Speculative Practices
Now I praise you because you remember me in everything, and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 1 Corinthians 11:2 NASB
Traditions – Now that we have some justification for understanding paradoseis as the oral Torah, we might ask, “What practices could Paul have been speaking about?” Paul doesn’t give us a list. Why would he? He simply assumes that these Corinthians know what he is talking about. But we don’t. We are two thousand years and major paradigm shifts away from the rabbinic, Pharisaic traditions of the first century. The best that we can do is speculate about what Paul may have meant. But even speculation raises interesting questions for us. What “traditions” might have been practiced in Corinth?
Sabbath rituals: lighting candles, reciting the Kiddush, reading from the weekly Torah portion, not working on the Sabbath
Identifying with the Community: binding phylacteries, wearing a Kepha
Justice: monetary compensation rather than physical mutilation (“eye for an eye”)
Keeping Sabbath: the 9 categories of the written Torah are explained in the 39 categories of the oral Torah (and continued to be explained today through halachah, just as Paul did in his letters)
Dietary Regulations: keeping dairy and meat separate
Feasts: a Sukkah must have at least two and a half walls, specification of the times when the Feasts begin
In general, the leadership of the community helps the community apply biblical commandments to the particular culture of the day and place. The rulings, which are binding on the community, are not that much different than what we might experience in a church where our practices are governed by either denominational policy or the decisions of the local pastor or elders. All of these rulings must in some way or another be consistent with God’s written Word.
We can quickly see that it would have been entirely possible for the Corinthians to keep elements of the oral Torah and still be inconsistent in their moral and spiritual lives. Not surprisingly, this is obviously still the case today in the Church. The real question is not about our spiritual consistency. Paul makes this the central issue in his letter to the Corinthians. The real question for us is whether we practice any of the traditions that Paul would have recognized. In my opinion, I doubt that the Church does. But that doesn’t mean we don’t practice paradosis. It means that we have our own traditions. And that begs the question, “Where did these come from?”
Topical Index: oral Torah, tradition, paradosis, 1 Corinthians 11:2
FORWARDING Today’s Word: Just a note about this. I know many of you like to forward these emails to others, but fairly routinely I get messages from readers saying that they are not getting Today’s Word anymore and when I look, someone they forwarded the message to has unsubscribed them. The person who got the forwarded message didn’t realize that by unsubscribing he or she was really taking YOU off the list. Once that happens, I can’t put you back on since the system thinks that you no longer want the emails. So, just be careful. Forwarding is not always such a good thing. You can always send the web link instead.
“Sabbath rituals: lighting candles, reciting the Kiddush, reading from the weekly Torah portion, not working on the Sabbath”.
Yes, these are some of the traditions most back-to-Torah Believers practice these days. I did too, and then when I stopped doing this-lighting candles on Shabbat, it was like something was missing. It was special to welcome Shabbat.
The kiddush, is so repetitious, it gets ‘dry’ after a while; I enjoy the weekly Torah parsha, which includes the Haftorah and Brit Chadashah as that will help us cover the Bible and be one around the world on the same readings.
Torah parsha is more interesting than simply reading here and there, with no definite theme. This is outside of personal studying through books of the Prophets, Psalms, Proverbs, etc..
I do try as much as possible not to do work as on a normal day, cleaning house, preparing meals ahead to be heated up on Shabbats, all these on preparation day. I do light on shabbats 🙂 that is not work!
“Dietary Regulations: keeping dairy and meat separate”, No.
Building a sukkah is such fun. We eat, read, and enjoy the fresh change of environment sitting under it. It’s a group activity, gathering willow and palm branches, bringing out the dinner table etc.
It is a simple structure of four poles driven into the ground, tied to trees for stability, and covered right across from right to left with thick plastic sheeting to keep out the wind, and another sheet from top to bottom on the back side, with the front open but with branches hanging over. It’s a beautiful sight!
These are good traditions as they are family-orientated.
The “major paradigm shift” is (the) Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
The manner of His birth, the manner of His life, the manner of His crucifixion and death, the manner of His resurrection, the manner of His intercession for us, and the matter of His soon return.
CARL.. amen. CHRIST CENTRED is to be the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.
Carl, thanks for the bite-sized thought today.
Our bible study group has just decided to start studying the life of Christ. I can’t wait to look at this topic through new eyes.
Why not start with David Flusser’s THe Sage of Galilee
I second that suggestion. Great book.
I’ll check it out, although the group has already decided on a book, perhaps Flusser will help me contribute. Thanks for the suggestion.
But Carl, the reference is to the followers of Yeshua who have been subject to “major paradigm” shifts since His walk here. Yeshua ha Mashiach is so much more than simply a paradigm shift. No one is denying Him here.
Yes, I keep getting the feeling Carl is the cheerleader for ‘all things Christ,’ which is fine, I am as well, however, like Suzanne says, no one is putting Yeshua on the shelf in any manner. The need is for an accurate and measured understanding of just what happened when Yeshua walked the ground and the years closely following.
The need is to strip away all the clutter, baggage, and filth that has been allowed to accumulate around the basic and simple tenets of the first Jewish believers and those Gentiles that came near through hearing about the truths these first Jewish Messianic believers testified to. Yeshua is the driving force in it all, period, no doubt and clearly.
Thanks for the reminder, however, in all due respect, we get it. Let’s move on and build upon that Rock. I understand repetition and it’s value, however, can we move forward from, not away from, the foundational items to expanded understanding of these truths.
Most football fans know that Vince Lombardi was famous for his remaining true to the basics with his “This is a football” statements each year at the beginning of football training camp. Professional football players being told, “this is a football.” Duh. Yes, basics were and are absolutely essential. But, he established the basics in the beginning in Football 101. He THEN moved on to Football 102 and 103 and 104 with references to 101 sporadically.
It’s like the church I attended for a while and the only sermons the pastor preached were evangelical. It was the SAME sermon rearranged, modified little, decorated variedly and projected out week after week. IMHO, he wasn’t really helping those that needed biblical teaching, understanding and perspective. Everyone could recite the points of his evangelical approach, but it was difficult to find a conversation containing much else outside the rote evangelical verses and phrases gleaned from the SAME sermon week after week after week.
Needless to say I left after staying too long. I just couldn’t survive on the one-note evangelical pablum.
The reason I’m in this blog is because Yeshua is the central focus. It all revolves around him. I just hope we can learn to move on to the 102, 103 and other classes of study.
I’m going to a bicycle wheel class in September, Lord willing. I already know what a wheel is, that it is round and it needs the proper geometry and physics applied to work properly. Knowing what a wheel is starts and sustains it all. But, I MUST know the geometry, physics and math involved in the utilization of it properly.
Please, let’s move on the the meat and undergirding truths of the basic foundations. Basics class can be utilized and built upon as we go along, eh?
Skip, about the forwarding: the webmaster should be able to add the person to the list. It just has to be done from the back-end of the website. The list is just a list and he should be able add it manually. It is more cumbersome, but it should be possible. Or they should change the utility.
I see a lot of torah people who are not jewish,wearing the kepha and the tzitzys(tasels).I know the kepha is tradition and not from the torah.But the tasels are a command.Are the tasles for us today?I know in that if I wore them in my area,people would just make fun of it,and it would become nothing but a distraction.What to do?
Great question, I have the same concerns. I don’t want to start with the ‘outer’, without having been changed on the inside. I’m not sure I’m ready to be put under the microscope yet. Sometimes, I tell myself — I’ll wear the tzitzit after I’ve managed to control my tongue from Lashon hara’. Or something like that. But then the tzitzit would be a reminder to control my tongue, so….?
Right now, I carry a tzitzit in around in my pocket. Not exactly obedience, but I’m not sure how to do it without freaking out my wife yet, either.
🙂
“freaking out the wife” is a rather critical item for consideration!
I’m chuckling (not without recognition of the seriousness of it, mind you) but because I am very conscious of my wife’s input as well. I’m sure it’s a common thing among husbands everywhere! What to do…?
Since studying some of Skip’s material on the ‘ezer kenegdo, including her in on everything in my life has become a necessity, not something to avoid. I see her knowledge and advice, somehow, even when not clearly in line with Scripture, as having truths that I need in it. It’s certainly a wild ride at times, but, after going through the ‘freak out’ parts together, most everything comes out better in the wash even if some salve and bandages are required afterwards. It heals and gets stronger.
I encourage you to read, if you haven’t already, Skip’s book, “Guardian Angel” with her if possible. And seek earnestly for the ways to bring her in to your world.
Please know I don’t express this lightly or flippantly. I have failed at marriage before and not real proud of that fact. However, there is redemption and hope going forward. I’m just trying to figure out a way to say I am with you, and others in here, in dealing with all those marriage issues. They are some of the hardest yet most rewarding experiences.
I’m confident you will see some ‘relief’ and forward movement over time. Keep steady, brother.
Thanks Michael.
My wife and kids are surprisingly flexible about most of this, the wife just gets nervous for some of the more public aspects of Torah keeping. She’s not much of a reader, so she’s trusted me a lot on this new paradigm. Her trust is beautiful, but it adds a little pressure because I don’t want to ‘mess this up’. My response, for the most part, has been to pray and try to become a much better husband and father, along with any other changes. So that these words will be ‘sweet in their ears’.
She was raised SDA, and I’ve been SDA since 1996 — so Sabbath rituals aren’t foreign to us (We still attend and SDA church). She has even been supportive about keeping some of the feasts, but when I mentioned something about mixed fibers – she was a little freaked out. I took it as a lesson not to put the cart before the horse, and to pay attention to the “weightier matters first”. As it is, I don’t own much clothing with wool — so I figure I can concentrate on other things. Now,… I know that wearing tzitzit out of the house would be another shocker – so that is on the back burner for now.
In the meantime, I we have been reading through Torah as our nightly devotional. I figure a good first step is to read about the way in fulfillment of…..
Deut 6:6,7 – ” “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 ” You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
I’ve read ‘Guardian Angel’, and summarized many of the important things to my wife. The main take-away for me, was that I asked my wife to tell me what she wanted for certain things, or boundaries, (e.g. Sabbath traditions) — and I would do my best to remember and implement them. She was excited about this, and actually had great suggestions that were in line with Torah. I’m thinking as I write this, I need to do that more with other things.
Anyhow, I just wanted to give you a bit more of the picture – so that you and other people would feel free to offer advice or your own experiences.
Proverbs 1:5 – “A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.”
Pretty cool, Gabe. Thanks for the elaboration. Great example I think and encouraging to hear.
Deut 6:6-7 is a great place to focus and figure out application in our lives today. You’ve inspired me to begin a specific Torah reading with my wife as well. We do various things together, but one of the challenges for us to to keep consistent. We would do well to stay on the path regularly these days. We have succumbed to letting the daily grind infringe on the things that should be the steady structures, like Torah reading together.
I agree, I need to do more of the boundary manners with my wife as well. I need to stop by my wife’s work this afternoon. I believe I will mention this to her and see if we can move toward some positive actions in this regard.
Thanks for the encouragement of your words and your example. May I be as well in my own marriage.
I’ve never been involved in any SDA communities. I was always warned away from them by my Baptist company. Be nice, but be leary! Not so much with me anymore, I’m a lot more inquisitive these days. 🙂
Anyway, thanks for seeking the things that please Him. It always encourages me to see and hear them.
Let’s all keep steady ahead.
I don’t even know what tzitzit look like but a female friend of mine who is a Jew said that she wears hers under her clothes. She said this a few months ago. This surprised me because I didn’t know females wore tzitzit. She works and we live in an area where the Jewish population is small so I’m sure she’s trying not to call attention to herself.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.karaite-korner.org/karaite_tzitizt_small.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.karaite-korner.org/tzitzit.shtml&h=543&w=261&sz=31&tbnid=BTU3jFK8XQQ8AM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=44&zoom=1&usg=__S8ebuk8RIpzMK2SxvpcUiwICGx4=&docid=Ne0_MPOTrMxUgM&sa=X&ei=JjkBUv-mHYTA9gSHmYHQCg&ved=0CD8Q9QEwAg&dur=2993
Here’s a pic/pics.
Thanks, Michael. I liked the photo of the tzitzit tied to the belt loop on jeans. 🙂
Thanks Michael C, that’s a beauty! I will make one that way too, looks stronger and easy to make.
Shalom!
If we wait until the inside is fixed, we will never get to the outside, I’m afraid. I think practice on the outside assists change on the inside.
Hmmmm…, I have to say back-reading was quite an embarrassment to me, but that’s what I get for looking backwards! Lol. So I press forward, forgiving and forgetting what is behind.
In Christ, the Law is fulfilled – it pointed to Him. He came. It still points to Him, but we don’t memorialize the shadows, we memorialize the work of Christ and walk according to the Law of Christ, the Law of Love!
The Holy Spirit is now He Who reminds us of what is right to do, not fringes.
Many a martyr, for their testimony of Jesus Christ, has been whipped while naked and thrown into a cold cell still naked and bleeding, whose heart was still warmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit and led him into fervent, sobbing prayer for the salvation of his enemies.
Even if tzit tzits were to be used as intended, this external reminder falls so short of what the indwelling Holy Spirit accomplishes in the life of the believer.
God gave us His Holy Spirit, –a much more effective reminder of His precepts and statutes than tzit tzit! Himself — not a tassel!
Personally, I feel that the Holy Spirit is leading me in this direction and opening my eyes and mind to a greater understanding than I had before. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law.
No one is claiming that Yeshua did not perfectly obey the Torah. That isn’t the question. The question is what do you mean by “fulfilled.” And if you really want to answer that from a biblical point of view, you must ask what the word would have meant in Hebrew.
Your well-worded comment, Skip, is what I was trying to imply. And that the Holy Spirit is leading me to understand what the word “fulfilled” means. What I’m understanding now is that his “fulfillment” was an/for example for/to His followers, not a replacement, so there’s no more need; but the example that it can be done perfectly. Yeshuah loved and respected the Torah.
I was responding to the previous comment by saying that I believe the Holy Spirit is leading me.
For emphasis I meant to put the Holy Spirit IS leading me.
Thanks for the clarification. I was sure that’s what you meant. Just trying to make the implied point.
I will not enter into an argument on this but the exegesis that “fulfilled” means “made obsolete” is linguistically unjustifiable. It is Christian doctrine in some circles but it is neither Hebraic nor linguistically possible. Yeshua did NOT speak Greek and none of the authors thought He did. In this regard, rituals that remind us of the continuing relevance of God’s instructions for HIS KINGDOM citizens is crucial TO CITIZENS OF HIS KINGDOM. It really doesn’t matter to others since they make no attempt to live according to His expectations for His Kingdom. This marks the real difference between reading the Bible from a Christian perspective and reading the Bible from a Jewish perspective.
You are entirely correct, Dorothy. If we want to fit into the Christian paradigm of the last 1800 years, we will claim that Jesus FULFILLED the Law and mean that it not longer applies to us. But if we want to fit into the Kingdom of the God of Israel, we won’t be able to make such a claim. It’s a choice.
Skip wrote: “If we want to fit into the Christian paradigm of the last 1800 years, we will claim that Jesus FULFILLED the Law and mean that it not longer applies to us. But if we want to fit into the Kingdom of the God of Israel, we won’t be able to make such a claim. It’s a choice”. Indeed it is a choice, but choice as we understand it involves the choosing of one thing over at least one other option. Those who, like Dorothy, are convinced of their convictions without examining all alternative choices have, in reality, never made a choice, they have simply made a decision- “a path selected as an outcome of various considerations”. They have just accepted at face value the end results of their Christian predecessors conclusions of over 1800 years of anti Torah bias. That they may then go onto prove them valid and discover even more proof texts to support their worldview is still based on the conclusion, which if faulty to begin with or limited in scope will not change. While no one is here is saying that Christ is faulty or needs human validation, what is being said is that there are alternate ways to look at issues , theologies and words which may escape our notice because we are either too scared to search for the truth or are too lazy or too comfortable with our version of the truth that no one else need apply. But choice demands that we, ” after ALL considerations have been made, examined, and put aside” make that free will choice. I admire Skip’s persistence, skill and sacrifice in making these other considerations available for our examination. It is, in the end, the pursuit of the highest call of humanity…choice. “Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house ( after all considerations have been made, examined and put aside) we will serve YHWH.” Shalom, Michael
Hi Michael,
Well said! I admire Skip’s patience too.
I think ABBA enjoys giving us that free choice, to see how we will respond.
It’s like us giving that free choice to our kids to see if they will know how to choose wisely.
Shalom shalom!
I struggled with whether to wear tzitzit until I heard a message that had nothing to do with tzitzit! The Holy Spirit asked me (not audible) “why are you struggling to just obey?” I wept with tears of joy and have worn them everyday since. They have been conversation starters, so somewhat of a witness for Yeshua… the original WWJD! So yes, The Holy Spirit does teach us All things! Yeshua wore them and I want to follow in my Master’s Footsteps of obedience to The Father so I wear them. “If you love me keep My commandments. And I will pray The Father, and He will give you another comforter, that He may be with you forever, even The Spirit of Truth….” John 14:15,16 & beginning of 17
Hi Inetta, Amein! Absolutely true!
Adding to what you have written, I wonder when someone say we have the Holy Spirit, then that Spirit, IF it is the Spirit of YHWH Who will lead us into ALL truth, then we should be hungry for truth, as He guides us.
Shalom!
John Adam (ha ha, — notice no s added to your name) will you post your site again?
It is still Christ. Not the when I die- there will be pie-in-the-sky Christ, but the Christ I am becoming. It is dear ones, more of Him and less of me. This is done my own realization and recognition- it is not about me- (Carl is dead!) but it is about Him. It is all about Him. To God be the glory. If I eat a good diet, get plenty of exercise (six days you shall labor) and if I “do” according to His word (whatever your hand finds to do -do it with your might) I will not only please Him (which is what we live for- pleasing Him) but it will also (not at all surprisingly) benefit us. There is a very “practical” side to following Christ.
Here is where we may either come together or part ways. The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to the bottom. All- any man- Jew or Gentile now has access to the throne of God through the torn veil (symbolizing His body) the torn veil of His flesh. We both (all of us) have access to the throne. Universal access to God sponsored by- brought to you by our LORD Jesus.
He (Christ) sought us. He (Christ) bought us. We have been bought/purchased redeemed by Christ. We no longer belong to ourselves and may live as we wish, we may now live as we ought.
I (myself) have some issues with the church, but then again we are viewing the church improperly. Let us identify who the church is! We are. We are the body of Christ. The body of Christ (universal) body of Christ is made up of every tribe and nation and tongue. There are Jewish members and there are Gentile members. There are those among the members of the body of Christ who eat pork and there are members of the body of Christ who smoke cigars. No one goes to hell (ooh have we opened a can of something here) for eating pork or smoking cigars! These are purely health concerns. Our diet does not determine our destiny- our relationship with Christ does. Do you know Him? Is He your Savior, and friends- Is He your LORD? Then why (He inquires) do you call me LORD, LORD and do not the things which I say? It is impossible to say “No,LORD”- and we are to bring into captivity “every thought” to the obedience of Christ. Impossible, -you say? Good. Because it is! He has said, “without Me (yes, Christ) you can do nothing!” Was it John only who is to say “He must increase, but “I” must decrease,” or does this also apply to us as well? – It does!
We are in a process, a journey, a pilgrimage of being transformed and conformed (a word of heat and pressure) into the image of the Son. (Yes, the LORD Jesus- again!)
Christ is the center. Christ is the compass. And Christ is the circumference. Did you know – all the scripture reveals Him. Did you also know that He has promised- ~ if you abide in Me (Christ) and My words abide in you – you shall ask what you will and it will be done unto you? He has told us what is the first and great commandment and He has told us the second also which is directly tied unto the first.
Love God- love people. It doesn’t get any simpler than that!- But sometime it seems “not so simple,” – doesn’t it? What about those “irritating” ones or the one who test your patience-or the ones who refuse to listen or who are “abrasive?” Are we really supposed to love our enemies? Who is our true enemy? and Who is our true Friend? – lol!- What a Friend We Have in Jesus! Next..- the covenant of Friendship!
Covenant Friendship. I love it!
1 Samuel 18:1-4, “By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David—an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend. Saul received David into his own household that day, no more to return to the home of his father. Jonathan, out of his deep love for David, made a covenant with him. He formalized it with solemn gifts: his own royal robe and weapons—armor, sword, bow, and belt.”
As we all do, I have a few tokens around from friends, one is book of poetry, another is a cup. It is the giver, the one who thought of me, that I remember and am thankful for way more than the gift itself. The gifts are really symbolic of a friendship covenant between us.
What do I have that I can give you, brother Carl, ( ? )
If you don’t mind terribly, and your Mrs. doesn’t mind, I will give you the name I see you as.
I see your walk, I hear your thoughts, I know Jesus is supreme in your life and you bow only to Him, and that you are anointed.
I call you Sharpened Arrow.
Sharp Arrow doesn’t do it. That could allude to your intelligence.
You are most definitely ‘sharpened’ to ‘the point’ by the Holy Spirit, and hit the ‘Center’ time and time again!
Psalm 84:11
Carl,
Your posts speak for themselves!
I marvel at how Christ has increased in sharing His devine nature
with you.
You have clearly “taken hold of the life that is truly life.” 1Pet 6:19