10.28.24
Good morning!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was great. Yesterday, I had a lot of window time driving from Michigan to Kansas City to do some jobs while the weather is nice :-)
It has been said, 'those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.'This morning, I want to give you a short history lesson with hopes that we don't repeat it. Since coming back from Sukkot in Florida, one topic has been popping up more than any other...the difference between the words fulfill and destroy used by Yeshua in Matthew 5:17,18.
A major focus of Yeshua's ministry, as well as ours, was/is to disciple and guide individuals through the ‘happy, salt and light-filled’ life (Matt. 5-7). We have discussed many times how He consolidated His thoughts on these three descriptive terms by revealing their foundation in the Torah, Yahweh’s instructions to His people. Notice that salt and light are connected to these verses. Being salt and light is essentially connected to the Torah. The reason why Yahweh gave us the Torah is to be Salt and Light through our actions (Matt. 5:13-16).
Where concepts become confusing is when we start applying non-Scriptural definitions with preconceived notions to biblical statements. Let me ‘splain’ J.
What did Yeshua mean when He used the word ‘destroy’ and ‘fulfill’ in Matthew 5:17?
“Do not think that I came to destroy/katalyo the law, or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy/katalyo, but to fulfill/pleroo.
Man’s adopted definition of destroy is ‘to erase’, ‘to destroy’, ‘to do away with’. And for something to be fulfilled is to ‘finish’, ‘bring to an end’, or ‘complete something so it doesn’t have to be done any more’.
Our history lesson: This concept was first introduced to the faith-filled world through a man named Marcion, whose influence still reigns supreme today. Marcion taught that Christians had no further use of the Hebrew Scriptures except as a matter of historical interest. He also rejected a great deal of the New Testament books as too “Jewish.” He accepted the gospel of Luke and ten Pauline letters as the only true canon for Christians. The Church rejected this heresy (Praise Yahweh), but it didn’t quite demolish the theological position behind Marcion’s claim. Marcion’s heresy was based on his belief that the Law, and consequently all things Jewish, was done away with in the death and resurrection of the Messiah. In other words, Marcion read this verse as follows: “Don’t think I came to erase the Law and the Prophets; I did not come to erase but to finish.” Marcion believed that Yeshua completed the Law making it no longer necessary or essential for followers of the Messiah. In 144 C.E. The Church threw out Marcion, but it kept his theology. Later, about 344 C.E. Constantine established these thoughts and more into law.
Perhaps we could put a stop to this heresy once-and-for-all if we just realized what Yeshua really said. Our confusion comes from the Greek word pleroo. The Greek verb means “to make full, to fill up” and specifically with prophecy "to make fully known or “to fulfill, accomplish or bring to an end" (cp. Matt. 2:15-17; 4:14). And herein lies the confusion. Prophetically, when something is pleroo, it doesn’t have to be repeated as an action again, it’s finished, it's made fully known, it's accomplished. So, how do we figure out this conundrum?
First of all, we should determine whether the Torah passage is prophetic or instruction. When Scripture prophecies an event within the Torah, that's a simple definition to pleroo. When it's not then we can use the second application of this term. On top of both of those ideas, it’s helpful for us to remember that Matthew is a translation from Hebrew into Greek into English and in Hebrew the meaning comes from the root kiyem which means “to cause to stand or uphold.” So, the Hebrew sense of this statement is about interpreting the Scripture correctly.
To annul the Law is to misinterpret the Law. To fulfill the Law is to correctly interpret the Law.
In either case, the Law remains. Ironically, this definition holds true for prophecy also. When a prophetic event was fully realized, the Word was held up as authoritative and it stands as truth!
Let’s say that we don’t have access to other manuscripts that bring clarity to the matter, ‘what do we do’? We can compare Scriptures and see how this word is used. A non-prophetic use of pleroo is found a few chapters earlier in Matthew 3:15 where Yeshua tells John the Immerser to baptize Him in order to pleroo/fulfill all righteousness.
If we hold to Marcion’s definition, then baptism would be finished. No one would ever have to be baptized ever again because righteousness has been pleroo by Yeshua. See how that flies in your church! “Pastor, I don’t think we should be baptizing anyone ever again. Yeshua did it for us and He finished righteousness in that act, so we don’t have to do it.” I think with that comment you’d be quietly escorted to the door and asked not to come back :-/
You will notice that Yeshua’s ministry is concerned with correcting the man-made interpretations of the Torah; and when the Torah is correctly interpreted, it demands action. To fulfill the Law/God's instructions is to do what the Law instructs. That is an on-going consideration obviously not set aside by Yeshua’s death and resurrection.
When the Church removed itself from its Hebraic roots, it adopted the spirit of Marcion even though it rejected Marcion himself. In spite of branding Marcion a heretic, the Church has adopted his point of view. The idea that the Law has been set aside is a complete misrepresentation of Yeshua’s statement.
From a biblical, Hebraic perspective, such thinking is simply impossible. Yahweh Elohim authored the Law and nothing will annul it, not even the passing away of heaven and earth (Matt. 5:18). Does Marcion live in your religious assembly? Is he hiding between the pages of your hymnal or peaking over the edge of the pulpit? Is he authoring your study material or your devotionals? Until you put him in the grave for good, you will be playing silent host to The Enemy who would like nothing better than your rejection of Yahweh Elohim’s Torah lived in the power of Spirit and Truth.
Happy 2nd day from Kansas City
Shalom!
It has been said, 'those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.'This morning, I want to give you a short history lesson with hopes that we don't repeat it. Since coming back from Sukkot in Florida, one topic has been popping up more than any other...the difference between the words fulfill and destroy used by Yeshua in Matthew 5:17,18.
A major focus of Yeshua's ministry, as well as ours, was/is to disciple and guide individuals through the ‘happy, salt and light-filled’ life (Matt. 5-7). We have discussed many times how He consolidated His thoughts on these three descriptive terms by revealing their foundation in the Torah, Yahweh’s instructions to His people. Notice that salt and light are connected to these verses. Being salt and light is essentially connected to the Torah. The reason why Yahweh gave us the Torah is to be Salt and Light through our actions (Matt. 5:13-16).
Where concepts become confusing is when we start applying non-Scriptural definitions with preconceived notions to biblical statements. Let me ‘splain’ J.
What did Yeshua mean when He used the word ‘destroy’ and ‘fulfill’ in Matthew 5:17?
“Do not think that I came to destroy/katalyo the law, or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy/katalyo, but to fulfill/pleroo.
Man’s adopted definition of destroy is ‘to erase’, ‘to destroy’, ‘to do away with’. And for something to be fulfilled is to ‘finish’, ‘bring to an end’, or ‘complete something so it doesn’t have to be done any more’.
Our history lesson: This concept was first introduced to the faith-filled world through a man named Marcion, whose influence still reigns supreme today. Marcion taught that Christians had no further use of the Hebrew Scriptures except as a matter of historical interest. He also rejected a great deal of the New Testament books as too “Jewish.” He accepted the gospel of Luke and ten Pauline letters as the only true canon for Christians. The Church rejected this heresy (Praise Yahweh), but it didn’t quite demolish the theological position behind Marcion’s claim. Marcion’s heresy was based on his belief that the Law, and consequently all things Jewish, was done away with in the death and resurrection of the Messiah. In other words, Marcion read this verse as follows: “Don’t think I came to erase the Law and the Prophets; I did not come to erase but to finish.” Marcion believed that Yeshua completed the Law making it no longer necessary or essential for followers of the Messiah. In 144 C.E. The Church threw out Marcion, but it kept his theology. Later, about 344 C.E. Constantine established these thoughts and more into law.
Perhaps we could put a stop to this heresy once-and-for-all if we just realized what Yeshua really said. Our confusion comes from the Greek word pleroo. The Greek verb means “to make full, to fill up” and specifically with prophecy "to make fully known or “to fulfill, accomplish or bring to an end" (cp. Matt. 2:15-17; 4:14). And herein lies the confusion. Prophetically, when something is pleroo, it doesn’t have to be repeated as an action again, it’s finished, it's made fully known, it's accomplished. So, how do we figure out this conundrum?
First of all, we should determine whether the Torah passage is prophetic or instruction. When Scripture prophecies an event within the Torah, that's a simple definition to pleroo. When it's not then we can use the second application of this term. On top of both of those ideas, it’s helpful for us to remember that Matthew is a translation from Hebrew into Greek into English and in Hebrew the meaning comes from the root kiyem which means “to cause to stand or uphold.” So, the Hebrew sense of this statement is about interpreting the Scripture correctly.
To annul the Law is to misinterpret the Law. To fulfill the Law is to correctly interpret the Law.
In either case, the Law remains. Ironically, this definition holds true for prophecy also. When a prophetic event was fully realized, the Word was held up as authoritative and it stands as truth!
Let’s say that we don’t have access to other manuscripts that bring clarity to the matter, ‘what do we do’? We can compare Scriptures and see how this word is used. A non-prophetic use of pleroo is found a few chapters earlier in Matthew 3:15 where Yeshua tells John the Immerser to baptize Him in order to pleroo/fulfill all righteousness.
If we hold to Marcion’s definition, then baptism would be finished. No one would ever have to be baptized ever again because righteousness has been pleroo by Yeshua. See how that flies in your church! “Pastor, I don’t think we should be baptizing anyone ever again. Yeshua did it for us and He finished righteousness in that act, so we don’t have to do it.” I think with that comment you’d be quietly escorted to the door and asked not to come back :-/
You will notice that Yeshua’s ministry is concerned with correcting the man-made interpretations of the Torah; and when the Torah is correctly interpreted, it demands action. To fulfill the Law/God's instructions is to do what the Law instructs. That is an on-going consideration obviously not set aside by Yeshua’s death and resurrection.
When the Church removed itself from its Hebraic roots, it adopted the spirit of Marcion even though it rejected Marcion himself. In spite of branding Marcion a heretic, the Church has adopted his point of view. The idea that the Law has been set aside is a complete misrepresentation of Yeshua’s statement.
From a biblical, Hebraic perspective, such thinking is simply impossible. Yahweh Elohim authored the Law and nothing will annul it, not even the passing away of heaven and earth (Matt. 5:18). Does Marcion live in your religious assembly? Is he hiding between the pages of your hymnal or peaking over the edge of the pulpit? Is he authoring your study material or your devotionals? Until you put him in the grave for good, you will be playing silent host to The Enemy who would like nothing better than your rejection of Yahweh Elohim’s Torah lived in the power of Spirit and Truth.
Happy 2nd day from Kansas City
Shalom!
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