Hijacked Heroes of the Netzarim
By
Rabbi Robert O. Miller
“Bear in mind that our King’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Rabbi Sha’ul also wrote you with the wisdom that Yahweh gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless (Anti-Torah) men and fall from your secure position. (2 Peter 3:15-17)”
There are those in Christianity who wish to distort the words of one or more of Messiah’s apostles into an anti-Torah, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic gospel. While there are those in the Messianic Movement that accept the words of Messiah as true and authoritative, yet they reject the words of one or more of Messiah’s apostles as heretical deviations from Torah. Both camps are trying to hijack our heroes in an effort to distort our faith into something they have come to believe outside Scripture.
“We shall now especially consider heretics who… call themselves Nazarenes; they are mainly… Jews and nothing else. They make use not only of the New Testament, but they also use in a way the Old Testament of the Jews; for they do not forbid the books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings… so that they are approved of by the Jews, from whom the Nazarenes do not differ in anything, and they profess all the dogmas pertaining to the prescriptions of the Law and to the customs of the Jews, except they believe in [Messiah]…They preach that there is but one [Elohim], and his son [Messiah YahShua]…( Epiphanius; Panarion 29)”
” (In Rabbi Sha’ul’s trial before Governor Felix in Caesarea, the lawyer for the prosecution, Tertullus brought these charges:) We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is the ring leader of the Nazarene sect. (Acts 24:5)” We knew ourselves as Netzarim. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse (father of King David) and a branch {Hebrew: netzer} shall grow out of his roots. (Isaiah 11:1)” We are followers of the “Branch of Jesse,” the Messiah. “So, for a whole year Ben Navi and Rabbi Sha’ul met with the local congregation and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:26)” That appellation was a derogatory term given to the Netzarim by the local unbelievers, not a name they chose for themselves. The term was also used by King Agrippa when he listened to Rabbi Sha’ul’s defense, and finally blurted out, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28).
We called ourselves Netzarim and held to our beliefs:
1. Used both Old and New Testaments.
2. Believed in the resurrection of the dead.
3. Had a good knowledge of Hebrew and read the Tanach and at least one Messianic account in that language.
4. Believed Yahweh is the creator of all things.
5. Believed in one Elohim, Yahweh and His son YahShua the Messiah as the express image of Yahweh.
6. Observed the Torah.
7. Were approved of by the Jews, from whom we did not differ in anything.
8. Had a high respect for the writings of the apostle Rabbi Sha’ul.
This is what we believed, which did not offend the Faith of Yahweh but fulfilled it. So why all the controversy concerning the Netzarim and our belief?
King Messiah YahShua said concerning the Apostles and their followers called Natzarim: “I do not pray for these [Apostles] alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word (John 17:20).”
“Remember the word that I said to you [Apostles], “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also (John 15:20)” Implying that if the world did not treat our Messiah with integrity what makes you think you disciples will be treated any differently. Those believers that are going to convert will convert the rest are adversaries. “If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. (Matthew 10:13-15 )”
Rabbi Sha’ul
Some will assert that Rabbi Sha’ul’s teachings conflict with our Messiah’s teachings, and that Rabbi Sha’ul, whom the world calls Paul was either deceived or was a deceiver. Even the subtle name change of Rabbi Sha’ul into the Apostle Paul is suspect. The name Sha’ul means “asked”. The name Paul means midget. Are the revisionists trying to make a seeker of truth, promoter of the Torah and defender of Judaism into a tiny insignificant person? The Messianic Scriptures does not say Yahweh changed Sha’ul’s name to Paul. It only states that Sha’ul was called Paul at Paphos (Acts 13:9). It is a clever attempt of revisionist to strip Rabbi Sha’ul of his Jewishness and make him appear more Gentile. This is the sin of Marcion. There was no greater threat to the one true Faith in the second century than the man Marcion. Marcion accepted as authoritative only the letters of Rabbi Sha’ul that he refers to as Paul saying that “Paul was the only faithful apostle of Jesus.” He also accepted as authoritative parts of Luke’s Gospel, carefully edited of course, for, as he says, he was “the follower of Paul.”
If the apostles were guilty of teaching doctrines in contradiction to Messiah’s teachings we cannot believe they quoted Messiah accurately. If their teachings truly differed from Messiah’s teachings it would be extremely reasonable to assume that they would attempt to alter His words so that they would match their own agenda. Let me state bluntly, if the Apostles said anything contradicting Messiah or the Torah – they are liars! But they did not, to include Rabbi Sha’ul. That is why when we read the Messianic account, the first thing we notice is that the Messianic Scribes are not mere historians of the biography of Messiah, but defenders of His theological message. You cannot accept Rabbi Sha’ul’s teachings and deny the other apostles because the Scriptures indicate that the apostles accepted Rabbi Sha’ul’s teachings.
Rabbi Silas, that the world knows as Luke, the author of Acts and the Book of Luke, accompanied Rabbi Sha’ul on his third missionary journey. Does Rabbi Silas’ association with Rabbi Sha’ul jeopardize his credibility as well? Rabbi Sha’ul would not allow a man to travel and minister with him if he did not believe the same message he did.
Marcion taught that the Creator, Yahweh, created the world, but that his creation was physical and evil. He was just — therefore, He punished evil as we see in the life of Cain and the Sodomites. But the Father of “Jesus,” the true “God,” created the soul of man, which is spiritual and good. In contrast, he was loving, and therefore through “Jesus” freed and saved everybody willing to become a “Christian.” Irenaeus exposes Marcion teaching that held everyone trusting in Yahweh for salvation was doomed such as “Abel, and Enoch and Noah, and the patriarchs of the line of Abraham, with all the prophets, and those who were in covenant with Yahweh, they did not partake in salvation because salvation is a Christian concept…Since the Jews worshiped Yahweh, Marcion taught that they worshiped an evil god who was full of hate. Thus, he established an early form of anti-Semitism under the false name of Christianity. Further, he believed that salvation was gained by renouncing Yahweh, the Jews, and all that was physical. He and his followers produced there own New Testament which was composed of their revisions…Irenaeus stated that, “Marcion cut up the account according to Luke” in his revision (Against Heresies, Vol. 1).
One of Marcion’s revision can be found in Luke 24:40. Marcion did not believe in the physical resurrection of Messiah YahShua, because the physical was evil according to his teachings. The verse in Luke reads, “And when he (Messiah YahShua) had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.” This verse was omitted by Marcion in his New Testament.
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from Yahweh, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of Yahweh: every spirit that acknowledges that Messiah Yahshua has come in the flesh is from Yahweh, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Yahweh is not from Yahweh. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from Yahweh and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from Yahweh, and whoever knows Yahweh listens to us; but whoever is not from Yahweh does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:1-6)”
In “Against Marcion,” Tertullian accuses Marcion of misusing Rabbi Sha’ul’s writings for his own agenda. Tertullian is openly antagonistic against Marcion pointing out the “Jewishness” of Rabbi Sha’ul’s faith, and then asking, “What had (Rabbi Sha’ul) still to do with Jewish custom, if he was the destroyer of Judaism?” Tertullian refers to what Rabbi Sha’ul says in Romans 7:7, to combat Marcion’s hatred of the Torah: “What shall we say then? That the law is sin? Yahweh fordid. “Shame on you, Marcion. Yahweh forbid: the apostle expresses abhorrence of complaint against the law…Yet he adds even more: “The Law is holy, and its commandment is just, and good… you cannot make a promoter of the law into an opponent of it.”
Today, the Neo-Marcionite Christians and Anti-Sha’ul Messianics overlook or choose to ignore the positive things Rabbi Sha’ul said about the Torah. “For in my inner being I delight in Yahweh’s Torah” and “I myself in my mind am a slave to Yahweh’s Torah ” (Romans 7:22,25). He tells Rabbi Ptolemy (Timothy), “We know that the Torah is good if one uses it properly” (I Timothy 1:8). To the Corinthians he writes, “Keeping Yahweh’s Commandments is what counts” (ICorinthians7: 19). “I have committed No offense, either against the Torah of the Jews or against the Temple”(Acts 25:8). “Brethren…I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our Patriarchs…(Acts 28:17)”
Rabbi Kepha
As overseer of Rabbi Sha’ul’s efforts, Rabbi Kepha, that the world knows as the Apostle Peter, did approve of Rabbi Sha’ul’s teaching. Rabbi Kepha went so far as to call Rabbi Sha’ul’s writings Scripture.
“Bear in mind that our Sovereign’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Rabbi Sha’ul also wrote you with the wisdom that Yahweh gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. (2 Peter 3:15-17)”
Rabbi Kepha believed in Rabbi Sha’ul and his ministry. He did not believe he was heretical. Rabbi Kepha believed Rabbi Sha’ul was full of “chokmah,” godly wisdom and that His writings were “Yahweh breathed.” Rabbi Kepha realized you could twist Rabbi Sha’ul’s words but only if you twisted the Faith which would bring destruction on the false witness.Interestingly enough, those taking Rabbi Sha’ul’s words and twisting them are called in the Greek “athesmos” {ath’–es-mos} which means, “one who breaks through the restraints of law and gratifies his lust.” In other words lawless or Anti-Torah.
Then Rabbi Kepha makes the boldest statement in favor of Rabbi Sha’ul’s ministry: “If Rabbi Sha’ul’s words were interpreted correctly they would result in one’s salvation.”
Then Rabbi Kepha warns the Congregations in the Diaspora against the hijacking of our Faith when he says, guard yourselves so that false teachers, who twist Rabbi Sha’ul’s words into error, can not lead you away from the Faith causing you to fall from the truth.
Rabbi Yochannan Called Marcus
According to the historian, Eusebius, Rabbi Kepha was responsible for assisting Rabbi Yochannan who was called Marcus or Mark in the writing of his Messianic account. If Rabbi Kepha approved of Rabbi Sha’ul’s teaching it would bring into suspect the Book of Mark.
Rabbi Kepha was convinced that what Rabbi Sha’ul taught was the truth, not error and deception. If we accept Rabbi Kepha’s testimony of Rabbi Sha’ul, we come to one of two options: we must accept Rabbi Kepha ‘s word concerning the integrity of Rabbi Sha’ul, his writings and teachings, or we must reject Rabbi Kepha as a heretic along with Rabbi Sha’ul, and therefore we must reject the discipleship of Rabbi Yochannan called Mark and his Messianic account.
Rabbi Silas
Rabbi Silas accompanied Rabbi Sha’ul on his third missionary journey to sift Israel from the nations. Rabbi Sha’ul would never allow a man to travel and minister with him who did not in his ministry. Rabbi Silas, a learned talmudic doctor, orthodox in his religion, never once disagreed with Rabbi Sha’ul over Messiah’s teachings. If we reject their relationship it makes the Book of Luke suspect along with the Book of Mark.
However, if we can trust Rabbi Silas (and we can), he sheds an incredible amount of light on what the Netzarim leadership and Rabbi Sha’ul felt about the True Faith.
“When Rabbi Sha’ul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Ben Navi took him and brought him to the apostles, and did declare to them how on his journey he had seen the King, and that he spoke to him, and how in Damascus he preached fearlessly in the name of YahShua. So Rabbi Sha’ul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, preaching courageously in the name of King YahShua, he was both speaking and disputing with the Hellenists, but they tried to kill him, and the brethren learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then, indeed, the assemblies throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of Yahweh. (Acts 9:26-31)”
“…The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Ben Navi and Rabbi Sha’ul. (Acts 11:29-30)”
“…and Ben Navi and Rabbi Sha’ul had finished their mission, they returned fromJerusalem, taking with them Yochannan, who also called Marcus. (Acts 12:25)”
“When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. The next day Rabbi Sha’ul and the rest of us went to see Rav Yakkov, and all the elders were present. Rabbi Sha’ul greeted them and reported in detail what Yahweh had done among the nations through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised Yahweh. Then they said to Rabbi Sha’ul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the Torah. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the nations to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from uncleanliness, idolatry, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Rabbi Sha’ul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the Temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.
(Acts 21:17-26)” If Rabbi Sha’ul wanted to make a statement against Torah, then was the time, but he did not. What he did not say speaks volumes.
As wee see, Rabbi Sha’ul went up to Jerusalem to speak to the apostles and with Rav Yakkov, the President of the Sanhedrin telling them all that he taught about Messiah in order to make sure that His message was not heresy.
“Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Ben Navi. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and set before them the Full Messianic Message that I preach among the nations. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Messiah YahShua and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the Full Messianic Message might remain with you.
As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; Yahweh does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the Full Messianic Message to the nations,just as Rabbi Kepha had been to the Jews.For Yahweh, who was at work in the ministry of Rabbi Kepha as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the nations. Rabbis Yakkov Kepha, and Yochannan, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Ben Navi the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the nations, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. (Galatians 2:1-10)”
The leaders of the Netzarim approved of his message, adding nothing to it. The highest member of the Sanhedrin approved of teachings and brought no charges against him. Also, they approved of his handling of Titus, the Greek, who was on his road as a Ger Toshav (Returning Gentile). They recognized Yahweh’s calling on Rabbi Sha’ul’s life to minister to the nations, and gave their blessing to him to preach Messiah to the nations. There was no doctrinal conflict between Rabbi Sha’ul, the leaders of the Netzarim or of Orthodox Judaism.
King Messiah YahShua
In fact Tertullian even says concerning Marcion’s teachings about Messiah: “his Christ, in order to avoid all such deceits and fallacies [of the Creator], and the imputation, if possible, of belonging to the Creator, was not what he appeared to be, and gave a false account of what he was – flesh and yet not flesh, man and yet not man – likewise elohim and yet not Elohim!
If we reject the Faith of Yahweh once delivered to Israel, then we reject so great a salvation. In the Marcion world of Replacement Theology it is said, “God’s Law was “Nailed to the Cross”.” So, I ask you, according to the One True Faith, does grace do away with that Law?
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Naviim (Prophets). I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one yod (smallest letter in the AlephBet) or one taug (accent marks above the letters) will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Rabbis of the Torah and Parushim (Pharisees – separated ones), you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)”
False religious teachers cite certain Scriptural texts to infer that the Torah is irrelevant today especially if you embrace Messiah. As Rabbi Kepha warned, they mainly twist Rabbi Sha’ul’s words: “A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). Another states: “You are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). On the surface, these texts certainly sound as though the law or Torah has been abolished.
Like Marcion taught, most Christians view Torah as harsh and cruel, bringing death to all those who lived by it.
First of all, what is the purpose of the Torah? Rabbi Sha’ul teaches the Galatians: “The Torah was our schoolmaster to bring us to Messiah” (Galatians 3:24). Before a person knows any of Yahweh’s truth, he lives outside the grace of Yahweh without thinking of the laws of Yahweh or the consequences of breaking them, nor of the Commonwealth of Israel, which is the Kingdom of Yahweh. “…the sinful mindis hostile to Yahweh. It does not submit to Yahweh’s law, nor can it do so. (Romans 8:7).” In fact, the things concerning the Spirit of Yahweh seem foolish to him. “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of Yahweh, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:14).” No one even realizes that he is committing sin against Yahweh until they become aware of the fact that there is an existing law that defines sin. For as Rabbi Sha’ul taught the Romans: “For by the Torah is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Yahweh. (Romans 10:17)”
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the full message! (Isaiah 52:7)” (Romans 10:14,15)”
Once a person realizes that the Torah exists, he then knows that he has committed various sins against Yahweh, and that “…the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Yahweh is eternal life in Messiah YahShua our King. (Romans 6:23)” Through the Torah, we receive revelation that transgressing Torah is treason against Yahweh and His Messiah. This is what Rabbi Sha’ul meant when he says: “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under penalty of the Law (under the penalty of death), so that [the murmurs and excuses of] every mouth may be hushed and all the world may be held accountable to Yahweh. (Romans 3:19)”
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahweh, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Messiah YahShua. Yahweh presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement,through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in YahShua. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of legalistically observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from legalistically observing the law. (Romans 3:23-28)”
“Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. (Deuteronomy 21:23)’ (Galatians 3:13)”
“But now a righteousness from Yahweh, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify… Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:21,32)”
After a person receives this knowledge, he then has to understand that the only way the penalty of death can be removed is to do “Teshuvah” repent of his sins and return to at-one-ment with Yahweh, accepting the sacrifice of Messiah YahShua, being immersed and receive the Spirit of Yahweh in rebirth receiving the circumcision of a “new heart” which will ultimately, as he walks down the road of sanctification be born out in the circumcision of the flesh and in observance of Torah.
“What shall we say (to all this)? Are we to remain in sin in order that Yahweh’s grace (unmerited power to do Yahweh’s will) may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2)”
Unfortunately, many are misled into thinking that once they receive Yahweh’s sacrifice for the remission of their sins that they then have the right to live any way they want to, believing their past and future sins will be forgiven unconditionally. This kind of theology is wrong – dead wrong – second death wrong! This assumption is made because they believe the law was nailed to the cross and done away with. That is anarchy!
“Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? (Romans 7:1)”
By promoting the blasphemous idea of the abolition of the Torah or that it is somehow optional, Marcionites, Constantinian Christians, Catholics, Libertarians, and so-called Messianic leaders are taking away the very teachings that fuel the Holy Light – even the very fuel of Messiah YahShua’s Light.
“In the beginning was the Torah, and the Torah was with Elohim, and the Torah was Elohim.He was in the beginning with Elohim.All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehendit. (John 1:1-5)”
The Torah condemns those that heed these false Libertarian teacher’s doctrines to darkness that causes them to be ignorant of their constant stumbling at the Truth. When the light of the Torah is removed all that remains is gross darkness.
“Behold, the days come, saith the Sovereign Yahweh, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Yahweh (Torah): and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of Yahweh, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11,12)”
“Arise, shine; for your light has come! (Messiah) And the glory of Yahweh is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth (Lack of Torah), and deep darkness (spiritual shame) the people; but Yahweh will arise over you (True Israel), and His glory will be seen upon you (Covenant keeper). The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:1-3)”
By teaching the Torah is abolished these blasphemers are ministering ETERNAL DARKNESS!
“Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. (Jeremiah 12:9-11)”
As we seek the True Light of Torah, Rebbe YahShua provides the means by which our fleshly weakness can be overcome and our transgressions of Torah be forgiven as we continue our walk of sanctification continually seeking the greater illumination of the Secrets of Torah in our lives.
“For they being ignorant of Yahweh’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of Yahweh. For Messiah is the goal of the Torah for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Torah, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. (Romans 10:3-5)”
It is through Messiah that we are able to strive to live by the instructions & teachings – Torah – of our Creator – Yahweh. It is through Torah that Messiah YahShua is revealed. In Messiah’s own words He upholds Torah. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.But if you do not believe his writings (Torah), how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46,47)”
These same people believe in the immortality of the soul, we do not have eternal life inherent within ourselves. In fact we are instructed in the Book of the Revelation of Messiah: “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14)”
This fulfilled a prophecy in Isaiah 42:21: “It is Yahweh’s pleasure for His righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.”
Also, it fulfils the Proverb: “But the path of the just is like the shining light, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs 4:18,19)”
“So anyone who does not obey one of the smallest commandments, and teaches other people not to obey it, will have the smallest part in the Kingdom of Heaven. But any one who obeys and teaches the Torah, will have a big part in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Everything that Rebbe YahShua taught was from the Torah and He did not teach anything that was not from the Torah. Rebbe YahShua taught Torah! Now, we are instructed to bring Torah to the people of all nations. He told us to teach the nations “to obey everything I have commanded you (My Disciples)” (Matthew 28: 18). And He commanded His disciples to obey the Torah (Matt 5:17-19 & 23:1-2) If we have a Kingdom we have a King and if we have a King we have a Ruler and if we have a Ruler we have rules and what are those rules—–Torah.
You cannot accept some of the Scriptures as true, and yet reject the writings of the Messianic accounts, any part of it as distortions and heresy. You cannot accept the Messianic account but deny the Torah, its foundation. It is insanity to accept the Gospel writers’ accounts of the words of Messiah as accurate, and yet believe that the apostles strayed from Messiah’s teachings themselves. It is also insanity to believe that the Son of Yahweh would negate or do away with the words and will of His Father. And is just as insane to assert that only Paul (Rabbi Sha’ul) taught truth, and all the other apostles were liars. Anyone can make assertions like these, but it has to be backed up with sound reasoning, history and evidence in which there is none to show that our Faith has been altered, changed or done away with. “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our Yahweh into a license for immorality and deny Messiah YahShua our only Sovereign and King. (Jude 1:2-4)”
Originally written by Rabbi Robert O. Miller on November 26th 2005
(Robert Owen Miller 1957-2021)
I don’t understand. Where did Rabbi Miller get the idea that Luke is the same as Silas?
I don’t know. Unfortunately, Rabbi Miller passed away two years ago.