OK so here is a sticky subject that I still have not come to a reasonable conclusion on. We learn from the words of the master that we are to follow the decisions of the Rabbi's as they "sit in the seat of moses". (ok no problems there so far right?) It is a sort of do what they say not what they do kind of arrangement. Well here's the thing. According to the rulings of the Rabbi's (Orthodox at least) it is not permited to teach Torah to gentiles unless it is for the experssed intention to convert to Judaism. In fact to teach a gentile Torah who does not intend to convert to Judaism would be to contribute to Avot Azarah (idolitry). On the other hand to study the torah without the guidence of the people handpicked by the most high to be "given the oracles of G-d" sets us up for giving dishonour to those very writings.
So then where is the balance to be struck? I guess the easy answer is to say that the rulling of the Rabbi's doesnt fit in with teachings of the master and so this is one of the instances in which we must disgaurd their rulling, and go ahead and study on our own. However this raises another problem. How then do we keep the people from doing "what is right in their own eyes" (abreviation mine)? What is the standard going to be, and who will deicde that standard. Well I don't have any easy sum it all up answers this time. So, lets talk about it. What is a Torah observant gentile to do (please, please, please don't say just do the Noachide laws, cause you can't be a Christian and Noachide at the same time either so there ttthhhhpppp) :P
I am not sure what you believe and how it compares to other denominations but as I see it the problem lies in defining who is Israel and who is Gentile.
ReplyDeleteFrom the LDS perspective, Israel was scattered, in part, to merge the blood of Jacob with the nations of the world so that all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (Abrahamic Covenant) We believe that the gathering of Israel is literal but also spiritual, meaning that the descendants of Jacob will accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So teaching the gospel to the "gentile nations" is a way of gathering scattered Israel form the 4 corners of the earth. Of course we are not Torah observant in the way you are.
That is an interesting take on it and somewhat fits into the "two house", and "lost tribes" theologies espoused by some Messianic believers. I do not share those theological perspectives though I do leave room for them being possabuilities. In other words I am not dogmatic about those theologies being "wrong" however I do not think that scripture bares them out as being proved. I sort of like to stick with the simplicity of Yeshua was a practicing Jew, if then I am his disciple I should try to connect with him through the greater body of Judaism as well.
ReplyDeleteI think like we said the other night, that we should definitely pay close attention to the writings that we know Yeshua was under the "oral Torah" and apply His method of weeding out traditions that "make void" the Torah. We know that around 300AD the tradition started to reflect the anti-christian anti Jesus feelings of the Jewish sages, we must know and respond to these teachings as wrong, but we should not throw the whole thing out for the fault of the false doctrines found within it.
ReplyDeleteOkay, well, going back to your question, my next thought might be who sits in the "Seat of Moses" now? Or at least who had authority after the Ressurection. The Apostles, right? It couldn't be the rabbis who rejected the Messiah. God always worked in an orderly way so I don't see Him just letting people figure things out for themselves.
ReplyDeleteLet's say, just for kicks, that Peter is appointed to lead the restored church or law in place of the corrupted men who were in place at the time. Acts 10 describes the change in the commandment. It isn't that Gentiles were NEVER to have the gospel. It was only in the Lord's appointed time. Only one called and ordained with the true priesthood of God is authorized to make changes to the Law.
The real quesiton might be is there anyone with that authority today and if not, why?
First let me point out one thing just so that we are all clear. No one has the authority to change the Laws of God. To change his Laws would be to change who he is, and that simply cannot happen.
ReplyDeleteActually the whole point of Math 23:2 and following is that even though they rejected him at that time (and presumably following), the Rabbis still should be adheared to, because of the authority passed down from Moses. You have to understand that there were levels to this concept of Halacha, or how to walk out the Torah. There were some things left to the judgement of the individual, other things were decided on by the local Rabbi, still others went before a sort of local council (beit din) for decisions. On some occations when the question was too profound or difficult for the beit din, the question made it before the Sanhedrin in Jeruselem.
It worked both ways as well. You could not have a ruling from the Sanhedrin that a beit din could rule against, and future decisions had to be made on the basis of rullings form the Sanhederin. Peter was being made head of those that followed the teachings of Yeshua. He was being given authority to make rullings on that level, however he still did not have the authority to defy the Sanhedrin, exept in cases where their rulling "voided" the Torah, or would cause them to deny the Messiah.
Today the vast majority of Jewish people use the teachings form the Talmud, which is a compository of rulings from the Rabbi's and commentary on those rullings, as a basis for halicha, and it stops at the beit din level because their is no Sanhedren to go to for final rulling authority. (by the way just calling yourself "Sanhedrin" doesnt make it so, if you are not recognised by greater Judaism as the Sanhedrin then you are not.)
If someone out there has more information on the subject and I have my facts wrong please by all means correct me. I have been wrong in the past.
I haven't been ignore your last comment. (I had Blogger issues) I did write abut this subject on my own blog. If you care to read it here's the link. Stay safe! http://howtobesuperwoman.blogspot.com/2011/06/priesthood-order-revelation-etc.html
ReplyDelete