Articles
FAQ
Publish Date: August 9, 2007
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1. What does YeShua HaMashiach mean?
YeShua is the Hebraic name of our Lord and Savior. YeShua means salvation or save and is first seen in Exodus 14:13 in the Hebraic text which translates as YeShua. HaMashiach means the Messiah.
2. Why do Hebraic and Messianic congregants refer to Jesus Christ as YeShua HaMashiach?
He is of the tribe of Judah and is a Jew by virtue of his natural posterity, and Hebraic and not Greek nor any other nationality. All scripture is Hebraic, referring to Genesis to Malachi and is the reference from which YeShua and all the people of His time referenced. The Father gave him a name that identifies him with his people, his land, and scripture. This name is above every name that at the name which the Father gave his son, every knee shall bow and every language shall confess.
3. What does it mean to be Hebraic?
It means that the study and or reference of all scripture is based on Hebraic text and understanding. 2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed. This scripture speaks to the only known scripture of YeShua, Sha’ul or any of the Emissaries time, Genesis to Malachi.
4. What is the Torah?
a. The Torah is the original name written in the Hebraic scriptures that properly identifies scripture.
b. It is the first five books of the bible referred to by Greeks as the Pentateuch or the Septuagint in which they the Greeks translated as Law or Nomos.
c. It is the pillar of all Wisdom as referred to by the scriptures in Proverbs 9:1. The number seven in the text refers to (1) Geneses, (2) Exodus, (3) Leviticus, (4) Numbers 1-10:34, (5) Numbers 10:35,36, (6) Numbers 11 to the end, (7) Deuteronomy.
d. It is the teachings of G-d as set forth in Psalms 119:2.
e. It is the instructions in righteousness, Deuteronomy 6:25
f. It is the governance of the Kingdom of G-d
g. It is the covenant between G-d and his people Exodus 19:5; Jeremiah 31:31
h. Through the Torah you will prosper and succeed. Josh 1:8
i. It is restoration for the inner person. Tehillim (Psalms) 19:8
j. It is pure, enlightening the eyes. Tehillim (Psalms) 19:9
k. It is Truth. Tehillim (Psalms) 119:142
l. It provides peace; nothing makes one stumble. Tehillim (Psalms) 119:165
m. The Torah is light. Mishlei (Proverbs) 6:23
n. It keeps you happy. Mishllei (Proverbs) 29:18
o. It is great and glorious Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 42:21
p. It is written on the hearts of G-d’s people. Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 31:32; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 8:10; 10:16
q. The Torah’s aim is the Messiah. Romans 10:4 CJB
r. THe Torah is good. 1Timothy 1:8
5. Is the Torah still in effect for our day and culture?
Yes. It is the reference which Sha’ul makes in 2 Timothy 3:16; the Torah, the Writings and the Prophets were the only know scriptures of YeShua and Sha’ul day.
a. For the whole of the Torah is summed up in this one sentence: “Love Your neighbor as yourself” Gal 5:14. (Note: this rendering of text is omitted from some biblical sources)
b. We know that the Torah is good, provided one uses it in the way the Torah itself intends 1 Timothy 1:8
6. Is the Torah important to my faith?
Yes. It embodies the foundation of our faith in that the Father of our faith Avraham walked in the instructions commandments, statues, and teachings or laws of G-d Genesis 26:5.
7. By being Torah compliant, does that mean that, I have to become Jewish?
No, the Torah is not about being a Jew. It is solely about the knowledge of G-d, his teachings in righteousness, and a proper understanding of holiness as G-d defines Holy. And it directs our attention to YeShua the Messiah. It defines conduct and a proper way of life as G-d sees it.
8. Isn’t the Torah just law?
No, that is the teaching of men who fail to understand that G-d’s plan of salvation is recorded in his teachings, the Torah. Every statement recorded in the Writings, the Prophets, YeShua, the Emissaries, and Sha’ul are supported by and come from an understanding of the Torah, it is the foundation of all scripture 1Corinthians 3:11. YeShua (Jesus) is the Torah.
9. Isn’t obeying the law being legalistic?
a. Yes, as long as we keep the meaning of law in its proper perspective meaning the Oral Law that was taught by the Pharisees and the Sadducees, commonly known as the Talmud.
b. Understand there are two laws in existence in the days of YeShua and Sha’ul and continues today in many Jewish circles. The law referred to as the Law of Moses the written Law is the Torah, and the Oral Law commonly known as the Talmud written by the Scribes, Pharisees, and the Sadducees. Obedience to the later law is legalistic and not from G-d. Mark 7:6-9; Matthew 15:6-9; John 7:19.
c. Sha’ul having been trained in Rabbinic Law under the teachings of Gamaliel as stated in Acts 22:3. The optimum word’s Sha’ul uses in the text is “taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law” (NKJV). Here meaning the Talmud of the Scribes, Pharisee, and the Sadducees. It is this legalist doctrine that Sha’ul refers to as being loss in Philippians 3:8 and another Gospel in Galatians 1:8.
d. Be clear in your understanding that Sha’ul reference in many instances of his writings is in reference to the Oral Law the Talmud, which he calls legalism. (Note: This is not properly conveyed in many biblical translations).
10. Isn’t the Sabbath only for the Jewish people?
No. G-d ordained the Sabbath in Genesis 2 and proclaimed it as being a Holy day. At that time, there were no Jews. The fourth commandment Sh’mot (Exodus) 20:6; B’midbar (Numbers) 15:15 make the Sabbath inclusive of all believers.
11. Why is keeping the Sabbath so important?
a. Exodus 31:13 states “Tell the People of Isra’el, ‘You are to observe my Shabbats; for this is a sign between me and you through all generations; so that you will know that I am Adonai, who set you apart for me.”
b. Scriptures says, “The people of Isra’el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the people of Isra’el forever; for in six days Adonai made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and rested.’” (Ex 31:16-17) You may not consider yourself included with the children of Isra’el; however, scripture supports that every born again believer identifies with Isra’el. Isra’el means ‘whom G-d rules. If you believe that you are under the sovereign rule of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords YeShua then you are identified with Isra’el and the Kingdom of G-d. Keeping the Sabbath is a Kingdom requirement.
Also, scripture supports that G-d is only the G-d of Avraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Isra’el. Isra’el keeps the Sabbath.
c. It is the fourth command of G-d, Exodus 20:8. It is an important portion of the commandments of which 1 John 2:3 says, “The way we can be sure we know him is if we are obeying his commands.” YeShua himself says, “if you love me you will keep my commandments.” What commandments is John or YeShua referring? They are referring to all of them in particular all stated in Exodus 20.
d. Most importantly the Sabbath teaches us about the rest man receives from YeShua. He is our rest. In honoring the Sabbath as commanded, we honor G-d and his Son. Hebrews chapter 3, 4 support the importance of keeping the Sabbath. To deny the Shabbat is to deny YeShua/Jesus, as he is the rest referred to in the book of Hebrews.
e. Because Mark 2:27-28 says, “Shabbat was made for mankind, not mankind for Shabbat; so the Son of Man is Lord even of Shabbat.”
f. It is a very important part of obedience for those who live in the Kingdom of G-d.
g. Every time one keeps the Sabbath he rest in YeShua. He is our rest. Messianc Jews (Hebrews) 4:9-11
12. Doesn’t the bible teach that Jesus/YeShua fulfilled the law, so therefore I am not under the law?
a. Lower case law refers to the Talmud and yes, we are not under that Oral Law.
b. Matthew 5: 17 teach that YeShua did not annul the Torah. It teaches us that he made it complete, as in putting it on a firm foundation that every born again believer should adhere to its teaching in righteousness.
c. When it is said of YeShua that he was obedient unto death, it means that he was Torah compliant unto the death on the cross. This in no way means that through his death he satisfied it by doing away with the Written Law of Moses called the Torah. Even if we believe that YeShua had done away with it, and it has not, the Prophets’ Isaiah 2:3; and Jeremiah 31:31 foretell of its return, and the time of its return to the hearts of G-d’s people, being NOW.
13. Why is it that Christian communities do not honor or keep the Sabbath?
Because Christian communities operate after the order of the Father of Christianity Constantine, and the Fathers of the Catholic church who changed the 7th day worship to the first day of the week Sunday after the Sun Goddess. This is chronicled in their history and the origin of the Christian church, and in the Canons of the Catholic Church. This information is readily available on the World Wide Web.
Refer to the ‘Articles’ on this sight see “Messianic vs. Christianity.”
14. But Sha’ul teaches that one does not have to follow the Law?
Remember the Greeks translate the Hebrew word Torah as Law and in many places where Law should be capitalized to show Deity they reduce Law to lower case (law) therefore destroying its meaning and what Sha’ul is saying.
(Note): The problem with many biblical translations is that they co-mingle the word law in the text, and do not distinguish it by capitalizing it to show that it refers to the Law of Mosses. The Amplified and the New American Standard translations do, keeping the meaning clear.
Listen to what Sha’ul is saying in Gal 2:18-19 “Indeed, if I build up again the legalistic bondage which I destroyed, I really do make myself a transgressor. For it was through letting the Torah speak for itself that I died to its traditional legalistic misinterpretation, so that I might live in direct relationship with God.” CJB
What Sha’ul does, is tear down the Oral Law, the Talmud, not the Written Law of Moses given by G-d to every believer. After all, Sha’ul was trained in Rabbinic Law, which he counts as loss.
15. Didn’t Sha’ul teach that we are not under the law but grace?
This is how the NKJV quotes Sha’ul in Rom 6:15 “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” The CJB quotes Sha’ul’s text in this light, “Therefore, what conclusion should we reach?” Let’s go on sinning, because we’re not under legalism but under grace”? Heaven forbid! Here the Greek NKJV of text and the Hebraic CJB text agree. By expressing the word law in lower case it refers to the Talmud which was a legalistic document of Judaic obedience. The CJB text refers to this law, as “we’re not under legalism,” referring to the Talmud. When we look at Sha’ul’s statement in Romans 7:12 he says, “So the Torah or Law is holy; that is, the commandment is holy, just and good.” So when Sha’ul makes the statement of not being under the law he is referring to the Oral Law the Talmud. It is this law the Talmud that we are not under.
