Where To Begin
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham Matthew 1:1 NASB
Genealogy – Abraham Heschel asks, “What is the pedigree of the Christian Gospel? These are the words with which the New Testament begins: [citing Matthew 1:1]. Yet the powerful fascination with the world of Hellenism has led many minds to look for the origins of the Christian message in the world of Hellas. How odd of God not to have placed the cradle of Jesus at Delphi, or at least in Athens?”[1] Heschel reminds Christians that it didn’t begin with Jesus. Matthew reminds his readers that the origin is in toledoth, the generations all the way back to Abraham. But you would think from reading the theologians that everything came from Athens.
Why does Christian theology begin with proofs for the existence of God rather than the Jewish assumption of God’s revelation in Torah?
Why does Christian theology categorize and analyze Scripture according to doctrine rather than learning the purposes of God and His demands upon men in the Tanakh?
Why does Christian theology place such overwhelming emphasis on the life and death of Jesus rather than on the revelation given at Sinai?
Why does Christianity look for an exit from this world rather than a restoration of the Garden?
Why do Christians generally believe that the message of Scripture is to be found in universal principles rather than in revealed cultural practices?
Who is Jesus anyway? The incarnate “Christ,” universal Savior of every culture and every nation, or Yeshua HaMashiach, the Jewish Messiah?
Does it make a difference to you how you answer these questions? Or would you rather just not think about them?
Christianity is a bi-polar disorder. It attempts to place one foot on its Jewish foundation and the other on its Greek orientation. This leads to intellectual and theological schizophrenia. Ordinary believers never realize that they are taking psychotropic drugs when they attend church or read a translated text. But something doesn’t make sense and that vague awareness of a disconnect leads some to look to the origins As Matthew reminds us, God’s gospel begins in Genesis.
Topical Index: Matthew 1:1, beginning, theology, Torah
[1] Abraham Heschel, “Protestant Renewal: A Jewish View”, Jewish Perspectives on Christianity (ed. F. Rothschild), p. 303.
How exciting this portion of TW is!!
This is restoration, which is restoring what was there in the beginning.
“Christianity is a bi-polar disorder. ” Sadly, an apt term, describing a very muddled, fantasy state of mind, unrealistic, illogical, beyond reason.
Prayerfully, this condition can be rectified through willingness to have a change of proper diet of Hebraic concepts, and lifestyles through discipline.
“Matthew reminds his readers that the origin is in toledoth, the generations all the way back to Abraham”, our Forefathers.
Right, it did not begin with the ‘church’ in the Book of Acts;
nor at the birth of Jesus in the manger in winter;
nor at the cross,
but right from Genesis where every seed is after its kind.
We are of the right seed of Avraham in Itzchak/Isaac, the children of the promise, and heirs Gal 3:29,
not of the slave woman;
we are the wheat, not the tares, and the wheat is not to behave like the tares-Bill Cloud.
It is wonderful and liberating to see Scriptures in their right Hebraic perspective, makes all the difference, puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together, not forced into place.
ABBA with you in all your travels and teaching ministries, Skip.
Why does Christian theology begin with proofs for the existence of God rather than the Jewish assumption of God’s revelation in Torah? Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Why does Christian theology categorize and analyze Scripture according to doctrine rather than learning the purposes of God and His demands upon men in the Tanakh? Isn’t the Eighth Commandment doctrine? And are not these passages (just two examples, many more possible) Lev. 19:35-36 or Ex. 22:1-15 explanation of the Eighth Commandment? If they are, then any attempt at biblical theology finds it necessary to “analyze” Scripture according to doctrine in order to learn the purposes of God and His demands upon men in the Tanakh and elsewhere.
Why does Christian theology place such overwhelming emphasis on the life and death of Jesus rather than on the revelation given at Sinai? Heb. 9:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
And what did Yeshua imply when he said, ” I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (i.e. Torah)”?
“Why does Christianity look for an exit from this world rather than a restoration of the Garden? “Christianity” doesn’t. Some Christians do. Some Christians don’t.
Why do Christians generally believe that the message of Scripture is to be found in universal principles rather than in revealed cultural practices? What universal principles do you have in mind?
Who is Jesus anyway? The incarnate “Christ,” universal Savior of every culture and every nation, or Yeshua HaMashiach, the Jewish Messiah? 1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
Thank you, Ian, well stated.
Very important questions. Thank you for challenging us to “think on these things” (Philippians 4:8)
One of the questions, I “think to myself” whenever I hear someone give their testimonial to a “divine Healing” or to the sheer fact they woke up breathing is: If ____had not been healed according to your specifications, or if you awoke with some sickness, would He not still be God? Is your personal condition or satisfaction dependent on whether He is God?
Yes, I believe in Divine healing, yes, I want to wake up healthy, happy and wealthy, however, He is God irregardless of our personal circumstances and conditions. May it be our task to see Him for who He is…may we allow His great grace to shine through each inspired Word to see His Gory! And may we tremble as we walk this road of salvation until we get back to the Garden. Shalom
My childhood training and later Bible college training was that we are a “New Testament” church not an “Old Testament” church. That paradigm left many unasked and unanswered questions. When I began to ask questions about many obvious inconsistencies I was told to look at Scriptures. After all we are a bible beliving people. After searches in scripture, in history, finding who started certain doctrines, when started, and why, I found much deception (lying) took place. It is difficult not to get angry with my teachers and their teachers for this deception. After all I was able to find many answers. It is difficult not to throw out the whole mess.
Skip, these questions are necessary if we are going to be honest with ourselves. “What does God require of us?” Heschel. It all starts with Torah and continues with Torah. One of my purposes is stop all pagan teaching and practices that have infiltrated the church. These questions are a major part of doing that.
Shalom, Bob
Do we not belong to the Priesthood of Melchizedek, having neither beginning of days or end of life?
Also the new Jerusalem mentioned in Hebrews says the “Church of the Firstborn” , why not say…well anything or any other association? As you have stated, there are natural branches and wild branches all attached to the Vine. Why would the branches determine the origin of either the other branches or the Vine? The Vine is and was and will be existing-just like the description of having no beginning of days or end of life. This didn’t begin with Jesus or Abraham. This all began as a Father having a Son who needed a wife who had to be crowned King and wait for His Father to prepare for Him a Bride without spot or wrinkle who together will rule and reign as every knee bows to this Love between the Bride and Her Beloved which is the Desire of the Nations.
When the Love is truly revealed to the nations what will it look like? The Lord is looking for Lovers not Pharisees. Even though we will all become Jewish, Hebrew, through marriage to our Jewish King! Jesus was Jewish because Mary was Jewish, His Father is the Father of every nation, so it works both ways. So in heaven there will be neither Jew nor Greek, only the Church of the Firstborn. (who is ?)
His Father is the Father of every nation, so it works both ways.
Actually Sharon it could be more accurately stated that Yeshua’s Father was the Father of the nation Israel through Abraham. The other nations were fathered, as it were, by the leaders of the families that were scattered abroad from Babel. We are brought out from the house of those fathers and adopted into the house of Judah through Yeshua thereby become citizens of the familial Nation of Israel.
At the time when all the other nations were being formed, God called Abram out of his earthly fathers house and country promised the He (YHVH) would make a great nation of him and also make his name great for the purpose of blessing all the other nations. Redemption comes through Israel and YHVH is the God and Father of of Israel and the gentiles/nations shall join themselves to Israel and become the adopted children of the God and Father of of Israel.
We as gentiles are brought in through being adopted into the tribe of Judah through Abrahams seed the suffering servant of the tribe of Judah in Is. 53. We don’t get this as christians because we have no concept whatsoever of ancient adoption customs.
DO you realize that Caleb, the representative of Judah among the ones who were chosen to spy out the land, was a kenazite (Nu 32:12) adopted into the tribe of Judah. A quick search on the father of Kenaz will surprise you I promise. It was he and Yehoshua the Ephraimite who spearheaded the way into the promised land when the 40 years in the wilderness was over.
The Father in Heaven called Abram out of his earthly fathers house and gave him the promise of an inheritance which included a great name, offspring, and the blessing of YHVH poured out on the other nations through the great nation that he would become, just to name the most obvious. Abram was adopted as it were. And YHVH has been faithful to His word to Abraham. We are the beneficiaries in the midst of that promise being kept.
Isa 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed (the suffering servant) shall inherit the Gentiles/nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
God Fathered one Nation for Himself.
Jesus said,
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brethren.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 23:8-12
Is this for the Jews alone or all humans? Is this part of the message Christ instructed the believers to bring to all Nations? or just temporal Israel?
I apparently didn’t make that clear sorry.
Of course we bring it to the nations so that they may be grafted in. But there has to be a nation to graft them into and that nation is Israel.
That’s the whole point. The nations will be redeemed through Israel the promised “Great Nation” as part of the covenant given to father Abraham.
It is hard for you to kick against the goads, and futile to persecute the believers in Christ.
http://youtu.be/CJX43l9-Qx0
http://youtu.be/FYnWp2ueQDI
Hello Pam,
Thank you, but that description only defines your explanation.
I am not refuting what you said, it just doesn’t answer my question.
“Do we not belong to the Priesthood of Melchizedek, having neither beginning of days or end of life?”
This is an eternal priesthood that ministers to El Elyon Most High God (Heb 7:1) who is in the Heavenly Temple. They rule and rein with Yeshua over the nations of the earth but not in the Temple on earth. That is reserved for the Levites. See Ezekiels temple. Two separate priesthoods in place during the millennium.
.
“Also the new Jerusalem mentioned in Hebrews says the “Church of the Firstborn””
Actually it says the “assembly of the firstborn” or better the peoples of The Firstborn. Church is a semi-modern word invented for the purpose of separating people from each other.
The resurrected saints will become the Priesthood of Melchizedek with Yeshua the firstfruits of the resurrection as their High Priest. They rule and reign from Jerusalem the gate of heaven where the 04397 ךאלמ mal’ak mal-awk’ (messangers/deputies/ambassaders) of Elohim ascend and descend from heaven. Gen.28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
At least that’s the best of my understanding at the moment.
Grafting is an art that isn’t well understood but in short My ag training tells me that again we are looking here at being brought into the covenant by adoption. The little branch/scion is cut off from it’s original parent tree and literally glued to a different stronger root stock tree where it is able to grow into a healthy branch that bares good fruit and is long lived. Depending on the compatibility of the scion to the rootstock the scion excepts the new parent or rejects it and withers and dies. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t grafted It just failed to adapt to the new parent tree.
If the tree is Abraham who’s family consist of both natural born and adopted He is able to nourish both so it’s not the fault of the parent here. It’s more the scion rejecting the nourishment. I dare say that the “Church” is a perfect picture of this. It has refused the nourishment of the olive tree (covenant) and is not only barren of fruit it’s dying before our very eyes.
If we love Him we will keep his commandments. We adapt and drink in the nourishment He provides for us.
Yeshua’s Father is the Father of the nation Israel. If we partake of that nations nourishment (covenant) we will grow and flourish. If we refuse it, aaaaah not so much! He won’t take a Cain offering from us. But sin loves the Cain attitude which is “I’ll do it myyyyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyyyyyy”
So the question is, how’s that been working out for us?
Hi Pam
Here are some Scripture on the Father/son.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea 11:1
“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is My son, My firstborn. Ex 4:22
In the teaching: Being Human Skip explained that the word “compassionate” Ex 34:6, how God describes Himself, has a picture of a pregnant woman. Israel being the unborn child.
As for Cain, I think unfortunately he got his attitude from his mom, the first sin that continues to haunt us ever since: deciding for myself what is good.
Thank you Luzette,
Why didn’t I think of these verses? Just goes to show how much we need each other for a complete picture.
We are strange little creatures for sure aren’t we? No matter how many ways we mess things up we still think we are smarter than God.
Pam, i really like the way you explained the grafting in to the olive tree. I totally agree, but many christians say that a graft retains it’s own characteristics and produces its original fruit not that of the olive tree, so they feel justified to retain and practice their own doctrine.
Torah IS the nourishment that is obtained from the root, but christians only take what they like and leave the rest. It’s that whole ‘2 covenant theology’ that has persuaded them not to partake of the whole food of the Torah. It is forgotten or IGNORED that Yeshua is the Torah – John1:1-5.
Thanks, and be blessed for the clear way you speak.
Just wait until you read the TW about the origins of Christianity – coming up while I am on the Cruise line.
Can’t wait!! Rock on!!
Ah Hah but Antoinette you should know that the olive the one tree that can make a wild branch produce the fruit of the root. I have an old article that I can’t find it online. It’s packed away and if I can find it I will post it here. It’s from my agriculture literature archives that I’m sure isn’t online.
I hope I’m not stealing Skips thunder.
Oh… you simply must locate that article! That would certainly set some christian theologies topsy-turvy, and it would affirm the grafting in to mean that christians need to eat the whole torah too! Then I think we would really see the growth to fullness and real torah fruit too!
Christian theology begins with Genesis 1.1: “in the beginning God..” There is no “proof” of God offered other that what is written in God’s Book- our Bible. ~ “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him ~ (Proverbs 30.5) May I? May I say, may we say with the Psalmist, “My help comes from the LORD, who made Heaven and Earth?” Or were these words for David only? No. Not at all. These words and all of God’s words are for “whosoever will..”
Okay, I am going to sleep on this one:)
Why does Christian theology categorize and analyze Scripture according to doctrine rather than learning the purposes of God and His demands upon men in the Tanakh?
Hmmm
In my view, the facts are clear in Matthew, Jesus was a Jew who believed in the Hebrew bible
The only way one can end up with the ideological construct of Christianity is to start with it
If Jesus thinks of himself as the “anointed” Hebrew man
Christianity would have been a form of paganism to him
Like!
Christianity is a bi-polar disorder. It attempts to place one foot on its Jewish foundation and the other on its Greek orientation. This leads to intellectual and theological schizophrenia.
No. Not at all. Remember, we are exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith. The root is not the entire tree! There are some things that exist in the N.T. that were never known or even imagined during “olden days..” ~ None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the LORD of glory ~
The Messiah was prophesied (how many times?) in the O.T., but when He arrived via a virgin’s womb and was born in a barn in Bethlehem it was a complete and total surprise, except to a very few- those wise men in the East that saw the star and came to worship the One who was born King of the Jews. Amazingly, He died the very same way, with a sign (in three known languages) posted above His thorn-pierced brow: (This is Jesus, King of the Jews!). The Jews require a sign? Uhh.. how about a sign? (and one that reads: This is Jesus- King of the Jews?) Could it possibly be any clearer that that? Neon or flashing lights or what? What more can He say that to you He has said?
The Triumphal Entry
When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me.“If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,
‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,
GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,
EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’”
The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats.Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.
The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David;
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Hosanna in the highest!”
When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”
And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?”17And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
The Barren Fig Tree
18Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry.19Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.
20Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?”21And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.22“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Authority Challenged
23When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”24Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.25“The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’26“But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.”27And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Parable of Two Sons
28“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’29“And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went.30“The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.31“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.32“For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.
Parable of the Landowner
33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.34“When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce.35“The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.36“Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.37“But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’38“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’39“They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.40“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”41They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;
THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,
AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?
43“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.44“And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.46When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.
Do we not belong to the priesthood of Melchizedek?
If the Levitical Priesthood was to continue, then why has it stopped even now?
I guess we are starting all over again and giving the Jewish people another chance not to miss the next visitation of their long awaited messiah?
Are you saying the priesthood never changed? (Hebrews 10:9)
I feel sorry for the group believing what you are proposing because they are being set up to miss the Lord’s second coming. Didn’t the Jews miss Him because they quit worshipping Him and were not looking for His return? If your eyes are on the old Levitical blood of bulls and goats type then that is not going to be working out for anyone, because He is coming in all His Glory as the risen King with His Bride! The scriptures call us UP, not backwards.
Nothing else you mentioned is worth talking about if you are going to ignore 2000 years of revelation concerning the royal priesthood of believers, do you even believe the veil was torn?
Amen, Sharon, Amen
absolutely being set up to miss the Lord’s second coming, and the second coming is not a ‘seek and save’ mission.
Do you know the meaning of your name?
http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Sharon.html#.UbJNPr4o5LM
What are you talking about?
Parousia.
But not willing to get into discussion.
Sorry, I should have ID’d Sharon for that question. But I suppose I ain’t willing either!
I’m wondering the same thing?
Being true to your name you blessed me, now I am calling on the one we love to bless you.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you shalom!
onward and upward,
sharon:)