Old Time Religion
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 2 Timothy 1:3 ESV
As did my ancestors – Sometimes the smallest phrases require the greatest attention. In this introduction to his letter to Timothy, Paul makes an almost parenthetical remark (to use an anachronism) that seems inconsequential to most of us. But when we take a closer look, we discover just how radically different our idea of the believing community of the saints is from the implications of Paul’s throw-away phrase.
In Greek, the words are apo progonon (literally, “from parents”). The idiom certainly implies Paul’s acknowledgement of his predecessors. But look what he says about them. They served the same God that he does. “Well, of course,” you say. “What’s so surprising about that?” The surprise comes in the word latreuo (to serve). In Hebrew, that verb is ‘avad. And what does ‘avad mean? To work, to serve and to worship. In other words, Paul is equally saying that he worshipped in the same way as his ancestors.
What? Does that mean Paul didn’t start a new assembly for “Christians”? No, he didn’t. Does that mean he continued to practice the rituals, sacrifices and customs of Judaism and the synagogue? Yes, he did. Does that mean that the way Paul worshipped was still defined by the culture and history of Israel? Yes, it does. There is no indication in Scripture (New or Old Testaments) that the earliest believers in Yeshua as Messiah changed anything about their rites, rituals or practices when it came to worshipping YHWH. In other words, the New Testament authors do not give us any basis for what we now call “the Church.” Insofar as our rituals, rites and practices are different from those of first century Messianic synagogue believers, we have invented them after the end of the Apostolic era. Paul asserts that he has not changed anything about how he worships. That raises the significant question, “Why have we?”
Once again we are faced with conflicts of paradigms, cultures and histories. Once again we will have to investigate that common question, “When did all of this start to change?” Marianne Dacy provides some telling answers. According to her work, from about the time of Ignatius, Marcion and Origen, the Gentile dominance within the Messianic community shifted the perspective from ancestral Judaism to Greek philosophy – and the process of syncretism began. In other words, the principle reason that we do not find occurrences in our churches today that we read about in the book of Acts is that our churches today are no longer biblical representations of the way God wants to be worshipped. Ouch!
Topical Index: serve, latreuo, ‘avad, worship, church, synagogue, 2 Timothy 1:3, apo progonon, ancestors
Good morning and God bless you all. I need to be clear on something, for a long time I’ve been puzzled with all of what is said here today but as I understand specially concerning to the sacrifices they were only held at the temple and since there is no temple and the ultimate sacrifice was perfectly performed by our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach we no longer had to do so. I know that in the first century the Temple was still up but the sacrifice was already done, pls. I need help!!!!
Thank you, Benny de Brugal
Since the Temple was not destroyed until 70AD, we can be confident that the daily sacrifices and other sacrifice performed at the Temple continued until that time. This means that most of the events recounted in Acts happened while the Temple rituals were still being observed. This is especially important when we consider the Jerusalem Counsel in Acts 15. Paul is asked to go to the Temple to perform certain rituals associated with vows, and he does so willingly, in order to show his continued alignment with Jewish ritual practice. If Paul believed that Temple sacrifices were no longer needed as a result of Yeshua’s death, he would not have agreed to this request. Once again we discover that the idea that sins were forgiven in the death on the cross does not square with the reality of continued Temple practice by Messianic Jews. But if we remember that the sin sacrifice occurred before the foundation of the world, then we see that it is not connected to Yeshua’s death on the cross with regard to the cessation of Temple worship. Other things are happening on the cross, important things, but not sin sacrifice things. So, the “ultimate sacrifice” is not about the earthly Temple nor is it about the earthly execution of Yeshua. The ultimate sacrifice had already been accomplished in the heavenly Temple, which, by the way, is still standing. The destruction of the earthly Temple shifted Jewish practice to community synagogues. The rabbis had to come up with a way to worship without the Temple – and they did so by emphasizing Torah study and acts of charity. But this is only temporary (although now 2000 years have gone by), waiting for the rebuilding of the third Temple where daily sacrifices will again be performed.
The problem is reading passages about the cross and the Temple from a Christian perspective, influenced by the replacement idea that the death of Yeshua means NO sacrifice is ever needed again. Please review the kinds of sacrifices in Leviticus and you will see that there are many that could still be performed correctly without diminishing in any way the sin sacrifice that occurred before the foundation of the world.
“the principle reason that we do not find occurrences in our churches today that we read about in the book of Acts is that our churches today are no longer biblical representations of the way God wants to be worshiped.”………. I’m fairly new to this community and new to the Hebrew mindset and understanding of the “rituals and practices” of the early Jewish believers and their ancestors when it came to how they worshiped. What would you suggest to me when it comes to studying this and getting a better understanding of the differences of how I’ve been raised in our American denominational worship practices and the Hebrew ways of worship? I’ve listened and read some of your materials, Skip, but really desire some practical understanding of day to day living and worshiping. Does that make sense? I need help too! Thanks so much, David.
On my recommended reading list as a book edited by Becker and Reed. This collection of scholarly articles shows you how the community actually worshipped between 35AD and 400AD, Quite a bit different than what the Church adopted from about 200AD onward. You might also consult Frank Viola’s Pagan Christianity? As for the daily practical advice, I guess you have given me another reason to try to write my book, The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Babylon.
Benny,
This is an excerpt from “What about the Sacrifices?” by D. Thomas Lancaster. Highly recommended to help make the difficult to understand…understandable.
In Exodus 29:9, HaShem states that the priesthood belongs to Aaron and his sons in perpetuity: “The priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever.” “Statute forever” is “chukat olam” and describes a commandment that will never be revoked — at least not in this present world, the olam hazeh. Torah clearly states this commandment will be in force as long as this world endures. So…the priesthood belongs to the house of Aaron from generation to generation. Even to this very day descendants of Aaron know who they are. Strict halachah has preserved family identity, and geneologies are more or less certain. The priesthood belongs to the descendants of Aaron, and it always will.
The book of Hebrews seems to say that the priesthood of Aaron has been revoked: “For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.” (Hebrews 7:12-13)
The writer of the Book of Hebrews never claims that Messiah replaces the Aaronic priesthood. He realizes very well that Yeshua was not and is not a priest in the Aaronic order, and he validates the ongoing role of the Aaronic priesthood. He points out that Yeshua came from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, and that he has no right to the Aaronic priesthood. And, he points out that on earth, he is not a priest at all, since the Aaronic priesthood occupies the office of earthly priests according to the Torah:
For it is evident that our Lord is descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. (Hebrews 7:14)
Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. (Hebrews 8:4)
So…according to the writer of Hebrews, The Aaronic priesthood is legit. It’s claim to the earthly priesthood are not overridden by Messiah. If Messiah was on earth (which he was), he would not be a priest because he was descended from Judah, not Levi/Aaron. The priesthood belongs to the sons of
Aaron. It is theirs by eternal statute (chukat olam).
“On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Heb. 7:18-19)
Notice, that the Aaronic priesthood, in this discussion, was not canceled. It has been set aside by a better hope (a “kal vachomer” ; light to heavy) by which a person can “draw near to God.” And isn’t that what “korban” is all about? On earth as it is in heaven? What is weak and useless is the ministry of the Aaronic priesthood which never offered eternal atonement or a passage to the world to come; that is not their job. That’s like saying, “As far as changing light bulbs goes, a hammer is useless.” Does that mean a hammer is useless in every situation?
shalom,
Chris
Thanks Chris. As always, clear and helpful.
“Hitch Hikers Guide to Babylon” DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please !!!!!!!! ASAP!!!!!!!
I’LL take at least 5 copies for starters, Yah Bless!
ARRGUH! Yes, but where is the TIME? I know I have to write this, but when. Between 10 PM and 4 AM, I suppose. When I am asleep.
Skip,
When is your new book coming out?
Ricky
Whenever someone provides me with the time to write it. 😉
Skip, Is this the book you were referring to by Becker and Reed? “The Ways That Never Parted: Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages”
Yup!
Thank you very much for your help Dr. Moen and Christopher I will try to buy the book by D. Thomas Lancaster ’cause I know it will broaden my understanding on this subject. God bless you all.
Benny de Brugal
There is also a good study on the book of Hebrews and the sacrificial system at http://www.bereansonline.org. It includes a workbook and audio teaching done by Rick Spurlock. The only cost would be to print out the workbook.
Hi Benny, Along with Linda I give a high recommendation for beransonline.org. Another resource that has some great teaching on the sacrificial system is http://www.graftedin.com/ . On there sight look for a teaching called Toward understanding Sacrifices and Atonement by Ariel ben-Lyman HaNaviy. Both the notes and audio files are free. Shalom> Tanya
Hi Skip,
What exactly do you mean when say that Paul continued in rituals and sacrifices ? Thanks, Al