Transcript The Times of Yeshua

Approaching Midnight for the Church
Festival of Tabernacles
Heart of David Ministries
Gold Coast 2010
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The TaNaK (OT) – by inference – historical foundations/reasons
Jewish apocalyptic literature from 200 BCE – 100 CE – books such as 1 Enoch,
Testaments of the 12 patriarchs, and the Psalms of Solomon
The Dead Sea Scrolls – The Manual of Discipline, The War of the Sons of Light
against the Sons of Darkness and the Temple Scroll having particular
significance,
The Apocrypha – 1 & 2 Maccabees (esp. regarding Hanukah), & Sirach,
The Targums – Aramiaic paraphrases of books or passages of the TaNaK (300
BCE – 300 CE),
The Works of Josephus,
Talmud – Mishnah (Oral Law) – 200 CE and Gemara – commentary on
Mishnah from around 500 CE plus midrash (commentary) on TaNaK passed
orally until recorded around 100-300 CE.
And of course the Messianic Writings, the B’rit Hadashah or New Testament!
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Our Father Abraham by Marvin Wilson;
Yeshua – A guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church by Dr Ron
Moseley,
A HISTORY of THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE TIME OF JESUS CHRIST By
Prof. EMIL SCHÜRER,
Christianity and Judiasm – Two Covenants by YEHEZKEL KAUFMANN,
JUDAISM AND THE ORIGINS Of CHRISTIANITY by DAVID FLUSSER,
JEWS, JUDAISM AND THE CLASSICAL WORLD by Prof David Flusser,
Studies in Jewish History in the Times of the Second Temple and
Talmud Translated from the Hebrew by ISRAEL ABRAHAMS,
JESUS OF NAZARETH HIS LIFE, TIMES, AND TEACHING by JOSEPH
KLAUSNER,
The Sages—Their Concepts and Beliefs by Prof. Ephraim E. Urbach,
NAZARENE JEWISH CHRISTIANITY From the End of the New Testament
Period Until Its Disappearance in the Fourth Century by Ray A. Pritz,
JEWS, PAGANS AND CHRISTIANS IN CONFLICT by DAVID ROKEAH
Jesus by Prof. David Flusser
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
Flusser:
“In the fullness of time the Christian religion sprang out of
Judaism; as a fact, indeed, of divine revelation, ... No
incident in the gospel story, no word in the preaching of
Jesus Christ, is intelligible apart from its setting in Jewish
history, and without a clear understanding of that world of
thought …
Thus … is it not enough to know simply that older literature
which has been collected together in the … Old Testament.
On the contrary, the gospel of Jesus Christ is much more
closely connected with its immediately contemporary
surroundings, and the tendencies of thought prevailing in
that particular age.”
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Hebrew was the primary spoken and written
medium of the majority of the Jews in Israel
during the time of Jesus;
Jesus therefore did most, if not all, of his
teaching in Hebrew (not Greek or Aramaic).
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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the original accounts of Jesus' life were
composed in Hebrew (as one might conclude
anyway from early church history) – have
mentioned this in previous talks;
the Greek gospels which have come down to
us represent a third or fourth stage in the
written transmission of accounts of the life of
Jesus;
Luke was the first gospel written, not Mark;
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Much of the day-to-day Second Temple
literature discovered at Qumran and Massada
is in Hebrew.
Whenever we can be sure that there is a
Hebrew phrase behind the Greek text of the
Gospels, we translate that, and not the literal
Greek.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Flusser was able to translate the synoptic gospels from
the earliest Greek versions back into Hebrew.
Given how frequent and widespread the Hebraisms
appear within them, Flusser has been able to show
which portions read very well in Hebrew,
◦ which seems to indicate that they were originally penned in
Hebrew
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and which portions appear very awkward and
unsatisfactory
◦ which suggests later redaction (editing)
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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The followers of Yeshua were initially totally
Jewish – 90%+ Hebrew in first 10-15 years i.e
to 45 AD.
As can be seen in Matt 10:16-18 they
originally attended the synagogue.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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“For the gentile converts to try to take on the
Jewish lifestyle without the godly and
disciplined background (upbringing), would
have placed a burden that was neither
necessary nor desirable.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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For Flusser, Jesus was not a critic of Judaism, not
even a reformer, but the embodiment of what
Flusser calls the moral essence of ancient
Judaism.
Overall, Flusser sees in Jesus a moral exemplar
for the modern world, for Jews as well as
Christians.
Like the Pharisees, Jesus held himself apart
from non-Jews, referring to them variously as
swine or dogs.
His manner of dress was consistent with that of
the Pharisees, as was his way of calling
disciples
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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His devotion to the Torah exhibits a knowledge of both
Written and Oral Torah (a basic definition of Pharisaism
as opposed to Sadducism and Essenism), and
he repeatedly affirmed the Pharisaic doctrine of the
resurrection of the body and the eternal life of the
soul.
Above all, we find normative Pharisaic teachings
echoed again and again in his words:
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Phrases such as "No one can serve two masters,"
"Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s," and
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
are all directly traceable to Pharisaism in the Second Temple
period.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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The Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer exhibit a
typically Pharisaic theology.
For these and many other reasons, it would seem
not unreasonable to think of Jesus as a Pharisee
calling for the renewal of that movement which was
itself already a movement of renewal within
Judaism.
Thus, Flusser argues very powerfully that Jesus had
little conflict with the Pharisees of his day.
However, we need to understand the mode and
tenor and passion of intra-Pharisaic debate, to
better appreciate the community in which Jesus
operated.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
Flusser in “Jesus” p36
“In the Pharisees, Jesus saw the contemporary heirs of
Moses, and said that men should model their lives
upon their teaching.
This makes sense, for although Jesus was apparently
indirectly influenced by Essenism, he was basically
rooted in universal non-sectarian Judaism.
The philosophy and practice of this Judaism was that
of the Pharisees.
It would not be wrong to describe Jesus as a Pharisee
in the broad sense.”
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
Matt 5:17-18,
"Do not think that I am come to destroy the
law, or the prophets;
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say to you, till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the Torah till all be fulfilled,”.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Never imagine for a moment that I intend to abrogate the
Torah by misinterpreting it.
My intent is not to weaken or negate Torah, but by properly
interpreting God's Written Word I aim to establish it, that
is, make it even more lasting.
I would never invalidate the Torah by effectively removing
something from it through interpretation. Heaven and
earth would sooner disappear than something from the
divine instructions of God (Torah). Not the smallest letter in
the alphabet, the yod nor even its decorative spur, will ever
disappear from the Torah"
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and so
fulfill the Torah of Christ.
Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a
neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the
Torah.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
In the early Rabbinic sources, until the end of the second century,
nothing is said against the person of Jesus or against the faith he
had elicited.
The lack of any criticism of the faith of Jesus and of the principles of
Christian religion in rabbinic literature prior to the end of the
second century cannot be easily explained.
Christians are as strongly rejected as other heretics, but no specific
arguments are adduced against them in that period, while at the
same time other, unknown groups are designated heretical on the
ground of false doctrines of theirs which are specifically mentioned.
This may mean that the rabbis rejected Jewish Christians, not
because of the special content of their faith but perhaps because of
their issues with the Temple or their belief in the resurrection?
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
One of the surprising findings of Flusser’s research is that those texts in
the Gospels expressing opposition to the Synagogue or to Jews, or
accusing the Jews of having caused Jesus' death, or even those passages
which express enmity towards "normative” Judaism,
cannot be retranslated literally into Hebrew or Aramaic:
they are styled in Greek.
This means that enmity of Palestinian Jewish Christians against other
Jews, while it may have existed, cannot be proven, and that those
passages were written by Gentiles or, so to speak, by Jewish "Gentile"
(i.e. Hellenistic) Christians.
We must conclude that the opposition to Jews and to Judaism is
primarily, or even exclusively, a function of the emergence of Gentile
Christianity,
and that this tension, or even abhorrence, was a factor which fostered
the birth of Christianity as an independent Gentile religion.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
‟…it was in the days of Antiochus IV. Epiphanes, that there
emerged in Israel a set of renegades who led many people
astray. “Come,” they said, “let us reach an understanding
with the pagans surrounding us, for since we separated
ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us…”
- 1Maccabees 1:12
Hanukah – John 10:22
At that time Hanukah took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of
Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
"How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the
Messiah, tell us plainly."
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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175 BCE - a Jewish scribe bearing the Greek name Antigonos
of Socho said, "Be not like slaves who serve their master for
the sake of reward, but like slaves who serve their master with
no eye on any reward; and may the fear of heaven be among
you.”
Yeshua came to give:
◦ a the radical interpretation of the commandment of
mutual love,
◦ a call for a new morality, and
◦ To promote the idea of the kingdom of God
 Luke 4:43; Mark 1:38, 1 John 3:8
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
Rabbi (20 BCE):
"On three pillars the world stands—on the Torah,
on the Temple service, and on acts of lovingkindness."
The spiritual pillars of Yeshua were:
◦ Righteousness,
◦ Prayer,
◦ Repentance.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach (165 BCE)
Wrath and anger are loathsome things
which the sinful person has for his own.
The vengeful will suffer the Lord's vengeance,
for He remembers their sins in detail.
Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then,
when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Should a person nourish anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?
Should a person refuse mercy to a man like himself,
yet seek pardon for his own sins?
If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,
who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last day, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;
of the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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And what did Yeshua say:
"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will
not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it
will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken
together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure
you give will be the measure you get back" (Luke 6:37-38).
The Golden Rule:
Jesus: "Whatever you wish that men should do to you, do so to
them, for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
Among the Jews, even before the time of Jesus, it was regarded
as the summation of the entire Torah.
Hillel had said, "What is distasteful to yourself, do not do to your
neighbor; that is the whole Torah, the rest is but deduction.”
Both Jesus and Hillel before him saw the Golden Rule as a
summary of the Torah of Moses. This becomes intelligible when
we consider that the biblical saying, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself," (Lev. 19:18) was esteemed by Jesus and by
the Jews in general as a chief commandment of the law.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
“From ancient Jewish writings we could easily construct a
whole Gospel without using a single word that originated with
Jesus.”
There was a saying, "Flee from what is evil and from what
resembles evil."
If we apply this concept to the commandments, we discover
that the lesser commandments are as serious as the greater.
This implies a tightening up of the Torah, not regarding
ritual, but in respect to the relationships between people.
This attitude was also present in Judaism at that time, as the
following saying exemplifies: "Everyone who publicly shames
his neighbor sheds his blood.”
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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For both the Essenes and Yeshua,
◦ poverty,
◦ humility,
◦ purity, and
◦ unsophisticated simplicity of heart
were the essential religious virtues.
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According to Jesus, possessions are an obstacle to virtue.
"Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the
kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"
◦ Mark 10:24-25
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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He is the only Jew of ancient times known to us who
preached not only that people were on the threshold
of the end of time, but that the new age of salvation
had already begun…for Jesus, the kingdom of heaven is
not only the eschatological rule of God that has
dawned already, but a divinely willed movement that
spreads among people throughout the earth.
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Conversation with wealthy young man?
◦ Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:18-23
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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The kingdom of heaven is not simply a matter of God's
kingship, but also the domain of his rule, an expanding
realm embracing ever more and more people, a realm into
which one may enter and find one's inheritance, a realm
where there are both great and small.
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Jesus didn’t want to found a church or even a single
community, but he wanted to start a movement.
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It is in the message of the kingdom that God's
unconditional love for all becomes visible, and the barriers
between sinner and righteous are shattered.
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The poor, the hungry, the meek, the mourners, and the
persecuted inherit the kingdom of heaven.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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“Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the
kingdom of God before you" (Matt. 21:31-32).
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Jesus found resonance among the social outcasts and the
despised, just as John the Baptist had done before him.
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Even the non-eschatological ethical teaching of Jesus can
presumably be oriented towards his message of the kingdom.
Because Satan and his powers will be overthrown (1 Jn 3:8) and
the present world-order shattered, it is to be regarded almost
with indifference, and ought not to be strengthened by
opposition.
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Therefore, one should not resist evildoers; one should love one's
enemy and not provoke the Roman empire to attack. For when
the Kingdom of God is fully realized, all this will vanish.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants, and went into another
country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the
tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but
the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
And he sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully,
and sent him away empty-handed. . . .
Then the owner of the vineyard said, "What shall I do? I will send my
beloved son; it may be they will respect him." But when the tenants saw
him they said to themselves, "This is the heir; let us kill him, that the
inheritance may be ours.". . .
What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and
destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
It is, of course, questionable whether this parable is original to
Jesus at all: it has been preached for so long as a story condemning
the Jews for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah that the possibility that
Luke had an anti-Jewish intent must be conceded.
The standard Christian interpretation has been that the owner of
the vineyard is God, the vineyard is the world, the tenants are the
Jews, the various messengers are the prophets preaching the
shortcomings of Judaism, and the beloved son is Jesus.
In retribution for his murder by the wicked Jewish tenants, God
takes the world away from the Jews and gives it into the hands of
the Christians.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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But would Jesus’ Jewish listeners have heard the parable that
way? The answer is clearly negative. There is no precedent
anywhere in Judaism for the prediction that God would
replace Jew with Gentile; even all of Jeremiah’s new covenant
prophecies must be interpreted as affecting Jews only.
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More important is the interpretation of the vineyard symbol.
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Hosea 9:10 states, "Like grapes in the wilderness, I found
Israel;’’
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Isaiah 5:7 reads. "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the
house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant
planting.”
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Because Jesus’ listeners would have been familiar with the
vineyard as a symbol for the people Israel, not for creation,
they would have given an altogether different meaning to
the story than the one traditionally preached by Christians.
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They might instead have heard it this way:
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God chose Israel as the vineyard and entrusted it to various
tenants: Babylonians, Persians, Greeks. From time to time
God would send someone to collect the fruits of Israel’s
faithfulness -- that is, God would inspire some sort of
covenant renewal with Israel -- but each time, the
overlords’ oppression became stronger; they beat and
treated shamefully those in covenant relationship with
God.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Finally God inspired the long-expected new covenant, an
incredible vitality in Judaism that produced the Pharisees’
wisdom and charity, the Sadducees’ liturgical enthusiasm, the
Zealots’ deep commitment to social action and the Essenes’
mystical purity.
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And of course, this age brought the Messiah, the Son of God,
who lived the ultimate life of devotion; a life without sin; a life
in which he declared and demonstrated the greatest love, in
that he lay down his life for his friends, his brothers and
sisters. He paid the ultimate price and was lifted to the
ultimate place!
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
But this charismatic renewal was treated most harshly of all, for
the Roman overlords at the time of Jesus persecuted Judaism
with vehemence, putting to death anyone who challenged the
state’s control over Jewish expression.
In the face of this horrible Roman oppression, Jesus held out
and still holds out a message of hope to his people Israel:
God will liberate Israel from oppression, placing the vineyard
into the hands of tenants who know how to care for it lovingly,
and who will enable it to fulfill its mission; only non-Jews who
are willing to protect Israel and encourage it to bear fruit will be
given any control over it.
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Approaching Midnight for the Church
◦ what is our response to a better understanding of Yeshua?
 Seek to know the real Yeshua; our Mediator who said ‘my
brothers and sisters are those who do the will of my Father’
 Appreciate that he called for a greater devotion; a greater
holiness before God
 He called for a circumcised heart
 he called for faithfulness; just as he was faithful; just as
Abraham was faithful
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
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Approaching Midnight for the Church
◦ what is our response to a better understanding of Yeshua?
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We need stand up for Israel against the lies of the enemy;
"Everyone who publicly shames his neighbor sheds his blood.”
 We need to seek Righteousness, Repentance and Prayer;
 We need to act with humility, live with purity, and seek to
love God and our neighbour with the unsophisticated
simplicity of the heart;
 We need to promote the Kingdom of God, both by living in it
now and by setting our heart and focus on the glory of it’s
inauguration and reign. AMEN!
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring
The Times of Yeshua - Presented
by Paul Herring