Shabbat Bible Study for December 9, 2017
©2017 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries
Year 2 Shabbat 38
Leviticus 17:1-16 – [No Prophet] – Psalm 82 – John 5:1-21
Links:
www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/jewish/Koshering-Meat.htm
Vayikra 17.1-9 – The prohibition against offerings anywhere except in the Tabernacle or in the Place in the Land where Yehovah shall put his Name, i.e.; the Temple in Jerusalem, is absolute. This is NOT a prohibition against slaughtering an animal for an honored guest or a celebration. The prefatory remarks on this passage in the Schottenstein’s Interlinear Chumash are salient (pg.118). As usual, I lean towards a “Yes” to the two interpretations – Ba’al haTurim’s interpretation, that the quick addition of this passage after the Yom Kippur service is to disabuse people of the notion that, in light of the killing outside the camp of Azazel’s goat, they can offer anywhere or to any Elohim they so chose, and Rashi’s interpretation that it refers specifically to animals that are consecrated as offerings. If there were a command to NOT eat animal flesh at all, except that which was offered in a peace offering, I would not go with Rashi at all, but there is no prohibition from eating clean flesh. So, it must be permitted to slaughter an animal away from the Tabernacle or Temple. I would guess that an animal that has a blemished appearance would be acceptable for food, but could not be consecrated as an offering to Yehovah.
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before Yehovah. (Leviticus 1:3)
To kill an animal that is suitable for offering without bringing it to the Tabernacle or Temple was like [but not identical to] spilling innocent blood – it was like murder. If an Israelite did such a thing (i.e.; kill an innocent animal without offering it properly. To murder a man was not an excommunicable offense – murder carried a death sentence), they were to be excommunicated and put OUT of the camp so that Yehovah would walk with Israel. If there is any uncleanness in the camp (like a man guilty of innocent blood), Yehovah will not walk among us;
12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 14 For Yehovah Elohenu walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. (Devarim 23.12-14)
If you remember the debacle at Ai [Josh.7], Achan had hidden an idol from Yericho in his tent and Yhwh did not go out to battle with Israel. There was uncleanness in the camp and he would not walk with them, much less fight for them. All peace offerings were to be brought to the priests so the blood could be sprinkled and the fat offered in the proper manner.
No offerings were to be made to any other elohim – only to Yehovah. Remember when this Torah is being given – some time between the 40th-50th day after the transgression of the golden calf and the first Passover in the Wilderness (Moshe was in the mount during those 40-50 days and I think he was getting the Toroth of Leviticus at that time). V.7 seems clear that any offering made anywhere other than at the Tabernacle was an offering to devils. This was the practice from the days of Noach, for the firstborn to offer unto Yehovah in their neighborhood, back yard or wherever it was convenient. They were to stop that practice forever. If any man, Israelite or mixed multitude, offered anywhere other than at the door of the Tabernacle, he was to be removed from the camp. He was tamei – defiled. His only way back into the camp, I think, was on Yom Kippur. He could not just mikvah and await the sunset to return to his place in the camp. I don’t think the unclean were sent completely away in the middle of the wilderness, but had to dwell outside the camp of the saints – like the lepers in 2Ki.7.3&4
3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate (outside the camp): and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
The man being cut off speaks to the physical being of the man. Excommunication’s purpose is always repentance and reconciliation. Ramban thinks that this cutting off means that the man will die an early death, not that he is eternally cut off from Yisrael. Yochanan tells us about a ‘sin unto death’ (there are probably more then one). This may be an instance of what he was talking about. The passage specifies that the MAN is cut off, not his soul. I infer that to mean his physical body, not his spirit, as well. Q&C
Vv.10-14 is the Torah of NOT eating blood. This is a codification of the prohibition against eating blood that was given to Noach in Gen.9. The life is in the blood and it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul of the transgressor. (Take that PETA!) This does not mean that blood of an animal NOT for atonement is OK to eat. It isn’t. The use of the term כל־דמ – chal-dam, ALL or ANY blood, in v.10 makes this plain. We are to ensure that ALL the blood is removed from the animal. If we kill our own animals, they are to be bled completely and their blood poured on the ground and COVERED – same as excrement – or Yehovah will not walk among us. Yehovah says that he will put everything else aside to deal with the man who eats blood. This is why I think the people in Num.11 sinned by eating quail without bleeding, cleaning and cooking it first;
31 And there went forth a wind from Yehovah, and brought quails from the sea, and let fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits upon the face of the earth. 32 And the people stood up all that day, and all night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread all abroad for themselves round about the camp. 33 And while the flesh yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of Yehovah was kindled against the people, and Yehovah smote the people with a very great plague. 34 And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. (Num.11.31-34)
Looks to me like Yehovah set everything else aside to bring condemnation against those who ate in their lust for flesh. Num.11.4 says that the ones who lusted were the mixt multitude. And in the instance of eating blood, Yehovah is the one who cuts off the soul of that man from the people of Israel. Eating blood is SERIOUS business. It looks like there is no atonement for the sin of eating blood.
Vv.15-16 deal with a man who eats that which just dies or is torn by animals, which has already been forbidden in the Sinai covenant.
31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat flesh torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs. (Ex.22.31)
Yehovah forbad them to eat flesh that had been torn because he desired them to be set-apart unto him and to show it by being different from the surrounding people. But provision is made for the one who DOES eat this kind of flesh. He can do a mikvah, wash his clothes and then at evening offering time, he can return to the camp. Therefore, I don’t think clean animals killed by predators are made unclean thereby; this was something Yehovah wanted them to do to be set-apart, not because there was anything actually wrong with eating that flesh. Of course, the flesh would still have to be bled. Do you suppose this is what we do when we buy already slaughtered meat at a market? I think it COULD BE. Be safe with store-bought flesh – kosher it. Here is a link to a kosher koshering process; www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/jewish/Koshering-Meat.htm Q&C
Psalm 82.1- – This is a psalm of Asaph. Remember that Asaph wrote in the time just after the return of Yehudah from Persia. V.1 speaks, I think, about rulers among men rather than gods, quite probably the priests of Yehovah and possibly the rulers of the Land as Yehudah returned. We know there is really only one Elohim and that is Yehovah, so the literal translation of elohim to gods may not be, probably isn’t, correct. If I am correct, and v.6 seems to show that Yehovah agrees with me, he could actually be talking about all of us, for 2Pe.2.9 says that we are a royal Priesthood in Mashiach Yeshua. I will proceed with the understanding that the word ‘gods’ means the political and religious leaders of the people – ‘lords’, as it were. And I will relate it to our present situation in HISstory.
Vv.2-5 – Have you ever wondered why there is no true justice in the world system? Asaph seems to be lamenting the lack of consideration for the poor and needy on the part of the people of Yehovah (and the ‘lords’ or ‘gods’ in particular). The leaders of the people are described in v.2 as ‘respecters of persons’, rather than keepers of Yehovah’s Torah. That is because they think of themselves, of holding and guarding their power by doing what is best for their political ‘benefactors’ (in today’s world, that means the ‘military-industrial complex’ and its lobbyists who provide the politicians with the millions of dollars it takes to run a political election campaign) rather than doing what is ultimately right for their people. It is not human government’s place to provide for the needy in society. That responsibility falls, rather, to the family of the needy first, and to the church/synagogue second. Only after those two resources prove to be inadequate to the task, does it fall to any other source (but it should never have to).
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them [Mark edit – that is; children and nephews] learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before Elohim. 5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in Elohim, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1Tim.5.3-8)
Strong words from Rav Sha’ul, and absolutely in context, as he is addressing exactly what Asaph is in Ps.82, i.e.; justice for the poor and needy – widows indeed. A ‘widow indeed’ is one who has no children or other family members in the faith, and also who is trusting Elohim for her (or his) sustenance. The ‘widows indeed’ and orphans are our first order of business in the faith community. A believing widow or orphaned child of a believer should never have to depend on anyone outside the local congregation for his/her sustenance. When a believing widow or orphan is unable to care for him or herself, the local congregation should make provision. If the local congregation is unable to provide for them, the larger body of believers should have an agency of some sort to which the needy can resort. The LAST place the needy should have to go for sustenance is the government. And, if worldly government is the FIRST place a ‘believer’ goes, they show that they do not truly believe that Elohim can sustain them. Elohim will sustain you in your exigent circumstances, if you trust him to do so. I’ve ‘selah’d that enough, now.
We are to sustain the truly needy among us; THAT is HOW we deliver them from the wicked. ‘The wicked’ in our day means the government, for it is wicked in the extreme. It has no knowledge (da’ath) in the biblical sense of the word. It has neither a wish to understand, nor does it have the wisdom (chochma) to apply to understanding (binah) that would constitute biblical knowledge. Human government in today’s world is anti-Yehovah, anti-Torah, and anti-Mashiach; a perfect description of wickedness. In Asaph’s day, it was applied, as well, to the religious leadership who should have known Torah.
In v.6, Elohim says, “I have said, ye gods” referring to the religious leadership in the land in Asaph’s day. It is not said in a flattering sense. Yeshua used this scriptural quote in context in Jn.10
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. 29 Avi, which gave me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck out of my Avi’s hand. 30 I and Avinu are one. 31 Then the Iouaidoi took up stones again to stone him. 32 Yeshua answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from Avi; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Iouaidoi answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself Elohim. 34 Yeshua answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are Elohims? 35 If he called them Elohims, unto whom the word of Elohim came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 Say ye of him, whom Avinu hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of Elohim? 37 If I do not the works of Avi, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that Avinu is in me, and I in him. 39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand (Jn.10.27-39)
Even though they are children of the Almighty, they will die like men because they have no knowledge of truth. Because they are ‘lords’, and covet that position more than right standing with Yehovah Elohenu, they are willing to ‘kill the messenger’ to protect their positions. The ‘lords’ of Yeshua’s day knew exactly what he meant by, “I and Avi are one.” He was the tzadik rebbe like Moshe that Yehovah had promised to send, the perfect melding of the Almighty’s aspects of Elohim’s understanding (binah) and Yehovah’s wisdom (chochma), and that meant their positions of power were in jeopardy. Their visceral response belied their spoken intent. Unless they would repent of that attitude, they would ‘die like men, and fall like one of the princes. [v.7]’
Whenever you see government or its media lackeys attempting to demonize or marginalize a political person, keep your eyes on that person to see if he truly believes what he says. He will show if he is honest in his positions by how he deals with the personal attacks. If he changes his position, he is just another wicked man. If he maintains his position as right, he is quite likely your best friend and their worst nightmare because he will NOT be controlled by them. By the same token, watch the government’s media lackeys for whom they least dislike and treat him/her like you would a ‘karet’, or ‘leper’.
Asaph ends by calling on Elohim’s judgment on the earth. Achim, we are on the verge of exactly that in America, and indeed in the world. WE need to apply 2Chron.7.14, for WE are to blame for the state of the world. We got too much like the world, too comfortable with the things OF the world. WE need to repent of our own callousness toward our achim, our own friendship with the world system. Remember the description of ‘wicked’ above; anti-Yehovah, anti-Torah and anti-Mashiach.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (II Chronicles 7:14)
That’s you and me, folks. And it’s NOT a one-time deal. It’s an attitude we need to adopt daily, hourly, even minutely in our personal lives. If we, the people who are called by Yehovah’s Name will turn from our own wickedness, Yehovah will THEN listen to us and fix what ails us, both personally and nationally. It is up to US, not the politicians in Washington, London, Moscow, Peking, Jerusalem or Tehran. It is up to us. It is up to YOU! Q&C
Yochanan 5.1-21 – What Feast of the Iouaidoi was this that Yeshua went up for? I don’t think this was a Feast of Yehovah. It could have been Purim or Hanukkah. Yeshua was in the habit of going up to J’lem for all the Feasts, so that he could ‘fulfill all righteousness’ (Mat.3.15). Because he went up to Beth-Khisda (or Beth Chesed – house of kindness), I infer that the Feast is Purim (I COULD be wrong … really!) for Yehovah was very kind to Israel in that day, because they turned to him en masse, as one body. Beth Khisda has 5 pools, showing its reflexion of Yehovah’s chesed; his grace, or loving-kindness.
Yeshua comes upon a man who’s been at the pool for it’s miraculous healing for 38 years. He’s in bad enough shape after all this time that he needs someone to help him into the pool when the angel stirs up its healing properties. Yeshua can see the man is in earnest about being healed and his knowledge that he can do nothing to heal himself – he literally needs a miracle, and he goes to put himself in the way of the recurring miracle, if he can. He is already exercising all the faith he knows to exercise. But he needs help, which is not readily forthcoming. So Yeshua asks him if he would be made whole, and he says “YES!” (I think he implies, “if I could get the help I need to get to the pool when the angel stirs the water, I would already BE whole! Are you going to help me? Let’s get over there now, so we can be ready!”) But Yeshua did him one better. He said, “Stand up! Take your bed and walk!” and he did so immediately. He didn’t think about it being Shabbat. He just followed orders from the man who made him every whit whole by a Word from his mouth. I’d call that a rational response to being made whole of a 38-year infirmity.
But the ‘Iouaidoi’ were not always rational. As I always do, I want to qualify Yochanan’s use of the term Jew. It doesn’t mean the average, rank-and-file member of the Temple/Synagogue, but ALWAYS refers to the political leadership of the religion. They obviously had not been to the Beth-Khisda pool any time in the last 38 years, or they’d have recognized him. They accosted him for breaking a man-made rule dealing with stuff folks are forbidden to do on Shabbat, like carry any burden whatever. I can only imagine them seeing me carry a Bible that would choke a horse into the fellowship. I’d smack them upside the head with it, except that it’s heavy enough to break a neck. He answered them in as respectful a manner as he could, “The guy who made me whole from my 38-year infirmity with a Word from his mouth also told me to take up my bed and walk. I figured it was the least I could do to obey him.” (OK, I embellished that just a tad.) When the Iouaidoi asked him who had dared to heal him on the Shabbat (Oh! FORFEND!), he didn’t know, and there was such a crowd at this Feast time, that he couldn’t see Yeshua. Later, when Yeshua found him to warn him against sinning unless something worse come upon him, the guy went to the Iouaidoi and told them it was Yeshua.
THAT really ticked them off, and they started trying figure out how to kill him within the legal parameters of the day. So, they confronted him about healing on Shabbat, saying that he’d broken it. Look at AENT, note 53 on pg.246.
When Yeshua refers to his Abba, I think he refers to the Almighty Ain Sof, he who is unknowable. He said, “Avi has never ceased working from the day of creation to now, and I work in the same way.” Yehovah has never ceased his creative work, even when it says he rested. If he were NOT creating constantly, everything would cease to exist. The same Word that created ‘ex nihilo’ in Gen.1, sustains the creation until the day of dissolution 1000 years + from now. The day Yehovah ceases to speak is the day everything dissolves into absolute nothingness, from which he can recreate brand new and perfect – a tamim or perfect world in which tzedakah, or righteousness dwells. Perhaps these Iouaidoi had never heard of ‘sod’.
When Yeshua said that both he and Abba work to now, he was making claim to equality with Ain Sof, and they knew it. This made them all the crazier, since what he said was blasphemy for any other than Yehovah Elohim, and they were ready to kill him on the spot. When he asked what good work they were killing him for, they said, “because you make yourself equal to Elohim.” He does not deny their accusation. He even did them one better by saying that, as Avinu will raise the dead in the resurrection (some of these Iouaidoi were no doubt Sadducees), so Yeshua, the Son, will quicken whom he wills, and it makes no difference the day of the week or the traditional fences the Iouaidoi had constructed around Torah. The healing of the man at Beth-Khisda was just one instance of how he would present his bona fides and prove whom he is. Q&C
Follows my study of John 5 from various portions of my study in The Life of Yeshua haMoshiach – an Hebraic Perspective, as I shared on TTRT.
Yochanan 5:1-47 – 72). Second Passover –
1 After this there was a feast of the Iouaidoi; and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.
Yochanan tells of a feast of the Iouaidoi, but doesn’t name it. I don’t know where the chronology comes from here. The Thompson Reference System says [erroneously] that this is Yehovah’s second passover in Jerusalem after his ministry began. This will mark the end of his year of popularity, I think. I also think it more likely Purim or Hanukkah. Thompson’s seems to follow Mark’s gospel for chronology.
73). Man at the pool healed –
Yochanan 5.2-9
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Yeshua saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Yeshua saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.
The pool of Bethesda had 5 porches, speaking to the grace of Elohim healing the sick. Thompson’s Archeological Supplement has:
“The only record indicating its location places it near the Sheep Gate, in the northeast part of the city. The Medeba map (fifth century) located the pool in this section, which is known as Bezetha. In 1888 repairs were being made on St. Ann’s Church in this northeast section of Jerusalem when what seemed to be a large reservoir was located. Conrad Schick organized an expedition and uncovered the entire area down to the Roman level, revealing two large pools with five porches and numerous fragments of columns and capitals, all in Roman style, but evidently somewhat later than the time of Mashiach. There were steep, winding steps leading down to the pools and, on a prominent wall of one of the porches, a faded fresco showed an angel in the act of troubling the waters. So according to the tradition of the early assembly, this was Bethesda.”
Mat. Henry’s commentary says,
“Shall we, who perhaps for many years have scarcely known what it has been to be a day sick, complain of one wearisome night, when many others, better than we, have scarcely known what it has been to be a day well?”
Good question.
Put yourself in this guy’s shoes for a minute. You’ve been infirm for 38 years. And you spend most of your days at this miraculous spa hoping to get in the water when it is troubled. Do you think this happened every few minutes? Once a day? Or just once in a while? There is no indication that the troubling of the water was a regular occurrence. So you have to be ready to jump in, but you can’t jump. You have a hard enough time dragging yourself toward the pool, much less lowering yourself down the steps, which were steep and winding, to get in the pool. And no one will help you because they are all there for the same purpose, to get a healing. If someone helps you into the water, how will he get healed? Only one healing per troubling, and if he can get there first you are going to have to wait ‘til next time. Sorry, luck of the draw, bud.
That’s what this guy dealt with for 38 years. When Yeshua asks if he’d like to be made well, he says in effect, ‘If you’ll hang around and help me into the water next time it’s troubled, I’d be much obliged.’ Yeshua does him one better. He says the same thing he said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up thy bed and walk.” And the guy obeys immediately, not caring what day it is.
Here is a major no-no as far as the Iouaidoi, the political leaders of the Hebrew religion, are concerned. Yeshua has just healed on the Sabbath and told the healed man to carry away his bed. You could get in a lot of trouble with the religious authorities if you broke the Sabbath traditions. Remember that the Sabbath was set aside to rest from our professional labors and acknowledge Y’hovah’s gift and authority one day a week. Do you suppose the man who’d been healed was worshipping Y’hovah as he walked home? Shake your heads in the vertical. Do you think the Pharisees cared? Shake your heads in the horizontal. Q&C
75). Discourse on the Sabbath – Mat.12.1-8, Mk.2.23-28, Lk.6.1-5, Yochanan5.10-16
10 The Iouaidoi therefore said unto him that was cured, it is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Yeshua had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Yeshua findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Iouaidoi that it was Yeshua, which had made him whole. 16 And therefore did the Iouaidoi persecute Yeshua, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.
Do you remember the flock of swine that rushed headlong into the sea? Same problem comes up here, but for a different reason. The swineherds were losing money, the Pharisees were jealous for the common folk to keep the law according to the scribes and Pharisees. They accused Yeshua of breaking Sabbath. But in this case, who was really breaking Sabbath? Yeshua is about to tell them.
74). Discourse on Yeshua’s divinity –
Jn.5.17-47
17 But Yeshua answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Iouaidoi sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that Elohim was his Father, making himself equal with Elohim. 19 Then answered Yeshua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth Avinu do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For Avinu loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as Avinu raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For Avinu judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all should honour the Son, even as they honour Avinu. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not Avinu which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Elohim: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as Avinu hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of Avinu which hath sent me. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than of John: for the works which Avinu hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that Avinu hath sent me. 37 And Avinu himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of Elohim in you. 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that from Elohim only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to Avinu: there is that accuseth you, Moshe [Torah], in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
In vv.17-18 we see the Iouaidoi really getting worked up over Yeshua’s claim to be Elohim. They knew what he was saying, and they would have been righteously angry if they were dealing with MY claim to be Elohim. But this was Yeshua and he was performing miracles that should have told them exactly who he was, if only they knew the scriptures like they said, or thought, they did. Messianic passages abound in the OT (Is.61.1-2a.) Even Yochanan the Immerser needed some proof as to Yeshua true identity (Lk.7.19-20), but he knew the scriptures and was comforted in them (Lk.7.21-23). Yeshua knew that Yochanan would understand that every miracle he performed was not to cause an end of suffering or hardship or infirmity, but for the purpose of confirming to the Iouaidoi, the political leadership of the religion, that he was who he claimed to be; Yeshua haMoshiach, the Son of Elohim. The very miracles he was doing, causing the paralytic to walk in this case, all taken together (i.e., comparing scripture with scripture and verifying experience with objective truth) should have caused them no end of rejoicing that their Mashiach had come and that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. Instead they wanted strict adherence to the oral law that gave no life, but only knowledge of sin and death.
“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Avinu rested from his creative work on the 7th day, not all his work. After all, Elohim still had to maintain the creation. The strict adherence to the letter of the law that the Pharisees wanted would have made them Elohim’s judges. By that I mean, if Elohim were being judged by their standard, absolutely no work on the Sabbath, they would have stoned him, as well. In fact, that is what they were attempting to do right then, for the whole creation was physically manufactured by the word of the person they wanted to stone for blasphemy and Sabbath-breaking (Ex.31.14ff).
V.19 ‘What the Son sees Avinu doing the Son does also (Mark paraphrase).’ The whole universe was all Yehovah Yeshua’s effort. Without him was not anything made that was made. How should we do things? Should we do everything on our own; cowboy our way through as lone wolves, or should we get help or counsel as we can. That is how the Body of Mashiach is supposed to work, each helping the other to bring glory to Elohim.
1Cor.12 says that each part of the body is as important as every other part of the body. If the ear gets jealous because it’s not the eye, the body will not work as it’s designed to. If the foot gets offended because the hand is getting all the good stuff to do and goes on strike, how will the hand get to the appointed place to do its good stuff? It’s the same thing with each of us. If I get jealous of Doc [a dentist friend] because he can make teeth and I can’t, and I therefore leave the fellowship of us saints, the whole body will suffer because it is left without my gifts and abilities. Our gifts were not given to us for our personal enjoyment, but for the common good of the Body of Mashiach. All that and much more can be seen with just a cursory glance at 1Cor.12. The body of Mashiach is designed to work as a unit to fulfill its purpose in doing the will of Avinu. Q&C
Avinu shows the Son all that he (Avinu) plans to do and the Son executes that plan (v.20). ‘Himself’ speaks of Avinu in this case. Had Yeshua meant the Son here he’d have used the word ‘he’ not ‘himself’ in this construction. You may remember the use of this ‘himself’ in the movie, “The Quiet Man” (a great movie, by the way). As late as 1950 this was still an accepted usage when referring to a third person in your speech. Webster’s has
HIMSELF’, pron. In the nominative or objective case. [him and self.] 1. He; but himself is more emphatical, or more expressive of distinct personality than he. With shame remembers, while himself was one. Of the same herd, himself the same had done.
The NIV has ‘he’ here. If ‘he’ is substituted for ‘himself’ it refers back to the last word that is male third person singular, or Son. That could be confusing, so the AV translators who understood English usage decided to use ‘himself’, to specify that the speaker meant a third person other than his own self and the hearer. This is just another proof that Yeshua and Avinu are one Spirit, but different, as relating to Yeshua’s human flesh.
The Abba of our Y’hovah Yeshua haMoshiach had shown his Son all that himself had wanted him to reveal to this point and Yeshua had done so. It seems by this passage that Elohim was authorizing the steps to be taken by Yeshua as the time became right, that Yeshua knew the plan, but was awaiting his Father’s OK to implement it.
Yeshua had yet to raise the dead, but that would come shortly. Avinu had yet to authorize that part of the plan. When he did Yeshua would raise a few from the dead to illustrate his ministry of making us who trust him spiritually alive. He would give the breath of life back to some who had died to show how he would quicken the spirits of men and empower them by the breath of his Ruach haKodesh (Acts 2.2), and will quicken the bodies of those same men in the life to come.
All judgment is committed to the Son for the purpose of giving honor to the Son (Gen.32.29, Ex.6.3, 9.16, 20.7, 23.20-23, Lev.19.12, 22.32, De.28.58, 2Sam.7.26, 1Ki.8.18-19, 29, 9.3, 7, 11.36, 2Ki.23.21-27, Ps.8.1, 89.24, Is.42.8, 48.11, 52.5-6, 57.15, 65.1, Jer.7.10-14, 30, 14.14-15, 23.25-27, Ez.20.9, 36.23, 39.7, Dan.2.20, Mat.24.5, Mal.1.11, 4.2, Mat.18.5, 20, Mk.9.39-41, Jn.16.23-27, Rom.9.17, Is.9.6, Mat.12.16-21, [Mat.1.21, 25, Lk.1.31, 2.21; Yeshua’s name all in caps, denotes the covenant name of Elohim], Acts.3.16, 4.12, Heb.1.4, Phil.2.9-11, Eph.1.21, Rev.19.16, 12, Neh.9.5). Reread the verses in bold type.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4.12)
3 Who being the brightness of glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Heb.1.3-4)
9 Wherefore Elohim also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, of in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth; 11 And every tongue should confess that Yeshua haMoshiach is Yehovah, to the glory of Elohim Avinu. (Phil.2.9-11)
20 Which he wrought in Mashiach, when he raised him from the dead, and set at his own right hand in the heavenlies, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all under his feet, and gave him the head over all to the assembly, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Eph.1.20-23)
But the Son is also called the Word of Elohim in Yochanan 1.1-14, that Word whose name is exalted above every name. When he says above ‘every name’, he means it. In Rev.19.12 his name is so wonderful that it can’t be known by any but he himself. Is there anything that can be greater or more holy than the name of Yehovah Yeshua? In Ps.138.2 David says,
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
Is there any name of Elohim that is left out in that verse? Even the one that no man can know but he himself? Elohim exalts his Word above his very own name because without his Word we would have nothing by which to know his name. Just to give you an idea of what man does to the Word of Elohim, here’s that same verse in the NIV:
Psalm 138:2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
If you did to Elohim’s Word what they did to Elohim’s Word, you would ‘fix’ that verse as well. To translate it literally would be to condemn yourself. NIV-ers have placed Elohim’s Word on a par with his name, but not above it, as Elohim has. They have exalted themselves above Elohim, thereby, knowing better than he exactly what he meant. They have an extremely low view of scripture, or they would not correct it so often. Cf. Ps.19, esp.v.7-11. Without his Word we would have no barometer for our conduct or yardstick to measure our growth into the image of Mashiach. Isn’t it amazing that Elohim holds the book you hold in your hand in greater esteem than his very name? It is too wonderful for me. Q&C
Vv.24, 25 show another reason that Elohim exalts his word above his name. It is by his word that we are saved. We obtain everlasting life by hearing the Word of Elohim and believing that Elohim Avinu has sent Elohim haBen in human flesh. This can only be revealed today by the Word of Elohim, as illuminated by his Ruach ha Kodesh. There are no eyewitnesses alive on earth to talk to as in Paul’s day (1Cor.15.5-8). Elohim wants to fellowship with us, to spend eternity with us as his children. We could never know this without his Word. We could know of him, desire to know him personally, fear him, but we could never know him and love him without his Word.
When he says ‘the dead shall hear’ he refers not just to the physically dead, as when Yeshua went into the grave to take captivity captive, but the spiritually dead as well. Many who heard him for the first time were spiritually dead. When they believed that Elohim had sent him, that he was very Elohim, they obtained eternal life. We who have believed on Avinu who sent the Son in the power of his Ruach ha Kodesh have obtained eternal life and will never be condemned. Yeshua has finished the work Avinu sent him to do. No one can undo what he has done. We have been justified by the faith of the Son of Elohim (Gal.2.16), not by our own faith, and have passed from death unto life. Now it’s time we acted like it, as if we actually believed it to be true. Joshua 1:9
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for Y’hovah thy Elohim is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Remember that this all began with Yeshua healing on the Sabbath and then calling Elohim his Father, making himself equal to Elohim. He has been making that point throughout this discourse. In vv.26-27 he must have really frosted their cookies. He tells them that Avinu has given him authority over judgment and also to have life in himself. These are strong statements of his deity. To have life in yourself is something none of us has ever experienced, nor will we. Yehovah IS life. His Word is life. It actually means that HE IS life (Jn.14.6), not just that he has life. We all have life in us, but it does not proceed from us – we are not the originators of life. Yehovah Yeshua is.
And Elohim has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. If he were not human, he could not feel our infirmity and sympathize with our weakness and inability to live after Elohim. He is the righteous judge because he is righteousness and knows what we feel, has endured the same trials and temptations that we all have, yet without sin (Heb.4.15).
So Yeshua in this sentence tells them that he is both Elohim and man. I wonder how many understood that. And, did it separate their heads from their shoulders? The thought of an Elohim/man would have been totally foreign to them. It was generally thought then, and still is today among most of the lost, that all of the physical or material creation was evil and all that was spiritual was good. For the two to be blended into one was and is inconceivable to most people. This was the root of gnosticism, which is making a strong resurgence today and teaches that Elohim could not become flesh and remain Elohim, for the flesh is sinful. Elohim would not sanctify the flesh, the flesh would corrupt Elohim. Therefore Yeshua was human and the Mashiach was divine, and Yeshua haMoshiach could not be both. But that is exactly what Yeshua taught in this passage, his Spirit is 100% Elohim and his flesh is 100% man, what has been termed the hypostatic union. The hypostatic union is sort of like binary addition of 1+1, which equals 0, carry the 1. It is totally understandable if you slip outside the decimal box that’s been constructed around your mind. So would the concept of 100%+100% = 100% be if we could slip out of the box of time/space/matter. Unfortunately, we can’t without really slipping outside of this body and returning to it, as Paul did in vision or in spirit (2Cor.12.1-4), and which Peter and Yochanan also experienced (Acts 10, Rev.1).
The problem with gnosticism is a faulty concept of Elohim and matter. To the Gnostic the flesh was mightier than the Elohim who created it for it could corrupt him. Therefore the Gnostic elohim was subject to the material world, thus making the material the one, true Elohim. This is the ultimate origin of evolution in the human mind, matter is eternal, and man is the culmination of the material evolution. As such, man created Elohim, therefore man is Elohim. Eminently reasonable if you leave out the scripture or have a low view of it (cf. paragraph at bottom of p.77 and top of p.78 for an explanation of the resurgence of gnosticism in the assembly). Elohim gives us the faith to trust him or not when we believe (Rom 10.14-17).
The gnostics would not believe that anything spiritual was evil, hence the belief today, even among Xians, that anything that is spiritual is divine. These Xians are obviously not exercising the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits (1Cor.12.10, 1Jn.4.1). To them, any angel would be a divine being, even Lucifer (2Cor.11.14) or Michael or Moroni (the LDS revelatory angel – my spell checker gave ‘Moronic’ as the first ‘change’ suggestion). In fact, the spiritual part of man would be divine as well, and therefore all men are Elohims, a la Shirley McLaine and other equally deceived and ridiculous persons. Now, you may ask, ‘How can man have both a spiritual and a material aspect, but Elohim can not take on a physical body?’ You got me there, because I don’t know. There is something to be said for consistency, but the gnostics of our day sure miss it! I think that their thought is that our spirits, which predated the creation of the physical universe (more inconsistency, if matter is eternal), were defiled by contact with the flesh (Gen6.2?) and now by reincarnation and the ‘circle of life’ it needs to purge itself of its sin and once again ‘become one with the divine all.’ They term this at-one-ment, which is why I hate to hear that term used by Xians as an alternative pronunciation of atonement. Yeshua atoned for my sins for me, he substituted for me on the cross. For me to achieve at-one-ment, I have to achieve it. What a waste of time and the life-blood of Yeshua. So, if you don’t want to incur my wrath, and I believe it would be righteous anger, NEVER use the term at-one-ment in place of atonement. I’ll unapologetically snap your head off.
In vv.28-29 Yeshua tells of the resurrection and that he’ll be the one calling the dead from their graves. Once more he is telling the Pharisees and scribes that he is Elohim, and also telling the Sadducees that their doctrine is wrong. He was really making points with the Iouaidoi that day, wasn’t he? He speaks of the resurrection without distinguishing between the first and second resurrections. Those who believed in it knew that the righteous would be resurrected first and the wicked at another time (Dan.12.2), but they did not know that there would be a separation of 1000 years. The specific length of time between the two was not revealed until the Revelation of Yeshua haMoshiach to Yochanan on the isle of Patmos (Rev.20.4-6, 11-15). Yeshua brilliantly illustrated v.28 when he raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn.11). If he hadn’t spoken specifically to Lazarus in v. 43, it is quite possible that a general resurrection would have happened on the spot. That is why the distinction. Prophecy said there would be two separate resurrections for the righteous and for the wicked, so Yeshua could not simply say, ‘Come forth!” To do so would nullify partially revealed truth and the plan of Avinu. One day soon he will say, “Ye righteous of my Father, come forth!”, and the resurrection of the righteous dead and the translation of all living believers will instantly occur to the great consternation of the wicked. They will have been ‘left behind’. Don’t you be.
When Yeshua says in v.29, “I can of mine own self do nothing,” what do you think he means? This is not a rhetorical question.
I think he meant that he’d emptied himself of his independent exercise of his divine attributes, authority and power (Phil.2.5-7). Yeshua was Elohim the Son from eternity past, not having a beginning, of One Spirit with Yehovah Avinu and Elohim Ruach haKodesh. But he voluntarily gave that up so that he could become one of us and fulfill the law so that he could be our propitiator. He, who should have been waited upon hand and foot as the King of kings, came as a servant, in part to show us how to live a victorious life. He submitted himself to the will of Avinu, surrendered his own will and life to Avinu. That was the source of his power on earth, he exercised no authority of his own, only that of his Father through his Ruach. And that same surrender is to be the source of our power and authority. If we were to submit to his will, we too could exercise his authority. What kind of power is displayed in your life? What does that say of your surrender?
As a result of Yeshua’s total surrender to the will of Avinu, not seeking his own, he was and is able to judge justly and righteously. He is able to sympathize with us because he is one of us, and he is able to pass righteous judgment because he is Elohim. I would not want anyone else to judge me. Avinu’s judgment is righteous and just in its severity, because his holiness is the standard with which he must judge. By the standard of Elohim’s holiness, I am forever lost, too vile and unholy to even stand in his presence. Man’s standard is very different, based in what he thinks is just at the moment. By that standard, I would get a free pass because I would not send anyone to hell, because I don’t want to go there myself. If I did condemn someone to hell, then when using the same criterion, I would have to go there too (Mat.7.2). But Y’hovah Yeshua haMoshiach, Elohim in human flesh, felt all the same temptations and weaknesses that we do (Heb.4.15), and therefore can temper his severe righteousness with mercy in those of us who have believed and trusted him for salvation. This is not to say that Avinu has no mercy, for if that were true he would not have sent Y’hovah Yeshua to propitiate for us. This all just helps me to understand how a holy Elohim can have mercy on a wretch like Mark Pitrone, to graciously give him the faith to believe on Y’hovah. If this is incorrect, please correct me.Q&C
In v.31-32, Yeshua tells of his own witness of himself and the witness of another, who for now remains nameless – we’ll see who he is shortly. I find it interesting that even Yeshua’s own witness of himself would not be true without corroboration. I don’t think he meant that his word is untrustworthy (Jn.8.14), but that it would not be sufficient to prove the truth of his assertion, for in the mouths of 2 or 3 witness shall a thing be established (Deut.17.6, 19.15, Mat.18:16, 2Cor.13:1, 1Tim.5:19, Heb.10:28).
Yeshua goes on to say in vv.33-35 that there is another who bears witness of him, whose witness he knows is true. He elaborates in vv.36ff that the other is Avinu in heaven. But before he says that, he refers to Yochanan the Immerser, whose followers must have been in the crowd, perhaps even among the Pharisees and scribes. But Yeshua rejects Yochanan’s witness to himself, because Yochanan is just a guy. His witness may be false, but Avinu’s can never be (Rom.3.4a, Tit.1.2, Heb.6.18). Yeshua tells these things that they might believe his Father’s witness and be saved. Yochanan’s words cannot save them, being the words of man, but Yeshua’s Word can. They had gone to Yochanan for his witness to the truth, and that was good as far as it went, but Yeshua had a greater witness to the truth, his very works (v.36) that had lately gotten him into so much trouble with the Iouaidoi. He was saying, in effect, (Mark paraphrase) ‘You went out to hear Yochanan because he spoke of the truth and that’s good, but I show you the truth by the very works I do. These works are my Father’s witness of me; that I am from him. You loved to bask in the witness of Yochanan because he told you of the truth (v.35), but when you are confronted with the truth itself you will not believe it (v.38), for Elohim’s word does not live in you. If it did, if you really loved the truth, you would believe his report (v.37). But you refuse his witness of me, because you’ve never seen or heard from him in the scriptures you claim to love. (Mark paraphrase)’ What about you? Have you seen Elohim Avinu in the scriptures? Have you heard his voice? Have you surrendered to him? Have you trusted Yeshua to reconcile you to our Father in heaven? Does his Word abide in you? Elohim wants nothing more than your friendship and fellowship. If you haven’t come to him before, stop the study and do it now. He gave everything to have you. You are all he wants. Something alive cannot long be sustained in a rotting, putrefying corpse, it needs to be nourished with living material. Spiritual life cannot be maintained with physical food. It needs spiritual food; I.e., the Word of Elohim (Job 23.12, Ps.19.7-11, Jer.15.16, Ez.2.8-3.3, 1Tim.4.6, De.8.3).
He goes on in vv.39-40 about the scripture’s witness to him. The scriptures were in their brains, they had memorized large chunks of it, but the words did not live in them, didn’t change them in any appreciable manner unless it was to make them more prideful, more hateful. The fact is that the scribes and Pharisees were more worried about compliance with the letter of the ‘oral law’ than with the spirit of Torah, and then only in other people, not so much themselves. Are we not guilty of the same thing, demanding compliance with a law that does not abide in the hearts of men? How can we demand compliance to the truth from Bill, George, and Barack when the truth is not in them? Do we not see our own sins in the people we condemn? They have an excuse, since they are not born from above, but do we? We have been tempted to and done all the same sins that our pet perpetrators have; if not in fact, then in spirit. Should we not, then, attempt to be like our high priest, sympathizing with the infirmities of our fellows and coming alongside them to try to reconcile them to Elohim? That is our ministry here (2Cor.5.18-21), is it not?
In v.41 he says that he doesn’t receive honour from men. The word receive is from the grk. word lambano which means literally to take. He’s not saying that men are not offering him honour, but that he doesn’t want men’s honour and won’t accept it. He wants honour from Elohim. He’s not looking to please men, but his Father in heaven.
Vv.42-43 need to be seen together. If they had Elohim’s love in them they would receive his testimony as the truth it is. This is more proof that they did not love the Law and the Prophets, but used it as a wedge to uphold their power. Yeshua is in process of kicking the wedge free, and, I think, the religious leaders are scared that their positions of honour before the people are about to be lost. For that reason they will not receive what they know in their hearts is the truth, Yeshua is not after their praise or the honour from men. He tells them that one will come (antiMoshiach) who will, speaking in his own name, accept their honour and praise.
He says in v.44 that the reason they won’t believe him is that he is not after their praise, which thing they want above all else. They want the praises of men like themselves, and when antiMoshiach comes and accepts their honours, they’ll accept him as their Mashiach. Since they are self-seeking and totally (self) righteous, and he will be exactly the same, he’s what they expect Mashiach to be. So he’s whom they’ll accept. All because they have no love for the truth of Elohim’s word. Before we get too critical, let’s examine ourselves. Are we guilty of the same stuff? Do we need to repent?
In v.45 he informs them that he will not accuse them before his Father, that Moses will be their accuser. Not that Moses himself will accuse them, but Torah that Moses wrote will. He says that the Torah in which they put all their trust (Jn.9.28, Rom.2.17-25) will be used as the witness against them. They were trusting the works of the law to qualify them for eternal life (Gal.2.11-3.10). Yeshua was telling them they were trusting in a thing that they did not believe. How stupid is that? Had they truly known and believed the scriptures they would have recognized Yeshua for who he is — Mashiach, the son of Yosef/David, the Son of Elohim. Why would they believe the author of the Word if they didn’t believe the Word they claimed to trust? How else do you know an author but by his writing? Had they known it they would have known him and believed. (If you haven’t yet, read Gal.2.11-3.10 now )
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Iouaidoi dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Iouaidoi, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Iouaidoi? 15 We Iouaidoi by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yeshua Mashiach, even we have believed in Yeshua Mashiach, that we might be justified by the faith of Mashiach, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Mashiach, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Mashiach the minister of sin? Elohim forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim. 20 I am crucified with Mashiach: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Mashiach liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of Elohim, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of Elohim: for if righteousness by the law, then Mashiach is dead in vain… 1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Yeshua Mashiach hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 Even as Abraham believed Elohim, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that Elohim would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. [Gal.2.11-3.10]
End Jn.5 End of Shabbat Bible Study
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