Topic
36 archived articles.
It seems that it is the destiny of all who pursue Torah-living to be labelled by some as “legalists.” If not often, at least occasionally we hear the warning (sometimes from very sincere and loving brothers and sisters in the Lord) that our view of the Torah is either legalistic or leads to it. While such warnings may at first seem bothersome, we should listen and take heed. A wrong
5 min read
“And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, and said, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved .” (Emphasis mine) The main question of the so-called Jerusalem Council was not “how should Gentiles behave?” The question was “what do Gentiles need to do in order to be saved?” Some of the believers from Judea said that if the Gentiles wanted
8 min read
I have heard that the Torah actually composes the “elemental things of the world,” referenced in Galatians 4:3, 9 and Colossians 2:8, 20. Is there any truth to this claim? The specific clause ta stoicheia tou kosmou ( τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου )—“the elemental things/spirits of the world”—appears in full in Galatians 4:3 and Colossians 2:8, followed by the shorter stoicheia in Galatians 4:9, and tōn stoicheiōn ( τῶν στοιχείων
7 min read
“So don’t let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh-Hodesh [new moon] or Shabbat [sabbath].” —Col. 2:16 Along with Luke’s account of Peter’s vision in Acts 10, this section of Paul’s letter to the Colossians is the other alleged proof that the Old Testament “ceremonial” laws are no longer a moral requirement for those who follow the
12 min read
Many Christians are familiar with Acts chapters 10-11 and Peter’s vision. This passage is often cited to indicate an abolition of the dietary laws of the Old Testament. What many people may not be familiar with, however, is the conversation that I imagine went on behind the scenes between Peter and God. It went something like this: G.— “Peter, I need you to go speak with a Roman army officer.
10 min read
Contents: Since the rise of rationalistic theology in the 19th Century, the approach to discussing the person of Yeshua has seen a marked change. While the Christian Church had for centuries begun her inquiry into Christology[1] “from above,” humanistic rationalism required that such inquiry begin “from below.” In other words, while the Church had always begun with the deity of Yeshua and proceeded from there to His humanity, the theology
38 min read
Initially, my interest in the “dividing wall” spoken of by Paul in Eph 2:14 centered on the place of the Torah in the life of the Messianic believer.[1] Since Eph 2:14-15 is an often used text by those who hold that Yeshua abolished the Mosaic Torah by His death, I felt it warranted a concerted study. Recently I have heard teaching among Messianic groups that brought this text to mind
35 min read
This article is based on a series of presentations that Rob gave at the August, 2012 TorahResource Institute Conference in Tacoma, WA. [I]n Acts 15:1 and 5 we are confronted by two distinct halakhot , each reflecting Jewish concern for the boundaries of the people of Israel.[1] Though the text of verse 1 was altered by later scribes who seemed to believe both statements originated from believing Pharisees, a closer
20 min read
Why is belief in the deity of Yeshua important and how should this impact our faith? It is important because had Yeshua not been divine, our salvation and atonement would remain in question. To use an illustration, let’s suppose I have just finished my 25 ft. by 25 ft. artistic masterpiece and have locked it away in my studio, and I tell my three-year-old son that he is not to
12 min read
This question was asked of me just a few days ago. It never ceases to amaze me, the conclusions people come to when reading passages for the express purpose of finding something, anything, that appears to denigrate Torah (God’s Law). One has to do some terrific mental gymnastics to draw that conclusion here, but I am asked this often enough to address it for those who do not know how
7 min read
Any discussion on the subject of Torah almost always mentions Sha’ul’s Letter to the Galatians . Many assert that this letter absolutely prohibits the practices of the first five books of the Bible by believers in Yeshua or that the Torah can have a meaningful place in the everyday life of the believer. Because of this thinking we thought it would be helpful to present a different approach to the
13 min read
“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” — Matthew 5:18 TorahResource.com | PDF Matthew 5:17-20 is a central text for our consideration in the study of “The Believer’s Relationship to the Law.” It is a text over which much debate has arisen, and is a kind of touchstone for one’s
48 min read
I am having difficulty understanding the writings of the Apostle Paul. In my spirit, I believe his letters to be inspired of the Holy One, but in reading them I sense that they might be opposed to Torah. Can you help me with this? There are a variety of important things that any reader of Paul’s letters needs to keep in mind, the foremost being that Paul’s letters were written
12 min read
This is the first part in a two-part series on food in the New Testament. The second part, which addresses Peter’s vision in Acts chapter 10, can be found HERE . The topic of whether Christians should follow God’s instructions regarding food is a sensitive topic for many people. To be clear, in discussing what God does or does not permit us to eat, this article is not talking about
20 min read
Updated: August 18, 2010 Note: All quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted. Question : Given the antiquity of some of the details of the issues at hand, can we be reasonably sure that the biblical Sabbath day corresponds to our modern seventh-day Saturday? Short Answer : Despite its age, if we are to take God’s
8 min read
What is the background of the Eucharist, commonly known as “The Lord’s Table?” This series offers an historical inquiry and suggests that the “Lord’s Table” was the product of the emerging Christian Church as she left her Hebrew roots. In part 2 of this series, Tim Hegg explains the Apostle’s use of the phrase “breaking bread.” Was it originally meant to connote the observance of the Eucharist (i.e. the Lord’s
5 min read
Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted . *Updated: September 7, 2008 Historically, the book of Galatians has misled Christian commentators due largely to the techniecal discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the Torah, to freedom in Christ. In this series, Ariel HaNaviy takes us through a contextual study of Galatians that
10 min read
If a person has a fair amount of exposure to Mainstream Christianity, and a familiarity with the Bible, he may notice that Mainstream Christianity often de-emphasizes the Old Testament and puts a disproportionate amount of emphasis on Paul’s epistles. I would hesitate to say that any part of the Scriptures can be overemphasized. However, if we give uncalled-for weight and emphasis to certain parts of the Bible, and neglect what
25 min read
An idiom is a figure of speech that is designed to express a literal concept through an abstract picture. “Kicking the bucket” is an idiom depicting death, yet at death one doesn’t literally kick a bucket. There are literally thousands of idioms in the English language, but nobody knows the actual number. Many idioms are regional, and some are even personal. When I was growing up, my friends and I
4 min read
What is the background of the Eucharist, commonly known as “The Lord’s Table?” This series offers an historical inquiry and suggests that the “Lord’s Table” was the product of the emerging Christian Church as she left her Hebrew roots. It will show how 1 Corinthians 11 refers to the Passover celebration rather than the later Eucharist of the Christian Church. The following is a list of topics that this series
40 min read
“Even the Apostles admitted the Torah was a burden no one could bear!” Such a statement characterizes a common sentiment about the Torah—one based upon an equally common interpretation of Acts 15 and the Jerusalem Council. But let us look again at Acts 15 and the decision of the Apostolic Council convened in Jerusalem. What was the issue at hand? What had brought about the need for the Council in
39 min read
Torah Observant “Shomer Mitzvot” A Series on Practical Messianic Living and Apologetics (halakhah) By Torah Teacher Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy (Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted) *Updated: March 7, 2008 Anyone with a casual knowledge of the Apostle Paul (also known as Saul) and his writings on the Law of Moses would have to
15 min read
An ancient controversy has surfaced once again in our times. It revolves around the text of Psalm 22:16 (verse 17 in the Hebrew). In the Hebrew Masoretic text, the verse reads: “For dogs have encircled me, an evil congregation surrounded me; like a lion my hands and my feet.” The Lxx translation, however, did not read the Hebrew word ‘כאר, ka’ari, “like a lion” but rather כארו, ka’aru, “they dug,”
6 min read
http://hebraicbydesign.blogspot.com The Unity of the Torah By Tim Hegg TorahResource.com • June, 2008 Download the PDF Here “Adonai, You Are Forever; So Your Word Stands Firm in Heaven” Psalm 119:89 Every verse of each section of Psalm 119 has some reference to the Torah. The rich array of vocabulary used as synonyms for “Torah” includes ‘ eidut , “decree,” piqud , “precept,” chuqah , “statute,” mitzvah , “commandment,” dereq
16 min read
Antinomianism By Daniel Botkin The New Testament Greek word for “law” is nomos (νόμος) . Nomos is the Greek word that was used by the translators of the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word Torah. Several times in the New Testament, the word nomos appears with an a- prefix attached to it, making a new word, anomos (ἄνομος). The a- prefix in Greek means “no,” “not,” or “without.” When the
4 min read
It is Often Said: “Two Thousand Years of Christianity Cannot be Wrong!” By Tim Hegg • TorahResource.com PDF of Article Have you been told, or thought yourself, “how could 2000 years of Christianity, which has taught that the Torah was abolished by Yeshua and His Apostles, be wrong?” It seems as though God has surely blessed the Christian Church by sustaining it over such a long period of time. If
17 min read
By Robert Roy Last updated 6/27/11 9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by
11 min read
Note: This article is a summary of a complete seminar available in either mp3 or standard audio format, accompanied with a the full seminar booklet on Tim Hegg’s website. You can click here to see the these two products in Torah Resource’s online, secure Store. These summary articles show the difference between the Greek Worldview and the Hebraic Worldview and how this effects the way we understand and apply the
17 min read
Note: This article is a summary of a complete seminar available in either mp3 or standard audio format, accompanied with a the full seminar booklet on Tim Hegg’s website. You can click here to see the these two products in Torah Resource’s online, secure Store. These summary articles show the difference between the Greek Worldview and the Hebraic Worldview and how this effects the way we understand and apply the
17 min read
In 1896, H.G. Wells wrote The Island of Dr. Moreau, a science-fiction story about a mad scientist who conducted experiments on animals on a remote island in the Pacific. Using his knowledge of genetics, medicine, and surgery, Dr. Moreau attempted to transform various species of animals into human beings. The success of the experiments was limited. Outwardly, Dr. Moreau’s “Beast People” resembled creatures that were no longer completely animal, yet
9 min read
Historically, the book of Galatians has been widely misunderstood, due largely to the technical discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the Torah, to freedom in Christ. A contextual study of Galatians will help to unravel the letter for both Christians and Jews. To be sure, without a proper background to the book we will forever misread Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles. For this particular study, allow me to
105 min read
(Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted) *Updated: September 7, 2008 Historically, the book of Galatians has misled Christian commentators due largely to the technical discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the Torah, to freedom in Christ. A contextual study of Galatians will help to unravel the letter for both Christians and
9 min read
Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted . *Updated: September 7, 2008 Historically, the book of Galatians has misled Christian commentators due largely to the technical discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the Torah, to freedom in Christ. A contextual study of Galatians will help to unravel the letter for both Christians
10 min read
Note: all quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, translation by David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., unless otherwise noted . *Updated: September 7, 2008 Historically, the book of Galatians has misled Christian commentators due largely to the techniecal discussions of biblical topics ranging from circumcision, to the Torah, to freedom in Christ. In this series, Ariel HaNaviy takes us through a contextual study of Galatians that
12 min read
Just Old Testament observances for ancient Isra’el? Hardly. The biblical Feasts of the LORD are the very command of a righteous Father to His very people in ALL generations. Here’s why. A young man once called us with a question: “Why do you teach that we must keep the Old Testament Feasts? Weren’t they done away, along with the rest of the laws like sacrifices and other rituals?” His question
9 min read
In 1990 a Christian friend, knowing that my view of Paul’s writings was different from that of most other Bible believers, referred me to an article in Christianity Today. The title of the article was “The Misunderstood Apostle,” and the subheading declared that “A revolution in New Testament studies has challenged traditional understandings of Paul’s critique of Judaism.” According to the writer of the article, this “revolution” began in 1977
9 min read