Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

How Old Testament sacrifices and Messiah’s teachings fit together in one big story (Leviticus 1–7; Malachi 3; Luke 6)

The Bible’s offerings are oftentimes jarring visual lessons about the high cost moving humanity from “far away” from God’s presence to “near.” This study walks through the what and the why of the burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings in Leviticus 1–7. We see how Malachi 3 warns against tired, careless worship. And we explore how Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) uses parables in Luke 6 (blind guides, good fruit, two builders) to bring the same themes into daily life — integrity, repentance and true peace with God and others.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matthew 5:8–20: Does the Messiah’s path to true happiness include the Law?

Aren’t the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ two different “tunes,” the former about obedience and justice and the latter about grace and mercy? We find that Yeshua (Jesus) bridges both in the sermons on the mount and plain (Matthew 5–7; Luke 6:17–36).

In part 3 of this look inside these important messages from Yeshua on salvation, we explore a critical key to understanding the harmony between the Song of the Lamb and the Song of Moses, detailed in Torah reading הַאֲזִינוּ Ha’azinu (“listen,” Deuteronomy 32).

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matthew 5:3–6; Luke 6:20–21: Happiness is mourning unrighteousness, rejoicing over forgiveness

In part 2 of our deep dive into Messiah Yeshua’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-36), we explore the Beatitudes and discover how we can find true happiness through sorrow over life apart from the Creator and joy over Heaven’s Anointed One who heals the pain.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matthew 5:1–2; Luke 6:17–20: Sermons on mount and plain reveal key calling cards of Yeshua

Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) revealed the heart of God in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-36). Why does the venue matter? Both teach us important sides of the Messiah.

Join us for the first in-depth look in this series on these two important messages from the Messiah.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Chanukah Discussions

Chanukah: ‘Perfect’ in dedication to God

“You are to be perfect, just as your Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48) seems like an impossible goal until we understand the meaning of the word translated as “perfect.” Luke’s parallel — “be merciful” (Luke 6:36) — helps us understand perfect and shows us a deep meaning under the Festival of (Re)Dedication of the Temple, or Chanukah. To be mature believers, to be righteous, we must dedicate all of ourselves — devotion and weakness — to God.

Yeshua pointed to the actions He was doing through His Father’s power as evidence that He and the Father were “one,” that His “temple” — His body — was whole dedicated to God’s purpose (John 10:22–30). Our “temples” should be wholly dedicated to God as well.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Matthew 5:38-42: Yeshua restores the mercy-full meaning of ‘eye for eye’

“You have heard it said, but I say…” was a common rabbinic phrase used when a rabbi wanted to encourage yeshiva students to dissect and discuss a particular Torah principle. A “problematic” Torah edicts is “eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” etc. Many Christians and Jews are very uncomfortable with this “barbaric” “tit-for-tat” law.

Categories
Apostolic Writings Discussions

Matt. 5:33-37: Learning how to swear biblically

Not coincidentally, Yeshua’s warning about taking oaths in Matthew 5 follows His reminder that God’s allowance for divorce is very narrow. Marriage vows are serious business, and oaths to or referencing God are even more grave.