Comments on the article below:
“A SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF MESSIANIC JUDAISM
Exposing the heresy of the Messianic Jew movement” by Harry Bethel
When I read this article, my heart broke!!!! Out of not understanding Torah and certain Scriptures, this man spoke out against a lot of believers and against being obedient to the Father. Please, please read my explanation of the following verses he uses in his article.
1 John 2: 4-3: “And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”
Rev 12:17; “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of Yehshua Messiah.”
Firstly I want to go back to a very basic Scriptural principle that is found in the Torah and the Messianic writings.
Belief = SALVATION and Obedience = BLESSING.
This is what I teach, this is what Torah teaches and the new covenant! Even in Revelation!!! By understanding the above statement, look at the verses this person used in his article. Also note, this person tries to convince people that Messianic Jews/people guarding the Torah (like myself), are wrong because we try to keep the law to get saved! His perspective and understanding of what we belief in the first place is wrong!
Secondly, Paul was a Torah observant Jew AND the Messiah as well!! The Messiah explains that if we do not understand the Torah, we will not understand what He says in the new writings! These Scriptures are twisted, and used to his own profit without understanding Torah, or two of the greatest Torah teachers (Yehshua and Paul).
Thirdly, he did not even quote the verses correctly AND he only quotes one verse or PART of a verse, and takes it out of context.
And the fourth point: Please note – there are 6 different Hebrew words, which all have different meanings that are translated as law into English and other languages. If you do not know these different words, their meanings and were they are used in Torah it is VERY difficult to understand Paul's writings and to not use them out of context.
Let me explain:
The scriptures he quotes I will make red, and the correct quotations I will make blue. I do not know what translation this person used. I crossed referenced mine with the old 1953 Afrikaans translation, The King James translation and the Scriptures translation – so I tripled checked everything. Please remember that even Peter said that Paul’s writings is VERY difficult to understand….so we have to cross reverence everything in the Scripture.
1. 1. The apostle Paul, a Jew said, "I MYSELF AM NOT UNDER THE LAW" (1 Cor. 9:20).
The correct translation reads: “…and to the Yehudim (Jews) I became as a Yehudite (Jew), that I might win Yehudim; to those who are under Torah, as under Torah, so as to win those who are under Torah;…””
The part he quoted WAS ADDED by translators, because the text did not make sense to them. It would not make sense to them because they do not have the basis of Torah to understand it from. This text he uses IS NOT FOUND IN THE OLDER TRANSLATIONS. On the contrary, Paul says that he kept the law, like the Jews, in order to win them over. He continues in verse 21, to explain he ALSO became like those without Torah, in order to win them – BUT he states very cleary – “to those without Torah, as without Torah – not being without Torah toward Elohim, but under Torah of Messiah – so as to win those who are without Torah …”
So he states AGAIN that he is not with out Torah towards Elohim, but under Torah of Messiah. What is the Torah of Messiah? The new covenant:
Hebrew 8:10 ; "Because this is the covenant that I shall make with the house of Yisrael after those days, says YHWH, giving My laws in their mind, and I shall write them on their hearts, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people"...this passage comes out of Yirm 31:33.
If you have any more questions about this specific verse, please contact me. Lets continue.
2. 2. "ALL WHO RELY ON OBSERVING THE LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE" (Gal. 3:10) and 3. "CHRIST REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW" (Gal. 3:13).
Gal 3:10; “For as many as are of works of Torah are under the curse, for it has been written…”
…The difference, it reads under the curse, NOT under a curse. What is the curse? The curse of the Torah is death. Why? If you do not keep Torah, you sin. Sin leads to death. Thus AGAIN if you keep the Torah, in an attempt to be saved – you are under a curse BECAUSE THE LAW CANNOT SAVE YOU! You will get the curse = death.
Thus we all sinned and we all fall under the curse of the law and need a redeemer….verse continues to v 13: “…Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all that has been written in the book of the Torah, to do them. And that no one is declared right by Torah before Elohim is clear, for “The righteous shall live by belief. And the Torah is not of belief, but ‘The man who does them shall live by them….v13 Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the Torah, having become a curse for us – for it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree”””
Thus what these verses say is: We were all under the law of sin and death. We were not able to keep the law. We deserve the curse. Yehshua our Messiah, became a curse for us…and we get 1. salvation 2. thus we are free from the curse of the law 3. then follows obedience because we are saved, we can only be obedient through the Spirit now, not through the flesh!
This person who wrote the article does not understand that we believe in the order above. He thinks, and many others, that what we belief is this (ITS WRONG):
1. obey the law 2. get saved 3. then you are free! NO – this is the wrong way around and this is EXACTLY what Paul was trying to teach to the Jews who were trying to get saved by the law. If you live like this THEN YOU ARE UNDER THE CURSE OF THE LAW.\
First lets read some more verses, so that we can see the context of the chapter.
Verse 14 and 15 (you can read it), talks about the blessing of Abraham and the covenant. You have to understand, the ‘new covenant’ is not new, we stand under the Abrahamic covenant. This is the covenant mentioned in Heb 8:10 and Yir 31:33. It is this covenant which the Messiah came to fulfill. That’s why he also wants you to understand in verse 15 that: ‘…a covenant,…yet if it is confirmed, no one sets it aside or adds to it.’
Verse 17- 22 Please read – VERY IMPORTANT – Our redemption (by Messiah) was promised to Abraham. That was the covenant. The Torah came after that. That’s why belief comes first. (Even in Torah.) Torah was our trainer and still is unto Messiah! So if you are saved by belief, you do not stop being obedient? No! The Torah teaches us right from wrong, and through Messiah, we are able to do, because we are no longer under the curse…
This goes to the next verse:
3. 4. "NOW THAT FAITH HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW" (Gal. 3:25).
As I explain above, it says in verse 24 that the Torah is was our trainer unto Messiah. To teach us the difference between right and wrong…so by the time you meet Messiah, you will already KNOW the difference – not stop obeying, and start doing what is wrong!!!
Verse 25: “And after belief has come, we are no longer under a trainer.”
If you know how to cook you do not need a recipe!! We do not need to hear from the law it is wrong to murder, because we all know IT IS WRONG…that does not mean the law does not stand anymore!!!
4. 5. "YOU HAVE BEEN SEVERED FROM CHRIST, YOU WHO ARE SEEKING TO BE JUSTIFIED BY LAW; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE" (Gal. 5:4).
Gal 5:4; "YOU who are declared right by Torah have severed yourselves from Messiah, you have fallen from favour
We all actually agree on this verse! BECAUSE THE LAW CANNOT SAVE YOU! Messianic Jews are not and do not belief that they are declared right by the law. This was the thoughts of the Pharisees and Sadducee! We are all saved by favour!! What did the Messiah said on obedience and why we need to be obedient.
Just read what Paul says in verse Gal 7-9!!! “You were running well, who held you back from obeying the truth? That persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens all the lump.”
He then uses verse 18:
6. "IF YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW" (Gal. 5:18).
Again, we are not under Torah but under favour!! The Set-apart Spirit guides our lives, it will NEVER go against Torah. Read in verse 19-21 what the works of the flesh are. It is all works against Torah.
4. 7. "WHATEVER THE LAW SAYS, IT SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO ARE UNDER THE LAW (Jews who are not born again)" (Rom. 3:19).
Verse19: “And we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those who are in the Torah, so that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world come under judgment before Elohim.”
The whole world comes under judgment by Elohim, for we were all under the law and we all sinned. The only way to get salvation is through Messiah. If you have salvation, then you are not under the law anymore. Remember, the phrase “under the law” means not ‘obeying the law’ it means having to bare the curse of the law.
Read verse Rom 3: 31: “Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? (LIKE THIS PERSON) Let it not be! On the contrary we establish the Torah ” That is what we as believers need to do with our lives – not getting saved by Torah, but establishing Torah through the favour of Messiah!
5. 8. "THOSE WHO ARE CIRCUMCISED [JEWS] DO NOT EVEN KEEP THE LAW THEMSELVES" (Gal. 6:11).
This is supposed to be verse 13 I am sure:
“For those who are circumcised do not even watch over the Torah, but they wish to have you circumcised so that they might boast in your flesh.”
Again he is talking about the Pharisees and the Sadducees…they did not keep Torah, they kept the Talmud!! Man made laws! They added to the Torah and made it impossible for people to obey. That is why the Messiah called the a brood of adders!!
6. 9. "IF RIGHTEOUSNESS COULD BE GAINED THROUGH [KEEPING] THE LAW, CHRIST DIED FOR NOTHING!" (Gal. 2:21).
Verse 21: “I do not set aside the favour of Elohim, for if righteousness is through Torah, then Messiah died for naught.”
We all actually agree on this verse! BECAUSE THE LAW CANNOT SAVE YOU! Messianic Jews are not and do not belief that they are declared right by the law. This was the thoughts of the Pharisees and Sadducees! We are all saved by favour!! But after we will look on what the Messiah said on obedience and why we need to be obedient.
7. 10. "GENTLES...DO NOT HAVE THE LAW...THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LAW" (Rom. 2:14) (Gentiles never have and never will have the Law.)
PLEASE READ VERSE 13 - Rom 2:13 - 14; “For not the hearers of the Torah are righteous before Elohim, BUT THE DOERS OF THE LAW shall be declared right. For when gentiles, who do not have the Torah, by nature do what is in the Torah, although not having the Torah, they are a Torah to themselves.”
Again we need to keep Torah, NOT TO GET SAVED but to get blessing. And yes, the gentiles do not have Torah. We are no longer gentiles in Messiah but sons and daughters of Abraham and heirs according to the promise!!
8. 12. "SIN SHALL NOT BE YOUR MASTER, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE [Grace is the God-given desire and power to do His will]" (Rom. 6:14).
Rom 6:14; “For sin shall not rule over you, for you are not under the law, but under favour.”
This verse refers to two things 1. we are not under the condemnation of the law and 2. this law refers to the law of sin/principle of sin-doing – the Adamic carnal nature.
Also look at his definition of grace: [Grace is the God-given desire and power to do His will - This is exactly what we teach...through His grace we can now do His will = Torah!
9. 13. "WE HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE LAW SO THAT WE SERVE IN THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT, AND NOT IN THE
Rom 7:6; “But now we have been released from the Torah, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in oldness of letter.”
Please read verse 7-16!
Verse 7: “What then shall we say? Is the Torah sin? Let it not be! However, I did not know sin except through the Torah…So that the Torah is set-apart, and the command set-apart, and righteous and good…For we know that the Torah is Spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.”
We have been released from the law of sin – the nature of our flesh. The Torah is Spiritual and good. In verse six it says…released from the Torah, having died to what we were held by….it is talking about the curse we were held by. Sin had a hold on us because through Torah we knew what sin was. But by Messiah we are not under that hold anymore!! Now, by His grace we can be obedient for we have overcome sin through Him! And it has no strength, no sting for us!
10. 14. "CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW ... FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES" (
You have to read verse 3 as well
Rom 10:3-4; “For not knowing the righteousness of Elohim, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of Elohim. For the Messiah is the goal of the ‘Torah unto righteousness’ to everyone who believes.”
I am repeating a part I wrote in the beginning of this article:
Please note – there are 6 different Hebrew words, which all have different meanings that are translated as law into English and other languages. If you do not know these different words, their meanings and were they are used in Torah it is VERY difficult to understand Paul's writings and to not use them out of context.
The Ancient Hebrew Root for the word Torah (as a whole – the first 5 books of Moshe) is
YRH (yod/resh/hey) – the action means to throw and the concrete meaning: rain. – A throwing of the finger to show direction to walk or live. The throwing of an arrow. The throwing down of water in rain. To point the way one is walking in life / teach / shoot / archer / cast / teacher / rain / laid / direct / inform / instruct / show / shooter
The word GOAL in the above verse is the better translation. Torah means to show a direction/ to have a goal for us. What is the goal of the Torah? Messiah! So it is not that he came to ‘end’ the Torah but to fulfill it.
I am not going to comment on the rest of his article. I think it is obvious from the above Scriptures that there is more to this than meets the eye.
I want to give you a few other Scriptures:
- Joh 3:36; “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Elohim remains on him.”
- 1 Tim 6; 13-14; “In the sight of Elohim who gives life to all, and of Messiah Yehshua who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you: that you guard the command spotlessly, blamelessly, until the appearing of our Master Messiah Yehshua,””
- Mat 7: 21-24; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the Heavens. “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!””
- Yac 2:14-26 (read everything); “My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him...by the works the belief was perfected ….v24..You see then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone.”
- 1 Peter2: 7-8; “This preciousness, then is for you who believe; but those who are disobedient, “The Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone,” and “a stone of stumbling and a rock that makes for falling,” who stumble because they are disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed”
- 1 John 2:4-3: “And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”
- Rev 12:17; “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of Yehshua Messiah.”
- Rev 14:12; “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the belief of Yehshua.”
- Rev 22:14; “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city.”
You have to understand that you need belief and obedience!!! One of the last things Yehshua said before he ascended into heaven was, “If you truly love Me, guard My commands.”
We do not teach that one gets saved by works!! The Torah cannot save! But Elohim promises blessing, as an eternal promise, to those who obey Him and keep His commands. He also promises a curse for the disobedient…this did not fall away!
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