Dear one – regarding Christians and the Festivals, here’s one key thing ‘Jewish Roots’ and ‘Hebrew Roots’ teachers – including the Jewish Brothers – don’t seem to point out.
According to a Greek concordance there are 24 uses of eorte Festival. Twenty-four uses are in the Gospel. If we listed them for you, how many would show Yeshua either taught or commanded observation of the Festivals – especially by Gentiles?? Zero – zero – zero.
If we were to list the 24 uses of eorte (‘Festival’) from the Gospels, you would see that most of them are found in Yochanon (‘God is gracious’, ‘John’s’ original Hebrew name). Yochanon – far and away – in both his Good News and his Letters – uses love, more than any other writer.
Why do we believe this to be particularly significant? Yochanon writes under influence of the Ruach Hakodesh (the original Hebrew name of the Holy Spirit, as we point out in our teaching). Yochanon, writes nothing – whatsoever – about Yeshua and the Gentiles ‘observing the Festivals’. If so dear one, where?
Yochanon does though, very very much write about Yeshua’s teaching and commandment on love. In Yochanon 13:34-35 Yeshua gives reciprocating, that is, back and forth love as a commandment!
As we consistently point out in our teaching – ‘commandment’ in Hebrew more deeply means ‘fulfilling of which leads to fullness of life, delegation of authority while the LORD retains control; like being assigned to a (military) post’.
Dear one we would ask you – If you think the Festivals and Judaica are Torah commandments for Gentiles, where – exactly – do you find this?
The Significance of the Numerous Uses of Love by Yochanon
Please allow us to reiterate dear one – Yochanon is the last of the Bible’s authors. Yochanon writes under inspiration of the Ruach Hakodesh. We believe then that with the Ruach inspiring Yochanon to use love as much as Yochanon does, the Ruach Hakodesh wants to be sure that Yeshua’s followers and the World get the following.
That when it comes to the Father and Yeshua, it’s not about the Nations ‘playing Jewish’; it’s about love! However – it is not just our loving our Father and His Son our Mashiach Yeshua. It is – very much so – about our loving one another! This, Yeshua gives as a ‘fulfilling of which leads to fullness of life; not, Gentiles going off doing their own thing their own way, with little or no love towards their Jewish Brothers!
Yeshua did not suffer horribly, and with excruciating pain, so Gentiles could ‘play Jewish’ by themselves.
The following is a list based on a Greek concordance, of the uses of the Greek entole (‘commandment’) and agapao. the verbal form of agape, the word for the highest form of love in Greek. The list also includes uses of entole (‘commandment’) and agape (‘love’).
A Greek concordance lists 17 uses: Mk. 12:31, Yochanon 13:34,14:15, 15:21, 15:10 twice, 15:12, Rom. 13:9, 1 Yochanon (‘John’) 3:23 twice, 4:21, 5:2, 3 twice, 2 Yochanon 1:5, 6 twice.
The Greek concordance lists 13 uses of tnreo entolas (‘observe commandments’). Mk.19:17, Yochanon14:15, 21, 15:10 twice, 1 Tim. 6:14, 1 Yochanon 2:3,4, 3:22, 24, 5:3, Rev. 12:17, 14:12.
Dear one – if you think it’s more important for Gentiles to ‘observe the Festivals’ – rather than love – or, even if there’s any – any – instruction to do so, please look for yourself and see if you can find it. After examining the above; what dear one, do you see is very clearly the Scriptural emphasis and priority?
We also have in our teaching listed all the uses of the Greek for ‘obligation’. There are no uses of ‘obligation’ when it comes to Gentiles and the ‘Festivals’ and ‘Judaica’. In Greek there are 4 very similar words for obligation used. Greek lexicons define these basically in 2 ways: ‘owe’, ‘debt/debtor’ in the material sense and as an ethical/moral obligation.
In Rom.15:27 Paul, in context, writes to the Roman Gentiles that they have both a literally ‘fleshly obligation’, i.e. material obligation, and an ‘ethical/moral obligation’ to the Jewish Brothers; because it is thru them – not the local Gentile Building – that the Gentiles received what the Gentiles have spiritually!
Dear one – are you repaying your obligation to your Jewish Brothers, or, are you focused on something/s you have no material or moral obligation to….
Dear one – just imagine how very greatly honoring it would be to the sacrifice of Yeshua on the Cross, for Christians instead of turning away from their Jewish Brothers to pursue the Festivals and Judaica, to turn to their Jewish Brothers in love!
Why are the great Gentiles of the Bible – Rahab (Joshua 2, Matthew 1), the Kenites (1 Samuel 15), Ruth, the Ethiopian (Acts 8), Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia (Acts 16), Onesimus (2 Timothy 1), the Gentiles of Romans 16, those of Philippians 4:3 and 4:10, 15, 17-19 so well spoken of?
Is it because they observed the Festivals or utilized Judaica? No, dear one – it’s because they had reverence for the LORD – and helped, attached themselves to, learned with, or supported, the Jewish People or the Jewish Brothers (fellow followers of Yeshua).
Where – exactly – does it say in the Bible that Gentiles are lauded, blessed, or rewarded in some way for ‘observing the Festivals’ or utilizing Judaica? Nowhere – nowhere!
A Greek concordance though dear one shows 370 uses of ‘brothers’/’sisters’, 345 uses of ‘love’, 155 of ‘grace’, 143 of ‘holy’/’holiness’, almost 100 uses of the closest Greek has to shalom, and dozens of uses of ‘forgive’/’forgiveness’.
Imagine – just imagine – the tremendous potential positive possibilities of Gentiles putting as much focus on the immediately above! Or – ‘observing the commandment to love’ when it comes to their Jewish Brothers and each other.
Dear one – nowhere – nowhere – nowhere – does it say Gentiles are blessed or rewarded for ‘observing the Festivals’ – or using Judaica – period.
Why were all – all – the great Gentiles of the Bible rewarded? Because they, speaking the truth in love (cf. Eph.4:15). played ‘Jewish’? Learned Hebrew or learned the meaning of the Hebrew letters? No, dear one; because they helped, supported or learned together with the Jewish People or the Gentile’s Jewish Brothers (followers of Yeshua).
Dear one, as you no doubt know, there’s been a huge interest among Christians the last few decades in what’s been called the ‘Hebrew Roots’ and ‘Jewish Roots’ of the Bible – and following God’s Son Yeshua. There’s even a so called ‘Hebrew Roots’ movement with at least hundreds of thousands involved it seems.
There’s also, along with the interest in the overarching Hebrew & Jewish basis of the Bible, a desire by an increasing number of Christians, to ‘get back to the ‘actual Biblical model’ or, ‘return to a 1st century model’ or, ‘get back to an ‘Apostolic Church’.
We point out in our teaching that the Greek word ekklesia should be translated ‘Assembly/assembly’. There is no etymological (word root) basis for translating ekklesia as ‘Church/church’.
The tragic part of all the new interests mentioned above, are the fact that 2 extremely key elements are missing that are absolutely necessary for a Biblically accurate – and truly authentic – ‘Hebrew Roots’ movement, and, a 1st-century/Apostolic Assembly.
These are: Yeshua – not ‘JC’ – not just as ‘Jewish’ or a ‘Jew’ – but Yeshua as part of the whole of the Jewish People! We have teaching on this. The other is dear one, how can there be any resemblance of an authentic ‘Hebrew’, ‘Jewish’ or ‘1st century’/Apostollc model’, without your Jewish Brothers?? (Followers of Yeshua).
The so called ‘Hebrew Roots’ movement, is attempting to restore ‘Hebrew’; but without any real Hebrews! Speaking the truth in love dear one (Eph. 4:15), is this any more authentic than a restaurant billing itself as a ‘steakhouse’ – but having no steak on the menu, and serving vegetarian meals?
Or if you prefer, a restaurant billing itself as ‘vegetarian’, that only serves meat dishes?
Dear one: did Yeshua undergo the horribly horrific suffering he did on the Cross in part, so that 2 millennium later and several thousand miles away from the Jerusalem Yeshua wept for Luke 19:41, Christians could ‘observe the Festivals’ and ‘utilize Judaica’ – but, have little or no real connection with their Jewish Brothers?
Dear one: where Biblically – (or post- Biblically also) – do we find Gentiles ‘doing their own thing their own way’ and it’s successful, requiring no major corrections by Paul or the other Jewish Brothers? The Roman Gentiles? Cf. Rom.11:17-18 and esp. vss.20-22? The Corinthians? Cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-5, 4:7, 11:17 on, 14:30-35, 2 Cor.11:3-4, 13:5 et al. The Galatians? Ephesians? Cf. Eph. 4:17-32. The Colossians? Cf. Col.1-2.
The Thessalonians are mostly successful – but, in Phpns. 4:15 Paul points out that when he was in Thessalonica, monoi ‘only‘ – which Paul puts last in the verse in Greek for emphasis, the Philippians provided any material relief for him.
Who Is the One Group – The Only Group of Gentiles or Primarily Gentiles That Paul Says (in Greek) Are Receiving ‘Interest Compounding Daily in Your (Plural) Spiritual Account?
Answer – the Philippians. Is it because they ‘observed the Festivals and utilized Judaica’ or ‘learned Hebrew or the meaning of the Hebrew letters’? No! It is because even though they did have some issues (Phpns. 2:2-3, 4:2 etc.), the Philippians were concerned both spiritually and materially for their Jewish Brother Paul! Cf. Phpns 4:10-19.
Yeshua’s Admonishing Warning of Gentile Assemblies in Rev. 2-3
Does Yeshua admonish these assemblies because they’re not ‘observing the Festivals’ and ‘utilizing Judaica? No! They’re admonished – and warned – because they’ve fallen (Rev. 2:5) or gone away from the Truth and brought in other things. They are not admonished for ‘not playing Jewish’.
In fact, two assemblies, one in Rev. 2:9 and one in Rev. 3:9 are warned – not as typically incorrectly taught – but because they seem to be the first ‘wannabes’; Christians who wannabe Jews’.
Yeshua admonishes these Gentiles for calling themselves ‘Jews’ and playing Jewish!
2 Peter, Judah (not ‘Jude’; Greek ‘Iouda‘ for the Hebrew ‘Y’hudah’, ‘Praise/Thanks’ and 2 & 3 Yochanon (‘God is gracious’, ‘John’s’ original Hebrew name) also very much so, deal with the major problem of false, misleading, or incorrect teaching among the Gentiles.
Where do any of those 3 great Jewish Brother, teach that the problem is ‘you collectively are not observing the Festivals and using Judaica – as you were taught’?
Where – exactly – and by whom dear one – most of all Yeshua – are, the Gentiles taught to ‘observe the Festivals as this is greater for you, than love and acting with godly and Mashiach like character traits towards your brothers – especially your Jewish Brothers’?
In Rom.15:27 Paul, in the context of a 5-year effort – 5 years – of taking up a Collection from the Gentiles to the Jews and Jewish Brothers in Jerusalem, says in Greek that the Gentiles have both a material (Greek literally ‘fleshly’) and an ethical/moral ‘ophelo’ (‘obligation‘) to the Jews. Technical commentaries explain that this obligation is expressed in Greek, as ‘a timeless truth’. I.e., like saying ‘God is love’ or ‘the sky is blue’.
So then dear one we ask you the following: where – exactly – does it say, that ‘though you are materially and ethically obligated to the Jews, through whom you received everything spiritually, nonetheless it’s more important to go off and observe the Festivals and utilize Judaica’?
Are Gentiles given more teaching on playing Jewish, than on being brethren, love, grace, holy/holiness, restoration of relationship and concern for the well-being of others, unity, and forgiveness…..
Take Our $1,000 (not a typo) Challenge
If after reading the above and kindly listening please to our audio teaching below –Yeshua, the Torah, and Christians – the Importance of Getting It Right, you still dear one, think the Festivals and Judaica are more important, then please do the following:
Please go to our Contact Us Page. Use our direct email message link. Send us Biblically – and in context- why you think it is more important that Gentiles ‘observe the Festivals’ ‘because here’s where Yeshua teaches us to’, than to ‘love one another as I have loved you’.
If, dear one, you can Biblically prove that we are wrong, we will send you a $1,000 or send it to the charity of your choice.
If you dear one still think it is right – and more important – for Gentiles to ‘observe the Festivals, utilize Judaica, learn Hebrew or learn the meaning of the Hebrew letters’, then kindly send us a $1,000, if you feel so strongly about those things.
Praise God, we have several original teachings on Blessing – all taken from the Biblical languages – and – in context. We warmly invite you to avail yourself of these! You will find them in our 3rd Window on our Home page “The Deeper Hebrew Roots & Jewish Roots of the Bible From A-Z and Following Yeshua – Plus Rich Greek Text Insights”.
We’re not asking you, dear one, to do anything we’re not willing to do.
Further: we will point out how and why we were Biblically proven wrong. We will state that Gentile emphasis on the Festivals is actually given more Biblical emphasis, than brotherhood, love, grace, holiness, peace, and forgiveness of others.
So, accordingly we now will focus our teaching instead, on Christians and the Festivals…
Or – please avail yourself of our teaching, especially from the first 3 of our 8 Teaching Windows, on Yeshua, the Torah, and our Hebrew & Jewish Roots of the Bible – and More Window
If you’re using a phone: to access our Contact Us or any of our Pages – in the upper left-hand corner of our Home page you’ll see a black square. Simply please tap the square. In our drop-down menu, tap Contact Us.
You’ll also see the black square in the upper left-hand corner of all our Pages.
Again please: just imagine the tremendous positive potential possibilities, of Christians connecting deeply with their Jewish Brothers and each other! The LORD, by restoring your Jewish Brothers to you – after a 1600-year absence – today makes it very possible for Christians to return to, the actual Biblical model.
The one your Jewish and Israeli Lord and Savior horribly suffered to also make possible – and, so deeply desired. Cf. Yochanon (‘God is gracious’, ‘John’s’ original Hebrew name) 13:34-35, 17:20-23.
Thank you!
With Love, Jacob
2 Tim. 2:8, v.15 (in Greek ‘cutting straight the Word’), vss. 21-22, 3:16-17, 4:3