by HaShem, and to think that disassociating from those "unclean" ones is somehow a duty to HaShem. Not only is it dangerous thinking (proud, vain), it kills the infant in its crib. HaShem did not necessarly have a "big" kahal planned - but he had one that spread around the globe from every tongue and tribe.
If the model of ritual conversion became the norm for the young Yeshua movement, it would have been the anti-thesis to the "good news." It STILL IS. The BE/DIT teaching is not "good news" at all. It is divisive, and destructive to HaShem's work.
Sadly, as if eisegesis was not bad enough, they invariably accuse their detractors of being "supercessionists" - a form of anti-Semitism (which carries with it a curse from the Almighty Himself).
ReplyDeleteScary stuff - said with a smile, and in an "inviting" way.
Rick, what's truly scary is that you promote your version of supercessionism without any apparent fear. You must have been doing this for so long, it's become second nature.
DeleteYes, Gene. I've been around a long time.
DeleteI do fear that I will not sanctify HaShem's Name.
How about a little Latin lesson?
Supersessionism: n. From the Latin succedere, to replace; the preposition super is applied to intensify the word.
"Replace"? Never. So try and find another word to curse me with.
“ Remember, the ultimate goal is not to limit Torah observance to Jew only - it is to provide Torah as the unique identity mark for ethnic Jews. “
ReplyDeleteI’m just a simple man, not as educated as most here but I wanted to speak up. I think the ultimate goal is to “know G-d”.
Y-d said “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
“I have known him, to the end”
To “know” is like a man “knows” his wife and they become not two but one. Knowing G-d is for the purpose of bringing many sons to glory. Giving life! We cannot “know G-d” by keeping commandments for as the bible teaches “if there was a commandment that could give life, then Yeshua would not have to have died”. We cannot "know G-d" by breaking commandments.
G-d is bringing about the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. We are taught that could not happen in the Sinai Covenant due to weakness. What can bring the promises to pass and is not weak? The New Covenant made in the body and blood of Messiah. The agreement accepted by eating and drinking his blood. G-d delivers his LAW into the heart when he “knows” them. “They shall all know me from the least to the greatest”.
One thing that impresses me on the blogs and everyone has in common. Each has a desire to understand what G-d expects of us Jews and Gentiles. I’ve learned to appreciate that even though there are some disagreements. It’s better to try to find the way to please G-d than anything else.
Anonymous,
DeleteThere are many ways to know G-d. But none would be possible unless He had revealed Himself through Torah. How did you even know to compare His love for His people to the love of a husband for his wife unless you read Jeremiah 3, Isaiah 54, etc? Torah allows us to connect the dots.
"There are many ways to know G-d."
DeleteIf we could know G-d by Torah, then another prophet would not have been sent, we would have known G-d by Moses. It is possible to learn ABOUT G-d from the Torah. But it is not possible to KNOW G-d from the Torah.
"I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me"
It never was possible to bypass Messiah and "Know" G-d by keeping the Torah. The Torah was to bring us to Christ, who would then bring us to Torah.
"Deuteronomy 18:18
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."
Why?
"Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not."
Shema Israel
Who?
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
Anonymous,
DeleteHow could Israel ever have been married to G-d without "knowing" Him? Knowing and being married are inseparable yes?
"How could Israel ever have been married to G-d without "knowing" Him? Knowing and being married are inseparable yes?"
ReplyDeleteIf Israel had known G-d they would have been saved and no need of salvation. If "they all know me" then no need for "they SHALL all know me".
"For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord."
They did not continue in his covenant because they did not know him. To know him is eternal life. Eternal life did not come by Moses.
What did Israel know of G-d? "and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God". But, so did "and the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah. And they did so".
Jeremiah 4:22
For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Anonymous,
DeleteWhat about the following verse:
Exodus 33:13 "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
Doesn't this imply that learning His teachings (i.e. Torah) is a way to know Him?
"Doesn't this imply that learning His teachings (i.e. Torah) is a way to know Him?"
ReplyDeleteIt implies that Moses believes that if G-d teaches him his ways, he will know G-d and find favor with him.
But, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all."
The wages of sin is death. Of course Peter, if you want to give it a go and try to know G-d by keeping the Torah, I've only heard of one man who actually did it.
No one knows the Father except the son reveal him "All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him."
But, I don't like to argue. It is my position that the Torah was given in part for the purpose of leading Israel to Christ, who then speaks the words of the Father and writes the complete Torah on the inward parts making it possible THEN to know G-d.
This is a place for learning b'chavruta, learning through arguing, asking questions, challenging opinions so that one knows which opinions have legs and which ones are merely vestiges of dogmatism. If you find this method offensive, I understand. The Jewish model of learning is not for everyone. Most Christians find it to be offensive because their culture dictates that it is rude to ask too many questions. Me, I love asking questions and started this blog for that purpose. My intent is to learn. Arguing is the means to an end--not the end itself.
DeleteAs to what we were discussing, I believe that salvation comes only through grace by believing on Yeshua. However, I would draw a distinction between salvation and knowledge of G-d. All that is needed for salvation is for G-d to "know" us. Right now we only know Him a little bit--through a glass darkly. And we only know what has been revealed. I believe, unlike Christians, that Torah is the primary source of revelation. I cannot trust that any personal revelation is superior to that contained in Torah itself.
Peter, OK...we will argue :)
ReplyDelete