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                     INTRODUCTION TO THINGS MESSIANIC

                                       From the website:

      http://www.tribnews.net/bibanswers/messianic/intro.html


              WHY DO CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND
                       THE HEBREW ROOTS OF OUR FAITH?


                                  INTRODUCTION

In studying the Bible, many Christians find themselves only reading the New Testament. Although these important Scriptures give us the salvation message, testify to the works of our Lord Jesus Christ, and speak of issues that the First Century believers had to experience, the New Testament comprises less than one-third of Holy Scripture. Those who only "hang out" in this part of the Bible can have an unbalanced approach and non-realistic view of our Creator and His plan for the ages.

Although most of the New Testament Scriptures have a Greek linguistic origin, their very nature is Hebraic. The man who authored more than half of these writings was the Apostle Paul, a rabbinical scholar by his own admission:

Acts 22:3 (NAS) "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as you all are today.

Philippians 3:5 (NKJV) Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;

Our Messiah Jesus Himself was Hebrew as are many of His expressions and sayings:

Matthew 5:29 (KJV) And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 6:22 (KJV) The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! These are just two examples of theHebrew nature of Jesus' teachings.

But what does this have to do with anything? For centuries, scholars have debated verses such as those above concerning "if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out" or "the light of the body is the eye.but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness" and have gotten nowhere. These verses do not demand a literal translation or a physical "plucking out of eyes." Rather, there is a deeper Hebraic nature behind them. This is where the Messianic movement steps in and where a Hebrew understanding of the Scriptures is crucial.

Although the Messianic movement is composed of many factions: some having originated in Judaism, some from Protestant Christianity, and others clearly from other places, the emphasis concerning the Hebrew roots of our faith in Messiah [Christ] is very important concerning the times in which we live. Ten years ago, if you uttered the word "Yeshua," someone might believe you were part of a cult. However, today many Christians know that this 1 was probably the original Hebrew name of the Messiah. In fact, many popular pre-tribulational 2 fiction books such as Paul Meir's Third Millennium trilogy and Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins' Left Behind series use the name "Yeshua" in reference to Jesus Christ. Why has this come about? Because many now realize the fact that understanding the Hebrew roots of Christianity is important.

Why is it important to understand the distinctive Hebraic roots of our New Covenant relationship? Because Christ [Messiah] is returning to Jerusalem. The gates of the New Jerusalem are named after the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12). The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:11-12 that if you have come to faith in Messiah, than you have become part of the "commonwealth of Israel":

Ephesians 2:11 (YLT) Wherefore, remember, that ye were once the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, 12 that ye were at that time apart from Christ, having been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God, in the world;

Knowing about "things Messianic" and distinctively Hebrew is the first step towards new enrichment of our faith from Genesis to Revelation. By understanding the Hebrew origins of Christianity, many of the obscure parts of the New Testament will begin to make sense.


THE "CHURCH" (EKKLESIA)

Many believe that the "church" started at Pentecost [Shavout] following Christ's ascension into heaven. The Biblical truth is that the called out body of believers existed prior to this time.

The word "church" never appears in the Greek texts of Scripture. The word commonly translated as such comes from ekklesia - ejkklhsiva (STRONG'S #1577) -  which directly means "the whole body of Christians [believers in Messiah] scattered throughout the earth" 3 or "an assembly of Christians gathered for worship." 4 Note that it can also mean "an assembly of Israelites." 5 It was important to know that the ekklesia has always existed. The Holy Spirit being poured out at Pentecost was but a fulfillment of prophecy, both recorded in the Old and New Testaments:

John 14:26 (KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Acts 2:16 (NAS) but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: 17 `AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, `THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; 18 EVEN UPON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy. 19 `AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE, AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BENEATH, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. 20 `THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME. 21 `AND IT SHALL BE, THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.'

This events at Pentecost were foretold in   Joel 2:28-31:

Yo'el [Joel] 3:1 (CJB) "After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions; 2 and also on male and female slaves in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 3 I will show wonders in the sky and on the earth - blood, fire and columns of smoke. 4 The sun will be turned into
darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and terrible day of ADONAI [the Lord]."6

So did the ekklesia or "called out ones" begin at Pentecost? All the Scripture records is that the prophesies in Joel were fulfilled and will be completed in the prophesied Last Days. Consider this commentary from Eddie Chumney, author of Restoring the Two Houses of Israel, who holds to a slightly different view as to the origins of the ekklesia:

THE CHURCH WAS BORN AT MOUNT SINAI

"I was taught within Christianity.that the "church" was born in Acts 2 with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) upon those who were gathered in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) for the Biblical feast of Pentecost (Shavout).however; as I began to study the Hebraic/Jewish roots of Christianity, I discovered that the birth of the "church" actually happened 2,000 years earlier at mount Sinai.

In Stephen's sermon in Acts 7, he makes mention of Moses (Moshe) and the event that happened at mount Sinai in Acts 7:37-38 as it is written:

"This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the LORD your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the
CHURCH in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles [the Torah] to give unto us." 7

Now that we have established that the "church," or more accurately the ekklesia has existed since the Mt. Sinai encounter with God, we can more fully understand that the First Century body of believers or church was indeed very Hebraic. The so-called "Church Age" did not begin in circa 30 C.E.

Chumney also makes a point in describing the Hebrew equivalent word for ekklesia, lhq or kahal (STRONG'S #6951):


THE HEBREW WORD FOR CHURCH IS KAHAL

The Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament will define the Greek word, "ekklesia" to mean "an assembly" and will explain that the corresponding equivalent word in the Septuagint as being the Hebrew word, "kahal." The Hebrew word "kahal" is the Strong's word 6951.and is defined to mean, "an assembly, congregation, company multitude." 8

It is important to note that the word kahal, just like ekklesia, can be in direct reference to Israel.

In reference to the Hebrew roots of our faith, it is important to note that the Apostles and the early believers in Messiah were not foreign to the Tanakh [Old Testament]. Numerous references to "the scriptures" (in the New Testament) are referring to Genesis - Malachi. The gospels, epistles, and many of the other New Testament writings had yet to be written or canonized when "the scriptures" are being referred to.

Acts 17:2 (KJV) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, (emphasis ours)

As we have mentioned earlier, Paul was a rabbinical scholar fluent in the Tanakh and when witnessing to fellow Jews in the synagogue he would have tried to show them how Jesus or Yeshua fulfilled the prophesies of the Messiah from the messianic Scripture [Tanakh] passages.

It is also important to note that prior to 70 C.E., the year the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, "Christianity" was a legal religion in the Roman Empire as Rome considered it to be a sect of Judaism (which was exempt from worshipping Caesar). Following 70 C.E., Judaism was banned as was preaching "the Christ" [Anointed/Chosen One or Messiah/Mashiach]. Spiros Zodhiates, editor of the Hebrew-Greek Key Bible series, explains:

".Jewish Christians (Messianic believers) were considered to be a sect (Acts 24:5) of Judaism. But, after A.D. 70, all Christians were on their own; they were recognized as separate from Judaism." 9

Christianity originated from First Century Judaism. The Christian faith at its very core is Hebraic. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, is Hebrew and is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is coming to reign from Jerusalem, not any other city on Planet Earth. So why should we study the roots of our faith?

You cannot have a house without a foundation. The foundations of the ekklesia pre-Pentecost are Hebrew. It is crucial to understand the world view that Yeshua [Jesus], the Apostles, and the early believers in the Messiah had so we can more fully understand Scripture as it was originally written: God-inspired from an Hebraic world view. 10

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

What does all this kahal/ekklesia business have to do with the First Century believers?

In the very early days of the Messianic/Christian ekklesia following Pentecost, the vast majority of the believers were Jewish, or claimed ancestry from the Southern Kingdom of Israel [Judah] (which had returned to the land promised Abraham [Eretz Yisrael or the Land of Israel] in approximately 500 B.C.E.) However, we know that later God-fearing non-Jews came to faith in Messiah and that it radically changed things. The debate among the Jewish believers was: did they have to convert to Judaism, be circumcised, and then receive Messiah (Acts 15:4)? Or could they receive Him directly? Acts 15 records the decisions made by the Jerusalem Council as the ethnos - e[qno� (STRONG'S #1485)11 - were coming to faith in Messiah:

Acts 15:6 (NIV) The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 How then, why do you try to test God by putting on their necks a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." (emphasis ours)

Before the council's ruling, Peter rehashes what has occurred. In Acts 10:9-16, the apostle is shown the vision of the sheet with animals on it considered unclean by Mosaic standards. Peter is told three times to "kill, and eat" (Acts 10:13) and he responds "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean (Acts 10:14)." This passage is erroneously interpreted as meaning that God annulled the dietary requirements of the Torah [Pentateuch]. Although this article is not intended to reevaluate Peter's vision, note that Peter himself did give us the appropriate interpretation of his vision (and it has nothing to do with food):

Acts 10:28 (KJV) And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. (emphasis ours)

In Acts 15:6-11, Peter tells us that the ethnos [nations] have been made clean by the blood of Messiah, can receive the same Holy Spirit, and must come to faith the same way as Jewish believers. He also emphasizes that  "a yoke.which.our fathers nor we were able to bear" should not be put upon them, implying that legalistic or mandatory observance of Mosaic commands was not necessary for salvation. This is what the Jerusalem council ruled:

Acts 15:19 (CJB) "Therefore, my opinion is that we should not put obstacles in the way of the Goyim [ethnos/nations] who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from the earliest times Moshe [Moses] has had in every city those who proclaim him, with his words being read in the synagogues every Shabbat [Sabbath]."

Four requirements were given to the new non-Jewish believers in order for them to congregate with Jewish believers in Messiah:

1. Abstinence from pollutions of idols
2. Abstinence from fornication
3. Abstinence from things strangled
4. Abstinence from blood
                                                           
Briefly summarized, believers from the ethnos were to avoid idols, fornication [sexual immorality], meats that were not killed in a clean method (non-strangled - see Deut 14:2-20), and from blood (see Deut. 12:23-25).12

Why were [those from] the ethnos coming to faith told to observe these four things? The answer might startle you:

Acts 15:21 (YLT) for Moses from former generations in every city hath those preaching him -- in the synagogues every sabbath being read."

The inference is that born-again non-Jews were to observe these things so that they could enter the synagogues to be taught torah - the instruction of God as delivered through [the five books of] Moses or Pentateuch [the Torah].

In Ephesians 2:11-16, the Apostle Paul writes that non-Jews who come to faith have been made part of Israel:

Ephesians 2:11 (NAS) Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands  -- 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. (emphasis ours)

He tells us that those who were "separate from Christ" were "excluded from the commonwealth of Israel" but that through the sacrifice of Messiah, He will "make the two one new man." Please note that the abolishment of the "Law of commandments contained in ordinances" is not the instruction [Torah] of God. Ephesians 2:15 tells us that "God through the cross.put to death the enmity," or sin [transgression of the law (1 John 3:4)] which has been atoned for through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ [Yeshua HaMashiach] which separated YHVH13 from humanity. The ordinances spoken of are the Mosaic animal sacrifices, which are no longer necessary for the atonement of sin.

True believers in Yeshua [Jesus], whatever their physical ancestry, are part of the Commonwealth of Israel (whether they like it or not).

In our article "The Dangers of Pre-Tribulationism" we comment that believers from the ethnos were not to boast against Israel. Even if these new believers had ancient dispersed ["lost tribes"] Israelite ancestry, the inference was not to have a "superiority complex" against Jewish bretheren in Messiah (as such genealogies would have been lost due to the Northern Kingdom's rebellion against God):

Romans 3:22 (KJV) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (emphasis ours)

Romans 10:12 (KJV) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (emphasis ours)

1 Timothy 1:1 (NAS - modified) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope; 2 to Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. 5 But the goal of our instruction is ajgavph [agape/love14] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (emphasis ours)

The root of our faith is Israel. Believers who were either estranged [lost] from Israel or originally not part of Israel have nothing to boast (Rom. 11:17-22) about in regard to their pagan ancestries or the rebellion which allowed them to be estranged:

Ephesians 2:11 (CJB) Therefore, remember your former state: you Gentiles by birth - called the Uncircumcised by those who, merely because of an operation on their flesh, are called the Circumcised - 12 at that time had no Messiah. You were estranged from the national life of Isra'el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God's promise. You were in this world without hope and without God. (emphasis ours)

The Jerusalem Council ruled that there is no difference between believers of different ethnic backgrounds as all are part of Israel. Our true identity must first be in the Messiah, King of the root [Israel]!

ROMAN CATHOLICISM TAKES ITS TOLL

What we have described concerning the Jerusalem Council is somewhat different than what is standardly taught in the mainstream church. True born-again believers are part of Israel. It is important to note that there is no reference in Scripture that the First Century believers dispensed with the [Old Testament] commands of the Scripture, the holidays specified in the Torah (i.e., Passover), dietary requirements, etc., but rather these were not made legalistic salvation requirements.

But if the First Century ekklesia was very Hebrew, how did we get to where we are today? Presumably, mainstream Christian practices such as the holidays Christmas and Easter as we now know them today were not celebrated by these believers15.

History records that the First Council of Nicea in 325 C.E., although establishing the critical beliefs for the Christian Church, severed the organized church from its Hebrew roots. Later in the Third Century C.E.,  "Christianity" was made the official religion of the Roman Empire by Constantine and pagan traditions merged with Biblical faith. The ultimate result of both Nicea and this proclamation was the establishment of what we now know as the Catholic or "universal" Church. Later the Church was split between the bishop of Rome and the bishop of Constantinople creating the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern/Greek Orthodox Church.

Following the fall of Rome in 476 C.E. to the Visigoths, the Middle Ages began. During this period, Europe experienced the darkest time in human history which the Roman Catholic Church dominated. One risked death by simply possessing a written copy of the Holy Scriptures and disease and plague were rampant. Europeans were also some of the most uneducated people in the known world (especially when compared to Jews and Muslims) as the Roman Catholics held most historical and Biblical documents solely in their possession for their own benefit [extortion]. Most dangerous was that the Catholic Church taught that eternal life or salvation only came through participation in the Church's sacraments.

THE REFORMATION

We truly believe that the Reformation, started by German monk Martin Luther in the early 1500's, was an Act of God. Luther could not reconcile the New Testament concept of "the just shall live by faith" with Roman Catholic teaching. History records his Ninety-Five Theses or protests against the Catholic Church began the phenomenon we now call the Protestant Reformation.

The two primary goals of the reformers were (1) to purge the church [ekklesia] of non-Biblical Roman Catholic practices and (2) to present the general populous a copy of Scriptures in their native languages. (During this time famous English translations such as the 1560 Geneva Bible and 1611 King James Bible were produced.) The Biblical realization that salvation came by grace through faith and not by works of the church was also reestablished.

When we review the current Messianic movement today, one must realize that the Reformation accomplished much, although there are still areas of Christian theology that need to be reformed. The Reformation showed us that the practices of Roman Catholic ritual confession, praying to the saints, Mary worship, incense, a belief in purgatory, etc., were non-Biblical. Some believe the Protestant Reformation was a [complete] failure because Protestants still observe some Roman Catholic practices; but as we view it: the ekklesia needs further reformation.

WHAT HAS THE MESSIANIC MOVEMENT (Overall) TODAY ACHIEVED?

The Messianic movement today was started by believing Jews (primarily in the Protestant Church) as an evangelistic [Christian] outreach to fellow Jews. Many of today's Messianic congregations have a mixed group of constituents, including Jews which [claim to] have received Yeshua as the Messiah, and others from Christian backgrounds wanting to enrich their faith. It should be noted that many Protestant churches today also participate in Passover sedars as it was the Passover meal that Jesus celebrated as the Last Supper, prior to His crucifixion. Overall, the Messianic movement has been responsible for awakening many Christians to the truly Hebraic origins of our faith.

There are, however, distinctive differences between your average Messianic congregation and your standard Protestant church setting. Just as there are many types of Christian churches, there are a wide variety of Messianic congregations.

One of the most obvious differences between a Messianic congregation and your average church is that Messianics typically assemble or hold services on a Friday night or Saturday in observance of the Biblical [seventh-day] Sabbath or Shabbat16. Depending on what region of the world you are in, a congregation can be very much like an Orthodox Jewish synagogue or like a standard church setting. One observer noted that many Messianic congregations are like "Baptist churches with tallits (men's prayer shawls)." Use of traditional Hebrew blessings/liturgy is also not uncommon in Messianic settings.

Some are more charismatic than others and some are highly reserved. Again, depending on where you attend can affect the degree of "Jewishness" or "synagogueness" (some of which we cannot endorse). Do we not find diversity amongst Protestant Christian denominations as well?

We, of course, do have concerns about the Messianic movement overall which we plan on detailing in the future. However, the Messianic movement has been responsible for awakening many believers to the Hebrew roots of Christianity. But, like any sect of our faith, it has its pros and cons. Most important, the Messianic movement has established itself as a legitimate branch of the Christian faith.


JEWISH OR HEBREW ROOTS?

As we are sure you have noticed, we have refrained from using the term "Jewish roots" and have instead used "Hebrew roots" which we believe is more accurate. "Why?," you may ask. Consider this quote from Eddie Chumney's Restoring the Two Houses of Israel:

".all Jews (those from the Southern Kingdom) are Israelites (a subset of all twelve tribes). However, not all Israelites (those from the Northern Kingdom) are Jews (those form the Southern Kingdom)."16

Israel is the root of our faith. The King of Israel is the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach [Jesus Christ]. Those descended from Judah [the Jewish people] and who are born again are part of Israel. Equally so, we know from Scripture that the Northern Kingdom of Israel, namely the ten "lost tribes" (also known as Ephraim), have been assimilated throughout the world [nations/goyim/ethnos]. Abraham was promised that "in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Gen. 28:14)" or that the world would be blessed by Abraham's descendants [Israel from whence the prophesied Messiah would originate]. So do you see our situation? Israel is much broader than Judah.
 
Using the term "Jewish roots" is not entirely accurate as Israel (the beloved of God) is the kahal/ekklesia whose King is the Lord Yeshua and whose members are born again (saved or spiritually regenerated), whether they are from Judah [the Jewish people], the Northern Kingdom [Ephraim] that was assimilated into the nations [goyim/ethnos], or the "families of the earth" that would be blessed by the seed of Abraham [Yeshua the Messiah].

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