Second Letter –
Why Do I Need a Hebraic Mindset To Understand the New Testament?
Dear Jake,
You asked:
“Since God had the entire New Testament written in Greek too (mostly) Gentiles/Romans, why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament?”
Others have stated it this way:
“Just because the New Testament didn't exist when the apostles were writing, doesn't mean they were not aware of what the others were teaching/writing. They met together to discuss theological issues (i.e. Church councils in Acts). The Bible has one Author, and every part of Scripture informs every other part because it is all essential revelation from one God. The New Testament writers were more informed than the Old Testament writers because they had the complete revelation of God.”
I agree that the apostles were aware of what the others were teaching/writing because the Scripture records that the epistles were shared and read among the congregations:
· Colossians 4:16 “When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.”
· 1 Thessalonians 5:27 “I solemnly charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.”
· 2 Peter 3:15-16 “Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
And while it is true that according to Scripture that Paul and Barnabas met with the elders in Jerusalem in Acts 15 to discuss issues, this gathering can not be equated with the “Church Councils” of church history. There is no Papal authority in this passage. Peter is not the first Pope, neither is James an authority figure in the sense that is normally taken by a Gentile or Greek Church, for Scripture says:
· Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
· Mark 10:42-45 “Jesus summoned them, and said to them, "You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all. 45 For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
· Luke 22:24-27 “There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 He said to them, "The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.' 26 But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. 27 For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn't it he who sits at the table? But I am in the midst of you as one who serves.”
· 1 Peter 5:1-4 “I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed. 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly; 3 neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. 4 When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away.”
· 2 Corinthians 1:23-24 “But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you. 24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.”
· 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators (follow, mimic) of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Acts 15 is a gathering of “Jewish” believers in Y’shua Messiah discussing the issue of what to do with this new infusion of Gentiles. We must remember that to the Jew, the Gentile was a dog, and considered unclean. This is the issue God was dealing with Peter in Acts chapter 11. Acts chapter 11 is not about food, it is about Gentile believers entering into Covenant with God through Y’shua. So the discussion in Acts 15 centers on the issue of circumcision which the Jews considered a requirement to enter into covenant. This is a rabbinic tradition and acknowledged by the Rabbi’s as coming from the oral Torah and not the written Torah. In Acts 15:5 we read; “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.” To the Jewish believer in Messiah who had a Pharisaic mind the command to keep the law of Moses means first to keep the oral traditions, and then the written.
In Acts 15 the Pharisees who understood that Y’shua is Messiah, also believed that to be saved you must walk in their oral traditions to be in Covenant with Y’shua Messiah.
The discussion in Acts 15 is about the dilemma of having Gentile believers fellowshipping with Jewish believers. The list of do’s and don’ts in Acts 15 are the bare minimum requirements for gentile believers to meet with the Jewish believers. Failure to comply would mean that the Gentiles could not fellowship with Jewish believers because the Jews would consider them unclean and they would not meet with them because of requirements found in oral tradition. This is the battle that Paul constantly fought. Paul understood that we are free from the oral traditions. This is also what Y’shua meant (at least in part) when He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.”
You are also correct when you said, “The Bible had one Author, and every part of Scripture informs every other part because it is all essential revelation from one God.”
The infallibility and inspiration of Scripture is extremely important. It is equally important to understand that there is no contradiction in Scripture. God does not change and He says what He means, and means what He says. If we do find a contradiction, then it is our understanding that is incorrect – not the Scripture.
However I’m not sure we can say that all the New Testament writers were more informed than the Old Testament writers because Y’shua says in John 8:56-58 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad." 57 The Jews therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."
Scripture says in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Malachi 3:6 says, "For I, Yahweh, do not change." And Abraham was the friend of God (2Ch 20:7; Isa 41:8; Jas 2:23). And John 15:15 says, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn't know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you."
Based upon these Scriptures we can deduce that Abraham and Moses (also a friend of God[1]) knew and understood the whole plan of God.
The prophets as well proclaimed and may have understood things that we today struggle to grasp and search to find understanding. Isaiah 46:9-13 says, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 11 calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yes, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. 12 Listen to me, you stout-hearted, who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not wait; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory."
According to this Scripture the thing that makes God so great and unique is that He Declares the end from the beginning. The reason we are admonished to remember the former things is because there is greater revelation in the former things than the latter things. If that is true, and I believe that it is, then to say that the New Testament writers had greater revelation than those of the old would be a contradiction.
Now to the main question:
Since God had the entire New Testament written in Greek to (mostly) Gentiles/Romans, why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament? Why not a Greek mindset?
I know that some hold that the Greek is superior to the Hebrew, but my experience in Scripture does not bear this out. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Greek. I love the precision, and clarity of Biblical Greek, but Hebrew does something that Greek can never do – Paint pictures.
The Greek alphabet, like English is composed of consonants and vowels. Each letter is just exactly that – a letter. The letter is nothing more than a written symbol or character that represents a speech sound and a component of that alphabet. An A is an A, a B is a B, a C is a C, etc. In Greek the alpha is an alpha, the beta is a beta, the gamma is a gamma, etc.
In Hebrew this is not so. The aleph is a character that represents the aleph, but it also by the dictionary definition an ox, and the character symbolizes power, strength, leadership or first. Aleph also has a numerical value of 1. Bet is a character that represents Bet, and by definition means a house or tent. Bet symbolizes household or family and is used as a prefix (at times) signifying in, at, with or on. It has a numerical value of 2. Gimmel is the character that signifies Gimmel, and by definition means camel and signifies to lift up, pride, benefit, requite or animal. It has a numerical value of 3. Every word in Hebrew can generally be reduced to a two or three letter shoresh or root. The meaning of the word may be understood by putting the picture of each of the individual consonants together. For example the Hebrew word for son is Ben. In transliterated Hebrew we would spell it BN. The bet (B) signifies the house, and the Nun (n) signifies life, therefore the son is the life of the house. Why the life of the house? Because the son continues the family. Every Hebrew word is a picture, and even in our language and culture we understand that a “picture is worth a thousand words.” There is a depth to the Hebrew that is so exponentially greater to the Greek that it is totally indescribable. According to Scripture at the end of days Hebrew will be restored as the language of the people of the Covenant for the purpose of being One. Remember that Y’shua prayed that we might be One.
Zephaniah 3:8-9 "Therefore wait for me," says Yahweh, "until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him shoulder to shoulder."
So if Hebrew is superior to Greek why did God use Greek? He used Greek to communicate in a language that would be understood. It was the language of the day.
Why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament? Why not a Greek mindset?
The New Testament is a Hebrew book through and through. It was written by Hebrews who received Y’shua as Messiah (a Hebrew Messiah), and written to a people who received Y’shua (a Jew) as Messiah, and founded entirely upon the Hebrew Scriptures. The writers of Scripture used the language, the thoughts and the expressions of their day. To understand them we must understand their culture and their language. Context is everything. It is an essential principle in understanding Scripture. To ignore the Hebraic background, culture and language of the Bible is a sure path to misunderstanding what is being said.
The New Testament writers were not rebellious radicals bent on destroying Judaism. They worshiped regularly in the Temple. They were well versed in the Jewish Scriptures as demonstrated by their numerous references to the prophecies and practices of the Hebrew Scriptures.
The most prolific New Testament writer, Paul, was a son of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin, and a Pharisee. He boasted that prior to becoming a believer in Y'shua, he was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of his own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers. His familiarity with Jewish tradition, thought and theology remained an integral part of his preaching. He drew heavily from the Hebrew Bible, and the audiences to whom he preached were well acquainted with the Hebrew Scriptures.
If you desire to understand a document, any document, you must understand the context in which the document was written. By context I mean the person or persons writing the document, their background, intent, education, idioms and culture. Failure to do so runs the risk of misunderstanding the intended message. So if you want to understand the New Testament you must understand it in the Hebrew or Jewish context in which it was lived, written and delivered. To ignore the Hebrewishness (new word) of the New Testament is ignoring the context. Context is foundational to understanding any document.
Peter said it this way:
2 Peter 3:15-16, "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
The ignorant are those that have not learned Torah. The unstable are those that are not fixed or strengthened by Torah.
Let me give you an example. In Matthew 26:33-34 we find the familiar story of Y’shua speaking to Peter, "Most assuredly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
For decades I understood that the rooster was a chicken. But according to the Mishnah[2] chickens were not raised in Jerusalem because of the Holy Things. The Temple is considered a Holy Thing. Chickens have a tendency to leave their excrement everywhere and therefore would not have been permitted on the Holy mount.
If chickens could not be raised in Jerusalem then how could Peter deny Y’shua as the Gospels relate? The Hebrew word for a rooster is "gever" which is the same word for the "crier" in the Temple. According to tradition the "gever" in the Temple gave a three-part proclamation each morning some time before dawn, calling for three different groups to go to their positions in the Inner Courtyard in order for the Temple Service to begin: "Kohanim(Priest) to their Avodah(Service), Levi'im(Levites) to the Duchan(platform), and Israeli to their Ma'amad(post)." From this, a more accurate presentation of the trial of Y’shua can be seen. It is interesting to note that the account in Mark (Mark 14) does give an insight into this three fold cry of the "gever," indicating that there was a short period of time between the three cries.[3]
Thus:
The “rooster” or “cock” that was heard was not a bird at all but a man. That man was a priest at the temple who had the responsibility of unlocking the temple doors each and every morning before dawn. He was known as the Temple Crier, called Gever in Hebrew, which means “cock” or “rooster.” As he unlocked the door each morning he would cry out three statements in a loud voice: “All the priest prepare to sacrifice.” “All the Levites to their stations.” “All the Israelites come to worship.” The timing would have perhaps been closer to 5:00 or 6:00 A.M. From what we see in this narrative everyone is sitting around waiting, evidently for morning and the business day to begin.
Let me give you another example.
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:1, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you."
What are the Times and Seasons? We might try to supply an answer from our own imagination, or our own cultural understanding, or I suppose we might think that Paul was speaking of winter, spring, summer and fall. But if we do then we are suspect to misunderstanding what is being said and will be part of that company of people that are overcome by sudden destruction and they shall not escape. So, it’s pretty important to understand Times and Seasons.
The Greek word for Seasons is καιρoς Strong's #2540. καιρoς is found in Gen1:14 and again in Leviticus 23:4 in the Greek Septuagint. The corresponding Hebrew word is moed, or moedim and is speaking of the Times and Seasons, or in the Hebrew culture the Feasts and Appointed Times of God. If one does not understand the Feasts and Appointed Times of God, then according to this verse the Day of the Lord will over take you like a thief in the night.
The Thessalonians had no need that anything be written to them because they understood the Feasts and appointed Times of God. They understood these things by going to the synagogues every Sabbath and learning "Moses." Acts 15:21, "For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Gentile believers in the New Testament went to synagogues every Sabbath and heard Moses (the Torah) and learned the things of God – His Times and Season.
Another reason for needing a Hebraic mindset is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12, "Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; 12 that they all might be judged who didn't believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
In this passage there is a group of people who will be deluded, believe “the lie,” and be condemned. They are condemned because they do not receive a love of the truth. What is the love of the truth? According to Psalms 119:142 Torah is Truth. I know the prevailing sentiment for many believers is that Torah is equal to law, but Scripture says otherwise.
Psalms 1 is the Hebraic mindset; and it reads as follows:
Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers;2 But his delight is in Yahweh's Torah; On his Torah he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish.
In this Psalm there are two camps – the camp of the wicked who do not delight in the Torah of God, and the camp of the righteous who thrive and are blessed in every direction they turn.
Torah comes from the root yarah which means to instruct, direct, teach, point, shoot, aim, throw, cast in a straight line. The idea is like an archer who draws the bow back to shoot an arrow and yarah is saying or pointing to the spot where the arrow is to strike. Yarah means “point the way.”
Torah by definition means “teaching or instruction.”
I find it interesting that in New Testament Greek, the predominate word used for sin is “hamartia.” Hamartia is derived from “hamartanō” which means to miss the mark. Again, the picture is that of an archer pulling the bow back to shoot an arrow, but he misses his target and does not share in the prize.
Torah points the way to life, to truth, to how we should walk (live), it says “here” – “here” - “here is the mark!”
Psalms 25 does not use the Hebrew words Torah or Yarah, but does capture the essence of the thought behind both words. Its kind of like Psalm 1, except on steroids.
To you, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul. 2 My God, I have trusted in you, Don't let me be shamed. Don't let my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause. 4 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long. 6 Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, For they are from old times. 7 Don't remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, For your goodness' sake, Yahweh. 8 Good and upright is Yahweh, Therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way. 10 All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For your name's sake, Yahweh, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. 12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land. 14 The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant. 15 My eyes are ever on Yahweh, For he will pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses. 18 Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred. 20 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for you. 22 Redeem Israel, God, Out all of his troubles.
It’s easy for me to see why Y’Shua said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments,” because Deuteronomy 30 says the very same thing, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Remember Y’shua is the great “I Am,” and the commandments He is speaking of are the same ones He delivered at Mount Sinai – the Torah.
Deuteronomy 30:
"It shall happen, when all these things are come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where Yahweh your God has driven you,2 and shall return to Yahweh your God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul;3 that then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, where Yahweh your God has scattered you.4 If any of your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there will Yahweh your God gather you, and from there he will bring you back:5 and Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers.6 Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.7 Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.8 You shall return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and do all his commandments which I command you this day.9 Yahweh your God will make you plenteous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good: for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers;10 if you shall obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law (Torah); if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.
11 For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?14 But the word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.15 Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil;16 in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.17 But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;18 I denounce to you this day, that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land, where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it.19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;20 to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
Notice in verse six where He talks of circumcising the heart. This is the New Covenant for in Jeremiah 31:31-34 it reads:
"Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more."
And is repeated in Hebrews 8:8-12:
"For finding fault with them, he said," Behold, the days come," says the Lord," That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they didn't continue in my covenant, And I disregarded them," says the Lord.10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days," says the Lord;" I will put my Torah into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be to them a God, And they will be to me a people.11 They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, Every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' For all will know me, From the least of them to the greatest of them.12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more."
I have more examples but will end with this last thought.
Y’shua said regarding the end of days “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 17:26,27,34,35; 21:34-36)
The traditional Christian take on these passages is, “See, there you have it. No one knows the day or the hour.” But the person who understands the “Times and Seasons” will say, “Oh, so that is when!”
In other words it is only through the Hebraic understanding of the “Times and Seasons” as taught in the Torah that you will understand what Y’shua means when He says, “No one knows the day or the hour.”
“To him that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” This too, is a Hebraism and is understood through the Hebraic mindset. (Sh’ma)
Blessings!
Eli
[1] Ex 33:11
[2] The Mishnah is the first section of the Talmud, a collection of ancient Hebrew Rabbinic writings.
[3] (Talmud YerushalmiShekalim5.1)
Why Do I Need a Hebraic Mindset To Understand the New Testament?
Dear Jake,
You asked:
“Since God had the entire New Testament written in Greek too (mostly) Gentiles/Romans, why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament?”
Others have stated it this way:
“Just because the New Testament didn't exist when the apostles were writing, doesn't mean they were not aware of what the others were teaching/writing. They met together to discuss theological issues (i.e. Church councils in Acts). The Bible has one Author, and every part of Scripture informs every other part because it is all essential revelation from one God. The New Testament writers were more informed than the Old Testament writers because they had the complete revelation of God.”
I agree that the apostles were aware of what the others were teaching/writing because the Scripture records that the epistles were shared and read among the congregations:
· Colossians 4:16 “When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans; and that you also read the letter from Laodicea.”
· 1 Thessalonians 5:27 “I solemnly charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.”
· 2 Peter 3:15-16 “Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
And while it is true that according to Scripture that Paul and Barnabas met with the elders in Jerusalem in Acts 15 to discuss issues, this gathering can not be equated with the “Church Councils” of church history. There is no Papal authority in this passage. Peter is not the first Pope, neither is James an authority figure in the sense that is normally taken by a Gentile or Greek Church, for Scripture says:
· Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
· Mark 10:42-45 “Jesus summoned them, and said to them, "You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all. 45 For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
· Luke 22:24-27 “There arose also a contention among them, which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 He said to them, "The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.' 26 But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. 27 For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn't it he who sits at the table? But I am in the midst of you as one who serves.”
· 1 Peter 5:1-4 “I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed. 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly; 3 neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock. 4 When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn't fade away.”
· 2 Corinthians 1:23-24 “But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you. 24 Not that we have lordship over your faith, but are fellow workers with you for your joy. For you stand firm in faith.”
· 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be imitators (follow, mimic) of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Acts 15 is a gathering of “Jewish” believers in Y’shua Messiah discussing the issue of what to do with this new infusion of Gentiles. We must remember that to the Jew, the Gentile was a dog, and considered unclean. This is the issue God was dealing with Peter in Acts chapter 11. Acts chapter 11 is not about food, it is about Gentile believers entering into Covenant with God through Y’shua. So the discussion in Acts 15 centers on the issue of circumcision which the Jews considered a requirement to enter into covenant. This is a rabbinic tradition and acknowledged by the Rabbi’s as coming from the oral Torah and not the written Torah. In Acts 15:5 we read; “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.” To the Jewish believer in Messiah who had a Pharisaic mind the command to keep the law of Moses means first to keep the oral traditions, and then the written.
In Acts 15 the Pharisees who understood that Y’shua is Messiah, also believed that to be saved you must walk in their oral traditions to be in Covenant with Y’shua Messiah.
The discussion in Acts 15 is about the dilemma of having Gentile believers fellowshipping with Jewish believers. The list of do’s and don’ts in Acts 15 are the bare minimum requirements for gentile believers to meet with the Jewish believers. Failure to comply would mean that the Gentiles could not fellowship with Jewish believers because the Jews would consider them unclean and they would not meet with them because of requirements found in oral tradition. This is the battle that Paul constantly fought. Paul understood that we are free from the oral traditions. This is also what Y’shua meant (at least in part) when He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.”
You are also correct when you said, “The Bible had one Author, and every part of Scripture informs every other part because it is all essential revelation from one God.”
The infallibility and inspiration of Scripture is extremely important. It is equally important to understand that there is no contradiction in Scripture. God does not change and He says what He means, and means what He says. If we do find a contradiction, then it is our understanding that is incorrect – not the Scripture.
However I’m not sure we can say that all the New Testament writers were more informed than the Old Testament writers because Y’shua says in John 8:56-58 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad." 57 The Jews therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."
Scripture says in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Malachi 3:6 says, "For I, Yahweh, do not change." And Abraham was the friend of God (2Ch 20:7; Isa 41:8; Jas 2:23). And John 15:15 says, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn't know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you."
Based upon these Scriptures we can deduce that Abraham and Moses (also a friend of God[1]) knew and understood the whole plan of God.
The prophets as well proclaimed and may have understood things that we today struggle to grasp and search to find understanding. Isaiah 46:9-13 says, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 11 calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yes, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it. 12 Listen to me, you stout-hearted, who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring near my righteousness, it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not wait; and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory."
According to this Scripture the thing that makes God so great and unique is that He Declares the end from the beginning. The reason we are admonished to remember the former things is because there is greater revelation in the former things than the latter things. If that is true, and I believe that it is, then to say that the New Testament writers had greater revelation than those of the old would be a contradiction.
Now to the main question:
Since God had the entire New Testament written in Greek to (mostly) Gentiles/Romans, why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament? Why not a Greek mindset?
I know that some hold that the Greek is superior to the Hebrew, but my experience in Scripture does not bear this out. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Greek. I love the precision, and clarity of Biblical Greek, but Hebrew does something that Greek can never do – Paint pictures.
The Greek alphabet, like English is composed of consonants and vowels. Each letter is just exactly that – a letter. The letter is nothing more than a written symbol or character that represents a speech sound and a component of that alphabet. An A is an A, a B is a B, a C is a C, etc. In Greek the alpha is an alpha, the beta is a beta, the gamma is a gamma, etc.
In Hebrew this is not so. The aleph is a character that represents the aleph, but it also by the dictionary definition an ox, and the character symbolizes power, strength, leadership or first. Aleph also has a numerical value of 1. Bet is a character that represents Bet, and by definition means a house or tent. Bet symbolizes household or family and is used as a prefix (at times) signifying in, at, with or on. It has a numerical value of 2. Gimmel is the character that signifies Gimmel, and by definition means camel and signifies to lift up, pride, benefit, requite or animal. It has a numerical value of 3. Every word in Hebrew can generally be reduced to a two or three letter shoresh or root. The meaning of the word may be understood by putting the picture of each of the individual consonants together. For example the Hebrew word for son is Ben. In transliterated Hebrew we would spell it BN. The bet (B) signifies the house, and the Nun (n) signifies life, therefore the son is the life of the house. Why the life of the house? Because the son continues the family. Every Hebrew word is a picture, and even in our language and culture we understand that a “picture is worth a thousand words.” There is a depth to the Hebrew that is so exponentially greater to the Greek that it is totally indescribable. According to Scripture at the end of days Hebrew will be restored as the language of the people of the Covenant for the purpose of being One. Remember that Y’shua prayed that we might be One.
Zephaniah 3:8-9 "Therefore wait for me," says Yahweh, "until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.9 For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him shoulder to shoulder."
So if Hebrew is superior to Greek why did God use Greek? He used Greek to communicate in a language that would be understood. It was the language of the day.
Why do I need a Hebraic mindset to understand the New Testament? Why not a Greek mindset?
The New Testament is a Hebrew book through and through. It was written by Hebrews who received Y’shua as Messiah (a Hebrew Messiah), and written to a people who received Y’shua (a Jew) as Messiah, and founded entirely upon the Hebrew Scriptures. The writers of Scripture used the language, the thoughts and the expressions of their day. To understand them we must understand their culture and their language. Context is everything. It is an essential principle in understanding Scripture. To ignore the Hebraic background, culture and language of the Bible is a sure path to misunderstanding what is being said.
The New Testament writers were not rebellious radicals bent on destroying Judaism. They worshiped regularly in the Temple. They were well versed in the Jewish Scriptures as demonstrated by their numerous references to the prophecies and practices of the Hebrew Scriptures.
The most prolific New Testament writer, Paul, was a son of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin, and a Pharisee. He boasted that prior to becoming a believer in Y'shua, he was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of his own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers. His familiarity with Jewish tradition, thought and theology remained an integral part of his preaching. He drew heavily from the Hebrew Bible, and the audiences to whom he preached were well acquainted with the Hebrew Scriptures.
If you desire to understand a document, any document, you must understand the context in which the document was written. By context I mean the person or persons writing the document, their background, intent, education, idioms and culture. Failure to do so runs the risk of misunderstanding the intended message. So if you want to understand the New Testament you must understand it in the Hebrew or Jewish context in which it was lived, written and delivered. To ignore the Hebrewishness (new word) of the New Testament is ignoring the context. Context is foundational to understanding any document.
Peter said it this way:
2 Peter 3:15-16, "Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
The ignorant are those that have not learned Torah. The unstable are those that are not fixed or strengthened by Torah.
Let me give you an example. In Matthew 26:33-34 we find the familiar story of Y’shua speaking to Peter, "Most assuredly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
For decades I understood that the rooster was a chicken. But according to the Mishnah[2] chickens were not raised in Jerusalem because of the Holy Things. The Temple is considered a Holy Thing. Chickens have a tendency to leave their excrement everywhere and therefore would not have been permitted on the Holy mount.
If chickens could not be raised in Jerusalem then how could Peter deny Y’shua as the Gospels relate? The Hebrew word for a rooster is "gever" which is the same word for the "crier" in the Temple. According to tradition the "gever" in the Temple gave a three-part proclamation each morning some time before dawn, calling for three different groups to go to their positions in the Inner Courtyard in order for the Temple Service to begin: "Kohanim(Priest) to their Avodah(Service), Levi'im(Levites) to the Duchan(platform), and Israeli to their Ma'amad(post)." From this, a more accurate presentation of the trial of Y’shua can be seen. It is interesting to note that the account in Mark (Mark 14) does give an insight into this three fold cry of the "gever," indicating that there was a short period of time between the three cries.[3]
Thus:
The “rooster” or “cock” that was heard was not a bird at all but a man. That man was a priest at the temple who had the responsibility of unlocking the temple doors each and every morning before dawn. He was known as the Temple Crier, called Gever in Hebrew, which means “cock” or “rooster.” As he unlocked the door each morning he would cry out three statements in a loud voice: “All the priest prepare to sacrifice.” “All the Levites to their stations.” “All the Israelites come to worship.” The timing would have perhaps been closer to 5:00 or 6:00 A.M. From what we see in this narrative everyone is sitting around waiting, evidently for morning and the business day to begin.
Let me give you another example.
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:1, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you."
What are the Times and Seasons? We might try to supply an answer from our own imagination, or our own cultural understanding, or I suppose we might think that Paul was speaking of winter, spring, summer and fall. But if we do then we are suspect to misunderstanding what is being said and will be part of that company of people that are overcome by sudden destruction and they shall not escape. So, it’s pretty important to understand Times and Seasons.
The Greek word for Seasons is καιρoς Strong's #2540. καιρoς is found in Gen1:14 and again in Leviticus 23:4 in the Greek Septuagint. The corresponding Hebrew word is moed, or moedim and is speaking of the Times and Seasons, or in the Hebrew culture the Feasts and Appointed Times of God. If one does not understand the Feasts and Appointed Times of God, then according to this verse the Day of the Lord will over take you like a thief in the night.
The Thessalonians had no need that anything be written to them because they understood the Feasts and appointed Times of God. They understood these things by going to the synagogues every Sabbath and learning "Moses." Acts 15:21, "For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Gentile believers in the New Testament went to synagogues every Sabbath and heard Moses (the Torah) and learned the things of God – His Times and Season.
Another reason for needing a Hebraic mindset is found in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12, "Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; 12 that they all might be judged who didn't believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
In this passage there is a group of people who will be deluded, believe “the lie,” and be condemned. They are condemned because they do not receive a love of the truth. What is the love of the truth? According to Psalms 119:142 Torah is Truth. I know the prevailing sentiment for many believers is that Torah is equal to law, but Scripture says otherwise.
Psalms 1 is the Hebraic mindset; and it reads as follows:
Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers;2 But his delight is in Yahweh's Torah; On his Torah he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish.
In this Psalm there are two camps – the camp of the wicked who do not delight in the Torah of God, and the camp of the righteous who thrive and are blessed in every direction they turn.
Torah comes from the root yarah which means to instruct, direct, teach, point, shoot, aim, throw, cast in a straight line. The idea is like an archer who draws the bow back to shoot an arrow and yarah is saying or pointing to the spot where the arrow is to strike. Yarah means “point the way.”
Torah by definition means “teaching or instruction.”
I find it interesting that in New Testament Greek, the predominate word used for sin is “hamartia.” Hamartia is derived from “hamartanō” which means to miss the mark. Again, the picture is that of an archer pulling the bow back to shoot an arrow, but he misses his target and does not share in the prize.
Torah points the way to life, to truth, to how we should walk (live), it says “here” – “here” - “here is the mark!”
Psalms 25 does not use the Hebrew words Torah or Yarah, but does capture the essence of the thought behind both words. Its kind of like Psalm 1, except on steroids.
To you, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul. 2 My God, I have trusted in you, Don't let me be shamed. Don't let my enemies triumph over me. 3 Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause. 4 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long. 6 Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, For they are from old times. 7 Don't remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, For your goodness' sake, Yahweh. 8 Good and upright is Yahweh, Therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way. 10 All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11 For your name's sake, Yahweh, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. 12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land. 14 The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant. 15 My eyes are ever on Yahweh, For he will pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses. 18 Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins. 19 Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred. 20 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for you. 22 Redeem Israel, God, Out all of his troubles.
It’s easy for me to see why Y’Shua said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments,” because Deuteronomy 30 says the very same thing, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Remember Y’shua is the great “I Am,” and the commandments He is speaking of are the same ones He delivered at Mount Sinai – the Torah.
Deuteronomy 30:
"It shall happen, when all these things are come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations, where Yahweh your God has driven you,2 and shall return to Yahweh your God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul;3 that then Yahweh your God will turn your captivity, and have compassion on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, where Yahweh your God has scattered you.4 If any of your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of the heavens, from there will Yahweh your God gather you, and from there he will bring you back:5 and Yahweh your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and he will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers.6 Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.7 Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.8 You shall return and obey the voice of Yahweh, and do all his commandments which I command you this day.9 Yahweh your God will make you plenteous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good: for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers;10 if you shall obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law (Torah); if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.
11 For this commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?14 But the word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.15 Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil;16 in that I command you this day to love Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, that you may live and multiply, and that Yahweh your God may bless you in the land where you go in to possess it.17 But if your heart turn away, and you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;18 I denounce to you this day, that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land, where you pass over the Jordan to go in to possess it.19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;20 to love Yahweh your God, to obey his voice, and to cleave to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
Notice in verse six where He talks of circumcising the heart. This is the New Covenant for in Jeremiah 31:31-34 it reads:
"Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more."
And is repeated in Hebrews 8:8-12:
"For finding fault with them, he said," Behold, the days come," says the Lord," That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they didn't continue in my covenant, And I disregarded them," says the Lord.10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days," says the Lord;" I will put my Torah into their mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be to them a God, And they will be to me a people.11 They will not teach every man his fellow citizen, Every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' For all will know me, From the least of them to the greatest of them.12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness. I will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more."
I have more examples but will end with this last thought.
Y’shua said regarding the end of days “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 17:26,27,34,35; 21:34-36)
The traditional Christian take on these passages is, “See, there you have it. No one knows the day or the hour.” But the person who understands the “Times and Seasons” will say, “Oh, so that is when!”
In other words it is only through the Hebraic understanding of the “Times and Seasons” as taught in the Torah that you will understand what Y’shua means when He says, “No one knows the day or the hour.”
“To him that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” This too, is a Hebraism and is understood through the Hebraic mindset. (Sh’ma)
Blessings!
Eli
[1] Ex 33:11
[2] The Mishnah is the first section of the Talmud, a collection of ancient Hebrew Rabbinic writings.
[3] (Talmud YerushalmiShekalim5.1)