My husband and I have recently relocated to a lower elevation for reasons of health, and are now living in a small town, near a big city which has one Messianic Jewish Synagogue. [A Messianic Jew is a Jewish person who believes that Jesus Christ was, and is, the Messiah...whom they call by His given Hebrew name of Yeshua [see: http://jesusisajew.org/YESHUA.php] and by His title of HaMashiach (Messiah).
Messianic Jews believe that the only way to the Father is through the Son, Yeshua, and that salvation is found only in Him (whose name Yeshua means: "Salvation is of the Lord.") They believe salvation is NOT to be found or earned by observing Torah, otherwise known as the law of Moses. It was earned for us by Jesus (Yeshua) and His work, accomplished on the cross for our sakes, cannot be further enhanced in any way, by our efforts. [See: http://www.mjaa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=n_messianic_movement_messianic_judaism ]
Yet they still observe the Torah; and to many Christians this is a contradiction. But to Messianic Jews, and to myself (a Christian believer), there is no contradiction. I think two definitions would help to clarify.
First, the word "Torah" [as used in Judaism] describes the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures [the Pentateuch]. These are of course the exact same first five books of the Old Testament in every Christian's Bible. But we should further define the word "Torah" as presented in its Hebrew form which is: instruction, doctrine, law, or as defined by its root word "yarah" which means to show, direct, instruct.
Next, we should define the word "observe" which comes from the Latin word "observare" [ob = toward; servare = attend to, look at]. It's definitions include:
1) to notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant;
2) to perform or take part in;
3) to maintain in compliance with a rule or custom, or temporarily as a mark of respect;
4) to celebrate or acknowledge.
I think any one or all of the definitions of "observe" would fit our purposes; thus, in my thinking, to "observe Torah" is to "notice, perceive and register as being significant, to perform and take part in, to maintain, to be in compliance with, to celebrate or acknowledge the instructions that God has given to and preserved for those who follow Him."
On the other hand, using these same definitions, what would it look like to NOT observe Torah?
It would look as though we were calling ourselves followers of God while we deliberately disregard His instruction to us, instructions which are as eternal as the eternal God from whom they come. It would look as though we take His Word so selectively, and so casually, as to make it of no signficance whatsoever, prefering to "observe"the New Testament ABOVE the Old. It would look as though there is nothing in the first five books of the Old Testament, or perhaps even the rest of the Old Testament, to celebrate.
Yet the same New Testament that all Christians use, tells me that the Old Testament is all about Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, hidden in prophecy, to be revealed in the New Testament. Without "observing" or "being attentive to" the Torah, how would I recognize Jesus in the New Testament? Would I really see Him? Or would I see whatever the world at large has concocted for me to see, if I choose to follow the world, albeit the "Christian" world with all of its diversity of doctrine, rather than the full word of God? Am I afraid that the Old Testament will contradict the writings of Paul and the dsicples of Jesus Christ? Could it possibly? Of course not! Neither will Paul and the writings of the disciples, all being inspired by the same eternal LORD, be able to contradict what is in the Old Testament. The New Testament is simply the Old Testament revealed...not destroyed..not done away with....revealed. And what is revealed is the love of God towards us!
Truths that looked like "law" handed down by a fierce GOD, are now seen to be loving instructions meant to be beneficial to us as handed down from a loving Father to His children. That's what the New Testament revealed.
It revealed that God the Father can be trusted to have our best interests at heart. While He is fearful enough in His majestic and glorious appearance to make John, the disciple, fall down as though dead, He is our loving Father whom we can trust and follow implicitly, knowing that nothing He directs or instructs us to do is harmful to us, but beneficial in every way. So why would we willingly set aside anything He has given us, including the Old Testament, including Torah?
In fact, I have not set it aside. I "observe Torah" while also "observing" the rest of the Old Testament, and all of the New Testament....in fact, ALL of the fullness of the Word of God.
In the next posting, I will try to share the form that "observing" takes in each of those elements of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, found within the "instruction" of the LORD; at least as I "perceive" it while I am observing those who observe.
Messianic Jews believe that the only way to the Father is through the Son, Yeshua, and that salvation is found only in Him (whose name Yeshua means: "Salvation is of the Lord.") They believe salvation is NOT to be found or earned by observing Torah, otherwise known as the law of Moses. It was earned for us by Jesus (Yeshua) and His work, accomplished on the cross for our sakes, cannot be further enhanced in any way, by our efforts. [See: http://www.mjaa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=n_messianic_movement_messianic_judaism ]
Yet they still observe the Torah; and to many Christians this is a contradiction. But to Messianic Jews, and to myself (a Christian believer), there is no contradiction. I think two definitions would help to clarify.
First, the word "Torah" [as used in Judaism] describes the law of God as revealed to Moses and recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures [the Pentateuch]. These are of course the exact same first five books of the Old Testament in every Christian's Bible. But we should further define the word "Torah" as presented in its Hebrew form which is: instruction, doctrine, law, or as defined by its root word "yarah" which means to show, direct, instruct.
Next, we should define the word "observe" which comes from the Latin word "observare" [ob = toward; servare = attend to, look at]. It's definitions include:
1) to notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant;
2) to perform or take part in;
3) to maintain in compliance with a rule or custom, or temporarily as a mark of respect;
4) to celebrate or acknowledge.
I think any one or all of the definitions of "observe" would fit our purposes; thus, in my thinking, to "observe Torah" is to "notice, perceive and register as being significant, to perform and take part in, to maintain, to be in compliance with, to celebrate or acknowledge the instructions that God has given to and preserved for those who follow Him."
On the other hand, using these same definitions, what would it look like to NOT observe Torah?
It would look as though we were calling ourselves followers of God while we deliberately disregard His instruction to us, instructions which are as eternal as the eternal God from whom they come. It would look as though we take His Word so selectively, and so casually, as to make it of no signficance whatsoever, prefering to "observe"the New Testament ABOVE the Old. It would look as though there is nothing in the first five books of the Old Testament, or perhaps even the rest of the Old Testament, to celebrate.
Yet the same New Testament that all Christians use, tells me that the Old Testament is all about Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, hidden in prophecy, to be revealed in the New Testament. Without "observing" or "being attentive to" the Torah, how would I recognize Jesus in the New Testament? Would I really see Him? Or would I see whatever the world at large has concocted for me to see, if I choose to follow the world, albeit the "Christian" world with all of its diversity of doctrine, rather than the full word of God? Am I afraid that the Old Testament will contradict the writings of Paul and the dsicples of Jesus Christ? Could it possibly? Of course not! Neither will Paul and the writings of the disciples, all being inspired by the same eternal LORD, be able to contradict what is in the Old Testament. The New Testament is simply the Old Testament revealed...not destroyed..not done away with....revealed. And what is revealed is the love of God towards us!
Truths that looked like "law" handed down by a fierce GOD, are now seen to be loving instructions meant to be beneficial to us as handed down from a loving Father to His children. That's what the New Testament revealed.
It revealed that God the Father can be trusted to have our best interests at heart. While He is fearful enough in His majestic and glorious appearance to make John, the disciple, fall down as though dead, He is our loving Father whom we can trust and follow implicitly, knowing that nothing He directs or instructs us to do is harmful to us, but beneficial in every way. So why would we willingly set aside anything He has given us, including the Old Testament, including Torah?
In fact, I have not set it aside. I "observe Torah" while also "observing" the rest of the Old Testament, and all of the New Testament....in fact, ALL of the fullness of the Word of God.
In the next posting, I will try to share the form that "observing" takes in each of those elements of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, found within the "instruction" of the LORD; at least as I "perceive" it while I am observing those who observe.
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