The Stumbling Block
A man does not fully understand the words of the Torah until he has come to grief over them. Babylonian Talmud, Gitten 43a
Come to grief – Rabbi Huna commented with these words when he acknowledged his own error in interpretation concerning a debate over the conditions of betrothal. Rabbi Huna called for a public mediator who said, “This stumbling-block is under thy hand.” The account in the Talmud reveals two rather amazing facts. First, of course, is the idea that the full appreciation of the Torah comes only after one has been tripped by its words (the statement of R. Huna is literally, “has been tripped over them”). If this is true, then Torah cannot be merely a set of ethical principles or moral regulations. It must be a deeply personal encounter with God’s view of life in this world. We have often noted that the Bible is confrontational, not devotional. God’s words demand response. They stand in front of us, implacable, relentless, uncompromising. We either stand upon them or we fall over them. Unfortunately, most of us fall, attempting to circumvent their requirements. As R. Huna notes, until we encounter the words of the Lord as individual ultimatums, we haven’t engaged the enemy – ourselves.
Notice now the other implication. The public mediator in this story reveals that Torah is the stumbling block. Since this rabbinic account would have been known to rabbi Sha’ul, we should pay close attention to the metaphor. Sha’ul picks up this theme from the prophets and applies it to Yeshua. Yeshua is the stumbling block. The Hebrew word mikshol is given a new reference (Romans 11:9, 14:13; 1 Corinthians 1:23). Consider the Talmud’s comment in light of Sha’ul’s application. Sha’ul draws an equivalence between Yeshua and Torah. Yeshua is the living embodiment of Torah. He is the “word made flesh,” as John would later claim. Those who have not been tripped by Him have not encountered the demand of YHWH. Yeshua is the most personal, most demanding, most confrontational manifestation of YHWH’s involvement with men. There is no way around Him; no way to bypass Him. Every man must decide, “What do I do about Yeshua?”
Of course, if the rabbis notice that the Torah is a stumbling block that cannot be fully understood until one falls, and if Yeshua is the living Torah, then it is utter stupidity to suggest that committing myself to Yeshua means the Torah no longer applies to me. Sha’ul’s use of mikshol is just one more example of the fallacy of such a theology. Torah is Yeshua. You can’t have the Son without the Word. But you can certainly trip over either.
Topical Index: Torah, mikshol, stumbling block, Rabbi Huna, Talmud Gitten 43a
I think of Jacob wrestling the angel, after which his name is changed to Israel. Until we wrestling and struggle with God’s message, our name/character is not changed.
~ Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, of all deceit, hypocrisy and envy, and of all the ways there are of speaking against people; and be like newborn babies, thirsty for the pure milk of the Word; so that by it, you may grow up into deliverance. For you have tasted that ADONAI is good. As you come to Him, the Living Stone, rejected by people but chosen by G-d and precious to Him, you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be cohanim set apart for G-d to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Him through Yeshua the Messiah. This is why the Tanakh says, “Look! I am laying in Tziyon a Stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and whoever rests his trust on it will certainly not be humiliated.” Now to you who keep trusting, He is precious. But to those who are not trusting, “The very stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”; also He is a stone that will make people stumble, a rock over which they will trip. They are stumbling at the Word, disobeying it – as had been planned. But you are a chosen people, the King’s cohanim, a holy nation, a people for G-d to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2.1-10)
~ then He added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given–and you will receive even more ~ (Mark 4.24)
~ “Isn’t my word like fire,” asks ADONAI, “like a hammer shattering rocks?” ~ (Jeremiah 23.29)
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my LORD was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty, -at Calvary.
By G-d’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the Law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.
Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!
Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty, -at Calvary.
Yesterday we were discussing Lev 11, and the difficulties in observing them. Someone said that we are not obliged to try to keep them, only the Noahide laws, referred to by James and Peter.
But James also said that believers would come to the synagogue to read Moses. Does this mean as believers we would be at liberty to decide which laws to keep?
I am glad to see Brian comment on this. The current Messianic community is divided on the matter. Boaz Michael for FFOZ holds the view that Gentiles are not required to keep all the Torah, but only the Noachide reductions. Tim Hegg holds that Torah is Torah and is no different for Jew or Gentile since all are part of Israel. This conflict of views has caused enormous difficulties within the community. I personally believe that the Acts 15 passage, read in the CONTEXT of first century Judaism and the existing Gentile-pagan world, cannot support the idea of two Torahs, one for Jews and one for Gentiles. I further believe that Paul’s discussion of “grafting in” makes the exegesis of two Torahs untenable. If the Kingdom recognizes no difference between Jew and Gentile, what grounds are there for claiming that Torah does recognize a difference?
I agree with what you say about one Torah for all. It certainly is a lot clearer than trying to decide about the relevance of Noahide laws for Gentiles, considering that there is no reward in following them (because we could not keep them when they were first given to us, so we were exempted from them -whether we do them or not!)
Antoinette Wagner,
Tim Hegg has an excellent article on the “supposed” Noachide laws of the 1st Century Jewish communities. Here is the link: http://www.torahresource.com/EnglishArticles/NoachideETS2.pdf
Shalom!
I’m even more confused now!
Antoinette Wagner,
Here is another article by Tim Hegg and hopefully will be more helpful.
http://www.torahresource.com/EnglishArticles/Acts%2015.pdf
I believe this will be more user friendly and bring some clarity on the issue that the person brought up concerning the Noachide laws.
It had been a long time since I read through the previous article recommended. I did not mean to bring extra confusion! Lord willing, this article will bring the light needed.
In His Care, Brian