Torah of Messiah – is it different?
Different than what you may ask. Well, I’m glad you asked that question. Here is my attempt at an answer.
It is quite often said that the law of love in Christ is not the same as what is often called the Old Testament Law. Is this true? Did Messiah Yeshua bring a different set of instructions for what would become the new believers in His kingdom? And if He did, do they replace the instructions contained in the previous covenants? Has mankind been released from the elements and practices of those previous covenants through faith in Messiah?
Another issue that seems to be attached to this subject is the question of whether believers who are not Jews should be concerned with making efforts to keep the instructions of the old covenant at all and that they should rather stay focussed on the requirements outlined in the present covenant instead.
Let’s look at both.
The book of Acts has an interesting chapter regarding the decisions of the elders in Jerusalem on what to do about the many new converts to Messiah that were coming out of the nations and looking for an approved way to serve YHWH. Since I have detailed that meeting in another post I won’t repeat it here, but I will mention the resulting letter which was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch. In that letter were recommendations to the believers in Antioch to keep certain minimal requirements for their faith to be acceptable and begin growing. The basic requirements are these:
- abstain from foods sacrificed to idols
- abstain from eating blood
- abstain from eating things strangled
- abstain from fornication
As said, these are very basic guidelines. And there are those who argue that this is all a Gentile needs to do in their walk of faith. Notice the lack of character issues and their related practices. In fact, this short list is little more than table manners and an admonition to avoid one obvious sexual practice that was common among the pagan ruled nations. Is this all that Messiah had for the Gentiles? Everything else was OK?
Of course not.
The Torah of Messiah was yet to be revealed to the nascent believing community. Sha’ul brings much more than a letter with four commands to the congregations. It is these other requirements that I want to bring to our attention. Let’s start in Romans.
Romans 1:26-32, “For this reason YHWH gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge YHWH any longer, YHWH gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of YHWH, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of YHWH, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
This is certainly a much longer list of practices which are not approved by YHWH. And Sha’ul taught that the one who puts his trust in Messiah Yeshua should depart from these behaviors and turn to righteousness. And the list just keeps getting longer.
1 Cor. 6:9&10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of YHWH? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of YHWH.”
Perhaps the letter from Jerusalem should have been a bit longer. The unrighteous deeds and character traits mentioned in that verse were enough to keep a person out of the kingdom of YHWH. And the list Sha’ul gives in this example comes right from Torah. In other words, if you wanted to enter into the kingdom of YHWH, you would have to keep the Torah in all these areas of life. This becomes a familiar theme in all of Sha’ul’s letters. And for good reason. He knew that if a person broke Torah and lived in unrighteousness, that they would not see the kingdom of YHWH, but instead would find death.
Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of YHWH.”
Here are more practices that will keep a person out of the kingdom of YHWH. Some of these are a long way from what someone might have for dinner. Again, these are the requirement of Torah. There is nothing new here that came from Messiah to replace the existing commandments. Recall that the problem that mankind has with Torah is not the fault of Torah, but rather our own fleshly nature that wants to rebel against the instructions of YHWH.
Ephesians 4:28-31, “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of YHWH, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”
Here Sha’ul is digging deeper into the heart of man and bringing some of the more subtle teachings of Torah to bear on the believing Gentiles. Directing them to a life that exists in the completeness of Torah. In its fulfilled state. So that the very words we speak would not bring offense to YHWH or to our fellow believers.
Colossians 3:5-11,”Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of YHWH will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Messiah is all, and in all.”
It is beginning to sound as though Sha’ul expected the new coverts from among the nations to become as and walk as the Messiah Himself! To walk in the fulfillment of the Torah of YHWH and to be pleasing in all things. A renewed man walking in the renewed covenant. This is the essence of the new life we have in Messiah. As king David said, “how blessed is the man who walks in the ways of YHWH and keeps His statutes.” The Spirit of YHWH does not break Torah. The one who walks in the Spirit of YHWH walks in Torah.
So there is no difference between the Torah of Messiah and the Torah of YHWH. And yet there are many commands that Moshe gave to the children of Israel that are not listed in any of Sha’ul’s letters. Would not someone who is walking in the Spirit of YHWH guard those other commandments as well? What about the Shabbat (sabbath) of YHWH? Is it not the fourth commandment of the ten words which came down from Sinai? Does this commandment not apply to the walk of a believer in Messiah? What does scripture say regarding this issue?
The only direct mention of the seventh day rest of the fourth commandment in the letters from Sha’ul, or any other letters for that matter, is in Colossians. The four records of the Good News and Acts contain many references, but I would like to stay with the instructions which were given to the believers who were coming out of the nations and joining themselves to Messiah.
Colossians 2:16&17, “Let no man therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or Shabbat, which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah’s.” HNV
These two verses have caused more controversy throughout the centuries I think than any other. Everyone wants to know, and some think that they do know, just what Sha’ul is trying to say here. As before, let’s break it down and look at each part.
Starting at the beginning: “Let no man therefore judge you”, is said in the form of a command. As in, “do not allow” someone to judge you. Because the word therefore is included, which means that the command is based on a previous premise, we should look at that to see how Sha’ul reached his conclusion.
Colossians 2:8, “Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Messiah.”
He warns the congregation of the philosophies, deceits, elements of the world and traditions of men. He does not mention the Torah of YHWH.
Colossians 2:9-12, “For in him all the fullness of Elohim dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Messiah; having been buried with him in immersion, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of YHWH, who raised him from the dead.”
Again, no mention of the Torah of YHWH. Instead he puts forth the idea that everything you need for a proper life in Messiah is in Messiah. Do not substitute what man offers for what YHWH offers.
Colossians 2:13-15, “You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us; and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
We were dead in sin with no way out. Our flesh ruled our lives and brought nothing but death because we had transgressed the commandments of YHWH. The penalties of those commandments, which were written in the Torah, stood as a testimony against us, accusing us before YHWH. Yeshua took those decrees which stood against us and nailed them to His execution stake, removing them from us forever. He could not and would not have nailed the Torah of His Father to the stake. He said that was not His purpose.
But what about those “principalities and powers” Sha’ul mentions in this verse. What are they, where did they come from, and what do they have to do with us? How did the death of Messiah strip them and make a show of them openly? Did those standing at the foot of the stake on that day see this take place? Because this verse directly precedes the one concerning Shabbat and is the generator of the “therefore”, I think we should explore this further.
From the online dictionary: “the position or authority of a prince or chief ruler; sovereignty; supreme power.” In the case of spiritual principalities, this would refer to the Adversary and his workers. Which means that Messiah disarmed the rulers of darkness, breaking the hold they had on mankind through sin. First, Yeshua removed the penalties of our sins so that we would no longer be enslaved by those sins, living in fear of judgment and death. And by doing that He removed the hold that the principalities and powers of darkness had over those who lived in fear of death. Fear of death brings bondage.
Hebrews 2:13&14, “Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
This is what had taken place on the death stake of Messiah. And based on that reality, Sha’ul says that we are not to allow any man to judge us in the following matters:
- eating
- drinking
- festivals
- Shabbat
- new moon
These are what Sha’ul calls “a shadow of the things to come”. Now we all know what causes a shadow. First you must have a light source, then a solid object to interrupt the light, casting a shadow. But Sha’ul says that these are shadows of something that is in the future. The new heaven and the new earth wherein dwells righteousness and where the new Jerusalem, the Bride of Messiah reside would qualify I think. Based on that future reality, would there be anything else that might be considered a shadow? I’m sure most of us can easily think of many things which would fall into that category.
But Sha’ul does not say on which side we are standing in relationship to these “shadows” when we are not allowing anyone to judge us. Are we observing these “shadows”, or are we refusing to observe them? The Shabbat, the Festivals of YHWH and the new moon are easy to either observe or ignore as they fall on specific days and the commandments regarding them are quite clear. What about the eating and drinking? Eating and drinking what exactly? Is Sha’ul alluding to dietary restrictions contained within the Torah? And if so, which ones? The emissaries (apostles) told the congregation at Antioch to not eat things strangled, blood or things sacrificed to idols. Would we consider those instructions as mere “shadows” and toss them aside since Sha’ul says that we are not to be judged in those matters? I really don’t think that Sha’ul or the elders in Jerusalem were that confused. And we shouldn’t be either.
Sha’ul says that we should not let any man judge us in respect to a Shabbat. He himself kept the Shabbat. Would he tell Gentile believers to ignore the Shabbat that has been in place since the creation of the world because it is only a “shadow”? Was it a shadow when YHWH Himself set that day apart from all others? Was it a shadow that could be ignored when He told the children of Israel to keep that day because He had blessed it and set it apart? Did Yeshua, when He walked the earth ignore the Shabbat of His Father because He thought it was a mere “shadow”? If it is only a “shadow” that should be cast aside, then why does the Shabbat appear in the new heaven and new earth?
Are not our own physical bodies which we live in only temporary shadows of what is to come? Should we ignore those as well?
Sha’ul begins his thoughts on this subject by warning the believers in Colosse not to let any man deceive them with vain philosophies and deceit after the traditions of men. The Torah of YHWH is not a tradition of man, nor is it a vain philosophy. While it is true that man has added all kinds of traditions based on the Torah, those traditions are not the Torah. And the culture of Greece was filled with vain philosophies at that time. All of them conflicted with the Word of YHWH. None of them embraced the Messiah. None of them would have included the ways of YHWH which He had given to His people and was now in the process of spreading throughout the known world. Cultural and societal traditions abounded in the nations. Most of those traditions were based on practices rooted in paganism, idol worship being the most prolific and recognizable. None of those traditions, whether based on Torah or pagan practice, were the same as the Torah of Messiah.
To summarize this portion: I will not judge or be judged regarding the keeping of the Torah.
Exodus 23:1-5, “You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness. You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice; neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause. If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don’t leave him, you shall surely help him with it.”
Sound familiar?
Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”
Torah does not say that we are to hate our enemies while loving our neighbor. Yeshua was correcting a teaching that had sprung up in the midst of the people, a teaching which was against Torah. So was the Torah of Messiah different than the Torah of YHWH? No, it was not. And this is only one example. There are many in scripture.
Walking in the light of Messiah is walking in the light of Torah. And compared to the world to come, this entire life is a shadow.
Which is why David said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of YHWH forever.”
Selah
Torah of Messiah
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Acts, commandment, Feasts, Gentiles, Hebrew, Messiah, Torah, transgression, Yeshua
Themocracy
This somewhat dovetails into my latest blog about how the Bible applies to Gentiles and how that application is different for Jews. I mentioned in the comments section for that article, that understanding what Yeshua’s coming, death, resurrection, and ascension changed for both Gentiles and Jews is an important key to understanding our enduring roles in the Kingdom of God. I think that goes very well with an examination of the “Torah of the Messiah”. What did Yeshua teach his Jewish disciples that he wanted taught to “the nations” at the end of Matthew 28?
There is no doubt that Yeshua desired for the message of salvation, in its entirety, be proclaimed throughout the earth to all nations. The emissaries took the understanding they had received and shared it with all who would listen, Jew or Gentile.
What seems to rub some folks the wrong way is the idea that Yeshua leveled the playing field with His sacrifice and removed what kept the Jews and the people of the nations separate. Torah was never meant to be a wall of division, and this became clear, however slowly and painfully, to those who had received Messiah and then began to learn of the spiritual realities that now existed within the new covenant.
Equal application, equal responsibility, equal judgment, all of which caused some to question whether they really understood what Yehsua was talking about. Where does everyone fit in?
But of course looking for seat on the bus is not the same as thinking you should be driving.
“Yeshua leveled the playing field with His sacrifice and removed what kept the Jews and the people of the nations separate.”
You have a wrong idea of what “the wall” actually was and what Yeshua removed – it was not G-d’s election of Israel or the Torah commandments he gave to the Jewish people, or any of the other things that made Jewish nation unique from other nations (and will continue to do so). Instead, the wall that separated Gentiles from G-d (and from His chosen people) was Gentile rebelliousness against G-d, their sin, and their continuous idolatrous state and rebellion against Israel’s election by G-d. This was the chief cause of enmity between Jews and Gentiles.
This is the reason that Gentiles were excluded from the family of G-d and were “without hope”. Yeshua’s sacrifice, by G-d’s sovereign choice and the promise that G-d has made to Avraham when he said to him that “by your descendants all nations will bless themselves”, has extended the New Covenant G-d made with Israel to the Gentiles.
Ironically, it’s through twisting of Torah that makes it obligatory to non-Jews that today there’s now another kind of a “wall” between Gentiles, specifically who separated themselves from the Messianic Jewish movement by wanting to be Jews/Israelites, and Messianic Jews. Messianic Jews, on the other hand, still have a bond of friendship and fellowship with many Christians/Gentiles within Christianity and are accepting of each other differences.
Gene,
Ephesians 2:14-16, “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”
If that is not clear, then I really don’t know what to say. People on both sides of the Torah were equally in sin, both were destined for death. You can see that Yeshua leveled the playing field for both sides of the dividing wall, nothing else would be just, nothing else would work.
This should be obvious, foundational teaching.
Ef
Hi Efrayim,
To add strength to your argument, the word translated in the KJV as middle wall G3320 can be translated as something that partitions and the word translated as partition G5418 can be translated as hedge. And we know who it is that likes to put up “partitioning hedges” don’t we.
Eph 2:14 ForG1063 heG846 isG2076 ourG2257 peace,G1515 who hath madeG4160 bothG297 one,G1520 andG2532 hath broken downG3089 theG3588 middle wallG3320 of partitionG5418 between us;
So Paul says he broke down the partitioning hedge between us? Seems pretty clear to me.
Shalom, Jeff.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body (is) of Christ.
If we take out the (is) which many translators say is added and is never added anywhere else, then it sounds like Paul is saying that the only judgement that we should accept regarding the issues listed is from the “body of Messiah”. Doesn’t it make sense that Paul would say to new believers who are surrounded by pagans to turn to the body of believers for guidance?
And why doesn’t it make more sense that in Acts 15, the disciples are giving the new believers the “Three Cardinal Sins” as a starting point? After all, Idolatry, Fornication and Murder is a good place to start and James would have clearly used it in the past. Whether strangled was added to bloodshed to strengthen it or was never included per the Western Version, it makes more sense than including kosher but leaving out murder.
These two readings just seem more straight forward and less problematic to me.
Shalom, Jeff.
Jeff,
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your comments. And not just because I happen to agree with you. The wall of partition was removed in Messiah and the letter that was carried by Sha’ul to Antioch was just a starting point for the disciples. I have two posts regarding those meetings and that letter, and it looks like I will have a few more in the near future.
Shalom,
Efrayim
Thank you so much for taking the time to lay this truth out like this, Efrayim. What an incredible read and an absolutely essential principle to be understood! I’m about to go through it again, but wanted to encourage you in your studies and clear delivery of understanding. Again, as usual, I’m blown away at the power of scripture not removed from its context. Thanks again, so much.