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From: Rabbi Moshe Joseph Koniuchowsky
To: heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: TORAH IS NOT THE SAME AS LAW (Part 2 of 2)
THE
TORAH IS NOT LAW
by
Mark
R. Ensign, JD, CPA
Teaching
Elder of Adot Adonai
Attorney
and Counselor at Law
(Part
2 of 2)
That imaginary scenario precisely illustrates the situation
in which we find ourselves today. As Messianic believers
who want to be faithful and true to the First Covenant
Scriptures as originally revealed and as written in the
original Hebrew language, we are in a battle for the minds
of believers.
In this battle we must not use terminology
that is erroneous and incorrectly portrays the very nature
and character of Abba our loving heavenly Father and which
also perverts the truth of what he would have us do in
obedience to him.
We must not use the erroneous term "law" but should use
Torah or instructions whenever possible. That is why I
carefully and consistently avoid the use of the erroneous
term "law" in my teachings and writings. Torah is not the
"law!" So please don't call Torah what it is not! Try to
faithfully talk about the instructions of Abba. He lovingly
asks and reasonably expects his children to be obedient to
the things that he asks them to do which he called Torah --
instructions.
Y'shua and Rav Sha'ul on Torah
It is difficult for the average Christian to project
themselves back some two thousand years in history into a
cultural condition and mentality totally foreign to that of
the Western world today. That is exactly, however, what we
must do to gain proper perspective on the Torah.
The context is Jewish. The language is Hebrew. Y'shua and
Rav Sha'ul were both Jewish, spoke Hebrew, and their
perspective on Torah is deeply rooted in the Hebrew thought
of their day which recognized two Torahs, the written and
the oral. The Hebrew mind was realistic but simple.
Their's was a G-d not thought out. They took him for what
he said he was and neither tried to explain nor understand.
That much was a mystery posed no problems. Questions could
remain unanswered, things unknown. They only needed to know
one thing: G-d is and he is one; great, wonderful, powerful,
all-encompassing producing wonder and awe.
The Greek mind had to reason everything out. The Greek mind
was idealistic. They saw the world as it was, then tried to
fashion it into what they thought it ought to be. Western
thought today is derived from the Greek mind and the Hebrew
mind has effectively been eliminated from our thought
processes. To understand Torah we must return to the Hebrew
mind and Hebrew thought.
Speaking to the household of Israel, Y'shua said, "Don't
think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to complete. Yes indeed! I
tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much
as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah." (Mattityahu
5:17-18 JNT) The word Torah was not understood in a
negative sense by Y'shua. In his view, the Torah revealed
G-d's will. It was good and holy. It was eternal and would
not change so long as heaven and earth existed. The Hebrew
Bible taught Abba's love for all people, and provided a
guide for daily life. Hence, the major issue Y'shua and his
talmidim (students/disciples) faced was the proper
understanding of Torah, which would lead to the right
conduct in everyday living.
How does one abolish the Torah? By misinterpreting it. How
does one complete the Torah? By correctly interpreting it
and being obedient to its instructions. From the Hebrew,
the passage could be translated, "Think not that I am come
to misinterpret, or to misapply, the Torah. Rather, I have
come to correctly interpret and, thereby, cause the Torah to
stand upright on a firm foundation."
Abba's divine revelation can be interpreted in different
ways. Proper interpretation breathes life and power into
words divinely spoken. If properly understood and obeyed,
divine revelation, Torah, provides a guide for daily living.
Thus the Torah is fulfilled. Wrong interpretation cancels
the words communicated by Abba. Torah aids one's
understanding of his nature and his love for his people.
Torah is a magnificent demonstration of Abba's grace.
Rav Sha'ul is well qualified to speak about the Torah. In
Acts 22:3 JNT he spoke in Hebrew to the mob at the Temple
Mount that was rioting and demanding his arrest. "I am a
Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city
and trained at the feet of Gamli el in every detail of the
Torah of our forefathers. I was a zealot for G-d, as all of
you are today." The purpose of his letter to the Romans was
to foster "the obedience that comes from trusting" in
Y'shua. So he taught that such trusting does not abolish
Torah but confirms it (Romans 3:31 JNT) "Does it follow
that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On
the contrary, we confirm Torah."
In chapters seven and eight of Romans, Rav Sha'ul makes
several significant declarations in support of Torah. "The
Torah is holy and the commandment is holy and just and
good." (7:12) "For we know that the Torah is of the
Spirit." (7:10) "I am agreeing that the Torah is
good."(7:16) "For in my inner self I completely agree with
G-d's Torah." (7:22) "The Torah of the Spirit, which
produces this life in union with Messiah Y'shua, has set me
free from the Torah of sin and death."(8:2) "The just
requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not
run our lives according to what our old nature wants but
according to what the Spirit wants." (8:4) "For the mind
controlled by the old nature is hostile to G-d, because it
does not submit itself to G-d's Torah -- indeed, it cannot.
Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please
G-d."(8:7-8 JNT)
These statements prove that Rav Sha'ul neither had an un-Jewish view of the Torah nor desired to abrogate it. These
verses witness to Rav Sha'ul's lifelong high regard for the
Torah, which corresponds to his lifelong observance of it.
This attitude would have been with him from his youth, since
his parents were Pharisees (Acts 23:6); it would have been
strengthened by his studies with Rabban Gamli'el (Acts
22:3); and there is no reason to suppose that his coming to
faith in Y'shua -- who did not "come to abolish the Torah" -- would have changed it.
Y'shua came to accurately interpret the Torah so that G-d
who gave us his Torah will be revered and obeyed through our
proper action called obedience. Y'shua came to fulfill the
Torah, showing its higher meaning by his interpretation. He
demonstrated how Torah is to be fulfilled by the life he led
in total obedience to Abba. Rav Sha'ul desired to place the
Torah on a firmer footing by his teaching of faith and his
living of Torah. The followers of Y'shua, like Rav Sha'ul,
must seek, discover and unveil their new nature in a higher
level of righteousness and obedience. In doing so, they
must be led by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) who will
reveal the source of their life and his divine power in
Y'shua's message of the restoration of the Kingdom of G-d.
The bottom line for Y'shua and Rav Sha'ul was this. Abba
lovingly gave Torah. He is to be revered. Each human being
stands in awe and wonder before Abba. Hence, the task of
learning Torah is a sacred undertaking. Study leads to
reverence. Reverence leads to obedience. Obedience
demonstrates love of Abba who first loved us.
The Education Model and its Terminology
All of us have been children so all of us had parents or
guardians who lovingly gave us instructions to guide our
development and growth. They expected us, motivated by our
love for them, to be obedient and carry out their
instructions. The instructions were on various levels of
importance and had varying degrees of consequences for
failing to obey. The system of parental instructions
probably recognized negligent failure to obey as different
from willful failure to obey. On the one hand, negligent
failure might have been from an oversight, forgetting what
was asked because we were busy with something else. On the
other hand, willful failure likely resulted from a decision
not to obey, perhaps prompted by a rebellious spirit.
I believe the loving instructions of Abba are designed in a
similar way. The Torah describes various aspects of the
conduct Abba desires from his children. There are some
instructions that we may consider relatively insignificant
in comparison to others such as not eating unclean animals
in comparison to murder. And Abba distinguishes between
negligent failure to obey and willful failure. His
sacrificial system was designed to provide atonement for
negligent sin but not for willful sin. Only the blood of
Y'shua atoned for all sin.
Education is the purpose for which the Torah was given by
Abba. By Torah he educates his children about his will for
them for their own good, for the renewing of their mind into
his mind, the perfect thought and action of Abba our Father,
and the transformation of our nature into his nature.
Because Y'shua and Rav Sha'ul understood that Torah means
"direction, instruction, teaching" and the purpose of
education, should we not look to the language of education
to find words that would more appropriately fit the Hebrew
words designed to convey the various aspects that we might
discern in the Torah instructions of our Father? That is
why I propose this Education Model of Torah for your
consideration.
G-d chose specific Hebrew words to describe his Torah and
the various aspects that comprise the unity of his Torah:
mitzvot, mishpatim, chukim, d'rachim, edot, and shelot. As
the rabbis adopted the Greek system of law for their
understanding of Torah, they adopted legal terms to
translate these Hebrew words. Over time the original
meanings and intent were lost. Even modern Hebrew
dictionaries now contain only these adopted legal terms
rather than the original meanings.
Churchmen and their translators adopted the Jewish legal
terms -- not only in their translations but also in the
Hebrew-English Biblical dictionaries and lexicons they wrote
to support their translations. So one cannot consult any of
these for the original meanings. Only people who know the
Hebrew language so well that they can see the roots of words
and the derivative words can reveal the original meanings as
YHVH intended.
I have compiled a number of English words from the language
of education and their definitions adapted from the New
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary of 1993. With the
invaluable assistance of a Sabra, a native Israeli who was
also educated in England, Rimona Frank, and a Hebrew
scholar, my Timothy in the faith, Bob Sass, I have matched
these educational terms with the Hebrew words above taken
from the Hebrew scriptures.
INSTRUCTIONS -- TORAH (pl. TOROT) -- The actual, or acts
of, instructing; teaching, education; knowledge etc. taught;
instructive rules; precepts; directions; orders to a person.
Instructions are what our Heavenly Father has given to us so
this word constitutes an umbrella term encompassing all of
his Torah.
PRINCIPLES -- TOROT -- That which is taught, doctrines,
instructions, precepts; fundamental truths or propositions
forming the basis of a system of belief etc. General rules
adopted or professed as a guide to action; fundamental
motives or reasons for action.
PRECEPTS -- MITZVOT -- Orders to do particular acts;
commands; general instructions or rules for action; maxims;
injunctions, frequently divine commands regarding moral
conduct.
Included in the instructions of Torah are certain mitzvah
(pl. Mitzvot). This Hebrew word is usually translated as
command or commandment. Mitzvah is from the root tzaveh
that means to lay charge upon, or to give a charge to
someone. Thus a mitzvah is a direct order from our Father
to do a particular thing.
As examples of precepts we would consider the Ten Words
(Devarim) Abba gave in Sh'mot (Exodus) 20 as precepts. But
we need to recognize that most of the instructions of Abba
do not constitute precepts or commands but rather some other
form of instruction.
DELIVERANCES, UTTERANCES -- MISHPATIM -- The deliverance of
words, utterances, enunciations; declarations; narrations.
The instructions of Abba were words delivered to his people,
uttered by him directly at Har Sinai, or enunciated and
declared by Moshe as he heard them from Abba. Just because
they were uttered and declared did not make them judgments,
regulations or rules, as the word mishpatim has been
generally translated. There were no legal connotations to
mishpatim unless the reader added them from his own bias in
translation.
IMPRINTS, IMAGES -- CHUKIM -- Marks produced by pressure;
lasting impressions or signs of some emotion, experience,
action; influences; affects; representation of the form of a
person or thing. A person or thing in which the appearance
of another is reproduced.
We are created in the image and likeness of G-d. He desires
for his characteristics to be imprinted upon us. His Torah
makes that impression when we willingly submit and obey to
his loving instructions.
DIRECTIONS, WAYS -- D'RACHIM -- The actions or functions of
directing; guidance; management; instructions on what to do,
how to proceed, or where to go.
Some of the instructions that our Father has given to us
fall into the category of directions. For example, many of
the instructions regarding the building and operation of the
Mishkan and the functions of the priests fall into this
category of directions. G-d instructed Moshe who then
directed the skilled craftsmen who built the Mishkan.
POINTERS -- EDOT -- Hints, clues; pieces of information;
testimonies - all of these relating to how things can be
done. This Hebrew word is usually translated as
testimonies.
Sometimes Abba wants us to walk in his ways but allows us to
use the mind and abilities he has graciously and generously
given us. So he provides us with pointers that will not
rise to the level of direction or precepts but which will
point us along our path or will help us to better do what he
requests. As we walk, grow and mature, our own experiences
and testimonies will aid us, and others, building us up in
faith and in our walk with Abba in obedience.
REQUESTS -- SHELOT -- Actions asking or calling for
something; petitions, especially written ones; expressed
wishes or desires.
Within the Torah instructions are requests, things that our
Father has asked us to do, expressions of his desire for our
obedience.
For example, Micah 6:8 is a classic example of the request
of our Father and the anti-Torah bias of the
churchmen/translators that turns it into a command. "What
does the L-rd require of you but to do justice, to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your G-d?" The Hebrew word
is "darash" and means "seek with care." In the King James
version it is variously translated as seek, enquire
(inquire, ask) or request. Darash occurs 164 times and in
the King James version it is translated "seek" or "enquire"
in 127 times. Only 12 times is it translated "require" and
this is one of those cases.
The bias toward the Law Model of the translators is amply
evidenced in this verse. If we substitute "seek with care"
"request" or "ask" here, we get a far better sense of the
meaning intended in Hebrew. Substituting these words
eliminates this anti-Torah bias and the bias in favor of the
Law Model. The corrected language fits our loving Abba and
his desire to teach us his ways.
SUGGESTIONS -- Actions proposing a theory, course of action,
etc. plan, proposal.
Suggestion is probably not a word that is very appropriate
in the context of the Torah. It does not appear in the most
accepted modern translations nor in the King James version
of the Torah. Unfortunately, some churchmen imply that the
Ten Words of Abba in Sh'mot (Exodus) 20 are really just nine
instructions and a suggestion. The suggestion is to observe
the Shabbat.
Our Response to Abba's Torah
The problem with Torah is not that it is not good, or
spiritual, or holy. The problem is that we have problems
with keeping Torah. The Torah is not weak; the Torah is not
imperfect. We are weak; we are imperfect. But, thanks be
to G-d, we are declared to be righteous in a right
relationship with G-d, based not upon what we are but upon
whom he is.
Although the Torah is spiritual and holy, righteousness does
not come by the Torah. Righteousness comes through
faithfulness. Faithfulness justifies righteousness.
Righteousness justifies reward. The reward is not salvation
which comes by faith in G-d and the sacrifice of Y'shua and
the grace, the unmerited favor, of Abba. The reward is the
blessings promised in Torah for trusting, faithful obedience
to the instructions of Abba.
If we will step back from our indoctrination that Torah is
the law of the stern lawgiver and judge and honestly
reexamine our thinking about the G-d revealed in the Hebrew
Scriptures, I believe we will find YHVH to be our loving
Abba, the Creator of us all, who wants to redeem us because
of his loving kindness that endures forever. That is
precisely the picture painted by churchmen regarding the G-d
of the New Testament, a G-d of love and mercy and grace.
Recognizing that he has not changed, we can understand he
was the same throughout time, from creation through the
death of Y'shua, and he is the same today.
Abba always desired Bnei Yisrael to walk humbly and
obediently before him in all of his instructions out of
their love for the one who first loved them. Abba called
them to be his chosen people and a model nation for all the
world. Abba gave them his Torah so that his loving
instructions would become an integral part of their new
nature.
Likewise our unchanging Abba sent Y'shua to call his people
back to him and to trusting, faithful obedience to his
Torah. He also wants us to recognize that his Torah, his
loving instructions, are an integral part of our new nature.
Abba declared through the prophet Yirmeyahu, "I will put my
Torah within them, and I will write it upon their hearts;
and I will be their G-d, and they shall be my people."
(Yirmeyahu (Jer.) 31:33) That is the call Abba is issuing
today to all who would believe and call upon his name. And
that is the very essence of the New Covenant, the Brit
Chadashah.
Knowing now that the instructions of our Father are not
"laws" but our new nature removes a great burden from us.
We are liberated, free. "If the Son frees you, you will
really be free!" (Yochanan (John) 8:36 JNT) "If a person
looks closely into the perfect Torah, which gives freedom,
and continues, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of
the work it requires, then he will be blessed in what he
does." (Ya'akov (James) 1:25 JNT)
There is no need for legalistic observance. No longer will
anyone who is a child of Abba be frustrated that they are
unable to fulfill all of the "laws." No longer will there
be a sense of required performance that might be measured by
others. No longer will there be a need for any of us to
look over the shoulder of another or to judge their
performance. No longer will the gloom of failure to
completely observe and perform the "laws" hang over the
lives of the people of G-d who walk faithfully, trustingly
obediently to his instructions, recognizing that Torah is
now their new nature.
To the unregenerate man who does not recognize or honor Abba
as his father, the Torah will always be the law. This
disobedient son will perceive as law what are truly the
loving instructions of his father. The obedient son will
recognize them for what they are; the expression by his
loving Abba of his principles, precepts, directions,
corrections and guidance, intended to imprint upon his
offspring his divine nature and character as they grow and
mature.
Relieved of the burden of the churchmen's "law," liberated
in the loving instructions of Abba, we can live joyful,
abundant and fulfilled lives if we will seek the guidance
and assistance of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) who will
lead us into all truth. We will tap into the source of
living water, Y'shua, who is already waiting for us to drink
of his life-giving water. In the process of seeking the
truth, if we allow our spirits to be led into the truth by
the Ruach HaKodesh, we will become aware of the
deficiencies, the shortcomings and the power of the yetzer
hara (evil inclination) in our lives.
With the guidance and encouragement of the Ruach HaKodesh,
we will become even more trusting and faithful in our
obedience. The legalism of the past will be replaced by the
wonderful, boundless education of the Ruach HaKodesh, the
Spirit of the Holy One, Blessed is he! Our mourning will be
turned into dancing and rejoicing in the joy our Father
brings us as well as in the blessings that he will pour out
upon those who are faithful unto him as he asks.
In Christianity, faith in G-d is elevated to a belief system
that is above tangible action. The word for "faith" in
Hebrew does not exclude tangible action, and it is not to be
understood as intangible belief alone. Faith without
corresponding action is dead; it has no life and is not
pleasing to G-d. Faith is better understood as faithfulness
to G-d and his word, doing that which is right in his sight.
It is faithfulness to G-d evidenced by obedience. (See
James 2:14-26) To preach faith and not practice it within
the framework of Torah, which is Abba's will, is hypocrisy.
The concept is best summed up in the words of Y'shua when he
said; "By their fruits you will know them . . . every good
tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil
fruits . . . Not everyone who says to me, "L-rd, L-rd" will
be those over whom G-d (or Heaven) rules, but the ones who
DO the will of my father in heaven." (Mattityahu 7:16-21)
Good fruits" are good works. The Scriptures emphasized
works above creeds or dogma. G-d considers actions to be of
more importance than beliefs. In Christianity beliefs
became the central demand. Deeds became less important than
creeds. Though belief became the priority and essence of
Christianity, this idea was not practiced by Y'shua or his
disciples. Y'shua's emphasis always lay in doing the will
of the Father.
Through the centuries churchmen proclaimed that Y'shua
replaced the Torah with two commandments: to love G-d and
love your neighbor. But Yochanan (John) reported that
Y'shua called for obedience to Torah to demonstrate our love
for him. "If you love me, you will keep my commands."
(14:15) "If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love just as I have kept my Abba's commands and stay in his
love." (15:10) "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is
the one who loves me, and the one who loves me will be loved
by my Abba, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."
(14:21) "You are my friends, if you do what I command you."
(15:14 JNT)
Yochanan later wrote to believers, "3 The way we can be sure
we know him [Y'shua] is if we are obeying his commands. 4
Anyone who says, "I know him," but doesn't obey his commands
is a liar the truth is not in him. 5 But if someone does
what he says, then truly love for God has been brought to
its goal in him. This is how we are sure that we are united
with him. 6 A person who claims to be continuing in union
with him ought to conduct his life the way he did." (I
Yochanan (John) 2:3-6 JNT) How did Y'shua conduct his life?
He lived and taught the Torah of Abba.
Recall what Y'shua said, "So whoever disobeys the least of
these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the
least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and
so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."
Will we demonstrate that we know Y'shua and love him by
obeying and teaching his Torah, just as he demonstrated his
love for his father by obeying and teaching Torah?
So will we believe and act or just believe?
Will we believe the instructions of Abba, written and
preserved for 3500 years in the Torah, are still his
instructions for those who believe in him today?
Will we believe the unchanging G-d has not changed his
intentions toward us?
Will we believe Abba has not changed his desire for us to
walk in trusting, faithful obedience to his instructions?
Will we believe and act as Abba has asked us to in his
Torah?
Will we believe and act based upon what we know now?
Will we believe and act to diligently learn more of Abba's
Torah led by the Ruach HaKodesh?
Will we believe and act motivated by our love for the one
who first loved us and gave himself for us?
Will I? Will you? Will we?
May Abba bless you as you prayerfully consider this study
and diligently study the Torah of Abba being led by the
Ruach HaKodesh into all truth. His word is truth.
I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of my wife, Joy
Ensign, my dear friends, Ephraim and Rimona Frank, Bob Sass,
and Stafford and Sharon Simmonds in the preparation and
review of this study. I also gratefully acknowledge the
education I received from Dr. Roy Blizzard as well as his
writings and those of Dr. Brad Young plus their books and
publications from which my ideas were enhanced and
confirmed. The works of David H. Stern, The Complete Jewish
Bible and The Jewish New Testament (abbreviated JNT herein)
and The Jewish New Testament Commentary, have been
invaluable resources and are recommended for all students of
Torah.
This study is a work in progress so your constructive
criticism, comments, suggestions, and encouragements are
welcome. You may address them to the author via e-mail at
mrensign@arn.net or by mail to P. O. Box 3220,
Amarillo,
Texas 79116-3220. Your communications will be received with
appreciation but may or may not be acknowledged in the
discretion of the author who does not intend to become
involved in protracted debates about this study.
This study may be reproduced but only if it is reproduced in
full without change or additions. This study may be
distributed by e-mail if transmitted in full without change
or additions.
(End
Part 2 of 2)
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