I don’t usually post other writer’s works, but this commentary was too important to not post. As many people as possible must understand the ramifications of President Obama’s comments on same-sex marriage.

On the Presidential Endorsement
of Same-Sex Marriage

by Doug Phillips – President – Vision Forum Ministries

For two decades, the frog has been in the pot while the temperature has been slowly turned up. Yesterday, it was finally cooked and served to the American people in a sauce so thick as to cover the rancid flavor of the dish.

The process began with the Bush presidencies and their toleration for homosexuality. It was advanced in full by the Clinton Administration. It has now reached its logical zenith under Obama. So we should not be surprised by the official announcement that the President of the United States of America has finally declared to the world his opposition to the historical, common law and biblical meaning of marriage. President Obama may be remembered for many things, but few are as fundamental in its treason to his countrymen, to his oath of office and to the living God, then his decision to use the presidency to redefine a definition of marriage that was established on Day Six of Creation and has been the benchmark of civilization for 6,000 years.

Mark your calendars — May 9, 2012 — the President of the United States of America finally crossed a line from which there is no return without repudiation and repentance. Terrorists are dangerous. The economy is a real and present danger. But there is simply nothing other than the holocaust of the unborn which imperils the safety of our country or places our people in jeopardy as does the leader of the Western world publicly raising his fist at the Heavens and declaring that the bedrock institution of society, ordained of God and meant to be protected by the state, is little more than a convention of convenience for the children of Sodom to transform the meaning of something which is precious to Jesus Christ and a living picture of His love for the Church, into a legally protected justification for perversion, and a vehicle of hatred aimed directly at that love.

The RSV uses the word “drift” instead of “let them slip.” We can neglect so great salvation by doing absolutely nothing.

Here is an analogy to help understand the situation we are in and what is required of us.

When we are born we enter into the river of life. The river goes upstream towards the source (Yahweh) or downstream towards the deadly waterfall and the rocks below. Because we have sinned, all are heading uncontrollably downstream to destruction.

When we accept Yeshua as our Savior, he saves us from certain destruction and empowers us to reverse direction and head upstream towards the rivers source. Yeshua becomes our ark or our boat and the “hope set before us” is our anchor (Heb.6:19).

What would happen if this situation was literal and we stopped rowing upstream?

The current we fight against represents our trials, tribulations and temptations. We must continually fight against the current. One never drifts towards Yahweh, but always away from Him.

If we simply do nothing we will drift away from Yahweh. Yeshua said,

“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24).

If we stop striving, stop doing what is required of us and, instead, rest before our labors are finished, we will most certainly drift backwards. Revelation 14:12,13 read,

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of the Mighty One, and the faith of Yeshua. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Master from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”

We are to labor for the Kingdom’s sake until the day we die.

Yahweh warned Israel about drifting

Deuteronomy 4:9 - “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest you forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;”

Here, Yahweh speaks of drifting from what He had taught Israel. However, we can also drift from Him.

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 - “And it shall be, when Yahweh thy Elohim shall have brought thee into the land which He swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you great and goodly cities, which you built not, and houses full of all good things, which you filled not, and wells digged, which you digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which you planted not; when you shall have eaten and are full; Then beware lest you forget Yahweh, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

Forgetting Yahweh occurs slowly over time. It starts with simple neglect and ends in destruction. Notice when Yahweh tells Israel to be on high alert against drifting; during times of prosperity and blessing. During hardship we draw closer. We are constantly seeking Yahweh’s face for deliverance from our trials and tribulations. During prosperity, our spiritual senses are dulled by worldliness making it much easier to drift.

Signs of drifting

1) Lack of zeal

2) Lack of prayer

3) Lack of tears

4) Slipping in obedience

5) Flesh wins over Spirit

6) Failure to witness

7) Neglect Bible study

8) Diminished desire to be with brethren

9) Increased thrill with things of the world

10) Neglecting daily devotions

It is hard to outright reject Yahweh or Yeshua., but we will easily neglect them.

Results of drifting

Deuteronomy 32:15, 18-20 - “But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook Elohim which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. . . . Of the Rock that begat thee you are unmindful, and have forgotten Elohim that formed you. And when Yahweh saw it, He abhorred them, because of the provoking of His sons, and of His daughters. And He said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.”

Again, the drift and ensuing forsaking of Yahweh took place during the prosperity of Israel.

Jeremiah 18:15-17 - “Because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passes thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.”

Drifting causes us to walk contrary to Yahweh’s ways.

Ezekiel 23:35 - “Therefore thus says Adonai Yahweh; Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore bear you also your lewdness and your whoredoms.”

We may end up bearing our own sins if we drift so far as to reject Messiah.

Ephesians 4:14 - “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

We begin to lose our spiritual discernment and become susceptible to accepting false doctrine.

Revelation 3:15-17 - “I know thy works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

Prosperity strikes again and results in lukewarmness and rejection.

Remedy for drifting

Philippians 3:12-15 - “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Messiah Yeshua. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of the Mighty One in Messiah Yeshua. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, the Mighty One shall reveal even this unto you.”

In other words, keep rowing keep striving, keep on pressing toward the mark.

2 Corinthians 4:16 - “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Rowing upstream is hard work, but we are admonished to faint not. When we grow weary and weak, that’s when Messiah is strong on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 says;

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Messiah’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

2 Peter 1:5-10 – “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience piety; and to piety brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love; For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Master Yeshua Messiah. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afra off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall:” 

We need to continue growing spiritually by continually adding spiritual character traits to our faith. The more fruitful we become in this, the less risk there is in drifting.

1 Peter 2:11 - “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

We need to examine ourselves in this area. Many believers fail to realize that their seemingly innocent activities are, in fact, fleshly lusts; especially in the area of T.V. The more we walk in the Spirit and not yield to the lust of the flesh, the stronger we will be. And we will certainly need to be strong because fleshly lusts are like the rapids in the river of life.

Colossians 2:6-7 - “As you have therefore received Messiah Yeshua the Master, so walk you in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

We need to walk in Yeshua by imitating him or being conformed to his image. That will result in us being “built up.”

Hebrews 6:18-19 - “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for the Mighty One to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil;”

An anchor comes in real handy when your drifting dangerously towards a waterfall. If we stay focused on the hope before us, we are certain not to drift because that anchor is “sure and steadfast.”

Revelation 2:5 - “Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of his place, except you repent.”

This was the remedy for the Ephesians’ drift. It is interesting that, even though the Ephesians were working and laboring hard without fainting, they still drifted from their first love. Any thoughts on who or what their first love was and what their first works were? (Yeshua & the imitation of him)?

Revelation 3:19 - “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

This was the remedy for the Laodecians. Their prosperity led to their downstream drift from zealousness. Repentance would head them again in the right direction.

Spiritual drifting is often unnoticed and happens over time and in times of prosperity. Therefore . . .

“Watch you, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”   1 Corinthians 16:13

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Yeshua said unto them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me.” John 6:51-57.

Those words were so offensive to the hearers that many of his disciples turned away from him.

“Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Yeshua knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Does this offend you? . . . From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” John 6:60-61, 66.

However, his original twelve disciples did not fall away:

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Yeshua unto the twelve, Will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Master, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are that Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim.” John 6:67-69.

They had a more intimate knowledge of Yeshua than did the crowd listening to him. They knew he was the Messiah and would not leave him. They were probably as perplexed as everyone else, but deep in their hearts they believed him to be Messiah. Their faith was “sure”, having come to Yeshua as a result of the Father’s calling of them.

“But there are some of you that believe not. For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” John 6:64,65.

Those that walked away from him were never truly given to him by the Father as the twelve were. Yeshua said of the twelve:

“I have manifested your name unto the men which you gave me out of the world: yours they were, and you gave them me; and they have kept thy word. . . . I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me; for they are yours.” John 17:6, 9.

Even today, almost two thousand years later, his “disciples” walk away from him, having great difficulty harmonizing the words in John 6:51-57 with their understanding of what the Scriptures teach.

They say the Scriptures clearly teach that eating the flesh and drinking the blood of human beings, whether literally or figuratively / symbolically, is forbidden by Yahweh. Therefore, they choose their “understanding” of Scripture over their “understanding” of Messiah’s words and fall away from the faith.

Is it possible that Yeshua’s words were justified based on his incredible knowledge of Scripture? No man in the history of the world had a deeper knowledge and understanding of Scripture than Messiah Yeshua. He certainly had far more knowledge about Scripture than the modern day “disciples” that fall away because they cannot harmonize his words with Scripture. Yet, they exalt their own knowledge over Messiah’s, choosing to believe that they know better than him.

Let’s examine the Scriptures and see if Yeshua’s words have any basis in fact and whether or not they can be justified in light of Scripture.

One passage that is used to say Yeshua taught contrary to Torah is found in Lev 7:26-27:

“Moreover you shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. Whatsoever soul it be that eats any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.” Leviticus 7:26,27.

This passage certainly forbids literally eating blood. However, the words of Yeshua found in John 6:51-57 were not meant literally. This is evident by the fact that no remaining disciple ever literally ate his flesh or drank his blood. All remaining disciples partook of his flesh and blood symbolically through the symbols of the bread and fruit of the vine taken on the “Master’s Supper” (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Cor 11:20-29).

We also know Yeshua was not speaking literally because of what he said in John 6:51:

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51.

Here, Yeshua says “the world” will receive “life” through his flesh which he will give. His flesh was not given only to his disciples living in his day, but to his disciples that would come from all walks of life throughout the world and throughout time. Any person in the world today can receive that same “life” through “eating his flesh” symbolically by eating the bread representing his body during the Master’s Supper. However, no one living in “the world” today, or even back then outside of Jerusalem, has access to his flesh to be able to literally eat it. Nor could they literally drink his blood.

Yeshua also said, in verse 63;

“It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.”

By saying, “the flesh profits nothing”, he is implying that literally eating his flesh will not profit a person. It is the Holy Spirit that gives life (Ro 8:9-11). Messiah’s words were given to him by the Father.

“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” John 12:49.

The Father’s words are life giving words. He gave those words to His Son to speak. Therefore, those words are Spirit and can give life. It is not Yeshua’s literal flesh and blood that give life, but his words, his teachings, his doctrine because they are all of the Holy Spirit. We are to eat his life giving words just as Ezekiel was to eat the scroll.

“Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that you find; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.

So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill your bowels with this roll that I give you. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” Eze 3:1-3.

We can now dispense with the notion that Yeshua was breaking Torah by teaching his disciples to literally eat his flesh or drink his blood. The question remains, “Is it breaking Torah to tell someone to symbolically eat something forbidden by Torah?”

Fat Forbidden

Just prior to Torah telling us not to eat blood, it tells us not to eat fat either.

“And Yahweh spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, You shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. And the fat of the beast that dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but you shall in no wise eat of it. For whosoever eats the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto Yahweh, even the soul that eats it shall be cut off from his people.” Leviticus 7:22-25.

We also read in Lev 3:17:

“It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.”

It is quite clear that, not only is blood forbidden to be eaten, but fat as well. Yet, we read in De 32:14:

“For Yahweh’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: So Yahweh alone did lead him, and there was no strange mighty one with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou did drink the pure blood of the grape.” Deuteronomy 32:14.

What?! Yahweh made Jacob to eat “the fat of lambs”? It seems that this statement was meant figuratively. If so, it is acceptable to figuratively eat fat even though fat was forbidden to be literally eaten. It would, then, also be acceptable to figuratively eat human flesh or drink blood even though they are forbidden to literally be eaten. The expressions “fat of lambs” and “fat of kidneys of wheat” are both figures of speech – meaning abundant. Yeshua’s words in John 6 are also figurative meaning to fully partake of his teachings and his life.

Another example along the same lines is found in Ne 8:9-10:

“And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Yahweh your Elohim; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Master: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.”

Here, Nehemiah commands the people to “eat the fat”. This is obviously meant figuratively. To “eat the fat” is to “eat the best”. Yet, fat, something forbidden to be eaten was commanded to be eaten. So, too, can flesh and blood be commanded to be eaten figuratively. To “eat my flesh” and “drink my blood” figuratively means to eat the bread and drink the cup of the Master’s Supper. If Yeshua is still to be condemned for using such figurative speech, then Yahweh and Nehemiah must be as well.

Drink Blood

Just as fat was forbidden, but could figuratively be eaten, blood was forbidden, but could be figurative drink.

“Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.” Nu 23:24

These are the words that Yahweh commanded Balaam to speak to Balak. They refer to Israel drinking the blood of their enemies that were slain and eating their flesh. This would obviously not come to pass literally. Yet, Yahweh says that His people will figuratively “eat” the flesh and “drink” the blood of humans. Should we condemn these words as promoting cannabalism or are they acceptable because they are only figurative?

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O [Yahweh] which art, and was, and shalt be, because you have judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. Rev 16:4-6

Whether this passage is to be understood literally or figuratively is irrelevant. What is important to note is that Yahweh gave them, at least figuratively, “blood” to drink which He clearly taught was forbidden in Torah. Similarly, Yeshua figuratively gave his disciples his flesh to eat and his blood to drink.

Eat Flesh

The next verse shows how Yahweh is above Torah (being the Creator of it) and can do things that Torah forbids.

Jer 19:9 – “And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.”

Yahweh caused people to literally eat flesh. Yeshua merely causes people to symbolically eat flesh.

Nu 24:8 – “Elohim brought him forth out of Egypt; he has as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

Here, Israel is said to “eat up the nations”. Will they literally eat the people of other nations? No, but they will figuratively eat those nations just as Yeshua’s disciples will figuratively eat Yeshua’s flesh and figuratively drink his blood.

Another figure of speech is found in Ps 14:4 and 53:4:

Ps 14:4 – “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon Yahweh.”

Ps 53:4 – “Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon Elohim.”

The workers of iniquity eat up Yahweh’s people as though they were eating bread. Did they literally eat Israelite flesh? I don’t think so. It is meat and drink to the persecutors of Yahweh’s people to be doing evil. However, it is meat and drink to Yeshua’s disciples to feed upon his righteousness and life.

Similarly:

Ps 27:2 – “When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”

It is the desire of the wicked to persecute the righteous. It is food and drink for them. It sustains them. It is what they live for. Yeshua’s disciples, however, live to serve Yahweh through Yahweh’s appointed Messiah. They live by feeding upon the true bread from heaven. They eat his words, his body and his blood. None of these things are literally eaten. Each is figuratively eaten in some sense.

Consider the following words of David in Ps 34:8:

“Oh, taste and see that Yahweh is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Peter uses a similar metaphor in 1 Peter 2:3:

“If so be you have tasted that the Master is gracious.”

In both these passages ‘taste’ is a metaphor for faith/trust/belief. David is not suggesting we literally taste Yahweh by eating him, but by experiencing His goodness through drawing close to Him and trusting Him in a deep personal relationship. Peter is suggesting the believer in the Master Yeshua has already tasted how gracious he is through their intimate relationship with him.

Similarly, Yeshua wants us to enter into that kind of intimate relationship with him.

To “taste” implies a deep experience with the subject. Heb 2:9 reads:

“But we see Yeshua, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of Elohim should taste death for every man.”

To “taste death for every man”, does not mean Yeshua simply had a near death experience. Nor does it mean he literally ate death. It means he literally died. He became as intimately related to death as one can get. Eating the “flesh” and drinking the “blood” of Yeshua speaks of an intimate association with Him that equates with tasting death. In fact, Ro 6:3-8 teaches us that baptized believers have died with Messiah. We have “tasted death” in a figurative sense in that we have died to sin.

In John 6:56, Yeshua emphasizes this intimate association with him:

He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

True faith in Messiah is not just believing the truth about who He is and what He has done, but it is also committing ourselves to those truths. Many know of Messiah and accept some of his words for various reasons, but few partake of His salvation because they still rely on their own self-righteousness rather than abandoning themselves to Messiah alone.

Conclusion

Yeshua knew the Scriptures. He knew it was acceptable to teach his disciples to figuratively eat something that was literally forbidden to be eaten. He was not only following his Father’s example, but the example of several other Biblical writers.

Just as David admonishes us to taste and see that Yahweh is good, I admonish you to taste and see that the Master Yeshua the Messiah is good.

“Remember the commandment which the Lord commanded thee concerning the Passover, that thou shouldst celebrate it in its season on the fourteenth of the first month, that thou shouldst kill it before it is evening, and that they should eat it by night on the evening of the fifteenth from the time of the setting of the sun.”

“Let the children of Israel come and observe Passover on the day of its fixed time, on the fourteenth day of the first month, between the evenings, from the third part of the day to the third part of the night, for two portions of the day are given to light, and a third part to the evening.”

“This is that which the Lord commanded thee that thou shouldst observe it between the evenings. And it is not permissible to slay it during any period of the light, but during the period bordering on the evening, and let them eat it at the time of the evening until the third part of the night, and whatever is left over of all its flesh from the third part of the night and onwards, let them burn with fire.” (Each ‘part’ was approximately 4 hours long). ‘Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English’ by R.H. Charles, chapter 49.

This shows that, as early as two centuries before Messiah, there were Jews who believed the Passover was to be sacrificed at the end of Abib 14 and eaten on the 15th. This also shows that this practice did not begin after the destruction of the second temple in 70 C.E.

Philo - (early 1st century C.E.) -

“After the New Moon comes the fourth feast, called the Crossing-feast, which the Hebrews in their native tongue call Pascha. In this festival many myriads of victims from noon till eventide are offered by the whole people … The day on which this national festivity occurs may very properly be noted. It is the 14th of the month …” ‘De Specialibus Legibus, 2,’ 145, 149.

Again, these offerings took place at the end of the 14th. Philo wrote from about 20 B.C.E. to 45 C.E. So this would have been the practice in Messiah’s day.

Another treatise ascribed to Philo, ‘Quasestiones et Solutiones in Genesin et in Exodum,’ states the time of the Passover sacrifice to be after 3 p.m.

Josephus - (late 1st century C.E.) -

“… accordingly, on the occassion of the feast called Passover, at which they sacrifice from the ninth hour to the eleventh hour , [3 p.m. to 5 p.m.] and a little fraternity, as it were, gather round each sacrifice, of not fewer than ten persons” War 6.9.3.

Josephus also wrote about the time of the evening sacrifice that was offered between the evenings as was the Passover.

“…but did still twice each day, in the morning and about the ninth hour [3 p.m.], offer their sacrifices on the altar;” Antiquities of the Jews 14.4.3

This was the practice in the days of Pompey (65 B.C.E.). It continued this way until the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E.

Writing on the subject of offering incense as it was practiced in Moses’ time, Josephus says;

“… but incense was to be offered twice a day, both before sunrising and at sunsetting .” Antiq. 3.8.3.

The phrase “at sunsetting” has led some to believe that incense and the evening sacrifice were offered originally at sunset, but later changed to mid-afternoon. Note that Josephus does not say “sunset” or “sundown”, but “sunsetting.” To a Jew, the sun is setting from noon until it disappears below the horizon. Even to an American today, the sun is continually descending until sundown. So Josephus does not contradict himself, nor does he teach that a change was made.

Septuagint - (3rd Century B.C.E.) -

Lev.23:5 gives a literal translation of the Hebrew “ben ha-erebim” (Greek: anameson ton hesperinon = “at between the evenings.”) However, in Ex.12:6,12 and Num.28:4,8, ben ha-erebim is translated as “toward evening,” (Greek: pros hesperan). Ex.29:39,41 translates ben ha-erebim as ‘to deilinon’ in Greek meaning “in the afternoon” or “toward evening.”

This shows that the Hebrew phrase ben ha-erebim was understood to mean the evening at the end of the day approximately 300 years before Messiah.

Ezekielos - (approx. 90 B.C.E.) -

Ezekielos was a Jewish dramatist who composed a tragedy in Greek on the theme of the Exodus. He writes, “And let them be kept until the fourteenth day is bright ; then sacrificing themtowards evening (you will eat them) all roast, together with (their) entrails.”

Eustathius -

“Eustathius, in a note on the seventeenth book of the Odyssey, shows that the Greeks too held that there were two evenings, one which they called the latter evening, at the close of the day; and the other the former evening, which commenced immediately after noon . . .” McClintock and Strong, vol. VII, 1877, p.735.

Irenaeus - (120 – 202 C.E.) -

“Of the day of His passion, too, he was not ignorant; but foretold Him, after a figurative manner, by the name given to the passover; and at that very festival, which had been proclaimed such a long time previously by Moses, did our Lord suffer, thus fulfilling the passover. And he did not describe the day only, but the place also, and the time of day at which the sufferings ceased , and the sign of the setting of the sun, saying: “Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any other of thy cities which the LORD thy God shall choose that His name be called on there, thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, towards the setting sun .” Ante-Nicean Fathers, Vol.1, pg.473.

Although this source testifies from about 100 years after the temple was destroyed, I feel it is important. This was written at a time when weak Christians were avoiding persecution by forsaking the appearance of anything Jewish such as Sabbath observance. If the practice of sacrificing the Passover before sunset was a Jewish invention after 70 C.E., it most certainly would have been forsaken by Messianic believers at that time. But there is no evidence of that in Irenaeus’s account.

Rabbinic Literature can also be added to this list of historical evidence, but since they are accused of changing the time of the Passover sacrifice, they won’t be included.

All of the sources listed are unified in their support of “between the evenings” meaning at the end of the day. I have yet to see any historical documentation supporting a beginning of the 14th Passover. Most of the extra-Biblical support for that position comes from modern commentaries and translations written by people who did not understand Jewish thought on this subject.

We also have the Apostle Paul’s witness; Col.1:18 – “that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Yeshua had to be the firstborn from the dead; the first to be resurrected unto eternal life; the first to ascend into heaven and stand before Yahweh. If anyone preceeded him then he wasn’t the firstborn from the dead. Since some people believe Enoch and Eliyah did not die, but that Moses did die, then that would mean Moses had the preeminence over Messiah.

In light of these two powerful verses, Jn.3:13 and Col.1:18, how can we explain what happened to Enoch, Eliyah and Moses? Let’s begin with Moses;

Duet.34:5,6 – There cannot be any doubt that Moses died and was buried. Therefore, for him to be in heaven, he had to be resurrected from the dead. According to I Cor.15:52 that will not occur until the last trumpet sounds.

What about Michael and Satan disputing about Moses’ body? Jude 9 does not say Michael won the dispute and then took Moses to heaven. Since there is no mention of heaven here we should not assume he was taken there.

Mt.17:1-9 – Notice verse 9 says, “Tell the vision to no man.” a vision is not reality. The same Greek word for “vision” was used of Peter’s vision of the abominations on the cloth in Acts 10:17. They were not real but a supernatural picture. In the case of the transfiguration it was a prophetic vision which would take place in the distant future.

Mt.16:28 – This was quoted by Yeshua six days before the transfiguration. He was speaking to the disciples, but what did he mean? Surely he didn’t mean they would live for almost 2,000 years until his coming at the last trumpet. Those that would not “taste of death” were Peter, James and John who saw the Son of Man glorified in the Kingdom through a prophetic vision.

Heb.11:23-28 – These verses talk about Moses living by faith. Verses 39,40 – Moses did not receive the promise of a resurrection unto eternal life and perfection.
What about Eliyah? We have already seen that the transfiguration was a prophetic vision which does not prove that he was in heaven.

Heb.11:32 – Here we read about the prophets who lived by faith and died without receiving the promise. Eliyah was surely one of those prophets. But to be certain let’s look at what happened to him in 2 Kgs.2:1,11 .

If Yeshua the Messiah said “no man has ascended to heaven,” then what heaven are these scriptures talking about? The Bible mentions three heavens. The first heaven is Earth’s atmosphere where birds fly (Gen.1:20); The second heaven is outer space where the planets and stars exist (Gen.1:16,17); The third heaven is what the Apostle Paul calls “paradise” in II Cor.12:2-4. It is where Yahweh and the heavenly sanctuary exist.

Eliyah was caught up to the first heaven where birds fly and was transported to another location on Earth. Notice vss. 15 & 16; the sons of the prophets, who knew Eliyah would be taken away (vss. 3,5), believed that Eliyah was taken to another location. They didn’t think he went to the third heaven.

A similar incident to Eliyah’s took place in Acts 8:39,40 – Phillip was caught up into the first heaven, as Eliyah was, and was transported to another location approximately 3o miles away. Eliyah may not have been found because he was transported further away than the fifty men searched (vs. 17).

Proof that Eliyah did not die, but was transported, is found in II Chr.21:12-15 . From the wording of this letter it is clear that Eliyah wrote it after the events occurred for he speaks of them as past events, and of the disease as a future event.

This letter was written by Eliyah more than four years after his being taken up to the first heaven (see attached chronology). The Bible does not reveal how much longer Eliyah lived after writing the letter but it does say in Heb.9:27 that it is appointed unto men to die once.

Heb.9:27 would also include Enoch among the dead. Based on that verse and Yeshua’s statement in Jn.3:13, “no man has ascended to heaven”, how are we to understand the account of Enoch?

Gen.5:21-24 – These verses do not tell us much except that Enoch’s days, alive on Earth, ended at 365 years old. The question is, did he die, was he taken to heaven alive, or was he transported to another location on Earth as Eliyah was?

Consider Ps.37:35,36 and Ps.39:12,13;

“I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.”

“Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.”

The Hebrew for the phrases in bold is the same Hebrew as Gen.5:24; “And Enoch walked with Elohim: and he was not; for Elohim took him.” As in the Psalms, the phrase means the person “passed away” or would eventually die. Consider also Gen.42:13 and Gen.44:20;

“And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.” This was spoken of Joseph by his brothers. What did they mean by “is not”?

“And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.” Here the brothers recount their previous discussion about Joseph with Pharoah. When they first said, “and one is not,” they meant Joseph “is dead.” Finally, consider Mt.2:18;

“In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” Where are Rachel’s children? Dead.

Heb.11:5 – Does the phrase “should not see death” mean Enoch never died? Let’s read the first three words of Heb 11:4,5,7,8,11 and 13 . Everyone mentioned in the previous verses died including Enoch. But not only that, verse 13 goes on to say that they did not receive the promises. One of the promises was a heavenly country (vs. 16). If Enoch were in heaven, wouldn’t he have received that promise? The fact is, Enoch is not in heaven but is dead in the grave awaiting his resurrection along with every other saint.

Ps.89:47,48 – Why would the Psalmist ask such a question concerning physical death if he believed Enoch did not see a physical death? The fact is, the Psalmist believed Enoch was in the grave and therefore asked the question.

So what does the phrase “should not see death” mean? In Lu. 2:25-29 we see that phrase to mean that Simeon would not die a physical death or what is known as “the first death.” Without any further Bible study we would be led to believe Enoch never died and is still alive in heaven. But let’s look at Jn.8:51 . Here the phrase “shall never see death” must mean “the second death” since all the Apostles, including Paul, kept Yeshua’s sayings and yet died the first death.

Now we must decide whether the phrase “should not see death”, as it applies to Enoch, means the first or second death. Based on Heb.9:27 and Heb.11:13 we must conclude that he died the first death prematurely so that he should not see the second death. To believe Enoch did not die is to deny the plain word of many other scriptures as well. For example, Rom.5:12,14 says all men die because all have sinned. Are we to believe that Enoch did not sin or that the curse for sinning did not apply to him? Are we to believe that a man who was not yet cleansed of sin by the blood of Messiah could enter heaven and dwell in Yahweh’s presence?

Heb.11:5 – If Enoch did not die and was not taken to heaven then where was he translated to and what does “translation” mean? According to Strong’s, Thayer’s and Bullinger’s Greek Lexicons, “translate” means “to put or place in another place, to transport, to transfer.” The same Greek word was used in Acts 7:16 where Jacob’s body was “translated” or “carried over” to Sychem to be buried. Yahweh took Enoch and buried him somewhere so as not to be found just as he did with the body of Moses in Deut.34:6. Moses’ body was never found and neither was Enoch’s because Yahweh hid them for reasons known only to Him.

I Cor.15:20-23 – All die and all shall be resurrected, but Messiah must be first in the order. Enoch could not possibly precede him, especially if he were still flesh and blood as it says in verses 49-52. To be able to dwell in heaven we must be changed from a flesh and blood natural body to a spiritual heavenly body. That change does not take place until the last trumpet.

In conclusion, let’s turn to Jn.3:13 . Are we going to believe Yeshua based on the evidence just presented or are we going to hold onto a false doctrine? The choice is yours.

Chronology of Eliyah’s Translation and Letter

B.C.E …………Judah………………………………. Israel

821…………………………………………………………. 1 Ahab (IKgs 16:29,30)
820 ………………………………………………………….2
819 ………………………………………………………….3
818 …………..1 Jehosaphat (IKgs 22:41,42) …4
817………….. 2 ………………………………………….5
816 …………..3 ………………………………………….6
815 …………..4 ………………………………………….7
814 …………..5 ………………………………………….8
813 …………..6 ………………………………………….9
812 …………..7 …………………………………………10
811 …………..8 …………………………………………11
810 …………..9 …………………………………………12
809 ………….10 ………………………………………..13
808 ………….11 ………………………………………..14
807 ………….12 ………………………………………..15
806 ………….13 ………………………………………..16
805 ………….14 ………………………………………..17
804 ………….15 ………………………………………..18
803 ………….16 ………………………………………..19
802 ………….17 Jehoram-Jehosaphat ………….20….1 …….Ahaziah (IKgs 22:51)
801 ………….18 co-regency begins …………….21 …2…1 Jehoram (2Kgs 1:17;3:1)
800 ………….19 ……………………………………….22 ……..2 Eliyah (2Kgs 2:1-18)
799 ………….20 …………………………………………………….3 Alliance (2Kgs 3:5-7)
798 ………….21 …………………………………………………….4 Elisha (2Kgs 3:10-12)
797 ………….22 ….1 Jehoram’s reign ………………………5
796 ………….23 ….2 begins (2Kgs 8:16,17) …………….6
795 ………….24 ….3 ……………………………………………..7
794 ………….25 ….4 Jehosaphat dies(2Chr 21:1-5) ….8
793………………… 5 Eliyah’s letter(2Chr21:10-17) …9
792 ………………….6 Jehoram sick (2Chr 21:18) ………10
791 ………………….7 ………………………………………………11
790 ………………….8 Jehoram dies,Ahaziah begins- …..12 …..1 Jehu begins
789 ………………….9 (2Kgs 8:24) ……………………………………..2

The Ebionite teaching that the Apostle Paul is a false apostle is being revived. If it hasn’t touched you yet, it will. This study is actually a refutation to an article entitled, “Paul, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly”, as well as other accusations not found in that article. Hopefully, this refutation will prepare you to discern the truth of the matter.

The foundation of the belief that Paul is a false Apostle lies in the inability to harmonize Paul with the rest of the Bible. Rather than waiting on Yahweh to provide understanding concerning Paul’s writings, the anti-Paulists prefer to simply dismiss his writings as those of a false teacher. Peter warned us that this would happen.

2 Peter 3:15,16 reads, “And account that the longsuffering of our Master is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Conveniently, however, anti-Paulists would say that the second epistle of Peter was not written by the Apostle Peter and therefore should not be part of our current New Testament canon. This reveals the extent that they will go. They would discard the entire epistle in order to get rid of two verses in support of Paul. The fact is that no one knows for sure that Peter did not write this second epistle. At this point in time it is simply a theory. I offer two sources which defend Peter as the author of the second epistle; 1 , 2.

Historical Arguments

Anti-Paulists have no choice but to discard “The Acts of the Apostles” as well because it, too, contains pro-Paul statements. Luke, for example, calls Paul an “apostle” twice in one chapter (Acts 14:4, 14). The anti-Paulist says of those two verses;

“By this time in the record, Luke would have been very familiar with Paul calling himself an apostle and was no doubt in agreement with Paul’s assessment of himself. By these statistics alone, it is evident that Paul is by far his own biggest fan… and his side kick Luke was his number two fan. This leaves no one else anywhere in the Bible going on record as recognizing his apostleship!”

Luke is also the only one in the Bible who goes on record to describe the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks). Should we doubt that account because only Luke records it? Of course not.

According to Yeshua’s words to Ananaias, Paul was specifically chosen by Yeshua to bear his name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). In other words, he was sent by Yeshua which is what the word “apostle” means. We see Paul’s actual separation as a sent one (apostle) in Acts 13:1-4 where the Holy Spirit spoke to the prophets and teachers in the Antioch congregation.

“Now there were in the assembly that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Master, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.”

It was actually the Holy Spirit that separated Barnabas and Paul for the work. Was the Holy Spirit incorrect in doing that?

Anti-Paulists will attempt to discredit Luke and Paul by showing how the three accounts of Paul’s conversion differ from one another. Acts 9:7 says the men traveling with Paul “heard a voice”. Acts 22:9 says of those same men, “they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me”.

I offer three possible reasons for this difference;

1) One voice spoke to Paul while a different voice spoke to the rest saying something like, “Fear not”

2) They heard the same voice, but could not hear the actual words that were spoken

3) They heard all the words, but did not understand. The Greek word for “hear” can have the meaning of “understand” as in Jn. 8:43,47. The NIV uses the word “understand” in Acts 22:9, basing it upon the Greek text which reads differently.

9:7 - akouontes men tes phones

22:9 - ten de phonen ouk ekousan tou lalountos moi

Here are the notes from Dr. James R. White (a Greek scholar) in his book entitled, “Scripture Alone“, pg.160:

“First, in 9:7 akouo, the verb that means “to hear,” is a nominative plural participle; in 22:9 it is a plural aorist verb.

Second, in 9:7 phone, a “sound” or “voice,” is a singular genetive noun; in 22:9 it is a singular accusative noun.

Third, in 9:7 akouo precedes its object; in 22:9 it follows its object. Fourth, in 9:7 the phrase is not modified; in 22:9 it is modified by “of the one speaking to me.”

Finally, in 9:7 Luke is narrating an event in Greek; in 22:9 Paul is speaking to a crowd in Hebrew or Aramaic . . .”

The context of Acts 22:9 suggests that the reason the men did not hear the voice is because the voice was speaking to Paul in Hebrew, which they did not understand. Remember, Paul said they did not hear the voice and then says, “of the one speaking to me.”

That either Paul or Luke was lying is not a valid choice.

Acts 29:9-18 is the third conversion account wherein Paul goes into greater detail as to what Yeshua said to him. These differences in Paul’s conversion account lead anti-Paulists to doubt his apostleship.

I don’t know about you, but when I give my testimony to people, it never comes out the same. I share more info with certain people than with others based on who I’m talking to and how much time I have to give my testimony. To accuse Paul of lying to King Agrippa when giving his testimony for the third time is outrageous to say the least.

Anti-Paulists accuse Paul of lying in Acts 23:6. It reads as follows:

“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.”

They contend that he was not called in question over the resurrection, but simply lied in order to save himself. Let’s look back and see what the original cause was. In Acts 21:28, Paul was falsely accused of bringing Greeks into the temple. I say “falsely” because his accusers only “supposed” that Paul brought Trophimus into the temple (Acts 21:29).

As Paul was being led away, he asked to speak to the people. He then began to recount his conversion in which he told them the resurrected Savior spoke to him. This speech took place in Jerusalem where everyone was well aware of the events that took place in putting Yeshua to death. By saying Yeshua spoke to him after his death, Paul was confirming his resurrection, through which all believers have hope in a future resurrection. Is that not what Paul said in Acts 23:6: “of the hope andresurrection of the dead I am called in question”? Eventually, the mob cried out, “Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live” (Acts 22:22).

Paul is then taken before the Sanhedrin where he makes an honest mistake in rebuking the high priest out of ignorance of his identity (Acts 23:2-5). Anti-Paulists accuse Paul of lying here as well. They say he had to know it was the high priest because he knew he was his judge and he knew the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees. Paul, however, had been absent from Jersualem for quite a while, during which a change in the high priest may have been made. High priests at that time were set up at the whim of the Roman government for political reasons. Additionally, any number of other circumstances may have led to Paul’s ignorance in this matter.

What saddens me is that the anti-Paulists do not give Paul the benefit of the doubt in anything. They are so quick to condemn Paul in every little point they can dig up.

Paul’s ensuing comments in verse 6 were perfectly true, for that is the real reason why any believer is persecuted. That is why they falsely accused Stephen in Acts 6:11-12 as well as Paul in Acts 21:28.

The Sanhedrin were well aware of that because they were guilty of such persecution for that very reason. Acts 22:4-5 read as follows:

“And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.”

Paul was commissioned by the high priest and the council of elders to imprison as many of Yeshua’s followers as he could find. See also Acts 9:1-2.

Anti-Paulists continue their attack on Paul by showing how he fulfills Mt.10:16-18. It reads,

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.”

The accounts of Saul’s persecution of believers certainly seem to fulfill those verses, but does Paul’s actions prior to his conversion really matter? What about the prediction Yeshua made in Mt.26:34?

“Yeshua said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”

Should we also consider Peter a false apostle based on his actions prior to conversion? What about each of us? Were we not forgiven of much at our conversion? So, too, should Saul of Tarsus be forgiven.

Paul is also accused of lying to the Galatians. To understand this false accusation, we need to first read Acts 15:19-29;

“Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to [Elohim]; but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath. Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment; it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Master Yeshua Messiah.”

Please note that James calls Paul and Barnabas “beloved”. Do the anti-Paulists seek to throw James out of the NT canon as well?

“We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if you keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare you well.”

Here is what the anti-Paulists then say;

“There are actually several things going on here but first I want to focus on the instructions of the council. They instruct Paul to write to the churches that they avoid eating meat sacrificed to idols and from meat with blood, and from fornication (or idolatry). This is very clear. So what did Paul write to the churches about his instructions from Jerusalem?”

Galatians 2:7-10 (NASB95)

7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor the very thing I also was eager to do.

WHOA! What just happened? Paul admits to being in Jerusalem. He admits to having met the apostles. He brags that they accepted him as a brother and then concludes that all they asked us to do was remember the poor which I will gladly do. Where did this come from? Did the council ask Paul to tell the churches to remember the poor? NO! The council told Paul to write to the churches to avoid eating meat sacrificed to idols and from fornication (idolatry). Did Paul flat out lie here? Again, we will note that Paul not only refused to pass along the warning from Jerusalem but he actually taught the OPPOSITE to the churches (that is that it is ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols).”

There are actually several accusations here. I’ll address the last one first. They said, ” Again, we will note that Paul not only refused to pass along the warning from Jerusalem . . .” Is that true? One need only continue reading Acts 15:30-31;

“So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.”

Acts 16:4-5 read as follows:

“And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees to keep which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem. So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

So was Paul actually lying? No. It’s the anti-Paulist’s who have grossly erred in assuming and falsely accusing Paul.

The other false accusation of Paul lying concerns the reference to Gal.2:7-10. Paul said, ” They only asked us to remember the poor the very thing I also was eager to do” (vs.10). The anti-Paulist responds with,

“WHOA! What just happened? Paul admits to being in Jerusalem. He admits to having met the apostles. He brags that they accepted him as a brother and then concludes that all they asked us to do was remember the poor which I will gladly do. Where did this come from? Did the council ask Paul to tell the churches to remember the poor? NO! The council told Paul to write to the churches to avoid eating meat sacrificed to idols and from fornication (idolatry). Did Paul flat out lie here?”

The answer to the last question is no, he did not lie. Paul was writing a letter to the Galatian assembly. The council never said their decrees were for all Gentile congregations, but only for the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:23). Paul had no reason to give those decrees to the Galatians because the council never told him to. I mention more about this later.

Anti-Paulists also use Gal.2:6 to show Paul’s supposed lack of respect of the other twelve apostles and how they have no authority over Paul. Gal.2:6 reads thusly:

“But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it makes no matter to me: [Elohim] accepts not man’s person)–they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:”

One anti-Paulist then says,

“Here Paul goes full board in his lack of respect for the twelve. Paul says of the twelve that they seem to be important but that it makes no difference to me. In other words the twelve apostles aren’t important to Paul despite their apparent positions of authority. He then brags again that they ADDED NOTHING to his message. Paul wants to really drive the point home that the apostles mean little to him and wants his audience to know that he does not take direction from them nor has he been taught anything by them.”

These remarks are based on divorcing verse 6 from the context which includes verses 3-5.

“But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Messiah Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Paul was not attacking the other twelve apostles. He was referring to false brethren that snuck in to teach their doctrine of salvation by works.

To further compound their error, the anti-Paulists fail to cross reference properly. They say,

“There is one other point often overlooked in the decision of the Jerusalem council and that is that the apostles apparently didn’t have full trust in Paul and thought it necessary to send someone along with him as a witness to what he was teaching. In the letter which the council drafts they say:

Acts 15:24-27 (NASB95)

24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 “Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

The council’s letter acknowledges that Paul has received no instruction from them but has been preaching on his own. Remember, Paul himself bragged about that. The council also acknowledges that what Paul is teaching has been disturbing those who hear him.”

The anti-Paulist applies verse 24 to Paul when, in reality, it is a reference to Acts 15:1, 2, 5, 6 which read as follows:

“And certain men came down from Judaea and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” . . . “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.”

Verse 24 is referring to the legalistic Pharisees which believed in justification by works, and were teaching the same. They were of the “number” of Jews in Judea where the Apostles were from. They went to Antioch to preach their false doctrine without the Apostles instruction to do so. The council sent their “beloved” Barnabas and Paul to correct the problem.

Anti-Paulists teach that all the believers in Asia turned away from Paul and tried to kill him. They write;

“Now to the meat of the matter! First I will prove from the accepted canon and from Paul’s words himself that he was rejected in all the churches of Asia.”

Acts 19:8-10 (NASB95)

8 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Before we saw that Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogues but now we hear a little more of the story. Paul continued to preach in Ephesus but he wasn’t well received for long for Luke records that some there began to speak evil of the Way before the people and that they had to withdraw from them. Putting aside the good and bad for a moment the facts are that Paul preached in Ephesus but eventually had to leave as they turned against him.”

Who turned against Paul in the above passage, believers or hardened and disobedient, unbelieving Jews in the synagogue? Who was Paul reasoning with and persuading about the Kingdom of Elohim? Believers were already persuaded and embraced the Kingdom through Yeshua. It was the unbelieving Jews who needed persuading and who turned against Paul.

The anti-Paulist continues;

“2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NASB95)

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,

Paul admits that while in Asia that things got so bad they had the sentence of death put on them. In other words, the believers in Asia were going to kill Paul and his companions!”

These verses refer to the wrath of the Ephesians after Paul said their goddess Diana was no mighty one at all. Let’s pick up the account in Acts 19:28-32.

“And when they heard this they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesus. And the city was filled with the confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel. And when Paul was minded to enter in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was in confusion; and the more part knew not why they were come together.”

This mob wasn’t thinking. They were wild with resentment and wrath. If the town clerk hadn’t calmed them down in verses 35-41, they may have rashly put Paul and his companions to death.

The thing that is so unbelievable to me is that the anti-Paulists read 2 Cor.1:8-10 to mean “believers” wanted to kill Paul and his companions. Would any believer go against our Savior’s command to love our enemies (Mt.5:44-48) by killing them? Can you picture any believer in Acts killing anybody? Believers are sheep to be slaughtered, not slaughterers of the sheep.

The anti-Paulist also appeals to 2 Tim.1:15. They say,

“2 Timothy 1:15 (NASB95)

15 You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Now Paul tells us that ALL of those in Asia turned away from him. Paul had to flee Ephesus for some reason and all the believers in Asia wanted him killed.”

We are not told why they turned from Paul. I suspect it was a result of what took place at Ephesus. The weaker believers feared for their lives and fled from Paul because he was the lightning rod of that entire wrath. Does that sound familiar? Did not all of Messiah’s disciples turn from him out of fear for their lives? Does that make Yeshua a false Messiah? Neither does it make Paul a false apostle.

The last attack on Paul from an historical perspective that I will address comes from the anti-Paulist’s pitiful interpretation of Rev.2:1-3. It reads as follows:

“To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, he that walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou can not bear evil men, and did try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and did find them false; and thou hast patience and did bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary. “

The anti-Paulist then says;

Paul is the only one we know of in the accepted canon that went to Asia and specifically preached in Ephesus. Paul writes to the church in Ephesus saying that he is an apostle. . . This same body of believers in Ephesus are now congratulated for testing someone who claimed to be an apostles and were not. Could this be talking about Paul and Barnabas? Were they tested for three months and ultimately rejected as false apostles and ran out of town at threat of death? Did the church of Ephesus eventually conclude that Paul was a liar and was NOT an apostle?

Did you absorb that? Did the Ephesians run Paul and Barnabas out of town as false apostles? Let’s read Acts 20:17-22.

“And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the assembly. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, after what manner I was with you all the time, serving the Master with all lowliness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the plots of the Jews; how I shrank not from declaring unto you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward [Elohim], and faith toward our Master Yeshua Messiah. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:”

Paul is about to depart for Jerusalem, but he desires one last meeting with the Elders of the Ephesian congregation. Let’s resume in Acts 20:29-38.

“I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. And now I commend you to [Elohim], and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Master Yeshua, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship.”

Does that sound like they found him to be a false apostle or does it sound like they loved him dearly and couldn’t bear not seeing him anymore? He left them on very good terms. However, in that meeting he prophesied that grievous wolves would come to Ephesus and not spare the flock. Others would draw away disciples to themselves. The “apostles” Yeshua referred to were most likely these men who were grievous wolves.

Doctrinal Arguments

The anti-Paulists not only attack Paul historically, but doctrinally as well. Let’s explore some of the “heresies” that the Apostle Paul supposedly taught.

No One Righteous

In Romans 3:10-12, Paul refers to Psa.14 to prove all have sinned and no one is righteous. Anti-Paulists say Paul misquoted Psa.14. Paul wrote, “There is none righteous, no not one.” Psa.14:3 reads, “there is none that doeth good, no not one.” There are a few other differences as well. The truth is, Paul was not quoting, but paraphrasing. Even if he was quoting, there are other examples of people not quoting exactly. For example:

Psalm 53 is almost identical to Psalm 14 with the exception of Psa.53:5 and “Elohim” in Psa.53 where Psa.14 has “YHWH”. Is David misquoting his own Psalm because it is not an exact quote? Does that make David a false prophet?

In Mt.4:4, Yeshua said:

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” KJV

Yeshua was quoting Deut.8:3 which reads:

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live.”

As you can see, Yeshua did not quote this verse perfectly. He left out some words in the beginning and some at the end. Does that make him a false Messiah? Or should we blame Matthew for misquoting Yeshua and throw his book out along with Paul’s writings? I’m being sarcastic, of course. The truth is that the meaning and understanding of the Psalm is being carried over by Paul.

Keep in mind that believers in ancient times did not get to carry around the Scriptures wherever they went as we do. They did not have computers to instantly write out a verse stored in its memory. They had to rely on their own memories.

I can guarantee that every anti-Paulist, at one time or another, has misquoted a verse. I wonder if they would consider themselves false brethren because of such a mistake.

Because anti-Paulist’s believe Paul falsely used the word “righteous”, they will also accuse Paul of teaching falsely because Scripture says Noah, Abraham, David and others were “righteous”. Not only does Psa.14:3 read, “they are ALL gone aside, they are ALL together become filthy, but Eccl.7:20 reads,

“Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.”

There were no righteous men on earth based on sinlessness. Was Solomon wrong? Solomon said again, in 1 Kgs 8:46:

“…(for there is no man that sins not,) …”

The fact is, all the patriarchs sinned as well and therefore were not perfectly righteous in the sense that Yahweh is. They were righteous, not because they never sinned (never transgressed any of Yahweh’s commandments), but because they lived by faith, and that faith was imputed to them for righteousness (Gen.15:6).

So why did Paul use “righteous” in Rom.3:10? Because Paul understood as did David and Solomon, that it only takes one sin (one unrighteous act) to become unjust and unrighteous. Since Paul was paraphrasing and not quoting verbatim, he understands “none that does good” to mean “every man has committed an act or acts of unrighteousness.” If none do good, none are perfectly righteous. The two words are synonymous in Pr.14:19:

“The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.”

Yeshua was sinless. Therefore, he is the only absolutely righteous man that ever lived. His righteousness is imparted to us through faith paving the way for our justification apart from the law.

Justifying the Wicked

In Ex.23:7, Yahweh says, “for I will not justify the wicked.” Anti-Paulists accuse Paul of teaching the exact opposite in Rom.4:5 which reads as follows:

“But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the wicked, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.”

If we read Ex.23:7 in context, including verses 1-6, we will notice that Yahweh precedes His statement in verse 7 with a list of at least ten commands. His meaning in verse 7, therefore, is that He will not justify the wicked in their wickedness. Paul teaches the same thing and intended the same meaning in Rom.4:5.

In Acts 17:30, Paul says the following:

“The times of ignorance therefore [Elohim] overlooked; but now he commands men that they should all everywhere repent:”

Paul calls for the wicked to repent (turn away from their sin). In Rom.4:5, Paul is teaching that Yahweh will justify the wicked afterthey repent, believe and have faith. This is why Paul quotes from Psalm 32 in Romans 4:7 and says, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.” This is exactly what Yahweh taught in Hab.2:4, “the just shall live by faith.”

Call No Man Your Father

Paul wrote, in 1 Cor.4:15;

“For though you have ten thousand tutors in Messiah, yet have you not many fathers; for in Messiah Yeshua I begat you through the gospel.”

Anti-Paulists accuse Paul of not obeying Yeshua’s command in Mt.23:9 to call no man “father”.

However, Yeshua himself and every New Testament writer except Jude used the word “father” in reference to men. James calls Abraham “our father” in Ja.2:21 as did Stephen in Acts 7:2.Therefore, we are not to understand Yeshua’s words as anti-Paulists interpret them.

Yahweh says to “honor thy father and thy mother”. If I then say, “I would like to honor my father in a special way,” am I breaking Yeshua’s command? Obviously not, for Yeshua probably had practices similar to the Roman Catholic practice of calling their priests, “Father so and so” in mind.

Justification by Faith or Works?

Anti-Paulists are quick to bring up the supposed contradictions in Paul’s teaching of justification by faith alone and what James taught in James 2.

Paul wrote:

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28)

James wrote:

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24)

Interestingly, both apostles use the same verse (Gen.15:6) to support their position.

Paul wrote:

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed Elohim, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Rom.4:3)

James wrote:

“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed Elohim, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of Elohim.” (James 2:23)

To understand this seeming contradiction, we need to understand that each apostle is looking at justification from a different viewpoint. For example, two people can look at a triangle. One may only see a triangle while the other sees a square! How can that be? They were both viewing a pyramid; one from the side and the other from the top.

Paul is looking at justification in it’s initial stage (when a person first believes). James is looking at justification after one first believes. Paul sees Abraham’s faith (belief in Yahweh) prior to Abraham’s work of offering up Isaac. James sees Abraham’s works of offering up Isaac as a fruit of his faith (after he was justified by faith).

James did not say, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith” (James 2:24). He added the word “only” after “faith”. In other words, faith comes first, but it cannot stand alone. It must be accompanied by good works.

In writing about justification, Paul was not addressing the believers behavior after having been justified. Had he addressed justification from James’ viewpoint, he undoubtedly would have agreed with him. Both apostles believed the words of Habakkuk 2:4b:

“but the just shall live by his faith.”

The Greek word “dikaioo”, translated “justified” in James 2:24, means “to render (i.e. to show or regard as) just or innocent.” Therefore, Abraham was “regarded” by Yahweh as being justified through faith, but he also “showed” he was justified by his works.

Paul the Hypocrite?

Gal.2:11-14 states, “But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned. For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, live as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compel thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”

1 Cor.9:19-22 read, “For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to [Elohim], but under law to Messiah, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.”

1 Cor 10:31-33 read, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of [Elohim]. Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the called out of Elohim: even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.”

The anti-Paulist then says:

“Why does Paul rebuke Peter for not giving offense to the circumcised and yet he himself says we should give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks and that Paul himself had become as a Jew to reach Jews and like a Greek to reach Greeks? Does Paul have a double standard?”

Is Paul being a hypocrite with a double standard? The answer is found in the motive of each man’s actions. Paul’s motive is found in 1 Cor.9:22:

“To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.”

Peter’s motive is found in Gal.2:12.

“For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision.”

Paul acted out of love and Peter acted out of fear. What does the Apostle John teach about fear?

“There is no fear in love: but perfect love casts out fear, because fear hath torment; and he that fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 Jn.4:18

Peter’s fear of the Jews led to the fruit of hypocrisy and was a manifestation of a lack of love on his part. Motive is the key.

Circumcision

Now we come to the two most difficult teachings of Paul, circumcision and eating meat sacrificed to idols. First we shall consider circumcision.

Acts 21:27-28 states the following:

“And when the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place; and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath defiled this holy place.”

The anti-Paulist then says,

“To me it seems clear that the Jews from Asia are upset with Paul in particular for bringing uncircumcised men into the temple in violation of the words of Ezekiel. “

That is stated as fact by this anti_paulist author. However, in verse 29, Luke says:

“For they had before seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.”

In other words, Paul was being falsely accused of polluting the temple. They assumed he brought Trophimus into the temple, but they never actually saw him do that. A similar instance can be found where Naboth the Jezreelite was falsely accused of cursing Elohim and the king, and even stoned, yet he had committed no crime (1 Kings 21:5-16).The remaining seven chapters of Acts are all related to Paul’s defense against those same false accusations. It is ironic that those same false accusations are being leveled against Paul even today, and by professing brethren in Messiah, nonetheless!.

1 Cor.7:17-20 read as follows:

“Only, as the Master hath distributed to each man, as [Elohim] hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all the assemblies. Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the commandments of [Elohim]. Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called.”

The anti-Paulist would then say,

This last statement by Paul in 1 Corinthians is particularly troubling since he clearly seems to indicate that if you are called when you were not circumcised then you should REMAIN uncircumcised. Why then, we must ask, does Paul have Timothy circumcised if, by his own instruction, a man should remain uncircumcised if he was “called” while uncircumcised?

We need to note that 1 Corinthians was written after Paul’s first visit to Corinth in Acts 18:1-17. Therefore, Timothy’s circumcision in Acts 16 and Titus’ avoidance of circumcision referred to in Gal.2:3-5 and which took place in Acts 15, where both before Paul’s statements in 1 Cor.17.

Note in Galatians 2:3-5, Paul refused to submit to the false brethren who demanded Titus’ circumcision. It reads,

“But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Messiah Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

This shows Paul’s consistency in his teaching that Gentile converts need not be circumcised. After the Jerusalem council’s decision, which agrees with Paul’s teaching in that circumcision was not one of the four requirements imposed on Gentiles, Paul has Timothy circumcised. Does this contradict his belief? No.

Timothy was being chosen to accompany Paul in his ministry. Had Timothy remained uncircumcised, it would have been a great hindrance to Paul’s ministry to the Jews in that area. Timothy evidently agreed to “become as a Jew to win the Jews.”

Paul was not giving a steadfast command to which there could be no exceptions. Since Timothy was not fully a Gentile, his extenuating circumstance warranted a different approach. He was not being circumcised in order to be saved, but so that others would be saved. Had Timothy not been chosen for the ministry, there would have been no need to circumcise him.

Paul was not teaching against circumcision itself, but against circumcision for the wrong reason. To be circumcised in order to be saved or justified is wrong and is a denial of salvation by grace through faith.

Meats Sacrificed To Idols

I would like to conclude this study by examining Paul’s stand on eating meats sacrificed to idols. Paul’s position is this: seeing that an idol is nothing, there is nothing wrong with eating the sacrificial meat unless it causes someone to stumble. Anti-Paulists would say that contradicts the Jerusalem council’s decree in Acts 15 and Yeshua’s words in Rev.2:14 & 20.

The Jerusalem council’s decree was that the Gentiles were to abstain from things offered to idols (Acts 15:20). The Greek reads, “to hold back from pollutions of the idols.” Acts 15:29 in the KJV reads, “that you abstain from meats offered to idols.” The Greek reads, “to abstain from idol sacrifices.” Acts 21:25 reads, “keep themselves from things offered to idols.” The Greek reads, “to keep from themselves the both idol sacrifices and the blood . . .”

As you can see, there is no reference to eating the meat of those sacrifices. We can infer that, but it doesn’t make it clear. The council may be decreeing that they simply abstain from sacrificing to idols.

Keep in mind two important points as you ponder this issue; 1) There is no direct command in Torah from Yahweh to not eat meat sacrificed to idols and 2) The Jerusalem council’s decree was never sent to the Corinthians. Acts 15:23 says,

“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:”

Those three locations are just north of Israel. Corinth is at least 1,000 miles away in Greece across the Aegean Sea. Paul was not told to deliver the decree to any other Gentile areas. Verse 30 shows that Paul obeyed the council and delivered the decree.

Concerning point #1: Some appeal to Ex.34:12-16 for such a command. It reads as follows:

“Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goes, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other mighty one: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous El: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their mighty ones, and do sacrifice unto their mighty ones, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their mighty ones, and make thy sons go a whoring after their mighty ones.”

Notice there is no direct command from Yahweh saying not to eat meat sacrificed to an idol. What He forbids is the making of a covenant with non-Israelites which may then lead to idolatry and idolatrous eating. When a covenant is made between two parties they become bound together in a special relationship.

Paul was in total agreement with Ex.34:12-16. He admonished the Corinthians to avoid such bonds in 2 Cor.6:14-18. It reads as follows:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Messiah with Belial? or what part hath he that believes with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of Elohim with idols? for ye are the temple of the living Elohim; as Elohim hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith [Yahweh], and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith [Yahweh] Almighty.”

However, when Paul tells the Corinthians that it is permissible to eat meat sacrificed to idols as long as they do not cause another to stumble, he is saying that in the context of NOT being in a covenant relationship (unequally yoked) at the time. To simply sit down and eat a meal because you are hungry is totally different than sitting down with an idolater with whom you have covenanted and partaking in his idolatry by eating his sacrifice.

Paul said:

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to Elohim: and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Master, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Master’s table, and of the table of devils.” (1 Cor.10:20-21)

The “fellowship” comes when one places themselves in that special bonded relationship. There is no such fellowship when one simply buys a piece of meat at a meat market, even if it was sacrificed to an idol. Believers can have fellowship with each other through Messiah. We can have no fellowship with unbelievers unless we join with them through some sort of mutual bond such as a covenant, contract, sexual relations, etc.

What about Numbers 25:1-3?

“And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their mighty ones: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their mighty ones. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel.”

Notice what was done as a prelude to eating meat sacrificed to idols; they committed whoredom. In other words, they joined themselves to Moab through sexual relations. They created an intimate bond of fellowship which made their eating idolatrous.

Paul wrote the following in 1 Corinthians 6:16:

“What? know you not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.”

A sexual relationship creates a bond of oneness between the two. This is why Yahweh warned Israel in Ex.34:12-16 about making a covenant, especially through marriage, with non-Israelites.

Paul was not condoning eating meat sacrificed to an idol while in such a covenant relationship whether through marriage, fornication, contract, or otherwise.

With those things in mind, how do we harmonize Paul with Rev.2:14 & 20? Theses verses read as follows:

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.” (14)

“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” (20)

The key word in understanding this issue is “stumblingblock” in verse 14. Balak caused Israel to stumble by having them do something they believed was wrong. Israel believed such meat to be “common” or defiled. Jezebel did the same thing by seducing believers to do the same. The issue in Rev.2 is exactly what Paul taught in Romans 14:13-15.

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Master Yeshua, that there is nothing common of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be common, to him it is common. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walk thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Messiah died.”

Israel esteemed meat sacrificed to idols to be defiled. Yahweh never said it was, but Israel believed it was. They did not have the deeper understanding that Paul and the Corinthians had that an idol was nothing. So for Israel to eat such meat was to them a sin, but to Paul it was nothing.

Conclusion

In conclusion brethren, the Apostle Paul was truly that, an Apostle appointed and sent by Yeshua himself. His writings, when properly exegeted and rightly understood, were and are a blessing to millions of believers. May they continue to be so.

As the cup and bread are passed around the kingdom hall on
“Nisan 14”, those who believe they have a heavenly calling as one of the
144,000 will partake, but those who do not believe they have such a calling
simply pass the cup and bread to the next person without partaking.

No where in Scripture does it specify that only a particular portion of believers in Messiah are permitted to partake.

What did the Apostle Paul say in 1 Cor.10:17?

“The loaf which we break, is it not a sharing in the body of the Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, although
many, are one body, for we are all partaking of that one loaf.” NW

We all partake, not just 144,000.

Interestingly, this has supposedly been taking place since
apostolic times and, according to Jehovah’s Witnesses,  the total number of the 144,000 was reached in 1935. Since
then, no new members are eligible to partake. Once those who have been
partaking since 1935 die, there will be none to partake. This leads me to ask,
“How did they know the full number of 144,000 partakers was reached in 1935?”
Surely no one has been counting since apostolic times. Was this revealed to
Jehovah’s Witnesses supernaturally?

Assuming it is true that the full number of 144,000 partakers has been reached, what does that mean for all those who never
partook?

John 6:53-54 – Then Jesus (Yeshua) said to them, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his
blood you have no life in yourselves. He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my
blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day.” NW

All Jehovah’s Witnesses know that this is not meant literally, but
that it refers to partaking of the “Lord’s Evening Meal”.  They are now faced with a choice; either obey
the Master’s words and eat his flesh by partaking of the bread and drink his
blood by partaking of the cup and receive everlasting life OR obey Watchtower’s
man-made doctrine and not partake of the bread and cup. By obeying Watchtower,
they are in danger of not receive everlasting life, but everlasting destruction and
separation from their Creator.

Satan has lived up to his name, the “father of lies”, as he has
deceived the entire Jehovah’s Witness organization into not obeying their
Lord’s words.

Does “Watchtower”, the self-proclaimed prophet of “Jehovah”
and governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses world-wide, have the authority to
change the Master’s words or command their followers to walk contrary to those
words? I say, “No” based on the fact that they failed to discern the Master’s
body for 70+ years.

I Corinthians 11:27-29 reads:

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily,
shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the
Master’s body.

Failing to discern the “Master’s body” while
eating the bread or drinking the cup, that is, failing to understand those
symbols represent the body and blood of the Master, causes one to eat
“unworthily”. They damn themselves by being “guilty of the body and blood of
the Master.”

From the beginning of the Jehovah’s Witness
organization in 1872 (under a different name) until 1956, the Watchtower taught
its followers that the bread did NOT represent the Master’s body, but that it
represented the body of believers or the Christian congregation.

Here are Watchtower’s words from their March 15, 1954
publication, The Watchtower, page 174:

“It was after the Passover supper
and after Jesus had dismissed Judas that he “took a loaf and, after saying a
blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: “Take, eat.
This means my body.’” (Matt.26:26; John 13:21-30, NW) To which body was Jesus
referring here? To his fleshly body? Hardly, for concerning it we read that not
a bone was broken, whereas Jesus broke the loaf. (John 19:36) Rather, he was
referring to his spiritual body, the Christian Congregation, which in
Scriptures is termed a body or Christ’s body more than forty-five times. That
this is the correct conclusion is apparent from Paul’s words: “The loaf which
we break, is it not a sharing in the body of the Christ? Because there is one
loaf, we, although many, are one body, for we are all partaking of that one
loaf.” Clearly the loaf pictures not Jesus’ fleshly body but his body members,
the Christian congregation. – 1 Cor.10:16, 17, NW.”

Now notice how Watchtower changed this crucial doctrinal
belief. The following is from The Watchtower, January 15, 1956, page 49.

“18 His body? Yes; his own body, his whole body, head and all, that he was to give for
them. Jesus meant his own body, the body with which he next associates his own
blood when speaking of the cup.”

Footnote: “18. Which body did Jesus mean by “my body”?”

Prior to 1956, Watchtower thought the “body” represented by
the bread at the “Lord’s Evening Meal” was the Christian congregation, not
Jesus’ fleshly body. Therefore, for some 70+ years, Watchtower did not discern
the Master’s body. How, then, can they be Jehovah’s prophet? How, then, can
they be trusted to dictate who can and cannot partake of the bread and cup?

I admonish all Jehovah’s Witnesses to reconsider who you are
allowing to guide you through life. Is it the Holy Spirit or Watchtower.? Whose
words do you obey, the Messiah’s or Watchtower’s?

If you desire to receive eternal life, you must eat the
flesh and drink the blood through the “Lord’s Evening Meal” ceremony. If that
means forsaking a religion that has been teaching you falsely, then so be it.
Your eternal life is at stake!

The ancient method of refining or trying silver was to place the solid mass of metal in a clay crucible which was then placed in a clay or iron furnace and melted into a liquid. As the liquid boiled, the impurities in the metal would rise to the surface and be skimmed off. That which is skimmed off is called dross. The refiner would continue the process several times until no dross remained. If the refiner could see his reflection in the liquid silver, he knew the process was complete.

“The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but Yahweh tries (tests) the hearts.” Proverbs 17:3.

This testing of man’s heart is often equated with the refining process of gold or silver. Yahweh is the refiner. Sin, selfishness, pride, etc., are the dross that needs to be removed.

“But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as you are this day.” Deuteronomy 4:20.

Israel was in the refiner’s furnace while they were kept in misery and bondage by the Egyptians.

“Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10.

Affliction and suffering are the means Yahweh uses to tests the heart of His people. It is the heat that He applies in the lives of all His children.

“For you, O Elohim, have proved us: you have tried us, as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid affliction upon our loins. you have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but you brought us out into a wealthy place.” Psalms 66:10-12.

While we never know exactly when Yahweh will remove us from the furnace, we can rest assured that He will and that we will be purified and blessed as a result of that affliction. Sometimes He may end one affliction upon us and send another shortly after. Each affliction, each situation in which we suffer results in more dross being removed from our lives.

“Your silver is become dross, your wine mixed with water:” Isaiah 1:22.

Yahweh looks upon all His children as silver or gold. We are precious in His sight, but He knows that we can be worth even more once we are refined and purged of our impurities.

In the following two verses, we see the wicked being equated with dross.

“You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love your testimonies.” Psalms 119:119.

“Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the refiner. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.” Proverbs 25:4,5.

When a nation or kingdom is being refined as a whole, it is the wicked who are the dross, but when individuals are being refined, it is the wickedness, sins, carnality, etc., that are the dross.

“And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away your dross, and take away all your tin:” Isaiah 1:25.

A chunk of silver that was removed from a mine has other alloys mixed in with it. These alloys, such as tin, can be very difficult to separate from the silver and require much more refining than other alloys. So it is with us. Certain sins are deeply rooted in us and are difficult to purge from us. It takes skill, time and patience on the part of the refiner to accomplish his objective of purity.

“Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?” Jeremiah 9:7.

Israel’s sins became more prevelant as the years past, so much so that Yahweh had no choice but to put them through the refining process again.

“And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. Therefore thus says Yahweh Elohim; Because you are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in my anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst thereof. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall you be melted in the midst thereof; and you shall know that I Yahweh have poured out my fury upon you.” Ezekiel 22:17-22.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim, as the writer of Hebrews puts it, but we should not fear the refining that our Heavenly Father puts us through, knowing that it is for our good.

“The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melts in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because Yahweh hath rejected them.” Jeremiah 6:29,30.

Sometimes the refining process does not work. The dross cannot be removed from the silver and is rejected by the refiner. Such was the case with many in Israel.

The refing process is not just for the wicked or the sinner. Yahweh considered Job to be a man of righteousness, yet he was tried as well.

“But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10.

At this point, I would like to read several prophecies of future refinings.

“And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” Daniel 11:35.

“And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:9,10.

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, Yahweh is my Elohim.” Zechariah 13:9.

And the one that is most relevant to us;

“Behold, I will send my messenger [John the Baptist], and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Master [Yeshua the Messiah], whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says Yahweh of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto Yahweh an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:1-3.

Yahweh has given Yeshua all power and authority and has appointed him to do the refining work in His people. He will take the same care as Yahweh would in doing that work. As a refiner of silver, Yeshua will patiently wait for the dross to surface and then remove it. He won’t keep us in the fire too long, but will be watchful in pulling us out at just the right time. He will continue the process until he sees his reflection in us. He desires to see us conformed to his image, that is, totally dead to self so that Yahweh’s Spirit can move in us unhindered by our fleshly desires.

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:10-12.

The process of separating the chaff from the wheat is meant to accomplish the same goal as refining silver or gold. The chaff is the outer casing of wheat which needs to be removed before the wheat can be eaten. When our chaff is removed, all that is left is what’s desirable, that which nourishes others.

The trying or testing of our hearts is not something to be avoided because it is uncomfortable for us. We should have the attitude that David had when he wrote;

“Examine me, O Yahweh, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” Psalms 26:2.

“Search me, O Elohim, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” Psalms 139:23.

The Apostle Peter wrote the following;

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Messiah’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Messiah, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of Elohim rests upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify Elohim on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of Elohim: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the good news of Elohim? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of Elohim commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:12-19.

The key to enduring suffering is to totally commit our souls to Yahweh. We should not seek to escape the trials we go through. To do so is to say to Yeshua, “I don’t want to be made pure!” Nor should we wallow in self pity as we try to figure out what is happening to us or why we are suffering so. Instead, we should recognize that we are partaking of Yeshua’s sufferings, that we are being refined through affliction, and rejoice in it.

“So that we ourselves glory in you in the assemblies of Elohim for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of Elohim, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of Elohim, for which you also suffer:” 2 Thessalonians 1:4,5.

When we suffer, it is not a condemnatory judgment from Yahweh, but a judgment designed for our good as this next verse shows.

“But the Elohim of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory by Messiah Yeshua, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10.

Acts 14:22 reads:

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of Elohim.”

If you haven’t experienced tribulation yet, you will if you are Messiah Yeshua’s. With the state of the economy and world affairs, our tribulation can start sooner than we think.

“Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Yeshua Messiah:” 1 Peter 1:6,7.

Our trials can easily cause our hearts to be heavy and our souls to become depressed, but if we have the mind of Messiah, we can rejoice through it, knowing it is just for a season.

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Paul says our afflictions are “light” and quick, lasting only “a moment”. It sure doesn’t seem that way as we are going through it. Paul is evidently speaking of our afflictions in comparison to the glory we will experience for eternity.

One of the goals of being tried in the fire is to develop endurance or patience in us. James 1:3-4, 12 reads;

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience (endurance). But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

“Blessed is the man that endures trials: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Master hath promised to them that love him.”

Yeshua knew there would be those who would not endure trials and afflictions when he spoke of the seeds sown on stony ground.

“And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” Mark 4:16-17.

Not only will we ourselves be tried in the refiner’s fire, but our works will be tried as well.

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.

Only those works done for the Kingdom’s sake or for the benefit of mankind will abide the fire. Selfish works will be consumed.

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of Elohim, and joint-heirs with Messiah; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:17,18.

We can endure afflictions, sufferings, persecutions, mockings, and any other trial we may undergo in the refining process if we will follow the example of Yeshua found in Hebrews 12:2;

“Looking unto Yeshua the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of Elohim.”

Let’s focus on the joy set before us, that is, the precious promises that have been made to us so that our inner man is strengthened and endures the race set before us.

The Christian view states that believers are no longer “under the law” meaning (in their minds) they don’t have to obey the “Old Covenant laws”, but only the New Covenant “laws of love”. This issue has been addressed in my study entitled, “The Law and the New Covenant Believer,” so I won’t review it here.

It is this erroneous Christian view of the New Covenant that has led many to reject the idea of a whole “new” covenant in favor of a “renewed” covenant. Now that they see the continuance of the law (Torah), they have trouble, as do most Christians, harmonizing the Old Covenant laws with a “new” covenant.

A new Bible version called “The Scriptures”, which is favored by many “Messianics”, has also led to the propagation of this error by translating Heb.8:8 as a “renewed covenant”. Ironically, this same version translated Jer.31:31, from which Heb.8:8 was quoted, as “new” covenant.

My intention is to address the issue of whether or not believers are under a “renewed” covenant (the Old Covenant being renewed) or whether we are under a “new” covenant (the Old Covenant being destroyed and an entirely new covenant being created). The latter is my current understanding.

New Covenant Prophesied

Let’s begin by quoting the prophecy of Jeremiah concerning the New Covenant.

“Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith Yahweh: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith Yahweh, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34, KJV.

 

The Terms of the New Covenant

Yahweh’s Part

Yahweh will write His laws in the new hearts of His people (Jer.31:33; Ezek.36:26).

Yahweh will cause His people to “know” Him far deeper than they have ever known Him before (Jer.31:34).

Yahweh will forgive the sins of His people (Jer.31:34; Ezek.36:25).

Yahweh will dwell in the hearts of His people by putting His Holy Spirit within them (Ezek.36:26-27).

Yahweh will cause His people to keep His statutes and judgments through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ezek.36:27; John 16:13).

Yahweh will give His people the promised land (Ezek.36:24; 37:26).

Yahweh will multiply His people once they are in the land (Ezek.37:26).

Yahweh will dwell in His sanctuary / temple which will be in the midst of His people (Ezek.37:26-28).

Man’s Part

1) Man must confess the Master Yeshua and believe in his resurrection – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Master Yeshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that Elohim hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom.10:9-10).

The above is true because Yeshua is the means through which man can enter the New Covenant. Yeshua said:

“I am the way . . . no man comes to the Father, but by me” (Jn.14:6)

In Luke 22:20, Yeshua said:

“This cup is the new testament [covenant] in my blood which is shed for you.”

When we confess Yeshua, we are saying we accept him and his blood sacrifice on our behalf as the “way” to the Father and as the means to enter the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was “dedicated” or ratified with animal blood:

“Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which [Yahweh] hath enjoined unto you.” (Heb.9:18-20; also Ex.24:6-8)

The New Covenant was dedicated with better blood and a better sacrifice (Heb.9:23).

What about the part about believing Yahweh raised him from the dead? This is necessary for three reasons. By doing so, we acknowledge;

1) that our Savior is the true and LIVING way to the Father.

2) that Yahweh is the Elohim of the living.

3) our hope that Yahweh will raise us up from the dead as He did Yeshua.

 

2) Man must repent of his sins and be baptized – “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that Elohim has made that same Yeshua, whom you have crucified, both Master and Messiah. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Yahweh our Elohim shall call.” (Acts.2:36-39).

Repentance (acknowledging our sins or transgressions against Yahweh’s laws and turning from them) is necessary in order for Yahweh to carry out His part of forgiving our sins (Jer.31:34; Ezek.36:25).

Baptism is necessary to have those sins washed away (Acts 22:16) and as a symbol that we desire to put to death our old man and be raised a new man who walks according to the New Covenant as our Savior does (Rom.6:3-11).

3) Man must obey Yahweh and Yeshua out of love for them.

“By this we know that we love the children of [Yahweh], when we love [Yahweh], and keep His commandments. For this is the love of [Yahweh], that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” (1 John 5:2-3)

“If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn.14:15)

“Yeshua answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (Jn.14: 23)

Obedience to Yahweh and Yeshua’s commandments are a fruit of one’s entrance into the New Covenant through Messiah Yeshua. Since sin is the transgression of the law (1 Jn.3:4) and since Yahweh forgave our sins, we should have no desire to continue in the same sins we were forgiven of. Adulterers turn away from adultery, Sabbath breakers turn away from polluting the Sabbath, thieves stop stealing, liars stop lying, etc.

“New” or “Renewed”?

The Holy Spirit inspired the word “chadashah”, feminine of Strong’s #2319, to be used which most versions translate “new”. It has the meaning of freshness and was translated “fresh” and “new thing”. Strong’s says its root is #2318, “chadash” (spelled the same as the masculine of #2319, but with different vowel points.

If you were reading the Hebrew text as Yahweh originally inspired it (without vowel points), you would need to determine the meaning of the word “chadash” based on its context. Below are a few examples of how “chadash” can only be translated “new” followed by a few examples of how “chadash” can only be translated “renew”.

“New”

Ex.1:8 – “a new king over Egypt”

De.24:5 – “When a man has taken a new wife . . .”

Jg.16:12 – “Delilah therefore took new ropes . . .”

Job 32:19 – “it is ready to burst like new bottles”

“Renew”

Ps.103:5 – “thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Ps.104:30 – “thou renewest the face of the earth.”

La.5:21 – “renew our days as of old.”

Since the context determines the meaning, let’s look at the context of Jer.31:31-33. Verse 32 says the “new” covenant will NOT be like the covenant made at the time they came out of Egypt (the covenant at Mt. Sinai). A “renewed” covenant would be very similar to the Sinai covenant, but a “new” covenant would not.

Verse 32 also says the original covenant was broken. Once broken by either party, it becomes null and void. A “new” covenant was needed because the old could not be fixed. Something that cannot be fixed cannot be renewed. You cannot renew a house that has burned to the ground, or a pumpkin that has been destroyed, or anything that has disappeared.

Heb. 8:13 reads:

“In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

The Old Covenant would vanish away or disappear making it impossible to renew. What was needed was a whole new covenant, not like the first.

Verse 33 says the New Covenant would have the law (Torah) written in the hearts of the people as opposed to on tables of stone. The ten commandments are the heart of Torah. While those commandments remained unchanged from one covenant to the other, there were many laws under the Sinai covenant that did not become part of the New Covenant. For example, laws that could only be kept in the land of Israel, sacrificial laws, temple related laws, judicial laws such as stoning to death and drinking bitter water to test a suspected adulterer.

This is not to say that those laws have been abolished and only the ten commandments remain. The sacrificial laws, for example, are not to be kept today by shedding the blood of animals, but through Messiah’s one time sacrifice for all. Whenever we sin under the New Covenant, we can go before Yahweh with Yeshua as our offering for sin.

Yeshua is also our High Priest who is daily ministering and interceding for us in the heavenly temple. So, while the Old Covenant temple laws are not applicable to us in regards to an earthly temple, they are still applicable concerning the heavenly temple.

If the context of Jer.31:31-33 is not clear enough to establish the meaning of “chadash”, we can also turn to the Septuagint version which was translated by Jews into Greek more than two hundred years before Messiah. The Jews of that day used the Greek word “kainen” (a form of Strong’s # 2537, “kainos”. This is the same word the New Testament Greek manuscripts use in Heb.8:8 when quoting Jer.31:31. This same word was used in reference to “new bottles” (Mt.9:17), new vs. old treasures (Mt.13:52), a “new” tomb (Mt 27:60), “new” doctrine (Mk.1:27), “new” tongues (Mk.16:17), a “new” name (Rev.2:17), a “new” song (Rev.5:9), . . .

None of these examples can be translated “renewed” which is why the Greek has a specific word meaning “renewed” in the sense of renovation. It is Strong’s #341, “anakainoo”. This word comes from #2537 with the prefix “ana” #303 added.

A variation of “anakainoo”, “anakainison” was used in La.5:21 for “renew our days”. Variations of “anakainoo” were also used in Ps.103:5 – “thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” and 104:30 – “thou renewest the face of the earth”.

Old vs. New

So far we have seen the immediate context and the Greek Old and New Testaments support a “new” covenant rather than a “renewed” covenant. Now let’s see how other references to this New Covenant prove it is indeed “new” and not “renewed”.

In Gal.4:21-31, the Apostle Paul offers an allegory to explain the difference between the covenant at Sinai (the Old Covenant) and the New Covenant. He explains how the Old Covenant leads to bondage and the new covenant to freedom. He concludes by saying, “we are not children of the bondwoman (the Old Covenant), but of the free” (vs.31). Therefore, we should, “cast out the bondwoman” (vs.30), not renew her.

It is impossible to renew something that is to be discarded or cast out. Only things that are kept can be renewed. If you have a Model T Ford, you can renovate it or renew it as long as you have it. If you cast it out into the junk yard where it will wax old and decay until it vanishes away (Heb.8:13), it cannot possibly be renewed. Please do not misunderstand me. The Old Covenant was glorious, not junk. I’m just trying to make an analogy.

In 2 Cor.3, Paul tells us some of the problems with the Old Covenant as it related to the children of Israel. Of course, as Heb.8:8 says, the fault with the Old Covenant was with the people, not with the covenant. However, because of the way the Old Covenant was administered in relation to a disobedient people, it was very problematic.

Paul says it was a “ministration of death” and a “ministration of condemnation” (vss. 7 & 9). When the law was transgressed (sin) it brought death and condemnation for those under its rule for the wages of sin is death (Rom.6:23; Ezek.18:20). A temporary remedy was available in animal sacrifices, but the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin permanently (Heb.10:4). All were sinners and all were condemned to death. As Gal.3:23 puts it; “But before faith came, we were kept (guarded) under the law (under its condemning death sentence) shut up (locked up in prison) unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.” Transgressors were on death row awaiting their sentence to be carried out.

The entire Old Covenant had to be abolished and a new one created that would be profitable to a people full of faults. This new covenant would be founded upon a law that was written in their hearts rather than on tables of stone. Through the indwelling Spirit of Messiah, our hearts and minds would be changed. As we abide in the living Torah (Messiah) the Torah would be written on our hearts. As the mind of Messiah formed in us, a mind that was obedient to Torah, Torah would be written in our minds.

This is why Paul wrote the following in 2 Cor.3:9-11:

“For if the ministration of condemnation [O.C.] be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness [N.C.] exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious [O.C.] , much more that which remaineth is glorious [N.C.].”

This new covenant would also include:

• a better sacrifice in the blood of Messiah Yeshua vs. animal blood (Heb.9:23)
• a better mediator in Messiah vs. Moses (Heb.8:6; 9:15, 24; 12:24; Gal.3:19 speaking of Moses).
• a better ministration in the spirit vs. the letter (2 Cor.3:6)
• a better High Priest in Yeshua vs. Aaron (Heb.7:24-28; 8:1-6)
• a better priesthood after the order of Melkizedek vs. Levi (Hebrews 7)
• better promises based on the eternal rather than the temporal (Heb.7:24-25; 8:5; 9:1 vs. 9:11; see also all the promises mentioned above under the subheading, “Yahweh’s Part”.
• a better tabernacle made without hands (Heb.8:1-6; 9:11, 24)

This covenant is truly a new thing that Yahweh has created, totally unlike the Old Covenant. Nothing has been renewed, but everything is better. The only thing that is not new is Torah. Yet, even that is not renewed. However, we relate to it in a whole new way.

In conclusion, the Greek, the context, and related passages all show that a new covenant has been created by Yahweh. To teach that we are under a renewed old covenant is to drive a wedge between Christianity and the Messianic faith. It is totally unnecessary and detrimental in drawing people into the Hebraic way of life. We need to educate Christians to understand Torah is to be written on our hearts as part of the New Covenant and not try and convince them that they are in any way under the Old Covenant made better. May it be so.

Ghost?

Let’s begin with the concept of “ghost.” This word comes to us from the King James Version where the Greek ‘pneuma’ was translated ‘ghost’ whenever it was used in conjunction with the Greek word ‘ agios ‘ translated “Holy.” The definition of ‘ghost’ is “the soul of man; a disembodied spirit.” The English understanding of a ghost has led many to believe it is a person. Our Heavenly Father certainly cannot be a ghost for He never had a body to be disembodied from. His Son the Messiah certainly wasn’t a ghost since that word was used prior to his birth at which time he did not have a body either. The KJV sometimes used “Holy Spirit” instead of “Holy Ghost” (Lu.11:13). Since the two terms are interchangeable in the KJV and since all other modern Bible translations use “Holy Spirit,” we should use the correct term ‘Spirit.’

Third Person?

In other studies at this web site we have seen how Yeshua the Messiah is not Almighty Yahweh and how Yeshua did not pre-exist in any form prior to his earthly birth. Yahweh and Yeshua are two separate, distinct beings. Since the Father is Yahweh and Since the Son is not, that means the Father and the Son must be two separate, distinct beings. Since the Son did not pre-exist, the concept of a trinity (three co-equal, co-eternal persons comprising the one Godhead) is untrue.

The concept of the Holy Spirit being a person that is separate from the Father and the Son, yet still part of the one “godhead” is indeed a mystery. It is such a mystery that those who espouse that claim cannot explain it either.

Let’s begin by asking a few questions.

1) If the Father is separate from the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a serperate person from them, then who is Messiah’s father? Mt.1:18-20 reads, “Now the birth of Yeshua Messiah was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Is the Holy Spirit Yeshua’s Father and not Yahweh? The only way to understand this is through Lu.1:35, “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of Elohim.” The Holy Spirit is the power by which Yahweh caused the conception.

2) Why doesn’t the Apostle Paul invoke the Holy Spirit in the introduction to his epistles as he does the Father and the Son? This would seem rather offensive to the Holy Spirit if he were a co-equal person.

3) Why is the Holy Spirit never depicted as sitting on or standing near the throne as are the Father and the Son? (Acts 7:55,56; Col.3:1; and Rev.5:1-9; 7:10). We do not even see an empty throne for him.

4) 1 Cor.11:3 gives a hierarchy in which women, men, and Messiah each have a head with Elohim (Yahweh the Father) being the uppermost in authority. Where is the Holy Spirit?

5) Eph.5:5 tells us the “kingdom” that believers shall inherit is “of Messiah” and “of Elohim.” Why is the Kingdom not of the Holy Spirit as well?

6) The Father and the Son converse with each other, but why don’t they converse with the Holy Spirit?

Those are just a few of the many questions that arise if the Holy Spirit is a person. There are, however, several points that may lead one to believe the Holy Spirit is a person. Let’s look at a few of these.

Personal Attributes

It is said that the Holy Spirit has personal attributes and therefore is a person. Among a few of these attributes are that the Holy Spirit searches the deep things of Elohim (1 Cor.2:10); speaks (Rev.2:7); cries out (Gal.4:6); intercedes (Rom.8:26); gives testimony (Jn.15:26); leads or directs us (Rom.8:14); commands us (Acts 16:6,7); can be lied to (Acts 5:3); can be grieved (Eph.4:30); etc.

However, the Holy Spirit also has attributes that cannot be applied to a person, ie; it fills people (Acts 2:4); can be poured out (Acts 2.17,18); is upon people (Acts 19:6); people can drink it (1 Cor.12:13); it is a down payment (2 Cor.1:22); it is a seal (Eph.1:13); it is symbolic ink (2 Cor.3:3); etc.

To explain this, I appeal to Ro.8:9,10;

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of Elohim dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of his. And if Messiah be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

The Spirit of Messiah dwells in us, but verse 10 tells us it is Messiah himself. The same holds true for Yahweh’s Spirit. It is the mind, affections, and will of Almighty Yahweh. So the Holy Spirit’s personal attributes are those of Yahweh and Yeshua dwelling within us. It is their personalities and dispositions. Yahweh has given Messiah the full measure of His Holy Spirit (Jn.3:34; Col.1:19). Now that Messiah is glorified via resurrection, the Spirit that he has consists of that of his Father and that of his own. Their spirits are united in one and are placed within believers (Jn.15:26; Ro.8:9-11), though not in its fullness. On the other hand, since the Spirit also has non-personal attributes, we should attribute that to the fact that the Holy Spirit is Yahweh’s power or influence.

That the Holy Spirit is the power of Yahweh can be seen in the following verses;

“But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Yeshua from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Messiah from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom.8:11).

“And Elohim hath both raised up the Master, and will also raise up us by His own power.” (1Cor.6:14).

“And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Messiah, when He raised him from the dead, and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph.1:19-20).

Those verses clearly show that the power of Yahweh is His Holy Spirit and by that Spirit He resurrected His Son.

“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Eph.3:20). What power works in us? The power known as the Holy Spirit.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of Elohim.” (Lu.1:35). Did a person or a spirit being mate with Miriam or did Yahweh’s miraculous power cause the conception?

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lu.24:49).

To be “endued with power from on high” is an idiom for “to receive the Holy Spirit.” It is Yahweh’s power that works in us.

Personification

A literary technique often used in the Bible is that of personification. Many “personal attributes” of the Holy Spirit as listed above can be the result of this technique. For example, Paul says of sin it “deceived me,” and “slew me.” (Rom.7:11). He also says “death reigned from Adam to Moses.” (Rom.5:14). Neither sin nor death are people. Other examples are; “charity suffers long…thinks no evil” (1 Cor.13:4-5); “righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Ps.85:10); “The moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed” (Is.24:23); “Sing, O ye heavens” (Is.44:23); “You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost His savour, wherewith shall it be salted…” (Mt.5:13); etc. In all these examples, the subject being personified is not a person. Neither is the Holy Spirit.

Personal Pronouns

Another point that misleads people to believe the Holy Spirit is a person are the personal pronouns “he,” “his,” “him,” and “whom” used in such verses as Jn.14:17; 15:26; 16:7,8,13,14.

In most European languages nouns have gender; that is, it is either masculine, feminine, or neuter. The masculine pronouns are used in these verses because ‘Comforter’ /parakletos/ is masculine. ‘Spirit,’ however, /pneuma/ is neuter and would properly require the pronoun “it.” Interestingly, the Hebrew word for Spirit (ruach) is usually feminine. Grammatically, all Greek pronouns must agree in gender with the word they refer to.

Consider 1 Cor.13:4,5 in the KJV. One verse refers to charity as ‘itself’ and the next verse refers to it as ‘her.’ Is charity a person? In Ro.8:26 (KJV), the Spirit is referred to as ‘itself.’ In Acts 12:10, an iron gate is referred to as ‘his’ in the KJV.

1 John 5:7,8

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth , the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” (KJV). Verse 7 is often used by Trinitarians to prove there are three persons in heaven that comprise the one “Godhead.” The RSV [Revised Standard Version] of 1881 omits all the words in italics. The phrase should properly read, “For there are three that bear record, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” Only two modern Greek manuscripts and one or two ancient versions of little value contain the spurious words. It is not found in the Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Slavonian, etc. Additionally, no Greek father even quotes 1 Jn.5:7 in any discussion concerning the Trinity doctrine. It is clearly a questionable addition to the New Testament and should not be in our Bibles.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit, as we have seen, is not a third person of a “Trinity.” It is not a person at all. It is the power, mind, and disposition of Almighty Yahweh Himself. It has been joined to the spirit of Yeshua the Messiah, now that he has been glorified, and indwells all true believers. It is the means by which we are guided into all truth and it is the power that makes the resurrection from the dead a reality. When we first receive the Holy Spirit we only get a small measure of it. It is like a down payment until we are resurrected at which time we will receive it in full. The Holy Spirit is a wonderful gift from our Heavenly Father, but it is not a third person of a fictitious trinity.