Is orthodox doctrine the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

Mat 16:6,11 & 12  Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."  …..(11)  How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  (12)  Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus warned his followers to beware, look out for, and avoid the doctrine/teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. This is not simply a warning but also a prophecy. If they were not going to be confronted with the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees there would be no reason for the warning. Therefore, one can count on the fact that his followers were confronted with the doctrine of the Pharisees. Further, it is obvious from the warning that they would be tempted and deceived by the doctrine/teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. It follows that one must be aware of the warning in perpetuity. One of the main premises of this blog is that Orthodox Christian Doctrine is off the mark and my diagnosis is that it has been affected by the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees which is just like leaven. It automatically permeates the body of Christ.

A very informative book that I recommend everyone have in their personal library is entitled Everyman’s Talmud by Abraham Cohen. The reason I like it so much is that it categorizes the teachings of first through third century Judaism in a systematic theology format. In other words it gives a good picture of the teachings or doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees which Jesus referred to. The Talmud is comprised of writings that are meant to exegete and interpret the scripture. It gives a clear understanding of what the Jews taught about everything from God to man. It includes but is not limited to such categories as the soul, God, Prophecy, man, sin, repentance and, revelation etc.

One of the first teachings to look at is their doctrine of scripture or revelation to humans. Just like in Christian systematic theology, the Talmud gives a doctrine of scripture. One of the points made in the Talmud is that of all the prophets Moses is pre-eminent. It is referred to as specularia and is based upon Numbers 12:6-8. In this view the other prophets are not as important as Moses. I have written several posts about specularia in the past.

The Epistle to the Hebrews establishes a new specularia. It has Jesus preempting Moses. What does that mean? Well, since we have shown over and over again in this blog that Jesus redefined the phrase Word of God this is one place where Christian Orthodoxy should take some instruction. The Word of God, according to Jesus and his followers, is the gospel and Jesus, and... the scripture is the scripture. Identifying scripture as the word of God puts the Old specularia, the preeminence of Moses in place. This is the reason that there is so much legalism in evangelical Christianity.

It is my firm belief that while Jesus taught a new hermeneutic that saw him as the Messiah--  the early church fathers actually incorporated the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and it has spread like leaven. Leaven is a perfect metaphor for the way that the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees have impacted orthodox Christian doctrine.

The Day of the Lord

Is the day of the Lord or, the day of the Lord’s anger a day for the entire world or, is it a day of judgment prophesied to Israel alone? I say that it is the latter. It is a warning to Israel. In fact, God plainly states that he will use the Gentiles to bring about this judgment. This causes a very different understanding of biblical prophecy. The day of the Lord is not a cosmic judgment against the whole world, but rather a day of judgment for those who have been specially called and chosen by God to bring forth the Messiah and his kingdom.

When one gets this wrong the entire prophetic scenario is then wrong. When one looks at the actual prophecy of the judgment called the day of the Lord a very different scenario comes into view. The day of the Lord came. It was accomplished between 70 and 135AD. In 70AD Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed and in 135AD Jerusalem was literally plowed under and all of Israel was dispersed from the land (Luke 19:41-44.) This was the fulfillment of the day of the Lord’s anger and should be seen as such.

Here are just a few of the references to the day of the Lord that clearly shows who it was prophesied to:

 (Lam 2:22)  "You have invited as to a feast day The terrors that surround me. In the day of the LORD's anger There was no refugee or survivor. Those whom I have borne and brought up My enemies have destroyed."
 (Eze 30:3)  For the day is near, Even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles. (Joe 2:11)  The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it? (Zec 14:1)  Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, And your spoil will be divided in your midst. (Mal 4:5)  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

The time of the Gentiles… that is, the time when the Gentiles will overrun Jerusalem and drive Israel out is the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time when the spoils of Israel will be divided up among the Gentiles in the midst of Israel.

Jesus stated unequivocally that Elijah had indeed come. He said that it was John the Baptist. John had acted as the final prophet to warn of the impending day of the Lord. Still Israel did not listen and Jesus warned them of it.

Matthew 23:37-39  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  (38)  See! Your house is left to you desolate;  (39)  for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' "

When we misunderstand the identity of the day of the Lord it is little wonder that we misunderstand all of the prophecy in the bible.

Jesus teaching on hell; II

Read Mark 9:30-40 in context: 

"Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day." But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. 

Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?" But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." 

Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us." But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. 

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.'
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.' 

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— where 'THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.' "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."”
(Mar 9:30-50)

So then, is Jesus teaching eternal punishment in this passage? It is not very likely. Remember that we saw in the last post that his midrashic use of Isaiah 66:24 pointed to the destruction of the temple. Jesus is clearly laying out for his disciples the precise sins of the unbelieving Jews. They are teaching the little ones NOT to believe in him. They are using the Torah as a reason to not believe that Jesus is the Messiah (John 7:49.) It is bad enough that they are rejecting him but, they are teaching the young not to believe.

Jesus teaching on hell; Isaiah 66, A Brief Commentary NKJV

Dear reader, please forgive the length of this post. It is much longer than any of the other ones. However, if we are ever to examine the doctrine of hell and eternal punishment as it now exists this passage plays an important role. Especially in view of Isaiah 66:24 and Jesus’ midrashic reference in Mark 9:44-48. While not exhaustive, this post is necessary in looking at Jesus teaching on hell. He made references that are translated hell in the King James Version but each of the references are actually the Greek word gehenna. It is clear to me that whenever Jesus used the word gehenna he referred to the impending judgment on the Jews for rejecting him as their Messiah. The eschatological references to hell in his view all point to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Therefore, I offer this brief commentary.

It must be remembered that the entire sixty-sixth chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy looking forward to the New Covenant and the Messianic New Heaven and Earth. So then, the timing and fulfillment is really the main question to consider. In the book, The Message of Isaiah by Barry G. Webb, Webb divides the New Covenant part of Isaiah, that is, Chapters forty through sixty-six in the following way: Isaiah 40:1 – 51:11 Comfort my people; Isaiah 51:12 – 55:13 Triumphant Grace; Isaiah 56:1 – 66:24 Waiting for a New World. It is little wonder that the sixty-sixth chapter deals with the New Covenant and the New Heaven and Earth since it is the very last chapter of Isaiah.

Isa 66:1-24  (1) Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?  (2)  For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.  In verses one and two the Lord is telling Israel through the Prophet Isaiah that his temple is already the earth. In other words, the temple that they built was for them to commune with him (Ex 25:8.) During the New Covenant, God would be building a new temple.... one made of lively stones. The reason for this is that they did not show a poor and contrite spirit when John the Baptist and Jesus came on the scene. This idea was restated in acts by Paul on Mars Hill. Act 17:24  "He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn't live in man-made temples,

(3)  "He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,  (4)  So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; In this passage Isaiah is telling them that he only desires a person with a poor and contrite spirit and that the sacrifices of the temple are not going to be effective or effectual. Remember what Hosea said, (Hosea 6:6.) Hos 6:6  I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know Me more than I want burnt offerings.

(4a)Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."  He is prophesying the reason that he will be unhappy with them. It is because they will reject and kill the Messiah that he will send to them. The evil that they will be doing in the Lord’s eyes will be to reject and crucify Jesus of Nazareth. Look at Psalm 51:16. Psa 51:16-17  You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.  (17)  The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

(5)  Hear the word of the LORD, You who tremble at His word: "Your brethren who hated you, Who cast you out for My name's sake, said, 'Let the LORD be glorified, That we may see your joy.' But they shall be ashamed."  Here is the clincher... it is those who would not believe Jesus, who would hate him and throw him out in the name of the Lord. Jesus expresses that those who killed his followers will be said to be doing God a favor (John 16:1-2) and, the Pharisees asked if anyone who knows the Law believes in him (John 7:48-49?)
  

(6)  The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the LORD, Who fully repays His enemies!  Here again, just like in verse one is a reference to the temple in Jerusalem. Here is how the Lord will repay his enemies. He will destroy the temple and their city. He will put an end to the sacrifice system in one day. (Matt 24:2, Mk 13:2, Luke 21:6)

(7)  "Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child.  The male child is the kingdom of God, the New Creation made up of both Jews and Gentiles. This is the one new creation, neither male nor female and, neither Jew nor Greek. It is described in Gal 4:26. This male child is made possible by the death burial and resurrection of Jesus and was available from the resurrection forward; brought to fruition on the day of Pentecost for the Jews and later, at Cornelius’ house for the Gentiles.

(8)  Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.  What is it that will be born in one day? It is the kingdom of God, the New Heaven and Earth... the New Covenant. Here are examples of this one day… the resurrection… the New Covenant was inaugurated in one day…. Pentecost… the New Covenant was manifested in one day… and… the destruction of the temple… the New Covenant was consummated in one day. One must remember that there was a forty year period where it looked like the two covenants were concurrent. The reason for this was still in operation, but the temple will be thrown down in a day. The sacrifices will end in a day and then manifestly, only the New Covenant will remain. The New Covenant was in force from the cross forward however, the Old Covenant was allowed to hobble along beside it for forty years for the sake of the Jews. Hebrews 9:8 promises that the destruction of the temple will be the manifest sign of the full force of the New Covenant.

(9)  Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD. "Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God.   The time of birth is the destruction of the temple the abolishment of the old system of sacrifice. He is asking the question here should he destroy the old and not give complete birth to the new? Of course not!

(10)  "Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;  (11)  That you may feed and be satisfied With the consolation of her bosom, That you may drink deeply and be delighted With the abundance of her glory." This is a cry to join the Jerusalem from above... the free woman with all of her children. This is a glorious assembly without spot or wrinkle and it is made that way by the blood of the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.

(12)  For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees.  (13)  As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."  (14)  When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the LORD shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. All of the promises are to the New Jerusalem, the Jerusalem coming down out of heaven; the mother of the free one. Gal 4:26;  But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.

(15)  For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire.  (16)  For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many. This is the impending judgment of the Jews that will fall upon the city and the temple mentioned in verse six. This will be the source of all the sound from the city. The siege engines of Rome slung fiery stones day and night on the city and the temple.  Also, Josephus and Tacitus reported that at around dusk the Roman Army saw chariots in the clouds... gleaming in the sun.

(17)  "Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together," says the LORD. Notice that the key word is sanctify themselves and purify themselves; God had just sanctified and purified everyone by the blood of Jesus just forty years earlier. 

(18)  "For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.  (19)  I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. Paul is one who escaped... he was persecuting the church and then the Lord called him on the road to Damascus. Certainly, he was sent to the Gentiles to declare God’s glorious gospel to all the Gentiles. 

(20)  Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. There is a remnant of believers that is brought into the New Jerusalem from all over the known world. The offering of the clean vessel is themselves cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

(21)  And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites," says the LORD. Peter tells the scattered believers.... that is the believing Jews in the dispersion that they are a royal priesthood and an holy nation. 

(22)  "For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me," says the LORD, "So shall your descendants and your name remain.  (23)  And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD. The New Heavens and Earth is a metaphor for the New Covenant just as the old heavens and earth was a metaphor for the old covenant. God called heaven and earth as a witness for his covenant.   

(24)  "And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. This is definitely a reference to the judgment that will result against the temple. The scene is one of having the judgment be so horrendous that it will always be remembered. This is definitely not a reference to eternal punishment of all men nor, is it even a reference to eternal punishment of some men. It is a direct reference to the fiery end of the temple as predicted earlier in Isaiah 66 and then predicted in detail by Jesus.

Jumping the Broom

My wife and I went to see the film “Jumping the Broom” last evening. I have to say that I really enjoyed myself… like no other movie in a while. The reason is that it was a beautiful portrayal of redemption. It was a tale that shows how messy all of our lives can get in the actual living of a lifetime; i.e., our actions and choices. It demonstrated that whether one was rich or not so rich, educated or not so educated, sophisticated or not so sophisticated that in the end the only thing that matters for anything is familial love. Not the love that one has for family per se, but rather, the love one has for the family of man… humanity. There is a common thread that unites us all just below the surface of what we pretend is important. It is to be loved, appreciated, accepted and needed.

I tip my favorite Giants cap to T. D. Jakes for his involvement in this production. I love the fact that the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians was subtly referenced but not blatantly used. This movie portrayed many if not all of life’s snags and wrong turns and demonstrated that with love and understanding, coupled with honesty and acceptance redemption is possible. For me it was truly a spiritual experience… perhaps I should say religious experience using religion’s most positive connotation.

Without giving away the plot… I would advise that you see it for yourself… you are confronted with all of the human deception deep distrust that can so easily be a part of a world clouded by an imperfect understanding of the knowledge of good and evil. When one is then forced to face the ultimate unsavory truth, there is born the opportunity for redemption. Many of the characters of the film, on various levels, were confronted with the lies that they used to protect their image and view of the world. With these all shattered, they were forced to trust in God to help overcome the obstacles they had created. In each one, when facing a truth that is difficult, they were able to through love and forgiveness, move to a place of greater stability in their interconnectedness.

First Corinthians Chapter 13:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.(1Co NKJV 13:1-13)

Oh by the way.... you will laugh and cry and enjoy a cathartic experience.

Really? The world will end on my birthday this year?

A very large percentage of Evangelical Christians are waiting for the last days. Gary Demar wrote a book entitled last days madness. His point as a preterist is that most, if not all of the prophecies in Revelation and the gospels, were fulfilled in the first century at the siege of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the temple. Still, the largest part of evangelical Christianity is awaiting the last days. There have been a number of popular movies and books about the concept of being left behind.

Harold Camping has prophesied that judgment day will be May 21, 2011. Hmmmn… I was born on May 21, and so according to Camping and his followers, my birthday party will be eclipsed by the judgment… kind of an invigorating possibility don’t you think?

Never mind the fact that this is by no means Camping’s first date setting fiasco. He wrote two books announcing that the judgment would be happening in September of 1994. That date came and went, and so it took several years to make the prediction again. I am quite confident that none of those who believe the last days are *now* (approaching) are in any way correct. In my view, the last days have come and gone. Certainly, that was Peter’s belief. He preached a sermon on the day of Pentecost that was/is recorded in Acts chapter two.

Peter says:

Acts 2:14-21  But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.  (15)  For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.  (16)  But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:  (17)  "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on 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)  even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.  (19)  And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;  (20)  the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.  (21)  And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

It is very obvious that Peter believed that the last days, and the fulfillment of this prophecy was in fact in the first century, in his lifetime, and not drawn out two thousand years later. Peter even goes so far as to change the wording of the Old Testament passage (Joel 2:28) from afterward to “the last days.” There is no possible way to extend this prophecy to a later date. Peter clearly puts it in his time, in his generation.

Blinded: The role presuppositions play in statements of faith.

Statements of faith, creeds and statements of belief are really presuppositions. Presuppositions in effect clouds and shades the view of what the message of a text is. There is no place where this is truer than with reading and interpreting the bible. Exegetics is the science of interpreting a text and hermeneutics is the body of presuppositions that are brought into the interpretation.. There are two terms that are applied to biblical interpretation. One is exegesis where we get the name for the science of exegetics and eisegesis which is an accusatory term used by those who want to devalue those who interpret text differently than themselves. In a perfect world exegesis would describe proper interpretation and eisegesis would describe biased interpretation but in reality this idea is a joke because of the presence of presuppositions in all of us.

The presuppositions reside in the doctrine or teaching that is passed on from generation to generation. This phenomenon is much older than Christianity. The Talmud is the written exegesis or eisegesis of the rabbis. It is the interpretation of the Law and the Prophets. I say exegesis or eisegesis because that call depends on which Rabbi you would listen to and which rabbi is evaluating the teaching. The rabbis at least allowed for dissenting views.  The purpose of statements of faith and creeds is to eliminate dissenting or opposing views.

I was invited to attend a church on Easter Sunday with a family member. One of their rituals was to express their beliefs in a memorized statement of beliefs. As I listened to the list of things that they believed I realized that there was much that they believed as a group that did not resonate with what I believe the bible teaches. Of course, I would find this to be the case with almost all evangelical statements of faith. The interesting thing is that there seems to be no room for debate or dissention.

I plan to do a series that looks at the various presuppositions that people bring into their biblical interpretation. I hope to be able to show that the general doctrine of Evangelical Christianity does not really square all that well with what Jesus and his followers presupposed.

We’ll begin with one passage:

John NKJV 5:39-40  You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.  (40)  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Certainly, Jesus did not believe in sola scriptura. Jesus said that the scripture existed to point to him so that people could seek him out and find life. Eternal life is not found in a book and definitely not found in someone’s interpretation of a book.