10:35 06Dec07 Paul Kugelman, Jr. -
R. Dr. Juster,
Before I begin, I want to say that I have deep and sincere respect for you and
your work within the Messianic movement. It is with a sincere sense of
humility that I offer this response to your article. The written word can
easily be misconstrued in tone. Let me assure you that my tone is one of
respect and deference.
While I understand the basis for your concern, I have to disagree with the
thrust of your article. Before getting to the main point of my response, I
first point out that your article indirectly declares that the Messianic Jewish
community stands on its own, separate and apart from the rest of the Jewish
community. When you say, "We should also honor worthy and beautiful traditions
and applications, but not make them into law," you are presupposing that the
authority of Messianic Jewish community is independent of the Jewish community
as well as asserting that Judaism has no authority in the Messianic Jewish
community unless and until we adopt it. You do this when you assert that the
laws of Judaism do not apply to the Messianic Jewish community unless and until
we "make them into law." However, Messiah does not agree. "Then Yeshua said to
the crowds and to his disciples, 'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit
in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you ...'"
Matthew 23:1-3. In light of this, it is law already. Your statement that "The
Sermon on the Mount is very clear. Yeshua in all His divine authority restores
Torah to its heart intent and sweeps away illegitimate and excessive
accumulations of man-made laws" flies in the face of this as well. The laws
may be man-made, but they are established with Divine authority. Yeshua did
not alter Torah, rather He raised the bar by taking a transgression from the
manifestation of thought to the thought itself. The Messianic Jewish movement
does not have the authority to redefine Judaism. What is more, the Messianic
Jewish movement cannot adopt the position you espouse here and also claim to be
a part of the Jewish community. Rather, this position clearly signals the
establishment of a new and distinct community. I do not believe that the
Messianic Jewish community can fulfill our call within that position, much less
maintain our integrity and call ourselves a Jewish community, whatever
adjective we place before it.
Turning to the main point of my response, I am concerned that you have taken on
the paradigm of looking at Judaism through the lens of the antinomian segment
of the church. You accept the presumption that observance is "legalism" and
that this, somehow, undercuts justice. When we come to understand Judaism in
the time of Yeshua and in the present, we come to realize that observance is a
loving response to G-d in all that we do. Judaism is a way of life, not a
mindset or a part of life that we enter into when we feel the need. With that,
our whole life points to G-d. As for our salvation, Judaism requires us to
trust in His mercy - no more and no less. Judaism views this as independent of
observance. Observance is our response. Our salvation is wholly based on His
mercy. What is even more interesting is that once we come to grips with this,
we can see that Yeshua's sacrifice fits neatly into place within the rubric of
Judaism. As you know, the Torah requires a blood sacrifice to reestablish our
relationship with G-d after we have sinned. Yeshua's sacrifice fulfills this
requirement in a time when we can no longer do so. Without the Temple, there
is no proper place to bring the required sacrifice. Even with that, we, as
Believers, still are left with trusting in His mercy. We cannot "prove" we are
"saved." How responding to G-d on His terms in all that we do and trusting in
His mercy undercuts justice, I cannot comprehend.
-- Dr Juster replies:
I would respond in two ways.
- I do not think I am saying anything very different than either
Reform or Conservative Judaism which seeks to embrace or not
embrace Rabbinic Law and tradition according to their own ethos as
Conservative and Reformed Jews. No one would say they do this
outside the Jewish people. However, they do pick and choose. Our
picking and choosing is according to the standard of Yeshua. It is
a different foundation of choice.
- That Judaism slips into legalism is to me clear from reading the
focus on minute matters in the Talmud and summarized in the
Shulhan Aruck. How anyone can read the latter and not be
overwhelmed by the legalism is beyond me.
- Matthew 23 can be read in three ways that do not lead to your
conclusions on Rabbinic authority.
- First is that Yeshua is affirming the civil law role of the
synagogue authorities as accepted by Roman government.
- authority is transferred to the Disciples for this after
his resurrection and we see this in Matthew 16, 18 and 21,
especially where Yeshua gives the disciples the Keys to the
Kingdom which the Pharisees claimed to possess. Yeshua's
words on the Pharisees is the same as Paul's words on
respecting Roman civil government in Romans 13, and I do
not think more than this.
- Karaite Jeremiah Gordon (not a follower of Yeshua) makes a
strong case that Yeshua's condemnation in Matthew 23 is not
consistent with affirming such a strong place for Pharisee
authority. He points to the evidence of the Hebrew Matthew
(Shem Tov) that Matthew 23 originally read that the
"Scribes and Pharisees claim to sit on Moses seat, but do
not do as they command you." Would Yeshua be telling us to
embrace the heavy burden they put on people. Your argument
seems to say that it is not a heavy burden. The level of
legal requirement in the first century was much less than a
few centuries later.
10:43 06Dec07 Meagen -
Thank you for this article, it has given me insight into a subject that I've
recently been wondering about. This was and is very timely.
11:30 06Dec07 Ken MacNeil -
I think it is a well written, exellent article. It may be confusing once more
Rav Shaul's words stating "I have done nothing against the traditions of the
father." I do believe that there is a balance, or happy medium if you will.
Maybe you can expand on that next time.
12:48 06Dec07 Caleb Alcala -
It is not very clear - when you said: "We now live in a new covenant order ...
were the spirit of Torah is pararamont." Can you explain in other words
please.
-- Dr Juster replies:
When the New Covenant says that God will make a new covenant not like the
one made when we came from Egypt, but that he would write the Torah on
our hearts, it also implies the motivation to do God's will. In the New
Covenant Paul uses the team spirit of the Torah. This is not a lower
standard, but implies perceiving the heart intent of the Torah and going
beyond the literal meaning to a more exacting and high standard. I think
the spirit of the Torah is most seen in the teaching of Yeshua,
especially the Sermon on the Mount.
13:37 06Dec07 Ashlee Esty -
I am a gentile believer in Yeshua and have recently come across some
information that disturbed me concerning the Torah. This article basically
said that true believers obey Torah. I agree that our obedience to the Lord
testifies of our belief in Him and that faith without works is dead. I
understand that even demons believe in who Jesus is but don't obey Him and so
they are condemned. What I needed clarity on is the observance of the Sabbath.
Paul speaks to the Romans about differing convictions and tells them to make
sure that they are fully convinced in their own minds in regards to the way
they honor the Lord. Are gentiles required to observe the Sabbath? If so,
what does that look like? I don't believe we are required to become Jewish in
regards to some things, but the Lord does tell us to remember the Sabbath and
keep it holy. I am not sure if this is a command only for Jews or if it is for
everyone. I believe we are to follow the 10 Commandments, but as a gentile I
have never been shown what Sabbath observance looks like. I want to obey the
Lord fully, not because I am afraid of Him but because I love Him. I want to
understand what pleases my Jewish Messiah and do it out of love and not
legalistic compulsion. Sunday is the day we gather for corporate worship, but
it often isn't a day of rest. Can you please help me understand how to honor
the Lord's Sabbath and why it is so important to Him? Thank you for your time.
-- Dr Juster replies:
The Jewish people in the time of Yeshua made a distinction between
universal aspects of the Torah that are for all people and those parts
that are the responsibility of the Jewish people. The univerasl part is
seen in the sermon on the mount of Yeshua. Sabbath was put in the
category of optional for Gentiles. I think we can see that in a world
that did not even keep time by seven day weeks, the enjoining of Sabbath
would have been a hardship and still is in many cultures. This later was
enshrined in the idea of the Noahchide laws for all, as redacted by the
rabbis.
Today scholars note that the Sabbath is not like other commands but
functions as a covenant sign between God and Israel. Its place on the
tablet is a substitute for the seal of an idol engraving that would be in
other covenants.
16:08 06Dec07 Gilly -
Thank you so much for bringing such a clear perspective to these very important
issues. This has made some of Yeshua's teachings much clearer. As the laws are
now written on our hearts, may His Ruach lead and guide us in all truth.
21:26 06Dec07 Bob Colver -
This is a true word by the Spirit. Ern Baxter said "The Kingdom of G-d is in
the Holy Spirit", as the word without the Spirit brings death and legalism, but
the life of the word {Torah}, is by the Spirit which brings truth and
revelation from heaven, as our life is in the transformation of our minds to
the will of G-d.
11:21 07Dec07 Igor Miguel -
Thank you so much for that important article. I think our position before
rabbinic laws and traditional Jewish approach to 'halakhah' must be of balance.
We know the great and important role which halakhah fullfiled to protect and
keep identity up. At same time, we shall have clear in mind that the rabbinic
tradition has a legalistic structure which fades the Jewish perception of
Messiah Yeshua.
11:24 07Dec07 Clifton J Tracy Jr -
Rabbinic Law obscures the real intent of the Torah Law, consequently allowing
legalism to undercut Justice. Your view as stated is academicaly sound and the
paragraph go straight to the point and I agree whole heartedly. But - I am
told that the average grade level of the US is sixth grade and the Gentiles
comming into the Jewish community are full of their brand of Gentile legalism,
(Jewish legalism and Gentile legalism are enormously different); what to keep
or not to keep is not so clear. When you say God's Commandments you mean both
what God himself wrote and what He told Moses to write in a book, in other
words: the Torah. To the Gentile that is not the case. My view is that
believers need to keep God's Ten Commandments through the power of Yeshua's
New Covenant Law.
12:05 08Dec07 anonymous -
While I am all against legalism (worship of legal codes rather than Hashem our
triune G-d), I strongly discourage that Messianic Jews should fall in the
opposite trap: that of Karaism. Yeshua is no Karaite! Running errands for
Jeremiah Gordon and his teachings, is not helping us or spreading our Good
News. G-d bless ya'll, and have a very happy Chanukah! Keep those menorahs
shining, knowing that this is a rabbinic tradition, part of our heritage and
future, and also a shadow of our righteous Messiah Yeshua!
20:33 09Dec07 Shirley Braggs -
Thank you, Dr Juster, for this timely and much needed article. I agree with
your response to the gentile Christian who was wondering about the Sabbath,
but, I would like to say to that sincere sister-in-Yeshua that I am a gentile
believer in Yeshua, also, and I can tell her that there is a wonderful
difference in keeping "a sabbath" and keeping "The Shabbat". There was a time
for most of my walk with Yeshua that I felt keeping Shabbat on the 7th day was
a legalistic approach to worship but I can truthfully say that since I joined
the Messianic Jewish movement, Shabbat is a delight beyond any comparison to
Sunday worship as I knew it before. The whole day is given to Hashem and it
has a sweetness that only a bride and groom would understand. Corporate worship
on Sunday generally consumes a few hours (2-4) and not the whole day spent
devoted to delighting in a time set aside for the communion with Him. Gathering
with fellow believers can be accomplished any day of the week and every day as
in the early church described in the book of Acts. I would like to encourage
this sister to find a Messianic Congregation to visit and enjoy the delight of
the Shabbat. It is truly a taste of His finest wine.
15:51 10Dec07 Jonathon R. Storm -
Excellent! As I have come to understand the Torah, legal systems, and walked
many years with Yeshua, this is the understanding I have come to. I develop
databases for Expedia.com, and I have seen that the same type of contant
going-back-to-the-source and refreshing the systems we work with and work under
is necessary both in our walk of faith and in software design, as well as our
legal and religious structures. God created us so that we have a desire to
both create tradition and to renew tradition. He has enabled us to make
tradition and observe it, and at the same time He encourages us to renew it
over time, scrapping beautiful hymns and liturgies because the new generation
is not able to connect with Him as the former generation did. (I love many of
the old hymns too, but no longer sing them.) Such change to human tradition is
as the leaves of fall--they were beautiful in their spring, their summertime,
and in their vibrant colors of fall. By contrast, the Word stands forever, the
rule, guide, and standard by which we live. He has kept His Torah (and all of
the Bible) as concrete and real as possible, while yet making it spare enough
that we must have the fullness of the Holy Spirit indwelling us to have it
fully applied to our lives. He has made it so it need not be renewed; yet our
understanding of it is renewed over time. Thank you Dan.
16:38 10Dec07 anonymous -
The Torah is a fence around us as long as we obey the Torah!
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