And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan.

Although the ESV glosses over this unusual text, more literal translations such as the King James version reveal an underlying problem with interpretation. The King James says, “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran” (emphasis added). The problem is understanding what they had “acquired” or “gotten” in Haran. The Hebrew behind this phrase is וְאֶת־הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן — literally, “and the souls they had made in Haran.” This is the same verb used for the construction of the various components of the Tabernacle and its service. For instance, “They shall make an ark of acacia wood” ¹ or “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold” ² or “you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen.” ³ It is the same word found in the prohibition against idol making: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” ⁴ In light of this particular wording, that Abraham and Sarah “made” souls in Haran, the midrash tells us that these people were actually disciples or proselytes. ⁵ In other words, Abraham didn’t just purchase slaves or servants in Haran. He made disciples.

Whether these “souls” were full proselytes just whole-hearted followers of Abraham and his God is to be debated. However, the Bible specifically records just two chapters later that Abraham took 318 of these “trained men,” who were “born in his house” into battle against Lot’s captors. The Hebrew word for “trained men” means “follower” coming from the root, חנך (chanak), meaning “dedicated.” It’s the same root from which we get the word “Hanukkah” (Dedication). These “dedicated followers” were “born” into Abraham’s house. With these evidences it is not a stretch to say that because of their relationship with Abraham they experienced a spiritual rebirth which gave them the dedication to follow Abraham even unto death. Abraham invested into others. Abraham was a disciple-maker.

It was for this reason that the Almighty specifically chose Abraham to be called out from among his people. The LORD said, “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19). Please note: not only does is say that Abraham will teach his children, but that he will also teach “his household.” Abraham proved these words to be true not only with Isaac, but with his 318 disciples as well.

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This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel … For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread. (Exodus 12:14-15, 19-20)

An Eternal Tradition

Every year just before Passover Jewish families all across the world turn their homes inside out in search of the dreaded chametz, or food items containing leavening. Many go to great lengths to assure the search for chametz is complete. Couches are pulled out, beds are broken down, ovens are pulled out, shelf-paper is replaced — all due to the search for chametz that might be hiding in any crack or cranny. And the reason for this is a good one. The Scriptures state quite clearly, “On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses” (Exodus 12:15), and then again, “For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses” (Exodus 12:19). Hashem makes it pretty clear that He’s serious about this leavening thing, and even makes a contingency that if a person actually eats of anything that is leavened during this time, “that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:19-20).

For most Christians, removing leaven and leavened products from one’s home may seem a superficial or even legalistic endeavor. But for the Children of Israel, this is serious business. It’s not just an ancient ritual of bygone years. It is a spiritual reality that exists to this day, as it is written, “you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever” (Exodus 12:17, emphasis added). God not only expected those fleeing from Egypt to keep this decree during their lifetime, but emphasized that this tradition be kept “forever” — dor l’dor — from one generation to the next. According to the instructions of the One who redeemed Israel from Egypt — Who calls Himself by this very title — every person of Jewish decent is to painstakingly remove all traces of chametz from their dwelling year after year at this season. It is a yearly reminder of the redemption from Egypt, as well as a time to use the search for chametz to drive home the spiritual reality of hidden sin and its ramifications. Let me explain …

Leaven as Sin

The Talmud asks the question, “And who prevents us from performing Your will?” It answers its own question by responding, “The yeast in the dough” (b.Berachot 17a). At first, the answer doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. But if we think about it, we can make the connection. In Jewish and biblical tradition leaven is the quintessential analogy for sin. It represents that which is impure, corrupt, infected and arrogant. The “yeast” (in this context) which prohibits man from properly and whole-heartedly serving his Creator is his yetzer hara, or “evil inclination,” a term used frequently in Judaism equivalent to what Paul calls “the flesh” (cf. Romans 7, Galatians 5). Frequently, the Talmud uses this phrase, “the yeast in the dough,” to refer to man’s propensity towards evil.

James, the brother of Yeshua, affirms this concept when he says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). We don’t need to blame haSatan for our sinful behavior. It is the desire within us and our submission to our sin nature which make us fall into sin.

Yeshua uses the yeast/leaven metaphor in a fashion similar to the Talmud. We hear this when he instructs his disciples saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15). His disciples, being educated in the basics of Scripture but not yet as familiar with the rabbinic jargon, begin to scratch their heads trying to grasp the meaning of Yeshua’s instruction. Contextually, they had just witnessed the feeding of the five thousand a day or two previously and the feeding of the four thousand just moments beforehand. They began to wonder about the meaning of Yeshua’s reprimand. Maybe they thought he was criticizing them for not saving some of the miraculous bread to take with them on their voyage across Lake Galilee and sustain them during their travels there? Maybe Yeshua thought they had some starter dough that had somehow become contaminated with their encounter with the Pharisees? Maybe he didn’t want them relying on the food from the now-critical Pharisees and the Herodian traitors? But Yeshua heard their discussion and their erroneous conclusions and interrupted, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21). After realizing that his disciples really had no clue, Yeshua sets the record straight and tells them plainly that the yeast for which they must be on their guard is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1).¹

The Search

There is a pre-Passover tradition that on the evening before Passover begins one final search for chametz takes place. It is more of a token of finality and time to engage the children than to actually do a final, house-wide search, but it represents something very important. The major search and cleaning has already been done. This search represents a final inspection to remove any traces of chametz that may be hiding or have somehow slipped by without our knowledge.

The interesting component of this ritual is that the search is traditionally done with a candle, even in an age where we have the convenience of flashlights. The search is done together by the father and the children. As they come across a piece of chametz (conveniently placed by the mother), they brush it onto a wooden spoon with a feather and place it into a paper bag which will be ritually burned the following morning.

King David said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24). This ritual represents this plea. Rather than being oblivious to our sins, we are to be carefully examining ourselves asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the corners of our hearts to see if any chametz may be lurking unbeknownst to us.

The Torah sheds some light on this when it gives us instructions in regard to observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In Exodus 12, Hashem is giving the Children of Israel instructions for that first Passover, as well as additional instructions for future observances. In verse 17, there is an ambiguous phrase that has been subject to various translations over the years. The Hebrew of the first phrase reads:‭ ‬וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם‭ ‬אֶת–הַמַּצּוֹת‭ ‬— Ushmartem et hamatzot, which literally means “And you shall guard the matzot (plural for matzah/unleavened bread).” This is usually smoothed over in translation and rendered something to the effect of “You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread.” But literally, this is not what it’s saying. The word chag (feast) is not included as it is just three verses previously. This appears to be a slightly different context in which Hashem is instructing the Children of Israel to not allow their matzah to become leavened during the feast. It is a glimpse into the spiritual principle of rejecting apathy and being proactive in our spiritual discernment.

Guarding the Matzah

When we look at a piece of matzah and compare it with a piece of leavened bread (particularly sour dough, which was the only type of “yeast” bread known in the ancient world), what do we see? What is the difference between the two? One is flat, having been baked before giving it time to rise; and one is puffed up, having been allowed to rise before baking. They have both been made from the same basic ingredients: flour and water. The difference between the two is someone had to pay close attention to the unleavened bread to ensure that it did not rise, while the other was left alone and rose on its own accord.

It’s easy to allow sin to creep in. Just don’t do a thing. Don’t put your guard up. Don’t do regular self-examination. Don’t spend regular time in prayer and study each day. Don’t do anything that would enhance you spiritually. Just don’t do a thing. Sin will work its way into us and puff us up so that we are spiritually blind to our own undoing. Remaining pure and unblemished by sin and the world requires much more effort. It requires us to be proactively aware of our spiritual condition and to guard against the influences of the world, rather than sitting back and allowing the world and its influences to permeate us. It’s the difference between a loaf of bread and a piece of matzah.

Israel was set free for a purpose and it wasn’t to return to being slaves. We have been made free as well, but not to return to the enslavement of sin. Paul says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). We are supposed to be guarding against “the yeast of the Pharisees” so that it does not creep into our hearts and lives to enslave us once more. Hypocrisy and arrogance follow on the heels of apathy.

Let us conclude with Paul’s admonition in this matter and heed his counsel:

“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).

May we all be a new lump of dough, purged of the old leaven we once knew in our lives and live daily guarding against the subtle infusing of the leaven of the world as we enter into this season of redemption.

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Passover is on our heels! Therefore Shavuot is in hot pursuit! Here is a free activity download for 2013 to help your family both remember to count the omer between Passover/Pesach and Pentecost/Shavuot, as well as make it fun. I’ve created a calendar sheet and cut-n-paste “stickers” (bring your own glue stick -or- print to some crack-n-peel) to count the omer all the way to Shavuot.

Feel free to download these, print them out and use them for your family. Be sure to “Like” this page or post this link to your Facebook page as well as Tweet it to your friends so they will be able to enjoy it as well. Chag Sameach! Enjoy!

• Counting the Omer Calendar 2012 + Stickers
• FREE DOWNLOAD – Omer Counting Activity Sheet 5771/2011
• FREE DOWNLOAD: Passover Place Mats & Coloring Sheets
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And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Mark 1:40-44)

In my last post, I addressed biblical leprosy and its causes in order to give some background on this incident in which Yeshua touches the leper to make him whole. In this post I address the implications of his touch, as well as addressing some misconceptions about the event.

Yeshua’s Encounter with the Leper

Now that we have a better understanding of the details of tzara’at, we must now return to our passage in which Yeshua encounters the metzora, a man who has contracted biblical leprosy. In the story, the man requests one thing of Yeshua. He asks, “If you will, you can make me clean” (v. 40). Notice his request. His request was not healing, but purity. This is an especially important aspect to the story in light of what we have learned from examining the passages in Leviticus pertaining to tzara’at.

We know that the man must have had advanced stages of tzara’at, because in Luke’s parallel account, he is described as one who was “full of leprosy” (Luke 5:12). However, we can safely assume he could not be entirely covered with the affliction, because of what we learned previously regarding Leviticus 13:12-13. If he were “completely” covered he would be considered tahor, ritually pure (“clean”). If he was already clean / ritually pure, then why would he have need of Yeshua’s touch to make him clean / ritually pure?

With this in mind, we must realize that this man was still a legitimate metzora and brought uncleanness / ritual impurity upon anyone touching him. Some teach that although Yeshua touched the metzora, he did not become unclean. However, if Yeshua could not contract ritual impurity, then he was not truly human. But Scripture says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He was not merely human in appearance, but human in every regard. Being in an unclean state was not a new experience for Yeshua. He would have dealt with this numerous times in his life. Remember, being unclean is not the same as sinning. His identification with humanity through taking upon himself flesh and blood allowed for Yeshua to truly identify with the temptations and the sufferings of mankind.

Mark tells us that Yeshua was “moved with pity,” and therefore “stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.’” According to a Talmudic interpretation of Isaiah 53:4, the Messiah takes upon himself leprosy so that he might bear our afflictions:

The Rabbis said: His name is ‘the leper scholar,’ as it is written, ‘Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.’  (b.Sanhedrin 98b)

Yeshua used this understanding as evidence that he was indeed the long-awaited Messiah when questioned by the disciples of John the Immerser:

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4-5)

He became the Leper Messiah for our sake, bearing our griefs and carrying our sorrows by intentionally touching the lepers and taking upon himself their afflictions. No, he did not break out in white scabs. He did, however, become unclean / ritually impure for the sake of this one man. Rather than speaking a word of healing and remaining clean / ritually pure, his compassion and empathy guided his hand to reach out and touch the impurity of another.

Yeshua not only understood this and demonstrated this, but taught his disciples to do likewise by telling them,

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons (Matthew 10:8)

Show Yourself to the Priest

With the healing of the leper, Yeshua sends the man away with a mission:

“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Mark 1:44).

In doing so, Yeshua was commanding the man to travel to Jerusalem (a two or three day journey from the Galilee) to be inspected by the priesthood in the Temple. Once he was seen and declared clean, he was to offer up “what Moses commanded” for the purification of a metzora (from Leviticus 14). This included:

• Two live clean birds for purification ceremony
• One male lamb for a guilt offering
• One female lamb for a sin offering
• One male lamb for a burnt offering
• Flour and oil for grain offerings

Upon reading Yeshua’s instructions to this man, a few questions should enter our minds. First, if he is already clean, why does he need to show himself to the priesthood and undergo the purification rituals? Second, Christianity typically teaches that Yeshua came to do away with the Temple, the priesthood and the sacrificial system. Therefore, why would he give the man specific instructions to “offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded?” Last, by sending this man to the priesthood as “proof,” what was Yeshua hoping to prove to them?

Our first question involves an issue of obedience to Torah. Although the man has already been purified, he still needs to be declared clean by the administrating priesthood according to Leviticus 14:1-32. Without the declaration from the priesthood, the man would not be allowed admittance back into his community (or any Jewish community for that matter). Also, to refuse to do so would have been a direct violation of the Torah. In other words, he would have been sinning. By telling the man to show himself to the priesthood, Yeshua upheld the command of Torah which tells the proper procedure for declaring a metzora to be clean.

Our next question involves the priesthood and the sacrificial system. By having the man show himself to the priesthood and offer the prescribed sacrifices in the Torah, Yeshua demonstrated the intended interpretation of his teaching in Matthew 5:17, in which he said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.” By doing this he upheld both the commandments and the earthly function of the levitical system. He showed that his (forthcoming) atoning work was not in competition with the levitical priesthood and system, but that his work was greater than these and the very thing upon which they were based. His sacrificial death and resurrection were in place long before the creation of the heavens and the earth. In the apocalyptic book of Revelation the apostle John declared Yeshua to be “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). It is this pre-existing act of Yeshua on which the entire sacrificial system is based, reflects and points toward.

Our last question involves evidence submitted to the priesthood. But to what did this evidence point? This is actually a connecting point to our two previous questions. By having the man submit to the commands, the authorities and the procedures given by the Almighty in the Torah, Yeshua remained a “lamb without blemish” in regard to all of the righteous requirements of his Father. If he had veered from any of these procedures — or had instructed the man whom he healed to do so (Matthew 5:19) — he would have immediately invalidated himself as the anticipated Messiah. He would have broken at least one, if not several, of the commandments and thus become a sinner himself.

Therefore, the man would have presented evidence to the priesthood that was threefold in composition. The first part of the evidence would have been that he was indeed healed and could begin the rituals which would allow for him to be declared clean and thus re-enter his community. The second evidential component was that there was indeed a healer of lepers in Israel, which would have given rise to messianic expectation. The third component would have been that Yeshua was indeed qualified as one who could lead his people in as the righteous Messiah and not a lawless false prophet who had come to tempt the Israelites with signs and wonders (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

In Summary

There is a lot going on “behind the scenes” in this incident that requires deeper investigation. This is the case in almost every teaching or encounter of Yeshua recorded in our Gospels. In order to know the fuller meaning and deeper implications we must put aside our assumptions and dig into the historical context of the passages we study. We also have to make sure that our interpretations do not only agree with our theology, but with the Bible as a whole. When there is a conflict between our theology and God’s Word, the obvious winner is the Word. Yeshua did not come to set aside his Father’s commandments. He did, however come to release the captives from the bondage of both sin and suffering. May we always remember his incredible work on our behalf.Similar Posts:

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And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Mark 1:40-44)

This is a story with which most people are familiar. During one of his return visits to the Galilee, Yeshua encounters a leper who begs for healing. Yeshua, being filled with compassion, touches the leper and he is healed instantly. However, there is more going on in this incident than what lies on the surface. Let’s take a quick look at some of the components that underly the passage and help break down some of the things the author assumes of the reader.

Biblical Leprosy

First, let’s take a look at biblical leprosy. The typical mental image painted by Sunday School lessons and Sunday morning sermons is of a debilitating disease which leaves a person marred and disfigured, with lesioned flesh and missing fingers and toes. We often envision the disturbing images from Southeast Asia and Central Africa as examples of what biblical leprosy would have been like. However, these are misrepresentations that we are forcing onto the Scriptures due to the use of the English word, “leprosy.” Biblical leprosy is known as tzara’at (צרעת) and has no relation to modern leprosy, otherwise known as Hansen’s Disease. Unlike Hansen’s Disease, which is a bacterial infection affecting the skin and the nervous system, biblical leprosy — tzara’at — involves none of these symptoms. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how very different these two diseases are from one another.

The parameters of tzara’at can be found in Leviticus chapters 13 and 14. In the introduction to Leviticus 13, most Bibles will have a footnote saying something to the effect of, “Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases.” If we closely examine the text, however, we will see that tzara’at was very specific in its identification. It had to meet certain criteria before it could be labeled tzara’at by the cohen (priest). Also, we find that not only is it associated with a skin condition, but it can also be a type of mildew-like substance that can appear on the walls of a house (Lev. 14:33-53), or in fabric or in leather-goods (Lev. 13:47-59).

Other distinguishing factors of biblical tzara’at are its severity and transmission. According to the biblical texts, tzara’at does not transmit physical ailment akin to Hansen’s Disease. It does, however, transmit ritual impurity (making one “unclean”). “A person or object in contact with a leper becomes both unclean and contaminating.” ¹ What does this amount to? It amounts to an ostracizing of the metzora (a “leper” in biblical terms). In other words, when one has been diagnosed as being a metzora, one must remove himself from the community so as not to “infect” others.

The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. (Lev. 13:45-46)

Although this seems like a harsh treatment for someone who has a non-life-threatening, semi-communicable impurity (and not a disease, per se), one must remember that this command was given while the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness and encamped together in close quarters. Any contact (intentional or not) with other people or objects would immediately transfer ritual impurity to the person or object, thus rendering them tamei (טמא) as well. This contact with ritual impurity would make these individuals unable to participate in communal worship and the sacrificial system. In order for this to be contained, the priesthood was commissioned with identifying and quarantining outbreaks of tzara’at. A metzora had to undergo routine inspections to monitor the condition of their infection.

We have to keep in mind, however, that ritual impurity (being “unclean”) is in no way equivalent to sin. Being “unclean” was part of the routine of life during the days when the Tabernacle or the Temple were standing. Women became ritually impure during their monthly cycle or during childbirth. Both men and women became unclean with any kind of bodily emission. Tzara’at, however, was one of the most severe cases of ritual impurity, even surpassing corpse contamination, since one was only able to be purified on the condition the symptoms had vanished. Once the symptoms were completely gone an elaborate series of sin offerings, sprinklings, immersions similar to the purification rituals of corpse contamination were required in order to be declared officially clean (“ritually pure”). The only way sin would be connected to impurity is if an unclean person entered the Holy Temple. They would be guilty of defiling the earthly abode of the Almighty and be held liable.

There is, however, an odd condition in regard to tzara’at which makes its spiritual / ritual nature explicit. Once a metzora was completely consumed with tzara’at, and covered from head to foot and has turned completely white, he was pronounced tahor (טהור) clean / ritually pure and was free from his quarantine (Lev. 13:12-13). Once new skin began replacing the infection, however, he was quarantined once again and the entire inspection cycle was begun anew. There was no known cure for tzara’at. The priesthood did not affect the affliction, but only diagnosed it.

Causes of Leprosy

Based off of several Scriptural inferences, the Talmud states that there are seven sins for which one may be afflicted with leprosy:

R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Johanan: Because of seven things the plague of leprosy is incurred: [These are:] slander, the shedding of blood, vain oath, incest, arrogance, robbery and envy. (b.Erachin 16a)

Both the Talmud and the Midrash Rabbah see the word metzora as a compound word comprised of the words “motzi [shem] ra” (b.Erachin 15b; Leviticus Rabbah 16:2). In effect, this means one who “brings forth [an] evil [name].” In other words, a leper is one who spreads gossip and slander. The sages viewed evil speech as so damaging that they interpreted slander to be one of the most grave sins:

Further said Resh Lakish: One who slanders makes his sin reach unto heaven, as it is said: They have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. R. Hisda said in the name of Mar ‘Ukba: One who slanders deserves to be stoned with stones…

Further said R. Hisda in the name of Mar ‘Ukba: About one who slanders, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the prince of Gehinnom: I shall be against him from above, you be against him from below, and we shall condemn him, as it is said: Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom. ‘Arrow’ means nothing else but the evil tongue, as it is said: Their tongue is a sharpened arrow, it speaketh deceit; and ‘mighty’ means only the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The Lord will go forth as a mighty man; and ‘cools of broom’ is Gehinnom.

R. Hama b. Hanina said: What is the remedy for slanderers? If he be a scholar, let him engage in the Torah, as it is said: The healing for a tongue is the tree of life, and ‘tongue’ here means the evil tongue, as it is said: ‘Their tongue is a sharpened arrow’, and ‘tree [of life]’ means only the Torah, as it is said: She is a tree of life, to them that lay hold upon her. — But if he be an ignorant person, let him become humble, as it is said: “But perverseness therein is a wound to the spirit.” (b.Erachin 15b)

If this is the case, it is interesting to note that this is one of the few instances in which Yeshua did not also tell the one he was healing that his sins were forgiven. Why? Because sins committed against God can be pardoned by either God or His earthly agent. However, the only way sins committed against another living human being can be pardoned is from the one whom we have wronged (Matt 5:23-24; John 20:23).

In my next post, I will look closely at Yeshua’s encounter with the leper and the various implications involved in this incident which we typically miss or gloss over.

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“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” — Genesis 22:17,18

The Father of Faith

Who is this man upon whom the three monotheistic religions of the world are based? Who is this man called “friend of God” (James 2:23), the one whom we call “Abraham Avinu” (“Our Father Abraham”)? Who is this mere mortal by which the King of the Universe defines Himself?

The One, True, Living God — the God of the Bible — is known as the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” He initially reveals Himself to this man Abraham as אל שדי (“El Shaddai“) — “God Almighty” or the “All Sufficient God.” However, His first self-designation, to anyone other than Abraham is that of “God of Abraham” (Genesis 26:24) He identifies Himself in relationship to this one man whom He called out from among his brethren to become the singular person through whom all humanity will be blessed. The Holy One is also known as the “Shield of Abraham,” from His promise to Abraham which states, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield” (Genesis 15:1). In any case, God has inseparably wrapped Himself up in this man named Abraham.

Abraham is probably best known as the “Father of Faith,” a title which has been bestowed upon him because of how he exemplifies one who is trustworthy in all things. Both Paul and the author of Hebrews refer to him in similar terms. In one instance, Paul refers to him as “Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:9). In both his epistle to the Romans and to the Galatians, Paul makes the argument that besides the physical descendants of Abraham, all those who trust in Yeshua (Jesus) are considered spiritual children of Abraham because they model Abraham by responding to their calling through faith. Thus Abraham is “the father of all who believe” (Romans 4:11).

The Testing of Abraham

In order to secure this faith, Abraham had to undergo severe testing. Clement of Rome, said to be a disciple of the Apostle Peter, says this of Abraham, “Abraham, called the Friend, was found faithful, in his being obedient to the utterances of God” (1 Clement 10:1). In other words, Abraham’s faith resulted in faithfulness.

The sages say that Abraham underwent ten tests of his faith. “With ten tests was Abraham, our father, tested and he stood steadfast in them all; [they were] to show how great was His love” (Avot 5:4). These ten tests are enumerated differently by the sages. Here are two traditional enumerations:

According to Rashi

1. Abraham hid underground for thirteen years from King Nimrod, who wanted to kill him.
2. Nimrod flung Abraham into a burning furnace.
3. Abraham was commanded to leave his family and homeland.
4. Almost as soon as he arrived in Canaan, he was forced to leave to escape a famine.
5. Sarah was kidnapped by Pharaoh’s officials.
6. The kings captured Lot, and Abraham was forced to go to war to rescue him.
7. God told Abraham that his offspring would suffer under four monarchies.
8. At an advanced age, he was commanded to circumcise himself and his son.
9. He was commanded to drive away Ishmael and Hagar.
10. He was commanded to sacrifice Isaac.

According to Rambam

1. Abraham’s exile from his family and homeland
2. The hunger in Canaan after God had assured him that he would become a great nation there.
3. The corruption in Egypt that resulted in the abduction of Sarah.
4. The war with the four kings.
5. His marriage to Hagar after having despaired that Sarah would ever give birth.
6. The commandment of circumcision.
7. Abimelech’s abduction of Sarah.
8. Driving away Hagar after she had given birth.
9. The very distasteful command to drive away Ishmael.
10. The binding of Isaac on the altar.

The Testing of the Children

There is a popular Hebrew phrase which states, “maaseh avot siman lebanim”, meaning “the deeds of the fathers are portents for the children.” It is used to explain how the events with which the forefathers engage are replicated to some degree in subsequent generations. It reminds us to look for patterns in our lives that mimic those of our forefathers, causing us to look deeply into them for spiritual significance.

Often, we tend to view the hardships of life as attacks from the adversary. However, just as Abraham, the father of our faith was tested, we — the spiritual children of Abraham — also should expect testing. And not only should we expect testing, but we should embrace it as a blessing from the Lord. Yes, this is more easily said than done, but it’s what the Holy Scriptures tell us. James, the brother of our Master, says we should “count it all joy” when we face suffering in this life:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

Why does he say this? Because he has learned the lesson of his father, Abraham, and knows the result of such testing:

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.  (James 1:12)

A similar statement is made in the Didache, one of the earliest non-canonical apostolic writings dating to the end of the first century, in regard to the last days:

Then the creation of man will come to the fiery trial of testing, and many will stumble and perish, but those who endure in the faith will be saved alive from under the curse. (Didache 16:5)

We can see by these references that not only was Abraham tested, but he passed those tests and became an example for all who would descend from him.

The Deeds of Abraham

The deeds of Abraham are recorded in our Bibles beginning in Genesis 12 and continuing until around chapter 25. We find his life to be one of faith and miracles.

There are several traditions which attest to Abraham’s deeds outside of the biblical narrative of Abraham’s life. Here are a handful.

“For his faith and hospitality a son was given unto him in old age” (1 Clement 10:7)

“For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he did righteousness and truth through faith?” (1 Clement 31:2)

“Abraham bore great witness, and was called Friend of God. And he said, looking intently to the glory of God, being humble-minded, ‘I am but earth and ashes.’” (1 Clement 17:2)

“All who possess these three qualities belong to the disciples of Abraham our father: a generous eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul. But he who possesses the three opposite qualities—an evil eye, a proud spirit, and a haughty soul—is of the disciples of Balaam the wicked.” (Avot 5:22)

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works…?” (James 2:21)

According to Daniel Lancaster, the “deeds of Abraham” are daunting:

“He endured tests and and trials without wavering. He stood against idolatry and was willing to sacrifice his life for his convictions. He practiced extravagant hospitality. He obeyed God without hesitation. He steadfastly and confidently clung to the promises of God. He loved peace and willingly underwent personal loss and sacrifice for the sake of peace with family and neighbors. He remained devoted to his wife through trial, hardship, and disappointment. He spread the knowledge of God among human beings, and he prayed for sinners. He interceded even for the wicked, negotiating with God and praying on their behalf. He repaid ingratitude with loyalty; he risked his own life to rescue his family members; he gave a tithe to the LORD; he refused to take reward from the wicked. He accepted circumcision at the age of one hundred, and in his last trial, the tenth test, he obeyed the order to sacrifice his son. That is what is means to be the father of our faith.”

Children of Abraham

It is interesting to note, however, the reason Abraham was chosen. The Scriptures tell us the reason clearly:

“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19)

God’s plan was not only that Abraham would hear His voice and be obedient to it, but that his children would do likewise. Yeshua expected the same. In the Gospel of John we find an account in which he criticizes the natural-born offspring of Abraham for rejecting his teaching on being slaves to sin. They answer proudly that they are the children of Abraham and claim that they  are a free people who have never been enslaved. Yeshua response by saying,

“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did…” (John 8:39)

Although non-Jews cannot claim to be physical descendants of Abraham, we can claim spiritual adoption according to the Apostle Paul. Again, he says that Abraham is “the father of all who believe.” He also says that we should “walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham” (Romans 4:12). So what does this mean? In brief, it means that as children of Abraham we should at the bare minimum:

• Endure suffering with a cheerful attitude
• Walk in faith & faithfulness
• Be humble
• Be hospitable
• Be generous
• Teach our children
• Say little and do much
• Spread the knowledge of God
• Pray for sinners
• Obey our calling without deviating

Isaac, the Reflection of His Father

The word “toldot” is an interesting word in Hebrew. It can mean a variety of things. Typically, it is rendered “generations” or “genealogy” or “offspring.” However, in most cases it could easily be rendered as “legacy.” The toldot of a person is generally their offspring. However, in the biblical narrative this is not always the case. In the case of Noah, his “toldot” is listed before enumerating his children. His toldot was “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). His legacy was his character, rather than his children.

In the case of Isaac, he receives the smallest attention of the three patriarchs in the biblical narrative. But yet he has a glorious memorial forever etched into the Holy Writ in regard to his toldot:

These are the generations (תּוֹלְדֹת – toldot) of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.

Isaac’s legacy is that he was known as the son of Abraham. But not only in biological terms. He was truly his father’s son because he did the things Abraham did. His life reflected the fact that he was his father’s son. Both Yeshua and Paul expect this to be our testimony as spiritual children of Abraham as well. Per Yeshua’s argument with the natural-born children of Abraham in John 8, we need to also ask ourselves if our actions reflect our father as Abraham or that of the devil? Isaac’s legacy was that he was known as the son of his father through his life and deeds. May it be so for us, his spiritual descendants as well until the time of our Master’s return. Maranatha!Similar Posts:

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Over the last few months he and I have had an opportunity to catch up, because a good friend of mine has been helping serve at his church. I also found out that he was friends with both the pastor and youth pastor of our church as well. Our discussions lead to us discussing the basic need for the church to have a greater commitment and to be educated in the ways of the Lord. In one word, “discipleship.” They have two morning services to which I was invited to speak. I laid forth my Four Primary Responsibilities of A Disciple of Yeshua (Jesus):

1. Devotion
2. Memorization
3. Imitation
4. Replication

Here is about three-quarters of my message. Unfortunately, the audio is not the greatest quality (it was pulled from a video from the back of the sanctuary) and it is incomplete. However, it will give you an idea of the things I shared and may raise some questions worth pondering and discussing. It is available both as streaming audio or as an mp3 download. I would welcome any feedback you might have.

http://www.mountvernonbaptist.net/sermonmanager.php?sermonID=38599&Similar Posts:

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Well, it’s official. I’ve officially started a talk radio show with my friend, Randy Fields. It’s called Digging Deeper with Darren & Randy. We are broadcasting live from KAAY 1090AM in Central Arkansas every Thursday morning from 10:00 – 10:30. Last week we set sail with our pilot episode on Repentance and Rosh Hashanah. This week we will be discussing the Days of Awe and Yom Kippur.

The program is aimed at a mainstream Christian audience who know little about the rich Hebraic roots of their faith. If you would like to listen to the broadcast, you can do so by listening to the live show from the KAAY website, or from the archive on our website.

Our basic objectives are: Dig, Discover, Restore.

DIG into the Word.

DISCOVER what has been hidden.

RESTORE what has been lost.

Be sure to tell your friends, your Sunday school teachers and your pastors to tune in. We want to be a resource for educating and encouraging people to “dig” into the Scriptures. Be sure to check out our website and give us some feedback if you’re able to catch the program.Similar Posts:

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Repentance, Prayer, & Tzedakah annul the evil decree.¹

Come away, my Beloved…

Today I begin a series of posts speaking on the themes of the month of Elul, the sixth month on the Biblical calendar. It is the month just prior to the onset of the High Holy Days of the Fall. Here are some ways to understand this holy month from a Messianic perspective.

Each day in the month of Elul the shofar is blown in anticipation of the approaching High Holy Days of Rosh Hashannah & Yom Kippor (and then immediately followed by Sukkot/Tabernacles). On Rosh Hashannah (in the Bible it is only referred to as Yom Teruah – the Day of Sounding), the sound of the shofar is said to awaken the slumbering soul and rekindle a yearning to return to its Creator. For thirty days prior to Rosh Hashannah, the day the books of Life and Death are opened, the shofar reminds us of our need for a spiritual renewal and a reconnection with our Spiritual Source.

Let us hear the sound and be called to remembrance.

The month of Elul is the Season of Repentance:

“Rabbi Eliezer would say: Repent one day before your death.” (Avot 2:10)

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 4:17)

“O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” (Hosea 14:1-2 KJV)

“Open the door for me, my beloved sister…” (“Shir HaShirim”/Song of Songs 5:2) Rabbi Yesa said, ‘The Holy One, Blessed be He said to Israel, “My sons, Open the door of Repentance as the ‘eye of a needle,’ and I will open it for you so that wagons and carriages can pass through.” (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 24)

Rabbi Hama, the son of Hanina is quoted in the Babylonian Talmud as teaching:

“Great is repentance, for it brings healing to the world, as it is said: I will heal their affliction, generously will I take them back in love [Hosea 14:5].” Rabbi Jonathan opined: “Great is repentance for it brings redemption, as it is said: A redeemer will come to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob [Isaiah 59:20].” (b.Yoma 86a)

The Days of Ninevah and the Captive Woman

The days of repentance are like the days of Ninevah. “Another forty days and Nineveh will be overturned,” Jonah proclaimed. But they believed in God, and they proclaimed a fast, and they clothed themselves in sackcloth and ashes–from the greatest of them to the least of them. God saw and consoled them. He withheld the calamity that He had said that He would do to them.

The Sages also appointed forty days of repentance. Thirty days to prepare the soul, to search out his ways and to awaken the heart, and ten days to do true repentance. These are the ten days from the Day of Judgment [Rosh Hashanah] until the Day of Atonement [Yom Kippur] and forgiveness.

The soul can be compared to the captive woman described in Deuteronomy 21. Just as the woman taken captive in battle is given a month to mourn for her father and mother, so to the soul is given a month of days for weeping–the month of Elul. That is why a man weeps and supplicates before the LORD all the days of this month. He blows the shofar each evening and morning to startle his heart and to awaken himself to do something so that he may escape the coming wrath.²

אלול - Ani l’dodi v’dodi li (Song of Songs 6:3)

The word Elul (אלול) is an acrostic formed of four Hebrew words from Song of Songs combined together in this way: ani ledodi vedodi li (אני לדודי ודודי לי), “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (Song of Songs 6:3). How appropriate are these words! So it is, for the days of the month of Elul are days of repentance. They are days of compassion and grace, days of love, days of intimacy–so say many early and late sages and scribes (of blessed memory) in their books. If we repent, the Holy One, blessed is He, satiates us with grace. If a man declares, “I am my beloved’s,” it is certain that [God] will likewise respond, “and my beloved is mine.” ³

Rebbe Nachman says

The dominant spiritual theme of the month of Elul is the tikkun habrit, the tikkun for the abuse of the Holy Covenant.  (Likuey Moharan II, 87).

Yeshua’s Parables of Seeking out the Lost

Luke 14 and 15 contain an account in which Yeshua has been invited to the home of a leading Pharisee for Sabbath. When they were all relaxing and dining together, Yeshua begins to teach various parables, based on his observations of his surroundings. When he began to teach on the seemingly absurd possibility of the salt losing its saltiness, it says, “the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.” (15:1). It seems that they had picked up on the essence of Yeshua’s teaching most likely realizing that both they and the Pharisees were like the salt about which he spoke. The Pharisees, who were supposed to be the most pious group of people they knew, had let their piety be reduced to external showmanship. They, themselves, had lost their saltiness a long time ago. The Pharisees, in reaction to the pressing in of the “undesirables,” is to grumble and complain against Yeshua’s rubbing shoulders with these “sinners.” In response to this, Yeshua tells three parables. The first is the Parable of the Lost Sheep (vs. 3-7). The second is the Parable of the Lost Coin (vs. 8-10). The last is the Parable of the Prodigal Son (vs. 11-32). Each of these are intended to explain the great joy of the Father over a “sinner” who becomes a baal teshuvah - a “penitent,” (literally “master of repentance”). Yeshua is emphasizing the following theme from the Tanach (the “Old Testament”):

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

No doubt, the attitude of Yeshua’s host and the more elite guests was the same as, and quite possibly the inspiration for his illustration of the hypocritical Pharisee gloating over his superior spiritual condition in Luke 18:9-14:

‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

Let us heed Yeshua’s warning and not follow the example of the hypocritical Pharisee by thinking we have no need of repentance. We should be in a constant state of repentance.

“The feeling of ‘behold, I’ve arrived’ could well undermine the capacity to continue [one's spiritual pursuit / repentance], suggesting as it does that the Infinite can be reached in a finite number of steps. In fact, the very concept of the Divine as infinite implies an activity that is endless, of which one must never grow weary. At every rung of his ascent, the penitent, like any person who follows the way of God, perceives mainly the remoteness. Only in looking back can one obtain some idea of the distance already covered, of the degree of progress. Repentance does not bring a sense of serenity or of completion but stimulates a reaching out in further effort. Indeed, the power and the potential of repentance lie in increased incentive and enhanced capacity to follow the path even farther.” 

Things of which we need to become aware: our failures, our need for Hashem and His Messiah. During this time we are in the process of turning from our former selves (the “old man”) and returning to Hashem with all of our being, a spiritual rebirth of sorts. We begin this introspection thirty days prior at the first of Elul. Each day of Elul is sounded with one, short blast of the shofar, a lingering reminder of the impending immanence of Rosh Hashannah. The loud and multiple blasts of the shofar on Rosh Hashannah are intended to awaken our slumbering souls, reminding us of who we were and who we are to become in the following year. It is a time to take all accounts into consideration, righting wrongs and making good on vows.

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You may or may not have known that my old band (Narrow Road) had a reunion concert this past Saturday night. It’s been 20 years since the band first formed, 10 years since it’s last performance and around 15 years since I was involved personally. However, many of my old bandmates and I got back together and played a reunion gig at the local Christian college and we’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far. We played around 20 original song and had a really great time. I had an opportunity to share the Word during the performance and I thought I would share my notes. I integrated not only the name of the band (and the intent behind it), but also a few of the song lyrics as well. The challenge I presented integrated many of the thoughts on discipleship that I’ve shared on my site over the last year. I would love to hear your thoughts…

TODAY

Today Is The Day

Today is the day… The day to be born.
The day to be free. The day to be warned.
Today is the day… The day to decide,
for darkness or light… for wrong or for right.

The author of the book of Hebrews reminds us of our responsibility for “today.”

Scripture:

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?
(Hebrews 3:13-18)

KINGDOM CITIZENS

The message of both John the Baptist and Jesus was “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  We have long since forgotten this message, particularly its original meaning in its original context. We should understand the message of Jesus to be calling us to lay down our own lives and agendas and surrender them to his kingship. But how do we do this and how do we spread this message of his kingship?

Typically, we think that the solution is either to focus on the fear of God (hell and damnation) or to focus on the love of God (grace and acceptance). When our focus is hell and damnation, we lose the intimacy between ourselves and our Creator. When we focus on grace and acceptance, God becomes molded into our image and his standard of righteousness is thrown out the window. When we are consumed with only the mechanics of the “do’s and don’ts” of our faith, our relationship to Christ easily becomes distant. When we say that we love Jesus wholeheartedly and this is all that matters, it becomes easy for us to justify walking in a life of sin. “After all, Jesus loves us, right? It doesn’t matter if we’re not perfect.”

But we fail to recognize the need for both love and fear of an Awesome God who both created us for companionship, and will one day judge us according to our deeds. To live life as a Kingdom citizen is to be subject to the laws of his Kingship and to enjoy his companionship.

Of Jagged Rocks and Cornerstone  

Does anybody know where their soul’s gonna go?
Does anybody see the rocks below?
I see the land approaching as the storm clouds roll
We’re living for the body when the life is in the soul

What are we living for? Are we living our lives for the next adventure, the next paycheck, the next moment? Or are we living our lives for our King?

Scripture:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
(Matthew 6: 19 & 20)

Vampire Christians

Deepest December

“Royal blood: poison to the vampires
which encircle your soul”

The reasoning behind these lyrics is that when the Royal Blood of Christ in our veins, our blood becomes poison to anything in this world that tries to suck the life from us. Through Christ, we should be “more than conquerors.” However, most Christians live a defeated life. Let me explain why…

A. W. Tozer said, “Salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred scriptures.” Dallas Willard takes this a step further by saying,

“This ‘heresy’ has created the impression that it is quite reasonable to be a ‘vampire Christian.’ One in effect says to Jesus, ‘I’d like a little of your blood, please. But I don’t care to be your student or have your character. In fact, won’t you just excuse me while I get on with my life, and I’ll see you in heaven.’”

Willard has spoken out loud the silent thoughts of all Cultural Christians. He has exposed the heart of those who would invoke the blood of Christ in order to wash away their sinful past, but continue to proudly live a life in which the Risen Lord has no place.

They say the definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing over and over, but expecting different results. The same is true in our spiritual walk. Paul tells us that if we have life in the Spirit, then our daily walk (life) should also be “in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). If we are walking on our own path, rather than following in the dust of our Master, how can we expect any different results than the ones we are already getting?

Are we a “vampire Christian”? Has our Cultural Christianity lulled us into a spiritual coma from which we cannot awaken? The gift of grace through the blood of the Risen Messiah is entirely free. Yet it cost Jesus his very life. Shouldn’t we at the very least give ours back to him, rather than merely feeding off of his blood?

Repent, because His Kingship is calling…

SPARK

Too many times we want to go out and change the world and start off by trying to “fix” everyone else. But the path to permanent, lasting, sustainable change has to begin with ourselves. Yes, we should be working to change the world, but it must begin with ourselves. It’s like one empty vessel trying to fill another, because we’ve been trying to fill empty people with the emptiness inside of us.

At one point the crowds begin abandoning Jesus because of his difficult teachings. Jesus asks Peter if he would do the same. Peter responds with the beautiful truth, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). But what were those “difficult” teachings of Jesus that caused his followers to give up and turn away?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:53-58)

Is this saying that in order to have a relationship with Jesus all we need to do is take communion? No, it is saying we must partake in his sufferings and that we must give our entire lives to and for him. In other words, we must allow his life to become our own by “feeding” on him, the incarnate Word of God, daily.

This is my challenge. I want to ignite a spark in you that will eventually become a flame. I want to set you on fire for Jesus, but not just in your emotions, but in your day-to-day living.

Sure, we know Jesus and may have even said the Sinner’s Prayer at some point of our lives. But the question is, “Does Jesus know us?” Have we spent time walking in his dust, sitting at his feet, filling ourselves with the Words of Life? If we truly believe that Jesus is the “Word made flesh” then the entire Word of God should inform our day-to-day choices, rather than sit on our shelves collecting dust. Does our daily life reflect a relationship with the One Whom we serve?

On A Whim

Should we even have to say
Should our actions show the way
Should we feel it every day
Or is it all a game we play?

CONCLUSION

The name of the band is Narrow Road. This name was chosen for a reason:

The Narrow Road

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

The wide road is believing in Jesus. The Narrow Road is living and dying for him.

Someone once said, “Repent one day before your death.” Jesus said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

Today is the day… The day to be born.
The day to be free. The day to be warned.
Today is the day… The day to decide,
for darkness or light… for wrong or for right.Similar Posts:

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Hillel used to say: He who aggrandizes his name, loses his name. He who does not increase his knowledge, decreases it. He who learns not, forfeits his life. He who makes unworthy use of the crown (of the Torah) shall pass away.

Rabbi Hillel is one of the most famous rabbis of the Second Temple period. He lived during late first century prior to the common era through the childhood years of Yeshua. He was originally from Babylon, but came to settle in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) around the age of forty. He took up residence in the Galilee and came to establish his own rabbinic school, known as Beit Hillel (The House of Hillel), which became the dominant rabbinic school of thought at the end of the Second Temple period. Since his life briefly overlaps that of Yeshua’s and his ministry being located in the Galilee, as well as the fact that nearly all of his teachings align with Yeshua’s, many have suggested that Hillel could have possibly served as a mentor for Yeshua in his childhood. Another New Testament connection and well known fact is that Hillel was the grandfather of Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher and the nasi (president) of the Sanhedrin during Paul’s life. These are some of the words of this great sage…

“He who aggrandizes his name, loses his name.”

If this is true, then the converse should also be true: “He who loses his name, aggrandizes his name.” When we look at the words of our Master, we see that this is indeed what he taught. He said, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). He also taught his disciples that in order to become great, one first had to become a servant:

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even 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).

“He who does not increase his knowledge [of Torah], decreases it.”

In Irving Bunim’s classic commentary on Pirkei Avot, Ethics from Sinai, he begins his comments on this section with the following illustration: “A man’s knowledge must keep step with his general development. It is considered an achievement when a one-year-old child begins to speak. But we can hardly continue to admire the child of twelve for his ability to talk. If he has not progressed since one, the child is a case of arrested development.” This may sound harsh, especially to the ears of those who have been under the impression that the serious study of Scripture is reserved for the elect; however, if we believe the Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God, then our knowledge of Scripture should be ever increasing, informing our day-to-day living. The author of Hebrews shows his frustration with a group of people who are slow to learn, saying:

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14).

Bunim’s observation is correct. The Word of God is the daily sustenance for our souls. In reference to the Word being spiritual nourishment, even Yeshua himself, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, says that “Man shall not live by bread alone.” We are responsible for the teachings of the Holy Writ, particularly the words of our Master. Yeshua confirms this concept by saying, “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away” (Luke 8:18). We generally associate these words of Yeshua to that of our spiritual abilities, i.e. our “talents” (from a sub-conscience association with the English homonym of the same name, rather than “talent” being correctly understood as a unit of currency). However, in this instance, Yeshua is clearly connecting this instruction with our responsibility as stewards of his teachings. His words are our very life. Peter came to this realization with his confession, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

“He who learns not, forfeits his life.”

As we stated earlier, the Word of God is life. If man does not “live by bread alone,” his existence, therefore, is sustained by the Word of God. Again, if we think about the reverse, it should bear to reason that without the Word of God in our daily diet, our lives fade from existence.

“He who makes unworthy use of the crown (of the Torah) shall pass away.” The author of Hebrews says that the Word of God has the ability to discern our motives: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). If we are making use of Scripture for personal gain, we will be sorely disappointed in the end.Similar Posts:

• Pirkei Avot 1:17 — Messianic Commentary
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Shimon his [Rabban Gamaliel’s] son said: All my days have I grown up among the wise and I have not found anything better for a man than silence. Studying Torah is not the most important thing, but rather fulfilling it. Whoever multiplies words causes sin. (Avot 1:17)

In our above mishnah (saying), Rabbi Shimon states his observations from the time which he has “grown up among the wise.” In this he states that true wisdom is found in two main principles: holding the tongue, and living out the beliefs one espouses. These are principles that are commonly supported in the Scriptures.

Subduing the Tongue

The first principle, holding the tongue, is a base requirement for godly living. Proverbs tells us the following:

“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” (Proverbs 10:19)

Rabbi Shimon’s saying that “whoever multiplies words causes sin” is merely a succinct restatement of this proverb. His introductory words, “I have not found anything better for a man than silence,” however, are a fence he establishes for guarding against sin. This fence is based on Proverbs 21:23, which states:

“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”

James, the brother of our Master agrees:

“… the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:6-10)

Our words are important. We must be extremely careful with them, for “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).

In the late nineteenth century, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, commonly known as the Chofetz Chaim (the “Desire of Life” – based on the title of his most famous work, founded on Proverbs 34:12-15), wrote extensively on the subject of Shemiras Halashon (“proper speech” — literally “guarding the tongue”). He became a world-renown authority on the biblical ethics of proper speech, and his works are the benchmark on the ethics of speech within Judaism to this day.

Yeshua taught about the overuse of words in regard to prayer. He taught his disciples,  “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7). In this teaching, Yeshua agrees with Rabbi Shimon in that “less is more.” In one instance, Yeshua says regarding our speech, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37). In another instance, he says, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45). Yeshua’s focus is on the quality of one’s words, verses the quantity. His concern was whether they emanated from the heart, or were a means of manipulation.

Knowing vs. Doing

Back to Rabbi Shimon. Sandwiched between these two expressions regarding speech, he states, “Studying Torah is not the most important thing, but rather fulfilling it.” In the tradition of a true master of Scripture, he ties these expressions of making ones words few to the living out of the principles of Scripture. But the question we must ask is how does Rabbi Shimon connect these teachings, regarding speech, to the “doing” of Torah? How are they related?

Throughout the existence of humanity we have witnessed an epic struggle between knowing and doing. There is a constant battle in relation to these two forces, ever the struggle to marry knowledge and application. This is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Whereas knowledge is being informed, wisdom is acting on the knowledge we have been given. When we choose to ignore the knowledge we have been given and make choices that contradict this information, we are being foolish. Hence, it is the fool who ignores instruction and correction according to Proverbs. It is the fool who repeats his folly, not taking heed to warnings from his elders or even his peers. It is the fool who is informed, but who lacks wisdom in his actions.

The chasm between belief and faith have long been the discussion of seminaries, pulpits and armchairs. It is precisely here that we find the spiritual struggle of every believer. Our actions, however, reveal our true nature — we act according to our values. Don’t we justify ourselves in judging others based on their actions, rather than their intentions, but judge ourselves solely on intention? Dallas Willard is quoted as saying, “You can live opposite of what you profess, but you cannot live opposite of what you believe.” This is a very accurate observation, which is in the same line of thought as the words of Rabbi Shimon. We may have an ample number of intentions, but it is our actions that ultimately carry the weight of our beliefs.

This is the litmus test of genuine faith. It is only genuine faith in which “faith and works” walk hand in hand, as James tells us (James 2:18-26). Rabbi Shimon recognized the truth of the common aphorism that “actions speak louder than words.” He places emphasis on minimizing words, and maximizing actions, realizing that one’s actions are the sermons that others will hear quicker than any eloquent speech or illustration. Within the Christian tradition we have a well known saying which agrees with this assessment. St. Francis of Assisi is attributed to have said, “Preach the gospel at all times. And when absolutely necessary, use words.”

May it be so.Similar Posts:

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And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him… (Mark 10:17-21)

When we read this account of the rich young man who approaches Yeshua, we tend to completely gloss over one little statement. After responding to Yeshua that he had been diligent in keeping the mitzvot throughout his life, it says that Yeshua “loved him.” He “loved him” because he knew that this young man was sincere in his service to Hashem. He “loved him” in that he was faithful in walking in obedience to the God of Israel. But he also “loved him” enough to speak to him with the gut-level truth when he told him the one thing he still lacked: to be radically sold out to the Messiah.

When we are faithful in the small things, we will be “tested” by with the reward of being given even greater responsibilities. C.S. Lewis, in The Horse and His Boy, from his Narnia series, tells the story of a boy named Shasta who had to experience very difficult things in his life. And just when he thought it couldn’t become any more difficult, the challenges increased exponentially. Here is an excerpt, which I posted previously, that illustrates what I am trying to say:

“‘If you run now, without a moment’s rest, you will still be in time to warn King Lune.’ Shasta’s heart fainted at these words for he felt he had no strength left. And he writhed inside at what seemed the cruelty and unfairness of the demand. He had not yet learned that if you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one.”

The Mishna puts has an aphorism from Ben Azzai which states,

“Be eager to fulfill the smallest mitzvah and flee from transgression; for one mitzvah induces another and one transgression leads to another transgression. The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah, the reward of one transgression is another transgression” (Avot 4:2).

Yeshua said it this way:

“You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

But the good news is that if we step up to the plate and meet the challenge, his response will be:

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21)

I see myself in this young man to which Yeshua addresses in that I have been faithfully diligent in many things, but sometimes am not ready for the “reward.” I would like to sit back and rest, rather than meet another challenge. However, in regard to this young man, Yeshua “loved him.” Maybe this young man overlooked this just as I had. He didn’t realize the love Yeshua had for him and how the challenge was actually the reward. Yeshua “loved him” just as he “loves us.” Yes, Jesus love me… But he expects a radical commitment to himself. Are we up for the challenge, or are we walking away with our heads to the ground?Similar Posts:

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This is the first few articles that I will be posting entitled Jesus, Friend of Sinners. This first article only scratches the surface of the various sub-topics to which this broad topic has lead. I hope you will enjoy exploring this subject with me.

Recently, I heard a song by the popular Christian band Casting Crowns called “Jesus, Friend of Sinners” for the first time. The song is a call for unity within the body of Christ, to put down pointing fingers and judgementalism and show the world the love of Christ. The first part of the song, I think, accurately paints a picture of the current state of religious Christianity in our present day, while calling for a radical reform within our ranks. Here is the first verse and chorus:

Jesus, Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Chorus:
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

In days when homosexuality and abortion are hot topics and call for hard lines to be “drawn in the sand,” we need to know where those boundaries are between the sin and the sinner. We need to be able to stand firm in upholding the biblical definition and rejection of sin, while extending our arms to the sinner to be embraced by the love of our Messiah. However, the the first part of the next verse is what caught my attention. Here it is:

Jesus, friend of sinners – the one who’s writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Here we have a commentary on Jesus’ encounter with the woman “caught in very the act of adultery” (according to the KJV) from the 8th chapter of the Gospel of John (verses 2-11). We are all familiar with this passage, but let me refresh our memory before we continue.

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:2-11)

In this encounter, Jesus is confronted with a test from some of the religious leaders of his day. As he sits down to teach the crowd, a woman is brought before him with the claim that she was “caught in adultery, the very act” (KJV). They then press Jesus with the question regarding the situation of an adulteress in the Torah (vs. 5). Jesus acts as if he is ignoring the accusers, bending down and beginning to write on the ground with his finger. When he is questioned again he stands, responding with the famous quote, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (verse 7). He sits back down and begins to write on the ground a second time. Those around Jesus began leaving “one by one, beginning with the older ones,” until only Jesus and the woman were left. Jesus stands and addresses the woman, asking her where her accusers had gone, and if anyone was left to condemn her. She replies that no one was left to accuse her. Jesus then responds with the celebrated words “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

A Closer Look

Although this passage has been admired by the church over the centuries — and is, in fact, due considerable admiration for the way Jesus, the Master of Torah, uses Torah to uphold the justice of Torah — we have heralded it largely for the wrong reasons. Almost inevitably, when reading the story of the adulterous woman in John’s Gospel, most readers will envision a summary statement that reads like the words of a newspaper headline: “Grace conquers Law.” We tend to think that Jesus overrides the Torah with his decision to ignore the “letter of the law” and show mercy to this woman. However, if we have a good familiarity with the Torah and we understand the actual situation properly, it becomes quite clear what is happening in this encounter. But before we get into the technical details of how Jesus handled this dispute, here is the question to which I have been building up:

Who were those who were holding the stones, eager to deal the blows of death to this woman? Were they really the righteous as the song presumes? If they were truly the righteous, then they would and should be loved of God, as it is said, “the Lord loves the righteous” (Psalm 146:8). Or does this story help us distinguish the righteous from the unrighteous?

Let’s review the lyrics in question again:

Jesus, friend of sinners – the one who’s writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

I’m sure the author had noble intentions when penning these lines. Their honesty, however, exposes a truth within our ranks that needs addressing. When we read this passage in John’s Gospel, the vast majority of us make the same assumptions as the author of these lyrics — namely that those who are ready to stone this poor woman are those who are “righteous” by definition of the Law, and are typical of those living “under the law.” After all, aren’t they just doing what the Law has prescribed – stoning an adulterous woman? Don’t we see their actions as the poster child of Judaism, while we see the “grace” of Jesus in this instance as the epitome of Christianity?

But the only way for these lyrics to make any sense is to turn the tables and make the unrighteous become the righteous, and vice versa. Why? Because if we were to be honest, the only one righteous in this whole story is Jesus. We know the position of the woman. She has been brought before Jesus on grounds of adultery, a serious charge. Regarding the ones who held the stones, we would have to say that they were not upright in their actions. Therefore, they would fall into the category of unrighteous as well. As a matter of fact, they were the ones breaking God’s Law to a greater degree than the woman. They actually knew the measures prescribed by the Torah for dealing with adultery, yet willfully chose to act in opposition to God’s instructions. This automatically places them in the category of “sinner,” rather than “saint;” “unrighteous,” rather than “righteous.”

Here is where “Jesus, friend of sinners” fails. We would never knowingly call Jesus a friend to these hypocrites who turn God’s holy system of justice on its head. We would never rightly call Jesus an advocate of these who would “call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). Why, then, do we do so in this story? We loath the villains – those who have brought the woman before Jesus – but at the same time we call them “the righteous.” This is a contradiction and we must admit it. In our zeal to show the sinner love and mercy, we often topple the definitions of “sin” and “righteousness,” completely blurring the lines between the two. We must keep in mind that Jesus does not love sinners because of their sin. There is no merit in being a sinner. His heart is drawn to sinners in order that they might turn from their sin and become one among the righteous of his people. He sees their potential and beckons them to leave their present circumstance and allow him to wipe away their stains and release them from the shackles of their sins (Psalm 146:7).

There is a rabbinic saying, which states, “Even righteous people cannot stand in the place of those who repent”. ¹ Although worded in a different manner than we are accustomed, this central theme continues to act as the driving force behind the ministry of Jesus. The words that have the more familiar ring to our saintly ears are, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). Why doesn’t heaven rejoice over the one who is faithful, diligent and true? Because of the Father’s love for all of His creatures and His longing to have all of humanity reconciled to Himself. This point is emphasized in Luke’s account of the “sinful woman” who washed his feet with her tears (of repentance), anointed them with oil and then wiped them with her hair.

“And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”” (Luke 5:30-32)

Jesus continually emphasizes this point when he tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7), the Parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) and the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son (Luke 15:11-32). There are others as well. My point is this: Jesus’ love and longing for the sinner is born out of his Father’s will that “whosoever believeth on him might be saved.” It is not his identification of commonality with sinners. Let me once again emphasize that there is no merit in being a sinner. The point of Jesus’ mission is not to start Club Sinner. His mission is to restore broken people, transforming sinners into saints, and not merely through membership card distribution.

Summary

Yes, Jesus is a Friend to sinners. But his love calls them to leave everything — particularly their sin — in order to follow him. He makes a distinction between the righteous and the sinner, never blurring the lines that define them. The righteous are truly righteous, and the sinners truly sinners.

In my next article we will continue to explore this theme, Jesus, Friend of Sinners, by examining the details surrounding this instance and how Jesus used the justice of the Torah to defend this woman, rather than merely forgiving her and ignoring the Torah’s system of justice.

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I just wanted to publicly thank a particular family in Georgia (you know who you are!) who started contributing to Digging with Darren couple of months ago on a regular basis. It has really made a difference. Their monthly contribution has enabled me to start whittling down the books on my book list, and made it possible to continue my research and writing, particularly in regard to my book on discipleship, a work-in-progress that has taken me several steps back to do some in-depth research from varying alternative perspectives. It has especially been helpful in a time where my family has been in a place of financial desperation. Thank you for making a difference!

Update

While I’m at it, let me give you an update on my writing.

I have continued (ever so slowly) to work on my book, researching and writing; filling in holes, clarifying points, adding illustrations to better help with understanding the message, etc. I am also about 75% complete with a new 2-part post that I hope to be sharing soon that will help bring some discussion on the topic of righteousness and our perspectives on who is and who is not righteous. (Yes, I know it sounds dull now that I read my description, but I really think you’ll enjoy it.) I have also had a potential (not definite) offer come up to contribute some of my teaching on discipleship to an upcoming publication. I have also been putting down my thoughts on various other topics that I have been working into forthcoming blog posts.

Many people probably wonder why I am not as prolific at blogging as some of my other fellow-bloggers. It is because I have chosen not to use my blog as a note-taking system, or outlet for stream-of-conscious-type thoughts. I have chosen to be calculated in my posts so that they will be beneficial for those who are looking for insights into specific subjects.

Once again, a big THANK YOU to my Georgian friends for their monthly donations which have been invaluable. And THANK YOU, my dear readers for your continued support, insights, comments and prayers. They are greatly appreciated. Be looking for things coming in the days ahead. In the meantime, if you would like to help support my writing more on relevant topics from a Messianic perspective, please consider becoming a sponsor through the PayPal links in the right-hand column of the site.

In the grace of our Messiah,
-DarrenSimilar Posts:

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