NazareneSpace Blog

Paul: An Emissary to Ephraim

Paul: An Emissary to Ephraim
By
James Trimm

Let me begin by examining the Nazarene Commentary on Isaiah 8:14 as cited by Jerome:

The Nazarenes, who accept Messiah in such a way
that they do not cease to observe the old law
explain the two houses as the two families, viz.
of Shammai and Hillel, from whom originated the Scribes
and the Pharisees. Akiba, who took over their school,
is called the master of Aquila the proselyte, and
after him came Meir who has been succeeded by Joannes
the son of Zakkai and after him Eliezer and further
Telphon, and next Joseph Galilaeus and Joshua up to
the capture of Jerusalem. Shammai then and Hillel
were born not long before the Lord; they originated
in Judea. The name of the first means “scatterer”
and of the second “unholy”, because he scattered and
defiled the precepts of the Torah by his traditions
and deutroseis. And these are the two houses who did
not accept the Savior who has become to them ruin and
scandal.

Now I want to clarify two things here. First of all the Nazarene commentary here is not giving the Pashat (literal meaning) of the passage but a MIDRASH (an allagoical meaning) for the passage. This Midrash draws an allagorical relationship between the two houses of Israel (the House of Israel and the House of Judah) and the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel. The basis for this Midrash is a wordplay on the names Shammai and Hillel which sound in Hebrew like the words for “scatterer” and “unholy”. “Scatterer” ties the House of Shammai allegorically to the “scattered” House of Israel. “Unholy” ties the House of Hillel to the House of Judah.

Two things are important to note:

The Midrash is not identifying an allegory to the two houses
themselves, but to the STUMBLING (see Is. 8:14) of the two houses.
The Midrash is not attacking Hillel and Shammai themselves but the
Houses or schools of Rabbinic thought that arose after them in their names
(as is clear from the linage of Rabbis that came after them), The purpose
of this portion of the Midrash is to link Rabbinic Judaism to the
“stumbling” of the House of Judah discussed in this section of Isaiah.

This section of the commentary is purely midrashic (allegorical) and tells us little about the Nazarene understanding of the Pashat (literal meaning) of this passage.

But now lets look at the Nazarene commentary on Is. 9:1-4 (8:23-93 in Jewish versions) as cited by Jerome:

The Nazarenes, whose opinion I have set forth above,
try to explain this passage in the following way:
When Messiah came and his proclaiming shone out,
the land of Zebulon and Naphtali first of all were
freed from the errors of the Scribes and Pharisees
and he shook off their shoulders the very heavy yoke
of the Jewish traditions. Later, however, the proclaiming
became more dominant, that means the proclaiming was
multiplied, through the Goodnews of the emissary Paul
who was the least of all the emissaries. And the goodnews
of Messiah shone to the most distant tribes and the way of
the whole sea. Finally the whole world, which earlier walked
or sat in darkness and was imprisoned in the bonds of idolatry
and death, has seen the clear light of the goodnews.

(Note: The “Jewish traditions” in the context of this commentary refer to Rabbinic Halachah of the fourth century CE with which the Nazarenes took issue.)

Now Isaiah 9:1-4 refers to “Galilee of the GOYIM (nations/Gentiles)” but identifies these “Gentiles” as the inhabitants of “the land of Zebulon and Naphtali”. Here the House of Israel is being identified as “Gentiles”. There are at least two other places in Scripture where the word “Gentile” is used to describe Ephraim (the House of Israel). One of these is Gen. 48:19 where (in the Hebrew) Ephraim is told his descendent’s will become “a multitude of nations (GOYIM; Gentiles)” (compare Rom. 11:25 where the same phrase is translated in the KJV as “fullness of the gentiles”). The other case is in Rom. 9:24 which refers to “Jews” and “Gentiles” but then goes on (in Rom. 9:25-26) to quote Hosea (Hos. 2:23; 1:10) to identify them which the “Children of Judah” and “the Children of Israel” (Hosea 1:10-11; 2:23).

The Nazarene Commentary on Isaiah understands “you have multiplied the nation” (Is. 9:3) to refer to Paul “the proclaiming was multiplied, through the Goodnews of the emissary Paul… to the most distant tribes”. Therefore the ancient Nazarenes understood the “Gentiles” to whom Paul primarily directed his message with the Ephraimite “Gentiles” of Isaiah 9:1-4 and with “the most distant tribes”.

This comment in the Nazarene Commentary on Isaiah makes it clear that the Ancient Sect of Nazarene Judaism held that Paul was an emissary to the Ephraimites.

We must raise at least $360 by the end of the day Wednesday, our electric bill is due soon (we have had a very hot summer in North Texas) and our rent is due in just over a week!

As I have said to you many times, I look on this work as a co-operative one with me, and all of you combining our resources together in order to get the job done of helping to teach this great truth to all in the world who will listen. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for your continued support, you are the ones who make it all possible by your contributions and your prayers for our work. I truly appreciate your help in every way.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Did Luke Write in Greek?

Did Luke Write in Greek?
By
James Scott Trimm

There is a common argument that Luke was a Greek who wrote in Greek to a man with a Greek name, Theophilus.

The fact is that Luke was from Syria. He was probably either a Jew born in Syria or a Syrian convert to Judaism.

The “Church Father” Eusebius writes:

Luke, who was born at Antioch, and by profession a physician, being for the most part connected with Paul, and familiarly acquainted with the rest of the apostles, has left us in two inspired books, the institutes of that spiritual healing art which he obtained from them.
(Eusebius; Eccl. History 3:4)

Antioch was the capitol of Syria. While there was a Greek speaking population in Antioch, the native language of Syria was Aramaic, and this is why the Romans even called Aramaic “Syriacos”.

Luke addresses his two books (Luke and Acts) to “most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). But who was this “Theophilus” who was addressed with the title “most excellent”? We know from Josephus that Theophilus was the High Priest:

So Vitellius prepared to make war with Aretas, having with him two legions of armed men; he also took with him all those of light armature, and of the horsemen which belonged to them, and were drawn out of those kingdoms which were under the Romans, and made haste for Petra, and came to Ptolemais. But as he was marching very busily, and leading his army through Judea, the principal men met him, and desired that he would not thus march through their land; for that the laws of their country would not permit them to overlook those images which were brought into it, of which there were a great many in their ensigns; so he was persuaded by what they said, and changed that resolution of his which he had before taken in this matter. Whereupon he ordered the army to march along the great plain, while he himself, with Herod the tetrarch and his friends, went up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God, an ancient festival of the Jews being then just approaching; and when he had been there, and been honorably entertained by the multitude of the Jews, he made a stay there for three days, within which time he deprived Jonathan of the high priesthood, and gave it to his brother Theophilus.
(Josephus; Antiquities 18:5:3)

So in the books of Luke and Acts, Luke, who was raised in Syria, where the common language was “Syriacos” or Aramaic, writes to the Jewish High Priest. He certainly would have been writing in Hebrew or Aramaic, not Greek. And this is apparent in the internal evidence of our Greek text of Luke, as Charles Cutler Torrey states:

In regard to [Greek] Luke, it remains to be said, that of all the Four Gospels, it is the one which gives by far the plainest, and most constant evidence, of being a translation [from Aramaic].
– C.C. Torrey; Our Translated Gospels p. li

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today! We are facing a $300 shortfall in the bank tonight, and our rent is due in about a week. Any donation is better than no donation, and any donation will help!

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or GoFundMe

Click HERE to donate

The Very Syllables as they Fell from His Lips!

Upon the occasion of a display of an Aramaic manuscript of the New Testament at the Library of Congress in 1954, the Reverend Fredrick Brown Harris, Chaplain to the United States Senate wrote:

…it is written in the language used by Jesus, who spake as never man spake, as the vehicle for his deathless concepts of life. Here are the very syllables as they fell from his lips when the matchless Teacher was here among men. It is a record to make the heart leap with excitement. Somehow, it is like hearing the One whose birth broke the ages in two, talking to our modern age without a language barrier between. Here is not a translation of the words, but the words themselves of that One who… declared: ‘My words shall not pass away. They are spirit and they are life.’ –

This week I posted three four short “bumper sticker” type statements on my personal Facebook Page:

Yeshua did not come to create a new religion. He came to be the Jewish Messiah of Judaism.

The original followers of Yeshua as the Messiah were not “Christians”. They were a sect of Jews known as “Nazarene Judaism”.

Two things the “New Testament Church” did not have: 1) a New Testament and 2) a Church.

The New Testament was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic and only later translated into Greek, Latin and other European languages.

Of course all of these drew some negative feedback (and around 100 “likes” each). But to my surprise, the biggest negative reaction was to the Hebrew and Aramaic origin of the “New Testament”.

Some of the replies claimed that there was no evidence whatsoever for a Hebrew and Aramaic origin of the “New Testament”. Others made false claims that no Hebrew or Aramaic manuscripts existed for any of the “New Testament”. Others responded with tired old arguments about the NT quoting the Septuagint, Luke being a Gentile writing to a Greek (Theophilus) or Paul writing to Greek speaking congregations. All of these tired arguments were debunked long ago.

For some time now my book The Hebrew and Aramaic Origin of the New Testament has needed an update. It is my intention t post the new revised book online for free here. It will take some time to type the material in. It cannot just be cut and pasted from the book because the original Word file has been lost and even the PDF is of limited value, because it was originally written and produced at a time when Hebrew fonts were used, with a different keyboard map, than modern ASCII Hebrew letters. However, it is important to get this material out on the internet for free, so that it can be disseminated as widely as possible.

In fact my new strategy for some time now, is not to try to sell books. The fact is that writing and selling books is a losing proposition. It limits the dissemination of material to those that buy and read the book, and book sales are just deplorable as well. My new strategy has been to endeavor to get all of my information out on the internet for free, to be disseminated as widely as possible, and to seek funding for this effort from voluntary freewill offerings and tithes of those who have a desire to see this material disseminated as widely as possible!

This is becoming a more difficult proposition, as inflation has increased prices, subtracting from the buying power of donations coming in, and leaving donors with less disposable income with which to donate. In other words, donations have decreased at a time we desperately need them to increase.

Do not let inflation destroy this very important work!

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today!

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Yeshua, his Talmidim and the Essenes

Yeshua, his Talmidim and the Essenes
By
James Trimm

Yeshua came to be immersed by John in the wilderness at about the age of 30 and was proclaimed by John to be the “lamb” of Isaiah 53:7 (John 1:29). Certain of John’s students then became students of Yeshua (John 1:35-51). Yeshua then began to proclaim, as John had proclaimed: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is offered.” (Matthew 3:17). Later He sent his twelve students out with the same proclamation (Matthew 10).

Despite the fact that Yeshua’s teachings largely agreed with that of the Pharisaic School of Hillel, there were occasions where Yeshua’s teachings agreed with the School of Shammai against the School of Hillel. An important example of this is the issue of divorce where Yeshua agreed with Shammai against Hillel (Matthew 5:31-32 & m.Gittin 9:10). There were also occasions when Yeshua’s teachings agreed with that of the Essenes against that of the Pharisees. One example is on the issue of oaths (compare Matthew 5:33-37 & Damascus Document- Geniza A; Col. 15; Lines 1-3).

While Yocahan was essentially an Essene, Yeshua did not appear to live the Essene lifestyle, as we read in Matthew 11:18-19:

“Yochanan came neither eating nor drinking…”
“The Son of man came eating and drinking…”
(Matthew 11:18-19)

Nonetheless there are many important similarities between the teachings of Yeshua and those of the Essenes/Qumran community. Yeshua went out into the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1f). Yeshua’s twelve talmidim (students) remind us of the council of twelve at Qumran (Manual of Discipline 1QS 8:1). Yeshua’s twelve talmidim seemed to be headed by three (Kefa (Peter), James (Ya’akov) and Yochanan (John) and the twelve laymen of Qumran were headed by three priests (1QS 8:1).

In Matthew 10:9-11 Yeshua instructs his Talmidim as follows:

“Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor lesser coin in your belts. Pack not for the journey, either two coats, or sandals, or a staff, for the laborer is worthy of his food. And into whatever city or town you will enter, enquire who in it is honorable, and there abide until you go out from there.”
(Matthew 10:9-11)

Some light on this text may be acquired by examining a statement by Josephus concerning the first century Essene sect of Judaism:

“…and if any of their sect come from other places, what they have lies open for them, just as if it were their own; and they go into such as they never knew before, as if they had been ever so long acquainted with them. For which reason they carry nothing with them when they travel into remote parts, though still they take their weapons with them, for fear of thieves. Accordingly there is, in every city where they live, one appointed particularly to take care of strangers, and provide garments and other necessaries for them.”
(Josephus; Wars 2:8:4)

Yeshua’s talmidim had for the most part, come from an Essene background. It would appear that they were therefore able to travel within Essene circles from town to town without having to carry additional supplies.

Also note that Yeshua and his Talmidim traveled armed (Luke 22:38) Were Yeshua and his Talmidim circulating to some extent within the Essene community network?

Also in Luke 22:24 (see also 9:46):

“And there was also strife among them about who among them was greatest…”

What? What kind of prideful, arrogant, self-righteous men had Yeshua chosen as his twelve emissaries? Are they really bickering over which of them is better than the other? The Dead Sea Scrolls offer some insight on what otherwise looks like a childish squabble that should be totally uncharacteristic of the kind of men Yeshua would have chosen as his twelve talmidim and emissaries (see comments to Matthew 10:2). In the Manual of Discipline we read:

“This is the rule for the session of the general membership, each man being in his proper place. The priest shall sit in the first row, the elders in the second, the rest of the people, each in his proper place…. So that each man may state his opinion to the society of the Yahad. None should interrupt the words of his comrade, speaking before his brother finishes what he has to say. Neither should anyone speak before another of higher rank.”
(Manual of Discipline 1QS 6, 8-11)

The Essenes of Qumran were informed of their rank once a year at an annual review as we read elsewhere in the same document:

“They shall do as follows annually… the priests shall pass in review first, ranked according to their spiritual excellence, one after another. Then the Levites shall follow, and third all the people by rank, one after another, in their thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. Thus shall each Israelite know his proper standing in the Yahad of God…”
(Manual of Discipline 1QS 2, 19-22)

And regarding the Great Messianic Banquet (see comments to Matthew 26:17-30):

“The procedure for the [mee]ting of the men of reputation [when they are called] to the banquet held by the society of the Yahad, when [God] has fa[th]ered (?) the Messiah (or, when the Messiah has been revealed) among them: [the Priest,] as head of the entire congregation of Israel, shall enter first, trailed by all [his] brot[hers, the Sons of] Aaron, those priests [appointed] to the banquet of the men of reputation. They are to sit be[fore him] by rank. Then the [Mess]iah of Israel may en[ter], and the heads of the th[ousands of Israel] are to sit before him by rank. … all the heads of the congregation’s cl[ans], together with [their] wis[e and knowledgeable men]. Shall sit before them by rank. [When] they gather [at the] communal [tab]le, [having set out bread and w]ine so the communal table is set [for eating] and [the] wine (poured) for drinking, none [may r]each for the first portion of the bread or [the wine] before the Priest. For [he] shall [bl]ess the first portion of the bread and the wine, [reac]hing for the bread first. Afterw[ard] the Messiah of Israel [shall re]ach for the bread. [Finally,] ea[ch] member of the whole congregation of the Yahad [shall give a bl]essing, [in descending order of] rank. This procedure shall govern every me[al], provided at least ten me[n are ga]thered together.”
(1Qsa 2, 11-22)

Since Passover is the spiritual new year for Israel, it stands to reason that this annual review coinsided with Passover. Yeshua’s talmidim are sitting down for the Passover Sader, for the acting out of the Messianic Banquet (see comments to Matthew 26:17-30). To their mainds they may have even been having the actual Messianic Feast (in light of the comments at Matthew 10:1 & 10:9-11) Yeshua’s talmidim, being mostly of Essene background (see comments to John 1:28-51) and sitting down for the Sader were anticipating that Yeshua would be assigning them each a rank so that they would each “know their proper standing”. This was not out of arrogance but out of humility. They did not want to be speaking presumptuously ahead of their rank. The statements involved in this dispute were likely not arrogant presumptuous claims of “I am greater [in rank] than you” but rather “_____ is surely greater [in rank] than I”.

In Matthew 21:23-27 The Pharisees challenge Yeshua as to where his s’mikhah, or authority comes from. Yeshua responds by asking them about where Yochanan’s authority came from. Yeshua was not evading their question. Yeshua was raising this point because Yeshua’s earthly authority (s’mikhah) came from Yochanan (John 1:6-8, 15, 26-27, 29-37) and Yochanan’s authority was from an Essenes rather than a Pharisaic source (see comments to Matthew 3:1). Thus Yeshua’s s’mikhah traced back through Yochanan to the Essene line of s’mikhah. Yeshua was putting the Pharisees in the position of either acknowledging Essene Halachic authority or declaring it to be false. It would appear that the Pharisees were hesitant to question the s’mikhah of a sect that was known for being even stricter on observance than they were.

Many of Yeshua’s halachic teachings parallel those of the Qumran community. Yeshua opposed the taking of oaths (Matthew 5:34) as did the Essenes (Josephus; Wars 2:8:6; Manual of Discipline 1QS 15:1-3). Yeshua’s use of Genesis 1:27 to prove his halachic position on divorce is paralleled in the Dead Sea Scrolls:

“…they are caught in two traps: fornication, by taking two wives in their lifetimes although the principle of creation is: “male and female He created them.”…they are caught in two traps:”
(Dam. Doc. Col. 4 line 20 through Col. 5 line 1)

Yeshua’s halachah on the issue of “CORBAN” (an offering) being used as an excuse to violate Torah in Matthew 15:1-8 parallels a similar ruling at Qumran (Damascus Document 16:13).

Matthew records a very interesting event involving Yeshua and the Temple Tax:

“…they that received tribute came to Kefa (Peter), and said, ‘Does not your master pay tribute?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ And when he came into the house Yeshua prevented him, saying, ‘What do you think, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers?’ Kefa (Peter) said to him, ‘Of strangers.’ Yeshua said to him, ‘Then the children are free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go you to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened his mouth, you shall find a piece of money: that take, and give to them for me and you.’ “
(Matthew 17:24-27)

Here Kefa indicates the Yeshua pays the Temple tax, but Yeshua indicates that neither himself, nor Kefa nor aparantly any of his followers owe the Temple tax. Yeshua does not seem to argue that he does not owe such a tax because he is the Messiah, for he extends the same privilage to Kefa and aparantly all of his followers. Is Yeshua teaching against Torah? The answer is no. The Torah does command that a Temple tax must be payed by every male 20 and older (Exodus 30:11-16) but is ambiguos as to how often it must be payed. The Pharisaic Halachah (and aparenetly the Sadducean Halachah) had the tax being paid annually during the month of Adar (m.Shek. 1:1, 3) However the Qumran community had a different Halachah. They taught:

“…concerning the Ransom: the money of the valuation which a man gives as ransom for his life shall be half a shekel in accordance with the shekel of the sanctuary. He shall give it only once in his life.”
(4Q159 Frag 1; Col. 2; lines 6-7)

Now if Yeshua held to this Essene Halachah then He would not believe that he or his followers owed the tax, if they had already paid it at least once in their lifetime. This would explain why Kefa said that Yeshua pays the tax, while Yeshua claims that he and his followers don’t owe the tax.

Like the Qumran community Yeshua speaks allegorically of “Living Water” coming from a well. . In John chapter four “living water” is symbolically drawn from Jacob’s well, and brings salvation and eternal life. In the Manual of Discipline “living water” is the teachings of the community and is symbolicly drawn from the well of Num. 21:18 which is identified by the Scroll to be symbolic of the Law. Thus we may conclude that in John 4 Yeshua draws upon a Midrash (allegorical interpretation) which existed in his time (John 4:10 & Dam. Doc. VI, 4-5; VII, 9-VIII, 21).

Yeshua’s use of the Passover Sader as a sort of Messianic banquet certainly reminds us of the Messianic banquet of the Qumran Essenes (Josephus; Wars 2:8:5; Manual of Discipline 6:3-6 & 1QS Sa. 2, 17-20). The Qumran material even reads “the Messiah of Israel shall reach for the bread” (1QSa. 2:20-21) a phase which certainly reminds us of the “Last Supper” account of the New Testament. There were however some very important point with which Yeshua greatly disagreed with the Essenes. The Essenes held the strictest rules of resting on the Sabbath than any of the Jews (Josephus; Wars 2:8:9) The Qumran community, with its stricter Halacha likely did not permit healing on the Shabbat at all. They did not allow carrying medicine on the Shabbat nor did they allow using a tool to save a life on the Shabbat (Dam. Document col. 10; lines 14-18). Now Y’shua’s Halacha on the issue seems to have been less strict. There is conflict between Yeshua and Qumran on the plucking and rubbing of wheat in Matthew 12:1=Luke 6:1=Mark 2:23. The activity described is clearly permitted by the Torah in general, though not necessarily on the Shabbat (Deuteronomy 23:26 (23:25 in non-Jewish editions)). This was forbidden by Qumran halacha which stated:

“A man may not go about in the field to do his desired activity on the Sabbath… A man may not eat anything on the Sabbath except food already prepared.”
(Dam. Doc. Col. 10; lines 20-22).

Also Yeshua’s teaching that it is permitted to rescue an animal from a pit. (Matthew 12:11 and Luke 14:3-6) is in direct conflict with Qumran Halacha.(Dam. Doc. col. 10; lines 14-18).

Yeshua’s followers had much in common with the Essenes. Both were called “The Way” (Acts 9:2 & 1QS 9,18) and “B’nai Or” (Sons of Light) (Luke 16:8; John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Man. Of Disc. 1,9; 2, 24; 1QM). Like the Essenes they shared all things in common (Acts 2:44-45; Josephus; Ant. 18:1:5; Wars 2:8:3) and lying about such assets was regarded as a great sin (Acts 5:1-10). Although further study is needed, there may be some good connections between the Qumran hierarchy and that of the Nazarenes. Both groups seemed to have made some use of the Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9 is quoted in Jude 1:14-15; seven fragmentary copies of Enoch were found at Qumran). Like the Qumran community, the Nazarenes also seem to have used Hebrew manuscripts of Tanak books which agreed in places with the text behind the Septuagint. The Nazarene belief in two comings of the Messiah is similar to the Qumran belief in two Messiahs. The Qumran community believed in a priestly Messiah who was a Melchizadek figure whom they termed EL, ELOHIM and YHWH (11Q13), a figure they believed was prophesied of in such passages as Dan. 9:24-27; Isaiah 52 (and presumably 53) and Isaiah 61:1. In like manner the Nazarenes saw their Messiah Yeshua as a Melchizadek figure (Hebrews 7) who fulfilled the very same prophecies.

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today!

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Does the Torah Support Abortion? (Understanding Ex. 21:22-25)

Today I received an email asking about abortion and Exodus 21:22-25. The email contained a link to an article which made the case that the original Hebrew text of Exodus 21:22-25 indicates that a fetus is not really a person, and that a mistranslation of the word for “harm” in the Septuagint Greek to mean “in the form”, led to a false doctrine in this regard. In fact, thi translation issue issue is just a distraction.

To begin with, let us look at this passage from the Masoretic Text:

22 If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no harm follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 And if any harm follow, then you shall give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
(Exodus 21:22-25)

The case has been made that there is a disparity here. If the woman has a miscarriage, but is otherwise unharmed, then the perpetrator only pays a fine, but if the woman dies, then the perpetrator is executed. This is supposed to prove that a fetus does not have the same value as a human life in the Torah, and thus this is used to support abortion.

However a note in Rashi’s commentary on this passage gives some important clarity. Rashi writes:

you shall give a life for a life: Our Rabbis differ on this matter. Some say [that he must] actually [give up his] life, and some say [that he must pay] money, but not actually a life, and if one intends to kill one person and kills another, he is exempt from the death penalty and must pay his [the victim’s] heirs his value, as [it would be if] he were sold in the marketplace. -[From Mechilta, Sanh. 79]

Likewise we read in the Talmud:

Why [pay compensation]? Does the Divine Law not say ‘Eye for eye’? Why not take this literally to mean [putting out] the eye [of the offender]? — Let not this enter your mind, since it has been taught: You might think that where he put out his eye, the offender’s eye should be put out, or where he cut off his arm, the offender’s arm should be cut off, or again where he broke his leg, the offender’s leg should be broken. [Not so; for] it is laid down, ‘He that smiteth any man. . .’ ‘And he that smiteth a beast . . .’ just as in the case of smiting a beast compensation is to be paid, so also in the case of smiting a man compensation is to be paid.
(b.Baba Kama 83b)

Just as the phrases “eye for eye” and “tooth for tooth” refer to financial civil liability, so also the phrase “life for life” in parallel with these terms, refers to civil liability.

This means there is no disparity, in both the case of the death of the fetus, and the case of the death of the woman, a financial liability is levied. And therefore, there is nothing about this passage that indicates that a fetus is not an actual “person”.

At this point, I am reminded of a statement in the Mishna concerning the murder of Abel by Cain:

…it said. “The bloods of your brother cry” (Gen. 4:10) It does not say , “The blood of your brother,” but “The bloods of your brother” — his blood, and the blood of all those who were destined to be born from him. (m.San. 4:5)

Moreover we read in Deut. 23:7

“Keep you far from a false matter,
and the innocent and righteous slay you not:
for I will not justify the wicked.”

Life Begins at Conception

A human being’s person hood begins not at the time that he or she has completed development in the womb and is transferred out of the mother into the world. It is clear from Scripture that there is a seamless continuity in the life of a person from the moment of conception.

YHWH knows each person from the beginning. As we read in Jeremiah:

4 And the word of YHWH came unto me, saying:
5 Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you, and before you came forth out of the
womb I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet unto the nations.
(Jer. 1:4-5 HRV)

Each person has a YHWH-given purpose from conception, as the Psalmist writes:

13 For You have made my reins; You have knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks unto You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: wonderful are Your works, and that, my soul knows right well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and curiously
wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes did see my unformed substance, and in Your book they were all written;
even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
(Ps. 139:13-16 HRV)

We have less than $60 in our account! We must raise at least $300 by the end of the day Friday or our account will go into the negative! We need your support today!

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Restoring the Gospel according to the Hebrews

As we continue work on the restoration of the Gospel according to the Hebrews, the original Jewish Gospel which was a primary source for the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and even Yochanan, I have set up a page with some of the important information we have gathered and published thus far:

Restoration of the Gospel according to the Hebrews

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Nazarene Restoration Projects

Shalom Chaverim,

As you know, I am working on several projects related to the Restoration of the ancient sect of Nazarene Judaism, the original Jewish followers of Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah of Judaism.

So as to help you keep up with this work, I have created a single page directory for these projects. All of these projects are works in progress.

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Update on my Health Issues

Shalom Chaverim,

I told you before that I was sent to see two specialists. One of these was a neurologist, which I have seen. It was a long wait to see the other specialist and that happened today. Getting in to see this specialist was a whole story. The short version is that I was initially referred to someone who was supposedly on my insurance, but was not. I had one visit with that specialist, they ordered blood and imaging tests but I was not able to go to a followup appointment, when it turned out they were not on my insurance. So I had to find a new specialist and the earliest appointment I could get was over a month out (today). Today I took those tests into the new specialist, and he said I need to see a different type of specialist *immediately*. He literally called a colleague on the phone and got me an appointment *tomorrow*. I do not yet know the reason for the urgency, he did not tell me and wanted me to see the other specialist ASAP.

So today’s Specialist copay was $70 and tomorrow’s is $70. I expect the new Specialist will want to run tests, perhaps tomorrow, and those will have big copays at all… and at this point I won’t be able to afford any tests, I can barely afford the copay for the visit.

With the economy down, donations are way down. We have raised less than $85 this week! Rent is due in just over 24 hours, the electric is due, my health insurance bill (huge) is due and our car is in the shop having the transmission replaced (plus my wife has a dr. appointment tomorrow and has to pick up a prescription she *must* have, that is over $100!

Now more than ever, we need your help ASAP!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Stay Connected with the Nazarene Judaism Restoration!

There is a lot of talk about getting back to the “New Testament Church” but two things the “New Testament Church” did not have, were a “New Testament” (it was yet to be written, and that is not what they called it) and a “Church” (the met in homes and synagogues). Yeshua (“Jesus of Nazareth”) did not come to create a new religion, but to be the Jewish Messiah of Judaism. The original followers of Yeshua as Messiah were not “Christians” but a sect of Judaism known as “Nazarenes”. While these Nazarenes used the 27 books known to Christians as the “New Testament”, they did not call them by that name, and they did not use the Greek New Testament, but the original Hebrew and Aramaic versions of those books, as well as a fifth Gospel known as the “Gospel according to the Hebrews” (this was actually an original, unabridged version of the Gospel of Matthew). These Nazarenes shared much in common with the House of Hillel Pharisees, in fact Paul, a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, actually identified as a Pharisee as well as a Nazarene. These Nazarenes also held much in common with the Essenes, with both groups calling themseleves “The Way” and the “Sons of Light”. These Nazarrenes had a concept of the Messiah as the “Word” and the “Son of Yah” which was very much like that of Philo of Alexandria and that found in the Zohar.

Today many of us are working to restore this ancient sect of Judaism. Click here to find out how you can stay connected with this modern restoration of Nazarene Judaism!

You can join our Nazarene Judaism Facebook group by clicking here.

You can also “Like” our Facebook Page

However, we all know that we cannot depend of Facebook to stay connected, which is why we have created our very own NazareneSpace Social Network which I encourage you all to join by clicking here

And of course keep watching the blogs right here!

The Word Revealed in the Zohar

The Word Revealed in the Zohar
By
James Scott Trimm

In the introduction portion of the Zohar (Haqdamat Sefer Zohar) there is a very deep discussion of Isaiah 40:26. I wish I had time to fully explain this exposition to you. This is my second draft of this blog. In the first draft, I started to do just that, and then realized that I was having to explain so much background information to make it understandable, that the subject I really wanted to cover, was getting lost in the mix.

To summarize the setting, Rabbi El’azar is giving an exposition on the passage “Lift your eyes on high and see: Who created these?” Shimon bar Yochai interrupts him saying:

Said R. Simeon, ‘Eleazar, son of mine, cease thy discourse, that there may be revealed the higher mysteries which remain sealed for the people of this world.’

R. Eleazar then fell into silence.

R. Simeon wept a while and then said: ‘Eleazar, what is meant by the term “these”? Surely not the stars and the other heavenly bodies, since they are always visible, and were created through Mah, as we read, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Ps. 33:6). Nor can it imply the things inaccessible to our gaze, since the vocable “these” obviously points to things that are revealed. This mystery remained sealed until one day, whilst I was on the sea-shore, Elijah came and said to me, “Master, what means ‘Mi (Who?) created these?’ “ I said to him, “That refers to the heavens and their hosts, the works of the Holy One, blessed be He, works through the contemplation of which man comes to bless Him, as it is written, ‘When I behold thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, etc. O Lord our God, how glorious is thy name in all the earth!’ “ (Ps. 8:4-10). (Zohar 1:2a Soncino)

“Elijah said to me, ‘Rabbi, the word was concealed with the blessed Holy One, and He revealed it in the Academy on High,” (Zohar 1:2a Pritzker)

The Zohar continues:

When the most Mysterious wished to reveal Himself, He first produced a single point which was transmuted into a thought, and in this He executed innumerable designs, and engraved innumerable gravings. He further graved within the sacred and mystic lamp a mystic and most holy design, which was a wondrous edifice issuing from the midst of thought. This is called MI, and was the beginning of the edifice, existent and non-existent, deep-buried, unknowable by name. It was only called MI (Who?).

It desired to become manifest and to be called by name. It therefore clothed itself in a refulgent and precious garment and created ELeH (these), and ELeH acquired a name. The letters of the two words intermingled, forming the complete name ELoHIM (God). (When the Israelites sinned in making the golden calf, they alluded to this mystery in saying ’Eleh (these are) thy Gods, O Israel’ (Exod. XXXII, 4).) And once MI became combined with ELeH, the name remained for all time. And upon this secret the world is built.” (Zohar 1:2a Soncino)

And then we read:

“Then Elijah flew off; I did not see him. From him I discovered the word, whose mysterious secret I have demonstrated.” (Zohar 1:2a Pritzker)

And finally:

R. Eleazar and all the companions came and prostrated themselves before him, weeping for joy and saying, ‘If we had come into the world only to hear this we should have been content.’ (Zohar 1:2a Soncino)

(I have switched between the two versions of the Zohar because I do not have time today to prepare a fresh translation of the Aramaic of this material for you, and the Soncino version (which i can cut and paste from most easily) omits the term “word” which is actually key to the entire passage.)

This is part of what is meant by:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.
2 The same was in the beginning with Elohim.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
(Yochanan 1:1-3)

Now is the time for the last days restoration on Nazarene Judaism, the faith of the original Jewish followers of Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah of Judaism!

We need your support for this important work! And in these challenging times, we need your support more than ever! Rent will be due in a week, and we need your help to raise it!

If you can make a one time donation of $500 or $1,000 dollars to support this work.

We must raise at least $360 by the end of the day Wednesday, our electric bill is due soon (we have had a very hot summer in North Texas) and our rent is due in just over a week!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today! We are facing a $300 shortfall in the bank tonight, and our rent is due in about a week. Any donation is better than no donation, and any donation will help!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or GoFundMe

Click HERE to donate

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

In these trying economic times donations are way down while prices are all way up! We need your help today!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

We have less than $60 in our account! We must raise at least $300 by the end of the day Friday or our account will go into the negative! We need your support today!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org

Or click HERE to donate

We need your support for this important work! And in these challenging times, we need your support more than ever! Rent will be due in a week, and we need your help to raise it!

Donations can be sent by Paypal to donations@wnae.org or by Zelle or Go Fund Me

Click HERE to donate