Something Old, Something New

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34  NASB

New – How important it is to remember that Yeshua didn’t speak these words in Greek!  In Hebrew, the word he used is hadash, the same word used in His comment on the “new” covenant (compare Jeremiah 31:31).  What this means is that Yeshua’s “new” commandment isn’t new at all.  It is hadash – renewed.  It is restored instruction, refocused purpose, reaffirmed Torah.  To love one another is simply a rabbinic extension of the command given in Leviticus 19:18.  If Yeshua claimed that Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 are the most fundamental constituents of the Torah (everything hangs on these two), then how likely is it that a Torah-observant, rabbinic commentator and author of the words would overturn them with an additional commandment?  How likely is Yeshua to add to the Torah, something that would break the commandment of Deuteronomy 4:2?   If Yeshua is sinless, then He does not violate any of the commandments of Torah – and that means His “new” commandment can’t be brand-spanking new.  It must be an elucidation, elaboration or explanation of something old, something already found in Torah.  That is the Hebrew way, the way of the rabbis and the way of the Son of Man.

So what is this already-given, renewed instruction?  The Greek in this verse uses the verb agapao, to love without expectation of reciprocity.  This is love as God loves.  It is to act toward another without prior calculation of benefit for the sole purpose of meeting the need of another even if that person has not yet expressed the need.  It is to benefit the other often at cost to myself.  It is to love those who are enemies because they are friends of the world and it is to befriend those who serve the Father without consideration of any other factors.  It is to make my enemies my friends and then my brothers and sisters in the Lord simply because God loved me when I was His enemy.

Notice what is “new” about this explanation of the Torah commandment about being a neighbor.  The Greek is allelous, “one another.”  Zodhaites reminds us that “this pronoun has no nominative and no singular.  It is used only in the accusative, genitive and dative.”  This means that allelon is never the subject of a sentence.  It can only be the direct object, the indirect object or part of a prepositional phrase, so allelon always requires someone or something else to come in priority position (as subject).  And it can never be just about me.  It is always about us.  In Greek it is the paradigm word of community.  Yeshua’s commentary on the Torah commandment of loving my neighbor demonstrates that it isn’t possible to fulfill His elaboration of this Torah command alone.  In the Kingdom of heaven, agapao means converting the other to a brother.  Relationship trumps everything else.  What’s new about the “new” commandment?  Once we thought acting with benevolence toward neighbors was enough. Now we see the commandment isn’t fulfilled until my neighbor becomes my brother.  It’s not about what I do.  It’s about what we do together.

Topical Index:  new, hadash, love, neighbor, allelon, John 13:34

 

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Kees Brakshoofden

When you read Martin Buber’s ‘Ich und Du’ (I and You), you discover Hebrew thought is all about reciprocity. Nagy (a pupil of Buber) develloped the Contextual Theory, which also is all about having koinonia, not only with your enemy/brother, but throughout the generations. This developed into therapy, which, b.t.w., helped save my mariage. There is so much to learn in that field! Cloud and Townsend could be very helpfull in putting into practice what you told us today, Skip. Thanks!

Jan Carver

I agree about Cloud & Townsend being helped by putting into practice what was stated here today & I love koinonia. I once had a document created by Derek Prince on koinonia & lost it though a crash of my computer & have looked long & hard/searching through Google & can’t seem to find it again. I did find 2 CD’s where I had downloaded docs & photos back in 2007 from the crashed computer – have loaded the photos but not the docs – may be on there – sure hope so because it explains so much of what “koinonia” means in relationship with brothers/sisters in the Lord.

jan

Kees Brakshoofden

If you mean the Derek Prince who was one of the Five of Fort Lauderdale you should not be sorry to have lost this article. They damaged many believers with their false teaching of absolute obedience to the leader / pastor in the Shepherding Movement in the 70’s.

Jan Carver

Yes, I mean that one/Derek Prince & I also knew men/women that got caught up in that movement & out of the “5” Derek Prince was the only one to repent of his “undoing” & fly right – from the man/woman I know that was involved in it & they also left the movement.

Parts of that movement are still operating in Norman, OK under the name of Norman Christian Fellowship but I think they have changed their name just recently & follow some unholy man by the name of Bill Ward that is in his late 80’s – so so bad…

What it said was not off track but truth – if I find it on the CD I will post it here for you.

jan

i truly don’t understand why anyone would follow a man/woman like these people did – guess just deceived – if you read the Word of God why would you even believe what these false teachers preached/taught; some of the responsibility lies in those who receive too. I knew after 2 months of Sundays with NCF that something was wrong & questioned it & they flat out lied to me & did not want to deal with my questioning so I left – not that desperate to be a part of a body to believe what is not true or of the Word of God.

CYndee

Bob Mumford also repented. I don’t recall the date, and I can’t access my file cabinet since I’m on the road right now. But I photocopied his retraction and handed it out to many who were wounded by the “5” leaders. Thankfully, I have recovered from the spiritual damage done during those years, but many have not. So sad!

CYndee

Yes, they did mess up on the absolute obedience to the (earthly) leader, but please don’t rebound and refuse to read anything Derek Prince has written. WAR IN HEAVEN is an interesting book. By the way, Bob Mumford also repented of the “discipleship/covenant/shepherding” ways that damaged many.

Kees Brakshoofden

Hi CYndee,
Don’t worry! I don’t reject people because of what they learned in the past! In that case I should also reject myself! I was teaching in my ecclesia that Tora was abolished (and much more I don’t believe anymore)! Now my thoughts on that are turned 180 degrees. So I believe someone who repents must have been ignorent and when discovering his mistake is man enough to repent and return to the Lord. That’s integrity.

And I also read people I disagree with, even learn from them. Like Henry Nouwen. So don’t worry! Thanks for mentionong they repented.

Jan Carver

CYndee, thanks for confirming that there was/is repentance on both Prince & Mumford’s part & Kees – she/Cyndee confirmed what I had already typed to you that Prince had repented – I didn’t know about Mumford because I never had anything to do with him or his writings.

Also Kees, you stated/typed in your first reply to me this, “you should not be sorry to have lost this article.” And then you state/type this, “I don’t reject people because of what they learned in the past!” I realize it is 1:45am where ever you are & perhaps you are sleepy/tired so I forgive you for sure in your clarity.

What is important though is the integrity & transparency of those who were deceived & how they renounced their deception & came clean & repented & walked AWAY & LIVED/LOVED DIFFERENTLY; CAME OUT OF WHAT HAD THEM IN BONDAGE…

It is also strange that in your last comment there is no “reply” to click on – never seen that before…

jan

carl roberts

Excellent!- It has been said “people do not care how much we know- until they know how much we care.”
On a personal note, I remember when G-d “revealed” His love unto me. We have heard it said (many times I’m sure) G-d loves you, but how can I convey in words the reality, the recognition, the truthfulness of these words? It seems to me- only by tears. Only by my actions toward those who are outside of the covenant promises of Yah. And those actions ‘must issue’ forth from a heart of love.
Someone has said, (and aren’t we discovering this to be true?) “the Christian life is not difficult,- it is impossible!” lol!- Now there’s some encouragement for us! Nevertheless- this is true. For without Him, I can do nothing. I can give nothing to anyone I do not first possess myself. If my pockets are empty, what do I have to give? – Nothing. It first has to come to me in order to flow through me. I cannot give what I do not have, and this, my friends- includes “love.”
Oh, it’s easy to love those who love us. My natural inclination (of course!) is to love those who love me. Be nice to me and maybe on a good day, if the sun is shining and the cool breezes are blowing- I might be nice in return. Maybe. Is this the “love of G-d?” Or cut me off in traffic and cause what’s down in the cup to spill out and then.. – will my rapid response be “love?” “What’s down in the well, will come up in the pump..”
What am I full of today? (Be nice now..) How may I “fill-up” my emotional tanks and recharge my spiritual batteries to be ready to give and to show love to those who are (shall we say) less than “worthy?” Did G-d love us while we were yet (gasp!) ‘sinners?’ Yes, He did- and yes, He does!
“Speaking the truth in love” Is this the command of Yah? (It’s in His book isn’t it?) lol!- Oh, I can speak the truth all right.. – no problem. But speaking the truth in love? I need a little help here.. – I need a lot of help!! Help me!! “Without Me- you (Carl) can do nothing.” My confession? -I am so G-d dependent today.
I cannot give to anyone that which I do not first possess.. How may I give anyone -even a smile, if I do not have one of my own to give? lol!- If we keep this up- I’m gonna get to praying! -And actually, in reality,- it seems I do need to be spending a little more time- “asking.” Amen.

Pracha Paramadilok

Skip, Thanks for a renew knowledge every day.
Carl, what you said looks like you said about me as well. Thanks.

Michael

“Something Old, Something New”

Many years ago, my old Chinese mother-in-law told my wife in Chinese:

“You have a foot in two boats”

I looked at my wife and told her it made me think of what Confucius once might have said:

Man with foot in Two Boats
End up in Deep Water