Down an Unfamiliar Road

HELPFUL HINTS:  There are a number of things that took me several years to comprehend, but which turned out to increase my joy of reading:

First: “Do not read fast, just to reach the end of the document in a hurry.”   I used to do that in High School so I could finish my assignment and get out of class early.  I learned very little and remembered even less.  Read slowly, examining each word for its meaning.

Second: If after reading a sentence the meaning is not crystal clear, read it again and again until it makes sense.  This will not only enrich your knowledge, but you will maintain it longer in your recall memory bank.

Third: Since you are reading the Bible, do it for God’s glory.  Make Him proud of you for taking the time and interest in what He inspired those who believe in His Son to write for our benefit.  Now, enjoy!

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER ONE

Part I

Verse 1-5: “This is the family history of Jesus the Messiah. He came from the family of David, who was from the family of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah. (Their mother was Tamar.) Perez was the father of Hezron. Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz. (His mother was Rahab.) Boaz was the father of Obed. (His mother was Ruth.) Obed was the father of Jesse.” One of the first questions a Christian, who starts reading this Gospel, might ask, is this: “Why did the writer start with such a long, boring genealogy?” The answer to that is quite simple. He wanted any Jew who opened this scroll to see that the subject being written about was a born Jew, with a documented Jewish lineage. That way, they would be more prone to continue reading. Then they would then find out that not only was this Jesus a Jew, but that the biographer of His story was a Jew as well, and wrote in Hebrew like a Jew. I experienced first hand what difference this can make while training and serving as a chaplain resident at a major hospital. Each week, a member of our class would be assigned to speak at a chapel service which was open to hospital patients, families, and staff. On the day I was assigned to speak, I opened by saying that I wanted to read from an ancient document about a conversation between two men, a Rabbi and a fellow Jew. So I read my text in which the Jew addressed Jesus as “Rabbi.” When the service was over, a Rabbi, who was part of the team, came running up to me and asked excitedly, “Tell me what document you were reading from. I can tell that the words you read certainly came from a wise Rabbi, I would recognize them anywhere!” You can imagine the look on his face when I opened my Bible and pointed to a scripture from the Gospel of Matthew.¹ If we are willing to read the Old Testament while keeping it in context of the times during which Moses and the Prophets lived; or read the works of Shakespeare with the understanding that this was during Elisabethian times in England, then why not, in order to better understand what is being said in the New Testament, give it the same privilege of speaking to us with the authenticity that comes from knowing what kind of world Jesus and the disciples faced during the time of their ministry. For the Christian, it is important to examine this genealogy on a spiritual level, because the promise for their redemption and salvation is traced back to Abraham. This makes any claims by Jesus to be the son of David and the promised Messiah, verifiable. The Jews had clear rules on how a family history was generated. They said: “…only a father’s family may be called a pure-blooded family, but a mother’s family cannot be called a pure-blooded family.”² This no doubt was very influential in Matthew’s charting the genealogy of the family of Jesus. But just reading this genealogy it is not enough to get all the nuances. For instance, when reading it in the King James Version, the phrase “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,” might conclude that this was His full name. I found out that others drew the same conclusion. One Jewish commentator said: “Yeshua the Messiah” is rendered “Jesus Christ” in other English versions, as if the man’s first name were “Jesus” and his last name “Christ.” Neither is the case.”³ It would be more grammatically correct if rendered: “Jesus the Christ.” This combination comes from the Hebrew: Yeshua the Messiah. The word Messiah represents the phrase: “Anointed One,” can be traced to Daniel’s prophecy where he speaks of an “anointed leader or prince.”⁴ The word Messiah is never used in Jewish Scripture, but it is utilized in the Dead Sea Scrolls and other rabbinic literature. Furthermore, the idea of an everlasting king who is a descendant of David, is based on God’s promise to David: “When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership. He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me…Thus your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before you; your throne will be set up forever”.⁵ In Jewish theology the significance of being known as the “Anointed One” is that whether they are a king or priests, they are invested with authority in any ceremony to anoint with holy oil.⁶ Therefore, inherent in the concept of “Messiah” is the idea of a special person being given God’s priestly and kingly authority. In addition, a very beautiful suggestion is found between the lines of these verses containing our Lord’s genealogy. How could the divine Son of God who descended from heaven to earth, through the womb of a virgin woman in human form after being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, have a human ancestry? Again, any Christian reading this lineage might find it boring and repetitious, but to the Jewish reader it was a clear standard for establishing one’s place in the Jewish family. History tells us that Jews were careful not to cite any women, foreigners, or people of ill repute in their genealogies, because that would be unacceptable in order to keep the purity of the family heritage intact. In examining this genealogy of Jesus, it’s clear to see that Matthew was tracing it through the lineage of Joseph. Some people question this since it appears that Joseph had very little to do with Mary’s pregnancy? The wonderful truth is this: both the natural ancestors and spiritual descendants of Jesus Christ are related to Him by prophecy in a promise. Jesus was as much a descendant of David as we are descendants of Emmanuel. The reason why Jesus is first called the son of David, and then the son of Abraham, is because Matthew wanted the Jewish reader to see that Jesus was tied to David as the son of royalty, and to Abraham as the son of promise. It was necessary to start with Abraham because the Jews taught: “Two hundred and ninety-two years passed from the time of the Flood until the birth of our forefather Abraham – who is the origin of our lineage, the ancestor of many nations.”⁷ Therefore, Jews could not be displeased with Matthew for beginning the genealogy of our Lord with Abraham. In reality, it seems an odd way to begin because Abraham was neither Jew nor Israelite. He was a Semite from Chaldea. However, he was the obedient one to whom God made this promise: “I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse anyone who curses you; and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed”.⁸ As one Rabbi points out, here we have three promises made by God to Abram: He will father a great nation; His name will become great; and He will be a great blessing. To this the Rabbi adds God’s message to Abram: “Being a source of blessing will make it impossible for you to become the victim of anyone’s curse. In the unlikely event that anyone should attempt to place a curse on you, I, Myself, will curse that person.”⁹ It is thrilling to see that these same three promised were fulfilled in Abraham’s future son, the Messiah. And just as this was contingent on Abram leaving his homeland and go to Canaan, so it was contingent on the Son of God leaving His heavenly homeland and come to earth. Also, another Rabbi points out that God promised Abram to go with him and guide him to carry out His will. So it was with our Lord, that the Father was with Him and guided Him to His destiny in order to fulfill His will. No wonder Matthew wanted to tie the genealogy of Jesus to Abraham.¹⁰ Some other Jewish Rabbis commented on this promise of God to Abraham. One of them remarked: “Some say a change of residence also can avert a harsh decree, as may be seen from what happened to our father Abraham. After the Lord said unto Abram: ‘Get yourself out of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house¹¹,¹² there followed directly, the words, ‘And I will make you a great nation’.”¹³ Another Rabbi taught that God said to Abraham: “Since it is not becoming for Me to be called on to bestow blessing upon My creatures, I will turn over the bestowal of blessing to you Abraham – whomsoever you bestow blessings on I will place My seal on the blessing you bestowed.”¹⁴ How well this fits into our message to sinners, that they move out of the world of sin where they are living, and move into the new place of living in Christ where they will not only be blessed, but be a blessing to others. That means, we need not only ask God to bless others, but we can bless them in His name as well and He will give it His stamp of approval. One Jewish commentator mentioned that Noah blessed his sons; Isaac blessed Jacob; and Jacob blessed the twelve tribes; and the predecessors of Moses bestowed many blessings on their particular generations. So He asks: “From whom did Moses’ predecessors learn that each of them was to bestow blessings when there was need for it? They learned to do so from no other than the Holy One. For when Adam came into the world, the Holy One blessed him;¹⁵ when Noah and his company came out from the ark, the Holy One…appeared at once above Noah and blessed him.¹⁶ The world was maintained by this blessing until Abraham came into the world, and for his sake the Holy One added this blessing.”¹⁷ One Jewish translator renders this blessing on Abraham this way: “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.”¹⁸ Another Jewish commentator points out that this blessing on Abraham was contingent upon his willingness to leave the Ur of the Chaldees with its idol worship; where he suffered because of his worship of the One True God, “…so the Eternal told him to leave theses places…to fulfill his original intention that his worship be dedicated to Him alone.”¹⁹ So that’s the key to keep the blessings flowing from God out into the world. Therefore, this makes it that much more important that we know whom we bless and why we give them our blessing. Oh what a wonderful message we find in these somewhat tiresome list of names in the family of Jesus the Christ.

Whenever the song leader or pastor asks you to lift your hands in prayer or praise to the Lord, remind yourself that lifted hands are a sign of surrender. So when you raise your hands to magnify the Lord, if you are not truly signaling your surrender to Him and His will, then put your hands back down until you really mean it. Then you’ll see what God can do in and through your life by His Holy Spirit. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PREFACE (Conclusion)

As we have seen, all the works that followed the initial revelation of God to Moses down through the scribes and prophets, were compiled, commented upon, with exegesis and explanations. In the same manner, after our Lord Jesus ascended into heaven, those who followed Him wrote down His teachings and sayings. This would be followed by writings by succeeding generations of scholars in their attempt to make more understandable to their audiences. While many books have been written on the law of Moses, many more have been penned on the gospel of Jesus the Christ.

THE GOSPELS (“Good News”)

As far as we know, Jesus never wrote a book, letter, psalm or homily. Everything was copied down by those who followed Him, and it was passed on to their followers. Just as Moses received everything from God the Father, so Jesus tells His disciples in John, Chapter 14, that everything He was telling them came from the same heavenly Father. Thus we can see why Moses and Jesus were often compared and why God told Moses He was sending another prophet just like him to the future generations. These new Verbal Teachings can be found mostly in Matthew’s Gospel, Chapters 5-7. It took some 30 to 50 years before the journal of Matthew and the memories of John, two of Jesus’ disciples, were finally written down. Matthew wrote his in Hebrew, which was then translated into Greek. Since John was not known to have learned how to write, scholars believe that one of his disciples at the church in Ephesus wrote down John’s sermons and teachings. Since many of the believers there were Greek speaking, the Gospel of John may have been written in Greek from the beginning. Peter also was not known to have been able to write, therefore scholars suggest that his nephew John Mark, became Peter’s scribe and wrote down much of what Peter remembered, which then became known as the Gospel of Mark. This helps us understand why the Scriptures are referred to as “inspired” by the Holy Spirit. These writings then could be classified as the New Testament version of the Mishnah. But unlike the Jewish Mishnah, early church leaders decided not to include the writings of other Christian teachers who were disciples of the original apostles, such as the Epistle of Barnabas, the Didache, 1 & 2 Epistles of Clement, the Letters of Ignatius of Antioch, the Church History of Eusebius, etc. However, these should be required reading of all students of the Christian Mishnah.

Then came Luke, a Gentile who served as a traveling companion to Paul the apostle. At some point, Luke decided to write a biography of the life of Jesus of Nazareth after doing research among Paul’s friends in Jerusalem, many of whom were physical followers of Jesus. With Luke being a Gentile, he wrote his biography of Jesus and church history in Greek. After finishing his Gospel, Luke then decided to write the first history of the Christian Church, which became known as the Acts of the Apostles. Along with his works are the Letters and Epistles of the disciples on the teachings of Jesus, such as Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, and Jude. These can be seen as composing the Christian Talmud. There are a number of other works that were not deemed accurate and reliable enough to be included, such as the Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Hebrews, Gospel of Mary, etc. These have been preserved and are known as the New Testament Apocrypha.

Finally, we have the writings of Saul of Tarsus, known better by his Greek name, Paul. His epistles and letters could be considered the Christian version of the Gemara, because he spends little time on the life of Jesus, but feels that the Lord gave him special insight and understanding of the Verbal Teachings, after their meeting on the road to Damascus. So he set out to “complete” the message received by the disciples from Jesus the Messiah who received it from His heavenly Father. Since then, thousands of books have been written about the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, sent from God the Father. And like the writings of the Jewish Rabbis, there are many points of disagreement and contention on what Jesus really said, and what He meant by what He said. But better to have a healthy debate than no debate at all. Hopefully, what the Holy Spirit inspired me to share with you here, will contribute to that debate and the Living Word of God will continue to shed its light so those in darkness can see.

FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES AND QUOTATIONS

I decided to put all Scriptural references and references to resources in footnotes. I did this to keep the reading uninterrupted, but also give the reader a localized place to look for the origin of the quote. For all non-Scriptural references, I tried to give the description of the book or article as clearly as possible, so that anyone researching them in the books or articles quoted will be able to find the reference quickly.

Since many readers may not possess or may be able to access all the literature quoted in this commentary, I also included as much of the text from its original source as possible so that the student would not feel disadvantaged because he or she did not possess that particular book. While some of these ancient documents were written in a very concise and scattered ways, I gave a larger portion of the quote so that the reader could better see what the people of that day were being taught, and to help them understand exactly what Jesus confronted when He claimed to be telling them the truth, even when it often contradicted what they were hearing. I also took the liberty of revising the grammar and spelling to make the reading easier.

Also, I have endeavored as much as possible with my limited library and resources, to show how the words, parables, teachings, and spiritual lessons Jesus used to teach the truth from the Father, were already a part of the Jewish learning and culture. This gave His words a familiar sound and caused His listeners to be more open and receptive. However, when our Lord took on what the traditional oral interpretation of the Scriptures taught to show them the error of their thinking and belief, that allowed them to see the contrast more clearly.

TEXT TRANSLATION

The basic translation of the scriptural text in this commentary is taken from the Holy Bible: Easy-to-Read Version, Published by the World Bible Translation Center, Forth Worth, TX, but with many modifications and redaction’s on my part for a more accurate rendering of the Hebrew text. In their Bible they state: “This copyrighted material may be quoted up to 1000 verses without written permission.” So unless the text printed is otherwise identified such as The Complete Jewish Bible, or some other version, it will be from the ESV. Since Matthew contains 1074 verses, permission will be requested should this manuscript ever be put into print.

In addition, when I began my ten year project of reading the Old Testament through once, and the New Testament twice, in one year using a different English version each time, I found myself comparing what each new translation said with the KJV that I grew up on. As a result, I did not get the impact of what truths the translators uncovered. So I started all over again, and this time I read each version as though I was reading the Bible for the first time. It certainly opened my mind and flooded my soul with a new appreciation for what God was saying through His servants. I would suggest that you do the same here. It may impact you in significant ways so that you can affect others with what you have learned in a remarkable manner.

ABBREVIATIONS

Bk. or Book – Book number in a multi-book volume.

cf. or confer – Means to look and compare subject matter or quotation

Ch. or Chapter – Chapter number in a book.

ff. – “folios” (plural) or pages, chapters, verses.

ibid. or ibidem – “in the same place” of the work previously quoted just prior to this one.

loc. cit. or loco citato – “in the place cited” in the paragraph and subject being written about.

op. cit. or opere citato – “in the work cited” initially containing full data of the work being quoted.

Sec. or Section

trans. or translated – identifying the individual who translated this work from the original language.

vol. or vols. – volume or volume number within the set.

Next we will look at the Gospel of Matthew with the teachings of Jesus as explained in the light of what He said about these teachings of the Rabbis, as well as how He used His knowledge of these traditions to convince His audience He knew what He was talking about.

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

INTRODUCTION (Con’t)

Here are some additional documents that you will also see inside the Mishnah, Jerusalem Talmud and Babylonian Talmud. They are meant as additions to, clarifications of, and interpretations for various teachings of the Rabbis. They give us a clearer view of what the Rabbis were teaching and how our Lord used many of these known and commonly held beliefs to point out what He wanted the people to know about the New Covenant that God the Father sent Him to bring to the children of Abraham.

THE GEMARA (“Tradition/Completion”)

When you look at a folio in certain editions of the Babylonian Talmud today, you often find interspersed between the Mishnah text THAT IS ALWAYS TYPED IN CAPITAL LETTERS a section titled “Gemara.” In Aramaic, the word Gemara means “tradition.” In Hebrew, it means denotes “completion.” Indeed, the Gemara serves as a compilation of the various Rabbinic discussions and commentary on the teachings of earlier Rabbis in the Mishnah. As such, their interpretations were added to give a fuller understanding of the Mishnah, in order to make the teaching more complete. While the Mishnah contains quotes from Rabbis who lived from about 100 BC to 200 AD. As such, these first Rabbis are called in Hebrew: Tanaim – “teachers.” Then in the Gemara, the Rabbis quoted here lived between 200 AD and 500 AD. This second group of Rabbis are called in Hebrew Amoraim – “expositors” or “interpreters.” So between the two groups you have some 700 years of commentary, added to the teachings that go as far back as Ezra the scribe on the Old Testament.

THE MIDRASH AGGADA (“Story Telling”)

Whenever you see a document referred to as a Midrash Aggada, these are teachings in the form of homilies similar to parables. For instance, a Midrash may attempt to explain why Adam didn’t stop Eve from eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. One of the best-known Midrashim (plural of Midrash) deals with Abraham’s childhood in early Mesopotamia, where he is said to have smashed the idols in his father’s shop because even at that age he knew there existed only One True God. These Midrash Aggadah can be found in both Talmuds; in Midrashic Collections, and in Midrash Rabbah, which means “Revered Midrash.”

THE MIDRASH HALACHA (“Sermons on the Law”)

Whereas Midrash Aggada focuses on Biblical characters as they pertain to values and ideas, Midrash Halacha focus on Jewish law and practice. Midrash Halacha attempts to take Biblical texts that are either general or unclear, and clarify their meaning. A Midrash of this nature may explain why, for instance, the tefillin¹ which are worn on the head and arm, should be used during prayer and how they should be worn.

THE MIDRASH RABBAH (“Great Sermons”)

The term Midrash Rabbah can refer to parts, or the collective whole, of stories and allegories on the books of the Tanakh – the term for the Hebrew Bible. The term “Rabbah”, means “great,” and is given as part of their name. These are as follows: Genesis Rabbah. Exodus Rabbah. Leviticus Rabbah, etc. These Rabbah stories usually follow the books in the Tanakh in the same order. It is an attempt to search and investigate the text through minute examination so as to interpret the Tanakh better, by bringing out the deeper or ethical meanings in the text. These are not to be taken as legal renderings concerning the Law. The largest collection of these Midrash Rabbah are contained in the Great Midrash, and are divided into Pesikta (Divisions), Mechilta (Treatise), Sifra (Book), and Sifre (Books).

THE TARGUM (Aramaic Version of the Jewish Bible)

This was a written paraphrase, explanation and expansion of the Jewish Scriptures that a Rabbi would give so that his listeners could better understand the Hebrew text. This is much like what the Living Bible and the Amplified Bible became to the readers of the King James Version of the Christian Bible. For instance, the Hebrew standard text of Genesis 1:1-2 reads: “In the beginning God created the heaven and earth. Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.”² Compare this to the Targum of Palestine that goes: “At the beginning the Lord created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was vacancy and desolation, solitary of the sons of men, and void of every animal; and darkness was upon the face of the abyss, and the Spirit of mercies from before the Lord breathed upon the face of the waters.”³ So when you see Targum, you know that it is a paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures. Some Targum had commentaries added to them as well. – (To be continued tomorrow)

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PREFACE

Over my half century of studying God’s Word, I became more and more appreciative of understanding the time, era, culture, tradition and conditions Jesus had to deal with when He came as the Messiah. My interest sparked when I acquired a used copy of the Jewish Babylonian Talmud, followed by the Jewish Mishnah, where I began to understand what they taught in their synagogues as the truth, and what Jesus encountered when He came with His message. Since the Gospel writers did not quote these resources, it made it hard to spot them in the arguments of the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees.

This helped me understand that Jesus came to His own people, the children of Abraham. But they were prisoners in their own land, the one once called the “Promised Land.” The Romans occupied Jewish territory and made the Jews subservient to foreign laws and authorities. The Jews had a king, but he proved to be nothing more than a figurehead, put in place by the Romans. Even their High Priest received his appointment through political means. So our Lord did not come to a nation and people who were worshiping their heavenly Father the way the Creator desired. That’s why He came to tell them what His Father wanted from them.

They were expecting a Messiah, but not a lowly prophet from the hinterlands of Galilee with no formal religious training. The written Word had given way to verbal teachings, built on the commentaries and teachings of hundreds of Rabbis over the centuries. Not only that, but, unknowingly, from the day He came into this world in a manger, they were only some 75 years away from losing their Temple for good. They wanted a deliverer, a religious warrior, to over-throw the Romans and set them free again. Even though Jesus did not fit their ideal Messiah, the timing of His first coming proved perfect. Had he appeared earlier during the period of revolt against the Romans, He would have easily been identified as a rebel rouser, and suffered the execution carried out by the Romans on the Maccabees, rather than being sacrificed on the altar as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. And had He arrived after 70 AD, there would have been no Temple for Him to teach in or clean out in His Father’s name. Also, Peter and John would have not had the opportunity to heal the crippled man to draw attention to the power of Christ. Paul would never have been arrested there to stand trial. The Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and others would have been scattered to the far corners of the earth. There would have been no Pontius Pilate, no Golgotha, and no tomb of Joseph to be buried in.

So when the three Magi showed up in Herod’s court in Jerusalem looking for the new king, they were not celebrated as having brought good news. And when Jesus came down from Galilee to the eastern side of the Jordan River to be baptized by John, none of them were there to meet Him and pledge their allegiance to Him.

He chose a number of illiterate fishermen from Galilee to be His disciples, and added to them a tax collector, a zealot, a doubter, and a betrayer. There were no skilled Jewish teachers, Rabbis, Scribes, Pharisees or Sadducees among these twelve. He began to point out their misunderstanding of the Messiah because they were depending on their verbal teachings rather than the Written Law to guide them. Jesus kept pointing back to what His Father had said to Moses and the Prophets, not what their venerated Rabbis taught them.

The more I read and studied about the environment, with its biases and expectations, in which Jesus lived and taught, the more I began to appreciate staying with the written doctrines of the Bible rather than acquiescing to the oral doctrines that were becoming popular in my day. I kept reminding myself of who the people were that Jesus addressed. What did His words mean to them based on their background and understanding of written Scripture and spoken law? He could not come preaching and teaching some doctrine, especially a gospel they had no inkling of, what it meant and how it applied to them. They would have considered Him an outsider, not a part of their heritage.

This may seem like a contradiction to what the writer of Hebrews said: “In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets. But now, in these perilous times, He has spoken to us through His Son, to whom He has given ownership of everything and through whom He created the universe.”¹ But when we hear what Jesus said: “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but bring them to fruition,”² and put them together, we see the context in which both were said, we can see it more clearly. In other words, from the beginning God spoke to His people by way of Moses, the interpreters and the prophets about the coming Messiah and the new covenant in the Kingdom of God. But over the centuries the teachers of the Law have complicated what God said with their own interpretations so that the people were walking around in darkness. So God sent His Son as a light to explain more clearly what He meant in the words He gave Moses, the interpreters and the Prophets, and to show them by His own example the fulfillment of those words and promises.

Therefore, to better see the disagreements, debates and discussions that took place between the Word in the flesh when He came to explain the written Word, and those who adopted the verbal teachings instead, it is best to examine first: what did God say through Moses and the Prophets; then what did the teachers of the Law interpreted God as saying through Moses and the Prophets; followed by what Jesus said God really meant. That way we get deeper insight into the disagreements that took place, and why John came out and said: “He was the true light, who gives light to everyone entering the world. He was in the world — the world came to be through Him — yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own homeland, yet His own people did not receive Him.”³

For me, it proved critical to take what Jesus taught and then give it a practical or spiritual application for listeners to understand and accept as guidelines and doctrines. Therefore, I have endeavored to share in this commentary those things that helped me comprehend what Jesus taught, so that others may do the same. I did not want to become a preacher and teacher of the gospel who kept the flock uninformed and misinformed simply because I also followed the example of the teachers of the Law in Jesus’ day by substituting oral doctrines and popular dogmas for the true meaning of the Written Word as Jesus taught it.

INTRODUCTION

The following are three main Jewish documents used in tracking the verbal teachings of the Rabbis that the Jews lived by, and what Jesus encountered during His ministry. By giving you a better understanding of where these verbal teachings came from, you will be able to see what the people believed by the time Jesus arrived. Here is a short synopsis of each one:

FIRST: THE MISHNAH (“Verbal Repetition”)

According to the Tractate found in the Mishnah titled “Aboth,” Chapter 1:1-18, in addition to the Written Law of the Ten Commandments, Moses received these Verbal Teachings as well, which were then passed down orally by teachers to teachers of each successive generation. First, they went from Moses to Joshua, from Joshua to the Elders, then to the Prophets, to the ‘Men of the Great Synagogue’ (the body of teachers who administered and taught the Law after the time of Ezra), to Simeon the Just, one of the last members of the Great Synagogue, to Antigonus of Soko, the leading disciple of Simeon the Just; then to five “Pairs of leaders” – Jose ben Joezer and Jose ben Johanan, Joshua ben Perahyah and Nittai the Arbelite, Judah ben Tabbai and Simeon ben Shetach, Shemaiah and Abtalion, Hillel and Shammai. These last two were the ones whose teachings were in vogue when Jesus arrived on the scene. Thus the chain of tradition reached the threshold of the Christian era. Here is a list of those Rabbis that lived and taught before, during and after Christ arrived here on earth. So when you see them quoted in the Mishnah or Talmuds, you can tell which ones taught prior to our Lord’s birth; those who were His contemporaries; and those who lived and taught after His ascension until the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. When specific dates were found they posted them, otherwise the time period during which they were quoted:

Simeon the Just: 300-273 BC	Ben Bukri: 10-80 AD
Antigonus of Soko: 200-140 BC	Dosetai of Kefar Yatma: 10-80 AD
Admon ben Gaddai: 200 BC – 10 AD	Eleazar ben Dalai, Abba: 10-80 AD
Ben Bag-Bag (Johanan): 200 BC – 10 AD	Hananiah ben Hezekiah ben Gorion: 10-80 AD
Hanan ben Abishalom: 200 BC – 10 AD	Hanina, Prefect of the Priests: 10-80 AD
Johanan the High Priest: 200 BC – 10 AD	Johanan ben Gudgada: 10-80 AD
Jose ben Joezer: 170-100 BC	Johanan ben ha-Horani: 10-80 AD
Jose ben Johanan: 170-100 BC	Johanan ben Zakkai: 10-80 AD
Judah ben Tabbai: 164-63 BC	Joezer of the Birah: 10-80 AD
Nittai of Arbela: 134-104 BC	Jose Holi Kufri, Abba: 10-80 AD
Hillel the Elder: 110 BC to 10 AD	Judah ben Bathyra: 10-80 AD
Me’asha: 110 BC – 10 AD	Menahem ben Signai: 10-80 AD
Baba ben Buta: 100-40 BC	Nahum the Mede: 10-80 AD
Simeon ben Shetah: 100 – 60 BC	Nahum the Scrivener: 10-80 AD
Abtalion: 100-30 BC	Nehunya ben Gudgada: 10-80 AD
Onias ha-Me’aggel: 80 BC – 10 AD	School of Hillel: 10-80 AD
Menahem: 70 BC – 10 AD	Simeon ben Gamaliel I: 10-70 AD
Shemaiah: 65-31 BC	Simeon of Mizpah: 10-80 AD
Shammai the Elder: 50 BC – 30 AD	Zechariah ben ha-Kazzab: 10-80 AD
Akabya ben Mehalaleel: 40 BC – 10 AD	Zechariah ben Kabutal: 10-80 AD
Gamaliel the Elder: 10-70 AD

As you can see, whenever any of these names are mentioned in the Mishnah it reflects their teachings being taught by some during the time Jesus of Nazareth lived here on earth. We do not know how many of them were part of those who argued with Him, quizzed Him, rejected Him or came to believe on Him. By the time Jesus the Messiah arrived, these Verbal Teachings had replaced the Torah – the Written Word – as well as the Prophets as the guide for all practicing Jews. They finally put the Mishnah into writing around 200 AD, compiled mostly by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi.

SECOND: THE JERUSALEM TALMUD (“Instruction”)

Even before this process began in Babylon, in the land of Israel, another set of discussions took place and the end result became known as Talmud Yerushalmi or Jerusalem Talmud. (Incidentally, they did not write the Jerusalem Talmud in Jerusalem; they penned it in Tiberias, the last place where the Sanhedrin sat, but they called it the Jerusalem Talmud in deference to that being the Sanhedrin’s rightful home.) Due to persecution of the Jewish community in Israel, the Jerusalem Talmud, compiled in mid-fourth century AD, never reached full completion or editing. The Jerusalem Talmud wound up being much shorter (it contains only four of the six sections of the Mishnah), more cryptic, and harder to understand than the later Babylonian Talmud. The Jews in Babylon lived in a much more stable conditions than the Rabbis in Palestine. Also, in Babylon they gave much more time to editing and explaining the subject matter. They identify one of the main Rabbis as Nehemiah, a mathematician who lived circa 150 AD. Another, Rabbi Aha (or Achah), a Jewish Amora (Interpreter), lived in Israel after the destruction of the Temple. They begin to make copies around 200 AD, as commentary on the Mishnah.

THIRD: THE BABYLONIAN TALMUD (“Instruction”)

During the centuries following the completion of the Mishnah and Jerusalem Talmud, the chain of transmission of verbal teachings were weakened as a result of a number of factors: Economic hardship and increased persecution of the Jewish community in Israel caused many Jews, including many Rabbis, to flee the country. Many of these Rabbis emigrated to Babylon in the Persian Empire. The role of the Rabbis of Israel as the sole central authority of the Jewish people drew to an end. This decentralization of Torah authority and lack of consensus among the Rabbis led to further weakening of the transmission process. It became clear to the sages of this period that the Mishnah alone no longer proved clear enough to fully explain the Verbal Teachings, which were written in shorthand fashion and in sections seemed very cryptic. This came about because of its concise nature, written under the assumption that those persons reading it already knew the subject matter. So these Rabbis began to have discussions about it and write down the substance of these discussions. These Rabbis in Babylon possessed copies of the Jerusalem Talmud while working on their text. Later on, when disputes erupted between the wording of the two Talmuds, the Babylonian Talmud reigned supreme. Both because Babylonian Talmud seems more authoritative, and because the Jerusalem Talmud appeared more difficult to study. Jewish students pouring over the Talmud in Jewish institutions chiefly used the Babylonian Talmud. During this period a significant portion of the Jewish population lived in Babylon which laid outside the bounds of the Roman Empire. Since the Rabbis put together their discussions in that location, the end product became known as Talmud Bavli, or, Babylonian Talmud. The first copies appeared around 500 AD. Jesus and the disciples are mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud, but often under cryptic names and titles. In my commentary they will be pointed out to you, so take note of the names of the rabbis or teachers involved and that will give you a better idea of what they really thought of Jesus of Nazareth. – (To be continued tomorrow)

LET’S HEAR YOU SAY IT, HALLELUJAH! –

The compilers of the Psalter wanted the pilgrims to have a closing hymn that would both serve as a crescendo of praise, as well as a benediction. So they chose this psalm written by a returned exile that could not contain himself because of his desire to praise the LORD Eternal in every way possible and by every means available. He uses words that expose a broad spectrum of human emotions revealed by a variety of musical instruments. In so doing the psalmist teaches the pilgrim that every experience in life offers an opportunity to activate one’s heart and mind to accept a new awareness of God’s goodness. Man’s soul should not remain insensitive and silent. No! No! Let the soul shout praises to God for who He is, what He is, and why He is.

“Say, Hallelujah! Let us celebrate the LORD in His holy sanctuary; let our celebration ascend into the heavens. Let us celebrate Him for His miracles; let us celebrate Him because He is awesome. Let us celebrate Him with the trumpet blast, and with piano and guitar. Let us celebrate Him with the tambourine while we shout. Let us celebrate Him with stringed and wind instruments; let us celebrate Him with tympani’s and cymbals! Yes, let everything that lives and breathes celebrate the LORD! Say, Hallelujah!” Psalm 150:1-6

Reflection: Georg Frideric Händel was born in Halle, Germany on Monday, February 23, 1685 to a local barber and his wife. He began to play the organ in church by age 17. A year later he played violin and harpsichord in an opera house. He rose to such prominence that Ludwig von Beethoven once stated, “Händel is the greatest composer who ever lived. I would gladly bare my head and kneel at his grave.” On day Händel suffered a stroke which left him paralyzed on his left side. But he continued on with his music, and was invited to give a series of concerts in Dublin, Ireland to benefit various charities. While there, Händel decided to write a new piece of music. So, for the next 24 days he labored to complete a composition which he simply entitled, “Messiah.” It turned out to be his greatest work. One of the most remembered parts remains the Hallelujah chorus at the end of the second movement. Its repeated refrain gains such volume and pitch, that when sung it usually brings people to their feet. Händel died in London on Saturday, April 14, 1759. Eighteenth Century music historian Dr. Charles Burney said of this work, Messiah: “It has fed the hungry and clothed the naked, fostered the orphan and enriched succeeding directors of Oratories more than any single musical production in this or any other country.” This final psalm provides a similar chorus to that which completes the sacred hymnbook of the Psalms. What better way to close out such a beautiful collection of prayers, songs, and praises to God’s heart. It helps focus the soul, mind and spirit, channeling them into a joyous act of praise and worship to an all deserving Creator God. So when you may feel low and the troubles of the world seem to weigh you down, join the psalmist and Händel by singing that inspiring chorus again and again: “Hal-lelujah! Hal-lelujah! Hallelujah, Hallelujah; Hal-le-lu-jah!” Yes, let everything that lives and breathes, praise the LORD! 07/02/13

– The End –

THIS COMPLETES THE “NUGGETS OF WISDOM” FROM THE PSALMS

Adapted from “To God’s Heart, The Psalms for Today: An interpretive paraphrase and study guide for those seeking God’s guidance,” by Robert R. Seyda, New Global Publishing, 2006

If you wish to start over with Psalm 1, please go to “Archives,” then “January 2015” and scroll to the bottom of the page. The Lord bless you for your dedication to God’s Word.

BE STRONG TO STAND STRONG –

The days of celebration in Jerusalem were coming to an end and the feast was being concluded, so the compilers of the Psalter wanted to give the pilgrims a song to sing that would encourage and strengthen them in their resolve not to let anyone or anything deter them from making God first and foremost in their lives and conduct. So they chose a psalm written by a rejoicing exile that once again was able to stand in the sacred court of a rebuilt Temple after returning from captivity; they wanted pilgrims to have a new song celebrating the God who will carry out His purposes and accomplish His plans. Our Redeemer God did His part, now it was the believer’s turn to do their part.

“Shout, Hallelujah! Compose a new song for the congregation to sing and praise the LORD Eternal; yes, so His children can rejoice over Him as their Creator and King. Let them celebrate Him for who He is with dancing and singing hymns to Him with the tambourine and strings; for the LORD Eternal delights in blessing His people and grants healing to those who are suffering. Let the saints rejoice for this honor; yes, let them praise the Sovereign God with exuberance as they lift up their two-edged swords in their hands. Let them stand against the vengeance of unbelievers and retribution sought by residents of the land; let them bind the hands of the people in power trying to carry out the verdict announced against them. Let every believer should consider this an honor. Shout, Hallelujah!” Psalm 149:1-9

Reflection: In 2005, Michael Higgins, Australian tribunal judge in the State of Victoria, ruled that two evangelical pastors, Rev. Danny Nalliah and Rev. Daniel Scot, apologize to the Muslim community or go to jail for comments they made at a seminar on understanding Islam; that they take out newspaper advertisements to the value of $68,690 which summarized the judge’s decision. They were also made to promise they would never repeat their comments anywhere in Australia or on the internet. The judge ruled that Reverends Scot and Nalliah spoke in ways that he deemed essentially hostile, demeaning, and derogatory to all Muslim people; to their god Allah, and their prophet Mohammad. However, both pastors remained committed to their mission of preaching the truth regardless of how people interpreted what they said, and were willing to go to jail if necessary. Eventually Danny Nalliah successfully defended the case brought against him by the Islamic Council of Victoria and was awarded damages. In this landmark case, along with his colleague Daniel Scot, they were found not to have incited hatred under Victoria’s then-new religious vilification laws, especially since the delegates from the Islamic Council had accepted invitations to be at the seminar. Truly these two servants of the LORD took the psalmist’s words to heart that suffering for the gospel sake is a privilege. After all, it’s not what we say but what God says. This helps us understand the double-edge sword concept. Sometimes the Word of God heals and sometimes it wounds. Often it’s used to unite, and then again it may be the cause of separation. But in the end, it’s the Word of God that will stand even when heaven and earth may pass away. The Word must never be used in anger or to intentionally hurt and maim. But it should be used to cut away the bonds of evil-minds that attempt to bind us, the cords of sinful thinking that try to encumber us. So the next time you find yourself confronted with a skeptic or someone trying to demean you, just point to the Word of God and let it speak for you.

So often we start our day frustrated, demoralized, tired and weary, and things only get worse as the day progresses. Many times this is caused by the fact that when we show up for work or begin the morning we are still carrying the weight of what happened yesterday or the day before, plus we’ve already piled on the burden of what needs to be done tomorrow or the next day. That’s why there is so little room left for what each new day brings. There is nothing wrong about learning from the past, but what is done, is done! Stop trying to fix what can’t be repaired. And there is no reason not to plan for the future, but not to the point of building bridges for rivers you may never have to cross. Jesus said, handle the opportunities and options for today, and you will often see that those lessons of the past and dreams of the future will fall into place. – Dr Robert R Seyda

A pastor and his wife were returning from a funeral, when the wife said to her husband, “We ladies notice that whenever a minister’s wife passes, the minister is usually remarried within a very short time. We think it’s because he already has a replacement picked out. Do you have someone in mind to take my place?” The husband muttered that she was being ridiculous. “Does she play the piano like I do?” the wife asked. “I wish you’d stop this nonsense,” said her husband, “I don’t spend time thinking about who might replace you.” The wife continued: “Would she sing in the choir like I do?” “Stop it!” blurted out the husband, “Why are you talking like this?” “Would she be able to cook your favorite meal like I do?” inquired the Mrs. “For heaven sake!” said her husband, “What’s with you all of a sudden? How can you be asking these questions?” “One more thing,” quizzed the wife said softly, “Would she be able to use my beautiful set of golf clubs when you two go golfing?” “No,” said the husband without thinking, “she’s left-handed.”

ARE YOU SOLD OUT TO GOD –

It would not be uncommon for many pilgrims to leave the Holy City and return to their everyday life without expecting God to continue blessing them and showing them with His favor. So the compilers of the Psalter wanted to include a song that would make all pilgrims stop and think about the fact that they already owed Him everything for who they are and what they have received in their lifetime. So they chose this psalm written by a weary exile that came back from captivity to see the city and temple rise again from the ruins. They wanted this to become a message of unity for all God’s people, to help them in times of chaotic fragmentation in the world; in their society; and in their families. They must realize that everything around them, whether good or bad, helpful or hurtful, all play a role in what our Creator God has planned for His people and their eternal good.

“Say, Hallelujah! Come on everybody, let the heavens, the universe, the angels, the armies of heaven, the sun, the moon, the shining stars, the atmosphere and the stratosphere, let them all celebrate the LORD Eternal for the great God He is. After all, He is the One who spoke them into existence; He’s the One who insures that they will last forever, and issued a command that they never be moved! Yes, celebrate the LORD Eternal all over the earth and throughout the ocean depths; including the lightning and hail, the snow and mist, the stormy winds who follow His commands, the mountains and the hills, the fruit trees and the cedars, the animals – wild and tame, the insects and birds, earth’s rulers and all the nation’s governors and judges, the boys as well as the girls, the elderly along with the young. Let them all celebrate the LORD Eternal for the great God He is; for His fame is unique and unparalleled; impacting the earth and sky in a spectacular way. He is the One who increased the stature of His people; the One who made His saints well-known; His chosen people, a people near and dear to Him. Say Hallelujah!” Psalm 148:1-14

Reflection: In the 1980 movie, “The Jazz Singer,” starring Laurence Olivier as Cantor Rabinovitch, who admonishes his son, Yussel Rabinovitch, played by Neil Diamond, a jazz singer, for not following in his footsteps as a Synagogue Cantor. It led to them not talking to one another for over a year. In one scene, Neil Diamond, as Yussel, says to his father, “God doesn’t pay so good Pop. This is a poor synagogue, they pay what they can but I can’t live on that.” Olivier responds angrily, “God doesn’t pay so good! The debt you owe to God, you can never repay!” Sounds like Canto Rabinovitch was familiar with the contents of this 148^th Psalm, called Tehillim in Hebrew, which means “Praises.”

In this case the psalmist implores all creation to begin praising their Maker, for who He is, and what He has done, and what He continues to do for them. They owe their very existence and continued survival to Him; what they are, what they represent; their very purpose in the universe. How can we then not join in, seeing that we owe Him everything because of Christ. There is a hymn by Ellis J. Crum that goes like this: “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay.” That’s why we praise Him, not out of forced obligation or guilt, but out of sheer love for who He is and what He has done. In fact, He has already done so much for us, it would take several lifetimes to thank Him for what He’s already given without receiving another blessing.