THE SCRIPTURES AND HOW JESUS USED THEM

Introduction

If you should go to our Bible colleges and seminaries where people go to study and learn and gain a deeper understanding of the scriptures, and master its content, you will discovers shelves of books that question everything about the Bible. It has been attacked from every angle. "Is the Bible authentic...does this quotation belong there...it does not fit the author’s style...some scribe must have come along, made a notation in the margin then later another scribe liked it and placed it in the text," and on and on and on it goes.

I believe that the scriptures are infallible, inerrant, the authentic Word of God breathed upon the human authors who wrote them -not as zombies typing away with out sense, but under the Spirits breath yet retaining their human hand. Just as a human, Miriam bore the Son of God -and Yeshua was God while also being man- the human authors bore the Word of God which remains until this day: the Divine, infallible, inerrant, revelation of the Almighty while also displaying the personalities of the human authors. 

We have a book that we can trust; we have a book that Yeshua trusted. He never questioned the authorship of any book, any event, He did not question Jonah being swallowed by a fish, He did not question a universal flood, He did not question living devils and demons, and He did not question the relevance or power of fasting. Yeshua believed, lived, taught, and gave His life in accordance with the scriptures. In fact, Yeshua thought so highly of the Scriptures that He told the Jews the scriptures (1) give everlasting life just as the tree of life in Eden, and (2) the scriptures give evidence of Himself (Luke 5:39; Luke 24:27,44) and eternal life.

There are three ways that Yeshua used the scriptures.

1.         First, Yeshua used the SCRIPTURES as a defense

-a defense of His reliance on God’s Word against the Devil: “it is written; it is written; it is written” (Mat.4:4-10). Every Christian is a theologian. We not only quote the word but in their inspired context.

-a defense of His actions against the Pharisees, religions, cultic misinterpretation of life: by rightly quoting the OT to their wrong interpretation of it; and of its character.

-a defense of His forerunner and the office of John the Baptist (Mat. 11:10)

-a defense of His Father’s House being desecrated by the Jewish leaders (Mat.21:13)

-a defense of His submission to death (Mat. 26:31)

2.         SECOND, YESHUA USED THE SCRIPTURES AS A MEANS OF INSPIRATION

Yeshua first got His own inspiration from the OT Scriptures; many of His NT sayings are OT scriptures framed in new ways to vehicle the new covenant and economy. Yeshua was born as a baby and had to be taught by His parents. He had to learn the Hebrew alphabet, the Aramaic, and the Latin of Rome -just as you and I have to learn. He had to learn about God from Yoseph and Miriam and the Yeshiva teachers. He had to learn about the pain of splinters, stumping His toe, etc. He studied and grew to become what He was predestined to become. Some think that at one or two days old Yeshua had the wisdom of Solomon. Scripture says He grew in wisdom, statue, and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52). How does one grow in wisdom, statue, and in favor with man? The prescription is given in Prov.3:1-4. Yeshua grew physically, mentally, and spiritually but by obedience and that by suffering (Heb.5:8).

Yeshua was however more than man. At the age of twelve He must be about His heavenly father’s business. The Word so inspired Him that He found His purpose for being in them. The question put to Yoseph and Miriam was almost condemning, “do you not know?” The idea is this, isn’t this the natural outcome of those who subject themselves to the Holy Scriptures? Do we not find the scriptures and God’s affairs so inspiring that they become our life? At the age of thirty-three he left the carpenter shop for ministry. Think about it, how a carpenter had such a grasp of scripture that He astounded the professors. He read His OT again and again and again. He was not what he was by miraculous power. He did not use power for Himself. All He gained He gained by discipline; it is phenomenal that this man had the grasp of the word having not been schooled like the Pharisees and Levites and their children. But a Nazarene, and a carpenter until age 30. Who taught Him? Fluent in three languages, able to think as no other man, precise exegeting of Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Psalms, Daniel, etc. He found his inspiration in the scripture at great personal cost to himself.

Yeshua then gave His inspiration of the Scriptures to others. Yeshua approved the Prophets and taught them as inspired. Yeshua approved the Torah and taught them as inspired. Yeshua spoke of Abel (Luke 11:5). Yeshua spoke of Noah (Mat.24:37-39; Luke 17:26-27). Yeshua spoke of Abraham (John 8:56). Yeshua spoke of Sodom and Gomorrah (Mat.10:15). Yeshua approved the Writings and taught them as inspired. Yeshua approved the events of Scripture, Noah and the flood, Jonah. Yeshua approved the principles and precepts of Scriptures

3.         THIRD, YESHUA USED THE SCRIPTURES TO CHART HIS OWN LIFE

Yeshua found His identify in the Scriptures. Where and when was the dawn of His mental powers? -of the realization that He was the Messiah? –that He was destined to die? As He grew naturally and normally physically, He grew naturally and normally spiritually as His mind encountered the great truths of scripture. Yeshua as He looked back was able to look back the great facts and His identity dawned upon Him. First, at the age of twelve, then about His father’s affairs, then to fulfill them. 

Yeshua had a brain greater than any –this we agree, but He had to use it, to get what He got! He had to use it to do the things that He did. You cannot take away the humanity of Messiah. He is not the coming Messiah if he lacks either deity or humanity. He was not omniscient, He was not omnipotent; He was not omnipresent. –until after the resurrection, then He announced, “all power and authority is given.” He took upon Himself our limitations. He must be man to achieve our salvation though God.

Yeshua chartered His future in light of His past. He chartered the future by looking at the past. As it was…so shall it be; As Jonah was in the belly…so shall it be! What kinds of charts? Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus…, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings!  What He read He went out to accomplish and fulfill:

-Adam tempted by Satan to eat, His temptation to eat

- Adam and Eve covered by God, His display of Himself as the Lamb

- All outside, Adam to Abraham to Jacob to Israel being cast into the wilderness, He went to the wilderness

- Hagar too being cast out of the Jewish camp and finding God at the well, Jesusfinds the Samaritan woman at the well and blesses her

- Jacob and his twelve sons, twelve tribes; He selected 12 disciples

- Miracles of God for Israel in Egypt, He turned water to blood-red wine

- Israel told to cross the Red Sea, He walks on water

- The shekinah of God hovering over the Temple, He cleanses His Father’s house

- Naaman healed of leprosy, He heals the leper

- Israel 40 years needful to get in, He heals the paralyzed man wanting to get in 

- David eating grain on the Sabbath, He heals man on Sabbath, and picks grain 

- Holy manna given to Israel, He broke bread and feed thousands

- Elijah raising a lone woman’s son, He raises a widow’s son

- Sinful woman, Rahab hides the two spies of Israel, the sinful woman that anoints His feet

- Joseph despised by his brothers, sold, placed in a pit, resurrected to become savior of Egypt, He the same

- Abraham’s wife, Sarai dying and his new wife, Keturah, He spoke of the Gentile addition, their faith that He has not seen such in Israel

- He gleaned from the OT Scriptures, Himself, the words that became His words, the works that became His actions. He found Who He was and His task from the Scriptures

Conclusion:

Yeshua used the Scriptures as a defense, He used the Scriptures as inspiration He used the Scriptures to chart His Life. 

Sunday is not the Sabbath; the Sabbath is Not Sunday 

#1.The Sabbath Was Not a Creation Ordinance. “Shabbat is not mentioned in creation, rather, 7th day. There is no command to keep the seventh day prior to the Mosaic Law. There is no record of anyone keeping the seventh day for 2500 years, from Adam to Moses (not Job, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). Job lived 500 years before Moses and nowhere is there a mention of keeping Sabbath though his book refers much to human obligation to God. And, even if Sabbath keeping was a creation ordinance, it would not have been mandatory. Marriage is an example of a creation ordinance that is not mandatory. Single adults are admonished to remain as such if they can endure for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.

#2. The Sabbath Was a Command Embodied in the Ten Commandments. “Remember...” It had been received in Exodus 16 prior to the receiving of the command in Exodus 20. “Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” It was to be kept especially separate from the other days, and was a day of rest: no gathering of ‘manna’ (Exo.16:23-30); no traveling (Exo.16:29); no kindling fire (Exo.35:3); no gathering of wood (Numbers 15:32 ); no burden bearing (Jeremiah 17:21 ); no trading (Amos 8:5); no marketing (Nehemiah10:31; 13:15, 19)

#3. The Sabbath Was a Sign (ot). It is a sign of the cessation of God’s work after 6 days; it was a sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Exo.31:12-17) between God and Israel , that Israel had been set apart, sanctified. The Sabbath was a sign of the Exodus (Deut.5:12-15), and it was a sign ONLY TO ISRAEL AND NOT TO THE CHURCH

#4. The Sabbath Was Not A Day of Corporate Worship. There was no command for anyone to observe the Sabbath prior to Moses; there is no record of anyone keeping the Sabbath prior to Moses; the “holy convocation” was the priestly work (sacrifices, Lev.23:37 cf. Num.28:25; a burnt offering of two male lambs; a grain offering, Num.28:9; putting out the Shewbread) as the people rested from their labor. The Sabbath was a rest “in all your dwellings” meaning at home (Lev.23:3), the emphasis was staying with family, in the home (Exo.16:29). It was to be a complete physical rest and holy convocation (spiritual refreshing)

#5. The Sabbath Synagogue Services found in the New Testament originated with the Babylonian captivity, not with the Law of Moses, and were and are not obligatory.

#6. The Sabbath Was Important (Isaiah 58:13,14; Exodus 31:13-17), but

#7. The Sabbath Was Limited in Time. The Hebrew term forever, “observed throughout your generations…a perpetual covenant…forever,” is olam meaning “duration, futurity” and does not carry the concept of eternality as does the English word “forever.” Some examples of this are Exo.21:6; Deut.15:17; 1 Samuel 1:22; 1 Chron.28:4; 1 Kings 9:3; Exo.14:13; Lev.25:46). In Deut.23:3 olam (“forever”) is 10 generations. The Hebrew term throughout your generations is also limited in time. Examples are Lev.25:30; Exo.40:15; Lev.10:9; Num.10:8; 18:23 ; Exo.27:21; Lev.24:3.

#8. The Sabbath is Not Prescribed in the New Law of Christ. Christ is a New Priesthood (Melchizedekian) with a New Law/Torah much greater than the Law of Moses which has now become obsolete (Hebrews 8:13 ). The believer is not under the Law of Moses but the Law of Christ (Gal.6:2), and the Law of the Spirit of Life (Rom.8:2). Some commandments of the new Law of Christ are similar to the Mosaic Law, honoring one’s parents for example (Eph.6:1-3). Other commands from the Mosaic code are intensified under the New Law. “Love one another as I have love you,” John 15:12 , versus “Love thy neighbor as Thyself, Lev.19:18. However, the new “torah” of Yeshua is much different than the old, for example there is no dietary code, all foods are declared to be in the state of “clean” (Mark 7:19; Rom.14:14, 20); Col.2:16; Acts 10:15; 1 Tim.4:1-5); there is no Sabbath law (Rom.14:5; Col.2:16), and there is no law for circumcision.

#9. The First Day, Sunday, Becomes Preeminent. The reasons for Sunday worship were born out of the tradition of esteeming the day of the Lord’s resurrection as preeminent. The Lord arose on Sunday (Mat.28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:2; John 20:1); the Lord met with His disciples after His resurrection on Sunday (John 20:11 -19), and again after 8 days on Sunday (John 20:26 ). Yeshua appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Sunday (Luke 24:15-32). Paul speaks of a gathering for purpose on Sunday (1Cor.16:1,2), and was with the Christian fellowship of Troas on Sunday (Acts 20:5-12).The Feast of. Pentecost (Acts 1,2) 50 days from the resurrection of Yeshua, was on a Sunday, and John references Sunday in Revelation ( 1:10 ), “the Lord’s day” (Grk. te kyriake hemara meant Sunday both then and today). Believers throughout history have marked and observed Sunday as a new day for a new people belonging to a new creation under a new priest, and obliged to a new torah. However, let us not forget that the Holy Spirit through His Apostle Paul admonishes us not to observe any day above another, nor judge one who does (Romans 14; Col.2:16).

#10. The first day, Sunday, Is Not the Sabbath. A problem arises when one semantically misuses a word to defend a concept. We embrace what the early church fathers called, “the Lord’s day,” Sunday, due to our honor and loyalty to Christ though there is no command to do so. We wish to esteem His day above all others. Amen! And, because of tradition we continue to worship on the first day of the week. However, often believers chasten Jewish people and sabbatarians as legalist while they themselves make demands that believers attend all services on Sunday, “the new Sabbath.” Such a concept is NEV ER taught in scripture. The Holy Scriptures account for the emphasis of Sunday by the saints, and the spiritual principle of “not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together,” but there is not a hint that Sunday is a “new Sabbath,” a day of rest. It was Constantine who prescribed Sunday as the “Christian Sabbath” throughout the entire Roman Empire with the Church replacing Israel (Replacement Theology). Sunday remains, especially for women, the busiest day of the week, and is not the Sabbath, nor a day for rest in “our dwelling.” Sunday is the day for corporate worship, study, prayer, devotion, song, and meditation. "Hebrew Christianity" by Arnold Fruchtenbaum and Unger’s Bible Dictionary.

THE CHURCH: Congregation or Institution

An INSTITUTION seeks its living donors/parishners to serve its programs, the dead to have remembered and guaranteed its presage. The CHURCH seeks to serve its living members remembering the departed believers (all) as saints.

An INSTITUTION has as its chief aim, growth. The CHURCH has as it chief aim, maturity of the believer.

An INSTITUTION operates by parliamentary procedures, rules of order, and traditions. The CHURCH operates by spiritual disciplines, precepts, and love.

An INSTITUTION is introverted, self-seeking, self-serving, self-centered, and self-absorbing. The CHURCH is extroverted with value and service to others; it is selfless, serving others.

An INSTITUTION is big business with big buildings -the face to its success. The CHURCH is God’s business, God’s building, God’s body, God’s bride, and God’s book.

An INSTITUTION demands uniformity to a convention and constitution. The CHURCH promotes unity to the new covenant.

An INSTITUTION is a supervisory business operating as a pyramid from the head/top levels down, its top executive hired for performance. The CHURCH is a serving organism operating as a Temple, each member equal yet gifted for servitude, operating on a horizontal plane as all are living stones, Christ being the chief executive or corner stone.

An INSTITUTION searches for the wealthy, successful, and prominent to lead, guide and promote its cause. The CHURCH searches for the spiritual mature, those who have ability to lead first in the home as those qualified to lead and guide the body of Messiah.

An INSTITUTION seeks prominent people as prospects. The CHURCH searches the highways and byways for the sinful and cast down.

An INSTITUTION interprets its financial growth as sign of success. The CHURCH interprets persecution and conversions as signs of success.

An INSTITUTION is often ‘cult-like’ in that its members give total allegiance to the local, socio-communal body and the teachings of its charismatic dictator. The CHURCH is ‘Christ-like’ in that is members swear allegiance to their Lord Jesus who dictates from His Word; allegiance is to the whole body of Christ, the community of faith regardless of race, gender, denomination, state, and local. 

An INSTITUTION marquees itself. The CHURCH marquees the Lord

WHO IS THE CHURCH?

A. Elect of God. We are the elect chosen in Him (Eph.1:4); God’s elect (Rom.8:33; Col.3:12); we are the elect (1Pet.1:2; 2Tim.2:10); the elect race (1Pet.2:9)

B. People of God. We are “a people for God’s own possession” (1 Pet.2:9; Titus 2:14 ASV); the “People of God” (1Pet2:10); “my people” (Rom.9:25; 2Cor.6:14-16; Acts 15:14; 18:10).

C.  Believers (Acts 2:44; 1 Thes.2:1; 1Thes.1:7)

D. Christians ( Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1Peter 4:16)

E. Brethren ( Mat.23:8; Romans 8:29; Eph. 6:23; 1Tim.6:2; 1John 3:14)

F. The Sanctified (1 Cor.1:2); occurs over 100 times in 18 different writings, the church members are called ‘saints’ or ‘holy ones’ that are sanctified

G. The Body of Christ (Col.1:18 cf.1:24; Col.2:19; Eph.1:22-23; 4:4, 12,16; 5:30; 1Cor.12:12-31; Rom.12:5)

H. The Temple (One person: 2Peter 1:14; 1Cor.3:16-17; 1Cor.6:19; Eph.2:21-22); a corporate body (John 2:19; 4:21; 1Peter 2:5,6; Eph.2:21; 2Cor.6:16)

I. The Priesthood (1Peter 2:4-5, 9; Rev.1:7; Heb.10:10,14)

J. The Flock [Sheep] ( Luke 12:32 cf. Mrk 14:27; John 10:16, 27-30; 21:16; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:2)

K. The Bride (Mrk.2:19; Romans 7:4; Eph.5:22,23,25; 2Cor.11:2)

L. The Vine and Branches (John 15:1-7; Gal.5:22-23; Eph.3:16-17) 

WHICH TRANSLATION

"We are a King James Version only church," said the pastor, "what version of the Bible do you use?"

I would be delighted to come and share our ministry with you, to preach or teach about the relevance of modern Israel in God’s program. My family drive through Memphis often as my mother and brothers live in south Arkansas.

I am earnest when I say that my favorite version of the Bible is the Hebrew and the Greek. The English versions are translations. I make an attempt to teach Hebrew often here in Chattanooga as this tongue was the lip of the Almighty God and to create interest in getting back to the texts. Greek we know was used by God, but as chastisement upon Israel due to their refusal to learn precepts and doctrine. God warned they would hear His Word come back to them in sta-ca-to languages unlike the smooth Hebrew (see Isaiah 28:11). This is the purpose of the speaking in tongues or languages in Acts 2, sixteen languages mentioned, a sign to the unbelieving Jew (1 Cor.14:22). What God communicated He communicated to Hebrew speakers, Hebrews who received, recorded, transcribed, translated and transliterated the Hebrew recording of His revelation, then on to other tongues. During my Judaic studies at the Moody Bible Institute we had to draw for a class in Communications, a sign system. God chose the sign-system of Hebrew and Greek though the New Testament should also have been written in Hebrew by the Hebrews, and not in the goyim Greek. It was not for the Hebrew nation rejected the Hebrew Messiah Who would have set up the Hebraic kingdom. This is the reason Zephaniah alludes to the Hebrew when he writes that shoulder-to-shoulder worshippers of YHWH during the millennial kingdom will speak “purified lips” or, a pure and selected language. It is the way it should have been when Yeshua came the first time!

THE TITHE

Relationship to/with our Lord was and continues to be defined by the covenant our LORD  makes with man. The laws / precriptions / requirements given to Israel that were obligatory are now obsolete (Hebrews 8:13) because our Lord has made a NEW covenant and specifically with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31) yet also including all others who were once outside the commonwealth of Israel, but have been grafted into the people of God (Romans 11). A New Covenant means simply put, new laws / prescriptions / requirements for relationship to the LORD God. Under the old now obsolete Mosaic code (Hebrews 8:13) were three tithes Israel were obligated (not suggested) to pay God. However, under the New Covenant that entails a New High Priest (no longer a Levite and one from the Aaronic Order, but Yeshua a Judahite from the tribe of Judah), a New Priesthood (no longer Levites, but all believers are priests), and New laws (no longer the 611 judicial, ceremonial, and civil laws given to Moshe and Israel, but laws prescribed in the New Covenant of Yeshua) there is no partial debt or payment required of believers to pay the Temple, the Levites, even to God. In Yeshua believers are considered dead to all such laws. That is, we have died to the former old covenant laws / prescriptions / requirements and obliged to New laws / prescriptions / requirements just as a spouse is free from the laws pertaining to her former marriage which has been severed due to the death of the marriage, in this case, her own death. Being set free from the laws of that marriage, she is able to marry again. Paul is saying -inspired by the Holy Spirit- that the analogy is of the believer who's relationship to the law of Moshe has been severed by his own death (for the Law is holy and cannot die) and is free to marry Yeshua and now abide by His laws / prescriptions / requirements (Romans 7:4)

What was precribed to Israel under a covenant made with them is obsolete to the New Covenant believer and cannot be applied to any person dead to the former covenant / contract. To illustrate, my grandfather Hudi Grice, dead now for 50 years can not be required to live by the standards of Bradley County Arkansas, now shall he appear to be judged for any offense. He has died and is dead to the law. In that likeness the believer in Yeshua has died to former laws God required under that covenant and which He made with Israel anyway -not with the nations.

A believer under the new covenant with our Judahite High Priest in the likeness of Melchizedek (not Levi) will never-no-never be judged by the requirements God made with Israel. God forbid that a Christian commit the sin of adultery, yet he or she will never be labeled an adulteror for he/she has died to the law and its pronouncement. That believer will be chastened by Yeshua as a son not as an adulteror. A believer may lie, God forbid, but the believer is a son of the new covenant and can never by judged by the law as a lier though he or she will certainly be chastened by the Lord for speaking falsehood.

When we 'marry' Yeshua we are given as a free gift, His death, His perfect righteousness, His resurrection, His ascension, and His seating next to the Father -all ascribed to him/her. 

So, to the question of tithing, what is the New Covenant law or prescription or requirement of tithing? There is none! Absolutely none! There is none specified -though we may only suggest that the New Covenant model is given to us in Luke's account in Acts. We must be clear, however, this model is not commanded. The first believers under the New Covenant listed in the Acts of the Apostles gave away all; no-one considered anything his own.

What church today makes such an appeal to believers? It is much easier perhaps even stratetically adaptable to teach a portion, a tenth after all which the first covenant demanded and this is both doable and easy in formula to ascertain.

Sadly, there are many ministers who are notorious for reminding us of tithing laws. It is only my study that suggests they (1) are simply unlearned of the New Covenant in contrast with the mosaic/ old covenant and truly want to please God; or (2) misunderstand the protocol of the two covenants; or (3) misapply the covenants; or (4) do not know how to rightly divide the covenants; or (5) purposefully manipulate God's people while secretly knowing we are NT believers no longer obligated to the rules given to Israel. That is, it is a system that works, the church building, salaries, expenses require great revenue, and thus, they bite their lip and remain mute to New Covenant truth.

Let's be fair. If someone begins a research on tithing from the beginning of the bible in the book of Genesis reading all the way through he or she will find the pronouncment myriad times. However, the question is upon whom WAS the tithe pronounced, what was the amount, what were the covenant laws, and what was the penalty for not obeying? To answer, tithing was a tenth of all (not only salary but all possessions), required only under the Mosaic covenant, required always upon Israel, and disobediance brought chastisment. However, never (not once) was the tithe commanded before Mosaic code nor after the Mosaic code was made obsolete by the New Covenant. Avraham only gave a tenth to Melchizedek of war booty, not his own possessionsl Avraham never tithed before, and he never tithed after. No tithe is mentioned, commanded, required, not even referenced under the New Testament, of course remembering that the New Covenant dispensation (if one doesn't mind using that word) begins in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, not with the birth and ministry of Yeshua Who was born "under the law" so to live and fulfill the law on our behalf. Yeshua obeyed all the Mosaic law; He had to so as to finish/complete it so as to install the New Covenant. Be careful in suggesting that since Yeshua tithed, He is the example for New Covenant believers. If this is the case, we too must obey all the Mosaic Law that He did!!! He fulfilled the former to set it aside and to establish the latter, the New Covenant.

The question as what God expects of me concerning money or possessions is  answered in accordance to the new covenant stipulations.