Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Acts 17:10-11
Ruminations
Evidence of Bias In Bible Translation
Theology is often more important than textual acuracy in many Bible translations. While we all have biases, it seems that many Bible translators don't even try to hide their bias against "Jewish things".
An example of blatant translator bias to be found in virtual every English translation can be easily discovered in Hebrews 9:1-7.
The translators’ have manipulated the verbs to show past tense, where it is not indicated in Greek.
No matter when the Epistle to the Hebrews was written, their bias is obvious: to imply that the “sacrifices” and the Temple were no longer valid, even after the resurrection of Messiah. But the text of Hebrews does not indicate that at all…
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which hadthe golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance. Hebrews 9:1-7 NKJV
Now read with verbs corrected.
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which hasthe golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which the golden pot that has the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it the cherubim of glory is overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always go into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. But into the second part the high priest alone once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance. Hebrews 9:1-7 NKJV, with verbs corrected
I wonder why the translators of virtually every English translation felt the need to alter the verb tenses... I wonder if they supposed that the corect verb tenses would contradict what they saw (incorrectly) to be the overall theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews - namely that "Christianity" had replaced "Judaism" as the religion of the Bible.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 is a reassuring verse in troubled times. When circumstances don’t seem to be going our way, a verse like that can remind us that God is in control. But unless you read the context of this verse, you may not completely understand how reassuring this really is meant to be.
Verse 11 is part of a letter that the prophet Jeremiah wrote after the beginning of Israel’s exile to Babylon. In Deuteronomy, God warned Israel that if they did not obey Him, and if they turned to idolatry, He would remove them from the Promised Land. That is the setting for the prophet Jeremiah’s letter. Israel had not merely suffered a humiliating defeat, as a nation and people they seemingly had been destroyed. Much of the population had been brutally starved, and the remainder carried in chains far to the east. In those horrible circumstances, God instructs Jeremiah to write this letter of encouragement to Israel.
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Jeremiah 29:4-7
God is blessing them in their exile!
But wait, there is more to the letter. God is promising to bless them beyond their exile as well. Far more.
For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:10-14
God does not merely create for us a calm in the midst of the storms of our life – God is ordering those very storms - where He gives us calming confidence in Him… if we will trust Him.
Take courage. The present circumstances are not your story… read more
We Are Messianic Disciples
And Yeshua came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 tells us what a faithful disciple of Messiah Yeshua is: someone who makes more disciples of Messiah. Someone who teaches others to doall that Messiah commanded, immersing them into Messiah Yeshua, as His disciples. We recognize that as faithful Jews, Yeshua and His first disciples were blameless in obedience to all of Scripture – even that which later variations of Christianity rejected as the “Old Testament.”
With regard to historical Christianity’s practical abandonment of three fourths of the Bible, we “Messianics” might immediately say that we are not therefore disciples of Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, or any other Christian sect.
However, there is another concern with whom some “Messianics” align themselves. We are not disciples of Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Chasidic, Talmudic, or Mishnaic Judaism either.
We are disciples of Yeshua.
We recognize from Matthew 16:19 that Messiah’s first disciples are our Sages. We are not disciples of Hillel, Shammai, Akiva, Meir, Judah the Prince, RASHI, RAMBAN, RAMBAM, the Ba’al Shem Tov, Nachman of Breslov, or Schneur Zalman of Liadi.
We are not Baptists, Catholics, or Lutherans. Nor are we Breslovers, or Lubavitchers.
We are disciples of Yeshua.
While we may admire and even study men and women from various backgrounds, and attempt to emulate them, we are not their disciples.
Over the years some have complained that I am too “rabbinic” in my teaching. Perhaps some of that is because I have often cited Jewish teachers – many of them, from Hillel to Heschel.
The sages of Israel add deep understanding and context to the Bible - especially the Apostolic Scriptures [New Testament]. The writings of the sages provide an insider’s look into the language and culture of the first disciples of Yeshua. While the Oral Torah contained in the Mishnah, Talmud, Tosefta, and Midrashim do not control me, they most certainly inform me. Even later works such as the Zohar, and commentaries from Rashi and Ramban add better understanding to not only the words of the Apostles, but even the Master, Yeshua Himself.
However, to doubt or to ignore the Apostolic Scriptures is the first slip on a slippery slope.
And HASHEM said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to HASHEM to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to HASHEM consecrate themselves, lest HASHEM break out against them.” And Moses said to HASHEM, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.”
Exodus 19:21-23
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for G-d has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the L-rd is able to make him stand.
Romans 14:1-4
“Children want boundaries.” You have heard that, or perhaps you have said it yourself. It is true of course. Human beings seem to almost crave limits to our behavior. No doubt this part of our G-d-given conscience – our sense of “right and wrong.”
Let’s be honest though, our conscience is not the same thing as right and wrong – it simply is our sense of what we think is right and wrong. Sadly, some people seem to have no conscience at all, and it is equally sad when some think everything is wrong.
When Conscience Becomes a Choice
In order for our conscience to be a positive tool in our relationship with HaShem, we need to be careful what choices we make in establishing new (or new to us) “fences” (boundaries put up to protect particular commandments) and how we maintain a distinction between those fences and the written commandments of HaShem. Once a standard is a part of our conscience, it is difficult to undo that without damaging our conscience.
It is common in newly observant communities for individuals to grab hold of standards that are new to them. This can be very good. The danger is when individuals make these fences matters of conscience. This is a matter of choice if the fences are not clearly distinguished from the actual commandments of HaShem. “So, if the standard is upheld, and the individual conscience is not offended, what is the downside?” you might ask. The dangers are:
An ever-increasing more-observant-than-thou attitude
Adding to your personal “I will be offended if…” list
Your children as they grow older may have difficulty distinguishing between HaShem’s commandments and your newly established fence
By choice, becoming the “weaker brother”
Safely Embracing Fences
In the case of neighbors with literal fences along a property line, it is easy to understand that one neighbor cannot move the fence without affecting the other. This is also the case of “fences around the Torah.” To best understand how to safely embrace fences, we must remind ourselves what fences are and how they might affect others. A fence is a standard that is beyond of the literal words of HaShem. Notice, that man did not initiate the fence around Mount Sinai in Exodus 19 to keep the people safe. HaShem commanded that it be built. So the Exodus 19 model does not apply to “fences around the Torah” – that is, unless you are also willing to disregard the very sober words in Deuteronomy 4:2:
You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of HaShem your G-d that I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Yeshua alludes to this in His admonition:
And why do you break the commandment of G-d for the sake of your tradition?
Matthew 15:3b
I am very encouraging to people who want to embrace Jewish tradition, making the lifestyle of Judaism, their own. I offer this personal caution however: as you adopt traditional halacha and make it your own, do not make the traditional halacha a matter of conscience. That is truly your choice. Distinguish between the literal commandment, and the traditional “how to” in walking out that commandment. Here are my personal recommendations:
Context. Do your best to mirror the community in which you find yourself. If your community does not adhere to your newfound fence, be careful to not promote it as a community standard. Do not broadcast your fence. It is personal, or for your family only. On the other hand, be careful to reflect the community in which you are currently a part. Do not offend your brothers and sisters by what you permit or by what you forbid.
If you have children, as they get older, make it clear that your “family rules” are not “more right” than any other families' rules.
Be gracious. Recognize that everyone errs in some way. Make sure you do not begin to look down on those who do not share the same fences that you do.
Remember Romans 14:4:
Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the L-rd is able to make him (and you) stand.
Romans 14:1-4
Don’t let your fences become walls. Walls that keep out the blessing of a healthy relationship with HaShem, or walls that make your circle of brothers and sisters ever more small.
Moadim Apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
I have free apps in the iTunes App Store and the Mac App Store:Moadim for iPhone, for iPad, and for Mac
All Scripture passages are displayed in English, in a modified version of the World English Bible (public domain). Compete text of the Torah is included, broken down by weekly parasha. Parashiot follow Ashkenazi Diaspora rules.
All Holy days, Sabbaths, New Moons, and fast days are identified, along with the traditional Scripture passages
Moadim HD for iPad and Moadim for Mac have full calendar view
Includes prayer times (including candle lighting and havdalah) for any date from your location (or lat/long)
In 2007, my eldest son moved to Jerusalem working as a journalist and writer. Since then he has done interviews with government officials, academics, and "the man on the street." Joshua maintains a news web site that draws from his contacts in the middle east: the Israeli government, middle eastern universities, and public relations outlets. His reporting, analysis, and insights are unique in reporting on Israel and the middle east.
My friend Brock Wright has written an iPhone/iPad app called "Daily Aliyah" that displays the Torah and haftarah portion for the current week, as well as the daily aliyah for the day of the week. Get it for free in the iTunes App Store.
Wise Messages App for iPhone
This little app will use your iPhone's notifications to remind you of Scripture, wise sayings, and quotes at set intervals or random times
Chose from different sources such as Proverbs, Pirkei Avot, Letter for the Ages, etc.
Import your own list of encouraging reminders to display