Showing posts with label things the Messiah said. Show all posts
Showing posts with label things the Messiah said. Show all posts

Did the Messiah Break the Law?

Did the Messiah Break Biblical Law? | Land of Honey


To cut to the chase: no. The Messiah never once broke Biblical law. But he was often accused of breaking the law.

I used to read my Bible and think that when the Pharisees accused the Messiah of breaking Biblical law, they were correct. I figured that as the son of God, the Messiah had license to take some liberties. Just like the son or daughter of a business owner can, typically, get away with more slacking off than the average employee. And if keeping the law wasn't important to the Messiah, why on earth should it be to me?

One of the major themes of the New Testament that gets overlooked is the Messiah's harsh rebukes for manmade traditions. Many of us have made the assumption that the laws Yahusha stands against are from the Bible, buried deep somewhere in the Old Testament. But this is not the case. The laws he stood against were manmade, Jewish laws. It's important to know that Judaism has literally added thousands upon thousands of rules to their religious system that aren't found in Scripture. We see the Messiah's contempt for this in Mark 7:8, "You lay aside the commandments of YHWH, and instead hold to the traditions of men."

The Messiah frequently upset religious leaders. As did his followers. They frequently set aside manmade tradition or Jewish laws that weren't found in the Bible. But they didn't break the commandments of Scripture!

Who better understands and honors the word of God than the Living Word? The Messiah never broke Biblical law. | Land of Honey


Some examples...

-Messiah accused of breaking the Sabbath day by healing someone. -Matthew 12:10
In Matthew 12:12 Yahusha responds to his accusers. He says, "It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." That was not a new idea. He's not bending the rules or saying that it is lawful just because he says so. He is correcting his accusers. He's saying the Bible teaches this is lawful. He was not re-writing the Torah or making an "anything goes" loophole policy. He is explaining to them what the Bible says. While the Pharisees might say it is against their own laws to heal on the Sabbath, the Bible does not say this. Of course this means the Messiah did not break the law with his Sabbath healings.

-Followers eating grain on the Sabbath. -Luke 6:1-5
I think the Messiah almost brags a little here.... It's the Sabbath and some of his disciples are hungry, so they picked some kernels of wheat in a nearby field and threshed them in their hands to take off the hard chaff. While the Bible says we aren't to work on the Sabbath it does not say that you can't peel an orange to eat (which would be somewhat similar to what the disciples were doing). Yahusha told the accusers he was the Master of the Sabbath, as in I'm the best at this and I know what's permissible or not. No one knows more about what's lawful on the Sabbath than I do.

-Accusation of eating with unwashed hands. -Mark 7
Scripture tells us that there are certain animals we are not to eat, and that we are not to eat blood, and that's about it. So, yes, there are dietary laws but the Bible doesn't say that we need to do a ritual hand washing before we eat, otherwise that food magically becomes unclean or defiling. The "tradition of the elders of ritual hand washing" is not a commandment of YHWH, it's a tradition of men, and the Messiah did not stand for it. See more about that in this post.

-Peter's vision of going to the Gentiles. -Acts 10
Throughout Scripture non native born Israelites have been welcomed into the family of YHWH...the Israelites left Egypt with a "mixed multitude" of Egyptians who wanted to serve YHWH after seeing his mighty acts. Women like Rahab and Ruth were not born Israelites but are celebrated in the Messiah's lineage. Caleb was not a native born, and the prophet Obadiah is believed to be from Edom. Not allowing people like this into the faith is unbiblical. This practice was prevalent in the early church, which is why YHWH gave Peter a vision and said, "What I call clean, you do not call unclean." After this the Gospel was preached to the Gentiles.

-Paul confronting Peter about not eating with Gentiles when Jews were present. -Galatians 2:11-15
Paul tells Peter here that he shouldn't be following rules that aren't from the Bible. When he says, "You have discarded the Jewish laws, why are you trying to make these Gentiles follow Jewish tradition?" he means exactly that...Jewish tradition, not Scriptural commandments. He is in no way permitting or encouraging new believers to not follow the Biblical commandments.

"They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." -Matthew 15:9
The Messiah's statement here should be a stern warning to us not to place any human ideas or manmade traditions higher than what Scripture actually says! This goes for family traditions, Jewish law, and common Christian beliefs. None of these things should be treated as doctrines and they should never be deferred to over the commandments of the Bible.

Throughout the New Testament we see the Messiah and the apostles correcting these manmade laws. If we are going to correctly understand Scripture it is absolutely essential to realize the differences between the manmade traditions of Jewish law, and the commandments of YHWH. When the Messiah and his followers clashed with leaders of the Jewish faith, it was never because they weren't keeping a Biblical commandment. Religious leaders were upset because the Messiah was against their laws.

The Messiah always upheld and kept YHWH's instructions in the Torah. When he was accused of violating Biblical commandments, his accusers were in the wrong having applied their own traditions and customs to how the Bible is understood. Let us be careful today to not do the same thing!

The Messiah never broke Biblical law and never taught others to. He confronted religious leaders for their false teachings. | Land of Honey


More on the law:
Traditions or Commandments - Understanding the New Testament
The Faith of the Bible
The Three Types of Law in Scripture

Things the Messiah Said on First Fruits


First Fruits is probably the Biblical holiday that gets the least amount of attention. Which is surprising because significantly this is the day the Messiah was resurrected on! What better holiday to rejoice in and learn more of? The Messiah himself had a lot to say on this particular holiday and I want to draw attention to some of what he said on First Fruits.

Things the Messiah Said at the Festival of First Fruits:


"Tell my Israelite brothers that they shall see me in Galilee." -Matthew 28:10
The Messiah wants you to know this promise today: you shall see him.

"O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Messiah have to suffer all these things, in order to enter into his glory?" -Luke 24:25-26
Did you know the famous walk to Emmaus happened on First Fruits? Wouldn't you love to get to listen in on this full discussion of the Messiah explaining how the writings of Moses and the prophets speak of him?! I imagine every question they listeners had was answered beautifully. And isn't it funny that even 2,000 years ago people were slow to believe what Scripture had to say?


"Peace be upon you. Do not be afraid."
 -Luke 24:36

The Messiah spoke fearlessness and complete peace over his followers. Don't miss that this happened to those who showed up to celebrate First Fruits. Talk about benefit and blessing from keeping the Biblical holidays!

"Why are you troubled? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and understand and see, for a spirit has no flesh and bones, and you can see that I do." -Luke 24:39
Whatever is troubling us today, we know he is alive and will care for us. Give your worries to him.

"Have you any food?" -Luke 24:41
I love that he would ask his. This is First Fruits, right after Passover, and in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is feast time. And our Messiah? "Hey guys, can I get a snack over here?" I think it so humble of him to ask. I'm sure he knew that if they saw him eat they wouldn't wonder if he was a vision or whatever. But I think he also just wanted to take part in the set apart times and, perhaps, gently remind his followers what they should be doing at these times as well. Let's not make him ask. Let's keep the feasts.

"All things must be fulfilled which are in the Torah of Moses, and in the Prophets and Psalms, concerning me." -Luke 24:44
Calling attention to the importance of Scripture, he didn't write off the Torah or its commandments. He could have taken this opportunity to start fresh or begin a new church like many people say...but he didn't. When we celebrate his resurrection we need to remember the great weight the Messiah believed the Old Testament proclaimed.


"So it is written, and it was necessary that the Messiah suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations." -Luke 24:46-47
May we never forget this great charge we have, to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to all those who repent. The hope of this promise is indeed something to celebrate on this glorious holiday of First Fruits!

"Madam, why do you weep?" -John 20:15
The first words we know of Yahusha speaking after the resurrection are to offer comfort to a woman mourning. Isn't that beautiful and so like him? He had things to do that day; he certainly could have spoken about weightier matters. But he stopped to comfort someone who was hurting. I hope that we never forget that he is there to comfort us when we mourn.

"Miriam." -John 20:16
When he spoke her name Miriam instantly realized it was the Messiah. Have you ever had one of those moments where you hear something from YHWH and even if it's simple it sheds so much light?

"Shalom alecheim: as my Father has sent me, even so I send you." -John 20:21
Peace be upon you. He speaks so much of comfort and courage during these set apart times. The Biblical holidays are a chance for us to have our capacities for peace and bravery fortified, so that we would be prepared for wherever he is sending us to spread his good news. Real empowerment and encouragement happen when we take part in these set apart times!

"Receive the Holy Spirit." -John 20:22 
And then he literally breaths the Holy Spirit onto his followers that were there with him, taking part in First Fruits! Isn't that amazing? Who doesn't want more of the Holy Spirit's wisdom and joy and comfort in their life? You have an opportunity during First Fruits and the Feast of Unleavened Bread to receive more of the Holy Spirit in your life!

"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven." -John 20:23
What a testament that our actions are so powerful. Never forget that what you choose to do truly does matter, and impacts those in your life. You are not the only one that benefits when you are obedient to the Scriptures that tell us to keep First Fruits and the other feasts of YHWH.