The Refiner’s Fire.
Continued from the Home Page:
When we take the doctrine that "Jesus nailed the Torah (Law) to the cross" we come
up with a myriad of contradictions in scripture. This doctrine comes from twisting
the writings of Rav Shaul (Paul) to say something they do not. This doctrine is in
direct contradiction to Matthew 5:17-
Lay persons all too often attempt to understand scripture from a modern Western Hellenized mindset. When reading scripture we have to consider the time period and the culture that it was written in. Some of that ancient culture still exists even in modern day Israel and Judaism. The first thing we need to do is back away from our cultural understandings and look at scripture from a Hebrew frame of mind. For example, we understand being “under the law” as having laws that rule or govern over us. But this is not the same concept as Eastern thinking.
Andrew Roth describes the concept with the following examples from page 786 in the A.E.N.T.
“They should collect all the food of the good years that are coming and store up the grain under (tachath) the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.” Genesis 41:35
“Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and shall say to her, “If no man had laid with you and if you have not gone astray into uncleaness, being under (tachath) the authority of your husband, be immune to this water of bitterness that carries a curse.” Numbers 5:19
“As we see here, to be “under” something means to derive authority from it... Therefore, if we are ‘under the Torah,’ that would mean that we derive authority from the Torah, a doctrine that is never taught in Tanakh” [my note: Christians call it Old Testament].
“... All the requirements in Torah are not ‘Jewish’ or even just ‘for Israel’. Rather, they are YHWH’s requirements, and it is from YHWH, and not the Torah, from which justification for doing the right things comes from. In other words, if you just happen to do a ritual commanded in Torah because it seems trendy, then by Torah standards you are absolutely not justified!”
This was the very trap the religious leaders had fallen into. They boasted on their lineage and rituals believing their authority came “under the Torah” (much like the policeman saying, “stop in the name of the law”), but their hearts were far from YHWH. This is exactly the concept Ya’akov haTzadik points out when he says that works without faith is dead just as faith without works is dead.
Now we will look at some scriptures that are in direct contradiction with the doctrine of nailing Torah to the cross. If you followed along in the "History" section of this web site you found a number of scriptures that clearly demonstrate the Shlichim/Talmidim (Apostles/Disciples) observing Torah years after Yeshua haMashiyach was slain and resurrected. That in itself should be enough of a red flag for people to ask, “Isn’t that hypocritical based on what I’ve been taught?” The answer would be, “yes” if the doctrines we had been taught were the truth. But they are not the truth and that is why those doctrines contradict the way the Shlichim continued observing the Torah. Those verses will not be repeated here. But do take a look at those if you have not done so already.
"Then he said to him, 'Why do you call me good? There is none good except one Elohim? Now if you desire to enter into life, keep the Commandments'." Matthew 19:17
Torah means "instruction(s)". The Torah is YHWH's instruction in righteousness. The Torah has been mistranslated as "Law" and treated on a level equal to "Hellenized" gnostic law. "TORAH is YHWH's Instructions, His Counsel and His Guidance, Torah is an all encompassing 'Word' that includes all the directives of YHWH. Torah is a love story of YHWH told between Him and His people Israel, through this love story all souls are welcomed to enter into Life as the Israel of Elohim. Every soul who walks in MASHIYACH must walk in TORAH, and every soul who walks in TORAH must walk in MASHIYACH, these are ONE." http://www.beitdin.net/righteousinstruction.htm
"And by this we will be sensible that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. For
he that says I know him, and does not keep his Commandments, is a liar and the truth
is not in him. But he that keeps his Word, in him is the Love of Elohim truly completed:
for by this we know that we are in him. He that says 'I am in him' is bound to walk
according to his halakha [walking]." 1 John 2:3-
Surely, this instruction [mitzvah] which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling
for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, 'Who
among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we
may observe it?' Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who among us
can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that
we may observe it?' No, it is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart,
to observe it." D'varim (Deuteronomy) 29:11-
“Here is the patience of the Set Apart believers who keep the commandments of Elohim, and the faith of Yeshua.” Revelation 14:12
"The [Torah] of [YHWH] is perfect, renewing life; the decrees of [YHWH] are enduring,
making the simple wise; the precepts of [YHWH] are just, rejoicing the heart; the
instruction (Mitzwot) of [YHWH] is lucid, making the eyes light up. Psalms 19:7-
“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one letter of Torah to pass away.” Luke 16:17
So, you drive down the street each day observing the speed limit. You stop for red lights and stop signs. You always signal before making your turns. You never park in "no parking" zones. You are a one in a million driver, you have a spotless unblemished driving record. Do you honestly believe that because one person has obeyed the traffic laws perfectly, that the traffic laws will now pass away?
“These are my [Moedim -
Now, suppose you are not a perfect model citizen and you go to court. The Judge says,
"You will appear in this court on October 6th at 8:00 o'clock a.m." And let's suppose
you disobey the Judge and don't come at the appointed time [Moedim]. What do you
suppose the Judge will do? The Judge will punish you for violating (transgressing)
his command (instructions). Maybe you will say something like, "I know you wanted
me to come on October 6th but one day is as good as any other day so I decided to
come on October 7th". Do you honestly suppose the Judge will accept that? Or is the
Judge more likely to hold you in "contempt"? This holds true for both the Moedim
Feasts of YHWH and for the seventh day Moedim Shabbat (Sabbath) that man has decided
on his own to change to Easter, Christmas, Valentine's day, Halloween and the first
day of the week, "Sun"-
“As a result, Torah is Set Apart [Kadosh -
“For I rejoice in the Torah of Elohim, in the inner man.” Romans 7:22
“...Now, therefore, in my conscience, I am a servant of the Torah of Elohim...” Romans 7:25
“And the dragon was enraged against the woman; and he went to make war upon the remnant of her seed who keep the Commandments of Elohim and have the testimony of Y’shua.” Revelation 12:17
"For the secret power of lawlessness [Torah-
What is this secret power of lawlessness? It is clearly the twisting of scripture to create doctrines for itching ears. The best example of this is that Messiah nailed Torah to the torture stake and that Torah is no longer in effect.
"For the coming of that (Evil One) is the working of haSatan with all power and signs
and lying wonders and with all the deceptiveness of iniquity in them that perish;
because they did not receive the love of the truth by which they might have life.
Therefore Elohim will send upon them the strength of a deception that they may believe
a lie, and that they all may be condemned who believe not the truth but have pleasure
in iniquity." 2 Thess. 2:9-
In footnote 5 Andrew Roth clarifies, "The price for not receiving the "love of the
truth" is to become overly self-
The "love of the truth", the love of Torah is YHWH's instructions for eternal life with Him.
Baruch ben Daniel on his Web site says, "The teachings of the Wicked One are embodied
in the teachings of Jesus that do away with Torah, and call the Torah of YHWH, the
"Old Testament". YHWH is not OLD and neither are his Testimonies, the Testimonies
of YHWH are Eternal and New every morning for those who delight in His Torah. The
anti-
http://www.beitdin.net/righteousinstruction.htm
Let's break down Matthew 5:17-
“Do not think that I have come to loosen Torah or the prophets [Neviim], I have not come to loosen but to fulfill." The N.I.V. says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law [Torah] or the Prophets [Neviim]; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Whether we look at this from the original Aramaic or the translation to Greek, then
to English, we come up with two very opposing concepts here. To "loosen" means to
unravel or to un-
Y'shua removed the "fences" (leaven) of the religious leaders who added their "law"
(the law that Rav Shaul is talking about) to the Torah and brought it into clear
understanding. This is evidenced in Y'shua's teaching such as, "You have heard that
it has been said that you should not commit adultery. But I say to you that all who
look at a woman as lustfully at once has committed adultery in his heart." Matthew
5:27-
Let’s take this a step further. The Greek word “Apocalypse” means, "to uncover truth"
(despite the contemporary definition of destruction -
In Aramaic, the name of this book is "Gilyana" which comes from the Hebrew/Aramaic root "gela" which means "reveal/manifest". "Gela is the root word for Galilee (gali being the homonym for Galilee), the place where Mashiyach was revealed/manifested to the world. Bear in mind that these are very deep Hebraic/Aramaic thoughts that were originally written by Hebrew Shclichim (Apostles) of Y’shua.
When Y’shua says He came to "fulfill Torah" it does not mean apocalypse (gela) in
“contemporary understanding” but, rather, in the “original intent” (the time in which
it was written) to provide proper understanding -
"For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away not one Yodh or one stroke will pass from Torah until everything happens."
When I awoke this morning and stepped outside, I observed that the heavens were still above my head and the earth was still beneath my feet. From direct observation I immediately ascertained that heaven and earth have not yet passed away. So, Torah is still be in effect.
The following is also mentioned in the "History" section of this Web site but we will rehash it here.
We recently observed Pesach (Passover). The day Y'shua was slaughtered was the "Day
of Preparation" for Pesach (not the weekly Shabbat). As the lambs were being taken
out for slaughter for the Pesach meal, Y'shua was led out to be slaughtered. As Rav
Shaul said, "For our Passover is the Mashiyach, who was slain for us. Therefore let
us celebrate the festival..." 1 Cor. 5:7-
Y'shua's body could not be left hanging after sundown according to Jewish law, and especially with the Shabbat of Chag haMatzot (Unleavened Bread) beginning at sundown. Y'shua, who was without sin (no leaven, no yeast), without spot or blemish, was laid in the tomb. Because their was no leaven (sin) in him, he fulfilled the feast of Chag haMatzot (Unleavened Bread).
Three days and three nights later, at the closing of Shabbat (Matt. 28:1) -
We begin counting the 49 days of the Omer on haBikkurim with that being day 1. The day after the 49th day, is Shavuot (Pentecost) the 50th day. The Shlichim (Apostles) were gathered together for Shavuot when the Ruach came upon them and they were baptized with fire. Y'shua fulfilled Shavuot.
But, Y'shua has not yet fulfilled Yom T’ruah (Feast of Trumpets); Yom Kippur (Feast
of Atonement which is actually a day of fasting); and the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles).
These feasts coincide with events in “The Revelation” that come at the end of the
"Great Tribulation" (which also clearly shows the teachings of “Pre-
"All who loosen, therefore, from one (of) these small commandments and teach thus to the sons of man, will be called little in the Kingdom of Heaven, but all who do and teach this will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds more than that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
This part of our study really does not require much explanation. You are either caught up in the "Mystery of Iniquity" having your ears tickled by false prophets and false teachers, and you are parroting these false doctrines, or you are teaching the truth. The consequences are made very clear.
What Rav Shaul is teaching about the "law passing away" is not Torah itself, but the stone tablets, the sheep skins, the parchments and the paper that Torah is written upon. For these things are becoming obsolete since on that Shavuot (Pentecost) when the Shlichim were baptized with the fire of the Ruach haKodesh (Set Apart Ancient Spirit). Since that day the Ruach has been writing Torah upon the hearts of all those "...who keep the Commandments of Elohim and have the testimony of Y'shua."
So, if Torah was not nailed to the torture stake (cross), what was nailed there with
Y'shua? Isaiah answers this for us. "Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing,
our suffering that he endured. We accounted him plagued, smitten and afflicted by
G-
It was the penalty for, the consequences of, violating Torah -
Final thought:
A woman cried out in a loud voice from the crowd and said to Y’shua, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!. He said to her, ‘Blessed are they who hear the Word of Elohim and keep it’.” Luke 11:27
What They Said
Catholic
'Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation
or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third -
Catholic Record, September 1, 1923
For a more in depth study of this and other Torah topics, visit our "Recommended Reading" page and click on the "Should Christians Be Torah Observant" book icon.