|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:30 am
 |
|
|
 |
SATURDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2017
You may have never thought about it before, but if you have ever read the biblical Gospels, they're actually quite embarrassing. Not that the gospel itself is embarrassing, but that the four biographies of Jesus' life (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) are embarrassing. But while that might sound a little controversial to the Christian ear, it's actually not. The fact that the four biblical Gospels are embarrassing, that is, their content would have made the early church a little uncomfortable, actually testifies to their reliability and authenticity.
Read more: link
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 3:00 pm
|
|
|
|
edited: to alter BBcode, and clarify wording.
For the most part, everything was sound.
But the "Shepherds and Women" section of this blogpost, although correct in general, could mislead because it fails to identify, specifically, what God did ("God was turning the world upside down"—yes, but in what way?). Jesus brought them back to the narrow path that offers rest for our souls, as it is read from Moses' seat (ergo why shepherds were not looked down upon in the Old Testament, prior to the "New Testament Period", as Huff acknowledged, but he didn't explain why, nor identified what was the problem that later happened—the Pharisees were the problem. In their hyper-paranoia of violating the Covenant and being exiled again, they had added self-imposed traditions and doctrine/interpretations that would override the full details of the Law of Moses).
What Huff highlighted were the Pharisee's self-imposed traditions (their self-imposed way of doing from generation to generation) and unstable way of interpreting the Law of Moses, while never drawing a distinction between that and what is actually obedient to the Commands of YHWH in their full detail (the way our Heavenly Father says we are to do from generation to generation)—which is an important distinction to make; otherwise, people think that the Law of the Most High, as it is read from Moses' seat, was the problem, when it is not.
Witnesses
Nothing in the Law of YHWH (the written Torah, what's read from Moses' seat) prohibits women from being witnesses/giving testimony. They admit such a prohibition is derived at merely by their rules of interpretation and that it is Talmudic.
(1) Women
By the method of gezerah shavah (see *Interpretation ), it is derived from Scripture that only men can be competent witnesses. Maimonides gives as the reason for the disqualification of women the fact that the bible uses the masculine form when speaking of witnesses (Sif. Deut. 190; Shev. 30a; Sh. Ar., ḤM 35:14; Yad, Edut 9:2), but Joseph Caro questioned the validity of this derivation in view of the fact that "the whole Torah always uses the masculine form" (Kesef Mishneh to Yad, Edut 9:2). Another reason was suggested in the Talmud: that the place of a woman was in her home and not in court (Shev. 30a; cf. Git. 46a), as the honor of the king's daughter was within the house (Ps. 45:14. It is perhaps noteworthy that the Tur (ḤM 35) omits women from the list of incompetent witnesses). Women are admitted as competent witnesses in matters within their particular knowledge, for example, on customs or events in places frequented only by women (Rema ḤM 35:14; Darkhei Moshe ḤM 35, n. 3; Beit Yosef, ibid., n. 15; Terumat ha-Deshen Resp. no. 353); in matters of their own and other women's purity (Ket. 72a; Ket 2:6); for purposes of identification, especially of other women (Yev. 39b); or in matters outside the realm of strict law (BK 114b). In post-talmudic times, the evidence of women was often admitted where there were no other witnesses available (cf. e.g., Resp. Maharam of Rothenburg, ed. Prague, no. 920; Resp. Maharik no. 179), or in matters not considered important enough to bother male witnesses (Resp. Maharik no. 190; Sefer Kol Bo no. 116). In Israel, the disqualification of women as witnesses was abolished by the Equality of Women's Rights Act, 5711 – 1951.
source: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/witness
Whereas the Commandments of YHWH, as they are read from Moses' seat, puts no such qualifications on the witnesses, except that they be speaking the truth (otherwise the "witness" gets the punishment instead—for being a false witness). Nothing in the Commandment limits witnesses to being only men, while banning women.
Deuteronomy 19:15-20 (NIV)
15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.
That's all.
The Pharisees over-limited the Commands. It took them a couple of thousands years after Jesus (give or take half a century), 1951 a.d. / CE, but at least Israel, as a state, is back to honoring the pure truth of the written Torah in that area of life.
Shepherds
Unclean?
First of all, once you pay attention to the details of YHWH's Law, the shepherds—and anyone else for that matter—were not unclean for merely being around animals (what makes anyone, shepherd or otherwise, unclean concerning animals is directly touching their decomposing flesh [carcass], not their hide, but their decomposing flesh, when the animal dies of itself or is ravaged by wild animals—even if the decomposing flesh is of a clean animal i.e. Leviticus 11:24-25, 39-40, 17:5),
Leviticus 11:24-25 (NIV)
24 “‘You will make yourselves unclean by these; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
Leviticus 11:39-40 (NIV)
39 “‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. 40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.
Leviticus 17:15 (NIV)
15 “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then they will be clean.
The body releases putrescine and cadaverine when it dies; and those compounds can be toxic.
Quote: Putrescine, or tetramethylenediamine, is a foul-smelling[1] organic chemical compound NH2(CH2)4NH2 (1,4-diaminobutane or butanediamine) that is related to cadaverine; both are produced by the breakdown of amino acids in living and dead organisms and both are toxic in large doses.[2][3] The two compounds are largely responsible for the foul odor of putrefying flesh, but also contribute to the odor of such processes as bad breath and bacterial vaginosis.[4] They are also found in semen and some microalgae, together with related molecules like spermine and spermidine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putrescine
Quote: Biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, putres-cine, cadaverine, agmatine, spermidine and spermine) are nitrogenous compounds. They occur naturally in living organisms and are involved in many biological processes. Nonetheless, high amounts in food may be hazardous to human health. The diamines putrescine and cadaverine in food can potentiate the effects of simultaneously ingested histamine. In protein-rich foods, high concentrations of these diamines are indicative for hygienic deficiencies in the food chain. Even though being formed endogenously and being essential for some physiological metabolic pathways, both diamines are known as precursors for car-cinogenic nitrosamines. Putrescine also plays a certain role in tumour growth. [...]
https://www.researchgate.net (shortened url, click for full link)
Quote: HUMAN EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: It is a foul-smelling diamine formed by bacterial decarboxylation of lysine. It is poisonous and irritating to the skin. Harmful if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. It can cause burns and is very destructive of mucous membranes. Occupational exposure to cadaverine may occur through inhalation and dermal contact with this compound at workplaces where it is produced or used. Monitoring data indicate that the general population may be exposed to cadaverine by ingestion of certain meats.
https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7866
The truth of YHWH's Commandments stands—this isn't about "close proximity to animals", but putrefying flesh and the compounds they release.
Breaking the Sabbath?
Secondly, the shepherds were not breaking YHWH's Law by guarding their sheep on the day of the Sabbath (like a pastor in the early church guarding his flocks [a.k.a. the church; we are the flock i.e. Psalm 100:3] keeping the flock from false doctrine and keeping the flock in the truth [safety], on the day of the Sabbath i.e. Acts 13:14-16, like Paul arguing for three weeks straight on the day of the Sabbath to submit people's minds to the truth i.e. Acts 17:2. The Sabbath Commands literally call for the rest and alleviation of your animals; that includes protecting them from danger (wolves, thieves, killers). In the same spirit that shepherds maintain guard over the sheep on the day of the Sabbath, the Levites were NOT off duty on the day of the Sabbath either when "body guarding" the King and the temple; some would be assigned a shift on the day of the Sabbath, and in times of emergency NONE of them were off on the day of the Sabbath (i.e. 2 Chronicles 23:4-8).
The above verses quoted out:
Psalm 100:3 (NIV)
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 100:3 Or and not we ourselves
Acts 13:14-16 (NIV)
14 From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!
Acts 17:2 (NIV)
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
2 Chronicles 23:4-8 (NIV)
4 Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors, 5 a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the others are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the Lord. 6 No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe the Lord’s command not to enter.[a] 7 The Levites are to station themselves around the king, each with weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
8 The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions.
Footnotes:
a. 2 Chronicles 23:6 Or are to stand guard where the Lord has assigned them
Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Putting your sheep out to pasture (thus, they are freely eating from the grass and drinking from a stream—food that God already provided) and watching over them in case some predator comes and attacks, is not the same as tying a yoke to two oxen and forcing them to till the earth for you.
Likewise, you will fetch an animal out of a ditch to protect their life even if they fall on the road during the Sabbath. You will return a lost animal back to their owner, thus alleviating their conscience and protecting the animal at the same time. Jesus was not making up new Commands when He spoke about saving a fallen animal on the Sabbath, but quoting from already-existing Commands in the Law of Moses and saying that it was obedient to keep the Command on the Sabbath. Rest can be achieved, to one's (or another's) body and mind, by either passive or active means; passive [sit, back and relax, allow them to rest] or active [you doing an action that brings about their alleviation from a pain, harm, or affliction]. Not a single detail can be ignored.
Matthew 12:11-12 (NIV)
11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Deuteronomy 22:1-4 (NIV)
22 If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. 2 If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back. 3 Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it. 4 If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.
Saving lives (physically and/or spiritually) is not the type of work being prohibited on the Sabbath. Never was prohibited. Worldly, labor-intensive, to-earn-a-living type of work stops on the Sabbath, not care and protection. Physically- and spiritually-alleviating actions to guard another person's well-being continues. You may use your sheep to earn a living the rest of the week, but on the Sabbath you're purely caring and protecting them from danger. Again, care and protection continues, whereas economic/earn-a-living pursuits stop. That's one of the main reasons why the Sabbath even exists in the first place: to prevent greed and oppression/over-working (as they suffered in Egypt)—aside from commemorating YHWH's creation in the beginning, and trusting in Him to provide; thus no need to overexert self and others, but rest when He says to, in trust and dependence on Him and His providence.
Deuteronomy 5:13-15 (NIV)
13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 16:4-5 (NIV)
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”
Exodus 16:15-30 (NIV)
15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a] for each person you have in your tent.’”
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Footnotes:
a. Exodus 16:16 That is, possibly about 3 pounds or about 1.4 kilograms; also in verses 18, 32, 33 and 36
b. Exodus 16:22 That is, possibly about 6 pounds or about 2.8 kilograms
c. Exodus 16:28 The Hebrew is plural.
So, as already established, economic pursuits stop, but care and protection does not—and one more element, already described but not explicitly stated: spiritual matters also do not stop, in fact they intensify. Thus why we find YHWH commanding the Levitical priests to sacrifice double the sacrifices specifically on the Sabbath when everyone else is resting (this is labor intensive cutting and lifting, for good, spiritual purposes—not economic, nor mundane motives—i.e. Numbers 28:9-10, in contrast to both the economic, and mundane/profane/common lifting happening here in Jeremiah 17:21-23 and Nehemiah 13:15-22); similarly, that is why the Levites could bake the bread and cook the sacrifices on the Sabbath (food offered to YHWH and to His priests i.e. 2 Chronicles 13:11; Leviticus 24:8-10), but the common people could not do the everyday, mundane cooking, but had to prepare double the food on the day before the Sabbath [Exodus 16:23, 26;35:3]).
Double the spiritual work on the day of the weekly Sabbath:
Numbers 28:9-10 (NIV)
9 “‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Footnotes:
a. Numbers 28:9 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verses 12, 20 and 28
Cutting up animals, and draining their blood, requires muscle and heavy lifting. That labour, for the good of the people, was increased on the Sabbath, "in addition to the regular".
In contrast, the profane/common lifting had to stop:
Jeremiah 17:21-25 (NIV)
21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. 24 But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, 25 then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.
Note: as we know, they didn't keep any of YHWH's Sabbaths holy, so that last part (the blessing) didn't happen; they were exiled to Babylon for 70 years [i.e. Jeremiah 25:11; 2 Chronicles 36:2], thus the following example from the generation that came back from the exile, lesson-learned (and more examples of profane/common lifting)...
Nehemiah 13:15-22 (NIV)
15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
Holy cooking by the priests on the day of the Sabbath allowed...
2 Chronicles 13:11 (NIV)
11 Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him.
Leviticus 24:8-9 (NIV)
8 This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. 9 It belongs to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in the sanctuary area, because it is a most holy part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”
Profane cooking on the Sabbath prohibited...
Exodus 16:23, 26 (NIV)
23 He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” [...] 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
Exodus 35:3 (NIV)
3 Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”
Holy lifting for the sake of the people (spiritual works) to alleviate them of pain and affliction vs. profane/common lifting in economic pursuits (or other profane activity). Cooking sacrifices and bread in the temple (thus representing the prayers and intercessions of the priests for the people, plus the bread in God's presence, that God provides for the people [cooked by the priests], to be placed there on the Sabbath, demonstrating that we have communion with God, and the priests teach the living bread, every word that comes out of the mouth of God, holy cooking) vs. profane/common cooking (literally, the common person working themselves or someone else to cook them food on the Sabbath, spiritually, idle words, prohibited on the Sabbath). Just like there are God-condemned works to avoid doing on the Sabbath, there are God-approved "works" to be done on the Sabbath too—protecting the sheep is one of the approved works supported by the Law of Moses (the Law of YHWH, our Heavenly Father).
---
Conclusion:
All of that to say, the reason these things were culturally an "embarrassment" is because of the self-imposed interpretation given by the Rabbi's concerning women and witnesses, and the Pharisaical interpretation of the Sabbath that they give—contrary to the Law of YHWH, the Law of Moses. May no one make the mistake of thinking, because of Huff's failure to make the distinction (and instead using vague phrases like, "turning the world upside down), that the Law of YHWH, as it is read from Moses' seat, is the problem because it is not. The Pharisees, with their over-limiting of the Commands, was and still continues to be the problem—ignoring the full detail of what was given by YHWH through Moses (and documented in the first five books of the Bible) .
(Not surprisingly, I would say he failed to make this distinction because he himself, unknowingly, is puffed up by the leaven of self-imposed tradition, in place of doing things the way YHWH said to do things in His Commands and the way He said to interpret them—as evidenced by his use of images to illustrate God Himself—the details of those Commands that he is violating exposed here [idolatry] topic).
Jesus was turning people back to the Commands of the Father, as it is read from Moses' seat, not leading them away from it; YHWH's Commands are the narrow path, that no one wanted to walk in, but that offers rest for our souls.
Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)
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 easy and my burden is light.”
Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
As further covered in [Details in the New Testament that Get Ignored]. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
