Lamb of God? Really?

The Use of Non-literal Language in the Bible

Recently, in a discussion thread, I noticed that there seems to be some confusion about how to identify uses of non-literal language in the Bible. As the discussion went on, it became apparent that there was some need to define basic literary terms, like “parable”, “literal”, and “figurative”.

In this discussion, the question was asked whether certain passages were “literal” or “parable”. The responses were intriguing. No one wanted to say that anything was a “parable”, or a “metaphor”, because they seemed afraid it would leave them in a position where they were cutting meaningful parts out of the Bible. In other words, these people were avoiding the obvious answer—”it is a metaphor”—because they were afraid that was tantamount to saying the Bible has no clear meaning in those instances.

I can understand that concern. I used to feel the same way. I was certain that, “The Bible should always be taken literally. Saying some of it is allegorical or metaphorical leaves the interpretation up to the whim of the theologian.”

In Bible college, there was even a saying we had to memorize…

When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word, at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.

(Dr. David L. Cooper, “The Golden Rule of Biblical Hermeneutics”)

Now, this approach is far superior to the alternative technique of Bible interpretation that is popular among Christian theologians. I have been treated to interpretations of the prophets that denuded the prophetic visions of all reference to Israel. Christian theology is rife with allegorization of texts in order to exchange the roles of Israel and a Gentile entity we call “the Church”.

However, while this golden rule is an improvement over other approaches, it does make one glaring assumption that is rarely identified. In order to employ this rule accurately, one must have a firm grasp on the language and literary genres common to the Biblical authors. In short, one cannot know when “the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths” indicates a non-literal usage unless we are familiar with the axioms and fundamental truths employed by the authors!

In many cases, the choice of terms might be based on reasons that will not be immediately obvious to us, as we read 2,000 years later, within a different culture, and with a completely different set of experiences. We must learn to put ourselves in the place of the author and the original audience in order to understand what was written. In this particular conversation I mentioned, the issue was how to define what was intended to be taken as literal truth, as opposed to recognizing figurative language.

So, let’s start of with an assertion:

Calling something a “parable” or a “figure of speech” is not just a fancy way of saying it has no meaning.

We sometimes get the impression that calling something a metaphor is just an excuse to justify tossing out our dearly held beliefs. We are told, “The verse used to defend that doctrine isn’t literally true.” I used to take great offense at some of the writings of William Barclay for specifically that reason.

Some of us need to get over this negative feeling about identifying figures of speech in the Bible. The truth is, we use figures of speech and idioms all the time, regardless of what language we speak. Figures of speech are an unavoidable reality in life. It “rains cats and dogs”, while “Jack Frost is nipping at our noses”. We “hop in our wheels” to drive down town, to “eat a bean”. “Give me a call”? Where shall I put it when you have given it to me?

In the case of “mishlei/parables”, we have short stories—sometimes only a sentence or two—that communicate an actual truth, but through the use of symbolism. These are not literal uses of language. Stories about beating on a friend’s front door to borrow a loaf of bread are very relatable and homey… but not literal, factual accounts. The point of these stories is to involve the hearer/reader, and get the audience to relate to the characters in the story. That allows the audience to take a meaning from the story that was never explicitly stated—an excellent way to communicate when one is part of an underground political movement bent on crowning the new Planetary Emperor.

But most of us get that. Things become more tricky, though, when it comes to identifying terms that are so commonly used as jargon words that we don’t even recognize them as figurative, anymore. It can be downright challenging to tease out all the non-literal terms we are accustomed to using.

• Israel is the “wife” of God”

  This makes a wonderful word picture, but there is no way it is literally true. The same goes for “Bride of Messiah”. If we try to take these terms literally, then we have God in a homosexual, incestuous relationship with “Israel, my son, my firstborn”. And by the way… calling Israel a “son” is also a figure of speech! The eternal spirit Being we call “God” does not procreate.

• We are the “Body” of Messiah

  We are a collective community, but we are not a literal “body”. Sha’ul built on this metaphor (a comparison NOT using “like” or “as”) in First Corinthians 12, when he likened people to eyes, ears, hands, and feet.

• We are “grafted in”

  This is an agricultural term, by which we mean that one can identify with, and adhere to, a group to which s/he is not native-born.

• Put on the “Armor” of God

  Ephesians 6 does not intend that we should play-act putting on armor in any literal way. Sha’ul uses armor as a metaphor for the role of maturing in our spiritual character. As we learn truth, righteousness, trust, etc., we find these traits all help to sustain and protect us—LIKE armor on the battlefield.

And finally, I will end with one last example—

• Yeshua is the “Lamb of God”

  This beloved phrase says so much about Yeshua! The symbol of the lamb communicates gentleness, companionship, warmth, and ultimately, the ultimate sacrifice.

  And yet, the lamb is only a symbol. Yeshua has no wool, and he walks on only two legs.This also leads us to recognize that Yeshua is not literally a Passover sacrifice. He was a human being, not a sacrificial lamb. It would have been against everything in the Torah for a priest to offer the life of a human on the Temple altar. Still, every year, there are more endless arguments over whether Yeshua died precisely at the time the Passover lambs were slain, as though he were literally a sacrificial lamb.

Obviously, metaphors can be very difficult to identify, since there is no semantic flag to signal, “I’m not being literal now!” When someone says, “You ARE the body, of which Messiah is the head”, or “We ARE ambassadors for Messiah”, or “You ARE the Temple of God”… we have to ask ourselves what the literal reality is that makes those symbols significant, and then apply that symbolism correctly.

Now, I have deliberately chosen examples that are relatively non-controversial. Most of us understand that we are being COMPARED to temples, bodies, soldiers, sheep, and trees and vines. But this illustrates a principle that we need to apply throughout the Messianic letters. We have all been taught—erroneously—to take literally MANY metaphorical and midrashic elements, especially in the letters of Rav Sha’ul.

For instance, how many of us have heard sermons and teachings on “the deep truths of the Messianic priesthood”, and been told of, “Yeshua, our high priest”? Do we realize that ALL of this sort of language is non-literal??? There are applications, to be sure. We can act AS priests when we intercede for others, or speak Hashem’s truth into their lives. But we are NOT literally priests in the sense of the Levitical priesthood.

Which leads us to one final example of metaphorical application in the Messianic Writings. The entire book of Hebrews consists of one allegorical vignette after another. Many have read the section about Melchizedek with great interest, and have even created doctrine to the effect that Melchizedek is some sort of “pre-incarnate” Yeshua. But that was never the point the author was trying to make. The writer of Hebrews created a midrash based on the story in Genesis, drawing interesting points of comparison between the historical figure and Messiah Yeshua. Such statements make good sermonic rhetoric, but are not literal truth. By recognizing this, we save ourselves a great deal of angst and speculation.

We have become accustomed to accepting fantastic, unverifiable theology, and then we are told that we must hold to it as though our very eternal destiny relies upon it being true. There are many things we have been taught to accept as literal truths under the guise of “spiritual teaching” or “God can do anything”, but which really are based on taking non-literal language as literal.

There is much more to be said on this topic, and we will be returning to it more in the future. Keep reading here on the Mishkan, to learn more about the use of non-literal language, and its impact on our approach to Biblical interpretation.

The Theme of the Bible

Prepare for the Messianic Kingdom!

Being raised as a Christian, I had always been told that “Jesus is in every verse of the Bible”. Allegedly, every verse, from Bereisheet/Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 was all about how Messiah came to save you and me from our individual sins and provide the divine fire escape to keep us out of eternal damnation in the fires of Hell.

I have found over the years, though, that my perception of the core theme of the Bible has changed. Parsha Vayigash provides the perfect opportunity to explain this new perspective.

Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). To this point in the Torah, the story has covered the call of Abraham, with the promise that his progeny would bring a blessing to all the families of the earth. One of the early ways this promise manifested itself was in the life of Yosef and his brothers. Out of jealousy, the young would-be patriarchs sold their brother into slavery. They intended to do him harm, and remove a painful irritant from their lives, but it turned out that Yosef was put into a position where he could not only survive, but thrive—and be a blessing to huge numbers of people.

In parshiyot Mikketz and Vayigash, we see the restoration process between the brothers. It wasn’t easy, especially for the brothers who had remained at home. But it worked out that all the brothers were once again unified, and benefited from the leadership of the one who had been rejected for decades.

It is this theme of separation and restoration that led to the selection of Yechezkel/Ezekiel 37 as the haftarah for Vayigash. But before we get to that chapter, let’s review a little bit more of Israel’s history, in order to set the stage for our review.

Once the nation of Hebrews (with a fair number of Egyptian participants) settled into the Promised Land, the tribes experienced a certain amount of conflict that needed to be constantly monitored and managed, There were a variety of conflicts and near-misses that kept the fuses short. Then, the people of Israel decided that the way to unify the tribes and preserve the nation of Israel from outside attackers was to appoint a king, contrary to the instruction of Hashem in the Torah.

This monarchy seemed to work… for a time. Saul got things off to a rousing start. David replaced him after he died in battle. Solomon built upon David’s military successes, and built an empire that extended throughout most of the Middle East. Then, the unthinkable happened—after Solomon’s death, the nation split. Not that this caught Adonai by surprise. In fact, the split was engineered by the Lord himself (M’lachim Alef/First Kings 11ff)!

So, the kingdom was divided, ten tribes to the North, and two to the South. The Southern Kingdom became known as Judah, named for the tribe that had given them David and Solomon. The Northern Kingdom took the name of Israel, being the majority segment of the original nation. Of course, they experienced the same issue we do in trying to distinguish between pre-split Israel and the post-split incarnation, so the Northern kingdom was often designated “Ephraim”, after the largest tribe in that alliance.

Over time, the sins of both Israel and Judah lead to their scattering into foreign lands. First, Israel/Ephraim was taken by the Assyrian empire in 722 BCE. The Assyrians had a policy of displacing the people of any captured territory, moving the original occupants to other lands. This minimized any sense of cohesion or patriotic fervor which might lead to rebellion.

Later, Judah was similarly captured and scattered, this time by the Babylonian empire in 586 BCE.

So, at this point we see a situation where the entire population of Israel/Ephraim and Judah had been sent into captivity. The people were languishing, oppressed, afflicted in pagan lands. They wept for return to the ancestral homeland, and learned to repent for their violations against YHWH, the Almighty. This was the time for a kind word from Hashem. That word came in the form of a vision to the prophet Ezekiel—the vision famously known as “The Valley of Dry Bones”.

Let’s take a look at Ezekiel 37, which contains the haftarah for parsha Vayigash (37:15-28). But, as often happens, I like to start sooner, so we can get a fuller context for the regular reading. The chapter easily divides into three sections:

Hanukkah Meditation

Hannah’s Hope

Last year, the Mishkan introduced the story of “Hannah and Her Seven Sons”. It is the story of an amazing woman and her family, persecuted by the Greek king Antiochus, and finally put to death for their trust in Hashem. This year, we would like to expand on the story a bit, and highlight more of the details that make this amazing story so compelling.

To our modern Western sensibilities, the story is raw, to the point of nauseating, at points. It would be difficult for most of us to read this account without reacting viscerally to the events that befell this poor family. Of course, a visceral reaction is exactly what the author was trying for!

However, the point of the story is not the gore, though the maltreatment of the sons does provide a significant counterpoint to the main theme. The purpose of the story is to highlight the theological view that gives strength to Hannah and her sons, no matter how horribly they may be abused. What belief game them the courage to stand up to the atrocities inflicted upon them by the cruel Antiochus? The singular belief that allowed them to maintain in the face of torn and burning flesh was resurrection. The story of Hannah—so associated with the Hanukkah struggle—is actually a theological defense of the doctrine of resurrection!

Every member of this cruelly persecuted family affirmed the resurrection and a belief in the overriding justice of Almighty God. This confidence allowed them to go through horrendous torture with courage because they were fully confident that their suffering would be repaid with eternal life and the restoration of their nation. We see this same theme echoed in the letter to the Hebrews when the author describes Yeshua as being able to sustain his followers because he himself had suffered the ultimate price. In fact, Hebrews 12 almost sounds like an allusion to Hannah’s story.

So then, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us, too, put aside every impediment—that is, the sin which easily hampers our forward movement—and keep running with endurance in the contest set before us, looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting, Yeshua—who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on a stake as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Yes, think about him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you won’t grow tired or become despondent. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in the contest against sin.
(Hebrews 12:1-4 CJB)

One must wonder whether the great cloud of witnesses might include those who were tortured for their trust in Adonai during the war with Greece. We invite you to consider the story of the seven young men and their mother. Perhaps it would be appropriate to meditate on one of them each night for the coming week, and consider their example of faithfulness to God,

The Power of the Resurrection

• “You like a fury take us out of this present life, but the King of the World shall raise up unto everlasting life, we who have died for his laws.” (verse 9)

  This reminds us of Yeshua saying, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 19:28).

• “These I had from heaven, and for his laws I despise them, and from him I hope to receive them again.” (verse 11)

  Do we similarly regard the instructions of our Father to such a degree that we would willingly give up parts of our body rather than deny him? Do we really believe in the resurrection, and the restoration of all things?

• “It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him. As for you, you shalt have no resurrection to life.” (verse 14)

  Sha’ul/Paul said that, if there is no resurrection, then we are of all men to be most pitied (First Corinthians 15:12-19). There are many philosophers in this world who seem to bring benefit to their followers—many techniques offering to bring peace, contentment, and self-assurance. But there is only one in history who has demonstrated the ability to rise from the dead, and raise his talmidim with him!

  We have the ultimate hope of a new life. But for those who reject the ways of Adonai, there is no such hope (First Thessalonians 4:13).

• “…look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not, and so was mankind made likewise.” (verse 28)

  Surely, this could have been the inspiration for Sha’ul’s statement affirming that the material creation demonstrates the reality of Adonai! That which is seen instructs us of that which is not: “For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead…”

  And like the young man in the story, Sha’ul reaches one compelling, inescapable conclusion: “they are without excuse.”

• “For we suffer because of our sins. And though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastening and correction, yet shall he be at one again with his servants.” (verses 32,33)

  A powerful confession, indeed. This passage combines the poignant repentance of the thief on the cross next to Yeshua with the confidence expressed in Yeshayahu.Isaiah 10:25, where it is affirmed, “For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.”

As we celebrate Hanukkah this week, let us remember the lessons it provides on the power and hope of the resurrection. Yeshua, the firstborn of the resurrection, holds out his hands to us, and bids us to follow him. He lived out the Torah, died on our behalf, and then rose from the dead. Soon, he will return and welcome us into the home he has prepared for us.

Is that worth remembering with some singing, dancing, and meditation? And when the party is over, will we be as motivated as the family in this story to follow our Father faithfully?

Kuriosity and the Shabbat

Yeshua, Lord of the Shabbat?

We have all heard the expression, “Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath”. Usually, this is said in the context of a sermon teaching that, “Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath—that means he can do away with the burden of the Sabbath, so we don’t have to worry about it any more! Isn’t that great?!?!?!”

But, as happens so often, closer examination reveals that this anti-Torah bias finds no support in the original texts. In fact, we at the Mishkan David maintain that the writers of the Messianic Besorah had exactly the opposite idea in mind when they related the story of Yeshua and his critics. How can that be? Let’s take a look at the texts involved, and see what they have to say…

Mark 2:23-28	Matthew 12:1-8	Luke 6:1-5
One Shabbat Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields; and as they went along, his talmidim began picking heads of grain.(24) The P’rushim said to him, “Look! Why are they violating Shabbat?”(25) He said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry and needed food? (26) He entered the House of God when Evyatar was cohen gadol and ate the Bread of the Presence,”—which is forbidden for anyone to eat but the cohanim—”and even gave some to his companions.”(27) Then he said to them, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; (28) So the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.“	One Shabbat during that time, Yeshua was walking through some wheat fields. His talmidim were hungry, so they began picking heads of grain and eating them.(2) On seeing this, the P’rushim said to him, “Look! Your talmidim are violating Shabbat!”(3) But he said to them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and those with him were hungry? (4) He entered the House of God and ate the Bread of the Presence!”—which was prohibited, both to him and to his companions;—it is permitted only to the cohanim.(5) “Or haven’t you read in the Torah that on Shabbat the cohanim profane Shabbat and yet are blameless?(6) I tell you, there is in this place something greater than the Temple! (7) If you knew what ‘I want compassion rather than animal-sacrifice’ meant, you would not condemn the innocent.(8) For the Son of Man is Lord of Shabbat!”	One Shabbat, while Yeshua was passing through some wheat fields, his talmidim began plucking the heads of grain, rubbing them between their hands and eating the seeds.(2) Some of the P’rushim said, “Why are you violating Shabbat?”(3) Yeshua answered them, “Haven’t you ever read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? (4) He entered the House of God and took and ate the Bread of the Presence”—which no one is permitted to eat but the cohanim.(5) “The Son of Man,” he concluded, “is Lord of Shabbat.”

Here we have laid out all three instances of this story. The statement about Yeshua being “Lord of the Sabbath” occurs three times, in the three synoptic Besorot (Gospels), in very nearly identical context. Mattityahu includes some additional detail comparing Yeshua to the Temple, but the basic story and Yeshua’s teaching about the Shabbat are identical in all three writings.

What Happened?

So, what happened? What was the event that triggered the teaching we have set out before us? What were Yeshua and his students doing that elicited a reaction from the religious leaders of his day?

As it turns out… they were eating!

OK… well… they were doing a little more than eating. It isn’t like they had a Jewish delicatessen down at the street corner where they could go grab a corned beef sandwich. There were no refrigerators where they could get a little cold chicken salad. So, what were they eating?

Yeshua and his talmidim/disciples were walking through some wheat fields. They grew hungry, and decided to pluck a few heads of grain to chew on (again, there was no Wrigley’s gum to hold over the hunger pangs, either). They were walking on Shabbat and eating. What’s the big problem?

What Was the Problem?

We are told pretty quickly what the problem was. Those who were watching alleged, “You are violating the Shabbat!”

The problem is, we have to understand what specific violation was being charged. Is there a commandment anywhere in the Torah prohibiting eating on Shabbat? No. How about a prohibition against walking in a wheat field? No. So, what was the issue?

Yeshua and his followers were accused of violating Shabbat. Why? Not because they were eating, but because they were engaging in picking and cleaning grain in preparation for the eating—what their questioners regarded as threshing grain on Shabbat. They were supposed to be violating Shabbat because they were engaged in threshing!

If That’s the Problem, What’s the Solution?

So, the conflict between Yeshua and his accusers was based on the allegation that he was allowing his men to do something that was disallowed as work on the Shabbat. If that is the case, then how do we resolve the issue?

There are a couple different ways we might be tempted to resolve this dilemma.

1. We might say that the challengers didn’t understand what constituted threshing, and they were out of line. This position appeals to many, because it allows modern interpreters to disregard the rabbis and their “man-made rules”.
2. We could say, as is popular in certain circles, that Yeshua had the authority to set aside the Sabbath so that his followers could do whatever they saw fit. After all, Messiah is “Lord of the Sabbath”, right? Doesn’t that mean he has the right to do away with the Shabbat, if he so chooses?

Either of these two solutions sit just fine with those who have no knowledge of the Torah. The first kills two birds with one stone—not only does it solve the conflict at hand, but it has the additional “fringe benefit” of justifying the setting aside of all rabbinic teachings.

The second is pleasing to some because it flatly states that the Shabbat is irrelevant to the point of being completely eliminated. And, of course, that opens the door to claims that the passage teaches the complete abrogation of the entire Torah.

There Has to Be a Better Way!

Clearly, both of those approaches are unsatisfactory to anyone who in concerned for the integrity of Hashem, and the consistency of Scriptures. But what other option is there?

In response to the charge of violating the Shabbat, Yeshua (in typical Jewish fashion) told a story. He reminded his questioners of the time David and his men were on the run, and needed something to eat (Sh’muel Alef/First Samuel 21). David showed up at the town of <a href=”http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/unearthing-the-mystery-of-the-priestly-city-of-nob-1.209482”>Nov</a>, known as “the city of the priests”, and asked for whatever provisions they could spare. As it turns out, the only bread available was the consecrated showbread that had been removed from the table in the Mishkan that very morning.

So, bread is bread, right? Well, it turns out that the priests had developed a tradition of reserving the bread for only priests to eat. Not because there is any commandment in the Torah to that effect, but because of tradition. When confronted with real human need, the priest reasoned that it would be acceptable to give the bread to David as long as he and his men met a minimal level of ritual purity.

Applying the Story

The problem with using stories like this to answer a question is that it is sometimes difficult to see the basis for comparison between the problem and the solution presented in the story. We have to understand the underlying assumptions that led the speaker to use that particular story in answering that particular question.

In this case, it is tempting to suggest that the story of David tells us that it is acceptable to set aside tradition just because we find it inconvenient. This conclusion fits nicely with the first solution considered just above. However, there is another key principle that solvess the interpretive puzzle for us.

The story of David illustrates the principle that human health and safety takes precedence over all ritual laws (with the exception of idolatry). This is a principle that has been adopted by all modern Jewish teachers. So, just as it was proper for David to eat bread that had been designated for the priests, so it was appropriate for Yeshua and his friends to pluck and eat grain, even on Shabbat.

Masters and Novices

At this point, we’re done, right? We have identified the problem raised in the text, presented a few possible solutions, and selected a reslution based on a principle drawn from the story of David and his companions. Doesn’t that about do it for us?

Well… except for one little thing. Just when it seems like the story is over, and Yeshua is about to go his merry way, this is one more statement. What was that statement?

“The son of man is lord of the Shabbat.”

What on earth does that mean?

Most people assume that it means Yeshua has authority over Shabbat, and is able to disregard it, if he chooses. This, in fact, is the very reason so many like to believe that the point of the story is the setting aside of the Shabbat. This view fits fine if we believe the word “lord” (Greek, “kurios”) means that one is allowed to be arbitrary and lawless. That is, after all, the idea we get when we read of medieval kings and lords. They have unquestioned control over their circumstances and surroundings, literally having the power of life and death over their subjects.

Basically, we are used to thinking in terms of, “I’m the boss, so I can violate the Sabbath if I want to!”

But is that how Yeshua meant his statement? We know that, in other passages, he contrasted the behavior of Gentile authorities who dominate their subjects, with the proper model of servant leadership (Mark 10:42). Does it make sense that he would lay claim to such lordship in this context?

Let’s take a look at another usage of the word “lord”, or “kurios”.

Have you ever heard the expression, “Master of Disguise”? How about “Master Chef”? Perhaps you’ve had a “Master Plumber” work on your pipes. When we see terms like this in English, we recognize their meaning immediately. The purpose is to indicate that someone knows all about the subject, and is a capable practitioner. The reference is to mastery of a field of endeavor.

The same sort of idiom exists in Hebrew. When one has repented after falling away from the faith for a time, he is referred to as a “Ba’al Teshuvah”, a “Master/Lord of Repentance”. Similarly, one who has mastered the melodies and pronunciation of the Torah texts, he is known as a “Ba’al Koreh”, a “Master Chanter”. In Jewish thought, one is a “master” of a particular Torah topic when he has gained full mastery of the subject matter. .

I can hear you asking… “What makes all this “master” stuff an important topic for our purposes?”

Because that is exactly the phrase we find Yeshua employing in the Gospels! That enigmatic final phrase follows the idiom, “Master of…”. Of what did Yeshua claims to be master? The Shabbat!

So, we find that Yeshua never claims to be able to supersede the Shabbat. He never said the Father’s instruction had been set aside. He didn’t even say the sages of his day were wrong to prohibit threshing on Shabbat. Their ruling was good! But it was incomplete. It failed to grasp the full significance of the Shabbat—human well-being. Shabbat is made for man, to provide rest and restoration after six days of labor. Having that bigger picture enabled Yeshua to see that eating a bit of grain plucked from a stalk does not violate Shabbat at all. In fact, it falls right in line with the designated purpose.

Yeshua had the authority to make that ruling because he was a “Ba’al Shabbat”, a “Master of the Sabbath”.

Pagan Policy Paper

Pagan Policy Paper to Prevent Pummeling Proprietor Profusely

OK… Thanksgiving is over. Christmas is on its way… like it, or not. Every year, about this time, we receive numerous requests for help in “showing the true pagan origins of everything related to Christmas”. invariably, these self-appointed anti-inquisitors, in their vendetta to rid the world of evil and paganism, end up turning on me because my anti-pagan/Christian position isn’t worded strongly enough for their tastes..

This year, in order to avoid any confusion, we are publishing in advance a statement of the Mishkan’s view regarding Christian holiday practices. Just so everybody knows the Mishkan position upfront…

Back in the early 1980′s, I spent a few years on the witch hunt for the pagan roots of everything. After finding that everything from soup to nuts can be claimed to have pagan origins, I finally concluded that I am only responsible for my own attitude towards Adonai, and nobody else’s. Everything we do has been done before, and probably by somebody pagan. There is nothing in the common culture that can’t be somehow associated with pagan practices and superstition from days of yore. As one wise guy once put it, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

Ultimately, I decided that, if we spend all our time chasing the Bad, we’ll never have time to represent the Good. So, don’t expect any articles from the Mishkan decrying how terrible it is that our neighbors are putting up lights and a tree. They’re pagans, and we should expect them to act like pagans. Stop pretending to be shocked.

How should we respond? By minding our own business! Do what you do. Make sure your own beliefs and traditions are based on your own best knowledge and understanding. Make sure you do what you do for all the right reasons. When people ask, share with people why you do, or don’t do, the things you do. As Kefa said,

Treat the Messiah as holy, as Lord in your hearts; while remaining always ready to give a reasoned answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you–yet with humility and fear,  keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are spoken against, those who abuse the good behavior flowing from your union with the Messiah may be put to shame.
(Kefa Alef/First Peter 3:15-16).

In other words, be prepared to answer questions, but don’t go around spoiling for a fight! You be the one with the reputation for being “different”, but rational and calm, able to express your views without needing to resort to castigating everybody else for their alleged errors.

Somebody famous once said, “Let your light shine before people in such a way that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.” Can you remember who that was?

By the way… In case you were wondering, the article that lost us friends at the Mishkan last year was My Christmas Wish.

Giving Thanks to the Father of Lights

Wishing a happy Day of Giving Thanks to all our American friends of the Mishkan! May this day be full of joy and happiness as we spend time with family and friends, and meditate on the goodness of the Giver of all good gifts.

Ya’akov/James 1 speaks of keeping a proper attitude in both poverty and wealth. Check out that chapter as you consider your own estate today…

“Let the brother in humble circumstances boast about his high position. But let the rich brother boast about his being humbled; since, like a wildflower, he will pass away…. Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father who made the heavenly lights; with him there is neither variation nor darkness caused by turning.” (Ya’akov/James 1:9,10,17)

Celebrating Hashem in Each Other

My Sons in the Sukkah

I have been working hard to come up with something profound to say about Sukkot, as we enter “the time of our rejoicing”. I just couldn’t seem to find anything new or unique, until somebody said something to me that was almost identical to something I wrote on the blog site years ago…

Sometimes, we live IN the Mishkan, and sometimes we ARE the Mishkan!

Likewise, smetimes, we live IN the Sukkah, and sometimes we ARE the Sukkah!

Let’s learn to view each other as the manifestation of Hashem on this planet, and treat each other accordingly. To this end, I encourage everyone to watch the video “Ushpizin”, if you get a chance.

Yom Kippur 5772

The Law and the Prophets?

Yom Hakippurim… Yom Kippur… the Day of Atonements…

What does this day mean to us?

We are all aware that we are supposed to fast on the Day of Atonement. A full fast—no food and no water for an entire 24 hours! Unless, of course, you are very young or very ill. Then you aren’t expected to risk your health in order to fast.

What else are we supposed to do? There are other areas where the rabbis have given instructions on ways to deprive ourselves. Don’t shower on this day. Don’t wear leather shoes, which are a symbol of comfort and wealth. Avoid entertainment.

All of these things are fine. They are ways to accomplish the original, primary purpose of the day—a day to afflict our souls as we contemplate our failings, our sins, and come to Hashem acknowledging that he holds our lives in his hands. On this day, to borrow the words of Yochanon Hamatbil,

He must increase, but I must decrease
(Yochanon/John 3:30).

But is that all? If we deprive ourselves a bit, say some prayers, and fast, have we done all that Adonai expects of his people?

As it turns out… not really.

The haftarah reading for Yom Kippur is Isaiah 57:14-58:14. In reality, one should start reading a few verses earlier, to catch the context. You see, Adonai, as usual, had a contention with the leaders of his people. The prophet was declaring to them the errors of their ways, calling them out for false self- righteousness, for not living in accordance with their profession. You don’t know anyone like that, do you?

And the Almighty declared that those who had turned to idols would not be heard in the day when they needed help. They would cry out, yet not be heard. But those who remained faithful to Hashem would inherit his promises—“whoever takes refuge in me will possess the land and inherit my holy mountain.”

That is where the haftarah portion opens. Do you want to know who Hashem loves? Who will be supported when all seems lost? Who has the right to stand before “the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity”? There is no mystery, no secret, no hidden agenda! Adonai himself tells us the answer to this question:

“I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.”
(Yeshayahu/Isaiah 57:15)

The Almighty, the Creator, the Judge of the Earth, is also a merciful Father. He is well aware that we lack the endurance to stand before his judgment forever. He pities his children, and allows us to repent, so that we may receive his compassion and his help.

But what does the Father seek in his children? The punishments and blessings we have recently read in the Torah cycle are not without purpose. They are meant to train us in the way of righteousness (Hebrews 5:14). So, it is always appropriate to ask, “What is the goal of all this behavior modification?” Why are we fasting and afflicting ourselves? What is the point of this exercise?

Well, it turns out that the answer to these questions comes in Chapter 58. This passage has long stood out as the very definition of the “proper fast”. Even before I knew anything about the Messianic Perspective, or Yom Kippur, I knew that this chapter gave invaluable advice on what it means to fast in a manner that is acceptable to Hashem.

You see, as we often find in the prophets, this passage condemns the hypocrisy of the religious and the wealthy. The target of Adonai’s condemnation is the one who feigns closeness to the Father, while depriving others of the opportunity for that very intimacy. Those in Yeshayahu/Isaiah’s day even had the chutzpah to act as though they have been put upon by God! They claimed that they had performed all the right religious duties, but he had failed to bring justice and prosperity to them! Imagine being the one to accuse God himself of not giving you your due.

In response to these people, Adonai came down hard. He declared their religious actions nullified, of no value. Why? Because they had twisted the purpose of the fast, thinking they were purchasing brownie points with Hashem. They never realized that the real intention of self-affliction was to learn compassion.

There is a wonderful book by Chaim Potok that I read in high school. It is called “The Chosen”. The story tells about the interaction between two Jewish boys, one Chassidic and the other Reform. The Chassidic boy was a genius with brilliant mind and the gift of total recall. Whatever he studied, he instantly memorized. Naturally, this was regarded as a wonderful gift by all his peers. But there was one problem. The knowledge that was so prized in his community came to him at no cost. As a consequence, he never learned compassion for those who had to strive for what they needed.

So, the boy’s father (the rebbe of the community) had to find a way to teach his son how to feel the pain of others. The technique he chose was to raise his son in silence. They would never speak to each other, except when engaged in study with members of the community. By inflicting this hardship on his son, the father hoped to teach the vital characteristics of compassion and self-sacrifice that are so necessary for one to be truly spiritual.

This is ultimately the lesson of Yom Kippur, as well. The prophet tells us that the goal of all this affliction is not only that we deprive ourselves, but that we go out of our way to serve others. The fast of Yom Kippur is supposed to be a day to lift the burdens from our neighbors, and to make sure the hungry are fed. It is a day to make our society a little bit better because we are here, serving the Almighty. It is a day to struggle so that we may empathize with the struggles of others.

In a magnificent stroke of divine irony, Hashem says that the day of self-deprivation should be a day when we feed the poor and the hungry! We should not only “afflict” our own soul but “draw out” our soul (Yeshayahu 58:10). That is, be generous to those who are truly suffering. The day of self-affliction must become a day of compassion for those who have no choice in their affliction.

When we come to fast in this manner, then Hashem says our righteousness will shine forth as the noonday sun, and we shall gain the reputation of “repairers of broken walls”. Then, he who sees in secret will reward us openly, and will be our protection in all that we do.

Yeshua put it this way…

You are light for the world.

A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bushel basket but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house.

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

(Mat 5:14-16)

For this is the meaning of the Torah and the Prophets… including Leviticus 16 and Yeshayahu/Isaiah 57, 58.

Preparing for Our Date

When you make a date with a member of the opposite sex, how do you prepare? Don’t you clean up, trim your beard, fix your hair, apply some good-smelling stuff, put on some nice clothes, and make sure you arrive at the proper place at the proper time?

Why do we go to such great lengths putting on our best when we meet with this person? Well, we want to make a good impression. We want him or her to think well of us, and find us desirable to be with.

If we take such care to look good and smell good for another human being, shouldn’t we go to even greater lengths to prepare ourselves for meeting with our Lord? Should we not mark our calendars so we know when we have a date with Adonai? Should we not determine in advance where we will meet with him? Should we not take care to look our best, smell our best, and dress our best, so we show up properly prepared for our date at the appointed time?

Absolutely. All these tings are important, as we demonstrate outwardly our desire to put our best foot forward for our date with the King.

But even more crucial, we need to prepare our hearts and minds for these dates. When we make a date with a man or woman, we spend hours standing in front of a mirror, practicing our smile, our facial expressions, and even some of the topic sentences we might use to keep the conversation going! In other words, before we ever arrive at our date, we are demonstrating an attitude that communicates, “I care!” to the person we are going to meet.

As the Fall High Holy Days approach, let us take some time to similarly prepare for our “date” with the Creator of the Universe. Meditate on the imagery and the significance of the metaphors we are about to apply to the Unseen God—

Let us eagerly anticipate hearing the shofar blow on Yom Teruah.

May we take on the appropriate solemnity as we contemplate the just judgment of the King on Yom Kippur, and long for the day when he brings true righteousness to all the world.

Our hearts should skip a beat as we look forward to Sukkot, with its symbolism of eternally dwelling in the very Presence of the Almighty One.

There are many ways we can enhance our appreciation and understanding of the festivals. Ponder some appropriate scriptures about repentance and restoration. Borrow a siddur and contemplate the words that will be said as part of the “S’lichot” liturgy. Meditate on what it means that we “cast our sins to the bottom of the sea”.

Some of us seem to spend all our energy arguing over fine details of the festivals. Whose calendar is more “right”? Who calculates the date better? Who has gone farthest in the witch hunt to root out alleged pagan influences in our traditional celebrations? Who can be the most “prophetic” by hurting the most people in the name of our religious practice?

Perhaps this can be the year that some of us stop feeding our own egos, and come before Hashem with an attitude of humility and repentance. As we ponder the significance of the shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah, repent to our fellow creatures during the Yomim Nora’im (“Days of Awe”), and stand before the Holy King, the Just Judge of All the Earth on Yom Kippur, let us keep in mind that all the rituals in the world are meaningless if they are not performed from a motive of love for all.

Let us prepare our hearts properly in advance, as we would for a date with a beloved friend. May this year’s Fall Festivals be the most significant celebrations ever, leading to unity and peace within the body, rather than selfish ambition and pride over how “right” we can be.

“Sh’ma, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad (Hear, Isra’el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one); and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

Don’t take vengeance on, or bear a grudge against, any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai.

(Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Vayikra/Leviticus 19:18)

Good words with which to start a good new year, don’t you think? May your date with our Beloved Father and King be meaningful this year, and lead to many blessings for all of us in the Body of Messiah.

Yeshua = King David: the Numbers Don’t Lie

Many of us have made the attempt, at one time or another, to read through the collection of letters known as the “Messianic Writings” (or perhaps you’ve heard them called the “New Testament”). As we embarked upon that grand intention, we have turned to the first page of “The Gospel According to Matthew”, and… promptly skipped down to the last paragraph of the first chapter! Why did we do that? Because Mattityahu (Matthew) began his story with a long list of names that we sometimes call “the begats”. You know… “So-and-so begat So-and-so, and So-and-so begat So-and-so…”, and on it goes. For most of us modern readers, this list of names is about as interesting as watching someone else’s home movies—just a lot of names we don’t know, doing things we don’t relate to.

However, we at the Mishkan David are firmly convinced that the reason we are so easily bored by this list of names is that we don’t really understand what we are reading. We have all seen the standard notes in our commentaries and Bibles, saying, “This is the genealogical record that proves Jesus was descended from Abraham, the father of the Jewish people”. Some even mention that the list validates that Yeshua (the original Hebrew name for Messiah) is descended from King David, making him a dynastic heir to the House of David, and a rightful claimant to the throne of Israel.

And those notes are accurate… as far as they go.

So, if we all know this, and agree with this significance, what else is there?

What we all generally miss is the clever technique Mattityahu employed in order to communicate his claims on several levels at once. Not only does the list of names contain the explicit statement that Yeshua is descended from David, but the author constructed his list in a special format designed to show that Yeshua is the uniquely appointed heir of David. In a sense, Matthew is asserting that Yeshua IS King David.

How do we get this understanding out of the passage? By taking note that Mattityahu has used a style of writing known as “gematria”.

What??? But haven’t we all been told the dangers of using rabbinic interpretive methodologies like midrash and gematria? Aren’t these approaches fraught with spiritual peril, leading us straight into heresy, and perhaps even to the pits of Hell?!?!?!

Well, as it turns out… not so much. The people who warn us against such techniques are simply demonstrating that they don’t understand the approach, and they fear what they don’t understand.

Let’s take a look at what Mattityahu has done in his presentation. Notice, first of all, the reference to the number 14 in verse 1:17. People have argued for centuries over the accuracy of this list of names, specifically because of that number. Some say the list is in error because it fails to mention some “missing” generations. Some say the list itself is internally inconsistent because it fails to live up to its billing—there are not 14 unique names in each of the sections. But what we must not overlook is the fact that the key to the number 14 is King David, himself. The whole reason it occurred to Mattityahu to base his list on groupings of fourteen names is that David IS 14.

“What on earth does that mean? David is 14? Come on, Mishkan… are you pulling my leg?”

Ah, here’s where things start to get good!

The ancient Hebrew language has no separate set of numeric digits, as we have today. Hebrew simply uses the letters of the alphabet as numbers. It is sort of like some of the puzzle games we used to play in elementary school. One of the games included making up codes by assigning numbers to letters of the alphabet: a=1, b=2, c=3, … and on up to z=26. Then, we would send someone a message like:

09 12 15 22 05 25 15 21

The recipient would then look on his or her own little chart and do the substitution:

I L O V E Y O U

Well, that’s how Hebrew works, too… only all the time! Every single Hebrew word has a numerical equivalency value that can be calculated by adding up the values of the letters.

So, in the case of the name “David”, we have:

Dalet = 4
Vav = 6
Dalet = 4

(Remember, Hebrew doesn’t have any vowels, the way we do in English, so the name David is actually written with only three letters. Remember that detail—it will also become important to us in a moment.)

So, what is the numeric total for the letters in the name of David? 4 + 6 + 4 = 14! So, now we have an equivalency set up between the name of the Israeli king and the number 14. Can you see why Mattityahu might have thought that number would be significant?

So, we’ve established that 14 is the number value for David. But what’s up with the groupings? Why are there three sets of 14, taking us from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian captivity, and from the captivity to Yeshua? Can you guess? Remembering that the name David was spelled with only consonants in Hebrew, how many letters are in the name of the King? 3!

So now we see that the name of the great king of Israel has built into it the numbers 3 and 14. Mattityahu, in establishing Yeshua’s identity and rightful claim to the Davidic throne, made use of 3 sets of 14 to show just how intimately Yeshua is tied to his beloved ancestor, to the point of a mystical unity that is pervasive in the very nature of the universe.

All the arguments about missing generations in the list… miss the point of the list. Claims that there are not 14 unique names in each of the three sections… miss the point of the list. The purpose of the list is to draw our attention to the unique claims of the rightful heir to the throne, the divinely appointed, “Son of David”!

Yeshua is King David, by blood, by heritage, by character, and by the very mathematical laws built into the fabric of the universe. What more profound way to introduce the One in whom resides “all authority in Heaven and on Earth”?

So, the next time you get bored when reading a list of names in the Bible, look again. You never know what you might find there, beneath the surface! Hebrew writers frequently employ puns and multi-layered meanings that are not commonly recognized by English readers. We need to keep our eyes open, in order to see all that was intended by the original authors.