Jesus, Jewish Theologian

Lesson Eight

The Giving of Torah – Part 2

 “In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to G-d, and the L-rd called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.’ So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the L-rd commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the L-rd has spoken we will do.’”                                           Exodus 19:1-8

Introduction

• We have seen as we went through the Gospels, how Yeshua teaches the theology of the ages. Salvation by grace – as revealed by G-d through His people, and His ordained teachings of Torah.

• Matthew 5-7 is the giving of Torah (“Sermon on the Mount”). In Exodus 19, we see G-d speaking to Moses, and to Israel – commanding them and delivering to them His “teachings.” In addition to Yeshua giving us His midrash of Torah, we will see that it was G-d Himself speaking…

• The teachings in Matt 5-7 were not new to the Jews of the day. What was new was the AUTHORITY that Jesus speaks with.

• In Chapter 6, Yeshua continues to clarify and expound on the Torah. We will focus on how His teachings supported those of the Pharisees as seen in the Talmud. In many of these verses, Yeshua reiterates a fundamental principle for the life of a G-dly man -- our lives are not our own -- we are to live now, as His subjects in His Kingdom. Living out today what we know we will do when He establishes His Kingdom on earth!

Chapter 6

• 6:1-4: Religion for show:

• The Pharisees were often guilty of not following their own teachings:

• Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 17b - Don't do good deeds to be noticed.

• Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 9b - He who gives alms in secret is greater than Moses

• Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 10b - The greatest form of charity is when you give and do not know to whom you give, and the recipient takes and does not know from whom he takes.

• 6:9-13 "The L-rd's Prayer“:

• These verses can be paralleled to concepts found in other Jewish sources. It is a combination of ideas already familiar to His audience from the TaNaKh.

• Our Father who art in heaven (Babylonian Talmud; Yoma 85b, Sotah 49b, Avot 5:20; Vayikra Rabbah ch 32.)

• May G-d's kingdom be established during the days of your life. (Kaddish prayer)

• Do thy will above and give comfort to those below, and to everyone his need. (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 29b)

• One who is merciful toward others, G-d will be merciful toward them. (Babylonian Talmud, Shabat 151b)

• Bring me not into temptation, and lead me away from iniquity ... and save me from the evil one. (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 80b)

• For Thine, O L-rd, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty (TaNaKh, 1 Chronicles 29:10)

• 6:14-15 “Conditional” forgiveness:

• Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17a - Only if you forgive others will G-d forgive you.

• Babylonian Talmud, Shabat 151b - One who is merciful toward others, G-d will be merciful toward him

• 6:19 Where is your treasure?

• Jerusalem Talmud, Pe'ah 15b - It happened that manobaz had squandered his father's wealth to charity. His brothers admonished him: "Your father gathered treasure and you wasted it all!" He replied: "My father laid up treasure where human hands control it; I laid it up where no hands control it. My father laid up a treasure of money; I laid up a treasure of souls. My father laid up treasure for this world; I laid up treasure for the heavenly world."

• 6:23 An “Evil Eye”:

• Here we have a verse that is consistently misinterpreted. What is this "evil eye?" Note the context of the verses before and after the term. In both cases Yeshua is talking about serving G-d and not money. Why would He interrupt this discussion about "G-d and money" to interject something about an "evil eye?"

• The answer is that the term "evil eye," in this context, is a Hebrew figure of speech for being stingy with your material wealth. This verse offers evidence that the book of Matthew was likely first written in Hebrew.

• 6:25-31: Take no thought:

• Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 48b - He who has what to eat today, and says, "What shall I eat on the morrow?" has little faith.

• 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow

• Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 9b - Each day has enough of its own troubles

Summary

• In Matthew 5, 6, and 7, Jesus was not simply restating Torah, or the Talmud.

• 5:7:28-29: “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

• In Matt 5-7 Jesus was not only giving midrash (interpretation) of Torah. He was speaking Torah, as if it were for the first time to the hearers. When G-d speaks, He speaks so authoritatively that even the familiar pales in comparison.

• From then on, those people knew they had heard the Word from G-d’s own mouth.