Who Said That?
and when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.” Hebrews 1:6 NASB
He says – If you had any doubt about the authority of the Tanakh for the writers of the New Testament, the author of Hebrews should set aside your concern. Notice what he does with the pronouns in this verse. The author repeatedly uses the pronoun “He” to refer to God. But the quotation he cites is Deuteronomy 32:43 in the LXX (with a bit of alteration). That is the speech of Moses, not God. What this means would not be unusual for First Century readers because they considered the entire Tanakh to have been authored (ultimately) by God. But here, in a letter written about 70 AD, the author cites with divine authority the words of Moses, placing them in God’s very mouth. It is difficult to imagine that such an author would simultaneously have considered the Tanakh eclipsed by the “new” Christian church.
A passage like this reminds us of Yeshua’s use of the Tanakh. Yeshua cites Genesis 2:24 as the seminal verse about marriage, but he claims that the words are God’s words when it is abundantly clear in the text that the words are the narrator’s. Apparently Yeshua held the same high view of Scripture. It is ultimately all God’s.
We could offer numerous other examples, from Paul, Peter, John, James and Yeshua. All of the New Testament authors hold the same view. What men wrote and said in the Tanakh is the equivalent of what God wrote and said.
But there is nothing startling about this, is there? This is exactly what we believe. The whole Bible is God’s word no matter who happened to write it. If this is our claim, just as it was the claim of the New Testament authors, then why do we think that we don’t really need to know or practice what the “older” testament teaches? Doesn’t it seem a bit odd to you that the authors of our “newer” testament would claim that even the words of men in the Tanakh are God’s words and then set them aside as irrelevant? Doesn’t it seem a bit incongruous that these men constantly base their arguments and teachings on the Tanakh if the Tanakh is just for Jews? How is it that we read the books from Matthew to Revelation and don’t see that all those books rest on the foundation of the Tanakh? Where do any of the New Testament authors teach us that what they knew from their own “Bible,” the “Old” Testament, wasn’t true for them?
It takes a powerful paradigm to re-evaluate the preponderance of textual evidence that demonstrates the value placed on the Tanakh. Such a paradigm must be strong enough to actually discount the testimony of Yeshua, Paul and others. Don’t you think it’s worth investigating when this paradigm came into being and where it came from? After all, it doesn’t seem to be part of the thinking of the author of Hebrews or any of the other New Testament authors.
Topical Index: Biblical authority, Tanakh, Hebrews 1:6, Genesis 2:24
“Whatever He says unto you- do it” Who said that? and to whom? Who has the authority to say such things? Who speaks with such authority and where does this authority come from? “And they were amazed at His teaching” Amazed at who? Who was this man? (or more accurately – who IS this man?- for this man is more alive at this moment than you or me.)
“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from G-d as they were carried along by the Ruach HaKodesh.” (2 Peter 1.21) The words of Moses did not originate with Moses. Moses was given something by Someone. We (today) also have been given something by Someone. Moses was given a tablet with (the) ten words from G-d. What have we been given? “and to whom much has been given- much shall be required.” Again, -what have we (you and I) been given? And what are we doing with the gifts G-d has given unto us? “For man (every man) shall not live by bread (physical food-no matter how “kosher”) but by every word (where are these words found?) that proceeds out of the mouth of Yah.”
“Every word of G-d is pure”- How can these things be? – I (too) am amazed. How is it that when this Man speaks- His words give life unto all who have ears to hear and hearts to obey? “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit/wind/breath and they are life.” (John 6.63) What words? His words.- The word(s) of G-d- the words of Yeshua who is the Living Word- the Word (logos) made flesh- the Word Incarnate. Yeshua, was (and is) the (now living) Word of G-d. “At this I fell at his feet to worship Him. But He said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship G-d! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19.10) “On His robe and on His thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” On whose robe and on whose thigh? “His”. “Him.” Worship Him.
-Who is this King of Glory? Great question, David. (I believe this is the “greatest question ever asked”) Yes, -Who is this Man?
“And we (now) have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning-Star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1.19)
He’s the Lily of the Valley,
the bright and Morning Star,
-He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.
Amein and amein! Thank you Skip. This piece of stunning evidence will be memorised and often used in the neverending courtcase.
“And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for G-d from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9) Hallelu Yah!- -I am and I am going to be in this assembly..
“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our G-d. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in ADONAI.” (Psalm 40.3)
i have never had a problem with reading, believing & accepting the OT/Old Testament – if anything that is where my fear of God comes from – don’t mess with HIM over there (to the left in the Bible) – His justice is His love & it has to balance out all the grace of the NT/New Testament (to the right in the Bible).
I don’t even know or understand why anyone would want to put away the OT to only believe & follow the NT – i like God’s wrath – proves He loves us justly… ♥
jan
Thank you again for the work you do Skip. There is such a dominant perception out there that the NT and OT are in conflict, and this ministry is a giant chisel to remove the supposed conflict.
Blessed are the peacemakers. There is a lot to criticize in Origen’s work/allegory, but I am reminded of his exposition of Matthew 5:9 when I read many of these posts.
“To the man who is a peacemaker in either sense there is in the Divine oracles nothing crooked or perverse, for they are all plain to those who understand. And because to such an one there is nothing crooked or perverse, he sees therefore abundance of peace in all the Scriptures, even in those which seem to be at conflict, and in contradiction with one another. And likewise he becomes a third peacemaker as he demonstrates that that which appears to others to be a conflict in the Scriptures is no conflict, and exhibits their concord and peace, whether of the Old Scriptures with the New, or of the Law with the Prophets, or of the Gospels with the Apostolic Scriptures, or of the Apostolic Scriptures with each other.”
We find in the Newer Testament a history that spans (if you start with the brief accounts of Yeshua’s birth in the two gospels) of about a hundred years.
When you take a look at Tanakh you see a history that spans several thousand years.
Why is there such a tendency to neglect the redemptive history of the Older Testament?
The first century Jewish man or woman would have laughed or wept over some of the ridiculous things that are stated about the Older Testament. This history shaped them to the marrow of their bones and the weight of this story has made those bones strong, which has carried them through centuries of persecution and back to the land of Israel.
This faithful God story of Abraham and his children. Consisting of the great exodus, the given of Torah and the entry and establishing themselves in the promise land. The continuation of this story, with the failure of most and the faithfulness of the few. We read of the prophets warnings and their cry of return. We read of exile and return within the scope of YHWH’s unfailing hesed and compassion.
The Messiah has come! And He has brought a fullness to that story and has invited the nations into the commonwealthof Israel. Their story has become our story. May the body of Messiah return with humility to the nourishing sap and sustenanace of this mature olive tree.
Brian, Good points all and well delivered, thank you. You wrote: “The first century Jewish man or woman would have laughed or wept over some of the ridiculous things that are stated about the Older Testament”. I couldn’t help but think how it is so in this day as well; that some believing Jews may have the same reaction to things we Christians believe or reject regarding the Older Covenant words. But more so with both Jews and Greeks in the 21st century that laugh (and a few may cry) over what they see as the ridiculous things found IN ( versus stated about) the Tanak. It is all in the Object of their perspective. He is not El Shadddi, but the target of their derision, pity and scorn. But be assured that one day, (may it be delayed that more will come to repentance, and that I may grow more into His likeness) that every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Yahshua Ha Mashiach is Master of all to the Glory of YHWH. Shalom. Keep posting your insights for all of us to enjoy and grow. ( of course this applies to all! )These posts are the desert, as it were, to Skip’s main course offerings! Bon Appetit!!!
I agree. Keep teaching. I think we are doing it wrong here in the Western world, and I am seeking knowledge of the Holy One. I am tired of the world’s teachings. I refuse to be destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Teach the word in truth.