Grace and Truth

Grace and Truth

When John wrote, "For the Torah was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Joh 1:17), he didn't mean that no grace or truth had been shown to people prior to Christ's first advent. Nor did John mean that the Torah is the antithesis of grace and truth. In fact, when John wrote that about grace and truth having come through Jesus Christ, he was actually quoting a portion of the Torah: "“YHWH, YHWH, a God ... full of grace and truth" (Exo 34:6 - וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת; See also Joh 1:14). The dyad "grace and truth" appear throughout the Torah and the rest of the Hebrew portion of our Bible. And grace and truth are practiced aplenty by God and His ancient saints. However, grace and truth find their fullest embodiment in Jesus Christ. 
-Michael Millier

Nazirism and Messiah

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

James [the brother of Yeshua] drank no wine or intoxicating liquor and ate no animal food; no razor came near his head ... He alone was permitted to enter the holy place, for his garments were not of wool but of linen. He used to enter the Sanctuary alone, and was often found on his knees beseeching forgiveness for the people ... (Ecclesiastical History 23.4)

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Nasso (נשא | Take up)

Torah: Numbers 4:21-7:89

Haftarah: Judges 13:2-5

Gospel: John 11:1-54

THE ESSENCE OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN 2COR 10:3-6

THE ESSENCE OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN 2COR 10:3-6

When the phrase "spiritual warfare" is mentioned, many Christians immediately think of prayer. However, a careful review of Paul's strong comments to the oft-carnal Christians of ancient Corinth reveals that **debate** factors significantly into the mix of what constitutes "spiritual warfare." Of course such debate must be done in conjunction with prayer; never to its exclusion! But Paul's comments reveal his own apostolic conviction that debate against falsehood is really at the heart of what it means to wage "warfare" without using "carnal" "weapons."

House of the Father

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

In the New Jerusalem, there are twelve gates on which are written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Everyone who enters the city must enter through one of those gates. There is no gate called "Gentiles."

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Bamidbar (במדבר | In the wilderness)

Torah: Numbers 1:1-4:20

Haftarah: Hosea 2:1-22

Gospel: Luke 16:1-17:10

TITHING IN THE TIME OF JESUS AND PAUL

TITHING IN THE TIME OF JESUS AND PAUL

Introduction

Tithing (giving a tenth of one's produce, and sometimes livestock) predates the Mosaic Torah. The patriarchal practice got subsumed into the Mosaic Torah and was expanded, thus becoming wedded to the Levitical system and the Jerusalem temple.

One reason why Paul never mentioned tithing in any of his letters is that his predominantly Gentile Christian audiences were under no obligation whatsoever to support the temple and its ministers, whereas the Jewish Christians who would read, or hear being read Paul's letters already knew what the Torah teaches about tithing.

The common assumption that tithing is not a New Covenant practice is incorrect. Tithing is a Torah practice and Torah is a core component of the New Covenant (Jer 31:33; Cf Deu 30:6-10; Eze 36:27,28; etc). Gentile Christians then and today need not tithe, although Paul took up voluntary tribute offerings from Gentile believers to bring to the saints in Jerusalem. Not tithes.

On the other hand, Jewish Christians back then who lived in the land of Israel would have tithed. Jewish Christians today *cannot* tithe, since the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. and the Levitical priests, along with the regular Levites may not receive tithes (1) because the temple is destroyed and (2) because the KOHANIM (priests) remain in an ongoing state of ritual uncleanness until the temple is rebuilt and the ashes of the red heifer are properly administered.

So how did Jews tithe back in Jesus and Paul's day?

The Year of Freedom

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

The Jubilee foreshadows the coming of Messiah in several ways. Like the Messiah's coming, it is instituted with the blast of a shofar-trumpet blast: "You shall then sound a ram's horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land" (Leviticus 25:9). The Jubilee year is a time of redemption for the land of Israel. It is the time of redemption and freedom for the people of Israel. In these ways, it foreshadows the coming of Messiah. When the anointed King Yeshua comes, He will redeem the land of Israel and set the people of Israel free.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Behar (בהר | On the mountain)

Torah: Leviticus 25:1-26:2

Haftarah: Jeremiah 32:6-27

Gospel: Luke 13:1-33/John 10:22-42