From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 1997 01:26:59 +0000
Subject: Insight into John 10:22
From: "HaY'Did" <shalom@haydid.org>
Organization: HaY'Did Learning Center
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: John 10:22
Shalom! Rabbi Othniel wanted to share something with the rooters about
Hanukkah and especially the passage in John 10:22. This is also found on
HaY'Did's Learning Center homepage at http://www.haydid.org. We
appreciate the work that Eddie Chumney of Hebraic Heritage International
in Ohio for his dedication to the work of keeping the newsgroup going.
Many of you may not realize it, but Eddie's ministry is separate from
HaY'Did's, or Potter's Clay, or Rabbi Othniel's work. All of us are
separate ministries that are working together to teach and spread the
word of HIS message as a body in Messiah. That's an interesting
concept in today's church world. Jews and non-Jews working equally
side-by-side! We do not promote one man's teaching above another. All
of us have agreed to work as a body...volunteer beside teacher and
workers together in the harvest.
This is very unusual and we pray that you realize that Eddie is the one
who does all the newsgroup work and that we appreciate him for
it greatly. Rarely does he receive donations. He gives and gives to each
and every one of us through his newsgroup. He loves his work, but
sometimes we need to stop and tell him thank you for his obedience.
We count him as our friend and collegue in this work. Without his calling
many of you would be without any link to the teachings on his sight.
Without his encouragement HaY'Did would never have gotten on the
internet. And as a result many of the ministries that have homepages
now, would not have had homepages! His words of encouragement and
support are always there for all of us. Please take a moment and thank
him, and know that he is worthy of your thanks. We thank him, and count
him as friend.
Rabbi Othniel has written this little article for your notebooks, too.
Rabbi Othniel is the Director of Religion of HaY'Did and also Lead Rabbi
of the Observant Messianic Jewish Rabbinical Association. He works
side-by-side with us to direct the work that the association of
ministries is involved in. Again we appreciate Rabbi Othniel for his
work in the association. So enjoy this article and do let us hear from
you!
Cheryle Holeman
HaY'Did Learning Center
PO Box 804
Independence, KS 67301
http://www.haydid.org
Yochanan/John 10:22
"Then came Chanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, and Yeshua/Jesus
was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo's Colonade. So the
Judeans surrounded him and siad to him, 'How much longer are you going
to keep us in suspense? If you are Messiah, tell us publicly!' Yeshua
answered them, "I have already told you, and you don't trust me. The
works I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf; but the reason you
don't trust is that you are not included among my sheep. My sheep listen
to my voice, I recognize them, they follow me, and I give them eternal
life. They will absolutely never be destroyed, and no one will statch
them from my hands. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all;
and no one can snatch them from the Father's hand. I and the Father are
one."
Yochanan/John 10:22
Jewish New Testament
by David Stern
"Messianic Jews use Chanukkah as an occassion for rededication to God
and his Messiah. Chanukkah is celebrated using a special menorah with
nine lights. one uses a match to light the shammash ("servant"), and it
is then employed to light one candle the first night, two the second,
and so on until on the eighth night lights and the shammash are burning
brightly. for Messianic Jews the imagery is rich: Jesus/Yeshua, the
"light of the world", came as a servant (Mark 10:45) to give light to
everyone (1: 4-5) so that we might be lights to others (Matt. 5:14)."
Jewish New Testament Commentary page 187
by David Stern
So What Could This Mean?
An Interpretation of this Passage
by Rabbi Yehoshua Othniel
This legend about the disposition of the stones is not from the Mishnah
or the Talmud. You won't find a word about Chanukah in either source
because the sages deliberately chose to leave this information out.
Here is something that I wasn't aware of that I just discovered in my
research. I am typing it exactly as I read it...
The Institution of Hanukah *
The consecration of the Temple and dedication of the new altar were
celebrated for eight days. This was not yet called Hanukah but rather
"The Sukkot Feast of the Month of Kislev." The Jews, who had not been
able to observe Sukkot while the Temple was still in ememy hands, now
were permitted to gather within its walls for joyful assembly. As Sukkot
was observed for eight days, the feast of consecration was equally
observed for eight days. And there was an additional reason for
regarding the feast as a second Sukkot: both the First and the Second
Temples had been dedicated on the Feast of Booths (I Kings 8, 2:2-65;
Neh. 8:13-18).
The name the holiday was eventually to receive was one that linked it to
the consecration of the altar in the Tent of Meeting in the desert: zot
Hanukat ha-Mizbeah. This was the dedication of the altar. [Num. 7:60]
After the original celebration, an ordinance was issued and accepted by
the people:
Then Judah and his brothers and the whole congregation of Israel
established that the days of the consecration of the altar be celebrated
for eight days at this period, namely beginning with the tenty-fifth of
the month of Kislev, in joy and happy renewal. [IMacc. 4:36-61]
Letters to Diaspora, notably Egyptian, Jewry ordained the Feast of Fire
and kindling of lights worldwide (II Macc.).
* The Complete Book of Jewish Observance, by Leo Trepp. Chapter 12,
Hanukah: Festival of Consecration and Light, Page 142. Behrman House,
Inc./Summit Books ISBN 0-671-41797-5 Copyright 1980 by Leo Trepp.
As for the legend about the stones from the altar, I heard that these
stones were placed in a room underneath the temple mount and the room
sealed. The stones had once been holy and although defiled, they could
not just be discarded. So the priests placed them in storage and sealed
the room. When Messiah comes, He will tell us what to do with them. I
believe these stones are still under the Temple mount to this day.
Now read this passage again and see if by adding this Jewish historical
insight into the passage, what you believe was really being said to
Yeshua/Jesus:
"Then came Chanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, and Yeshua/Jesus
was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo's Colonade. So the
Judeans surrounded him and siad to him, 'How much longer are you going
to keep us in suspense? If you are Messiah, tell us publicly!' Yeshua
answered them, "I have already told you, and you don't trust me. The
works I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf; but the reason you
don't trust is that you are not included among my sheep. My sheep listen
to my voice, I recognize them, they follow me, and I give them eternal
life. They will absolutely never be destroyed, and no one will statch
them from my hands. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all;
and no one can snatch them from the Father's hand. I and the Father are
one."
Yochanan/John 10:22
Jewish New Testament
by David Stern
So, now do you better understand what was being said? Thank you and have
a great holiday!
IN HIM AS MESSIAH,
Rabbi Othniel
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From: James Lenaburg/Patrice Stanton
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Hanukkah is not a "substitute" for Christmas
To Eddie and all fellow Rooters:
Happy...well, Happy whatever, to everyone!
Coming "out" of Christmas was the most difficult "spritual" thing for
me...even greater than a lifetime of Sunday-keeping. Of course it's
for the reasons mentioned in a recent post here - because Christmas is
so appealing to the flesh: foods, gifts, loving-family memories (even
if the rest of the year was less than loving!).
This is the second year we've honored the events of Hanukkah, and even
our "keeping" of this season has been much outside the "typical"
traditions, Jewish or Messianic - the first year focusing exclusively
on the G-d-fearing-patriotic aspects, while this year bringing in the
wonderful aspect of Jesus as the "light of the world," and the
rededication of the Temple.
I've experienced two incredible "flashes of insight" (inspirations
from G-d) this week:
1) I learned that Messiah said He was the light of the world WHILE He
was in the world, and then taught His disciples that THEY are the
light of the world as well, and that therefore they were commanded NOT
to hid their light under a basket, but to raise it up - on a
candlestick (menorah) or on a hill (like the city, in scripture), so
we light our menorah in the front window (which I subsequently learned
is ALSO a tradition); and
2) while reading (for the umpteenth time!) how the Maccabees cleaned
the Temple of PAGAN images, PAGAN-UNCLEAN foods, and altar, then how
it was filled with holy, G-dly implements and foods for sacrifice,
hence it was re-dedicated to the one true G-d...it stuck me how
absolutely perfectly clear that this was the identical activity WE are
called to do, when we come to believe in G-d and His Messiah,
Jesus/Yeshua, as our bodies are NOW called the "temple of G-d."
Previously I had feared people would see our Hanukkah observance as a
"substitute" for Christmas on the one hand, or as "acting Jewish (or
at least trying to)," on the other hand. Through the
inspiration/teaching of G-d's Spirit I no longer have these fears. I
know it is another way to honor and acknowledge Him, and renew and
rededicate each of our lives to carrying forth the light of His Truth.
Sincerely,
Patrice Stanton
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