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6 archived articles in Apologetics.
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
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