Shabbat Bible Study for March 4, 2017

©2016 Mark Pitrone and Fulfilling Torah Ministries

Shemoth 4:18 – 6:1 – YeshaYahu 55:6-13 – T’hellim 43 – Yochanon 8:26-59

Shemoth 4.18-27 – Last week we had Moshe being called of Y’hovah to lead Israel out of Egypt with great sign and wonders, and Moshe whimpering like a little girl to send someone else, until Y’hovah got TICKED and told him to get out of his face before he did something Moshe might regret. This week we find Moshe announcing (after a sort) that Y’hovah had called him to go back to Egypt to lead Israel out of there. 

Moshe asked Yithro’s permission to go back to Egypt to see if any of his brethren yet lived. Why did he ask permission? Was it out of respect for his father-in-law? Was it because Moshe had promised to stay with Yithro, Lo, those 40 years ago? I think, “Yes.” Why did he not tell Yithro the REAL reason he was going – to be Y’hovah’s instrument to lead Israel from bondage? Rabbi’s say it was due to one of two reasons; 1) that it might cause Yithro to worry, or 2) Y’hovah had not authorized Moshe to reveal the true purpose of his mission in Egypt. 

Why did Y’hovah tell Moshe that all who sought his life were dead? Perhaps so that he wouldn’t worry about it during his return trip. That he wasn’t worried can be seen in his taking his wife and sons to Egypt with him. Gershom was introduced in 2.22, so the child who was not CCd may well have been the younger, perhaps a newborn. The rabbis have an interesting note in the Chumash about the donkey, hachamor:

That the definite article is used concerning the donkey indicates that this is a special donkey. Gur Aryeh says that the concept of ‘mounting the donkey’ symbolizes pre-eminence over all earthly life and he cites a Midrash that Avraham, Moshe and King Mashiach [edit – a prophet like unto you, Deut.18.15, 18] all have this superiority.

Moshe took the staff of Elohim in his hand. If you’ll remember, this was a dead almond stick a few days before, Moshe described it merely as ‘a staff’, but now it’s the staff of Elohim. This staff is presumably the one that would devour the rods of the Egyptian magicians who counterfeited its wonder; that would bud to prove to Israel that Moshe and Aharon were Y’hovah’s chosen leaders and that resides to this day before the ark of the covenant, where it is hidden (I believe in the heavens, based on)

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; (Hebrews 9:4)

And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before Y’hovah, to be kept for your generations. (Exodus 16:33)

And Y’hovah said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’ rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (Numbers 17:10)

Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark (NOT inside) of the covenant of Y’hovah Elohechem, that it may be there for a witness against thee. (Deuteronomy 31:26)

I don’t think ANYTHING was ever placed INSIDE the ark, but all was placed before it and preserved in the presence of Y’hovah (there is no time in Y’hovah’s presence), and it remains there to this day in the heavenlies – the ark and all the other three things that were commanded to be placed before Y’hovah as a remembrance of his gracious, merciful atonement in not thoroughly wiping us out as a result all those rebellious acts. 

Y’hovah then commanded Moshe to be sure to work all the wonders he’d been shown before Paroh, but he also told him that Paroh would not hearken to Moshe until tragedy became personal. He gave Moshe the exact words to say to Paroh, including the warning of the consequences of disobedience, which would also be the straw to break the camel’s back – the death of Paroh’s bachor, firstborn son. 

It surely looks as though Y’hovah actually had Moshe in hand when Tzipporah performed the CC on her son and placed the blood on Moshe’s feet. Was this a type of atonement? If so, it certainly foreshadows the atonement of Yeshua, as the Akeida had in Gen.22, and as the typological, substitutionary animal blood did from the Wilderness Adventure until the actual atonement was made on Mount Moriah and its blood offered on the mercy seat in the heavens by our Melchizedek High Priest, Yeshua haMoshiach (Heb.9). It may be that Tzipporah refused to go any further with Moshe, for we do not see her again until Yithro comes out to meet Moshe and Israel in ch.18. I think that the reason Eliezer (and possibly Gershom) was not CCd was because Tzipporah would not allow it. If this is right, that Y’hovah had Moshe and was going to kill him unless the CC was done could have caused a rift between Moshe and his wife and MAY be another purpose of the command to marry only within the household of faith – the unbeliever may keep back the believer from faithfully keeping Y’hovah’s charge. Tzipporah may have taken her sons and gone home to daddy for a few months ‘cooling off’ separation from Moshe. She is only mentioned that 1 more time, so she may have died early as a result of this rebellion against Moshe’s authority and against the express Word of Y’hovah, and that shortly after her reappearance in ch.18. If that isn’t the case, it would help to explain the reception of Miriam and Aharon to the ‘Ethiopian woman’ Moshe was married to (Num.12.1). Q&C

4.27- – Y’hovah spoke to Aharon, who was presumably the zakein, elder, of the tribe of Levi and told him to go and meet his brother Moshe in Horeb. Was Horeb KNOWN as the mount of Elohim before he gave Torah to Moshe and Israel? Perhaps it was ½ way between Egypt and Yithro’s home in Midian. When the brothers reunited, Moshe told Aharon all that Y’hovah had told him to say. Then they went to the elders of Israel (all 70?) and Aharon told them the Words of Y’hovah, performed the wonders and the people believed both for the hope they’d been given and the wonders that established the Word of Truth they’d been told. And chol Yisrael worshipped Y’hovah. Now would come the hard part – the hardening of Paroh’s heart and the affliction that would come of it.

Moshe and Aharon delivered the message to Paroh – let my people go 3 days into the Wilderness “that they may celebrate a feast [chag- yachogu] unto me”. And Paroh hardened his heart, saying (in a Mark paraphrase), “Never heard of him! Who is this Y’hovah that I should let Israel go feast before him? VACATION?! I think Israel must have WAY to much time on its hands.” So they gave him the warning from Y’hovah, “Israel is my bachor. Let them go, or I will kill your bachor.” Paroh wouldn’t listen, and since he thought they had too much time on their hands he made their work harder, forcing them to gather the ‘binder’ to make the bricks they were tasked with. This reminds me of what Rehovoam told Yerovoam on the advice of Rehovoam’s childhood buddies. All it did was steel Israel’s determination to be free of the tyranny. The same happened with the founding generation of America. Is that what it will take before the people of the world rise up to throw off the shackles? Will it be enough? As Rehovoam would not hearken to the oppressed, so would not Paroh, and so will not the NWO tyrants in these days. Unfortunately, the only thing bullies seem to understand is force, and Paroh and the NWO tyrants are no different. Paroh resorted to force first. Now, Y’hovah was going to give Paroh exactly what he wanted – a show of force. “You want to see FORCE?! I’LL show you force!” And even at that, he offered mercy IN the force, starting with just a taste and gradually building to the level needed to make the point – in Paroh’s case Egypt’s destruction as a super-power and his personal dynasty’s destruction in the death of his Bachor. The Egyptian exodus is our template for the Greater Exodus that is so near we can taste it. Look for the same kinds of judgments and plagues that struck Paroh and Egypt to strike the whole world system, of which Egypt is typical in scripture. The economic judgment is soon to arrive for America, which will take the REST of the NWO system with it. We’ve been getting the hints, nudges and warnings for years. We are about to reap the whirlwind.

So the Israelite foremen on site were told to keep producing brick at the same rate, but to gather their own straw [which represents Ruach HaKodesh to me in this episode]. When they and the workmen couldn’t produce as they had always done, Paroh had the foremen flogged. On their way back to their hovels to nurse their wounds, they met Moshe and Aharon [who respectively represent Mashiach and Avinu to me in this same episode], to whom they complained. Then Moshe went before Y’hovah to ask both why this was happening and to deliver his people as he’d promised he would. When you are not receiving the promises Y’hovah promised, examine yourself. If there is no sin hindering your walk, remind Y’hovah of his promise. That is what Moshe did as the intercessor for Israel, and it is what Ruach l’Mashiach does for us when we take our cares to Avinu in his Name. 

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of Ruach, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, do we with patience wait. [Heb.11.1]26 Likewise Ruach also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but Ruach itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth the mind of Ruach, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to Elohim. [Rom.8.22-27]

What is the body that is to be redeemed (Rom.8.23)? The primary application in Romans is to the reconciliation of Yehudah and Ephraim, and the body must therefore primarily be chol Yisrael, not merely our individual human bodies. Paul said ‘our (pl) body (sing)’. He is speaking primarily of Yisrael, the body of Mashiach, not our personal physical flesh (though that secondary application is appropriate, as well). And that is what Y’hovah is about to do in Egypt. He is going to convince a LARGE group of gentiles (though still only a remnant) to follow Yisrael out of Egypt, even as he is today calling a LARGE group of gentiles (though still only a remnant) out of the world system and to Torah. Next week, we’ll see Y’hovah begin his work of calling his 1stborn son out of Egypt, which is a shadow of his call to Ephraim, Yehudah and whosoever will to come out of the world system.

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)

And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which Y’hovah spoke by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:15)

Everything in TNK in one way or another points to Mashiach. Q&C

After reading YeshaYahu 6-13, re-read the yellow hi-lite above. YeshaYahu 55.6-13 – The haftarah for today is a foreshadowing of the deliverance from exile that Y’hovah is working out for Israel from Egypt, and that he will work out for us in the Greater Exodus we spoke of a few minutes ago. YeshaYahu had been used of Y’hovah to warn both houses of Ya’acov to repent or they would each see exile from their inheritances. Now he was delivering the promise of return from exile as Israel and the mixt multitude had been from Egypt. 

The invitation to return in v.7 implies that the man had been in Y’hovah’s camp but turned away. Had he never been Y’hovah’s, he would have to shuv, turn, not teshuvah, return. Unless Ruach energizes a man, there is neither forgiveness nor mercy in him – there must be something in it for him. Y’hovah doesn’t think like we do – he wants our best at all times. Sometimes it doesn’t look good from our perspective, but if he is in it, it is always for our best. Rom.8

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of Ruach, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to Elohim. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love Elohim, to them who are the called according to purpose.

Y’hovah uses a couple of similes to illustrate this point; as the heavens are above the earth, so are his thoughts higher than ours, and as the rain and the snow nourish the earth so does his Word nourish our spirits and accomplish its purpose in us. The Rock of his Word SHALL do what is intended, either to build us up in him or to grind us down until we call out to him for deliverance. It is our response to his Word that is the wild card; will we repent and go his way, or just keep on our own not-so merry way? If we repent of going our own way and return to his way, we will be delivered with joy and singing. Y’hovah is delighted when we turn to him and his way, and that delight manifests itself in our own joy and singing. If we do not repent, he’ll keep applying more pressure until we give in, or until we apostatize [may it never be for those who read or hear these words]. Torah is a 2-edged sword, bringing either blessing for obedience [and the accompanying joy in Y’hovah and thereby in us] or cursing for rebellion. May all who read or hear this be blessed of Y’hovah. The trees of the field represent Ephraim coming out of dispersion and exile, clapping with joy and gladness, realizing their standing before Y’hovah in delight and awe. The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is seen, of course, in the Millennium and Olam Haba.   Q&C

T’hellim 43 – Y’hovah himself, the righteous Judge of the Universe, is our advocate in his own court. The Judge pleads my case for me in his court. Y’hovah allows us to be exiled and persecuted for the purpose of getting us to call out for his Advocacy and Deliverance in Mashiach Yeshua. When we are in exile (v.2 – Exodus?) we know it by the circumstances in which we find ourselves. When we turn back to him, calling for the Light of his Truth, and moving toward the Source of that Light, we inexorably ‘press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of Elohim in Mashiach Yeshua.’ Q&C

Yochanan 8.26-59 – v. 24 says, “Unless you believe that I AM, you shall die in your sins.” And that prompted the question, “Who are you?” which probably came out sounding like, “Who the H-E-double hockey sticks do you think you are?” He answered, “Like I’ve been telling you all along, I AM.” See note 87 on the bottom of pg.258 of the AENT. 

V.26 could read, “I have many things to say, but he that sent me to judge concerning you is true.” Now, the folks he was talking to didn’t know he spoke about Avinu, who had sent him. Why that is I do not know, for he’d been telling them since he started his ministry. Just staying in the gospel of Yochanan to this point, we see this:

Yeshua saith unto them (his disciples), My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father 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… 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 the Father which hath sent me… 36 But I have greater witness than of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father 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. (John 5.22-24, 30, 36-39)

29 Yeshua answered and said unto them, This is the work of Eloha, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent… 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day… 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day… 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (John 6:29, 38-40, 44, 57)

16 Yeshua answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of Eloha, or I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him… 28 Then cried Yeshua in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me… 33 Then said Yeshua unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto him that sent me. (John 7:16-18, 28-29, 33)

I think you get my point. Yeshua had been telling anyone who would hear it for at least a year, maybe 2, that their mutual Father in Heaven had sent him. Just to make sure they got the point, he uses no ambiguous terms in vv.28-29, 

28 Then said Yeshua unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am, and I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 

Q&C

Vv.30-36 – Yeshua keeps making mention of “he who sent me”, as he’d done at Sukkoth in ch.7, referencing the “living water”, and will again in ch.9, telling the blind man to wash in the Siloam pool – Siloam means ‘sent’. 57 times the word ‘sent’ is used in Yochanan alone – at least 45 about Yeshua sent from Avinu. I think it likely that that inference can be drawn from all 57 uses.

No sooner does he convince some of who he is, he says something too deep for them and alienates some who believed. Yeshua almost NEVER spoke in the Peshat level, and it put a lot of folks off. The whole eat my body and drink my blood thing in ch.6 really got the Rabbis riled. Those who understood that he spoke of spiritual, not fleshly, things got it – perhaps [like us] not completely, but they knew he was speaking in spirit/metaphor. 

Beginning in v.31, he speaks exclusively to the Jews who believed in him. Jews, especially in the gospel of Yochanan, are not average, everyday Israelites, but the leaders of the religion. Some of these took umbrage at his saying, “If you continue in my Word, …You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” That ‘IF’ sure seems to put the kibosh on OSAS, doesn’t it? Their pride reared its ugly head (long habits die hard) – “I’ve never been servant to anyone!” Of course, they knew that they certainly had. Rome was in charge and had been for about 100 years by then, not to mention their history of being in bondage to some other nation for MOST of their history – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece. They were a conquered people, and lied to themselves about it, because they had limited autonomy and a promise to be something greater than what they were in their own right – IF they walked in Torah. 

One can be as free as a bird politically, and still be a slave to sin. But if the Son makes one free, he is free indeed; perhaps not politically, but in spiritual reality, which is much more important AND difficult to achieve in one’s flesh. The servant not abiding in the house forever is about our not being in the physical ‘house of sin’ or OSN, but being set free from it in the resurrection. Once we are made free from the consequences of sin, we are free in deed. Though still in the ‘house of sin’, the ‘evil inclination/OSN’, we are indeed free to NOT sin. 

 Vv.37-41 – Remember that he was talking to Jews who had believed on him, and he said that they sought to kill him. I don’t think these who believed on him were literally out to kill him physically – yet. But they may have wanted him to go against Avinu’s will for him at that time – to seek and save lost 10-Israel, not right-where-they’d-always-been Yehudah. These were probably something akin to the zealots, who were for the violent overthrow of the Roman occupiers, wishing to force him to take the throne of David, but in their timing, not Avinu’s. And that, answering in the flesh, would have killed his mission. That is NOT to say that there weren’t those among the Jews who wanted him dead, but these were Jews who believed on him – for now. However, with each new truth he spoke, their animosity became deeper, because they were trying to understand him on a Peshat level, and the words he was using were literally unintelligible to the natural man. They were to be spiritually discerned. Vv.37-44 illustrate this perfectly. AENT:

37 “I know you are the seed of Avraham, but you seek to kill me because you are not open to my Word. 38 What I have seen my Father do, I speak to you. And whatever you have seen with your father, you do.”

V.37a is peshat, literal meaning. But 37b-38 are sod, deep spiritual meaning not meant to be understood literally. And in v.39 they answered in the peshat again. 

39 “They answered and said, ‘Our father is Avraham’. Yeshua said, ‘If you are sons of Avraham, you would do the deeds of Avraham. 40 But now, behold, you seek to kill me, a man who spoke truthfully to you that which I heard from Elohim. This Avraham did not do. 41a But you do the deeds of your father.’”

This time, Yeshua answered in the remez, a more open hint. He is telling them that their father is haSatan, the Adversary of His Father. I think they got it that time because of the tenor of their answer to him.

41b “They said to him, ‘We do not come from fornication. We have one father, Elohim.’”

WOW! They knew that Yoseph was not married to Miryam when Yeshua was conceived. So they called him a bastard, disparaging his mother to his face, implying that he should bow to THEM as morally superior to him. Q&C

Vv.42-59 -So he gets closer to the slap in the face the peshat is going to be for them, still hoping they’ll ‘get it’ spiritually and repent.

42 “If Elohim were truly your Father, you would love me, for I have gone out from Elohim, and not from my own will, but He sent me. 43 Why can’t you comprehend my Word? Because you are unable (no Ruach in them) to hear them.”

These ‘Jews who believed on him’ were getting closer and closer to picking up stones with each statement he made – he speaking in sod and remez, they hearing in peshat. So, he just moves right to the peshat beginning in v.44, telling the unvarnished truth.

44 “You are from the accusing father (haSatan). And the lusts of your father you want to do, who from the beginning killed men. He doesn’t stand in truth, because there is none in him. When he lies, he speaks of himself because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak truly, you do not believe me.”

I think Yeshua would have been a nightmare for Dale Carnegie – I don’t think he cared to win friends or influence people. He was about truth, not gaining approbation. These Jews had expressed belief on him, but they did not believe him when he spoke. Their faith was said faith, and said faith is dead faith. There is no evidence of life in their belief. 

46 “Who rebukes me concerning sin? And if I speak the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 He who is of Elohim hears the Words of Elohim, but you don’t hear because you are not of Elohim.” 

Yeshua has gone from the sod to d’rash to remez and finally he has gotten to the peshat level of teaching, and they have finally understood what he means – they may profess belief and that they are sons of Avraham, but they have been revealed as sons of haSatan who have no discernment of spiritual truths. The Jews who believed on him were just the same kinds of politicians playing the other side of the street, like FauxNews/the rest. Now, they have been flushed by the Light and are scrambling like roaches for cover once again.

48 “We had it right when we said that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

The audience for this little repartee was probably enjoying the escalating rhetoric. This was becoming a verbal knock-down, drag-out fight. But the Jews had resorted to name-calling, which is a sure sign of weakness and grasping for straws. Trying to score, they completely miss the target. And Yeshua took this opportunity to press the advantage, hoping they would see their hopelessness, repent and go after Y’hovah’s heart – Torah. 

49 “I have no demon. I honor my Father, and you curse me. 50 I don’t seek my own glory – Y’hovah seeks (repentant sinners – Ephraim) and judges. 51 Verily, verily I say, he who keeps my Word will NEVER taste death. 

When Yeshua says ‘truly, truly, I think he is signaling a deep spiritual truth and we need to get our sod level thinking caps on. ‘Keeps’ means watch over or nurture. One who waters and tends the Word in his life will not experience spiritual death. Of course, the Jews are still thinking peshat.

52 “Now we KNOW you have a devil. All the heroes of our faith died, but you say that if one keeps your word they won’t taste death forever. 53 What makes you greater than Avraham and the prophets? Who do you think you are?”

Here’s a guy standing before them who is about 30-35 years old, and he’s claiming to be greater than the Patriarch and the prophets. It was a valid question from their perspective, but one he’d been answering for at least a couple of years. His next answer is in 2 parts.

54 “Yeshua said, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless; my Father glorifies me, He whom you call your Elohim. 55 You don’t even know who he is, but I do. If I said I don’t know him I would be a liar like yourselves. But I DO know him and obey him. 56 Your father Avraham longed to see my day, and when he saw it he rejoiced.’” 

With each passing sod level revelation, he makes these professed believers angrier. They don’t know who Mashiach is supposed to be, regardless their biblical, Mishnahic or kabbalistic education. The Jews were the leaders of the religion in Israel, educated in the finest Yeshivoth and by the best teachers available, but their education then, as now, was more in Oral tradition than in Torah, and it was that tradition that Yeshua was tearing down to its foundations. Again, he is speaking to them of the deep things of Elohim, and they don’t get it. He told them here that if they believed Elohim, they would get what he was saying. He told them pretty plainly that his self-praise is worthless, but that which Elohim his Abba puts on him is true. They really had no clue about Elohim, as in their doctrines he and his word were secondary considerations. The men that he talked to here were similar to our seminarians of today – they learned their doctrines from men who had learned them from men and so on for hundreds of years. The only thing different that they knew, compared to the rabbis 2 hundred years before, was the opinions of other rabbis over that period of time. There was little revelation of the sod levels of Torah. In that vein, let me say this – Don’t trust what I am saying ABOUT scripture any more than they ought to have trusted their rabbis. Be Bereans, check what I say against scripture and flush any lies I tell you. Let scripture, not a man – especially THIS man – be your guide. Yeshua told them that Avraham longed to see Mashiach ben Yoseph, and he DID see him prophetically [in Melchizedek, Shem son of Noach and priest/king of Salem] – he understood that Mashiach would be resurrected after he took the sin of the world on himself and dying to it, so all who trust IN him would see eternal life – and that they would ALL be his (Avraham’s) seed and would number as the stars of the heavens and the sand of the sea. Did Avraham see Mashiach ben Yoseph with his physical eyes? Yes and no. I believe he saw Y’hovah Yeshua in his resurrected body at his camp in Mamre (Gen.18), but he did not see him as these men were seeing him, before his death and resurrection. Just to prove that they didn’t understand his spiritual words

57 “The Yehudim said to him, ‘You are not yet 50 yeas old, yet you have seen Avraham?’” 

They were incredulous because they were in the peshat, and there was no way a man in his 30s could possibly have seen Avraham in the flesh. And so, they assumed that he was a false prophet. When he said, 

58 “Verily, Verily, I say to you that before Avraham existed, I WAS” 

they started picking up stones to kill him. Those words could only mean one thing – he was making the claim that he was Y’hovah, and even these who couldn’t or wouldn’t understand his sod level teaching got the thinly veiled hint. Yeshua claimed to be Y’hovah in the flesh. Once again, see the note on pg.258 of the AENT, note 87. The idiom was in the Aramaic/Hebrew, if not the greek in v.13, but it is plain as day here, even in English.

59 “Yeshua hid and departed from the Temple, and passed through their midst and left.

Then he proved the truth of his words, because, as they bent to pick up the stones, he vanished from their sight, whether by literally vanishing or by blinding them to his presence, but when he vanished Yochanan says that he walked right through the crowd of them without being seen. How does one hide oneself while walking through a group of people? Now, look quickly at 9.1, which seems to immediately follow on 8.59. 

9.1 “And when he crossed over he saw a man who was blind since his mother’s womb.”

Passed in 8.58 and crossed over in 9.1 are from the same word. In greek it is parago, in Heb,/Aramaic, it is avar, the root means ‘cross over’. Parago has a metaphysical meaning of ‘to pass away or to disappear’. 9.1 says that as Yeshua disappeared he saw the man blind from birth. As he escaped the crowd, he found one to minister to. Q&C

End of Shabbat Bible Study.