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Our Hebraic Roots
By Robin Sampson
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To fully comprehend our Christian faith, we should
know about this fascinating heritage. We study a Hebrew book, written
by Hebrews; we serve a Hebrew Lord who had Hebrew disciples; we desire
to follow the first century Church, which was first predominately
Hebrew; and through Christ, we are adoptedinto a Hebrew family! It
makes sense to study the ancient Hebrew culture.
This is a refreshing, new,
exciting way to view the Bible! Much of the Bible is mysterious to most
Americans. The perplexing phrases, puzzling actions, the sometimes
difficult-to-understand words of Jesus, unconventional holidays, and
parables are only understood with an awareness of the Hebrew culture. A
Christian's roots are deep in Judaism through Christ, all the way back
to Abraham! And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
Digging Through The Layers
What we now consider "the
Church" is almost nothing like the early New Testament Church. Author
and teacher Richard Booker once explained this by giving the example of
an archaeologist digging through layers to find out what life was like
in ancient times. Tobe able to examine and understand the early Church
we must dig through layers of a mountain of man's influences, shoveling
off and discarding man's traditions, theories, interpretations, and
philosophies from the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations,
Constantine, Marcion,
Roman Catholicism, etc. During the Protestant Reformation, men
such as Wycliffe and Calvin were digging in the right spot. They dug up
and discarded many theological errors and found a view of God's plan of
salvation by grace, but anti-Semitic layers still remain and now there
are new layers of tradition, interpretation, western thought (a return
to ancient Greek and Roman thought) and conditioning that need removal.
Only then can we have a clear view of early Church worship.
Studying Scripture from our Western/American/Greek view is like looking for gold in a dark mine with a dim pen light—you
can see enough to stumble around but you need more light to see
clearly. A good grasp of the ancient Hebraic customs and terminology
would allow you to reexamine Scripture in this powerful floodlight,
exposing intricate details and treasures. Take a look at the examples
below. One is a familiar Bible story, the other a familiar Bible
phrase. Examine each with the light shed from a Hebraic understanding
of them.
The Woman with the Issue of Blood
The woman described in Matthew 9:20 had faith. She
believed she would be healed if she could only touch the very hem of
Jesus' garment. If you understand Hebrew thought, you'll understand the
significance of the story. Why did the woman want to touch the hem of
His garment?
The hem of a Hebrew's prayer shawl is very important. The prayer shawl worn by Hebrew men is called a tallit. The fringes on the corners of the tallit are called a tzitzit.
In Numbers 15 God directed the Hebrews to make fringes on the borders
(also called corners or wings) of their garments to remind them of
God's law.
... Speak unto the
children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the
borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they
put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be
unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the
commandments of the LORD...(Numbers 15: 38-39).
There are 613 actual commandments in the Torah—248
positive and 365 negative. Each tzitzit consists of five double knots
and eighteen threads, for a total of 13 elements. Add this to the
numerical value of the word tzitzit which is 600, and the total is 613.
During the first century, a tradition associated with the tallit is
that the tzitzit of the Messiah had healing powers: The sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). The woman must have known of this tradition and, in
faith, she touched the "wings" of His garment, showing that she
believed Jesus was the Messiah!
The Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God is the
central theme of Jesus' preaching. The Hebrews did not speak the sacred
name of God. Many times they used the expression Kingdom of Heaven or
Kingdom of God, just as today we say, "Heaven help me." We are
not asking for Heaven's help. We are asking for God's help.
Look at the phrase, The Kingdom of God has come near you (Luke 10:9–11).
The Kingdom of Heaven, or Kingdom of God, is described by most
commentaries as God's kingdom to come sometime in the future. Some
teach it means the second coming of Christ (Jesus called the second
coming "the coming of the Son of Man").
The Greek word engiken means "about to appear" or "is almost here." However, if it is translated back to Hebrew, the verb karav means
"to come up to," or "to be where something or someone is." In the
Greek, the Kingdom is understood to be at a distance. In the Hebrew, it
is here! Jesus' Messiahship is present here and now.
The Kingdom of Heaven is not futuristic, but rather a
present reality wherever God is ruling. When one is able to put
[Greek] passages back into Hebrew, it is immediately obvious that the
Kingdom has already arrived, is in fact already here—almost the exact opposite of the Greek meaning (Bivin, Blizzard 1995).
Jesus Himself proclaimed that the Kingdom was at
hand. This proclamation involved an awakening cry of sensational and
universal significance. He was referring to Himself as the King being
at hand—being
present. He was already present in His person; He is the King. For one
to follow Him he had to make Him his King and follow His rules. Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21) takes on a whole new meaning. It is not Heaven that they won't be entering—it is His Kingdom, now, of peace, following His ways (Wilson 1989). Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven also takes on a new meaning.
Reread the following verses with this new light. It may change your opinion of these teachings: Mark 4:30–32; Matthew 13:33; 18:3; Luke 13:20–21, Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; Luke 17:20–21.
Jesus did not come right out and say, "I am the Messiah." In Hebrew
there are far more powerful ways of making that claim (Bivin, Blizzard
1995). Seeking first the Kingdom of God is making Jesus Lord of your
life today!
Several fascinating books are available explaining Hebrew thought at OurHewRoots.com. Click on the titles to learn details.
Yeshua: A Guide to Jesus and the Original Church by
Ron Moseley explains misunderstood idioms in Jesus' teaching, such as
binding and loosing, the parable of the reed and oak, the vine, the
good eye, and many more.
Restoring Our Lost Legacy by
Dr. John Garr explains understanding the Jewish roots of our faith is a
golden key that unlocks the treasures of holy Scripture and enables us
to enrich our Christian lives. You can read this book online.
Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith by
Dr. Marvin Wilson is a in-depth, detailed look at Hebraic thought
patterns as well as a study of Hebrew culture, worship, law, and all
aspects of family life. Here Dr. Wilson explains the contour of Hebrew
thought:
Modern man in the Western world thinks he has an
image to defend. He is supposed to be macho and keep his cool. He is
expected to be made of steel, always in control. He does not allow
himself to become vulnerable by revealing much of his emotions. It is
usually considered unmanly for him to cry. Yet Jesus, the exemplary
man, wept (Luke 19:41; John 11:35). This display of emotion was in
sharp contrast to the Greco-Roman world of the Stoics, who sought to be
indifferent to pleasure or pain; they were determined never to submit
or to yield; they were resolved to overcome their emotions and desires.
The Hebrews, however, were a very passionate people; they did not hide
or suppress their emotions.
The Hebrews, both men and women, were able to affirm
their full humanity. They gave vent to their feelings, for each emotion
had "a time" appropriate for its expression: being angry, crying,
laughing, singing, feasting, dancing, hand clapping, shouting,
embracing, and loving (see Ecclesiastes 3:1–8).
A brief summary of the holidays described in the Bible reveals a
decisive emphasis on the release of emotion, especially joy. The weekly
Sabbath is a time of rejoicing as God is celebrated as Creator (Isaiah
58:13–14; cf. Exodus 20:8–11).
The entire annual calendar of festivals shows that the Hebrews were not
afraid to release their emotions, in collective historical memory,
before God and one another. The Hebrews were hardly halfhearted or
reserved in their approach to life.
Biblical Worship is Family Worship
God has specific ways that He
wants us to serve and worship Him. Those ways are pointed out for us by
Jesus and the early Church. They are the old paths. Thus
saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest
for your souls...(Jeremiah 6:16). Unfortunately these old paths
have been paved with unconverted man's influences, opinions, traditions
and interpretations of interpretations of interpretations of
interpretations...and sometimes, like the biblical holidays, simply
ignored.
Christians can learn much from the biblical Hebrew's strong family/worship lifestyle. Everything is centered around the home—family,
education and worship. Every area of the Hebrew worldview is entirely
saturated and encompassed with God. The Hebrews make no distinction
between their spiritual life and the physical areas of life. They see
all of life as an entirety—it is all God's domain. Everything that happens is an opportunity to praise Him. He is in control of everything, including pains and joys. God's Word explains this Hebrew reasoning: I have set the Lord
always before me (Psalm 16:8), and in Proverbs 3:6, In all thy ways
acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. There were set times of Temple worship; however, most worship was centered in the home.
If you were to visit a religious
Jew's home on a typical Friday. you would find everyone in the home in
a hurried state preparing for the coming Sabbath, setting a fine table
and preparing a special meal. At sundown, all the hurrying stops. The
mother in the home prays and dedicates this special day unto God as she
lights the Sabbath candles to begin the Sabbath. The father leads the
family in prayers,Torah readings, and singing praise and worship to
God. The father also prays a special blessing over each child. The rest
of the twenty-four hour period is spent resting, enjoying family,
growing spiritually as individuals, and growing closer together as a
family.
We should ask ourselves, "Is
there any time, if someone entered our home, that they would see such
devotion to God?" How ashamed we Christians should be, when we think
about those who don't even know Jesus as the Messiah show such devotion.
Professing Christians in America, in general, tend to view "the Church" as a part of their life—but
only a small part. Life and relationships are divided into quarters,
into four distinctly different locations: partly religious (a few hours
a week at Church), partly educational (school), partly professional
(workplace), and partly leisure (home). Each person in the family going
in separate directions and rarely at home together. Even in the Church,
the only family time spent together is on the ride to and from Church.
Upon arrival the family divides into their proper classes. It is hard
to find all the members of a family together in one area at the same
time in Church, much less worshiping and interacting together or
praying together as a family at home.
By examining the holidays, we can get a taste of the almost forgotten family worship—worship
led by the father, in our homes, teaching our children God's Word
(Deuteronomy 6), with our families singing and praising God, learning
of His ways—growing, in Him, together!
For more on this topic see OurHebrewRoots.com
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