Introduction
The “mission-function-purpose” of becoming more like the Mashiach Yeshua is to utilize and apply what Mashiach himself emphasizes we need to “be and do” to be more like him.
Drawn from Mk. 8:34 as our inspiration, the ‘key’ question is, what does Mashiach illuminate and equip his followers with? What does Mashiach teach about in Mark’s KG (my abbreviation for Koine ‘Common’ Greek; please see our Glossary above, if you haven’t) rendering in Mk. 8:34, about what it means to “be on the path (of) me”?
Mark puts this last in the verse for emphasis. It is translated ‘follow’ but Mashiach’s Hebrew heart probably originally expresses “walk after me”.
Walk in Hebrew has the deeper meaning “strive after (a) goal”. Mark’s KG is akoloutheitw ‘follow’, a present imperative form. It is something where it is imperative that it be done now. It is not something to do in the future. Neither is it something the speaker here Yeshua ‘hopes’ people might do. Again, it is ‘follow’ now!
Mark probably does not use the KG word ‘peripateo’ (walk) because he felt his original Roman audience would have thought Yeshua merely meant physically following him.
Mark’s use of follow here is defined in one KG lexicon as basically coming alongside and be a disciple after the one followed. Disciple, we have opened up elsewhere, meant in 1st-century Israel a “taught one” – one who has given everything up to follow the life, the words, the teaching of the teacher.
Yeshua – The Need for Us to Put Our Self to Death (The Self; Not, God Forbid, Suicide!)
As a quick but ‘key’ sidenote to Mk. 8:34; in the middle of the verse Mashiach says something the very polar opposite of what many followers today hear or are taught.
Historically – but especially in the modern Western world – much ‘teaching’ or ‘preaching’ focuses on the individual.
In short, the appeal and why some of the “mega-ministries” are so popular is because, in a word, they appeal to our Self.
Yet in Mk. 8:34 Mashiach expressly says whoever’s desire-plan is to “walk after” him must do the following.
Mashiach expresses a deeply Jewish spiritual idea of what is in Hebrew known as ‘annihilation’ of Self. Literally, “nothing of substance”.
In short; the ‘substance’ and focus on Self must be removed if one truly wants to serve the LORD.
Mark’s KG translated ‘deny’ is in a form indicating that while it is a one-time action and not a continuing process, it is imperative it be done right now!
Is there anywhere – anywhere – anywhere – where our Mashiach speaks of his Self in terms of focus on his own Self? Or, that of the Self of those “who have given everything up to follow the life, the words, the teaching of the teacher”?
How can we not be absolutely amazed, and shake our heads, when we think of Mashiach who had absolutely no sense of Self whatsoever!
Mashiach has two concerns, two things drive and compel him. His Father – who is after all our Father and to Whom Yeshua leads us – and, about Man.
There is absolutely no Self whatsoever on the part of Mashiach!
We apologize for jumping ahead a bit. However, one of the very first things one must do is put one’s Self to death.
God forbid (!!) please we in no way mean of course that one takes their own physical life!
It is in the sense most especially in the West, of the attention and focus on “me, myself and I”, that needs to be annihilated.
Context – Yeshua and Peter – The Right Way to Admonish Someone – And More on Self
As always, Mk. 8:34 as with all Scripture is not given in a void. There is always a contextual basis, a context to something said or taught, especially in the RCS. (Renewed Covenant Scriptures – a much more Biblically accurate name than ‘New Testament’, as we explain in our teaching. Please see our Glossary above, if you haven’t).
Immediately preceding Mk. 8:34 Peter reacted impulsively – as he was wont to do – to what he had heard, recorded about Mashiach’s impending death in Mk. 8:31. Mark says Yeshua spoke quite openly about his impending death.
Peter takes Mashiach aside and does what the Torah calls an admonishing rebuke.
Yeshua had asked the Taught Ones who they thought he was, in comparison to what their fellow Galilean Jews said.
Mark’s version Mk. 8:27-30 is shorter than Matthew’s in Mt. 16:14-20. We have opened up Mt. 16:14-20 especially vss. 15-16 (vss. 17-20 we really did not open up in-depth at the time) about Yeshua’s question “who do you – plural – say I am”. Peter’s totally Hebrew and Jewish response follows.
When Yeshua says in Mk. 8:31 that he will be handed over and killed, as we just mentioned, Peter rebukes Yeshua for saying so.
We would be totally remiss if we failed here to point out a “key” lesson that Peter teaches us by his action.
Peter of course was wrong to admonish Mashiach; however. he did it the right way.
Does Peter speak badly of Mashiach to others?
Does Peter not tell Mashiach what he (Peter) thinks – but then go around telling everyone else “Yeshua is wrong” “be careful about what he says”, etc.? No!
Peter does not slander – nor even criticize Mashiach to others. Instead he takes Mashiach aside and speaks to him privately! That is the right way to do it – if/when we need to admonish someone!
Mashiach responds to Peter with the same correct practice. Does Mashiach publicly embarrass Peter to others? Does Mashiach say “watch out for that Peter, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I’d watch out for him!”?
Of course Mashiach does not!
For those interested in real Jewish practices that are appropriate for Christians to appropriate, here is a great one! Speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) we have too often seen “believers” who disagreeing with another, walk away from them. Then they go and slander/speak negatively about them to others.
The Jewish practice – based in short on Proverbs teaching about another’s good name – is, go privately to them. Do not cut them up behind their back to others!
Mashiach himself speaks of this Mt. 18:15-16. Unfortunately, we have also seen this ‘sandbagging”by leadership as a tactic to remove assembly members who raise “questions” about what is going on. Or, question “wait a minute – why are we doing this when the Bible says, “do that” ”?
To return to Mk. 8:31-34, Mashiach admonishes Peter privately.
What Mashiach really communicates to Peter as recorded by Mark is the following. Peter has to remove from himself pre-conceived notions of Mashiach – even when they seem to have a basis in Scripture.
One Orthodox Jewish scholar correctly corrects the Western Tradition idea of a 1st century monolithic Judaism. Instead he correctly points out that there were multiple ‘Judaisms’ if you will, at the time of Yeshua.
These included those Jews who had broken away from what they believed to be non-godly or corrupt Temple officials. These Jews went the 18 miles east to the Dead Sea. Their writings, lost for 2,000 years, were discovered in a cave only hundreds of yards west of the Dead Sea and a short drive south from Jericho. Jericho is about a mile northwest from the northwest corner of what is called in Hebrew the Salt Sea.
The writings of these various groups became world famous as the Dead Sea Scrolls. They had their own interpretations of the Torah and the Hebrew Bible. There were very focused on the Last Days and the coming of Mashiach!
These writings seemed to have been known in some way by Paul and Yochanon. In any case Paul’s understanding-view of Mashiach would have been influenced-shaped far more by the writing from Qumran (popular with both Jewish and Christian tourists today), than anything Calvin wrote! Why? Calvin lived 1500 years after – not before – Paul!
Peter’s view of Mashiach was one popularly held by 1st century Jews. Mashiach in short would come triumphantly and remove the Roman foot from the neck of Israeli Jews. He would establish what is called in Hebrew – and a term used 32 times by Yeshua in Matthew – the “Kingdom of the Heavens” i.e. the Kingdom of God.
Yeshua says to Peter (in the underlying original idea) that Peter has to remove from himself preconceived notions of Mashiach even when these seem to have a basis in Scripture.
Yeshua in Mk. 8:35 makes it abundantly clear: that one who seeks their own, in Hebrew, “life, person, personal being” (KG “psuxe” as the closest equivalent) will have it cut off.
Though translated “life” Mark’s KG is neither ‘bios’ physical life or ‘zoe’ life in general. Psuxe is used very deliberately by Mark to communicate that Yeshua expresses the very very well-known Hebrew idea-word for “life, person, personal being”. It is often translated ‘soul’ but some rabbis correctly point out that it is really not what it means.
Yochanon 15:13 is one of the best-known Gospel verses. It is known as the “greater love” verse.
Yeshua does not speak to his beloved Taught Ones here about necessarily laying down only one’s physical life for their friends. If that is what Yochanon thought his KG would have indicated either one’s physical life or their life in general.
Yochanon uses psuxe because Yochanon heard Yeshua say in Hebrew (probably) or Aramaic about laying down one’s “life, person, personal being”.
At a deeper level then, one may have to lay down their “personal being” for their friends. Friend in Hebrew comes from a verb – action – that is defined as “connect for a positive purpose, join-connect together”. Is that not what ‘friends’ do?
In other words. it is not necessary – and God forbid (!!) – that one has to physically lay down their life for their friends.
Mashiach Yeshua laid down not only his physical life for the “olou tou kosmou” Yochanon’s very Hebraic Greek “of (the) whole specifically absolutely of the World” 1 Yochanon 2:2. Cf. very much also Mk. 10:45. Mashiach draws from Ish. 53:12 “…And – in connection-connectedness – sin – falling short, missing the mark, ethical-moral failure, withdrawal from the fire of the LORD – of many bore (up)”. “Of many” is an Hebraic way of saying ‘all’.
Mashiach lays down infinitely more than his own very precious physical life. Does not our Mashiach lay down his person and personal being?
Mashiach does not die for ‘me’ in isolation with him – or – away from others. A primary focus on individualistic salvation was a hallmark-attraction-focus of ancient pagan cults; especially the mystery cults.
Who wouldn’t be attracted to a few ‘beliefs’ that included a divine savior-son figure that dies to save the soul of the individual – while allowing one to continue physically – and morally – to conduct oneself completely self-indulgently?
Lay down your Self for others; hardly! It was virtually all about Self with the pagan cults. There was, no ‘sacrifice’ of Self; only ‘sacrifices’ to ‘propitiate’ – ‘assuage’ the wrath of the deity. Or, to manipulate-bribe the deity to extract whatever was wanted or needed.
God forbid steadfastness in Yeshua as the Mashiach in any way even remotely looks like the focus of the pagan cults!
Due to, we would strongly posit, the de-Hebraizing de-Judaizing and the straying from the actual path of Mashiach and re-casting him as ‘JC’, some Jewish scholars have stated/asked the following.
Is Western Tradition a form-version of the ancient Mithrais cult, with ‘JC’ replacing Mithrais?
In short: the Mithrais cult (post-Biblical) is the notable exception to the pagan mystery cults. The Mithrais cult did have a sense of community and did pay some attention to ethics and morals.
3 Major Differences with Yeshua
There are 3, at least, very major differences between Mashiach and the ancient pagan divine deity cults with a savior-son model.
First of course is the Truth; and Truth predicated on and revealed by the Word of God – not the “myths of Men”.
Second, as we have explained elsewhere in depth we hope, from the Hebrew of Dt. 17:14-16 v. 15, Moshe conveys to Israelites whom and what type of king they can set over themselves.
The king of course must clearly be, in Hebrew, “specially chosen” by the LORD. The king must come from the source, which must be “your brothers”, i.e., his fellow Jews.
Further – and very ‘key’ in Dt. 17:15; the king cannot be, in Hebrew, “(a) man (of) foreignness”. In short; he cannot merely ethnically be an Israelite. What he cannot be is “of foreignness” – period.
In other words? A king of Israel cannot be ‘of’, he cannot be rooted and based in, he cannot be drawn from nor draw for himself, ‘foreignness’.
This automatically precludes and absolutely excludes pagan and Greco-Roman-Western ‘foreignness’ as the spiritual source Mashiach draws from!
As we have pointed out elsewhere, it may be that Gentiles might refer to Mashiach Yeshua as ‘JC’; but he can only ‘be’ Yeshua Hamashiach. He cannot be ‘JC’.
Our Translators Edition KG Text Index of Quotations cites not a single pagan, Greek, Latin or post-Biblical Gentile source – as being cited in the Gospel. We counted – and obviously repeatedly counted to try to be as thorough and accurate as possible – 167 citations from the Torah alone in the Gospel.
The most, about 50 citations or so, are from Deuteronomy. Why is this significant? If Yeshua’s emphasis was that to be on the path of him was about ‘observing’ a ‘couple’ of the Festivals or acquiring Judaica, wouldn’t we expect a large number of citations from the chapters in Leviticus that deal the most heavily with the Festivals?
To return, the 2nd ‘key’ that distinguishes Mashiach from the pagan ‘saviors’ is that Mashiach is not a generic human being; rather he has very specific Jewish humanity.
In short the pagan cults – at least one of which even included a “virgin birth” for the cult’s “divine savior son” – had no specific humanity for the supposed “savior”.
The pagan cults’ “divine savior son” was not, that we are aware of at least, touted as being Persian, or Macedonian, or Syrian, etc.
Further still – and significantly – absolutely no one claimed a Mashiach that was “part of the whole” of the only People, who experienced the revelation by the LORD to one People in one place at one time.
No one besides the Jewish People claims a Mt. Sinai experience with the LORD!
Only “the Jews” claim this. Only “the Jews” have died at times in horribly massive numbers to cling to it. Only “the Jews” received the “writings by the finger of God” Ex. 31:18, 34:1-2, and His Teaching, Direction, Revelation, Law, Instructing, ‘Guidance’; “absorb seed in order to promote growth” cf. Ex. 24:12.
Yeshua’s Connectedness with the Jewish People
The Gospel opens with Yeshua’s total connectedness with the Jewish People physically, Mt. 1.
In Yochanon 4:22 as we have opened up elsewhere, we hope, Yeshua speaks not of “they know what they worship”. Rather, we know; thus Yeshua completely identifies with the Jewish People!
He goes on to tell the Samaritan woman at the well more deeply in his Aramaic original “…the positive bearer of existence-actuality the salvation, from-source the positive bearer of existence-actuality the Jews, is” (actually “be”; as we have pointed out, Hebrew has no word ‘is’).
Yochanon renders this in Greek in what Daniel Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics (Zondervan) calls a “partitive genitive”. Wallace, not exactly a “Jewish roots” type but at least intellectually honest, points out the partitive genitive means “part of the whole” – and also that it is very Hebraic!
In short Yeshua obliquely refers to himself here, as at times he does. Yet Yeshua sees himself as the one who is bringing salvation, as, “of the Jews…be”. Yeshua – totally Hebraically – sees himself as part of the whole of the Jewish People!
Even decades later in Heaven Mashiach is seen as still totally “part of the whole” of the Jewish People, in Rev. 5:5. Especially as well, his still very close connection with David Rev. 22:16.
To sum up; Yeshua’s specific Jewish humanity rather than some non-existent “generic humanity”, is one of the “keys” distinguishing Yeshua from the pagan cult “savior” figures.
A third “key”? Yeshua’s emphasis on “be and do”; the exercise of Torah based godly and Mashiach-like attributes – and integrity – exercised towards others!
Yeshua’s emphasis, while it includes ethical and moral conduct and integrity, is far above the mere ethics and morals of Man.
The ancient Greeks spoke of ethics and morals. So did some others. However; none of these connected morals, ethics, and integrity – and character – with godliness and reflecting in the World, the One True God Who Lives.
Ethics, morals, integrity and character in the Torah and as illuminated for us by Mashiach, raises these things to the level of godliness and holiness.
Holiness on the path of Mashiach is not a mystical frenzy. It is certainly not withdrawing from the World cf. Yochanon 17:13-20 vss. 14-16, v. 15 especially.
The holiness that the LORD reveals and teaches the Israelites in Lev. 19, is an integral part of the totality of the Israelites. It is in no way limited to just Moshe, Aaron, and the priests.
In short; it involves the exercise of godliness in concrete, material, real ways, to the disadvantaged.
The LORD says – more than once in Lev. 19 – “you shall be holy for I (the) LORD (be) holy”.
Lev. 19 in Hebrew also speaks of one literally not peddling gossip like someone peddling merchandise Lev. 19:16.
Proper speech is taught by Mashiach; and is particularly emphasized afterward by his earthly brother Jacob (Jacob – not “James”!) 3:1-12. Paul also emphasizes proper speech, particularly to the heavier pagan background likes of the Colossian followers (Col. 3) and those who hear Ephesians (Eph. 4).
Paul of course also speaks of proper speech to his beloved spiritual son Timothy. For example, see 1 Tim. 1:6, 2:1-3, 3:8, 4:7, 5:1-2, 6:4, 2 Tim. 2:16-17, 22-24.
We would be remiss if we neglected mentioning that Paul gave instruction regarding “tongues” to the very heavily pagan religion influenced followers in Corinth in 1 Cor. 12 and 14 especially! Cf. 1 Cor 3:1-5.
Holiness
The most cited passage of Torah in the RCS (Renewed Covenant Scriptures – a much more Biblically accurate name than ‘New Testament’, as we explain in our teaching. Please see our Glossary above, if you haven’t), also according to our Translators Edition KG Text Index of Quotations, is Lev. 19:18. More deeply in Hebrew it is “…And – in connectedness – love – complete devotion to the other, to/for/benefit your neighbor, like – as a model/something divine – yourself”. In simple English “love your neighbor as yourself”.
It should be noted again that this passage is in the first of the two great consecutive passages on holiness in the Torah, Lev. 19-20. These chapters are known in Hebrew as “Holiness”. However very significantly the word is in the plural – not the singular. The rabbis astutely and correctly point out that the LORD then, in Hebrew, addresses the dynamic exercise of holiness belonging to all Israelites!
Holiness is not just for Moshe, Aaron, his sons, and the Levites. Holiness is for the whole of the Israelites. Holiness is to be part and parcel of each Israelite in each of their being part of the whole of the Jewish people.
Paul addresses the rampant Greek-pagan religion “me-ism” of the Corinthian followers in 1 Cor. 12:12-27. (We have opened this up a bit elsewhere).
In short for here Paul uses a Hebrew-Jewish-Pharisee approach, based on the Torah, that the Corinthians are all – each individual part – a member of one another.
The path of the Self, ultimately, leads to ruin. If the Self is lived for, life is too largely about serving the Self. This blinds one to the LORD and choosing to serve Him through steadfastness in Mashiach. As Yeshua puts it, he draws on 3 very ‘key’ concepts originating in the Torah.
Yeshua as the Way
“I am the positive bearer of existence-actuality the Way and in connection-connectedness – the life, the positive bearer of existence-actuality the Truth – reliable and in connection-connectedness – the positive bearer of existence-actuality the Life.” Yochanon 14:6.
Western Tradition unfortunately typically seems to run, to rush past this first part, that of the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.
Way in Hebrew is from a verb. It is an action – not a concept-idea. Yeshua does not teach, speak of, nor exemplify being the ultimate model of abstractions.
Yeshua’s actions, Yeshua’s “be and do”, illuminates for us “in Heaven and – in connection connectedness – on Earth”.
Way in Hebrew is defined as “step forward; progress toward a goal”. Again, not a theoretical theological abstraction. It is toward the ultimate goal, the ultimate reality; as Yeshua illuminates in the Teaching on The Hill Mt. 5-7, Mt 5:48.
In short; to have reached the goal, of, nothing lacking as your – collective (your plural) – Father in Heaven.
In short, the Hebraic original underlying “perfect” in Mt. 5:48 means for his fellow Galilean Jews – and by extension – his followers, as follows.
“Operate within the parameters set by God”. The symmetrical inverse, the reverse of this word in Hebrew, is “death-die”.
If one wishes to “progress toward a goal”, wants “(the) way to a goal”, and the “moral development” – also a part of the meaning of “way” in Hebrew – one needs to put the Self to death.
After steadfastness – rather than “faith” in Yeshua – this is perhaps next. That is, if one desires to be “on the path of me” Mk. 8:34, one works to operate within the parameters for us set by God, that is in order to have nothing lacking as our Father. (For us again, within the parameters set for us. God has no “parameters” in the sense of His having no limit! Known in Hebrew as “without end”).
‘Way’ in Hebrew includes the meaning ‘aim’ and “way to (a) goal”. Cf. Ex. 18:20.
In Ex. 18:20, Moshe is to literally in Hebrew “radiate a circle of light”; in Ex. 18:20 it is with the meaning “clarifying limitations”.
‘Way’ in Hebrew is also used for “open road”. The path of the Mashiach Yeshua is for us an open road to the Father. That road is not “the Festivals” and acquiring ‘Judaica’ by Gentile followers.
The Festivals and physical objects of the Torah or of the Jewish People are for those of the Nations a distraction from the real “way to a goal” taught by Mashiach!
Western Tradition, with no knowledge – at least any real substantive knowledge of ‘way’ – too often sees ‘belief’ as though it were the goal, the end, rather than steadfastness as the beginning of being on the path of Mashiach Yeshua.
‘Way’ in Hebrew is also used for ‘guiding’. One should most especially see Ps. 25:9 It is clearly reminiscent of Yeshua’s words and truer, deeper meaning, of his use of it in Yochanon 14:6.
Ps. 25:9 speaks of the LORD Who leads (cf. v. 7) those who are of humility, leading in/by/with justice. “And – in connection – He teaches (literally “learns them”) (those of) humility, His way”.
Just imagine the potential positive possibilities for the Body of the Mashiach, if it exercised justice – rather than judgment – member to member.
If justice rather than judgment was exercised within and by the Body of Mashiach with itself.
If the Self were put to death, and one was more concerned about justice for the other, rather than, the Self-judging those “who do not agree with/hold the same positions as me”, imagine the possibilities for the Body!
Justice and Righteousness
How that might put us further along on the path of Mashiach, be honoring to Mashiach, and pleasing in the sight of the Father!
It should be noted that the Jewish People receive instructions as to what they need to do before they collectively come before the LORD to receive His Torah, His Teaching, Direction, Revelation, Law, Instruction, “Guidance”, “absorb seed in order to promote growth” in Ex. 18-19.
In short, in Ex. 18 Moshe incorporates in the advice of his father-in-law Yitro (“Jethro”) about organizing the Israelites into manageable units. This is to be done so that Moshe does not wear himself out in informing the Israelites of what God wants when they seek God.
Moshe also has to inform them of what God expects and Moshe has to judge “between (a) man (at the highest spiritual level) and his neighbor” Ex. 18:13-23.
Yitro tells Moshe to seek out “men in an encompassing way (of) valor, (who) fear (i.e., have fear-reverence for) God, men (of) truth reliable, (who) hate taking advantage” Ex. 18:21-22. These men will be capable of judging organized units of Israelites and in handling smaller matters.
Moshe will not wear himself out by being overly burdened in handling disputes among individual Israelites.
However, the ‘key’ is this. People will return to their homes “in/by/with shalom” Ex. 18:23. We have we hope in our teaching opened up that shalom is much more and much deeper than “peace”.
Shalom is no vague notion of ‘peace’.
In short, the deeper ‘key’ meaning of shalom is in part, that relationships are restored! (We have much that we hope we teach on shalom, in our teaching!).
In short for here Torah justice and judging is the polar opposite of the Western legal system. The Torah way of justice-judging is to bring together two disputing parties. Not, merely to adjudicate between two opposing parties.
After reiterating the Torah in the cultural context of 1st century Israel – not to destroy it by misinterpreting it – but rather to correctly interpret it, Yeshua emphasized the following Mt. 5:17, cf. vss. 21-24. (Cf. also vss. 18-19!)
In short in Yeshua’s Hebraic original in Mk. 5:21-24 Yeshua says “the head (i.e., primary) rushing movement in time” i.e., “firstly – of first importance” is reconciliation before drawing near to God!
Significantly, Matthew’s KG rendering “protov” (“proton”) rather than “protos” indicates “firstly, first importance”. It is not ‘first’ as though merely ‘first’ in sequence but “firstly, of first importance” (adverbial use of ‘protos‘).
What if instead of staunchly defending one’s ‘theology’, there was more focus-concern on reconciliation? If Gentile followers want a Jewish practice that is appropriate for Gentiles, here is one of the great ones!
Make every effort to reconcile with brethren you know may have something against you. Make every effort to restore broken relationships; regardless of who broke them.
Learn to love the other, and to have “complete devotion to the other”, more than your “theological position” or whether you or they can/don’t “speak in tongues” etc.
Be far far more concerned about justice than judgment when it comes to others!
The Torah model of justice-judging is to restore things as to how they were.
In Mt. 6:31-33 v. 33 in short, Yeshua speaks of “strive (as the) head (primary) rushing movement (for) the positive bearer of existence-actuality the Kingdom and – in connection connectedness – His righteousness”.
Righteousness in short is higher than justice – why? The rabbis correctly point out that justice restores things. Righteousness, they correctly say, is the ideal. Why?
Righteousness in Hebrew in short has the deeper meaning “that one is concerned not that they get what is due them, but that the other get what is due them.”
Righteousness in Hebrew also means “to sooth” and “to satisfy”.
More on Righteousness – And Things That Don’t Make One More Like Yeshua
The “path of me” when it comes to Yeshua is in large part, to emulate Mashiach’s model of no concern for Self, and total concern for the Father and the World and those in it.
Peter in 2 Pet. 3:13 speaks of righteousness “dwelling like a neighbor” in the renewed-new in quality Heavens and – in connection connectedness the renewed-new in quality Earth. (KG a form of ‘kainos’; not ‘neos’, “new in time”)
We rendered “dwell(ing) like a neighbor” because dwell in Hebrew has that deeper idea, and in short there is much Hebraic-Jewish thought expressed in Peter’s KG.
In other words: in 2 Pet. 3:11-13 followers should lead lives of holiness, rather than “passively waiting”. Peter’s KG is real, concrete, present tense, continuous process, when it comes to “look for and hasten the Day of God”.
The “path of me” when it comes to Mashiach means living out not “(a) superficial co-existence, but a harmony and organic interaction”. This too, is part of shalom’s deeper meaning (in simple English, “peace”).
This is what the Israelites returned “in/with/to” their homes in Ex. 18:23.
Shalom is used almost 100 times (KG “eirene”) in the RCS. Paul uses “shalom” in all 13 of his Letters.
In 1 Cor. 14:33 (which we have opened up elsewhere) Paul tells the individualistic ecstatic experience focused Corinthians the following. (Cf. 1 Cor. 14 as a whole).
God in fact is not of akatastasias “without a supporting foundation; chaos, confusion caused by rebellion”. ‘Alla’ Paul says “but – in strong contrast” – shalom.
Significantly Paul points out to the Corinthians that God’s shalom is the norm for all the assemblies of the holy ones.
“Holy ones” is translated ‘saints’ but holy ones are closer to Paul’s actual KG use of ‘holy’ in plural form, and to his Hebraic Jewish thought underlying it.
Paul sees shalom as the norm, as to what there is to be in all the assemblies.
This is significant. Why? Paul gives to the Corinthians a Bigger Picture in a Letter written especially to address the myriad of issues in Corinth.
In short, we have a very ‘key’ question. Which does the LORD give first to the Israelites; the “Ten Commandments” (Ex. 20) or, the ‘Festivals’ (as a whole; cf. Lev. 23)? (In Hebrew “Appointed Times”. The same word is used in Gen 1:14 for the same idea, translated ‘seasons’. There is however much discussion as to whether “appointed times” is the idea in Gen. 1:14).
The “Ten Commandments” in Hebrew are known as “Ten (of) The Words”. In short is it not very significant that the Israelites receive the Universal “Big Picture” of the Ten (of) The Words (Ex. 20) immediately followed by the concrete specifics of justice and much more in Ex. 21 through 23:13, before the LORD instructs them on Passover in Ex. 23:14?
One of the most famous sayings of the Talmud, the ancient Jewish Oral Law and Tradition is, “all Jews are responsible for one another”.
This saying may or may not have been circulating orally during Paul’s time. It is reminiscent of what Paul writes the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 12:25-27. They are all members of one Body.
In fact, the second half of 1 Cor. 12:25 is especially reminiscent of this Talmudic saying.
Paul speaks of how God has arranged the members in 1 Cor. 12:24. Verse 25 follows this with an underlying Hebrew idea of “positively moving forward and summing everything up” i.e. “that” (KG “iva” used, we would posit, to express the Hebrew idea of “that”) there not be “sxisma ev tw swmati” “schism” (split-division specifically in the Body). (Taking ev here as locative, i.e., referring to location).
Paul goes on to say ‘alla’ – “but – in strong contrast” specifically referring to it (KG “to auto”) i.e., the Body, that there is to be on behalf (“uper”) of one another, reciprocating care.
‘Reciprocating’ (KG “allnlwv”), i.e., back and forth care for one another is ‘key’. The KG translated ‘care’ is a form of ‘merimnao’, defined as care and looking out for the interests of others. Our KG lexicon points out 1 Cor. 12:25 with reference to the care the members are to give one another. Cf. also Phpn. 2:2-3 and its context.
The Corinthians would have heard Paul’s KG specific reference “specifically to the members” (KG “ta meln”) and Paul’s emphasis on the members, because Paul put it last for emphasis!
The “path of me” of Mashiach means the exercise of godly righteousness; not in the sense of “justification” i.e., legally-forensically ‘justified’, but rather, as opened up above a bit on Mt. 6:33.
That is, “concern that the other get what is rightfully due them”, and to ‘sooth’, to ‘satisfy’. To be on the Path of Mashiach, this care must be first and foremost totally for the other. It must be Mashiach like in that there is no self-involved. If all members were to do this, all would be taken care of in the process. There would be no need for “what about me and my needs?”. There must be real concern and care and looking out for the interests of the other in the Body of Mashiach.
Righteousness in its Hebrew Bible Hebrew origin, is an Attribute the LORD exercises towards Man.
The Shine Forth – Songs of Praise (‘Psalms’) sing of this about the LORD. See especially Ps. 145:17, etc. etc.
The real “Jewish roots” for followers of the Mashiach Yeshua are not those things which though they are of great significance and meaning, do nothing to make one more like Mashiach.
Nothing that what in Hebrew is called “external, superficial” makes one more like Mashiach.
No physical object of Judaica can – or will – make one more Mashiach like – period.
No well-intended but cursory ‘observance’ of a couple of Festivals will make one more Mashiach like. Period.
Why? Please allow us to utilize a method of the ‘P’rushim’ (“Separate Ones” “Pharisees”) that both Yeshua and Paul used, to answer a question with a question.
Were the Festivals given by the LORD to and only to the Israelites, designed specifically to make the Israelites more Mashiach like? We will give a Jewish answer. Yes – and no.
As a quick but ‘key’ aside, the Hebrew heart has no problem with both yes and no at the same time. Why? It is more organic in the sense of being both open and flexible.
By that we mean open to the possibility that there may be more than one “right answer”.
The Importance of the Hebrew Heart – The Heart of Yeshua
The Hebrew heart sees Scripture as the rabbis see it; like an onion skin that can be peeled back to reveal multiple layers.
The Greek-Latin-Western based mind-intellect, based on Greek thought – which in no way is that of Mashiach most of all – is “fixed and static”. As we repeatedly repeat in our teaching, one of the hallmarks of ancient Greek thought is “seeing things fixed and static”.
This is one very ‘key’ reason the Body of Mashiach became splintered into – literally – 1,001 pieces.
As we have had to repeatedly repeat in or teaching in order to provide background and the “why-how” did the Body became splintered, the Early Gentile Fathers abandoned Jerusalem for Athens, and later for Rome.
This led to the abandoning of the “Hebrew heart”. The Hebrew heart of Yeshua was replaced with the “Greek mind” of the Traditions of Men. (Cf. Mk. 7:5-13; different context but tragically, the same result!)
The Hebrew heart has the organic quality of concern for the other members of the People, and is more concerned with and for the other; rather than, the Self.
This is an absolutely Mashiach like quality! Mashiach has a universal concern, a Big Picture concern. He sees the individual Hebraically as part of the whole. Rather than the post-Biblical Western approach focused on the individual.
The Greek-Latin-Western Tradition Mind draws from a combination of Greek based and rooted thoughts. In a sentence, the Augustinian inward focus on the spiritual condition of oneself – rather than the Community.
In short, the Greek-Latin-Augustinian-Western model re-casts Yeshua Ha-Mashiach as ‘JC’ and reduces him largely as an object of ‘faith’.
In short, the Greek-Augustinian model Western Tradition adopted looks at Scripture as “fixed and static”.
Meaning, that there is or can only be one “fixed and static” interpretation. As soon as there is disagreement in the interpretation, the result becomes ‘sxisma’ ‘split, division’.
Part of the reason for this is as follows.
By reducing Mashiach to an object of ‘faith’ and the main focus being to “get saved” – as an end – rather than a beginning-starting point of life in union with Mashiach, the following resulted/results.
In short, the Hebrew heart is replaced with the Greek mind of the Traditions of Western Men. The result? The objectification of the other.
The other is no longer seen as part of the same organic organism; but rather, now becomes objectified. With the focus on Self and the rigidity of fixed and static, the interpretation of Scripture by the Self becomes fixed and static.
What is the result? “Sxisma” “split-division into 1,001 “denominations” largely based on disagreements over “position”. Position is another hallmark of Greek thought.
Here is a simple but we think profound question. What “denomination” did Paul join after his “conversion to Christianity?”
Was Paul a Southern Baptist? Was he a “member” of the Assemblies of God? Did Paul have to speak in tongues in order to first prove he had the Ruach Hakodesh?
We once saw an application for membership in a local Building of a ‘denomination’ that asked, “What was the date you first spoke in tongues”?
Did Paul, Yochanon, Jacob, Peter, Judah, and the author of Hebrews (our guess based on the sophisticated Greek and tone of the Letter is Apollos) carry ‘applications’ with them? Did one have to fill out an ‘application’ to join their ‘denomination’?
Paul in fact very much chastises the Corinthians for the first recorded instance of the forerunner of “denominationalism” in 1 Cor. 3:1-5.
Here is the ‘key’ question before we return. Did Mashiach suffer a horrifyingly horrific death on the Cross, was his, in the original, “horrific shriek of agony” on the Cross Mt. 27:45-47, v. 46, for what happened to his Body afterward in history? Were hunks of flesh ripped off his back and probably side also, from the Roman soldiers scourging, in order to have his Body rip itself apart for 2,000 years afterward?
In short; are Christians here and there blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) and ‘observing’ (please note the quotation marks!) a couple of the Festivals, Mashiach’s model for reconciliation?
If so, where in the Gospel do we find this? Please cf. Mt. 5:21-24.
Is the immediately above what Mashiach meant when he talked to the crowd of fellow Galilean Jews and his beloved Taught Ones in Mark’s Greek rendering “and – in connectedness – be on the path (of) me” Mk. 8:34?
What Being Disciples of Yeshua More Deeply Means
A great starting point for being on the path of Mashiach is to recognize and apply what the original Hebrew meaning of “disciple” is.
In Mashiach Yeshua’s time the Twelve Disciples were known not as ‘disciples’; but rather as, Taught Ones.
A taught one is defined as, one who has given everything up to follow the life, the words, the teaching of the teacher. It is not about following the path of the Self, with a teacher helping one to get what the Self desires. That is along the lines of the ancient pagan cults. A ‘key’ part of being a “taught one” is first and begins with, “giving everything up”. In Peter’s case as we explained above, it meant even his “preconceived notions that seemed to have a basis in Scripture”. Peter and the other eleven Taught Ones needed to learn to do exactly that – “give everything up” etc.
For the one following after the Teacher and Rabbi (Yochanon 20:16) Mashiach Yeshua, the “key” question is, what does Mashiach himself actually emphasize?
Of his 167 citations of the Torah, how many involve or pertain to the objects and Festivals of the Torah? Zero – zero.
The ‘key’ question then for us to be more like the Mashiach is: what does Mashiach illuminate for us? What does he – he desire we “be and do” after him?
A ‘Key’ Torah, Hebrew & Jewish Root Yeshua Teaches – And Actually Emphasizes for Us – Love Your Neighbor
It’s love! Did you know that the most cited verse of the Torah in the Renewed Covenant Scriptures – a much more accurate and Biblical name than “New Testament” – has nothing to do with the Festivals, Judaica, or Christians learning “the meaning of the Hebrew letters”?
The most cited verse of the Torah in the RCS (my abbreviation for Renewed Covenant Scriptures) is Lev. 19:18, more deeply in Hebrew – ….” and – in connection connectedness love, a desire for the best for the other, a desire to draw the other close, a desire for the best for the other, to breathe after someone, to give oneself completely to another, your neighbor, like as a divine model, yourself”.
We must quickly emphasize that Leviticus 19:18 is part of probably the Bible’s two greatest teachings on holiness Lev. 19-20.
Extremely significantly: Do you know which writer of the RCS far and away uses love more than any other? It is the last writer, Yochanon (“God is gracious”, “John’s” original Hebrew name). What is significant about Yochanon writing about love as much as he does?
Yochanon writes under inspiration of the Ruach Hakodesh (the original Hebrew name of the Holy Spirit). Thus, it would seem that what is it that the Ruach wants to be sure we do not miss, is love! Yochanon 13-17 – which includes Yeshua’s last extended recorded teaching, and his very Hebrew Bible-based prayer in chapter 17, contains at least 24 uses of love!
The last multi-chapter Letter of the RCS, 1 Yochanon, uses ‘love’ all out of proportion to its length!
What does Yochanon write about today’s so-called Hebrew Roots and Jewish Roots – the Festivals, Judaica, Christians teaching themselves ‘Hebrew’ (cf. Lk. 6:39; for Gentiles, it’s not a do-it-yourself proposition!), ” keeping kosher” etc?
Zero. Zero. He will repeat things for emphasis so please let us repeat: zero. Yochanon writes dozens of times, under the inspiration of the Ruach, about love! This is not love as a theological abstraction or a concept. It very much includes love in action and especially love towards others!
In Yochanon 13-16 Yeshua stresses to his beloved Taught Ones, that they need love for one another, reciprocating, back and forth love between themselves. In Yochanon 13:34-35 Yeshua gives their love for one another not as a wish or hope that they would do it but that it must be done. We should carefully note the following.
Yeshua does not say there that the world will know that they were sent by him; rather more deeply in the original that they were Taught Ones. As we point out in our teaching in Yeshua’s first century Israel a taught one is someone who gives everything up to follow the life, the words, the teaching of their teacher. Yeshua goes on to illuminate that their reciprocating back and forth love for one another is how the world would know they were taught by him!
“Know” in Hebrew means by experience, intimacy, personal relationship. Thus, how then does Yeshua want the world to know he taught his beloved taught ones? Is it by making intellectually compelling arguments or even doing signs and wonders that they were equipped to do? No. The world will know by experience intimacy and personal relationship that they were taught by him, when they see love in action, reciprocating love back and forth between the Taught Ones.
Some years ago, a very dear brother said something very very true to me: with Leviticus 19:18 very obviously in mind, he said if we would just love our neighbor as our self, everything else would take care of itself.
Just imagine the tremendous tremendous potential positive possibilities of those followers of Yeshua putting the time effort and energy into learning more deeply about the deeper meaning of love in Hebrew, as we hope we opened up above. But not just learning the meaning of love which is Greek based in that Greek is passive, but rather Hebrew’s emphasis on action. Imagine the tremendous potential positive possibilities if the world sees Yeshua’s followers acting out and acting with God’s love towards each other and towards the world!
There’s a verse observant Jews traditionally say in the morning, from Proverbs. It is in part more deeply in Hebrew protect by observing, distance from danger, the ethics morals discipline commitment, the teaching of your father. My Dad was one of the wisest men I was very blessed to ever know. My Dad used to say to me “when all else fails follow directions”.
So then, by drawing close to each other in love and through love in action, will we not also draw closer to Yeshua, because by doing so we are becoming more like him. We have taught elsewhere that there is a huge huge huge need to emphasize what we call the horizontal dynamic of the Cross. The vertical dynamic that of love between God and man and man and God is tremendously emphasized by Traditional Western Religious System. However, what unfortunately is too often not taught or emphasized, is what we call the horizontal dynamic of the Cross. That is, love between man and his neighbor.
Speaking of Jewish Roots there is a Jewish idea of what’s called in Hebrew shalom between man and his friend. This horizontal dynamic is again, a very key part of Yeshua’s atoning death on the Cross. That horrifically horrible death our wonderful Yeshua suffered, included putting to death the “exthros” the enmity bitterness between Jew and Gentile in union with Yeshua. Cf. Eph. 2:14-17, which we hope we opened up a bit in the essay section above this one on experience the treasure of the Bible’s Hebrew and Greek.
A key question we believe is this: Are Gentiles seeking today their Hebrew and Jewish Roots by doing their own thing their own way with little or no learning together with or concern or fellowship or love, honoring the full work of the Cross Yeshua horrifically suffered for to make possible? Did Yeshua die so that his Gentile followers 2,000 years later and several thousand miles away, would do their own thing with little or no true shalom for their Jewish Brothers?
As we point out in our teaching; part of the deeper meaning of shalom is restoration of relationship, and not just a superficial coexistence but a harmony and organic interaction. Imagine the tremendous potential possibilities of our dear Christian brethren who pursued their Jewish Brothers with even half the zeal they are pursuing Hebrew and Jewish things that speaking the truth in love (cf. Eph. 4:15), nowhere in Scripture do we see Gentiles being taught these things or pursuing them!
If you are interested in Hebrew here is the first thing you need to understand. Greek is separation and compartmentalization rooted. Hebrew is wholeness, connectedness, totality, oneness rooted. This is one of the very true – and actual Hebrew Roots our dear Christian brethren need to learn! The Greek word sxisma “split/ division” is only found several times. Olo “whole” is found 109 times in the Greek Bible text. This obviously illuminates for us something very key!
Imagine what it could be like if we follow the Directions from our Father and lived out and illuminated for us by Yeshua!