Galatians Re-examined
Please do not be put off by the size of this page. The information is good and it is important. Though it is under construction, I felt it is too important not to at least put the information on the site until I can work on it further.
Galatians-A Torah Based Commentary in First-Century Hebraic Context
Avi Ben Mordechai- Millennium 7000 Communications - [This page contains my notes on his teaching]
Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The common teaching in Christianity is that the law /Torah was done away with at the death of Jesus and replaced by grace. This is assuming that the law and grace are complete opposite things.
Galatians 3:13
13 Yeshua redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A [v]TREE”--
The teaching here, is that going (back) under the law causes you to be under a curse, so don’t do it anymore.
Galatians 5:18
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Paul seems to be saying if you are led by the Spirit, you don’t need the law. This understanding is dependent upon interpretation. This is assuming the Spirit and the law are not the same thing saying if you do the Mosiac law (Torah), you are not led by the Spirit.
Galatians 3:24-25
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Yeshua, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Here we are taught the tutor is the Mosiac law and since the law has been removed, it means since the tutor has been removed, the Mosiac law has been removed and we are now justified by faith. The teaching is don’t do the Mosiac law.
Compare:
Romans 3:20
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Here Paul seems to be saying we cannot be justified by doing the Mosiac law covenant
James 2:24
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
James appears to contradict what Paul is saying.
Note: Righteousness and justification are the same word in Hebrew.
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of [n]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Yeshua Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith in Yeshua and not by the works of [o]the Law; since by the works of [p]the Law no [q]flesh will be justified.
Paul says man is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Yeshua.
Romans 2:13
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before YHWH, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
Paul again seems to contradict himself here as he says “the doers of the law are justified”.
Acts 13:39
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
It is only by believing in Yeshua that you are justified. The law of Moses cannot make you righteous.
This leads to Galatians 5:4
4 You have been severed from Yeshua, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Paul says “you who are seeking to be made righteous by law, seeking to be made justified by Torah… you have fallen from grace.
Deuteronomy 6:25 contradicts this:
25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the YHWH our Elohim, just as He commanded us.
Some people focus on the word “all”
There is no commandment that commands us to keep all commandments to perfection. This is because some commandments are for priests, some are for men, some for women, some are for all Israel etc. We are only to do what is applicapable to us.
The Basics
Going back to the basics for keeping of the commandments and covenant of YHWH given at Sinai.
The building Blocks
Luke 24:44-45
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their [p]minds to understand the Scriptures,
You cannot understand the scriptures without the Spirit of Yeshua Messiah guiding you.
Lets look at the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms:
The Law of Moses
Deut. 18:15-19
15 “ YHWH your Elohim will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your [j]countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you asked of YHWH your Elohim in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of YHWH my Elohim, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ 17 YHWH said to me, ‘They have [k]spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their [l]countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
Yeshua the Messiah was that prophet
If anyone will not listen to His (YHWH’s) words which the prophet (Yeshua the Messiah) shall speak in His (YHWH’s) name, YHWH will require it of him. He will become accountable to YHWH as to why he didn’t listen to the words of that prophet (Yeshua the Messiah).
John 7:14-19
Yeshua was sent with words from Moses and Mt. Sinai
John 7:40-41
40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is [j]the Messiah.” Still others were saying, “ Surely [k]the Messiah is not going to come from Galilee, is He?
(Remember: The Prophet=The Messiah Deut. 18:15-19)
The Multitude responds-The prophet, The Messiah
Some people say this passage is referring to a prophet kind (any prophet), but clearly it is referring to Yeshua the Messiah.
Yeshua said all the prophets spoke of Him and what He had to say.
Acts 3:19-22
19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of YHWH; 20 and that He may send Yeshua, the [i]Messiah appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the [j]period of restoration of all things about which YHWH spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘ YHWH will raise up for you a prophet [k]like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you.
The word “presence here could be the Hebrew word that means presence or “face of YHWH”. (Deut. 32:19-20 “I will hide My face from them)
In Hebrew, the words that mean faith and faithfulness are the same exact word.
Who determines which one is used? The translators do and many are biased.
You cannot have faithfulness without faith and you cannot have faith without faithfulness (faith without works is dead).
John 1:18
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
The face is revealed in the face of Yeshua through His words and teachings.
Deut. 26:17
…and listen to His voice. According to this, we are to keep His Statutes (Chukim) (decrees from Heaven), Commandments (Mitzvot), and judgments/ordinances (Mishpatim). We are obligated to keep those that apply to us. His voice will teach these things (Deut. 26:17 …and listen to His voice.)
Luke 9:35
35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “ This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!”
…listen to Him. What are we obligated to hear? Remember He is the prophet of Moses according to John 7:40, Acts 3:19-22 etc.
He came with the law of Moses on His lips. Yeshua says My sheep hear My voice (John 10:27)
If we listen to His voice and keep His commandments, Yeshua says “I know them”. This is consistent with Matthew 7:21-23 …I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice iniquity/lawness/Torahlessness (no Torah).
John 5:46-47 …but if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?
To anyone who does not accept the writings of Moses, does not accept Yeshua and His teachings. Think about that.
The Prophets
Isaiah 42:1-4
1Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles* shall wait for his law (Torah).
*Interesting side note: The Hebrew letters that spell “coastlands” translated here in KJV as “isles” is the same word as “gentiles” and is spelled with the Hebrew letters that represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
This suggests the gentiles will be descendents of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
In Matthew 12:21 Yeshua quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and says in His name the Gentiles will hope
Revelation 19:13… and his name is called The Word of God (Elohim).
John 1:14 14And the Word (His Name) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 5:24
24Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
This is Hebrew poetry inferring if they reject the law, they reject the Name. If they reject the Name, they reject the law.
The first commandment (Exodus 20) says we are to obey and listen to and believe in the Name of YHWH. If you don’t keep Torah, you have despised/rejected the Word, you have despised/rejected the Name of YHWH.
If you believe in His Name, you will keep Torah.
Matthew 23:39
39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of YHWH.
Judaism today doesn’t say YHWH, they say “hashem” which means “the name”. They have rejected the Name of YHWH. In rejecting His Name, they have rejected His law, His Word and His teachings. They also reject Yeshua by calling Him Yeshu. Yeshu is an acronym in today’s Hebrew tongue. It means “May his name and memory be blotted out.” They are blotting out Yeshua, they are blotting out His Name, and blotting out the name of YHWH, all in the same breath.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth (Mosiac Torah), that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie (The Torah is done away with): 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (no Torah, Deut. 6:24-25).
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
Jeremiah 11:6-8
6 And YHWH said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, [b]warning persistently, saying, “Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
This is a reference to the curses in Deut 7.
Hear and do. Hear and do.
Luke 8:20-21
20 And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
John 8:43
43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word (Name/law).
John 14:24
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
Ezekiel 36:27
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
John 15:26
26 “When the [h]Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 [i]and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
What is the Spirit of Truth?
Nehemiah 9:13
13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
So how is it possible for anyone who says “I am baptized in the Holy Spirit”, “I am walking in the Spirit”, yet not be keeping His Torah?
The Spirit will not lead you to break the Torah. It will guide you into keeping it.
The Writings
Psalm 119:172-176
172 Let my tongue sing of Your [bx]word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. 173 Let Your hand be [by]ready to help me, For I have chosen Your precepts. 174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight. 175 Let my soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me. 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.
A lost sheep is one who has forgotten YHWH’s commandments.
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
This is confirmed by Matthew 15:24
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
John 10:27
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
This is consistent with Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [n]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’(Torahlessness)
Psalm 89:30-32
30 “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, 31 If they [u]violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with stripes.
John 12:48-49
48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak [s]on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
Deuteronomy 18:17-18
17 YHWH said to me, ‘They have [k]spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their [l]countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Torah of Yeshua
Matthew 5:17-19
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill (fill up to the full). 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not [h]the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [i]others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [j]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHWH your Eloheim which I command you.
Judaism adds to and Christianity takes away from.
Deut. 5:29
29 Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
Luke 16:17
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one [o]stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
1 Chronicles 16:14-17
14 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac. 17 He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
Isaiah 40:8
8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Psalm 119:89-90
89 Forever, YHWH, Your word is settled (stands firm) in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.
John 7:16
16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
Deuteronomy 18:17-18
17 The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Luke 11:27
27 While Yeshua was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” 28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe (do) it.” (hear and do)
Exodus 24:7
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that YHWH has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” (In Hebrew, “we will be obedient” is actually “we shall listen”) (hear and do)
You came out of Egypt (a metaphor for sin) and you are to coming into the commandments. You are to remember the commandments and the contract (covenant) 24/7. (This reminds us of Exodus 24:7!)
What is the contract/covenant? If you keep My commandments, I will be your Elohim (God), and you will be My people.
The Teachings of James (Ya’acov)
James 1:21-22
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (hear and do)
The word for obedience in Hebrew also means hear.
Exodus 24:7-8
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient! (hear)” 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Some people say “according to Jeremiah 31 the law has been written on our heart so we don’t need to do it”. This makes no sense. It is like saying: “it is on my heart to clean your house tomorrow”. When tomorrow comes, you say: “It was on my heart, but I am not going to do it”. What good is that?
1 Peter 1:14-16
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (Leviticus 11:44, 19:2-4, 20:7 and John 17)
Note: When Peter is referencing this verse, he is teaching on the dietary restrictions. (the ones that westernized Bibles said Yeshua did away with).
So you cannot say “pass me the pork”, or “make me a ham sandwich”, or “lets have crab and lobster tonight”…If we want to follow YHWH’s commandments, that is.
1 John 5-8
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God (Elohim) is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
The Torah is light
Proverbs 6:23
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
Psalm 119:105-106
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 106 I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
Yeshua said “I am the light of the wold”
Torah is truth
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
Nehemiah 9:13
13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
Psalm 119:151
151 You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth.
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
The Name is the Word and the Word is the Law and the Law is the Truth.
This bears repeating:
The Name is the Word and the Word is the Law and the Law is the Truth.
Conclusion:
Luke 24:27
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He (Yeshua) explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
What About Paul?
Teachings of Paul:
The Law of Moses is called “sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:18-11)
The Laws of Moses as taught by Yeshua are “sound words” (1 Timothy 6:3)
The Law, Prophets and Writings are called “Wisdom” (2 Timothy 3:15, Deuteronomy 4:6)
The Law and Prophets are authoritative (Acts 24:14)
The words of the Prophets are “Scripture and Law” (Romans 16:26, 1 Corinthians 14:21)
The Law as Yeshua taught it was Paul’s way of life (1 Corinthians 4:17)
Pure, Holy and separate behavior in Messiah is defined strictly according to the Mosaic Law (2 Cor. 6:14- 7:1)
Judgment against a group of Corinthians was according to the Law of Moses (2 Cor. 13:1)
The Mosaic Law is an established and good teaching (Romans 3:31)
The Sabbath is to be observed even as Paul himself kept it (Acts 13:42, 17:2, 18:4)
The teachings of Yeshua, who taught the Law of Moses was to be observed as Paul observed it (1 Cor. 11:1)
The Structure of Jewish Law – (Necessary to understand Paul’s writings)
Galatians 1:14
14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
In Acts 22:3 Paul says:
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.
Ancestral traditions and Law of our fathers are the same thing.
Now look again at these scriptures:
Romans 3:20
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
“Works of the Law” is referring to the man-made rabbinic oral law.
James 2:24
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
“Justified by works” – This is speaking of the Law of Moses.
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
“Works of the Law” is speaking again of the man-made rabbinic oral law.
Romans 2:13
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
“The Law” here is speaking of the Torah of Moses (written law)
Acts 13:39
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed (justified) through the Law of Moses.
The question you have to ask is: Which law is he referring to? The law of Moses (Torah)? The law of sin and death? Civil law?, oral law?
In Paul’s day just as today there were two bodies of teaching that were called law (Torah).
The Oral Torah (called Sh’be’al peh) (man-made rabbinic laws such as Halahcot, Takanot and Ma’asim.
The Written Torah (Sh’bktav) (The Torah of Moses)
In the rabbinic mindset, they are meant to go together. Even though he believed in Yeshua, Paul still had a rabbinic mindset.
Paul uses mentions several types of law in Romans 7:22-24
22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Differing concepts are being used for the word “law”.
The same thing is true in other writings of Paul.
Oral Law
Acts 22:3 (Paul speaking)
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.
Oral Law Categories
Halahcot – Pharisiac/Rabbinic textual interpretations on the Written Torah. Mining out a rule or teaching (a drash) from the Torah. Context is irrelevant.
An example of Halacot is Leviticus 23:4
4 ‘These are the appointed times of YHWH, holy proclamations which you (all the people on Earth) shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.
The Rabbinic Halachot crosses out the irrelevant portions of this verse not according to the Written Torah, but rather to interpretation, and then they replace it with their own ideas.
So Leviticus 23:4 becomes:
4 ‘These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you (referring to the rabbis) shall proclaim.
Another example is Deuteronomy 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
The Rabbinic Halachot version of this verse would say:
It is not in heaven,
They remove what they want from scripture and leave only five words from a text that originally contained fifty two words.
Words of a famous Rabbi:
…”If a prophet testifies that the Holy One (YHWH), Blessed be He, told him that the law of a certain commandment is such and such or that the reasoning of a certain sage is correct, that prophet must be executed…as it is written, “it is not in heaven”. Thus God did not permit us to learn from the prophets, only from the Rabbis who are men of logic and reason.” -Rabbi Rambom
You can see why they killed Yeshua the Messiah. Because he was from Heaven. Do you see how sick these twistings and adding to and taking away from scripture is? If you speak in the Name of YHWH, in their minds, you must be executed. Prophecy is forbidden.
·Takanot – New enacted religious laws added to the Written Torah with the authority of the “Oral Torah”. Scripture is not consulted as a proof text for these laws. These are added to the
Written Torah with authority of the Oral Torah
Some Takanot include the following:
A law requiring a daily ritual washing of hands (Mark 7)
A law against carrying on Shabbat (John 5:8-10). This is why the Pharisees got angry at Yeshua when He healed a crippled man and told him to carry his matt home.
A law requiring fasting twice a week – Monday and Thursday (Luke 18)
A law that specific prayers are to be recited over certain kinds of foods (Matt 14:19)
A decree against handling and touching things prohibited for use on Shabbat and Holy days (Matt. 12:11)
Touching a Holy Book makes the hands unclean
A law prohibiting carrying a pen in your pocket on Shabbat for fear you might write something with it.
A law forbidding a Jew from using bread, wine, and/or oil of Gentiles. (Acts 10)
A law requiring one to pray only with fixed (structured) prayers, which includes using the rabbi’s formula, through the spiritual powers in the rabbis. When they say “as we are commanded” or “as we have been commanded”, they mean by the rabbis YHWH commanded these things, because they think they have authority on Earth given by YHWH to make laws.
Matthew 15:3
Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? ...And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
In the Hebrew Matthew, the words translated as “tradition” is “takanot”.
An example of these kinds of laws being mentioned in scripture is in Colossians 2:20-21
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
There are literally hundreds of these ridiculous man-made burdensome laws still followed today. It was these kinds of laws Yeshua went out of His way to break.
·Ma’asim (means “works”)– Rabbinic precedents or “works” that lead to the establishing of new laws that are binding on all Israel, whether in the land or in exile.
A ma’asim is any action or deed of a Rabbior Sage (a precedent) that says to look to the Rabbis if you want to know a standard for “proper Jewish behavior.”
In the Talmud (man-made written laws), it says “Precedent is a Teacher”
In Matthew 23:2 it says:
(Yeshua)2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
In the Hebrew Matthew, this verse reads:
2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell, keep and do. And their takanot and ma’asim do not do; for they say and do not do.
In westernized versions as well as the Hebrew version of this verse, the entire meaning is changed by the smallest Hebrew letter; the yod. The yod changes the meaning from “he” to “they”. The meaning changes from do what “he” (Moses) says, to what “they” (the scribes and Pharisees) say to do. The chair of Moses is a principle of authority, but through this tiny change, the scribes and Pharisees using their made up oral law use the pretense to usurp that authority and give it to themselves.
Note: Actually the Hebrew Matthew is actually still corrupted with a lot of Greek in it, but compared to the rest of the New Testament scriptures that are mostly in Greek, the Hebrew appears to be more accurate.
Note: The “Seat of Moses” is referring to an actual artifact found that is believed to have resulted from Exodus 18:21-22
Some examples of ma’asim to the point of ridiculous:
A rule or work that allows a Jew to descend from a ship by a ramp built by a Gentile on Sabbat, though previously not allowed, is now allowed because a famous Rabbi did it, so now it is ok to the oral law.
A rule or work forbidding one to turn on a light on Shabbat because a famous Rabbi did not do it, so it must be what the oral law requires.
Winner of the most ridiculous:
In Jerusalem today, rabbinic Jews will use an elevator on Shabbat, but they will not press the buttons because it would be considered work.
Again, it was this sort of ridiculous burdensome laws Yeshua had to differientate from the Torah of Moses. When it says He fulfilled the law (Torah of Moses), “fulfill” in Hebrew, means to cut straight or show the proper way something is done.
Example of ma’asim mentioned in the Torah:
Psalm 28:4-5
4 Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite them according to the deeds (works) of their hands (ma’asim); Repay them their recompense. 5 Because they do not regard the works of YHWH Nor the deeds (works) of His hands (Exodus 32:16), He will tear them down and not build them up.
·Minhagim – Legalized traditions (local community customs) that become National Law by the sheer fact that the customs are practiced normatively. See “Minhag Israel Torah He” – “Custom in Israel is Torah Law”. In other words, customs become law because “everyone is doing it”.
An example of minhagim:
A law that say one may not walk even four cubits without his head covered or make a blessing even while seated without his head covered. This became a law because everyone followed it (hence the small round skull caps worn by orthodox Jews).
Acts 15:1
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.
Acts 15:5
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
Here the “Law of Moses” means the same thing as the “custom of Moses”. Neither is the Written law of Torah (the real Torah of Moses).
Arbitrary assessment (based on Rabbinic writings of laws and rules) of the Pharisaic (Rabbinic) Rules of Law and Authority
Rule #1 from the oral law: Even YHWH must obey the Rabbis (using Deuteronomy 17:11 out of context and Job 22:28 out of context)
Rule #2 from the oral law: It is ok of Judaism’s leaders to misrepresent or exaggerate as needed.
If a person heard a ruling and it seems to him tht the law is thus, he is permitted to say it in the name of a great person so that the people will accept it from him. -Magan Avraham. Orach Chayim 156b (canonical commentary on the 17 century Shutchan Aruch
In other words a lie is ok if it comes from a famous person.
Rule #3 from the oral law: Obeying the Rabbis is more important than obeying YHWH.
“Rava expounded: My son! Be careful concerning rabbinical decrees even more than the Torah. Because the Torah contains prohibitions, while the rabbinical decrees: Anyone who violates a rabbinical decree is worthy of death.” –Babylonian Talmud. Eruvin 21b
Rule #4 from the oral law: The Rabbis are always right even if they are wrong
“Even when they (the Rabbis) decide that left should be right or right left, when they are mistaken or misled in their judgment, they must be obeyed. –Rosh Hashanah 25b.
Rule #5 from the oral law: Legislating reforms in Torah is not a violation of the Torah
Rabbi Baruch Paz, Yeshivat Beit El (in Israel) in an article on “Adding, Uprooting, and Rabbinic Authority”:… it is permissible to legislate a violation of the Torah for this is not really a violation as such, but the preference of one Torah value over another. (Oral Torah over the Written Torah of Moses)
Rule #6 from the oral law: Rabbinic enactments are Torah
The sages hav imparted to their enactments the same force as that of Pentateuch laws (the Laws of Moses). –Ketubot 84a
Rule #7 from the oral law: Incline after the Majority
The Rabbis use Exodus 23:2 to justify their law…
2 You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice;
But they remove all the words except “turn aside after a multitude”. In other words, majority (of Rabbis) rules even if it is wrong and corrupt.
Rule #8 from the oral law: It is not in Heaven
Deuteronomy 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
…but they take all the words away except “It is not in heaven”
Rule #9 from the oral law: The S’yag or “Fence”
A fence is put up to protect the written Torah. The common people are kept away from the Written Torah. They say “we are the authority of the Written Torah leading you to it”, but that is a lie. They are leading people away from the Written Torah and to the oral torah because it contains their rules (a man-made system of religion). Matthew 23:13
Ephesians 2:14-15
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall (s’yag), 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
Paul here is not teaching about the Torah of Moses being done away with, he is talking about the man-made laws and regulations and the separation the rabbis tried put between people and the real Torah of Moses. The man-made laws and regulations are the dividing wall (fence) that was causing enmity. In the man-made oral law Mishnah Pirke Avot 1:1 it says “make a fence (s’yag) round the Torah. In the above scripture (Eph. 2:14) the Hebrew word translated as “dividing wall” is “s’yag”. This is how we know it is referring to the oral (mishnah) law.
One of the purposes of the oral law is to keep a separation between Jew and Gentile or as they view it, between Jew and non-Jew. This means anyone else, including Northern Tribes scattered among the nations.
Note: The “two into one man” is referring to the “Two House” teaching of Northern Tribes (House of Israel) and Southern Tribes (House of Judah) coming together and becoming one as prophesied elsewhere in the scriptures.
The Sanhedrin will reappear according to Revelation 12:17 and 14:12
Galatians
First things first
Paul’s learning DID NOT come from the Rabbis/Pharisees of Jerusalem. His learning came from Heaven.
Some phrases to understand:
The “Church” (assembly) was FIRST established as the congregation assembled at Mount Sinai in the Wilderness.
The “Will of Elohim” (“God”) is the teaching of the Torah or Law of Moses for all Israel. (Also applies to the “grafted in” from the nations)
“Grace” is another facet of the Torah (Law)
“Another Gospel” is any other religious teaching law of man
Confirming the Law of Moses (Torah) brings a blessing
Not confirming the Law of Moses (Torah) bring a curse.
The term “Judaism” is really a legal term of the rabbis.
Note: All scriptures used for this teaching on Galatians are from the Aramaic Parishita to avoid misunderstandings and mistranslations of the Greek.
Galatians 1:1
1 Paul, an apostle not from men and not appointed by men, but by Yeshua the Messiah and Elohim, the Father, who raised Him from the house of the dead.
Acts 9:15
15 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the nations (Gentiles) and kings both the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul was sent to “nations and Kings”.
John 3:34
34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; [i]for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not [j]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God – This is the basis of prophets speaking in the Name and authority of YHWH. (Deut. 13:1-6, 18:19=20, Jeremiah 27:14-15 etc.)
Galatians 1:2
2 and all the brethren who are with me, in the congregations (“churches”) of Galatia:
Congregation – What is a congregation or a “church”?
According to Acts 7:38 which says:
38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
This is referring to Moses (Deuteronomy 18:2-4, Exodus 24:12) and how he received “living oracles” to pass on to us. Living oracles = The Living Word = Torah (Proverbs 1:1-3)
1 Timothy 3:14-15 (Paul writing to Timothy)
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of Elohim, which is the church of the living Elohim the pillar and support of the truth.
The “the pillar and support of the truth”
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
1 Timothy is saying: “The church of the living Elohim” (YHWH) is the “the pillar and support of the truth” and according to Psalm 119:142, the truth is the Law (of Moses). So in other words, the “church is the pillar and support of the Law of Moses (Torah). Put another way, if a church is not a supporter of the Law of Moses (Torah) it is not the church of the Living Elohim (YHWH).
Galatians 1:2
2 and all the brethren who are with me, in the congregations (“churches”) of Galatia
Note: Many of the exiles were in Galatia (what is today; Central Turkey). Archeological evidence suggest the Celts of Third Century BC were called the Gals by the Romans. The term “Gal” in Hebrew would be the Hebrew word “galut” spelled with the letters: gimmel and lamed. These letters together are found in Jeremiah 28:4 where it says: …”and all the exiles of Judah”…
(Consider the Celtic People (“Celts” with a hard C) Gimmel (C) Lamed (L) Tav (T) compare sounds: CLT and GLT – Galut = exile.)
With all this considered, Paul was mostly speaking to Israelites in the region.
Galatians 1:5-6
5 As (according to) the will of Elohim our Father to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. 6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
What is the “the will of Elohim” ?
John 6:38
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (YHWH speaking)
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
The Word is “sent”.
The “will of Elohim” is the Word that is “sent”.
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Revelation 19:13
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim.
The Word is the Torah.
Back to Galatians 1:5-6
The Messiah’s teaching is that of grace.
In Today’s Christian church teaching, grace and law are complete opposites. This is not scriptural.
Proverbs 4:1-9 (abridged)
… 9 “She (the wisdom of the divine commandments) will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Deuteronomy 4:5
5 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. 6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Isaiah 11:1-2
1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of YHWH will rest on Him (Yeshua), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of YHWH.
John 1:17
17 For the Law (Torah) was given through Moses; grace even the truth were realized through Yeshua.
If grace is truth and the truth is Torah, then grace is Torah not the opposite of it.
Back to Galatians 1:5-6
Now that we know grace is Torah, we need to look at the term “another gospel”.
Isaiah 29:13
13 Then YHWH said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by commandments of men.
Matthew 15:7-9
7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’”
When the divine commandments of grace are replaced by the commandments of men, it is called “another gospel”
Galatians 1:8-9
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Mark 12:28-31
28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE YHWH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
These two commandments explain the entire structure of Torah.
Deuteronomy 27:26
26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Galatians 1:13-14
13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
ancestral traditions (traditions of men) and teaching of my Fathers (rabbinic fathers)
Acts 22:3
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel,(Famous Rabbi) strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
When Gamaliel and our Fathers are in the same sentence it is speaking of oral man-made law (oral Torah)
Summary
Paul’s (later) learning did not come from the Rabbis/Pharisees. It came from Heaven.
The “church” was FIRST established as the congregation assembled at Mount Sinai.
The will of Elohim is the teaching of the Law of Moses for all Israel.
“Grace” is another facet of the Law. “Another gospel” is any religious teaching or law of man
Confirming the Law of Moses brings a blessing. NOT confirming the Law of Moses brings a curse.
The term “Judaism” is a legal religion of the Rabbis.
Christianity would also be considered a legal religion of Catholicism.
Judaism and Christianity are both outgrowths of man-made religion.
What is The problem with Christianity?
Christianity is based on the religion of Constantine which was mithraism (sun god worship), and uses mistranslations to support non-scriptural doctrine.
We need to get back to the covenant we made with YHWH, which was keeping His Torah He gave to Moses to be given to us (the Torah of Moses).
Deuteronomy 29:14-15
14 “Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, 15 but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of YHWH our Elohim and with those who are not with us here today (us).
Chapter 2
Things to consider in understanding this chapter:
Rabbis (Pharisees) came from Jerusalem to Antioch to watch the actions of Kefa (Peter).
The “Judeans” were behaving with deceit in the same fashion as Laban the Aramean treated Ya’acov (Jacob).
A “Jewish Nature” indwells all those who keep the divine commandments of YHWH.
“Works of the Law is a religious legal expression for rabbinic (Pharisaic) teachings and authority
Galatians 2:11-12
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I admonished him to his face, for he was worthy of rebuke. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
This was according to Leviticus 19:17-18
17 ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you will most certainly rebuke (chasten) your people and not bear sin because of him. 18 You will not take revenge and you will not bear a grudge against the sons of your people, and you will love your neighbor as yourself; I am YHWH.
The Rabbis/Pharisees came down from Jerusalem (a long journey) to check on Peter and his ministry team to make sure he was doing things according to their laws. (Acts 15:5)
Acts 15:23-24
23 and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,
Looking at the entire chapter of Acts 15 in context, there we some Rabbis/Pharisees who were from Jerusalem had an agenda; to promote Phariseesim (Rabbinnite doctrine) and its authority.
The believers in Yeshua, including James, Peter etc. had nothing to do with this Rabbinic leadership. Some people came along and said they had to obey the Pharisiac authority. Jerusalem has the final say so and final authority in this matter. The believers in Yeshua were saying “no they don’t”. Acts 15:23-24 is the culmination of this clash.
The letter to the congregation of believers in Yeshua Messiah was to tell them they had a certain amount of leeway in understanding of what to do and how to live out their lives in following the written Torah of Moses without getting dragged into confrontation with Rabbinic authority involving their oral law.
The letter is saying “we have heard the Rabbis without our permission went behind our back and told you things that we do not agree with” disturbing some of you and unsettling your souls.
There are Christians today doing the same thing; telling people who want to be obedient to YHWH: “Don’t go under the law and follow Torah because it is legalism” unsettling their souls.
Galatians 2:12
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they (the Pharisees and circumcision group actually called “the circumcision) came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
Peter knew about the rabbinic oral law that forbid Jews and Gentiles from coming together and having any kind of contact, but used to eat with the Gentiles because YHWH showed him in a vision the Gentiles were no longer to be considered unclean.
Acts 10:28
28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
Paul rebuked him to his face because he was showing he was more concerned with not offending the rabbinic authority than YHWH’s authority.
Note: This does not mean he was eating unclean foods, because contrary to Christian teaching and untruthful Bible footnotes, unclean foods were never made clean by YHWH.
Mark 7:6-9 (Yeshua speaking to the Pharisees and quoting Isaiah 29:13)
6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of YHWH, you hold to the tradition of men.(takanot, ma’asim, minhagim)” 9 He was also saying to them, “You nicely set aside the commandment of Elohim in order to keep your tradition.
This is also true of Christianity and Catholicism. How so? There many ways, but none so obvious as ovservance of pagan holidays like christmas and easter instead of YHWH’s Holy Days like Passover and Sukkot.
What happens to Israel happens to the world (sort of like a ripple effect), so we have got to get away from these things. We also need to pray for the people of Israel that they would repent from following rabbinic man-made laws and authority and turn to the instructions (Torah of Moses) of YHWH only.
Galatians 2:14
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, in front of all their eyes:, “If you, who are Judeans, live as Armeans (deceptive – Deut.26:5, Genesis 25:20, 29:25) and not as Judeans, why do you urge the Gentiles who have joined themselves to Judah to live as Judeans”?
What does…“If you, who are Judeans” mean?
2 Samuel 7:23
23 And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom YHWH went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?
Deuteronomy 29:10
9 YHWH will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they will be afraid of you.
Deuteronomy 28:10
10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they will be afraid of you.
Revelation 19:13
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim (God).
The Word is the Torah (the Law of Moses), and that is what is going to sanctify us and set us apart (make us Holy, because the word for “Holy” in Hebrew means “set apart”).
This matches Deuteronomy 4:6
6 So keep and do them (the commandments), for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Set Apart
Galatians 2:15
15 “For if we who have a Jewish nature ourselves, and not those who are from Gentile sinners…”
What is a Jewish nature?
Genesis 29:35
35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise YHWH.” Therefore she named him Judah…
So the term “Yehudah” (Judah) means “a praiser of Yah” or a “Yah praiser”. That is a Jewish nature.
Now we can understand John 4:22 more fully:
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from out of the Jews (the true praisers of YHWH).
Rabbinic Judaism doesn’t praise YHWH, they praise their rabbinic fathers. They are praisers of men.
John 5:43-44
43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory (praise) from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only Elohim (God)?
Zechariah 8:23
23 Thus says YHWH Tzvaot, ‘In those days ten men from all thelanguages (Ten lost tribes of Israel/Northern tribes) of the goyim will grab hold of the wing (garment) of a man, a Yehudi (Judean/one of a “Jewish nature”/praiser of YHWH), saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.”
Galatians 2:15
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
A Jewish nature with His Name dwelling in you: Deuteronomy 28:9-10
9 YHWH will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they shall be in awe of you.
The difference between the Hebrew word YHWH and Yehudah (Judah) is the Hebrew letter “dallet” which means “door”. So Judah is the door to YHWH. Why Judah? What is Judah known for? Judah was commissioned by YHWH to be the keeper of His Commandments and Ordinances. Even though they have chosen to create their own man-made commandments and ordinances, they were originally commissioned by YHWH to be the keepers of His.
John 4:22 (Yeshua speaking to the woman at the well)
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
Salvation is praising His Name and keeping His commandments.
A Gentile sinner is based on:Ezekiel 36:20
20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of YHWH; yet they have come out of His land.’ (because He threw them out of His land for not keeping His commandments and praising other gods.) see also Romans 2:24)
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Yeshua the Messiah, even we have believed in Yeshua the Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith in Messiah and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Remember: Justification and righteousness are the same term
The “works of the law” is speaking of man-made rabbinic/pharisaic laws (halachot, takanote, minhagim and ma’asim), NOT the Torah of Moses.
Christianity teaches this is saying the “works of the law” which they think is the Torah of Moses leads to a curse, not righteousness.
Proof this is not true comes from James 2:24 which says:
24 You see that a man is justified (made righteous) by works and not by faith alone.
Moses said the same thing in Deuteronomy 6:24-25
24 So YHWH commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear YHWH our Elohim for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before YHWH our Elohim, just as He commanded us.
No man-made religion (whether rabbinic law or church law/church dogma or tradition) will ever give you justification or right standing before YHWH. The only right standing you will have before YHWH is in keeping His commandments and believing in (and praising) His Name. Yeshua came in His name and taught us to believe in His Name and to keep His Torah. He also came to set straight the difference between His Torah and the man-made torah laws.
Matthew 16:11-12
11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven (yeast infected dough) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
What Yeshua is saying is this: What a little bit of yeast does to dough, so the teachings of the rabbis/Pharisees/pastors/church do to the Written Law/Torah of Moses.
When people reject Yeshua the Messiah and choose instead to follow the rabbinic ways, they are choosing yeast infected dough. In the same way, Christians who decide to reject YHWHs commandments/Torah and continue to follow the church’s teaching that came from Catholicism, which came from Mithraism, they are choosing the same thing; yeast infected dough.
Galatians 2:18-19
18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the Law (Torah, Prophets, Writings) I died to the Law, so that I might live to Elohim.
There is never ever a case where the Written Divine Law is called Death. Anytime “the law” is associated with death, it is the man-made laws that are spoken of. The Written Divine Law is always associated with life.
So in Galatians 2:18-19 Paul is speaking of dying to the oral (man-made) law, which goes all the way back to the Garden (known also as the law of sin and death), and the lie of the serpent, the venom of which winds up thousands of years later in the mouths and minds of the religious authority (rabbis and Pharisees then later in the mouths and minds of the religious church leaders).
In the Garden of Eden, the serpent said: “Did Elohim REALLY say: ‘You will not of any tree of the garden?” Then the woman said:”…of the fruit of the tree which is in the center of the garden Elohim has said: ‘you will not eat of it nor touch it.” (Genesis 3:2-3)
According to scripture, YHWH did not say not to “touch it”, He just said not to eat of it. This was the first man-made law.
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
While the Truth will set you free, man-made laws will bind you.
John 8:42-47
42 Yeshua said to them (the religious leaders of His day), “If YHWH were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from YHWH, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
In Galatians 2:18-19, when Paul said: “so that I might live to Elohim”, Leviticus 18:4-5 comes to mind:
4 You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am YHWH your Elohim. 5 So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am YHWH.
Galatians Chapter 3
Things we will look at:
Some in the Galatian Community were submitting to Jerusalem’s Rabbinic Authority and their laws.
The Spirit (Ruach) of Massiah is given to all who obey the Torah
The curse of the law is defined according to Deuteronomy 27:26
The tutor or schoolmaster is a metaphor that describes man-made religion and not the written Torah of YHWH.
Galatians 3:6
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED ELOHIM, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
What does it mean that Abraham “believed”?
Genesis 15:5-6
5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He (YHWH) said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he trusted in YHWH; and He (YHWH) reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Faith and belief are the same concept.
Abraham had faith. Did he also have works?
Genesis 26:5
5 because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.”
Genesis 18:19
19 For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of YHWH by doing righteousness and justice, so that YHWH may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
James 2:22-26
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Galatians 3:10
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)
26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Rabbis: violating rabbinical law brings death.
YHWH: violating divine law brings a curse.
If you are worthy of death, you are still under a curse, because death and a curse are connected. Death is a result of the curse. If you don’t want to be under a curse, get into life. How? By obeying the written instructions (Torah) of YHWH.
It is the tree of life – Proverbs
It is your life in the land - Deuteronomy
Galatians 3:13
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”--
Deuteronomy 28:15 (Moses speaking to the entire congregation of all Israel in the wilderness)
15 “But it shall come about, if you do not obey YHWH your Elohim, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
Daniel 9:11
11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.
Yeshua freed us and redeemed us from the curse by His death and resurrection. Why would anyone go back under the curse when they have been freed from the curse? When you have been brought out of death (the curse) into life (Torah of Moses)?
The serpent has deceived the Christian church to go back into the curse (which according to scripture is NOT keeping YHWH’s commandments).
Why would anyone do that? Because they are blinded, as Paul talks about in Corinthians (among other places).
Isaiah 53:12
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Yeshua redeemed us from the curse found written in the Torah. NOT that the Torah itself is a curse (as Christianity teaches). If you say the Torah itself is a curse, then you are implying the Torah is death, but there is no support for that anywhere in scripture. In every single pace of scripture, the opposite is true; The Torah is life.
Galatians 3:23
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. The “law” being spoken of here is man-made law.
Remember: Faith with works in Torah = life
Faith without works in Torah = Death (faith without works is dead)
The Torah is not like a prison guard. Man-made religious law is.
Jeremiah 17:4 (to Judah)
4 And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance That I gave you; And I will make you serve your enemies In the land which you do not know; For you have kindled a fire in My anger Which will burn forever.
Even in the land of Israel, Jews are living in exile (as are most believers) because we wouldn’t keep Torah.
Ezekiel 20:23-25
23 Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands, 24 because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were on the idols of their fathers. 25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;
Because they would not keep YHWH’s statutes or ordinances that were good, He gave them (over to statutes) and ordinances that were not good.
Galatians 4:1-3
1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
Colossians 2:8
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Messiah.
Galatians 3:23
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. The “law” being spoken of here is man-made law.
Isaiah 56:1-2
1 Thus says YHWH, “Preserve justice and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed. 2 “How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
The Faith of All Israel:
1) Maintaining wholehearted trust in YHWH
2) Keeping His scriptural instructions
John 17:6
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Galatians 3:24
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor (or school master) to lead us to Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith.
The law here probably doesn’t refer to the Torah because the idea of the tutor. The Greek word translated here as “tutor” is “pedagogue” and defined from the Greek Lexicon as a "'boyleader,' the man, usu. a slave . . .whose duty it was to conduct the boy or youth . . . to and from school and to superintend his conduct gener.; he was not a 'teacher.' "a 'child- tender.'"
2 In English the word "pedagogue" refers to a teacher, but the Greek word does not have that meaning. Like the word "tutor," the rendering "schoolmaster" in the King James Version is also misleading. The παιδαγωγός "was distinguished from the didáskalos, for he gave no formal instruction but administered the directives of the father in a custodial manner—though of course indirectly he taught by the supervision he gave and the discipline he administered."3 It would seem reasonable, therefore, that a better translation for παιδαγωγός is "custodian," since the word "tutor" is too closely associated with the idea of formal teaching.
A pedagogue was comparable to a shepherd over sheep or to a pilot over a ship. "More importantly, the pedagogue was a moral guide and was to be obeyed. . . . so the pedagogue was supposed to assist
in the first pace toward virtue. A pedagogue could be called “an attendant”
Torah means teaching and instructions.
Psalm 94:12
12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O , YHWH whom You teach out of Your law;
By teaching you the Torah, it is correcting you. It is not acting as a custodian to superintend your conduct. That is not its purpose. The job of the Torah is to show you where you are going wrong so you will come back to it (going right).
The Torah of Moses is like a calibration or milestone marker. When you are off, it will tell you, so you can come back to it.
It makes sense the law described as a pedagogue (mistranslated as tutor or schoolmaster) is a confinement under man-made religious law.
Ezekiel 20:25
25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;
You didn’t want to keep My statutes and ordinances, so I will make you keep man-made statutes and ordinances that are much harder to keep, and burdensome (rabbinic/pharisaical laws).
Why would YHWH do that? To drive us to repentance (back to His Torah). It is supposed to drive you to the point where you say: “YHWH I am sorry, I want life, I don’t want death”. Then according to Deuteronomy 30 you wind up repenting, you take the offering for the atonement of your sins (Yeshua the Messiah), you return to the covenant and the contract. You sin no more. Like the woman caught in adultery in John Chapter 8: “Woman go and sin no more”.
So Galatians 3:24 could be read as:
Man-made religious law was then a probation officer for us, going toward the Torah that we, by faith, might be made righteous.
Jeremiah 7:23
23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’
Galatians 3:25
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Note: (tutor is plural in the Greek).
Faith as defined by scripture is “trust in YHWH and His Written Law”
Tutors here could be defined as Pharisaic Rabbinic “probation officers”.
It was these probation officers that came down from Jerusalem to check on Peter for the purpose of making sure he was following their rabbinic pharisaic laws.
Chapter 4
Things we will look at:
-The Servant Woman is Hagar
-The Freewoman is Sarah (Sarai)
-Hagar, Sinai and Jerusalem are all Symbols of Slavery and Bondage in Paul’s metaphore
-The Allegory of Hagar, Sinai and Jerusalem describes Torah Law Above Versus Man-made Law Below
-The Flesh Persecutes Those Who Walk in the Spirit and Keep Divine Contract Law From Above
One of the most (if not the most difficult) passages in Galatians to understand is Chapter 4 verses 22-23.
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh
Who is the servant woman in Paul’s mind?
Genesis 16:1-2
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, YHWH has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
This was a huge mistake and caused repercussions that we are still suffering from to this day, though it is a good thing it happened because it gives us a choice; we can choose between the flesh and the spirit.
Genesis 18:9-13 (abridged)
9 Then they (the angels) said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” …” 13 And YHWH said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ Is anything too difficult for YHWH?
Note: The Hebrew letters that spell the word translated as “difficult” are all related to the scriptures that talk about the miracles of YHWH, and specifically Yeshua the Messiah. (examples are Judges 13:18, Isaiah 9:6)
Abraham believed YHWH. This belief or trust in YHWH wasn’t the first time Abraham trusted YHWH.
Galatians 4:24
24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
Covenant 1 Freewoman – Above
Covenant 2 Slavewoman – Below
Deuteronomy 28:13 (from 1-14)
… 13 YHWH will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,…
Abraham, Sari, Hagar, Isaiac, Jacob, Sinai, will all have metaphoric meanings in Paul’s writings.
Based on Galatians chapter 1, when speaking of the Israelites, Paul is speaking of all twelve tribes of Israelites. (Ya’acov/James 1:1)
At the time Galatians was written, all twelve tribes, were in the region which included Galatia.
If you are a Christian, or Catholic, or taught in seminary or Bible school of any sort, you most likely were taught the covenant from Mt. Sinai was the Torah of Moses. Some will say the Ten Commandments, some will say everything but the Ten Commandments.
The question is; Did Mount Sinai give birth to bondage? To most people, this Galatians 4:24 seems to say that the law of Moses is likened to Hagar. To that of bondage. Since we are supposed to be “free in Christ”, it is taught we should never go back under its bondage.
The answer is YES, Mount Sinai did give birth to bondage. But the real question is; What Bondage?
Exodus 32:1
1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
They are saying in essence, “the golden calf will bring us into the promises and into the land”.
Exodus 32:5
5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it (the golden calf); and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to YHWH.” (whom they considered the golden calf to be).
In their minds, the golden calf was going to be the Name of YHWH, and it was going to lead them into the land and fulfill all the promises. They are transferring the authority of YHWH to the golden calf. (Exodus 32:4)
The golden calf represents the system of man-made laws and man-made traditions that will eventually make Israel a slave to itself which forces them to being in bondage to the nations.
In Exodus 20:3, most westernized bibles say something like:
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
In Hebrew this verse says something much different:
“There will not be to you other Elohim upon (on) My Face”
Do you see the difference? YHWH is actually saying “Do not worship other gods and claim they are Me” This is like making a pagan holiday that honors pagan gods into something that says it is honoring YHWH. Something like christmas or easter.
Yes Mount Sinai gave birth to the slavewoman, when at the base of the mountain, the people became the tail and not the head. You are only the head, when you keep the commandments and go to the top of the mountain. You ascend to the top of the mountain and take what comes from the divine voice above.
Religions today say: “As for this Moses, we don’t know what has become of him”. This is why all religions deny the Torah of Moses in its fullness.
Deut. 28:32&45, (from 28:15-68)
32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do.
45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey YHWH your Elohim by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.
If you want to be a part of Israel, part of one of the twelve tribes (remember there are only twelve gates to the New Jerusalem), then you are obligated to keep the commandments and statutes of YHWH.
Exodus 19:5-6
5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (also 2 Peter)
Freewoman Above – Keeping covenant
Slavewoman Below – Not keeping covenant
Back to Genesis 16:1-2
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, YHWH has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
The promise (in chapter 18) was that Sarai was going to bear a son. A son of the promise. Though Abraham was given a promise of descendants back in chapters 12, 15, 16 & 18 but chose instead to go along with Sarai and her plan of superceeding YHWH by not trusting Him and having the “promised son” through Hagar instead. This was just like the golden calf.
Note: The child (Ishmael) that Hagar gave birth to in this scheme of thwarting YHWH, is who are today known as Islam.
Galatians 4:25
25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
Sarai to Abram regarding Hagar: “Please go into my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.”
The people to Aaron at Sinai: “Come make us a god who will go before us, as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
In both of these cases there is a lack of trust in YHWH to fulfill His promises, so they are taking it upon themselves to fulfill those contractual promises that were made from the divine and Holy Name of YHWH.
In Paul’s writings, both of these are occurring in the metaphor of Mount Sinai.
Bondage: “All that they (the Rabbis) decree upon you (man-made laws), observe!”
Isaiah 29:13
13 Then YHWH said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote (some versions: “commandments of men”), (also Matthew 15:6-9)
The Flesh is what the rabbis put upon you
The Spirit is what YHWH gives you in order to keep the Torah
Common Denominator:
Yeshua to the Religious Leaders of His Day:
John 8:42-47 (abridged)
… 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him…
Today, people disregard the scriptures of the Older Testament and read the words of Paul ignorant of his mind set, his knowledge of rabbinic/pharisaic Judaism, the culture of his day etc. and ignore places in his writings where he seems to contradict himself, choosing to believe what they want. Other people see rabbinic Judaism as authentic and are sucked into its culture and traditions (another golden calf).
Galatians 4:26-27
26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
John 3:6-7 (Yeshua speaking)
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ Greek: “born from above”)
The mother above is the Torah
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
According to scripture, “the truth” is “the word” and “the word” is “the Torah”
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law (Torah) is truth.
So John is saying: “The Torah will make you free”.
Keeping YHWH’s commandments is also wisdom.
Deut. 4:6
Keep therefore and do [them (commandments/instructions)]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding…
Galatians 4:28-29
28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
Genesis 17:19
19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name [n]Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his [o]descendants after him.
The Spirit: Torah of Moses
The Flesh: Ecclesiastical Law, Humanistic Law, Rabbinic Oral Law
We are descendants of Isaac through Jacob, through the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
What is walking in the Spirit?
Ezekiel 36:27
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
John 16:13
13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
Revelation 12:17
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her [k]children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Chapter 5
Things we will look at:
The law of Moses is called Liberty. It is never referred to as subjugation (slavery).
There are two kinds of circumcision in the New Testament: Rabbinic and Biblical (scriptural)
To fall from grace means to go away from scriptural Mosiac Law.
Galatians 5:1
1 [a]It was for liberty that Yeshua set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
People say this is referring to the Mosiac Law/statutes/ordinances of YHWH. This is not possible. Why?
Liberty is defined by scripture as keeping the commandments of YHWH (the perfect law of liberty).
James 1:25
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but [z]an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in [aa]what he does.
This is after the death and resurrection of Yeshua
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
“the truth will make you free”
Psalm 119:151
151 You are near, YHWH, And all Your commandments are truth.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to Me, all [z]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is [aa]easy and My burden is light.”
We are to turn from the yolk of servitude (man-made laws) and go toward Messiah (who is the Word in the flesh).
It is Yeshua the Messiah who gave the commandments in the first place (Deut. 33:1-4, Acts 7:38).
“and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS”
Jeremiah 6:16
16 Thus says YHWH, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
“My yoke is [aa]easy and My burden is light”
Deut. 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it [q]out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, [r]that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
So what is the yolk of bondage?
Rabbinic law.
Actual quote from rabbinic law:
Sifrei Deuteronomy, Sec 154 [11] and Midrash Exodus, Sec. 47 [1]
“…even if they (the rabbis) tell you that right is left or left is right, you must listen to them”
Catholic Decree
The Second Vatican Council Lumen Gentium – 25
“We must obey the Pope’s ordinary teachings even if we don’t agree. We must follow the teachings that the pope presents to us o the given matter what ever that might be.”
These man-made laws are the bondage Paul and Yeshua were talking about.
Judaism is Catholicism for the Jews.
Christianity is Catholicism for the Protestants.
Written Torah is for all Israel.
…it is further necessary to acknowledge the authority of the Church and of her appointed rulers. Those who reject the jurisdiction established by Christ are no longer members of His Kingdom. – letter of Ignatius to Symrna.
Galatians 5:2
2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
What is going on here?
Acts 15:1
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Remember the rabbinic man-made category called “minhag”? The teaching of minhag = Custom in Israel is law (Torah). Translated into English this says “custom in Israel is Torah”.
Circumcision came from YHWH to Abraham, which was way before Moses. So what is this custom of Moses?
Acts 15:5
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
These Pharisees are supporting minhag here, which says “custom in Israel is law”, so the “law of Moses” they are referring to here is Pharisaical law, not the actual law (Torah) of Moses.
So in Acts 15:1, “custom of Moses” is “Authority off the Rabbis” and “Law of Moses” is “the halacha of the Rabbis”
According to rabbinic Judaism, if someone is not circumcised by them via their specific way, he is not circumcised at all.
Ephesians 2:11
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands--
“The Circumcision” is a group of rabbinical/pharisaical men.
The believers in Yeshua who were circumcised not according to rabbinic method did not want to get “re-circumcised”, so they were considered “uncircumcised” by the rabbinic authority. It is this group that is spoken about in Paul’s writings, since there is no Hebrew word for “re-circumcised” (or “re-circumcision”)
Galatians 5:4
4 Those of you who are in the law and who are seeking justification (from it) you have ceased to be from Mesisah, (and therefore) you have fallen from grace.
“in the law” = man-made rabbinic law
Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 2, 7 and 8. Those of you who are seeking right-standing in the face of YHWH, by keeping man-made laws (the laws of the rabbis), you have ceased to be form Messiah who taught the yolk was the written instructions because He was the Word made flesh. Therefore you have fallen from grace, and grace is defined by scripture as keeping the commandments of YHWH and the wisdom of the Torah.
Proverbs 4:1-9 (abridged)
1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may [a]gain understanding, 2 For I give you good teaching; Do not abandon my Law. …“Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! … “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Deuteronomy 4:6
6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
~~5..00:00
Who were the Galatians?
Galatians-A Torah Based Commentary in First-Century Hebraic Context
Avi Ben Mordechai- Millennium 7000 Communications - [This page contains my notes on his teaching]
Romans 6:14
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The common teaching in Christianity is that the law /Torah was done away with at the death of Jesus and replaced by grace. This is assuming that the law and grace are complete opposite things.
Galatians 3:13
13 Yeshua redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A [v]TREE”--
The teaching here, is that going (back) under the law causes you to be under a curse, so don’t do it anymore.
Galatians 5:18
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Paul seems to be saying if you are led by the Spirit, you don’t need the law. This understanding is dependent upon interpretation. This is assuming the Spirit and the law are not the same thing saying if you do the Mosiac law (Torah), you are not led by the Spirit.
Galatians 3:24-25
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Yeshua, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Here we are taught the tutor is the Mosiac law and since the law has been removed, it means since the tutor has been removed, the Mosiac law has been removed and we are now justified by faith. The teaching is don’t do the Mosiac law.
Compare:
Romans 3:20
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Here Paul seems to be saying we cannot be justified by doing the Mosiac law covenant
James 2:24
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
James appears to contradict what Paul is saying.
Note: Righteousness and justification are the same word in Hebrew.
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of [n]the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Yeshua Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith in Yeshua and not by the works of [o]the Law; since by the works of [p]the Law no [q]flesh will be justified.
Paul says man is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Yeshua.
Romans 2:13
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before YHWH, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
Paul again seems to contradict himself here as he says “the doers of the law are justified”.
Acts 13:39
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
It is only by believing in Yeshua that you are justified. The law of Moses cannot make you righteous.
This leads to Galatians 5:4
4 You have been severed from Yeshua, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Paul says “you who are seeking to be made righteous by law, seeking to be made justified by Torah… you have fallen from grace.
Deuteronomy 6:25 contradicts this:
25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the YHWH our Elohim, just as He commanded us.
Some people focus on the word “all”
There is no commandment that commands us to keep all commandments to perfection. This is because some commandments are for priests, some are for men, some for women, some are for all Israel etc. We are only to do what is applicapable to us.
The Basics
Going back to the basics for keeping of the commandments and covenant of YHWH given at Sinai.
The building Blocks
Luke 24:44-45
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their [p]minds to understand the Scriptures,
You cannot understand the scriptures without the Spirit of Yeshua Messiah guiding you.
Lets look at the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms:
The Law of Moses
Deut. 18:15-19
15 “ YHWH your Elohim will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your [j]countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you asked of YHWH your Elohim in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of YHWH my Elohim, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ 17 YHWH said to me, ‘They have [k]spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their [l]countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
Yeshua the Messiah was that prophet
If anyone will not listen to His (YHWH’s) words which the prophet (Yeshua the Messiah) shall speak in His (YHWH’s) name, YHWH will require it of him. He will become accountable to YHWH as to why he didn’t listen to the words of that prophet (Yeshua the Messiah).
John 7:14-19
Yeshua was sent with words from Moses and Mt. Sinai
John 7:40-41
40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is [j]the Messiah.” Still others were saying, “ Surely [k]the Messiah is not going to come from Galilee, is He?
(Remember: The Prophet=The Messiah Deut. 18:15-19)
The Multitude responds-The prophet, The Messiah
Some people say this passage is referring to a prophet kind (any prophet), but clearly it is referring to Yeshua the Messiah.
Yeshua said all the prophets spoke of Him and what He had to say.
Acts 3:19-22
19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of YHWH; 20 and that He may send Yeshua, the [i]Messiah appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the [j]period of restoration of all things about which YHWH spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘ YHWH will raise up for you a prophet [k]like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you.
The word “presence here could be the Hebrew word that means presence or “face of YHWH”. (Deut. 32:19-20 “I will hide My face from them)
In Hebrew, the words that mean faith and faithfulness are the same exact word.
Who determines which one is used? The translators do and many are biased.
You cannot have faithfulness without faith and you cannot have faith without faithfulness (faith without works is dead).
John 1:18
18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
The face is revealed in the face of Yeshua through His words and teachings.
Deut. 26:17
…and listen to His voice. According to this, we are to keep His Statutes (Chukim) (decrees from Heaven), Commandments (Mitzvot), and judgments/ordinances (Mishpatim). We are obligated to keep those that apply to us. His voice will teach these things (Deut. 26:17 …and listen to His voice.)
Luke 9:35
35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “ This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!”
…listen to Him. What are we obligated to hear? Remember He is the prophet of Moses according to John 7:40, Acts 3:19-22 etc.
He came with the law of Moses on His lips. Yeshua says My sheep hear My voice (John 10:27)
If we listen to His voice and keep His commandments, Yeshua says “I know them”. This is consistent with Matthew 7:21-23 …I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice iniquity/lawness/Torahlessness (no Torah).
John 5:46-47 …but if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?
To anyone who does not accept the writings of Moses, does not accept Yeshua and His teachings. Think about that.
The Prophets
Isaiah 42:1-4
1Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles* shall wait for his law (Torah).
*Interesting side note: The Hebrew letters that spell “coastlands” translated here in KJV as “isles” is the same word as “gentiles” and is spelled with the Hebrew letters that represent Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
This suggests the gentiles will be descendents of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
In Matthew 12:21 Yeshua quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and says in His name the Gentiles will hope
Revelation 19:13… and his name is called The Word of God (Elohim).
John 1:14 14And the Word (His Name) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 5:24
24Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
This is Hebrew poetry inferring if they reject the law, they reject the Name. If they reject the Name, they reject the law.
The first commandment (Exodus 20) says we are to obey and listen to and believe in the Name of YHWH. If you don’t keep Torah, you have despised/rejected the Word, you have despised/rejected the Name of YHWH.
If you believe in His Name, you will keep Torah.
Matthew 23:39
39For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of YHWH.
Judaism today doesn’t say YHWH, they say “hashem” which means “the name”. They have rejected the Name of YHWH. In rejecting His Name, they have rejected His law, His Word and His teachings. They also reject Yeshua by calling Him Yeshu. Yeshu is an acronym in today’s Hebrew tongue. It means “May his name and memory be blotted out.” They are blotting out Yeshua, they are blotting out His Name, and blotting out the name of YHWH, all in the same breath.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth (Mosiac Torah), that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie (The Torah is done away with): 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (no Torah, Deut. 6:24-25).
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
Jeremiah 11:6-8
6 And YHWH said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, [b]warning persistently, saying, “Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
This is a reference to the curses in Deut 7.
Hear and do. Hear and do.
Luke 8:20-21
20 And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
John 8:43
43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word (Name/law).
John 14:24
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
Ezekiel 36:27
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
John 15:26
26 “When the [h]Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 [i]and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
What is the Spirit of Truth?
Nehemiah 9:13
13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
So how is it possible for anyone who says “I am baptized in the Holy Spirit”, “I am walking in the Spirit”, yet not be keeping His Torah?
The Spirit will not lead you to break the Torah. It will guide you into keeping it.
The Writings
Psalm 119:172-176
172 Let my tongue sing of Your [bx]word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. 173 Let Your hand be [by]ready to help me, For I have chosen Your precepts. 174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight. 175 Let my soul live that it may praise You, And let Your ordinances help me. 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.
A lost sheep is one who has forgotten YHWH’s commandments.
Luke 19:10
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
This is confirmed by Matthew 15:24
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
John 10:27
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
This is consistent with Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [n]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’(Torahlessness)
Psalm 89:30-32
30 “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, 31 If they [u]violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with stripes.
John 12:48-49
48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak [s]on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
Deuteronomy 18:17-18
17 YHWH said to me, ‘They have [k]spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their [l]countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Torah of Yeshua
Matthew 5:17-19
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill (fill up to the full). 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not [h]the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [i]others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [j]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Deuteronomy 4:2
2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHWH your Eloheim which I command you.
Judaism adds to and Christianity takes away from.
Deut. 5:29
29 Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
Luke 16:17
17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one [o]stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
1 Chronicles 16:14-17
14 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. 15 Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, 16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac. 17 He also confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
Isaiah 40:8
8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Psalm 119:89-90
89 Forever, YHWH, Your word is settled (stands firm) in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands.
John 7:16
16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
Deuteronomy 18:17-18
17 The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Luke 11:27
27 While Yeshua was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” 28 But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe (do) it.” (hear and do)
Exodus 24:7
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that YHWH has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” (In Hebrew, “we will be obedient” is actually “we shall listen”) (hear and do)
You came out of Egypt (a metaphor for sin) and you are to coming into the commandments. You are to remember the commandments and the contract (covenant) 24/7. (This reminds us of Exodus 24:7!)
What is the contract/covenant? If you keep My commandments, I will be your Elohim (God), and you will be My people.
The Teachings of James (Ya’acov)
James 1:21-22
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (hear and do)
The word for obedience in Hebrew also means hear.
Exodus 24:7-8
7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient! (hear)” 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which YHWH has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Some people say “according to Jeremiah 31 the law has been written on our heart so we don’t need to do it”. This makes no sense. It is like saying: “it is on my heart to clean your house tomorrow”. When tomorrow comes, you say: “It was on my heart, but I am not going to do it”. What good is that?
1 Peter 1:14-16
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (Leviticus 11:44, 19:2-4, 20:7 and John 17)
Note: When Peter is referencing this verse, he is teaching on the dietary restrictions. (the ones that westernized Bibles said Yeshua did away with).
So you cannot say “pass me the pork”, or “make me a ham sandwich”, or “lets have crab and lobster tonight”…If we want to follow YHWH’s commandments, that is.
1 John 5-8
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God (Elohim) is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
The Torah is light
Proverbs 6:23
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
Psalm 119:105-106
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 106 I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
Yeshua said “I am the light of the wold”
Torah is truth
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
Nehemiah 9:13
13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
Psalm 119:151
151 You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth.
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
The Name is the Word and the Word is the Law and the Law is the Truth.
This bears repeating:
The Name is the Word and the Word is the Law and the Law is the Truth.
Conclusion:
Luke 24:27
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He (Yeshua) explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
What About Paul?
Teachings of Paul:
The Law of Moses is called “sound teaching” (1 Timothy 1:18-11)
The Laws of Moses as taught by Yeshua are “sound words” (1 Timothy 6:3)
The Law, Prophets and Writings are called “Wisdom” (2 Timothy 3:15, Deuteronomy 4:6)
The Law and Prophets are authoritative (Acts 24:14)
The words of the Prophets are “Scripture and Law” (Romans 16:26, 1 Corinthians 14:21)
The Law as Yeshua taught it was Paul’s way of life (1 Corinthians 4:17)
Pure, Holy and separate behavior in Messiah is defined strictly according to the Mosaic Law (2 Cor. 6:14- 7:1)
Judgment against a group of Corinthians was according to the Law of Moses (2 Cor. 13:1)
The Mosaic Law is an established and good teaching (Romans 3:31)
The Sabbath is to be observed even as Paul himself kept it (Acts 13:42, 17:2, 18:4)
The teachings of Yeshua, who taught the Law of Moses was to be observed as Paul observed it (1 Cor. 11:1)
The Structure of Jewish Law – (Necessary to understand Paul’s writings)
Galatians 1:14
14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
In Acts 22:3 Paul says:
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.
Ancestral traditions and Law of our fathers are the same thing.
Now look again at these scriptures:
Romans 3:20
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
“Works of the Law” is referring to the man-made rabbinic oral law.
James 2:24
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
“Justified by works” – This is speaking of the Law of Moses.
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
“Works of the Law” is speaking again of the man-made rabbinic oral law.
Romans 2:13
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
“The Law” here is speaking of the Torah of Moses (written law)
Acts 13:39
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed (justified) through the Law of Moses.
The question you have to ask is: Which law is he referring to? The law of Moses (Torah)? The law of sin and death? Civil law?, oral law?
In Paul’s day just as today there were two bodies of teaching that were called law (Torah).
The Oral Torah (called Sh’be’al peh) (man-made rabbinic laws such as Halahcot, Takanot and Ma’asim.
The Written Torah (Sh’bktav) (The Torah of Moses)
In the rabbinic mindset, they are meant to go together. Even though he believed in Yeshua, Paul still had a rabbinic mindset.
Paul uses mentions several types of law in Romans 7:22-24
22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Differing concepts are being used for the word “law”.
The same thing is true in other writings of Paul.
Oral Law
Acts 22:3 (Paul speaking)
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.
Oral Law Categories
Halahcot – Pharisiac/Rabbinic textual interpretations on the Written Torah. Mining out a rule or teaching (a drash) from the Torah. Context is irrelevant.
An example of Halacot is Leviticus 23:4
4 ‘These are the appointed times of YHWH, holy proclamations which you (all the people on Earth) shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.
The Rabbinic Halachot crosses out the irrelevant portions of this verse not according to the Written Torah, but rather to interpretation, and then they replace it with their own ideas.
So Leviticus 23:4 becomes:
4 ‘These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you (referring to the rabbis) shall proclaim.
Another example is Deuteronomy 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
The Rabbinic Halachot version of this verse would say:
It is not in heaven,
They remove what they want from scripture and leave only five words from a text that originally contained fifty two words.
Words of a famous Rabbi:
…”If a prophet testifies that the Holy One (YHWH), Blessed be He, told him that the law of a certain commandment is such and such or that the reasoning of a certain sage is correct, that prophet must be executed…as it is written, “it is not in heaven”. Thus God did not permit us to learn from the prophets, only from the Rabbis who are men of logic and reason.” -Rabbi Rambom
You can see why they killed Yeshua the Messiah. Because he was from Heaven. Do you see how sick these twistings and adding to and taking away from scripture is? If you speak in the Name of YHWH, in their minds, you must be executed. Prophecy is forbidden.
·Takanot – New enacted religious laws added to the Written Torah with the authority of the “Oral Torah”. Scripture is not consulted as a proof text for these laws. These are added to the
Written Torah with authority of the Oral Torah
Some Takanot include the following:
A law requiring a daily ritual washing of hands (Mark 7)
A law against carrying on Shabbat (John 5:8-10). This is why the Pharisees got angry at Yeshua when He healed a crippled man and told him to carry his matt home.
A law requiring fasting twice a week – Monday and Thursday (Luke 18)
A law that specific prayers are to be recited over certain kinds of foods (Matt 14:19)
A decree against handling and touching things prohibited for use on Shabbat and Holy days (Matt. 12:11)
Touching a Holy Book makes the hands unclean
A law prohibiting carrying a pen in your pocket on Shabbat for fear you might write something with it.
A law forbidding a Jew from using bread, wine, and/or oil of Gentiles. (Acts 10)
A law requiring one to pray only with fixed (structured) prayers, which includes using the rabbi’s formula, through the spiritual powers in the rabbis. When they say “as we are commanded” or “as we have been commanded”, they mean by the rabbis YHWH commanded these things, because they think they have authority on Earth given by YHWH to make laws.
Matthew 15:3
Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? ...And why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
In the Hebrew Matthew, the words translated as “tradition” is “takanot”.
An example of these kinds of laws being mentioned in scripture is in Colossians 2:20-21
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
There are literally hundreds of these ridiculous man-made burdensome laws still followed today. It was these kinds of laws Yeshua went out of His way to break.
·Ma’asim (means “works”)– Rabbinic precedents or “works” that lead to the establishing of new laws that are binding on all Israel, whether in the land or in exile.
A ma’asim is any action or deed of a Rabbior Sage (a precedent) that says to look to the Rabbis if you want to know a standard for “proper Jewish behavior.”
In the Talmud (man-made written laws), it says “Precedent is a Teacher”
In Matthew 23:2 it says:
(Yeshua)2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
In the Hebrew Matthew, this verse reads:
2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell, keep and do. And their takanot and ma’asim do not do; for they say and do not do.
In westernized versions as well as the Hebrew version of this verse, the entire meaning is changed by the smallest Hebrew letter; the yod. The yod changes the meaning from “he” to “they”. The meaning changes from do what “he” (Moses) says, to what “they” (the scribes and Pharisees) say to do. The chair of Moses is a principle of authority, but through this tiny change, the scribes and Pharisees using their made up oral law use the pretense to usurp that authority and give it to themselves.
Note: Actually the Hebrew Matthew is actually still corrupted with a lot of Greek in it, but compared to the rest of the New Testament scriptures that are mostly in Greek, the Hebrew appears to be more accurate.
Note: The “Seat of Moses” is referring to an actual artifact found that is believed to have resulted from Exodus 18:21-22
Some examples of ma’asim to the point of ridiculous:
A rule or work that allows a Jew to descend from a ship by a ramp built by a Gentile on Sabbat, though previously not allowed, is now allowed because a famous Rabbi did it, so now it is ok to the oral law.
A rule or work forbidding one to turn on a light on Shabbat because a famous Rabbi did not do it, so it must be what the oral law requires.
Winner of the most ridiculous:
In Jerusalem today, rabbinic Jews will use an elevator on Shabbat, but they will not press the buttons because it would be considered work.
Again, it was this sort of ridiculous burdensome laws Yeshua had to differientate from the Torah of Moses. When it says He fulfilled the law (Torah of Moses), “fulfill” in Hebrew, means to cut straight or show the proper way something is done.
Example of ma’asim mentioned in the Torah:
Psalm 28:4-5
4 Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite them according to the deeds (works) of their hands (ma’asim); Repay them their recompense. 5 Because they do not regard the works of YHWH Nor the deeds (works) of His hands (Exodus 32:16), He will tear them down and not build them up.
·Minhagim – Legalized traditions (local community customs) that become National Law by the sheer fact that the customs are practiced normatively. See “Minhag Israel Torah He” – “Custom in Israel is Torah Law”. In other words, customs become law because “everyone is doing it”.
An example of minhagim:
A law that say one may not walk even four cubits without his head covered or make a blessing even while seated without his head covered. This became a law because everyone followed it (hence the small round skull caps worn by orthodox Jews).
Acts 15:1
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.
Acts 15:5
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
Here the “Law of Moses” means the same thing as the “custom of Moses”. Neither is the Written law of Torah (the real Torah of Moses).
Arbitrary assessment (based on Rabbinic writings of laws and rules) of the Pharisaic (Rabbinic) Rules of Law and Authority
Rule #1 from the oral law: Even YHWH must obey the Rabbis (using Deuteronomy 17:11 out of context and Job 22:28 out of context)
Rule #2 from the oral law: It is ok of Judaism’s leaders to misrepresent or exaggerate as needed.
If a person heard a ruling and it seems to him tht the law is thus, he is permitted to say it in the name of a great person so that the people will accept it from him. -Magan Avraham. Orach Chayim 156b (canonical commentary on the 17 century Shutchan Aruch
In other words a lie is ok if it comes from a famous person.
Rule #3 from the oral law: Obeying the Rabbis is more important than obeying YHWH.
“Rava expounded: My son! Be careful concerning rabbinical decrees even more than the Torah. Because the Torah contains prohibitions, while the rabbinical decrees: Anyone who violates a rabbinical decree is worthy of death.” –Babylonian Talmud. Eruvin 21b
Rule #4 from the oral law: The Rabbis are always right even if they are wrong
“Even when they (the Rabbis) decide that left should be right or right left, when they are mistaken or misled in their judgment, they must be obeyed. –Rosh Hashanah 25b.
Rule #5 from the oral law: Legislating reforms in Torah is not a violation of the Torah
Rabbi Baruch Paz, Yeshivat Beit El (in Israel) in an article on “Adding, Uprooting, and Rabbinic Authority”:… it is permissible to legislate a violation of the Torah for this is not really a violation as such, but the preference of one Torah value over another. (Oral Torah over the Written Torah of Moses)
Rule #6 from the oral law: Rabbinic enactments are Torah
The sages hav imparted to their enactments the same force as that of Pentateuch laws (the Laws of Moses). –Ketubot 84a
Rule #7 from the oral law: Incline after the Majority
The Rabbis use Exodus 23:2 to justify their law…
2 You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice;
But they remove all the words except “turn aside after a multitude”. In other words, majority (of Rabbis) rules even if it is wrong and corrupt.
Rule #8 from the oral law: It is not in Heaven
Deuteronomy 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
…but they take all the words away except “It is not in heaven”
Rule #9 from the oral law: The S’yag or “Fence”
A fence is put up to protect the written Torah. The common people are kept away from the Written Torah. They say “we are the authority of the Written Torah leading you to it”, but that is a lie. They are leading people away from the Written Torah and to the oral torah because it contains their rules (a man-made system of religion). Matthew 23:13
Ephesians 2:14-15
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall (s’yag), 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
Paul here is not teaching about the Torah of Moses being done away with, he is talking about the man-made laws and regulations and the separation the rabbis tried put between people and the real Torah of Moses. The man-made laws and regulations are the dividing wall (fence) that was causing enmity. In the man-made oral law Mishnah Pirke Avot 1:1 it says “make a fence (s’yag) round the Torah. In the above scripture (Eph. 2:14) the Hebrew word translated as “dividing wall” is “s’yag”. This is how we know it is referring to the oral (mishnah) law.
One of the purposes of the oral law is to keep a separation between Jew and Gentile or as they view it, between Jew and non-Jew. This means anyone else, including Northern Tribes scattered among the nations.
Note: The “two into one man” is referring to the “Two House” teaching of Northern Tribes (House of Israel) and Southern Tribes (House of Judah) coming together and becoming one as prophesied elsewhere in the scriptures.
The Sanhedrin will reappear according to Revelation 12:17 and 14:12
Galatians
First things first
Paul’s learning DID NOT come from the Rabbis/Pharisees of Jerusalem. His learning came from Heaven.
Some phrases to understand:
The “Church” (assembly) was FIRST established as the congregation assembled at Mount Sinai in the Wilderness.
The “Will of Elohim” (“God”) is the teaching of the Torah or Law of Moses for all Israel. (Also applies to the “grafted in” from the nations)
“Grace” is another facet of the Torah (Law)
“Another Gospel” is any other religious teaching law of man
Confirming the Law of Moses (Torah) brings a blessing
Not confirming the Law of Moses (Torah) bring a curse.
The term “Judaism” is really a legal term of the rabbis.
Note: All scriptures used for this teaching on Galatians are from the Aramaic Parishita to avoid misunderstandings and mistranslations of the Greek.
Galatians 1:1
1 Paul, an apostle not from men and not appointed by men, but by Yeshua the Messiah and Elohim, the Father, who raised Him from the house of the dead.
Acts 9:15
15 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), “Go, for he (Paul) is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the nations (Gentiles) and kings both the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul was sent to “nations and Kings”.
John 3:34
34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; [i]for He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not [j]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God – This is the basis of prophets speaking in the Name and authority of YHWH. (Deut. 13:1-6, 18:19=20, Jeremiah 27:14-15 etc.)
Galatians 1:2
2 and all the brethren who are with me, in the congregations (“churches”) of Galatia:
Congregation – What is a congregation or a “church”?
According to Acts 7:38 which says:
38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.
This is referring to Moses (Deuteronomy 18:2-4, Exodus 24:12) and how he received “living oracles” to pass on to us. Living oracles = The Living Word = Torah (Proverbs 1:1-3)
1 Timothy 3:14-15 (Paul writing to Timothy)
14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of Elohim, which is the church of the living Elohim the pillar and support of the truth.
The “the pillar and support of the truth”
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.
1 Timothy is saying: “The church of the living Elohim” (YHWH) is the “the pillar and support of the truth” and according to Psalm 119:142, the truth is the Law (of Moses). So in other words, the “church is the pillar and support of the Law of Moses (Torah). Put another way, if a church is not a supporter of the Law of Moses (Torah) it is not the church of the Living Elohim (YHWH).
Galatians 1:2
2 and all the brethren who are with me, in the congregations (“churches”) of Galatia
Note: Many of the exiles were in Galatia (what is today; Central Turkey). Archeological evidence suggest the Celts of Third Century BC were called the Gals by the Romans. The term “Gal” in Hebrew would be the Hebrew word “galut” spelled with the letters: gimmel and lamed. These letters together are found in Jeremiah 28:4 where it says: …”and all the exiles of Judah”…
(Consider the Celtic People (“Celts” with a hard C) Gimmel (C) Lamed (L) Tav (T) compare sounds: CLT and GLT – Galut = exile.)
With all this considered, Paul was mostly speaking to Israelites in the region.
Galatians 1:5-6
5 As (according to) the will of Elohim our Father to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen. 6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
What is the “the will of Elohim” ?
John 6:38
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (YHWH speaking)
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
The Word is “sent”.
The “will of Elohim” is the Word that is “sent”.
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Revelation 19:13
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim.
The Word is the Torah.
Back to Galatians 1:5-6
The Messiah’s teaching is that of grace.
In Today’s Christian church teaching, grace and law are complete opposites. This is not scriptural.
Proverbs 4:1-9 (abridged)
… 9 “She (the wisdom of the divine commandments) will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Deuteronomy 4:5
5 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. 6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Isaiah 11:1-2
1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of YHWH will rest on Him (Yeshua), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of YHWH.
John 1:17
17 For the Law (Torah) was given through Moses; grace even the truth were realized through Yeshua.
If grace is truth and the truth is Torah, then grace is Torah not the opposite of it.
Back to Galatians 1:5-6
Now that we know grace is Torah, we need to look at the term “another gospel”.
Isaiah 29:13
13 Then YHWH said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by commandments of men.
Matthew 15:7-9
7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’”
When the divine commandments of grace are replaced by the commandments of men, it is called “another gospel”
Galatians 1:8-9
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Mark 12:28-31
28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE YHWH YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
These two commandments explain the entire structure of Torah.
Deuteronomy 27:26
26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Galatians 1:13-14
13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
ancestral traditions (traditions of men) and teaching of my Fathers (rabbinic fathers)
Acts 22:3
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel,(Famous Rabbi) strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
When Gamaliel and our Fathers are in the same sentence it is speaking of oral man-made law (oral Torah)
Summary
Paul’s (later) learning did not come from the Rabbis/Pharisees. It came from Heaven.
The “church” was FIRST established as the congregation assembled at Mount Sinai.
The will of Elohim is the teaching of the Law of Moses for all Israel.
“Grace” is another facet of the Law. “Another gospel” is any religious teaching or law of man
Confirming the Law of Moses brings a blessing. NOT confirming the Law of Moses brings a curse.
The term “Judaism” is a legal religion of the Rabbis.
Christianity would also be considered a legal religion of Catholicism.
Judaism and Christianity are both outgrowths of man-made religion.
What is The problem with Christianity?
Christianity is based on the religion of Constantine which was mithraism (sun god worship), and uses mistranslations to support non-scriptural doctrine.
We need to get back to the covenant we made with YHWH, which was keeping His Torah He gave to Moses to be given to us (the Torah of Moses).
Deuteronomy 29:14-15
14 “Now not with you alone am I making this covenant and this oath, 15 but both with those who stand here with us today in the presence of YHWH our Elohim and with those who are not with us here today (us).
Chapter 2
Things to consider in understanding this chapter:
Rabbis (Pharisees) came from Jerusalem to Antioch to watch the actions of Kefa (Peter).
The “Judeans” were behaving with deceit in the same fashion as Laban the Aramean treated Ya’acov (Jacob).
A “Jewish Nature” indwells all those who keep the divine commandments of YHWH.
“Works of the Law is a religious legal expression for rabbinic (Pharisaic) teachings and authority
Galatians 2:11-12
11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I admonished him to his face, for he was worthy of rebuke. 12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
This was according to Leviticus 19:17-18
17 ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you will most certainly rebuke (chasten) your people and not bear sin because of him. 18 You will not take revenge and you will not bear a grudge against the sons of your people, and you will love your neighbor as yourself; I am YHWH.
The Rabbis/Pharisees came down from Jerusalem (a long journey) to check on Peter and his ministry team to make sure he was doing things according to their laws. (Acts 15:5)
Acts 15:23-24
23 and they sent this letter by them, “The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,
Looking at the entire chapter of Acts 15 in context, there we some Rabbis/Pharisees who were from Jerusalem had an agenda; to promote Phariseesim (Rabbinnite doctrine) and its authority.
The believers in Yeshua, including James, Peter etc. had nothing to do with this Rabbinic leadership. Some people came along and said they had to obey the Pharisiac authority. Jerusalem has the final say so and final authority in this matter. The believers in Yeshua were saying “no they don’t”. Acts 15:23-24 is the culmination of this clash.
The letter to the congregation of believers in Yeshua Messiah was to tell them they had a certain amount of leeway in understanding of what to do and how to live out their lives in following the written Torah of Moses without getting dragged into confrontation with Rabbinic authority involving their oral law.
The letter is saying “we have heard the Rabbis without our permission went behind our back and told you things that we do not agree with” disturbing some of you and unsettling your souls.
There are Christians today doing the same thing; telling people who want to be obedient to YHWH: “Don’t go under the law and follow Torah because it is legalism” unsettling their souls.
Galatians 2:12
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they (the Pharisees and circumcision group actually called “the circumcision) came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
Peter knew about the rabbinic oral law that forbid Jews and Gentiles from coming together and having any kind of contact, but used to eat with the Gentiles because YHWH showed him in a vision the Gentiles were no longer to be considered unclean.
Acts 10:28
28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
Paul rebuked him to his face because he was showing he was more concerned with not offending the rabbinic authority than YHWH’s authority.
Note: This does not mean he was eating unclean foods, because contrary to Christian teaching and untruthful Bible footnotes, unclean foods were never made clean by YHWH.
Mark 7:6-9 (Yeshua speaking to the Pharisees and quoting Isaiah 29:13)
6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ 8 Neglecting the commandment of YHWH, you hold to the tradition of men.(takanot, ma’asim, minhagim)” 9 He was also saying to them, “You nicely set aside the commandment of Elohim in order to keep your tradition.
This is also true of Christianity and Catholicism. How so? There many ways, but none so obvious as ovservance of pagan holidays like christmas and easter instead of YHWH’s Holy Days like Passover and Sukkot.
What happens to Israel happens to the world (sort of like a ripple effect), so we have got to get away from these things. We also need to pray for the people of Israel that they would repent from following rabbinic man-made laws and authority and turn to the instructions (Torah of Moses) of YHWH only.
Galatians 2:14
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, in front of all their eyes:, “If you, who are Judeans, live as Armeans (deceptive – Deut.26:5, Genesis 25:20, 29:25) and not as Judeans, why do you urge the Gentiles who have joined themselves to Judah to live as Judeans”?
What does…“If you, who are Judeans” mean?
2 Samuel 7:23
23 And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom YHWH went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?
Deuteronomy 29:10
9 YHWH will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they will be afraid of you.
Deuteronomy 28:10
10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they will be afraid of you.
Revelation 19:13
13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of Elohim (God).
The Word is the Torah (the Law of Moses), and that is what is going to sanctify us and set us apart (make us Holy, because the word for “Holy” in Hebrew means “set apart”).
This matches Deuteronomy 4:6
6 So keep and do them (the commandments), for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Set Apart
Galatians 2:15
15 “For if we who have a Jewish nature ourselves, and not those who are from Gentile sinners…”
What is a Jewish nature?
Genesis 29:35
35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise YHWH.” Therefore she named him Judah…
So the term “Yehudah” (Judah) means “a praiser of Yah” or a “Yah praiser”. That is a Jewish nature.
Now we can understand John 4:22 more fully:
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from out of the Jews (the true praisers of YHWH).
Rabbinic Judaism doesn’t praise YHWH, they praise their rabbinic fathers. They are praisers of men.
John 5:43-44
43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory (praise) from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only Elohim (God)?
Zechariah 8:23
23 Thus says YHWH Tzvaot, ‘In those days ten men from all thelanguages (Ten lost tribes of Israel/Northern tribes) of the goyim will grab hold of the wing (garment) of a man, a Yehudi (Judean/one of a “Jewish nature”/praiser of YHWH), saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.”
Galatians 2:15
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
A Jewish nature with His Name dwelling in you: Deuteronomy 28:9-10
9 YHWH will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim and walk in His ways. 10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of YHWH, and they shall be in awe of you.
The difference between the Hebrew word YHWH and Yehudah (Judah) is the Hebrew letter “dallet” which means “door”. So Judah is the door to YHWH. Why Judah? What is Judah known for? Judah was commissioned by YHWH to be the keeper of His Commandments and Ordinances. Even though they have chosen to create their own man-made commandments and ordinances, they were originally commissioned by YHWH to be the keepers of His.
John 4:22 (Yeshua speaking to the woman at the well)
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
Salvation is praising His Name and keeping His commandments.
A Gentile sinner is based on:Ezekiel 36:20
20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, ‘These are the people of YHWH; yet they have come out of His land.’ (because He threw them out of His land for not keeping His commandments and praising other gods.) see also Romans 2:24)
Galatians 2:16
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Yeshua the Messiah, even we have believed in Yeshua the Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith in Messiah and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Remember: Justification and righteousness are the same term
The “works of the law” is speaking of man-made rabbinic/pharisaic laws (halachot, takanote, minhagim and ma’asim), NOT the Torah of Moses.
Christianity teaches this is saying the “works of the law” which they think is the Torah of Moses leads to a curse, not righteousness.
Proof this is not true comes from James 2:24 which says:
24 You see that a man is justified (made righteous) by works and not by faith alone.
Moses said the same thing in Deuteronomy 6:24-25
24 So YHWH commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear YHWH our Elohim for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before YHWH our Elohim, just as He commanded us.
No man-made religion (whether rabbinic law or church law/church dogma or tradition) will ever give you justification or right standing before YHWH. The only right standing you will have before YHWH is in keeping His commandments and believing in (and praising) His Name. Yeshua came in His name and taught us to believe in His Name and to keep His Torah. He also came to set straight the difference between His Torah and the man-made torah laws.
Matthew 16:11-12
11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven (yeast infected dough) of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
What Yeshua is saying is this: What a little bit of yeast does to dough, so the teachings of the rabbis/Pharisees/pastors/church do to the Written Law/Torah of Moses.
When people reject Yeshua the Messiah and choose instead to follow the rabbinic ways, they are choosing yeast infected dough. In the same way, Christians who decide to reject YHWHs commandments/Torah and continue to follow the church’s teaching that came from Catholicism, which came from Mithraism, they are choosing the same thing; yeast infected dough.
Galatians 2:18-19
18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the Law (Torah, Prophets, Writings) I died to the Law, so that I might live to Elohim.
There is never ever a case where the Written Divine Law is called Death. Anytime “the law” is associated with death, it is the man-made laws that are spoken of. The Written Divine Law is always associated with life.
So in Galatians 2:18-19 Paul is speaking of dying to the oral (man-made) law, which goes all the way back to the Garden (known also as the law of sin and death), and the lie of the serpent, the venom of which winds up thousands of years later in the mouths and minds of the religious authority (rabbis and Pharisees then later in the mouths and minds of the religious church leaders).
In the Garden of Eden, the serpent said: “Did Elohim REALLY say: ‘You will not of any tree of the garden?” Then the woman said:”…of the fruit of the tree which is in the center of the garden Elohim has said: ‘you will not eat of it nor touch it.” (Genesis 3:2-3)
According to scripture, YHWH did not say not to “touch it”, He just said not to eat of it. This was the first man-made law.
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
While the Truth will set you free, man-made laws will bind you.
John 8:42-47
42 Yeshua said to them (the religious leaders of His day), “If YHWH were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from YHWH, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
In Galatians 2:18-19, when Paul said: “so that I might live to Elohim”, Leviticus 18:4-5 comes to mind:
4 You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am YHWH your Elohim. 5 So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am YHWH.
Galatians Chapter 3
Things we will look at:
Some in the Galatian Community were submitting to Jerusalem’s Rabbinic Authority and their laws.
The Spirit (Ruach) of Massiah is given to all who obey the Torah
The curse of the law is defined according to Deuteronomy 27:26
The tutor or schoolmaster is a metaphor that describes man-made religion and not the written Torah of YHWH.
Galatians 3:6
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED ELOHIM, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
What does it mean that Abraham “believed”?
Genesis 15:5-6
5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He (YHWH) said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he trusted in YHWH; and He (YHWH) reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Faith and belief are the same concept.
Abraham had faith. Did he also have works?
Genesis 26:5
5 because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.”
Genesis 18:19
19 For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of YHWH by doing righteousness and justice, so that YHWH may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”
James 2:22-26
22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Galatians 3:10
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” (Deuteronomy 27:26)
26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Rabbis: violating rabbinical law brings death.
YHWH: violating divine law brings a curse.
If you are worthy of death, you are still under a curse, because death and a curse are connected. Death is a result of the curse. If you don’t want to be under a curse, get into life. How? By obeying the written instructions (Torah) of YHWH.
It is the tree of life – Proverbs
It is your life in the land - Deuteronomy
Galatians 3:13
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”--
Deuteronomy 28:15 (Moses speaking to the entire congregation of all Israel in the wilderness)
15 “But it shall come about, if you do not obey YHWH your Elohim, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
Daniel 9:11
11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.
Yeshua freed us and redeemed us from the curse by His death and resurrection. Why would anyone go back under the curse when they have been freed from the curse? When you have been brought out of death (the curse) into life (Torah of Moses)?
The serpent has deceived the Christian church to go back into the curse (which according to scripture is NOT keeping YHWH’s commandments).
Why would anyone do that? Because they are blinded, as Paul talks about in Corinthians (among other places).
Isaiah 53:12
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Yeshua redeemed us from the curse found written in the Torah. NOT that the Torah itself is a curse (as Christianity teaches). If you say the Torah itself is a curse, then you are implying the Torah is death, but there is no support for that anywhere in scripture. In every single pace of scripture, the opposite is true; The Torah is life.
Galatians 3:23
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. The “law” being spoken of here is man-made law.
Remember: Faith with works in Torah = life
Faith without works in Torah = Death (faith without works is dead)
The Torah is not like a prison guard. Man-made religious law is.
Jeremiah 17:4 (to Judah)
4 And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance That I gave you; And I will make you serve your enemies In the land which you do not know; For you have kindled a fire in My anger Which will burn forever.
Even in the land of Israel, Jews are living in exile (as are most believers) because we wouldn’t keep Torah.
Ezekiel 20:23-25
23 Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands, 24 because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were on the idols of their fathers. 25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;
Because they would not keep YHWH’s statutes or ordinances that were good, He gave them (over to statutes) and ordinances that were not good.
Galatians 4:1-3
1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
Colossians 2:8
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Messiah.
Galatians 3:23
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. The “law” being spoken of here is man-made law.
Isaiah 56:1-2
1 Thus says YHWH, “Preserve justice and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come
And My righteousness to be revealed. 2 “How blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who takes hold of it; Who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”
The Faith of All Israel:
1) Maintaining wholehearted trust in YHWH
2) Keeping His scriptural instructions
John 17:6
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
Galatians 3:24
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor (or school master) to lead us to Messiah, so that we may be justified by faith.
The law here probably doesn’t refer to the Torah because the idea of the tutor. The Greek word translated here as “tutor” is “pedagogue” and defined from the Greek Lexicon as a "'boyleader,' the man, usu. a slave . . .whose duty it was to conduct the boy or youth . . . to and from school and to superintend his conduct gener.; he was not a 'teacher.' "a 'child- tender.'"
2 In English the word "pedagogue" refers to a teacher, but the Greek word does not have that meaning. Like the word "tutor," the rendering "schoolmaster" in the King James Version is also misleading. The παιδαγωγός "was distinguished from the didáskalos, for he gave no formal instruction but administered the directives of the father in a custodial manner—though of course indirectly he taught by the supervision he gave and the discipline he administered."3 It would seem reasonable, therefore, that a better translation for παιδαγωγός is "custodian," since the word "tutor" is too closely associated with the idea of formal teaching.
A pedagogue was comparable to a shepherd over sheep or to a pilot over a ship. "More importantly, the pedagogue was a moral guide and was to be obeyed. . . . so the pedagogue was supposed to assist
in the first pace toward virtue. A pedagogue could be called “an attendant”
Torah means teaching and instructions.
Psalm 94:12
12 Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O , YHWH whom You teach out of Your law;
By teaching you the Torah, it is correcting you. It is not acting as a custodian to superintend your conduct. That is not its purpose. The job of the Torah is to show you where you are going wrong so you will come back to it (going right).
The Torah of Moses is like a calibration or milestone marker. When you are off, it will tell you, so you can come back to it.
It makes sense the law described as a pedagogue (mistranslated as tutor or schoolmaster) is a confinement under man-made religious law.
Ezekiel 20:25
25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;
You didn’t want to keep My statutes and ordinances, so I will make you keep man-made statutes and ordinances that are much harder to keep, and burdensome (rabbinic/pharisaical laws).
Why would YHWH do that? To drive us to repentance (back to His Torah). It is supposed to drive you to the point where you say: “YHWH I am sorry, I want life, I don’t want death”. Then according to Deuteronomy 30 you wind up repenting, you take the offering for the atonement of your sins (Yeshua the Messiah), you return to the covenant and the contract. You sin no more. Like the woman caught in adultery in John Chapter 8: “Woman go and sin no more”.
So Galatians 3:24 could be read as:
Man-made religious law was then a probation officer for us, going toward the Torah that we, by faith, might be made righteous.
Jeremiah 7:23
23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’
Galatians 3:25
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Note: (tutor is plural in the Greek).
Faith as defined by scripture is “trust in YHWH and His Written Law”
Tutors here could be defined as Pharisaic Rabbinic “probation officers”.
It was these probation officers that came down from Jerusalem to check on Peter for the purpose of making sure he was following their rabbinic pharisaic laws.
Chapter 4
Things we will look at:
-The Servant Woman is Hagar
-The Freewoman is Sarah (Sarai)
-Hagar, Sinai and Jerusalem are all Symbols of Slavery and Bondage in Paul’s metaphore
-The Allegory of Hagar, Sinai and Jerusalem describes Torah Law Above Versus Man-made Law Below
-The Flesh Persecutes Those Who Walk in the Spirit and Keep Divine Contract Law From Above
One of the most (if not the most difficult) passages in Galatians to understand is Chapter 4 verses 22-23.
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh
Who is the servant woman in Paul’s mind?
Genesis 16:1-2
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, YHWH has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
This was a huge mistake and caused repercussions that we are still suffering from to this day, though it is a good thing it happened because it gives us a choice; we can choose between the flesh and the spirit.
Genesis 18:9-13 (abridged)
9 Then they (the angels) said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” …” 13 And YHWH said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ Is anything too difficult for YHWH?
Note: The Hebrew letters that spell the word translated as “difficult” are all related to the scriptures that talk about the miracles of YHWH, and specifically Yeshua the Messiah. (examples are Judges 13:18, Isaiah 9:6)
Abraham believed YHWH. This belief or trust in YHWH wasn’t the first time Abraham trusted YHWH.
Galatians 4:24
24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
Covenant 1 Freewoman – Above
Covenant 2 Slavewoman – Below
Deuteronomy 28:13 (from 1-14)
… 13 YHWH will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of YHWH your Elohim, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,…
Abraham, Sari, Hagar, Isaiac, Jacob, Sinai, will all have metaphoric meanings in Paul’s writings.
Based on Galatians chapter 1, when speaking of the Israelites, Paul is speaking of all twelve tribes of Israelites. (Ya’acov/James 1:1)
At the time Galatians was written, all twelve tribes, were in the region which included Galatia.
If you are a Christian, or Catholic, or taught in seminary or Bible school of any sort, you most likely were taught the covenant from Mt. Sinai was the Torah of Moses. Some will say the Ten Commandments, some will say everything but the Ten Commandments.
The question is; Did Mount Sinai give birth to bondage? To most people, this Galatians 4:24 seems to say that the law of Moses is likened to Hagar. To that of bondage. Since we are supposed to be “free in Christ”, it is taught we should never go back under its bondage.
The answer is YES, Mount Sinai did give birth to bondage. But the real question is; What Bondage?
Exodus 32:1
1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
They are saying in essence, “the golden calf will bring us into the promises and into the land”.
Exodus 32:5
5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it (the golden calf); and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to YHWH.” (whom they considered the golden calf to be).
In their minds, the golden calf was going to be the Name of YHWH, and it was going to lead them into the land and fulfill all the promises. They are transferring the authority of YHWH to the golden calf. (Exodus 32:4)
The golden calf represents the system of man-made laws and man-made traditions that will eventually make Israel a slave to itself which forces them to being in bondage to the nations.
In Exodus 20:3, most westernized bibles say something like:
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
In Hebrew this verse says something much different:
“There will not be to you other Elohim upon (on) My Face”
Do you see the difference? YHWH is actually saying “Do not worship other gods and claim they are Me” This is like making a pagan holiday that honors pagan gods into something that says it is honoring YHWH. Something like christmas or easter.
Yes Mount Sinai gave birth to the slavewoman, when at the base of the mountain, the people became the tail and not the head. You are only the head, when you keep the commandments and go to the top of the mountain. You ascend to the top of the mountain and take what comes from the divine voice above.
Religions today say: “As for this Moses, we don’t know what has become of him”. This is why all religions deny the Torah of Moses in its fullness.
Deut. 28:32&45, (from 28:15-68)
32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do.
45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey YHWH your Elohim by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.
If you want to be a part of Israel, part of one of the twelve tribes (remember there are only twelve gates to the New Jerusalem), then you are obligated to keep the commandments and statutes of YHWH.
Exodus 19:5-6
5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (also 2 Peter)
Freewoman Above – Keeping covenant
Slavewoman Below – Not keeping covenant
Back to Genesis 16:1-2
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, YHWH has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
The promise (in chapter 18) was that Sarai was going to bear a son. A son of the promise. Though Abraham was given a promise of descendants back in chapters 12, 15, 16 & 18 but chose instead to go along with Sarai and her plan of superceeding YHWH by not trusting Him and having the “promised son” through Hagar instead. This was just like the golden calf.
Note: The child (Ishmael) that Hagar gave birth to in this scheme of thwarting YHWH, is who are today known as Islam.
Galatians 4:25
25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
Sarai to Abram regarding Hagar: “Please go into my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children through her.”
The people to Aaron at Sinai: “Come make us a god who will go before us, as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
In both of these cases there is a lack of trust in YHWH to fulfill His promises, so they are taking it upon themselves to fulfill those contractual promises that were made from the divine and Holy Name of YHWH.
In Paul’s writings, both of these are occurring in the metaphor of Mount Sinai.
Bondage: “All that they (the Rabbis) decree upon you (man-made laws), observe!”
Isaiah 29:13
13 Then YHWH said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote (some versions: “commandments of men”), (also Matthew 15:6-9)
The Flesh is what the rabbis put upon you
The Spirit is what YHWH gives you in order to keep the Torah
Common Denominator:
Yeshua to the Religious Leaders of His Day:
John 8:42-47 (abridged)
… 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him…
Today, people disregard the scriptures of the Older Testament and read the words of Paul ignorant of his mind set, his knowledge of rabbinic/pharisaic Judaism, the culture of his day etc. and ignore places in his writings where he seems to contradict himself, choosing to believe what they want. Other people see rabbinic Judaism as authentic and are sucked into its culture and traditions (another golden calf).
Galatians 4:26-27
26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
John 3:6-7 (Yeshua speaking)
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ Greek: “born from above”)
The mother above is the Torah
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
According to scripture, “the truth” is “the word” and “the word” is “the Torah”
Psalm 119:142
142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law (Torah) is truth.
So John is saying: “The Torah will make you free”.
Keeping YHWH’s commandments is also wisdom.
Deut. 4:6
Keep therefore and do [them (commandments/instructions)]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding…
Galatians 4:28-29
28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
Genesis 17:19
19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name [n]Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his [o]descendants after him.
The Spirit: Torah of Moses
The Flesh: Ecclesiastical Law, Humanistic Law, Rabbinic Oral Law
We are descendants of Isaac through Jacob, through the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
What is walking in the Spirit?
Ezekiel 36:27
27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
John 16:13
13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
Revelation 12:17
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her [k]children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Chapter 5
Things we will look at:
The law of Moses is called Liberty. It is never referred to as subjugation (slavery).
There are two kinds of circumcision in the New Testament: Rabbinic and Biblical (scriptural)
To fall from grace means to go away from scriptural Mosiac Law.
Galatians 5:1
1 [a]It was for liberty that Yeshua set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
People say this is referring to the Mosiac Law/statutes/ordinances of YHWH. This is not possible. Why?
Liberty is defined by scripture as keeping the commandments of YHWH (the perfect law of liberty).
James 1:25
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but [z]an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in [aa]what he does.
This is after the death and resurrection of Yeshua
John 8:31-32
31 So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
“the truth will make you free”
Psalm 119:151
151 You are near, YHWH, And all Your commandments are truth.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to Me, all [z]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is [aa]easy and My burden is light.”
We are to turn from the yolk of servitude (man-made laws) and go toward Messiah (who is the Word in the flesh).
It is Yeshua the Messiah who gave the commandments in the first place (Deut. 33:1-4, Acts 7:38).
“and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS”
Jeremiah 6:16
16 Thus says YHWH, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
“My yoke is [aa]easy and My burden is light”
Deut. 30:11-12
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it [q]out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, [r]that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
So what is the yolk of bondage?
Rabbinic law.
Actual quote from rabbinic law:
Sifrei Deuteronomy, Sec 154 [11] and Midrash Exodus, Sec. 47 [1]
“…even if they (the rabbis) tell you that right is left or left is right, you must listen to them”
Catholic Decree
The Second Vatican Council Lumen Gentium – 25
“We must obey the Pope’s ordinary teachings even if we don’t agree. We must follow the teachings that the pope presents to us o the given matter what ever that might be.”
These man-made laws are the bondage Paul and Yeshua were talking about.
Judaism is Catholicism for the Jews.
Christianity is Catholicism for the Protestants.
Written Torah is for all Israel.
…it is further necessary to acknowledge the authority of the Church and of her appointed rulers. Those who reject the jurisdiction established by Christ are no longer members of His Kingdom. – letter of Ignatius to Symrna.
Galatians 5:2
2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
What is going on here?
Acts 15:1
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Remember the rabbinic man-made category called “minhag”? The teaching of minhag = Custom in Israel is law (Torah). Translated into English this says “custom in Israel is Torah”.
Circumcision came from YHWH to Abraham, which was way before Moses. So what is this custom of Moses?
Acts 15:5
5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
These Pharisees are supporting minhag here, which says “custom in Israel is law”, so the “law of Moses” they are referring to here is Pharisaical law, not the actual law (Torah) of Moses.
So in Acts 15:1, “custom of Moses” is “Authority off the Rabbis” and “Law of Moses” is “the halacha of the Rabbis”
According to rabbinic Judaism, if someone is not circumcised by them via their specific way, he is not circumcised at all.
Ephesians 2:11
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands--
“The Circumcision” is a group of rabbinical/pharisaical men.
The believers in Yeshua who were circumcised not according to rabbinic method did not want to get “re-circumcised”, so they were considered “uncircumcised” by the rabbinic authority. It is this group that is spoken about in Paul’s writings, since there is no Hebrew word for “re-circumcised” (or “re-circumcision”)
Galatians 5:4
4 Those of you who are in the law and who are seeking justification (from it) you have ceased to be from Mesisah, (and therefore) you have fallen from grace.
“in the law” = man-made rabbinic law
Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 2, 7 and 8. Those of you who are seeking right-standing in the face of YHWH, by keeping man-made laws (the laws of the rabbis), you have ceased to be form Messiah who taught the yolk was the written instructions because He was the Word made flesh. Therefore you have fallen from grace, and grace is defined by scripture as keeping the commandments of YHWH and the wisdom of the Torah.
Proverbs 4:1-9 (abridged)
1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may [a]gain understanding, 2 For I give you good teaching; Do not abandon my Law. …“Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; 5 Acquire wisdom! … “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Deuteronomy 4:6
6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
~~5..00:00
Who were the Galatians?