Lessons from the Past
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the age have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11 NASB
Our instruction – Paul is a curious teacher. He actually expects his students to learn from the stories of the Tanakh. In fact, he considers the Tanakh as “written for our instruction’ (nouthesian hemon). That’s a bit stronger than a simple application. This Greek word contains the idea of admonition. It is very close to the Hebrew musar which is not only instruction but also chastisement. Why is this curious? Because if Paul really taught that Torah has no value in the life of the new believer under grace, then he certainly picks a strange way of speaking about the teaching of the Torah. To suggest that Torah is nouthesia is to suggest that it has authority; otherwise what would be the point of saying that it was written for our correction and admonition? Could we use the Torah as examples without describing it as nouthesia? Certainly. Pastors do this all the time. “Let’s take an example,” usually treats some Old Testament passage as a kind of verbal flannel-graph. But those same pastors are likely to quickly assert that Torah has been done away with under the new dispensation. Really? Then why does Paul tell us that it has authority, enough authority to admonish us when we don’t follow its lessons?
So what is the lesson in the rabbinic Torah allusion? The story is about the children of Israel, recently freed from slavery in Egypt, demanding a representation of YHWH in the form of a golden bull. When this idol was finished, the people had a festival which included at least some pagan practices. Paul uses this illustration to make the following point: These people who were punished, who died because of their infraction, were the same people that God delivered out of Egypt. In spite of grace, they acted disobediently and it cost them their lives. Point: Don’t be so arrogant in your newfound relationship with YHWH that you think obedience doesn’t matter any more. You were rescued just like the children in the wilderness, and you can die just as easily. Paul concludes, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Ah, yes, rescue isn’t quite as unobligated as we thought. Hen implies hesed. If you want God’s offer of grace, you will inherit God’s expectation of obedience.
Note that Paul deliberately speaks of the written Torah. He could have said, “The Law and the traditions,” but he didn’t. He tells us that what is written was intended for us. It had meaning to those who heard it first, but its larger scope includes the present followers. Since Paul deliberately uses egraphe (written), he can only have one thing in mind – the Tanakh. Paul did not teach from the New Testament. All of his instruction is derived from the Tanakh. We might be inclined to say, “If it was good enough for Paul, it’s good enough for me.” In the end, each of us must settle the issue of the authority of the Tanakh, not the authority of Scripture. Why the difference? Because far too often believers say that they accept the entire Bible as their authority, but when it comes to practice, they start with Matthew and end with Revelation.
Topical Index: egraphe, hemon nouthesia, instruction, Torah, 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
I think the biggest struggle I have is the way I treat my own disobedience and shortcomings. By this I mean after I came to a relationship with Messiah the main thing I have been taught is to gloss over my sin with, He forgives and he understands, and in doing so I feel as though it’s ok to not push myself into the dying to my own wants and ways. Is there a way to get the lies out of my head and to have a truly repentant heart ? How can I get there? Any ideas? While I am thankful for the fact that the “church” taught me the need to pray and learn I also grieve for the lies that seem imbedded and stuck like Velcro to my walking it out life!
“Is there a way to get the lies out of my head”
Wow, Babs, you are beautifully transparent and a breath of fresh air!
Don’t we ALL need to ask this question to YHVH every single minute of every single day?
May He deliver us constantly from desperately wicked “hearts.”
You are far from alone in your struggle. The hope is in the fact that you can now see it where once you were blind as was I. If you are like I, then you have been fed these lies for a long time–in other words–you did not get here overnight. Let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. James 1:4
Keep studying and learning(ask Y-H for wisdom)-be careful of your counsel and never be surprised at opposition you will face. Be encouraged that you are not in the boat alone. 🙂 I am rowing with you!
Shalom sister
Hi Babs,
By the very words you wrote, you reveal a seeking and repentant heart. As you progress in re-learning, those lies will surely vanish with the new understanding and insights you are receiving into the truth of the Word. Being diligent to take in the right food, that is how growth comes about. You may not realize it, but you are growing by the constant washing and watering of the pure Word of YHYWH!
Be encouraged!
Not sure then how this is reconciled with 1 Cor. 10: 23, 25-27. ???
Good question.
I would love to learn more about what “sacrificed to idols” really meant. I’ve always assumed that it meant that the animals weren’t bled out correctly (lawful meats slaughtered unlawfully). But then, how does that square with the teaching of the ‘Jerusalem council’?
Acts 15:19,20 – “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.”
Hi Gabe,
In pagan worship, there is the sacrifice offered to idols, such as meat, or drink offerings (even human sacrifice), such are abominations to YHWH to Whom all sacrifices are to be made to show their repentance for transgressions against Him.
Again, starting Acts 15: 1, 5, the issue discussed here in this chapter is on circumcision that some of the Jews were imposing upon the new believers, insisting that it is of salvation importance, thereby putting a yoke upon them.
But from the Torah written by Moshe being read every Sabbath, it clearly teaches that Avraham walked by faith first, before he was circumcised. So then as these new believers grow from faith to faith, they will come to the knowledge that circumcision is a sign of the Covenant between them and YHWH Gen 17:11, 24 And Avraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised, and all the men of his house born or bought, v 27.
Shalom!
John,
Some scholars say that Paul is employing what is called a “straw man” argument. Since everything is NOT lawful and Paul observed Torah; Scholars say that he is quoting the opposition and then offering a rebuttal. This is one problem with only reading one side of a two way conversation. I hope this helps some.
Hi John,
Can you clarify a bit, in regards to what needs reconciliation? I (personally) can’t see a conflict with the teachings given in the tanakh, although I certainly can understand how it might conflict with the traditions.
Hi John,
From verse one, we were warned not to be ignorant, not to go lusting after idols as in the worship of the golden calf, where 23,000 fell in a day.
Verse 21 that we are not to partake of the table of YHWH, and of the table of demons, going on to explain that all are “permissible” but does not build up your right standing with YHWH, having knowledge of His commands, of what is clean and profane.
Verse 25: YOU, eat whatever is sold in the market place, asking no questions because of YOUR conscience, with the excuse that “the earth belongs to YHWH, and all that fills it.” !! But refusing to acknowledge that what HE prohibits is prohibited!
Paul/Shaul continues in Chapter 11 “to be imitators of him”, having walked in Torah and kept all the commandments diligently; he would NOT mislead nor misguide new comers to the faith by telling them they can eat, drink and do what they like to cause them to stumble V 32, but on the contrary that they may be delivered from ignorance and from idolatry.
Hope that help? 🙂 Just reading it from a different mindset. Shalom!
Exhibit “A.”
“Exhibit A.” I’ve just got to get the t-shirt. It has been said, (and I believe rightly so),- if you can’t be a good example- be a horrible warning! I now refer to this as positive and negative learning, but whether positive (do this) or negative (don’t do that!)- it is all part of the learning process. And that, my friends, is exactly what “learning” is: a process. Failure is far from final. If we are not capable of learning from our “mistakes,” (misdeeds, etc..) then we are not capable of learning, period. But even better (more gooder) than learning from our own “mistakes,” (misdeeds, missteps, etc..) is learning from the “errors” of others!
Exhibit A: Carl, (poor soul), places his hand on a hot stove burner and (lo and behold) gets “burned.” Carl then says, (to the amazement of others..), “Oh boy, – I can’t wait to do that again!” ( or NOT!). No, if there is sufficient “pain” (hooray for pain?) in the process of learning, (call it “chastisement” if you wish), the lesson will be (yes, painfully) tatooed upon the brain- “do not, (I repeat) do not, place the hand upon the hot burner, – for “pain will result .” Or, if Carl (good ol’ boy) “happens” to witness someone else put their hand upon said stove, and sees them (can I get a witness?) get burned.. learning also will occur. We (hopefully- and I say this reservedly) hopefully are capable of learning from the mistakes of others.. – or are we? (hello?)
Exhibit A. Who is “exhibit A?” Is it my turn today? Or will it be yours?
~ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the age have come ~ (1 Corinthians 10:11)
Let us consider the flying five, and also rejoice in 20/20 “hindsight!” For all we have to do is ask! “Who? What? Where? When? and (saved the best for last!) – Why?
Who? It happened unto them. Those guys. Those people out there in the desert place. What on earth was God doing,- leading them through those wilderness wanderings for over 40 years! Especially we learn later (we usually do learn later than sooner for some odd reason!)- the entire journey would have taken eleven days had they traveled the “straight and narrow!”.
Forty years of round and round! (Does this cactus look familiar to you?) One more trip around the mountain, boys and girls!
What (exactly) was God doing with His own people? Teaching, training, disciplining, (even chastising?) the people, demonstrating to them, (yes, time after time..) “I AM” is faithful.
Okay. We have learned (hopefully) the way we know our future is by reviewing and remembering the past. (Remember?) Good.
Exhibit A. Moses! Moses! We don’t have any water! Uhh.. fellas? What was the result of our first crisis? Did God deliver? Did God provide? And the second? Did God deliver? Did God provide? And the third? Did God deliver? Did God provide? And the fourth? Did God deliver? Did God provide? And now, for the fifth time, (lo and behold) another “crisis..” (Crisis du jour?). Moses! Moses! wahhhhh! Well, folks.. what do you think? (he inquired). Will God be ever be (anything but) Faithful? Will God (once again) deliver His own? Does YHWH save? Thank you Israel, for being “Exhibit A.” to us! What can we learn from this? God IS Faithful, and God will deliver. The first time? The second? The third? Do we really need more trip around the mountain?- or one more night with the frogs?
Who was John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) referring to when he wrote these words?
(Exhibit A)
~ Now I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a Name written that no one knew except Himself. 1 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. And the armies in Heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a Name written:
KING OF kings AND LORD OF lords. ~