Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:17-20 – The Nazarene Rabbi’s Commentary on the Torah

Matthew 5:17-20 – The Nazarene Rabbi’s Commentary on the Torah

MT5:17 “Do not think I came to destroy[1] the Torah[2] or the Prophets. I came not to destroy but to fulfill.[3] MT5:18 For I tell you this truth: Sooner would heaven and earth pass away before one iota or a single dot[4] passes from the Torah and not all of it be fulfilled. MT5:19 So, anyone who breaks the ‘least’ commandment[5] and so teaches men will be called ‘Least’ in the Heavenly Realm. But, anyone who obeys and teaches them[6] will be called Great in the Heavenly Realm. MT5:20 For I am telling you: If your ‘righteousness’[7] does not surpass the Scribes and Pharisees[8] you will not enter the Heavenly Realm

*

[1] I came to destroy: Probably a charge waiting to be made by the Nazarene’s opposers, the religious hierarchy which prided itself on the preservation of Moses’ Law.

The phrase “I came” is the only intimation that the Nazarene was sent by God. Jesus confesses in John chs 5-8 that he speaks nothing of his own originality but rather those things taught to him by his Father. Here Christ comes from the Celestial Realm. He has the brilliance and vocabulary to say anything he wants. The Mountain Teachings are the first public sermon of the Nazarene.

[2] Torah: Or, the “law” referring mainly to that of Moses but including non-Biblical views expressed by the Ancients. Here begins possibly what the crowd and the Nazarene’s disciples wanted to know: where did Jesus stand on the subject of the Law? Virtually the rest of the sermon is a commentary on the law or Torah with a famous summation of it in Matthew 7:12.

[3] Fulfill: Various renderings: GDSP: enforce; KNX: bring them to perfection. First, the Nazarene as Christ ‘comes’ to set an example of how to follow the Law perfectly. Next, he fulfills all those elements of the Law which are “shadows” of realities (Hebrews 10:1). Paul writes, ‘Christ is the end of the Law.’ By Christ, the Nazarene Saint is ‘released from the Law.’ (Romans 7:1-5) Paul echoes the Nazarene later when he writes, ‘For all the Law is fulfilled in one statement: “You Shall Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.”’ (Galatians 5:14) Jesus words may be illustrated by a normal human contract with another: there is a difference between arbitrarily and unilaterally ‘destroying’ or breaking the contract and fulfilling your end of the agreement (Galatians 3:14).

The words “I came” are the only hint in the sermon which indicate his overall mission from God (John 4:25).

[4] Dot: The Greek word is IOTA. These words are best understood if one watches a skilled Jewish copyist painstakingly copying every ‘dot and tittle’ of the Hebrew manuscript. Such efforts (Romans 3:1) will not go unfulfilled until everything purposed by God in the Law and Prophets is realized.

[5] ‘Least’ commandment: The commandments have degrees. Here is described a person who not only violates one of these ‘least’ commands but also teaches others to do so. Such is verging on apostasy from the Law of Moses for which Paul was accused (Acts 21:21). As far as individuals are concerned there are degrees of “great” and “least” in the “kingdom.” This is something the disciples were aware of, for two of them got their mother to approach Jesus asking him to see to it that they sat at his right and left in the Kingdom. Note Matthew 11:11 where the ‘least’ in the Kingdom is still greater than John the Baptist. Can the Nazarene mean that a person who breaks even a small law and teaches others to do so will be in the “kingdom” of the heaven, that is, the Father’s Kingdom? Or, does he mean, in the Realm of Profession, the Kingdom/Church? (Matthew 13:41)

[6] Teaches them: It would appear that “teaching” is a prerequisite for being among the ‘great’ in the Realm of Profession (Hebrews 5:12).

[7] Righteousness: Is this a tongue in cheek sentence? This subject of “righteousness” is key to both Paul and John. Paul warns of self-righteousness or that righteousness of the Law; and, John writes of the true righteousness. “Righteousness” means the state of being “right” or correct in attitude, speech and action.

Jesus Christ in the house of the pharisees – Jacopo Tintoretto, Escorial (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

[8] Pharisees: Much the butt of Jesus’ censure and condemnation. Jesus never condemns righteousness itself, but that hypocritical self-righteousness which characterizes religious hierarchies of any kind.

 

+

Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:1-12 Nazarene Mountain teachings: Blessed and legal commentaries

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light shining bright

Next: Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:21-26 – 1. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:13

+++

Related articles

1. What Does God Require? A Christian Manifesto (Matt 5:1-12, Micah 6:1-8)
2. What does the Lord require…?
3. Truth, love, and justice
4. A Godly Response To Ungodliness
5. Be Perfect
6. A Life Well-Lived
7. March 10
8. Our Daily Bread…Featuring Paul Beverly
9. The Beatitudes in the Law of Moses
10. The Beatitudes and being human
11. What’s in Your Heart?
12. Day 2 | Matthew 5:4
13. A Study of the Sermon on the Mount
14. Summing Up the Sermon: The Greatest Sermon Ever {Part 2}
15. Summing Up the Sermon: The Greatest Sermon Ever {Part 3}
16. Summing Up the Sermon: The Greatest Sermon Ever {Parts 4-6}
17. Time to stand up
18. What is Mercy…Really?
19. “You’re more than happy when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less.” ~Jesus
20. “I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder.” ~~Jesus
21. What Jesus Says When You’ve Been Burned
22. Radical Love in the Face of Injustice
23. Sunday Devotional: Who are our ‘neighbors’ and our ‘enemies’? How are we to ‘love’ them?
24. July 12, 1931
25. Our Relationship to the World
26. Choose Life
27. The Tongue
28. Thought for the day
29. How Solid Is Your Righteousness?
30. I am one of them, and so are you
31. Word-Filled Wednesday
32. Hungry for Righteousness
33. Are You Better Than A Pharisee? (Matthew 23:29-32)
34. Questions: Decisions, choice and being “right.”
35. Greatness Through Servanthood
36. The Way: Truth & Choice
37. God’s Law – Part 1: The Law of Light
38. A Greater Righteousness
39. The Righteous Branch
40. Be Real.  Live in Truth.

+++

Related articles

• The Only Requirement…
• Withdraw to a quiet, deserted place to pray
• That’s a Great Question
• ‘For a divine turn around, turn to God’
• Palm Sunday reflection: Matthew 26:14 – 27:66
• Easter, Opportunity To Redeem Nigeria From Challenges – Senator Tinubu
• Stream Jesu / Sun Kil Moon 30 Seconds To The Decline Of Planet Earth
• Jesus Burial
• The Kingdom of God: Past, Present, and Future
• Easter Retold: Part 2 – Cleansing the Temple

Words to push and pull

Words to bring message

As a preacher we need to use words to get people to the subject where we want them. In the United States of America we can find many mega churches where lots of words are brought in a whirlwind show. Several preachers throw up hell and torment, others promise heaven on earth in material wealth in this lifetime.

Jesus called his followers to bring the Word of God about salvation. Jesus brought the Good News of the Kingdom of God. His apostles continued to bring that message of hope and we should do likewise.

To bring that important message of hope we should also push people to take the Torah seriously, and to go and spend more time looking in to the Holy Scriptures. When we preach it should not be our own words lying on the foreground, but the Words of God should have the place of honour. We should pull in those who are willing to listen to us, by not taking ourself too seriously. Relativism is very important in life, also for the preacher.

Renewed platform

Street Preacher holds sign that reads “Discover forgiveness for all your sin and eternal life in the Living Jesus” in Times Square, New York. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today we can have our words resound via the internet. Now it is possible to distribute biblical study materials without traditional costs. The modern media can be a vehicle for exegetical and expositional articles. {Exegetical articles are concerned with laying bare the various layers of meaning in a text without regard to the application of this information to the ecclesia. Expositional articles are exegetical and in addition show how the textual material is relevant to the ecclesia.} Devotional and homiletical material also can be presented like articles relating to prophecy, to current affairs.  Would it not be easy to find such things on one place? Well, the renewed “Stepping toes” would love to do that, and is also looking for writers to do so. The website would like to become a platform where the news is presented of the teaching efforts of many who have Jehovah God as their God and Jesus (Jeshua) as their Master teacher. Aside of the religious news they would not mind to place doctrinal and apologetic articles as well. but they want to show an open-mindedness to the faith and do believe everybody can be in a different stage of believes in his life and can have different opinions about certain matters. Those differences can be interesting to look at; Instead of criticising the other idea, ‘Stepping toes‘ would love to see it possible that people of different opinion can come peacefully together and listen to each others various opinions about same matters. “Stepping toes” would love to see people taking up their Bibles and to check what the Word of God is telling. We do have to compare our thoughts with the thoughts of others and with the Word of God as presented in the Holy Scriptures.

Chances to grow spiritually

In case we do want to grow we do need Bible Study. We do need the Word of God looked at from different angels. We should be willing to listen to the different viewpoints, encountering many frames of reference. We should be willing to question our own ideas, or our own understanding of certain passages in the Holy Scriptures. By looking at different interpretations we can see what the possibilities are and where we or others go wrong in the interpretation. Only by giving the opportunity to have new material or new insights to be presented we shall give ourselves and others the opportunity to grow in the faith.

Studying the Bible is not looking at the Bible only to see and hear what you want to see or hear. It is opening your mind to have it fed with several ways of looking at the world, and by the need of taking time to think about what is said in the most holy of books.

We should meditate in the Bible day and night, to run your mind with the Holy Spirit, willing to give space in your mind and in your heart for the Spirit of God as your Life Power. We may not only concentrate on one part of the Guide of God. He has given us the Books of books, the Old and New Testament. The old testament gives us more insight about God’s personality. The New Testament tells us about the son of God, what we should do in our life and which way we do have to go in life. It also gives us a look at the development of the first ecclesiae.

Reading regularly the many books we should use the “observation, interpretation and application” techniques beginning with an outline — this process can and should take hours as it is slow but provides for a deeper love for God and His promises and a new respect for His holiness.

Helping each other

“Stepping toes” would love to give help so that we do not to wrestle through the scripture on our own. If we don’t understand something or a word, we should research it and see if it takes us into a deeper understanding of Who God is. This research we do not have to do alone. There are many people studying the Bible, if they only wanted to share a little bit more their findings. On “Stepping toes” such findings can be presented. There only have to be more writers be willing to join such a platform where people might have different opinions. Most people only want to be with and hear only like minded people. In the love for God and in the love for Christ, Bible-students like some Christdadelphians do believe we should share our understandings with others who are also part of the Body of Christ.

The Bible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you need an encouraging word, or you’re in a negative environment, it’s good to know that you can find life (plus healing and health) in God’s Word. Sharing those words and findings with others give you the opportunity to help others also to find a better life. Out of love for the neighbour we should share our findings from Bible study. The Bible is such a huge work of inspiration and knowledge that it may demand more than just a few hours to get a grip of it. By sharing ideas about it we can help each other to get more knowledge much quicker. So out of love we should be happy when we are asked to give our opinion and to share our knowledge with others.

For us there should be no more important skill than handling our Bible with understanding and accuracy. There’s no greater joy than digging into and discovering biblical truth on your own, but it may be a great asset when others are willing to help in the process of exploration.

The unregenerate man may understand a little bit about the history in the Bible, he may understand a few of the words in the Bible but he’ll never have a Biblical knowledge in the sense that it works out in his living. He may get some head knowledge by reading and understanding and studying to a certain degree, but it’ll never be the real kind of knowledge that the Bible talks about because it never works out in his life.

Stimulating each other

Getting together with different people can stimulate each-other to sincerely look into the bible. Having the knowledge that we can be in a circle of people committed to reading the Bible, willing to share their knowledge, we ourselves might feel more comparably and easier to share our thoughts.

All of us have the Ketuvim, the third and final section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), after Torah (instruction) and Nevi’im (prophets) which provide us with the necessary knowledge to go through this life. Even the American novelist Thomas Wolfe recognised:

“[O]f all I have ever seen or learned, that book seems to me the noblest, the wisest, and the most powerful expression of man’s life upon this earth — and also the highest flower of poetry, eloquence, and truth. I am not given to dogmatic judgments in the matter of literary creation, but if I had to make one I could say that Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound.” {Christianson 2007, p. 70.}

The title of the book Ecclesiastes in Hebrew Koheleth, meaning “Gatherer“, but traditionally translated as “Teacher” or “Preacher” brings also to the task a Christian should do, namely gathering, learning, teaching and preaching, using all the Wisdom the Word of God provides. Keeping it to yourself would be a selfish attitude and not in accordance with the commandments of Christ.

Actions of men

Koheleth introduces himself as “son of David, king in Jerusalem,” perhaps implying that he is Solomon, proclaims all the actions of man to be inherently hevel, meaning “vain”, “futile”, “empty”, “meaningless”, “temporary”, “transitory”, “fleeting,” or “mere breath,” as the lives of both wise and foolish men end in death. But we can make something of our life by following Christ Jesus and taking up the task he has given his followers. Going out into the world and gathering or meeting with like-minded people, pulling and pushing each other to look and to find the way to enter the Kingdom of God.

By sharing ideas with each other we can help each other to encounter life in light of how and Who we know God to be and will expose His promises in clear ways.

Koheleth reminds the reader that wisdom has its limitations and is not man’s main concern. Koheleth reports what he planned, did, experienced and thought. His journey to knowledge is, in the end, incomplete, and the reader is not only to hear Koheleth’s wisdom, but to observe his journey towards understanding and acceptance of life’s frustrations and uncertainties: the journey itself is important.

A journey to make together

We also have a journey of which we can tell about our experiences, so that others may learn from it. In such a way “Stepping toes” also wants to tell stories of what other people underwent, what happens in this world in which we do have to find means to live in. All those stories should be able to give a picture of where we stand at the moment and where we are going to.

Lots of Christians should start to look further than their little corner, their own church community and should meet other Christians and be willing to discuss in a peaceful way about the Way (the way we do have to live, what we do have to do to enter the Kingdom of God). We can not hide ourselves in our little cocoon and not worry about what is going on in the world. We should be interested in what is going on in the world around us and should be interested to help out where we can.

God does not want a passive life in this world, but He wants us to be active practitioners of love for our neighbours. Showing interest in others is one way of showing your love. Sharing the Word of God with others is one of the most important tasks to prove our faith in God.

Lets do it! Lets go out and share our Biblical knowledge. Witness in the Name of the One and Only One God of gods, Jehovah.

+

Please do find Stepping Toes:

1. Stepping Toes, a site which possibly can upset someone
2. About Stepping toes
3. Aim of Stepping toes site

++

Additional reading:

1. Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
2. Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
3. Bible for you and for life
4. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
5. Words must be weighed, not counted
6. Hope for the future
7. God is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him
8. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
9. The Spirit of God brings love, hope and freedom
10. A learning process for each of us
11. Following Jesus’ Footsteps
12. Being Christian – Following Jesus Christ
13. The Involvement of true discipleship
14. Life and attitude of a Christian
15. Jesus Christ being dispatched as the Figurehead of a Religion
16. Parts of the body of Christ
17. The task given to us to love each other
18. Reasons to come to gether
19. Meeting – Vergadering
20. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
21. What makes a consecrated Christian
22. Love for each other attracting others
23. Testify of the things heard
24. Witnessing Glad Tidings
25. Bringing Good News into the world
26. Preaching to an unbelieving world
27. Church sent into the world
28. Blogging for Jesus…
29. How should we preach?
30. Who are you going to reach out to today
31. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
32. Holland Week of billing
33. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
34. Trying to get the youth inspired
35. When discouraged facing opposition

+++

Related articles

• Preachers of L.A. Dressed to Impress, But Is Jesus Pleased? (revthechristianlife.wordpress.com)
  After the response to my blog “Why ‘Preachers of LA’ Won’t Turn Out Well for Rock-Star Pastors” I wanted to continue the discussion about our perception and mindset in regards to preachers and wealth.First, let’s establish that being a pastor is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week job. You never know when the phone will ring and you are faced with another crisis that you must minister a church member through.
• Strange Fire Conference: Preachers or Witch Doctors? (challies.com)
  Pentecostalism’s visit to Africa did not primarily emphasize the preaching and teaching component of the “man of God.” Now the “man of God” is primarily seen as the deliverer. Preaching has lost emphasis. It has become motivational platitudes followed by shouting and chanting.The same thing can be seen in America on popular TV channels, but with different colored skin and nicer buildings. There are biblical quotes tossed about followed by a demon possessed, crazy and maddened looking preacher.
• Is there a Sacred and Secular divide? (paulajayne.wordpress.com)
  Can a true Follower of Jesus Christ be secular? To answer this we need to know what the words means; The word Sacred means to be Holy, dedicated to a deity (God), and the word secular means to have no regard for deity or religion.Now we believe that as a True Christian we are made Holy through the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, we are set apart and dedicated to God. So can we as a Christian be secular? I would suggest not!Can a sacred Christian work in a secular environment? Yes, in fact this is what Jesus intended. It is only a few who are called to work in the Church environment and their role is to equip the Christian to do works of Ministry in their everyday life (see Ephesians 4:11-12)
• Word Power (holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com)
  God Almighty reveals to us the importance of His Word, the Bible, in a number of verses in the epistles in the New Testament.
  +
  Within the church today man’s word is replacing God’s Word in the heart and lives of His children and those who profess to believe in Him.  The situation is dire.  The church is floundering and failing.  It has lost its mooring and direction because it has rejected God’s Word and replaced it with the empty worthless doctrine of man.

    For My people have committed two evils:  They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns that can hold no water.  Jeremiah 2:13

  When we reject God’s Word in favor of man’s teaching what does that say about us?  It says that we fear man rather than God and would rather please men than God.  We have a serious choice to make that has eternal consequences; will we fill our hearts and minds with the living Word of the Living God, or will we feed upon the dry, lifeless, empty sawdust of man’s opinions and theories that have no ability to build us up on our most holy faith, but instead lead us away from God and trap us in the deceitful schemes of our enemy, the devil.  Truthfully, the word we prefer says volumes about our eternal destination.  If we see God use His Word in our lives as outlined in the Scriptures and we willingly yield to His truth we give evidence of salvation.  We see the implanted Word that is able to save our souls operative in our lives.

• Why Are So Many Churches Hearing So Little of the Bible from Their Preachers? (blackchristiannews.com)
  “It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant pretty quickly, or we start mentally to check out.” That stunningly clear sentence reflects one of the most amazing, tragic, and lamentable characteristics of contemporary Christianity: an impatience with the Word of God.
• church oh church1 (ozyikhiedwardblog.wordpress.com)
  Ok the word “Church” comes originally from the Greek word,”Kyriakos-kyriakon”.meaning properly,”belonging to the lord”,in lay man’s terms,property of God,ok that has not justified the organised buildings. Yet?! Somehow later on,another Greek word “Ecclesia”from “ek”meaning “out from” and “kaleo” meaning “to call”.so “Ecclesia” means properly,”people called out”.so in lay man’s terms,”Ecclesia” means “people separated from others”..ok the history of “Ecclesia”
  +
  What did the New Covenant writers mean when they used the word “Ecclesia” to describe a Christian body of people?? We can safely denote that they intended to convey the original Greek meaning of the word:”A body of Christian called out of Roman and Judean systems of Government,to live under a seperate civil mentality,”a politically autonomous body of Christians,under no other King but Yeshua,under no other civil laws,than that of Yeshua.
  +
  To be the ideal model of “Ecclesia”,we Christians must form ourselves into actual communities,albeit in this times only mentally,under the guidance of God’s annointed leader Jesus. Called out and seperated in mentality(Kyriakos)from the World’s ways,with no other than Jesus as our ruler and King! In other words “Ecclesias”
• John Calvin’s use of Secondary Sources (reformedreader.wordpress.com)
  Though Calvin had a love for the primary source texts, evident especially in his use of Greek and Hebrew in his preaching and commenting, he was no lone-wolf, attempting exegesis without reference to the exegetical labors of others.  He was one who saw the value of consulting both primary and secondary sources.
• The Mystery of Being In Christ: A Review of Paul and Union with Christ (marccortez.com)
  We struggle to understand  what it means to be “in christ” because that is a complex concept combining at least four key aspects: union, participation, identification, and incorporation. An adequate understanding of being “in Christ” will not try to encompass that entire concept under any one of those aspects, but will allow all four to inform us. So, rather than see these four as different ways that Paul uses “in Christ” language, Campbell suggests that all four together define what it means for a believer to be in Christ. It is our union-participation-identification-incorporation in him.
• Could I Get a Side of Truth with That? (crsstlk.wordpress.com)
  relativism makes “truth” become completely based upon your own ideas, biases, culture and experiences. You decide who or what “God” is (or if you even want one or not) and make your own standard for what “good” is and what “sin” is and eventually end up serving (or worshiping) yourself, with “self” as the center whether you admit it or not.
• TD Jakes Disses Preachers Of LA (4umf.com)
  The premiere of Oxygen’s controversial docu-series, Preachers Of L.A., may have pulled in a record 1.1 million viewers, but one of the most influential Christian pastors in America, Bishop T.D. Jakes, holds a very low opinion of it.
  On Sunday morning, October 13 at the Potter’s House in Dallas, TX, Jakes dissed the reality show, calling it “junk” and distancing himself from the stars’ blinged-out images and flamboyance.
  “Now, I know you been watching that junk on TV,” Jakes said, criticizing Preachers Of L.A. amid a plea for congregants and online viewers to sow a financial seed into his local ministry.

The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 2

Maaseh Shlichim – Chapter 2

Apostles receive the gift of tongues (Acts 2) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

*

2.1 And when the moed of Shavuot was fully counted by the omer, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from the shamayim as of a groaning Ruach, and it filled all the Bayit {7} where where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared to them divided tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. {8}

4 And they were all filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach Hakodesh gave them the utterance.

5 And there were dwelling at Yahrushalayim, Yahudim, {9} devout men, out of every nation {1} under the shamayim.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, {2} and were confused, because every man heard them speak in his own language. {3}

7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, See, are not all these who speak Galilaeans?

8 How then do we hear them speaking in our own native language?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Eylamites, and those Yisraelites dwelling in Aram, among whom were Yahudim, and those from Kappadokia, those from Pontos, and also Asia Minor, {4 }{5 }

10 Phrygia, and Pamphulia, in Mitzrayim, and in the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and Yahudim and gerim from Romiyah, along with the Yireh-vuvh, {6 }{7 } {both Yehuḏim and converts/both Jews and proselytes }

11 Cretes and Arabians, {8 } we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of יהוה {speaking the great wonders of Elohim Jehovah}. 12 And they were all amazed and stunned, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? {9 }13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

14 But Kepha, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, You men of Yahudah, and all you that are staying at Yahrushalayim, {10} be this known to you, and listen to my words:

15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but nine o’clock in the morning.

16 But this is that which was spoken by the navi Yo-El; {11}17 And it shall come to pass in the yamim acharonim, said יראו {Elohim Jehovah }, I will pour out from My Ruach upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on My avadim and on My female avadim I will pour out in those days from My Ruach; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will show wonders in the shamayim above, and signs in the olam beneath; dahm, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into dahm, before that great and terrible Yom יהוה {splendid day of יהוהJehovah} comes: {12}21 And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the Name of the Master יהוה shall be saved. {13}22 You men of Yisrael, {14} listen to these words; יהושע {Jeshua} of Natzeret, a man approved of יהוה {Jehovah} among you by nisim and wonders and signs, which יהוה {Jehovah} did through Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of יהוה {Jehovah}, you have taken, and by the hands of Torah-less men, you have impaled and killed: {1}

24 Whom יהוה {Jehovah} has raised up, having demolished the cords {2} of death: because it was not possible for Sheol to hold Him.25 For Dawid spoke concerning Him, I saw my יהוה {Jehovah} always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26 Therefore did my lev have gilah, and my tongue had simcha; moreover also my body shall rest in tikvah:

27 Because You will not leave my being in Sheol, neither will You allow the Kadosh-One of Yisrael to see corruption.28 You have made known to me the ways of chayim; You shall make me full of simcha with Your presence.29 Men and Yisraelite brothers, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch Dawid, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 Being a navi, and knowing that יהוה {Jehovah} had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Moshiach to sit on his kesay;

31 He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of the Moshiach, that His being was not left in the Sheol, neither did His flesh see corruption.32 This יהושע {Jeshua} has יהוה {Jehovah} raised up, of which we all are witnesses.

33 Therefore being by the Right Hand of יהוה {Jehovah} exalted, and having received from Abba the promise of the Ruach Hakodesh, He has sent out all this, which you now see and hear.34 For Dawid is not ascended into the shamayim: {3} but he he said himself, the Master יהוה {Jehovah} said to My Master, Sit at My right hand,

35 Until I make Your enemies Your footstool.36 Therefore let kol Beit Yisrael know {4} assuredly, that the Master יהוה {Jehovah} has made known that same יהושע {Jeshua}, whom you have impaled, as both Melech and Moshiach.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced in their levim, and said to Kepha and to the rest of the shlichim, Men and Yisraelite brothers, what shall we do?

38 Then Kepha said to them, Shuv, and be immersed every one of you in the Name of the Master-Yah {5} יהושע {Jeshua} ha Moshiach for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Ruach Hakodesh.39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, {6} even as many as יהוה {Jehovah} our אלהינו {Elohim} shall call. {7}

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying, Save yourselves from this sinful generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were immersed: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand beings. {8}

42 And they continued steadfastly in the shlichim’s Torah and chavurah, and in breaking of lechem, and in the tefillot. {9}43 And fear came upon every being: and many wonders and signs were done by the shlichim.

44 And all that believed were echad, and had all things be-yachad;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and divided them to all men, as every man had need.46 And they, continuing daily as echad in the Beit HaMikdash, {10} breaking lechem from bayit to bayit, {11} did eat their food with simcha and a pure lev,

47 Offering tehilla to יהוה {Jehovah}, and having favor with all the people. And יהוה {Jehovah} added to the congregation of Yisrael daily all those being saved.

*

Notes from the Bible translators of the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible:

{7} The House is not a room. And is not an upper room. It is merely a Hebraic way of identifying the place as the House of  YHWH on Mt. Moriah. Even in the land of Yisrael today, the Temple Mount is known as Har HaBayit, or the Mountain of the House. The Spirit fell in The Temple, or the “House” of YHWH, since that was the only place Yisraelites would be gathered by commandment according to Deut. 16 and Lev. 23. Had these Yisraelites been in an upper room, the Set-Apart-
Spirit could not have been given, since they would be in disobedience to the Torah, as would YHWH, if He gave it to those who were not in His House, but rather in a prayer room of their own choosing. The so-called church as a separate entity from Yisrael, was never born on that day, since the events were promised and prophesied and fulfilled to Yisraelites in the Temple in YHWH’s House.

{8} Another indication that Yisrael was being renewed, as as opposed to a gentile church being birthed, as the Torah was also given in voices of thunderings, or (as the sages teach) in the 70 known tongues of the nations. The Torah was now being placed in their hearts, and this sign of divided tongues indicated that very implanting within the disciples.

{9} Note that these people were not pagans but returning returning Yisraelites in varying stages of return. No pagans would go and worship YHWH on Shavuot/Feast of Weeks. Later in verses 8-11 we see that these men were Yisraelites but not Jews, even though the term Jew is used here to include other Yisraelites both natural and by conversion.

{1} The term “every nation” is indicative of non-Jewish Yisraelites, since this was before the exile of 70CE and the Jews at that time had not yet been exiled to every nation under heaven like they are today, which had in fact occurred to Efrayim at that time.

{2} The “multitudes of the nations.” We see both the devout Jews and the multitudes from the nations coming together around the feasts as the restoration work begins.

{3} Native tongue of the many Yisraelite nations that were visiting.

{4} The Parthians and Medes in Acts 2:9, are identified as an area where Efrayim (ten tribes) was scattered, according to I Chronicles 5:26. The Gozan River was in the area of Medo-Persia. They later formed a large part of the Scythian peoples, who later would settle Northwest Europe as the invading Anglo-Saxon and barbarian nations. The Eylamites in Acts 2:9, were most likely descendents of Ullam, son of Sheresh, son of Maachah, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph.
“Eylamites descended from Ullan, son of Maachah, son of Manasseh, son of Yoseph…” Kol Shofar Monthly Newsletter, Vol.2 No.6 p.2.
{5} The exiles from Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia and Asia, were all to be considered the dispersed exiled chosen people according to Peter in 1 Peter 1.1.
{6} Known in Hebrew as Yireh-YHWH, or YHWH fearers who were not natives.
{7} Clearly many non-Yisraelites by birth were also in YHWH’s House joining Yisrael and thus being Yisrael as seen by the term gerim/strangers and Yireh-YHWH converts. Notice that Libyans and Egyptians also become Yisrael and received the seal of the Spirit.
{8} Arabs can and have always been welcome to become Yisrael based on Torah terms.
{9} Most believers still don’t clearly see the significance of this event, seeing it as the birth of a new religion, or non-Yisraelite entity, rather than as the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31.

{10} A clear two-house reference. The Jews, and those non-Jews staying for the feast.
{11} Joel’s prophesy in Joel 2:28-32 was given exclusively to Yisraelites and not to pagans, or gentiles. Peter states that this Yisraelite prophecy is fulfilled in the men and women standing there that day.
This prophecy states that the “all flesh” under consideration in the context of Joel 2:27, is the flesh of Yisrael and Yisrael alone. In Joel 2:27, YHWH states that this promise is to Yisrael, since it is He who dwells in the midst of Yisrael. YHWH further elaborates about this last days outpouring of the Spirit upon all Yisraelite flesh in Joel chapter 2:28, 29. The promised outpouring of the Spirit would take place upon your sons, your daughters, your old men, your young men, your men servants, and your female servants.
Obviously the key word here is “your,” or Joel’s people. If we are honest with Scripture and we let
Scripture interpret Scripture, the “all flesh” that received the Spirit had to be Yisrael’s sons, daughters, young men, old men and all sojourners among them.
Yisrael was being renewed without any new church being born.

{12} At the second coming.
{13} MarYah in the Peshitta, literally meaning that to call on YHWH through Yahshua is salvation itself.
{13} BS note: And it shall be that everyone who calls on the Name of יהוה {Jehovah} shall be saved. (Joel 2:28-32, Rom. 10:13. )

{14} The multitudes from all the nations despite not being Jewish, or speaking Hebrew, are called “Yisrael” by Peter.
{1} v.23: Yahshua’s death was arranged by the will of the Father, in order to redeem man individually and Yisrael collectively, as seen in John 10:16-17. This was and remains the Father’s plan to cleanse all His children from both houses. The Jews did not kill Messiah. The Father’s predetermined plan did.
{2} Peshitta term khabelyeh in context means ropes not pain.

{3} Dawid’s spirit ascended only after the resurrection of Messiah, and his body remains in the grave for the return of Messiah.
{4} In the setting, an obvious reference to kol, or all Yisrael, or those returning from both houses.
{5} Aramaic Mar-Yah Yahshua, a clear reference to His deity.

{6} A Hebraic idiom as outlined in Ephesians 2:13 and Daniel 9:7 and elsewhere, that speak of the 10 tribes of Efrayim-Yisrael.
{7} The perpetual promise to all of Joel’s regenerated children, even as many as are generations away.
{8} Further proof that this event could not have taken place in the so called “upper room” since that tiny upper room of the last supper can’t hold 3,000 people, or even 120, and certainly did not have a baptismal pool.
{9} Three times daily.

{10} The final proof that these events did not birth an upper room church, as by definition they could not continue in the temple, unless they were there in the first place.
11 This is a remez (scriptural hint) on the unity of Yisrael being restored from house to house, between Judah and Efrayim.

*

Acts of the Apostles in the version of the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible, Updated Third Edition, with Scriptural Supervision and Doctrinal Oversight by Rabbi Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky, Your Arms To Yisrael Publishing, 2007, 2008 CE

Preceding: The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 1

Compare with: Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2

Group of Kohanim studying the Halachot of Tumah and Taharah in anticipation of the coming of Moshiach. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

+++

Related articles

• Water from the Rock (faithgracetorah.net)
  As believers in Messiah Y’shua we understand there there are no idle words in scripture, which is why it is so fundamentally important to grasp the deeper levels of understanding that we can see utilizing the PaRDeS method of study.
  +
  knowing that Joshua (Yehoshua, Y’shua) is the Messiah’s name it may be logical to conclude that the events surrounding Joshua’s ascending to leadership and his relationship to Moses are Shadows of Messiah.
  +
  It was Moses who changed his name from Salvation to YHWH is salvation. Moses represents the Law/Torah and we can see here a beautiful hint that the Torah/Law points to salvation from YHWH.
• Mitzvot 487 – 489 (tqnbytdvd.wordpress.com)
  Attitude is every bit as important as the physical act itself. We are commanded to rejoice in these festivals. To look forward to them with enthusiasm, to absolutely enjoy meeting with our brothers an sisters, and above all to give total praise to God. And when we understand WHY we keep these festivals, we should rejoice even more!
• The Dumb Spirit (kumi07.wordpress.com)
  Inability to speak about YHVH, to praise His Name, to glorify Him may
  indicate a dumb spirit. Once this dumb spirit is gone by the Ru-ach
  HaKodesh [the Holy Spirit] in the Name of Yeshua, we can speak to anyone, we can shout
  from the rooftops, we can glorify & praise His Name wherever we are.
  We are no longer bound.  When we are no longer bound, the Ru-ach has
  freedom , & in freedom the Ru-ach reigns, & miracles happen.
• Do You Speak in Tongues? (eternalchrist.wordpress.com)
  it is important to recognize that (while our Gentile brothers and sisters enjoy the favors of Christian liberty) Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel. He is our Passover Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost.
  +
  we do know that the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual gifts to all believers, but not the same gifts. In his first letter to the assembly at Corinth (chapter 12), the apostle Paul (the 12th apostle since he was appointed by Christ whereas Matthias was chosen by lottery) noted the various gifts of the Spirit including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, and tongues. In the Bible tongues means language and not gibberish which is so often heard by the false teachers of the word of faith gospel.
• Rastafari Shavuot – Feast of Weeks – Pentecost Pt.1 (melekmediahouse.wordpress.com)
  Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai before Israel entered the Land of Promise. More specifically, it is the giving on the One Law of Jah and it’s Ten Articles (otherwise known as ’10 Commandments’). This is the true and living charter of “Human Rights” – this is the Hebrew Rights Charter. This document is the contract between Israel and YHWH, agreed to before Israel could enter into Jah’s appointed Holy territory and receive the inheritance of Canaan and all the blessings from YHWH.
• Acts 1-3 By Jack AKA Brutus (obterns2013.wordpress.com)
  People from many nations were amazed the disciples were speaking in their native language. Acts 2:8 “Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” Then in verse 11 “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”Right away they’re persecuted for what they did, in verse 13 “They have had too much wine.” Here we see that the followers of Christ are persecuted when they are seriously being moved by the Holy Spirit. I know most of us can attest to similar things happening in our own lives. I personally can think of many times where I’ve been shot down after doing what I was convinced God was leading me to do.
• Did the Avot Keep all the Mitzvot? (bassous.wordpress.com)
  The Avot were commanded to keep the seven noachide laws and indeed kept them, but they were not commanded to keep the other mitzvot – did the Avot keep the Torah before it had been given?

  There are several examples of the Avot (and others) going against Torah commands;
  +
  The Avot did not keep the mitzvot, but rather got to their lofty spiritual level by ‘having understood everything there is to understand in true wisdom and corrected themselves in every way.’ What the Rambam means is each mitzvah achieves a certain spiritual effect/tikun, the Avot had the ability to be able to tap into creating these effects and tikkunim without necessarily performing the technical details of the mitzvah.

• Happy (Greek) Easter (sojourningwithjews.com)
  Shavuot begins on Sivan 6 on the Hebrew and is the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and guess what? It is also the day that the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers as recorded in Acts 2:1-6. I’ll use a quote from the CJB in order to capture a better flavor:
• {Peace} Be at Peace by Felecia… (thenarrowpassage.wordpress.com)
  The gift of peace comes when we let YHWH’s Spirit, His Ruach dwell. To do that we have to constantly trust in Him, for “The one steadfast of mind YHWH guards in perfect peace, for he trusts in YHWH. Trust in YHWH forever, for in YHWH, Elohim, is a rock of age” (Isaiah 26:3-4). He wants us to be at peace, “the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
• Engrafted Into The Story: Romans 11 And Reconciliation (politicaljesus.com)
  The problem with supersessionism is that it is first and foremost, a rejection of God’s plan that includes the strategy of engraftment. Understanding our Gentile place is crucial part of understanding the mission of YHWH, the Word that YHWH sent went to Israel and Judah first, and then the Gentiles.