You may have noticed, I placed 5 videos to the right of the blog. They will stay there for a long time - for your benefit. These 5 vids, produced by 119 Ministries, are an in-depth study of Paul's (Sha'ul's) N.T. writings. The Pauline Paradox Series is ongoing. The boys have done a great job! My feeble effort is just a simple word study on "Law". These guys have gone much deeper. We are about to enter the book of Romans so we must be forewarned about Paul's writings.
Why? Because Peter (Kefa) said so:
[Note: It's important to show the context. Bold emphasis is mine.]
2Pe 3:1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2Pe 3:2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
2Pe 3:3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
2Pe 3:5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
2Pe 3:6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.
2Pe 3:7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
2Pe 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
2Pe 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
2Pe 3:15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
2Pe 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
2Pe 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
[Note: So much here! Peter admonishes; you must believe in His Word, which has always been, for mankind only has 6,000 years to get it right, then we look forward to a New Heaven and Earth in which "Right Standing in Torah" dwells, so, when you read Brother Paul's writings, do not make the error of LAWLESS men! The word, "unprincipled" actually means lawless in Greek. Other translations get it right and use the word "lawless".
ESV Translation - 2Pe 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
Peter is literally telling us that a misunderstanding of Sha'ul's writings will lead to ignoring Torah and it is WRONG! How much more proof do we need, folks? Yet, the Church says Torah has been "nailed to the Cross"! BTW, Churchy folk are going to be disappointed in the Millennium, because TORAH WILL BE THE LAW!]
On that note ... let's continue the study ...
Act_21:20 And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law;
Act 21:21 and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.
Act 21:22 "What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
Act 21:23 "Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;
Act_21:24 take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.
Act 21:25 "But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication."
Act 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification, until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.
[Note: The context here is that Paul had just finished a long tour, preaching the gospel and bringing in many Gentile converts. Paul's friends have begged him not to return to Jerusalem because so many of his former Sanhedrin companions wish to kill him. Paul returns to Jerusalem anyway and promptly meets with James and the Elders. Why? Because James (Ya'a'kov - Jacob) is the Apostle in charge in Jerusalem. Jacob tells Paul that the Jewish coverts to Yeshua (who are zealous for Torah) are being told by Jewish unbelievers, that Paul is teaching Gentiles to forsake Moses and the Torah. Once again, Paul is being dishonestly accused of teaching against Torah (which he is not). Jacob recommends that Paul take a Nazarite Vow, along with four others, because it will publically and assuredly indicate that Paul is also zealous for Torah. Another great biblical figure that underwent a Nazarite Vow was Sampson. The B'rit Hadashah never shows that Paul or any of the others forsook Torah!
Jacob gives Paul a few guidelines for the Gentiles to start with, as they learn more about Torah. Nowhere does the context speak of Torah for Jews, but not for Gentiles. In fact, this would be unscriptural! Please notice how today's Church has more in common with the unbelievers of Jacob's day by teaching the very error that Paul was falsely accused of !]
Act 21:27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him,
[Note: the 7 days of purification mentioned in verse 26. Paul is arrested.]
Act_21:28 crying out, "Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."
[Note: Again, the false accusation! Deut. 7 states that "Jew" cannot not marry "Gentile". Under Rabbinic "law", a "Jew" cannot even associate with a Gentile, not under Torah mind you, but Rabbinic law. So, has Paul somehow denied Torah? No! These Greeks were CONVERTS, grafted in members of the One Olive Tree! In the Commonwealth of Israel, there is no Jew and no Gentile - only brothers and sisters! Rabbinic law ignores Scripture! Noah was no Jew, neither was Abraham, etc. Did "strangers" and "foreigners" leave Egypt with Israel? Of course they did!]
Act_22:3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
[ ... Paul reminds them of his birthright and Pharisee education. He begins to tell them of his experience on the Road to Damascus. Please read all of Ch. 22.]
Act_22:12 "A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
[ ... Ananias tells Paul to speak and tell his story.]
Act_23:3 Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"
[Note: Ananias, after hearing the story, orders Paul to be struck in the mouth. Paul was unaware that Ananias was a High Priest. Please read Ch. 23, as well.
Act 23:4 But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?"
Act 23:5 And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT SPEAK EVIL OF A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.'" ]
[ ... Paul is brought before Felix the Governor.]
Act_23:29 and I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.
Act_24:6 "And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [We wanted to judge him according to our own Law.
Act_24:14 "But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
Act_25:8 while Paul said in his own defense, "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar."
[Note: Before Felix, Paul acknowledges that Followers of the Way (followers of Jesus) in no way violate Torah!]
Act_28:23 When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening.
Folks, Sha'ul does not ever deny Torah and explains that Followers of Yeshua in no way deny Torah! But the Church does!
... Next, The Scroll of Romans!
The Observer
