We note that if choosing to do the hard thing of rebuking a brother or sister’s repeated sin behaviour means saving his or her soul, then the opposite is also true. Failing to rebuke a brother or sister’s repeated sin behaviour means giving them over to the possibility of death. Yaakov 5:1-20 (Author’s convergent translation from Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew)
1 Lead, go to, now, you wealthy people, weep and wail, lament over the wretchedness, miseries of yourselves which are coming. 2 Your riches are corrupted, decaying and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver is corroded, and their poison will follow as a testimony, witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in these last days! 4 Behold, now, pay attention the wages of the workers who harvested your lands, which you have defrauded those who, cry out; and the outcry of those who reaped has entered into the ears of the LORD Who goes warring. 5 You have lived in luxury on the earth and for pleasure; you have feed your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one; he offered you no resistance. 7 Be patient, therefore Jewish brothers and sisters, until the coming of the LORD. The vinedresser waits expectantly for the precious fruit of the land, with longsuffering patience, until he receives the early and latter rains. 8 You also be patient, longsuffering; strengthen, establish your hearts, core being, for the coming of the LORD is near, close at hand. 9 Don’t hold grudges against one another Jewish brothers and sisters, lest you face condemnation; behold, now, pay attention the Judge is standing before, in the door/opening. 10 Receive, my Jewish brothers and sisters, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the LORD as an example of affliction, distress, trouble, and of patient longsuffering. 11 behold, now, pay attention we count those blessed, happy who endure, are patient, abiding. You have heard of the patient endurance of Iyov[H] (Job) and have seen the goal of the LORD, that the LORD is full of compassion, extremely kind and mercifully tender. 12 Now before, at the head of all things, essences, substances, individual and collective, my Jewish brothers and sisters, do not swear, not by the heavens or by earth or with any other oath; now your yes is yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall into hypocrisy. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted, suffering, troubled? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you weak, sick, diseased, impotent? He should call for the elders of the gathered believers and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the LORD; 15 and the prayer, vow of the faith, trust, belief will save, make whole, heal the one who is sick, weary, faint and the LORD will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, missing the mark set by God’s holiness they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sin offences to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed, made whole. Much can be accomplished in the prayer request of a righteous person, when it is made of effect, strengthened. 17 Eliyahu[H] (Elijah) was a man subject to passions just as we are, and he prayed praying that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain and the land produced its fruit. 19 My Jewish brothers and sisters, if anyone among you is deceived, wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know, perceive, understand that the one who turns a sinner from the delusion, error of his way, that same one saves his soul, life, breath from death and covers a multitude of sins. Yaakov 5:1-20 (Line upon line) 1 Lead, go to, (age[G]) now (nun[G]), you wealthy people (plousios[G]), weep (klaiō[G]) and wail, lament (ololuzō[G], za’aku heiy liylo[H]) over (epi[G]) the wretchedness, miseries (ho talaipōria[G], latzarot[H]) of yourselves which are coming (ho eperchomai[G], etchem[H]). 2 Your riches (ploutos[G], ashrechem[H]) are corrupted, decaying (sēpō[G]) and your garments (himation[G], yochal[H]) have become moth-eaten (sētobrōtos[G]). 1 Lead, go to, now, you wealthy people, weep and wail, lament over the wretchedness, miseries of yourselves which are coming. 2 Your riches are corrupted, decaying and your garments have become moth-eaten. Again, the temptation to relegate this part of Yaakov’s teaching to outsiders rather than Jewish believers is unfounded. There are always rich among us, there will always be poor believers. Although the language is harsh it is also familiar. Yaakov knows he is speaking to Jews who are immersed in Torah, the prophets and writings of HaShem. The Tanakh uses similar terminology in Psalm 73 and Isaiah 5:8-9. These words are an admonition with the intent to encourage repentance, a tishuvah (turning back) to right action in Messiah. “Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. 9 The Lord Almighty has declared in my hearing: “Surely the great houses will become desolate, the fine mansions left without occupants.” Isaiah 5:8-9 NIV Yaakov speaks not to all rich people but specifically those who become rich through corrupt practices, and those who trust in their riches rather than in God through Messiah. This is made clear by the context of the latter part of the previous chapter and is emphasised by the present phrasing “Your riches are corrupted” which describes the fruit of wicked intentions. Further, verse 4 describes the withholding of the wages of employees. Additionally Yaakov is speaking specifically to those corrupted rich people within the Messianic Jewish communities of the early body of believers. Meaning that in some cases they are withholding the wages of fellow believers and in those cases where they are withholding the wages of employees from outside the community they are bearing false witness of Messiah. This is a warning given to believers with the intention of preventing their being led astray by the love of worldly wealth. 3 Your gold (chrusos[G], hazahav[H]) and your silver (arguros[G], hakesef[H]) is corroded (katioō[G]), and their poison (ios[G]) will follow (esomai[G]) as a testimony, witness (marturion[G], le’eid[H]) against you and will consume (phagō[G]) your flesh (sarx[G], besarchem[H]) like fire (pur[G], kaeiysh[H]). You have stored up treasure (thēsaurizō[G]) in these last days (eschatos hēmera[G], acharit-hayamim[H])! 3 Your gold and your silver is corroded, and their poison will follow as a testimony, witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in these last days! “Last days,” This is an allusion to the imminent judgement of God and a testimony against the ludicrous behaviour of hording wealth only to see it destroyed. The treasure that the corrupted rich are storing is temporary, unsatisfying. Yaakov will soon call for patient trust in Messiah, a position that will bear fruitful and eternal treasure. Those being rebuked here could be likened to a drug addict storing up drugs prior to an overdose. 4 Behold, now, pay attention (idou[G], Hinei[H]) the wages (ho misthos[G], sechar[H]) of the workers (ergatēs[G], hapoaliym[H]) who harvested (amaō[G]) your lands (chōra[G]), which you have defrauded (apostereō[G]) those who, cry out (krazō[G]); and the outcry (boē[G]) of those who reaped (theridō[G], hakotzriym[H]) has entered into (eiserchomai[G]) the ears (ho ous[G], veazneiy[H]) of the LORD Who goes warring (kurios sabaōth[G], YHVH Tzevaot[H]). 4 Behold, now, pay attention the wages of the workers who harvested your lands, which you have defrauded those who cry out; and the outcry of those who reaped has entered into the ears of the LORD Who goes warring. This is straight out of the Torah, its Biblical Judaism 101: “The wages of a hired man shall not stay with you until morning.” – Leviticus 19:13 See also: Deuteronomy 24:14-15 and Malachi 3:5 5 You have lived in luxury (truphaō[G]) on the earth (ho gē[G], ba’aretz[H]) and for pleasure (spatalaō[G]); you have feed (trephō[G]) your hearts (kardia[G], lib’chem[H]) in a day (hēmera[G], leyom[H]) of slaughter (sphagē[G], tivchah[H]). 6 You have condemned (katadikazō[G], hirsha’tem[H]) and murdered (phoneuō[G], hamiytem[H]) the righteous one (dikaios[G], et hatzadiyk[H]); he offered you no resistance (antitassomai[G], lo amad bifneiychem[H]). 5 You have lived in luxury on the earth and for pleasure; you have feed your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one; he offered you no resistance. We note that those being reprimanded are those who have lived “for pleasure”. This of course is the definition of Hedonism, a form of Idolatry. “you have feed your hearts in a day of slaughter.” This can be understood to mean that those being accused have continued to fatten themselves while others are slaughtered, or that they are storing up earthly goods for themselves thinking they have a long future before them, not knowing that like the rich hoarder of Yeshua’s mashal, parable (Luke 12:13-21) they would soon lose their lives and be unable to enjoy their temporal riches. It’s important to remember that this is not an inevitable outcome but a warning intended to produce repentance. HaShem hears the cry of the spilled blood of a righteous one and the agony of the oppressed. This too is a familiar refrain from the Tanakh; Genesis 4:10, Exodus 3:7 The text is not accusing the corrupt wealthy of the synagogue of murdering people, rather, as is taught elsewhere in the New Testament, Yaakov is conveying the idea that when a believer mistreats the oppressed and poor it is as if he is crucifying Messiah again. This is why the text reads “You have condemned and murdered the righteous one; he offered you no resistance.” 7 Be patient (makrothumeō[G]), therefore (oun[G]) Jewish brothers and sisters (adelphos[G], achay[H]), until the coming (ho Parousia[G], ad bo[H]) of the LORD (ho kurios[G], HaAdon[H]). The vinedresser (geōrgos[G], haikar[H]) waits expectantly (ekdechomai[G], yechakeh[H]) for the precious (ho timios[G], hatovah[H]) fruit (karpos[G], litvuat[H]) of the land (ho gē[G], ha’adamah[H]), with longsuffering patience (makrothumeō[G]), until he receives (lambanō[G]) the early, autumn (prōimos[G]) and latter, spring (opsimos[G]) rains (huetos[G]). 8 You also (kai[G]) be patient, longsuffering (makrothumeō[G]); strengthen, establish (stērizō[G], amtzu[H]) your hearts, core being (kardia[G], lib’chem[H]), for the coming (ho Parousia[G]) of the face LORD (ho kurios[G], peneiy HaAdon[H]) is near, close at hand (eggizō[G], hineih baiym[H]). 7 Be patient, therefore Jewish brothers and sisters, until the coming of the LORD. The vinedresser waits expectantly for the precious fruit of the land, with longsuffering patience, until he receives the early autumn and latter spring rains. 8 You also be patient, longsuffering; strengthen, establish your hearts, core being, for the coming of the LORD is near, close at hand. Those who work the land and do business are to do so with patient expectation of the coming return of the King Messiah Yeshua. Not seeking the wealth of this temporary world but rather practicing longsuffering in waiting for the eternal wealth of the Olam Haba (world to come). We note that the establishing of the heart, core being, is the result of patiently trusting in Messiah and His promised return. His return is nearer each moment, now and yet fully manifest. Patience, not boasting, is the path of the believer. It’s not patience in and off itself, rather it’s patience born of hope, that hope is in the Messiah’s return. “Fruit of the land” is a quotation from the brachah (blessing) for eating berries and vegetables. A vinedresser or farmer’s patience is rewarded by the harvest. The autumn rains are mentioned first, this was contrary to the rhythm of the Greek world which measures it’s year using different spiritual markers. This is counterintuitive to the Gentile mind which understands early in relationship to spring and late in relationship to fall. However, the Biblical Hebrew calendar understands the first rains at Sukkot (fall) as early, and the rains following Pesach (spring) as late. The Greek terms used refer to the autumn or fall rains as “early” and the spring rains as “latter”. This is because Yaakov is using Greek terms to convey a Hebraic idea. This is consistent with the rainfall in the land of Israel. For the most part it rains significantly no more than twice a year in Israel; the early, or former rain, comes shortly after Sukkot (the festival of shelters) in the month Chesvan, (approx. October). The latter rain is in Nisan, (approx. March) prior to the first harvest (barley). The Jewish High Holy days (along with the early rains) occur at the end of the year approaching fall and winter, this is a metaphor for judgment. The spring rains coincide with Yom ha-bikkurim—day of first fruit, this is a metaphor for new life, resurrection. Again Yaakov is reminding Jewish believers in the diaspora that their roots are of the land and are intrinsically linked to the spiritual year as laid out in the Torah. Death, judgment and new life continue to be part of their journey. In the end it is the hope of new life, eternal life, which they must focus on. “for the coming of the Lord is near, close at hand.” Perhaps not near in terms of earth history, but in terms of eternal consciousness, very near. Therefore His return is now nearer still. 9 Don’t hold grudges (stenazō[G]), against one another Jewish brothers and sisters (adelphos[G], achay[H]), lest you face condemnation (katakrinō[G], pen-tishafeitu[H]); behold, now, pay attention (idou[G], hineih[H]) the Judge (ho kritēs[G], hadayan[H]) is standing before (pro[G]), in the door/opening (bapatach[H]). 10 Receive (lambanō[G]), my Jewish brothers and sisters (mou adelphos[G], achay[H]), the prophets (ho prophētēs[G], hanevi’iym[H]) who have spoken in the name (ho onoma[G], beshem[H]) of the LORD (ho Kurios[G], YHVH[H]) as an example (hupodeigma[G]) of affliction, distress, trouble (kakopatheia[G]), and of patient longsuffering (makrothumia[G]). 9 Don’t hold grudges, against one another Jewish brothers and sisters, lest you face condemnation; behold, now, pay attention the Judge is standing before, in the door/opening. 10 Receive, my Jewish brothers and sisters, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the LORD as an example of affliction, distress, trouble, and of patient longsuffering. The phrase “lest you be condemned” is specifically referring to one judged, found wanting and sentenced, and not simply to the act of judgement. “The Judge is standing at the door,” In God Yeshua is Head and Judge of the body of believers. A similar warning is given to the body of believers of Laodicea: “14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the [k]Origin of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. 22 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” -Revelation 3:14-22 NASB 11 behold, now, pay attention (idou[G], hineih[H]) we count those blessed, happy (makarizō[G]) who endure, are patient, abiding (hupomenō[G]). You have heard of the patient endurance (hupomonē[G], savlanut[H]) of Iyov[H] (Job: persecuted, treated as an enemy) and have seen (eidō[G]) the goal (telos[G]) of the LORD (ho Kurios[G], YHVH[H]), that the LORD (ho Kurios[G], YHVH[H]) is full of compassion, extremely kind (polusplagchnos[G]) and mercifully tender (oiktirmōn[G]). 11 behold, now, pay attention we count those blessed, happy who endure, are patient, abiding. You have heard of the patient endurance of Iyov[H] (Job: persecuted, treated as an enemy) and have seen the goal of the LORD, that the LORD is full of compassion, extremely kind and mercifully tender. It's interesting to note that Seder Olam Rabbah (c. 3. p. 9.) one of the traditional commentaries of the rabbis says that Job suffered for 12 months. This is based on the Hebrew text of Job 7:3. Here perseverance is the key. One might become impatient, but like Job we must overcome impatience with perseverance, trusting, like Job, in the compassionate mercy of God, the ultimate positive outcome, Messiah’s return and an eternity of prosperity in God. “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;” -Job 19:25-26 NIV 12 Now before, at the head (pro[G], verosh[H]) of all things, essences, substances, individual and collective (pas[G], davar[H]), my Jewish brothers and sisters (mou adelphos[G], achay[H]), do not swear (omnuō[G]), not by the heavens (ouranos[G], vashamayim[H]) or by earth (gē[G], va’aretz[H]) or with any other oath (horkos[G]); now (de[G]) your yes (nai[G], hein[H]) is yes, and your no (ou[G], lo[H]), no, so that you do not fall into hypocrisy (hupokrisis[G]). 12 Now before, at the head of all things, essences, substances, individual and collective, my Jewish brothers and sisters, do not swear, not by the heavens or by earth or with any other oath; now your yes is yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall into hypocrisy. “Now before” Before you address all that is in error among you, and keeping the righteous patience of the prophets, turn away from vain oaths and deception and firmly establish a practice of keeping your word without even a hint of hypocrisy. This is similar to Yeshua’s teaching in Matthew 5:33-37 and links to the frivolous boasting of the traders in 4:13-17. Simply put, oath taking was a big part of Jewish culture at the time and had become a means for justifying daily deception as a lesser form of communication. In short, Yaakov is saying “Speak the truth and don’t make promises you have no intention of keeping.” 13 Is anyone among you afflicted, suffering, troubled (kakopatheō[G])? He should pray (proseuchomai[G], yitfaleil[H]). Is anyone cheerful (euthumeō[G])? He should sing psalms (psallō[G], yezameir[H]). 14 Is anyone among you weak, sick, diseased, impotent (astheneō[G])? He should call (proskaleomai[G], yikra[H]) for the elders (presbuteros[G], zikneiy[H]) of the gathered believers (ekklēsia[G], hakehilah[H]) and they are to pray (proseuchomai[G], veyitplalu[H]) over him, anointing (aleiphō[G], viysuchuhu[H]) him with oil (elaion[G], shemen[H]) in the name (ho onoma[G], beshem[H]) of the Lord (ho Kurios[G], YHVH[H]); 13 Is anyone among you afflicted, suffering, troubled? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you weak, sick, diseased, impotent? He should call for the elders of the gathered believers and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the LORD; Both prayer and singing are forms of conversation with God. It seems that Yaakov’s best advice is this, “Be in relationship with the Creator.” As opposed to doing in relationship with the world. Both the weary and the ill are offered anointing here. Oil has been used by Israel’s priests to anoint her Kings for centuries. It is a symbol of the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and the rich blessing and healing of God. "whoever has a sick person in his house, let him go to a wise man, and he will seek mercy for him.'' -R. Phinehas ben Chama (Talmud Bavliy Bava Bathra, fol. 116. 1.) 15 and the prayer, vow (euchē[G], utefilat[H]) of the faith, trust, belief (pistis[G], haemunah[H]) will save, make whole, heal (sōzō[G], toshiya[H]) the one who is sick, weary, faint (kamnō[G]) and the Lord (ho Kurios[G], YHVH[H]) will raise him up (egeirō[G], yekiymenu[H]), and if he has committed sins, missing the mark set by God’s holiness (hamartia[G], chata[H]) they will be forgiven (aphiēmi[G], yisalach[H]) him. 15 and the prayer, vow of the faith, trust, belief will save, make whole, heal the one who is sick, weary, faint and the LORD will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, missing the mark set by God’s holiness they will be forgiven him. The faith spoken of here is not faith in healing, rather it is faith in the Healer, Messiah Yeshua/God the Father. This prayer will be the vehicle for revelation to the needy one. He will be delivered from needless toil and lifted up or awakened from his disappear or illness, made whole—not necessarily physically well but whole/complete, spiritually speaking. As a result of this prayer of faith in Messiah, sin will be covered and forgiven losing its temporal authority. 16 Therefore, confess (exomologeō[G]) your sin offences (hamartia paraptōma [G]) to one another, and pray (euchomai[G], vehitpalalu[H]) for one another so that you may be healed, made whole (iaomai[G], teirafeiu[H]). Much (polus[G], gadol[H]) can be accomplished in the prayer request (deēsis[G], tefilat[H]) of a righteous (dikaios[G], hatzadiyk[H]) person, when it is made of effect, strengthened (energeō[G], bechazkah[H]). 16 Therefore, confess your sin offences to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed, made whole. Much can be accomplished in the prayer request of a righteous person, when it is made of effect, strengthened. “Therefore” Because the prayer of faith in Messiah brings healing, wholeness and the forgiveness of God. Openly vocalizing our sin as confession to one another can be a very powerful source of release from the burden of it. This is something the Catholic Church does well. It is true to say to a brother or sister, “Go in peace, your sins are forgiven.” We are not saying that we have forgiven their sins, we are simply acknowledging that through the blood covering of Messiah’s sacrifice, their sin is forgiven. The purpose of this open confession is not to publicly humiliate or give opportunity for gossip. It should be undertaken only with trusted believers and then only by the leading of the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit). In petitioning God on behalf of one another we are to be motivated by mercy because “mercy triumphs over judgment.” Therefore we see the work of God here, denouncing false judgment and vindictiveness and announcing mercy and freedom. The result? Wholeness. Rav Eliezar of the Talmud also teaches that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective (Talmud Bavliy Succah, fol. 14. 1. & Yebamot, fol. 64. 1.). 17 Eliyahu[H] (My God He is YHVH) was a man (anthrōpos[G], enosh anush[H]) subject to passions (homoiopathēs[G]) just as we are, and he prayed (proseuchomai[G], vehitpaleil[H]) praying (proseuchē[G], tefilah[H]) that it might not rain (brechō[G], matar[H]), and it didn’t rain (brechō[G], matar[H]) on the land (ho ge[G], ba’aretz[H]) for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed (proseuchomai[G], vayitpaleil[H]) again, and the heavens (ouranos[G], vehashamayim[H]) gave (didōmi[G], nat’nu[H]) rain (huetos[G], matar[H]) and the land (ho ge[G], ha’aretz[H]) produced its fruit (karpos[G], et-piryah[H]). 17 Eliyahu[H] was a man subject to passions just as we are, and he prayed praying that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain and the land produced its fruit. It’s important to note here that the type of prayer being spoken of is a form of fervent listening. After all, the narrative concerning Eliyahu’s (Elijah’s) life tells us only that he heard from God that the heavens would be shut up, following which he heard from God again some years later that the heavens would release rain upon the land. The pattern goes like this: Listen… No rain. Listen… rain. Listen… drought and death born of idolatry. Listen… Life giving waters welling up from Messiah in you. It is the Patient, or rather, persevering Eliyahu (like the farmer of verse 7), who received the later rain. It is interesting to note that in the account of Elijah’s prophetic word to Ahab regarding God sending rain there is no explicit mention of prayer (1 Kings 18:42). In the account Elijah goes up to the top of Mt Carmel, throws himself to the ground, puts his face between his knees. Each of these actions are considered kinetic prayer. Our sages say “Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, to pray, and he cast himself down upon the earth, to pray for rain; and he put his face between his knees and prayed, and said to his servant, go up now, look toward the sea; and this he said while he was in his prayers" - Yarchi, Kimchi, Ralbag, & Laniado in loc. In each action we are praying. This is why the text of Yaakov 5:17 reads “he prayed praying”. This is a Hebrew idiom employed to denote passionate and committed prayer (Zohar in Gen. fol. 31. 1. & Imre Binah in ib). Elijah’s entire life, motivation, thought, action, was a living conversation with God. Yaakov encourages us with the words “Eliyahu[H] was a man subject to passions just as we are…” Yaakov uses the example of praying for rain because it is such a significant part of Biblical Jewish practice and of the subsequent generations of Israel in the land. Many of our rabbis are recorded as having sought God for the provision of rain. Jewish tradition is filled with these accounts (Talmud Bavliy Moed Katon, fol. 28. 1. & Taanit, fol. 19. 1. 23. 1. 24. 2. 25. 2. & Yoma, fol. 53. 2.) “The heavens gave rain” is an allusion first and foremost to the fact that God, Who is the Creator of the heavens, gave rain. Not just the physical rain that ended the drought in the land of Israel but also the cleansing rain of His Spirit bringing repentance and spiritual revival to the people of the land of Israel. 19 My Jewish brothers and sisters (mou adelphos[G], achay[H]), if anyone among you is deceived, wanders (planaō[G], yiteh[H]) from the truth (ho alētheia[G], min haemet[H]) and someone turns (epistrephō[G], yeshiyvenu[H]) him back, 20 let him know, perceive, understand (ginōskō[G], yeida-na[H]) that the one who turns (epistrephō[G], hameishiyv[H]) a sinner (hamartōlos[G], et hachotei[H]) from the delusion, error (planē[G]) of his way (hodos[G], darko[H]) that same one (autos[G]) saves (sōzō[G], yoshiya[H]) his soul, life, breath (psuchē[G], et-nafsho[H]) from death (Thanatos[G], mimavet[H]) and covers (kaluptō[G], veychaseh[H]) a multitude (plēthos[G]) of sins (hamartia[G], al-hamon peshaiym[H]). 19 My Jewish brothers and sisters, if anyone among you is deceived, wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know, perceive, understand that the one who turns a sinner from the delusion, error of his way that same one saves his soul, life, breath from death and covers a multitude of sins. Finally, and with concise literary beauty, Yaakov reminds us that in Messiah we live and breathe to see others reconciled to God. We note that if choosing to do the hard thing of rebuking a brother or sister’s repeated sin behaviour means saving his or her soul, then the opposite is also true. Failing to rebuke a brother or sister’s repeated sin behaviour means giving them over to the possibility of death. Offering confession and forgiveness at times means challenging others. This is why Yaakov has said previously “the one who knows to do the good and does not, he does sin”. This requires wisdom and care. Love acts to guide others away from the self-harm of sin. With our rebuke comes the good news that Mercy YHVH Himself triumphs over condemnation. Copyright 2022 Yaakov Brown Questions regarding godly discernment
1. Why is godly discernment so important today? 2. What does the Bible teach about godly discernment? 3. What does Yeshua (Jesus) the King Messiah teach about godly discernment? 4. How does the discernment of God's Spirit differ from human discernment which relies on human intellect alone? 5. What practical things can I put in place in order to be more discerning both spiritually and intellectually? Godly Discernment Sadly, the Holy Spirit gift of godly discernment is observably the least exercised spiritual gift in the modern community of faith. Those who do exercise this gift are often accused of being divisive, critical, unspiritual. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because we have quenched the fire of the gift of discernment among us we are reaping delusion in the body of faith on both a local and global scale. We have an individual and corporate moral obligation in Messiah to repent of our sin in disarming those among us who have attempted to warn us through godly discernment, and a Biblical moral imperative to begin to encourage and elevate the practice of the gift of godly discernment within both the local and wider body of the King Messiah Yeshua. 1. Why is godly discernment so important today? First let’s make a discernment, and distinguish between discernment and godly discernment. Distinction, distinguish, judge, taste, insight, perception, awareness and wisdom are synonyms of discernment, each of which inform our understanding of discernment. Discernment is defined as "the ability to judge well". Godly Discernment is defined as "Making a right judgement according to God's Spirit" Intellect and human sight alone cannot be relied on to discern spiritual matters. Yeshua (Jesus) says: "Do not judge by mere appearances, but make a right judgment." -John 7:24 Godly discernment is the practice of godly judgement and is available to every believer through Yeshua according to the indwelling of God's Spirit and a disciplined knowledge of His written Word (Bible). In the present chaos of this world believers are finding themselves in a position where they must make life changing decisions concerning issues for which an abundance of information exists but have no clear direction in which to head based on that information. In such circumstances intellectual rational is of little help on its own. We require spiritual help from the One Who sees the unseen and knows the hearts, minds and hidden agendas of humanity as well as the workings of the spiritual forces that influence us. Practically speaking, in many cases we are offered two opposing options, while God reveals a third option that exposes both "rational" choices and proves them to be counterfeit. We see in part, He is all seeing, we know in part, He is all knowing. Therefore, we are foolish to base our decisions on human vision and intellect alone. Instead we are challenged to employ our sight and intellect in submission to God's Spirit and the gift of discernment that He imparts, rather than relying on our own, often flawed human discernment. In matters of discernment information and the source of it is of primary importance. Information is not synonymous with truth. It must be interpreted and discerned. We live in an age of an overabundance of information from mainstream and alternative sources, but the majority of these sources are of fallen human origin or are gleaned from the airways (media) and influenced by the spirit of the air (Satan) rather than being from God. Ultimately the only reliable source of information comes from God Himself through Yeshua and is found in His Word both living and written, illuminated by the present help of His Spirit. Today far too many believers are making emotional decisions based on fleshly thoughts and desires, often seeded by ungodly fears. Our failure to effectively abide in Messiah, in God, in His Word (Bible) is resulting in mass delusion and an inability to comprehend the spiritual forces at work in our midst. False choices are being presented by spiritual leaders who are often well meaning but sadly are guilty of unnecessarily dividing the body of believers. Many of these false choices seem godly but are in fact born of the fallen nature and merely disguised as godliness. Thus, the desperate need for godly discernment among believers. One such example is the present debate concerning vaccines, another is the debate regarding political freedom. These two examples alone have become distractions that have taken the eyes of believers off Yeshua and away from the important work of the Kingdom of God. At present two satanic emissaries are fighting for the hearts and minds of Messiah followers. The deity of False Freedom is battling the deity of Socialist Fascism and the prize they seek is the deluding of the minds of weak and undiscerning believers. When we make "Freedom" our god we show our disregard for the God of freedom. Anarchists masquerading as Libertarians herding gullible Conservatives, ultimately seek freedom devoid of accountability, built on vain conspiracy. They are sirens of moral decay trading one form of tyranny for another. Counterfeit freedom is the brother of bondage. In practice, "the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness" is a pursuit of three false deities, Temporal Life, False Liberty, and Fading Emotionalism. But the freedom gifted of God in the King Messiah Yeshua transcends all temporal chains. The Good News is this, if we return to God's Word, both written (Bible) and Living (the King Messiah Yeshua), and turn away from the voices of the air (satanic), we will be found among those whose homes are filled with light when the coming darkness descends. 2. What does the Bible teach about godly discernment? Deuteronomy 4:1-10 teaches that: Godly discernment is found in God's Instruction (Bible) and keeps us safe. Failure to consistently abide in His Word results in a lack of godly discernment. Hebrews 4:12 teaches that: Godly discernment relies on God’s Word both written and living, and is able to divide indivisible things. 1 Kings 3:7-12 teaches that: Godly discernment helps us to govern (ourselves and others). Ezra 8:16 teaches that: Godly discernment is a collective responsibility. We are reliant on both God and each other in matters of discernment. Psalm 53:1-4 teaches that: Those who disbelieve God lack godly discernment, are corrupt and seek to harm God's people. Proverbs 3:21-26 teaches that: Godly discernment must be observed and acted on. Proverbs 10:13 teaches that: God disciplines those who lack discernment. Daniel 5:14 teaches that: Divine discernment is available only to the chosen of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 & 1 Corinthians 11:31 teach that: Godly discernment is of God's Spirit and not of the human nature. A believer who relies on God's Spirit to judge him is not swayed by the false judgements he makes of himself nor the false judgements others make. Therefore, the one who relies on God’s Spirit at work in him is able to discern seemingly undiscernible things. 1 Corinthians 14:29 teaches that: Godly discernment is required in order to judge the words of prophets. 1 Corinthians 12:10 teaches that: The Holy Spirit gift of discernment distinguishes between spiritual forces and sees unseen things. Colossians 1:8 explains that: We are admonished to be discerning so as not to be lead astray. 1 John 4:1 teaches that: Godly discernment tests spirits. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 teaches that: Godly discernment tests everything and holds on to what is good. 1 Corinthians 12:13 teaches that: Godly discernment affirms the authority and deity of Yeshua (YHVH with us) the King Messiah (Imanu – with us, El – God). 3. What does Yeshua (Jesus) teach about godly discernment? In John 5:30 Yeshua teaches that godly discernment listens to and hears from God and does not seek self as the source of distinguishing between truth and error. In John 8:15 Yeshua teaches that godly discernment does not judge according to the fallen nature. In Mathew 11:25-30 Yeshua teaches that godly discernment is revealed to infants while intellectual giants fail to comprehend it. In Matthew 7:13-20 Yeshua teaches that godly people can be discerned based on their fruit, both its type and its condition. 4. How does the discernment of God's Spirit differ from human discernment, which relies on human intellect alone? We have already been given the answer to this question in the preceding Scriptures: Godly discernment does not rely on human intellect. Godly discernment requires the discerner to be a child of God in Yeshua the King Messiah. Godly discernment requires the discerner to be familiar with God’s Word, written and living. Godly discernment requires the discerner to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Spirit of the Father and the Son). Godly discernment requires humility (revealed in children [innocent of heart and mind, teachable and inquisitive], kept from those in a state of intellectual pride). Godly discernment can distinguish between spirits and sees unseen things because it is a gift of the Holy Spirit rather than a human artform. Godly discernment is completely reliant on God both in its use of spiritual knowledge and its application in guiding human intellect. Godly discernment often seems counterintuitive because it is propelled by the Word of God Yeshua, Who divides between indivisible things (Heb. 4:12). These are just a few of the many ways godly discernment differs from the discernment of human intellect and rational philosophy. 5. What practical things can I put in place in order to be more discerning both spiritually and intellectually? The acronym R.I.T.E.S is a good start: R - Repent of intellectual arrogance and Rely on God I - be Intentional about daily Scripture reading and prayer T -Turn away from unreliable sources of information E - Enter into dialogue with godly people S - Submit all decisions to God through Messiah Yeshua in the power of His Holy Spirit Admit before God and to myself that without His help I am unable to discern correctly. Repent of reliance on my own intellect in discerning. Repent of any part I have played in quenching the use of the Holy Spirit given gift of discernment among the body of believers. Choose to be completely reliant on God in Yeshua the King Messiah. Be intentional about reading God’s Word (the Bible) daily. Be intentional in praying for the revelation of God’s Spirit when deciding matters great and small. Turn away from information sources that I’ve known to be unreliable, including those which claim to be vetted by believers but bear the rotten fruit of apostasy and proving that they’re not walking in step with God’s Spirit in Messiah Yeshua. When asked to discern between things, seek counsel from godly family and friends who are genuine disciples of Yeshua the King Messiah. Choose to be teachable when asking for advice from godly people rather than coming with an emotional agenda. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown Objects are made for use, whereas people are created for relationship. Therefore, those who enter relationship with God are perfected in life while those who refuse relationship with God make objects of themselves. Objects exist but they are not alive. Introduction:
This chapter concludes Yeshua’s words to the disciples following the Pesach (Passover) Seder and prior to crossing the Kidron valley to Gat Sheminim (Gethsemane), with a prayer to the Father. The words of Yeshua’s prayer read as statements of fact concerning things only God could know, and convey concepts of which Yeshua is intimately aware. Therefore, it’s clear that His intention is to entreat the Father on His disciple’s behalf and at the same time to teach the disciples about His relationship to the Father and the desired relationship between the disciples and the Father through Yeshua and toward one another. There are some important distinctions made by the Hebrew translation that are not illuminated by the Greek text. These distinctions are consistent with the first century Jewish context and would have been easily comprehended by the disciples and early Jewish followers of Yeshua. In short, the original recipients of Yochanan’s Gospel. 16:33 reads: 33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace, wholeness, wellbeing (shalom[H]). In this world (ho kosmos[G], ha olam[H]) you have pressing together, travail, distress, troubles (thlipis[G]), nevertheless, be of good courage (tharseo[G]); I have conquered (nikao[G]) this world (ho kosmos[G], ha olam[H]).” 1 Yeshua[H] (Iesous[G], Joshua, YHVH Saves, Jesus) spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes toward the heavens (ouranos[G], hashamayiym[H]), He said, “My Father (Pater[G], Aviy[H]), the certain definite time, hour (hora[G]) has come; glorify, magnify, be of the opinion of, celebrate (doxazo[G], Paeir[G]) the Son of You (ho uihos[G], HaBen Shelcha[H]), that the Son (ho uihos[G], HaBen[H]) may glorify, magnify, be of the opinion of, celebrate (doxazo[G], Paeir[G]) You, “Yeshua spoke these things” meaning all that had preceded and all that was about to proceed in respect to His prayer to the Father before the disciples. “Lifting up His eyes toward the heavens” is a reflection of Yeshua’s former prayer posture when standing before the grave of Lazarus (John 11:41-42). Then, as now, His prayer is being said aloud in front of His talmidim as a testimony to them. Yeshua need not lift up His eyes to the heavens nor pray aloud, both these actions are for the benefit of those who are with Him. The phrase “he lifted up his face to the heavens” is used by our sages to describe a posture of prayer that denotes honour toward the seat of God’s power, figuratively speaking (Vayikra Rabba, sect. 34. fol. 174. 4.). “My Father” expresses an intimate and distinct difference in Yeshua’s prayer. Yeshua is conversing as He has always conversed with the Father, in inseparable relationship. When asked how they should pray Yeshua instructed the disciples to pray “Avinu Shabashamayiym…” (Our Father in the heavens). Here, Yeshua intimates His unique familial connection to the Father as being the means by which the disciples are able to pray “Our Father”. We note that the glory of the Son in the Father is more than just bright light and awe. The Greek “doxazo” denotes celebration and the idea of sharing the opinion and purposes of another. Therefore, The Son seeks to reflect back to the Father the mind of the Father and to do so based on the fact that the Father has already given the Son the power and liberty to act as the Son pleases. Being in and of the Father the Son acts according to the mind of the Father in seeking the salvation of those who would receive the Father through the Son. This is explained from a perspective outside of time and space as being the result of the Father having given to the Son those whom He has seen as obedient to receive His offer of love, even before they themselves had chosen to act in obedience. Thus, seeing the end from the beginning the Father gives those to be redeemed to the Son, Who exists in the Father from before the foundation of the world. 2 According to the power, liberty to do as He pleases, authority (exousia[G]) You have given (natat[H]) Him, over all flesh (sarx[G], basar[H]) individually (pas[H]), that to all whom You have given Him, He may give (natat[H]) life, living (zoe[G], chayeiy[H]) without end (aionios[G], olam[H]). “According to the authority You have given Him over all flesh” is an important distinction. Yeshua has been given authority over all creation, including the angelic etc. However, the focus here is on the Father’s relationship to humanity through the Son. Thus, “all flesh”, a reference to the human race. “to all whom You have given Him, He may give life without end” The Father has given the Son the role of gate keeper to life without end. It is through the Son alone that human beings gain access to everlasting life. Like the Father the Son desires that none should perish, however, like the Father He also knows that love cannot exist without freewill. Therefore, predestination is concluded based on the observation of freewill. “Yeshua answered, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”” -John 14:6 3 And this is the (ho[G]) unending (aionios[G], haolam[H]) life, living (zoe[G], chayeiy[H]) that gives them the opportunity to learn to know, perceive, understand, intimately know (ginosko[G], lada’at[H]) You, the only, singular (monos[G]) genuinely, absolutely, true (alethinos[G]) God (Theos[G], Elohim[H]), and Yeshua[H] (Iesous[G], Joshua, YHVH Saves, Jesus) Ha-Mashiach[H] (The Messiah, Christos[G], Christ) Whom You have sent. Everlasting life is not simply continued existence after the death experienced as a result of this sin affected world. All, both the righteous and the wicked share continued existence following death (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29 etc.), some enter everlasting living and others everlasting torment/the second death (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8). Everlasting living through Yeshua in God is a form of relational existence that perfects the concept of life and is founded in the knowledge of God, the Creator and the One Who sustains all things through Yeshua His Anointed One. Objects are made for use, whereas people are created for relationship. Therefore, those who enter relationship with God are perfected in life while those who refuse relationship with God make objects of themselves. Objects exist but they are not alive. A modern example of the difference between eternal living and eternal damnation might be that of the patient whose life is sustained entirely by medical machines, this person is considered to have “life” technically continuing to exist but for all intents and purposes is not truly living, not in practical action, nor in relationship to others. Add to this the possibility that one could experience consciousness while being utterly paralyzed in this state and we have an example of existing torment, a reflection, at least in part, of the far worse reality of eternal death. To receive the Person of God and to be known by God in relationship is eternal living. In Messiah He unplugs us from the life support machines of this temporary world and supports us with life Himself. We do not merely exist in Him, we are alive in Him. The life Yeshua speaks of begins in Him within time and space and in doing so transcends time and space. To begin to be known by God is to begin to know God, making everlasting living a journey entered into within the temporal world, a journey that transforms temporal things, sanctifying (setting them apart) to function outside of time and space. “the only, singular genuinely, absolutely, true God” reflects the Shema (central prayer of Judaism Deut. 6:4). God is “monos” One, “echad” Complex and One, He defines truth. Our sages remind us that engaging with God’s Torah (Written Word, Instruction) is part of the journey toward eternal life and that those engaged in temporary things are constantly afforded an opportunity to repent and turn to the practice of eternal things up until the time allotted them on this earth. Rabbi Yoḥanan heard that one angel said to the other: Let us knock this wall down upon them and kill them, as they abandon eternal life of Torah study and engage in temporal life for their own sustenance. The other angel said to him: Leave them, as there is one of them whose time of achievement stands before him, i.e., his time has yet to come. Rabbi Yoḥanan heard all this, but Ilfa did not hear the angels’ conversation. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to Ilfa: Did the Master hear anything? Ilfa said to him: No. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to himself: Since I heard the angels and Ilfa did not hear, I can learn from this that it is I whose time of achievement stands before me. -Talmud Bavliy, Taanit 21a, 3 "fleeing to the Divine Being, "is eternal life"; and running front him is death.'' -Philo, De profugis, p. 461 4 I have glorified, magnified, am of the opinion of, celebrated (doxazo[G], peiartiycha[H]) You in the land [earth] (ho ge[G], va’aretz[H]), having accomplished the business, employment, occupation, work (ergon[G]) which You have given (didomi[G], tziviytaniy[H]) Me to do, make, produce, fashion, construct (poieo[G], la’asot[H]). Both the Hebrew “aretz” and the Greek “ge (ghay)” mean “land” and thus to the Jewish residents of the land of Israel in the first century CE (in particular His disciples), Yeshua’s words are understood to refer first and foremost to Ha Aretz, the land of Israel and only secondarily to all the earth. 5 Now, My Father (Pater[G], Aviy[H]), glorify, magnify, be of the opinion of, celebrate (doxazo[G], Pa’areiniy[G]) Me together with Yourself, with the glory, opinion, judgement, view, in the holiness (doxa[G], bakavod[H]) which I had/hold (echo[G], hayah-liy[H]) with You before this (ho[G]) the (ho[G]) world (kosmos[G], haolam[H]) was. Our sages teach that God will give the Messiah “of the supreme glory” (Midrash Tillim in Psal. 20 apud Galatin. de Arcan. Cathol. Ver. l. 3. c. 9.) The Greek “echo” meaning to “have, hold” is used in the past tense here but only because Yeshua is speaking within time and space. In reality Yeshua is speaking into time and space a transcendent truth. We could read “Now, (present) My Father, glorify Me together (echad) with Yourself, with the holiness which I hold (eternal present) with You before (past) the world existed.” In short, all things are an echo of God’s voice, His Davar (Word, essence = Yeshua) and therefore, Yeshua is God with us speaking within the echo of God. Thus, the Greek “echo” being the foundation for the English “echo”, reflects the reality of super-real truth. Yeshua is not merely pre-existing, He is eternal. He is not only the Word that emanates from the mouth of God, He is also the eternally present thought that is in the mind of God. Therefore, Yeshua is unique and inseparable. “Imanu-El”. On the eternal nature of Yeshua, the Davar (Word, Essence, Substance): “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” -Micah 5:2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” -John 1:1 “Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” -John 8:58 “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” -Colossians 1:17 “Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.” -Hebrews 7:3 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the goal.” -Revelation 22:13 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” -Colossians 1:15 “They will perish, but You remain; And they all will become old like a garment, And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.” -Hebrews 1:11-12 “John gave testimony about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” -John 1:15 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” -Revelation 1:17-18 6 “I have manifested, made visible (phaneroo[G]) the Name, identity, character, person (ho onoma[G], shimcha[H]) of You to the children of the man [humanity] (anthropos[G], liv’neiy[H] haadam[H]) whom You gave (natat[H]) Me out of this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]); they were Yours and You gave (natat[H]) them to Me, and they have kept, preserved, guarded, observed (natzaru[H]) Your word, essence (ho logos[G], et-d’varecha[H]). “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him.” -John 1:18 “Yeshua *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” -John 14:9 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” -Colossians 1:15 Notice that Yeshua has made the very Name (identity, nature) of God visible to those among the children of Adam whom God has given to Yeshua from the creation which was made through Him. Those given to Yeshua belong to God and are His to give, and, they (first the disciples and subsequently all believers) have (past tense) kept, guarded, treasured, protected, observed the Word (Davar). That is, in the capacity allowed them by the Word (Yeshua), they have been given the opportunity to treasure and guard His words, to observe them and to pass on His teaching, to convey to others the opportunity afforded them through His death and resurrection, that they too might receive His Essence (Davar, Logos, Memra etc). 7 Now they have come to know, perceive, understand, intimately know (ginosko[G], yadu[H]) that everything, individually (pas[G]) You have given (didomi[G], natat liy[H]) Me is from You; 8 for the words spoken, things, essence (rhema[G], had’variym[H]) which You gave (didomi[G], natat[H]) Me I have given (didomi[G], natatiy[H]) to them; and they received them and in truth (be’emet[H]) understood, have come to know, perceive, understand, intimately know (ginosko[G], yadu[H]) that I came forth from You, and they believed, trusted, were persuaded, placed confidence in the fact (pisteuo[G], vayamiynu[H]) that You sent Me. Yeshua has given to His disciples the message of God’s redemptive love and His desire to reconcile humanity to Himself. The Disciples now understand that Yeshua has been given authority over all things. They have come to this understanding not by taking hold of it but by receiving it from Yeshua Who has taken hold of them. The disciples now comprehend that Yeshua is the promised King Messiah sent from God and have trusted Him. ואיתן פתגמי, "and I will give the words", of my prophecy into his mouth, and he shall speak with them all that I have commanded.'' -Targum of Yonatan Ben Uzziel, Deut. 18:18 (second century CE) 9 I ask, desire (erotao[G]) concerning, for, on behalf of (peri[G]) them; I do not ask concerning, for, on behalf of (peri[G]) this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]), but of those whom You have given (didomi[G], natat liy[H]) Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and all that is Yours is Mine; and I have been glorified, magnified, extoled of opinion, celebrated (doxazo[G]) in them. Notice that Yeshua is not asking God to guard those who choose to reject Yeshua and God’s redemptive offer. There is no forgiveness for the unrepentant, this is a firmly established teaching of Scripture. “Forgive them for they know not what they do” denotes an opportunity for them to know and repent, it is not an offer of forgiveness to the unrepentant. God does not force people to spend eternity in relationship with Him. Yeshua is not interested in the prosperity of “this world” (the sin affected world), rather He is interested in the eternal prosperity of those whom God has given Him. Furthermore the glory and opinion of God in Yeshua is now in the disciples (and by extension, in all who come to faith). 11 And now, I am no longer in this world/in the land (hokosmos[G], baaretz[H]); but they themselves are in this world/in the land (hokosmos[G], baaretz [H]), and I come to You. Holy, morally blameless (hogios[G], kidoshiy[H]) Father (Pater[G], Aviy[H]), keep, guard, protect (sh’mor[H]) them in Your Name, identity, character, nature, person (shimcha[H]), which You have given (didomi[G], natat liy[H]) Me, that they may be one (heis[G], echad[H]) even as We are. Notice the present tense “I am no longer in this world”. The Hebrew translation is interesting in that it says “I am no longer in the land” meaning, “I am no longer in the land of Israel”. The phrase “I come to you” is in the present continuous tense. “Holy, morally blameless Father, keep, guard, protect them in Your Name, identity, character, nature, person, which You have given Me that they may be one even as We are.” Yeshua asks God’s protection over the souls of His followers (and by extension the souls of all believers) because He is aware that He will not be physically present to guard them Himself. Yeshua is speaking with the post ascension period in mind. He will of course return to His disciples briefly after His resurrection, however, in this context He is speaking within time and space of the present eternal perspective He holds at the right hand of the Father outside of time and space. “Keep them in Your Name” does not mean keep them from trial or physical harm but keep them in the character, identity, eternal nature of Your Name, don’t allow them to be lost to disobedience and damnation. And this for a purpose, “that they may be one even as We are.” “In Your Name which you have given Me” This reveals the true nature of Yeshua as Imanu (with us) El (God). Therefore, “that they may be one even as we are”. Yeshua is praying the heart of the Father, asking for what the Father desires, that those who receive Him might be a complex unity in relationship with the Father and the Son in the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy spirit). 12 While I was among (meta[G]) them in the world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]), I was keeping, guarding, protecting, observing (shamartiy[H]) them in Your Name, identity, character, nature, person (shimcha[H]), which You have given (didomi[G], natat liy[H]) Me; and I kept, guarded, protected, observed (shamartiy[H]) them and not one (echad[H]) of them perished, was lost, destroyed (apollumi[G]) except the son of damnation, destruction, waste (apoleia[G], ben haavadon[H]) so that the word (devar[H]) of the sacred writing, Scripture (graphe[G], hakatuv[H])would be fulfilled, accomplished, perfected (pleroo[G], l’malot[H]). Yeshua was in this world and guarding His disciples from spiritual demise. However, Yeshua did not force the redemptive purpose of God upon them. Thus, because He loves as God loves He was not able to keep Yehudah (Judas Iscariot) from spiritual demise. Yehudah chose His own destruction and in doing so confirmed what God already knew, that he was destined to betray Yeshua and bring destruction upon himself. “so that the word of the sacred writing, Scripture (graphe[G], hakatuv[H])would be fulfilled, accomplished, perfected” Both the Greek and Hebrew use words meaning “writing” and refer specifically to the “Ketuvim” (writings) of the Tanalkh (OT). In this case the writings in question are from the Tehilim (Psalms): “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.” -Tehilim (Psalm) 41:10(9) [John 13:18] NASB “But it is you, a man [a]my equal, My companion and my [b]familiar friend; 14 We who had sweet [c]fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng. 15 Let [d]death come deceitfully upon them; Let them go down alive to [e]Sheol, For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.” - Tehilim (Psalm)55:13-15 NASB “Thus they have [c]repaid me evil for good And hatred for my love. 6 Appoint a wicked man over him, And let an [d]accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, And let his prayer become sin. 8 Let his days be few; Let another take his office. 9 Let his children be fatherless And his wife a widow.” - Tehilim (Psalm) 109:5-9 [Acts 1:20] NASB The prefigure of Yehudah (Judas Iscariot) referred to in these Psalms is probably Achitofel (my brother foolish), who betrayed King David (2 Samuel 16:14-17). 13 But now, to Your advantage (pros[G]) I come to You; and these things I speak in this world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]) so that they may have My transcendent joy (chara[G], simchatiy[H]) made full, accomplished, perfected (pleroo[G]) in themselves. Yeshua’s coming to the Father is to the Father’s advantage in that it is the catalyst for the redemption of those who are to be saved from the sin affected world. Yeshua speaks this aloud in the fallen world so that His disciples will have recollection of what He has said following His resurrection and ascension and will thus be filled with the transcendent Joy of Yeshua which refuses to submit to temporal sorrow. Therefore, their joy will be perfected within them because the Spirit of Messiah will dwell in them as a result of His death, resurrection and ascension. 14 I have given (didomi[G], natatiy[H]) them the word (ho logos[G], et d’varecha[H]) of You; and this world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]) has pursued them with hatred (miseo[G]), because they are not of this world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]), even as I am not of this world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]). “I have given them Your Word” is tantamount to saying “I have given them Myself”. It of course also refers to the words and practices of Yeshua as they have been conveyed to the disciples. It is because the disciples have received Yeshua (the Light) and His word, that the sin affected world (darkness) hates them. In receiving Yeshua the disciples have become as alien to the sin affected world as the light is alien to darkness. They have already become part of another world, that is the Olam Haba (world to come, the eternal present) and are therefore recognized as a threat to the temporal world of sin and death whose very existence is threatened by those who live in Messiah. Note that the disciple of Yeshua, and therefore, by extension every believer is not of this world in the same way that Yeshua is not of this world. We have become children of a sinless Father and are therefore no longer recognized as being children of the fallen father Adam. This is why Yeshua is called the last Adam (1 Corinth. 15:45). 15 I do not ask, desire (erotao[G]) You to take them out of this world (hokosmos[G], baolam[H]), but to keep them, tenderly care for them, observe them, protect them (tereo[G]) from the evil, harassment, bad nature, wickedness, the evil one (poneros[G]). 16 They are not of this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]), even as I am not of this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]). Yeshua does not ask that His followers be removed from this sin affected world, nor does He ask that they be kept from the struggles of life, rather He asks that they be kept from the evil one. Once again He is asking that God keep His followers in saving relationship. If Yeshua had asked for His followers to be taken out of this world He would have been preventing the salvation of all who would come to faith through them. The same is true of us today. Often I think, how much better it would be if God simply took me as He did Chanoch (Enoch), who walked with God and was not. Then I remember my calling in Messiah to make disciples of all nations, first the Jew and also the peoples of this world. If our goal is to avoid suffering in pursuit of happiness we will fail to spread the Good News of our Messiah. The Good News of Yeshua walks in dark places because it is the darkness that must be illuminated. After all, what good are headlights in summer at midday? Not so long ago I was in hospital in agony and crying out to God asking why He would allow me to go through such suffering, at which point He pointed to the Muslim man and his suffering son in the bed next to me. Moments later the Muslim man asked me, “what do you believe?” I mean, who does that? I shared my faith in Messiah with him and prayed for his son. Perhaps that will be the only time that man ever has the opportunity to hear the Good News of Yeshua. And if I had not suffered? Forget the American dream, dream a better dream, make the ambition of Yeshua your dream. They (the disciples and by extension all subsequent believers) are not of this world (fallen) any longer because in Yeshua they are born from above, that is, they are of the eternal world to come and are now eternally present through Yeshua. Thus, they are not of this temporary fallen world any more than Yeshua is. In Messiah we are of the world to come. Therefore in this world we sin when we forget that we are of another world. 17 Sanctify, set apart, consecrate, purify, cleanse (hagiazo[G], kadeish[H]) them in the absolute, immutable truth (ho aletheia[G], b’emet[H]); Your Word, essence (logos[G], d’varecha[H]) is (eternally present) absolute, immutable truth (aletheia[G], emet[H]). The Hebrew “kadeish” and the Greek “hagiazo” mean to be “set apart”. And how are the Messiah’s followers set apart? We are set apart in the Word (Both Living [Yeshua], and written [Divinely inspired]). God’s Word is eternally present, the measure of truth. Therefore, we are set apart, sanctified within time and space having already been perfected outside of time and space. The living Word Yeshua lives in us and so, we consume and practice the written word daily so as to perpetuate immutable truth in a world that is compromised by the temporary defilement of the lie. There is a practical application here. We impede our own sanctification when we neglect the written word. To neglect the written word is to forget the Living Word Who dwells in us. Do you recall a time when you wrote a heartfelt message on a greeting card and handed it to your loved one with a gift in tow, only to see your loved one put the card to the side and rip open the gift? 18 As You sent Me into this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]), I also have sent them into this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]). As followers of Yeshua we are being sent to this sin affected world from our new home in the eternal present. We have become shaliachiym (sent ones) of the King Messiah and are tasked with His purposes in God. We are not Him, but we are like Him. 19 For their sakes, [Aramaic alt. and upon/before their faces, v’al apayhun[A]] I sanctify, set apart, consecrate, purify, cleanse (hagiazo[G], makdiysh[H]) Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified, consecrated, purified, cleansed (m’kudashiym[H]) in truth (b’emet[H]). The Aramaic text is beautiful. It reads “Upon their faces I set apart Myself…” In short, “My countenance illuminated in their faces will show them to be set apart and of a different world (Olam Haba). “Upon their faces” is an idiom denoting intimacy, a closeness of lovers. Therefore Yeshua is shown to be set apart in the countenance of His followers and by His work He has set apart those same followers in Truth. God defines truth. The plain meaning is this, that the disciples will see Yeshua crucified and resurrected (the process of His being set apart). 20 “I do not ask, desire (erotao[G]) concerning, for, on behalf of (peri[G]) these only, but for those also who believe, trust (haamamiyniym[H]) in Me through their word (devariym[H]); Over two thousand years ago Yeshua prayed not only for His disciples but also for you. Thus, He continues to make the same request to the Father on your behalf today. “It is Messiah Yeshua that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. -Romans 8:34 21 that they may all be one (echad[H]); even as You, My Father (Pater[G], Aviy[H]), are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]) may believe, trust (ya’amiyn[H]) that You sent Me. This is perhaps one of the greatest indictments against the body of believers today. Yeshua has asked that we might be one as He and the Father are one, and yet here we stand divided. The unity of the body of believers does not require us to agree on every little detail but it must be established in the Father and the Son through the intrinsic connection of the Holy Spirit. It must also submit to order and the roles God has given the Jew and the Gentile. Unity cannot come to a body of believers that denies the position of the elder brother (Israel, ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical). There is no unity in disrespecting one’s elders. Nor can unity come as long as the elder son looks down on the younger brother (Gentile believers). It is only in the love of God through Messiah that we can walk as one respecting our differences while holding tightly to core doctrine and the Word of Truth. We must allow God to manifest the unity of His Son in us lest the world fail to see His redemptive purpose in us and thus fail to trust in Yeshua Whom God has sent. God will work this unity through discipline if we continue to refuse to operate in it of our own fruition. 22 The glory, opinion, judgement, view, splendour, brightness (doxa[G], haKavod[H]) which You have given Me (didomi[G], natatiy[H]) I have given (didomi[G], natat liy[H]) to them, that they may be one (echad[H]), just as We are one (echad[H]); We have been given the glory, judgement, brightness of Yeshua as He has received glory from God. It is by His judgement, opinion, brightness that we find unity. The same unity that Yeshua has with the Father. 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected, brought to the goal (teleioo[G]) in oneness (heis[G]), so that this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]) may come to know (ginosko[G]) that You sent Me, and loved entirely (agapao[G], ahavta[H]) them, even as You have entirely loved Me (ahavtaniy[H]). Our oneness is being perfected within the fallen world so that we might reach the goal of that perfection in Messiah and thus give this sin affected world an opportunity for redemption and renewal. We can take great comfort in the knowledge that the Father has loved us entirely just as He has entirely loved the Son. This, when it is manifested to the fallen world will bring many to faith. 24 My Father (Pater[G], Aviy[H]), I desire that they also, whom You have given Me (n’tatam liy[H)), be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, opinion, judgement, view, splendour, brightness (doxa[G], b’k’vodiy[H]) which You have given Me (didomi[G], natat liy[H]), for You entirely loved Me (agapao[G], ahavtaniy[H]) before the face of (lifneiy[H]) the foundation, establishment (mosdot[H]) of the world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]). Yeshua desires that His followers dwell in the eternal present and behold His glory, opinion, judgement, brightness. This is not a narcissistic desire to be honoured by the subjugated masses, but a desire to share honour with family. Yeshua desires that we dwell in the mind of Messiah and thus the mind of God. This is a further illumination of Yeshua’s eternal existence and the love relationship of the family of the Godhead. “Before the face of the foundation of the establishment of the world…” This conveys the perfect relationship of the Godhead prior to the creation of this world, “world” being synonymous with universe, cosmos etc. God did not create us in order to meet a need, He was not lonely prior to creating us, to the contrary, he created us to meet our need, affording us the opportunity to experience true relationship and perpetual, abundant, perfected living in Him. 25 “O My Father, the righteous One (Aviy Hatzadiyk[H]), although this world (hokosmos[G], haolam[H]) has not known (y’da’acha[H]) You, yet I have known (y’da’tiycha[H]) You; and these (disciples) have known that You sent Me (sh’lachtaniy[H]); “Yeshua responded, “Why do you call Me good? Only God is good!” (Mark 10:18) The Hebrew text says “My Father The Righteous!” God defines righteousness and purity, which is an emanation of His Holiness. Yeshua acknowledges this fact before His disciples and in doing so identifies Himself as Imanu (with us) El (God). “This world has not known you” This sin affected world lacks the ability in and of itself to gain the knowledge of and in God. The Hebrew “yadat” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse and denotes intimacy and the union of being. Both God’s marriage to Israel (ethnic, religious, chosen, empirical), and Yeshua’s marriage to the bride (body of believers) are made possible through the bride price in Yeshua’s blood and the invitation to engagement offered by Yeshua at the Father’s choosing. Therefore, the sin affected world and its rejection of Yeshua is the cause of its own demise. It lacks knowledge of God because it has refused God’s invitation for it to be known. “Yet I have known You” Yeshua is present in the fallen world as the One Who has known God in the most intimate relational sense and is therefore the only One qualified to bring others into the knowledge of God. 26 and I have made known to them (hoda’tiym[H]) Your Name, identity, nature, person, character (et shimcha[H]), and will make it known (l’hodiyam[H]), so that the all-encompassing love (agapao[G], ha’ahavah[H]) with which You loved (ahavataniy[H]) Me may be in them, and I in them.” 15 [a]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For [b]by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [c]is before all things, and in Him all things [d]hold together.18 He is also head of the body, the body of beleivers; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” -Colossians 1:15-18 Not only has Yeshua made known to His disciples the Name and nature of God, He also continues to make God’s Name known to all who believe, and He does so for a purpose: “so that the all-encompassing love with which” God has loved Yeshua might be in us and that Yeshua Himself might be in/among us. It’s overly simplistic, even superstitious to say as some do, that Yeshua is speaking about the Divine proper Noun YHVH and its correct pronunciation. We Jews know that the pronunciation of the Holy Name has been lost to us but as Jewish followers of Yeshua we understand that the character and nature of God is accessible to us through the King Messiah. Those who claim that no one can be saved unless they properly pronounce the Name YHVH are not only wrong, they are in danger of damnation. No one knows the correct pronunciation of the Holy Name YHVH because the vowel markings indicating its pronunciation in ancient texts were representative of the Hebrew Adonai (Lord) and do not reflect the actual vowel markings for the Holy Name. The best scholarship guess to date is Yahweh, but this is not more than our best “guess”. Therefore, we are incapable of correctly pronouncing the Name YHVH, leaving us all damned if we are to believe the false teaching of the so called “Holy Name Movement”. The Shaliach (Apostle) Kefa (Peter) speaks concerning the Name of Yeshua saying “There is no other Name under the heavens by which a person can be saved!” (Acts 4:12). God has intentionally kept the pronunciation of the Holy Name from us in order to protect us (Exodus 20:7; Deut. 5:11) and has given His Son the King Messiah the Name by which we can be saved. Therefore, when the prophet says “Those who call upon the Name of YHVH will be saved” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13) he intends that we will understand that the Name of Yeshua HaMashiach represents the Divine Name on earth and affords us the opportunity to call on YHVH through the Messiah and be saved. Copyright 2020 Yaakov Brown Prayer is not said for God’s benefit. He is all knowing and sees every part of our being. Prayer is a gift of God that allows us the opportunity for sober self-reflection and a relational connection to our Creator and to one another. Selichot are prayers of contrition prayed on fast days and in the month of Elul (Sixth month) approaching Rosh Hashanah, as well as in the period between Rosh Hashanah (Head of the year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
Selichot is the feminine plural form of Selichah, meaning “forgive”. Selichah is used in colloquial speech to say “excuse me” or “sorry” etc. Thus, Selichot are prayers that acknowledge God’s attributes and confess our missing the mark [sin]. With the prayers of Selichot we approach God in a state of kavanah (humble intention), seeking His forgiveness from a position of contrition. We pray both individually and corporately, so as to remind every believer that sin affects both our individual and corporate relationship to God and one another. In the Sepharadi tradition Selichot are said from the beginning of the month of Elul, while in the Ashkenaz tradition they are said on the Sunday (Saturday after Havdalah) preceding Rosh Hashanah through to Yom Kippur. The Selichot service begins with sober self-examination (Romans 12:3). Worshippers examine their deeds of the past year, seeking forgiveness, making amends and choosing to live differently. The central theme of the prayers is Teshuvah (To return, repent). In Messiah we understand that we are expected to live out our faith through a daily repentant practice that keeps a short account before God (1 John 1:5-8; Hebrews 10:14), however, this does not negate our need for a yearly reminder of our need to consider all of life in light of the Holiness of our Merciful King. Rabbinical Judaism has all but dispensed with the need for the shedding of blood for the atoning of sin, in spite of the Torah’s requirement (Leviticus 17:11; Cf. Hebrews 9:22). Thus, the rabbinical practice of Selichot relies on Jewish mysticism and the petitioner’s actions to qualify forgiveness and freedom from sin. This is error. Neither our prayers nor our actions purchase our redemption and forgiveness. To the contrary, it is only by the shedding of blood and only through God’s acting in love toward us that we receive forgiveness through His Messiah Yeshua, the Ram of Yom Kippur and the Lamb of Pesach. This does not invalidate Selichot but it does change the way a follower of Yeshua approaches these sacred prayers. Categories of Selichot [Ashkenaz tradition]:
* Thus, Selichot begins with forgiveness [1. Selichah], because it is understood that God’s Mercy precedes His judgement. It is followed by a corporate [2. Pizmon] acknowledgement of God’s attributes and our need to repent as a people. The need for a substitutionary sacrifice [3. Akeidah] is acknowledged (Though not properly understood by modern Rabbinical Judaism). Confession of sin is made, both individual and corporate [4. Chatanu]. Finally, we fall on our faces (nefilat apayim) as supplicants seeking grace and unmerited favour [5. Techinah]. * This is the Gospel, hidden in plain sight until that time when it will be unveiled and made known to all Israel (Romans 11). The Thirteen Attributes of God Prayer is not said for God’s benefit. He is all knowing and sees every part of our being. Prayer is a gift of God that allows us the opportunity for sober self-reflection and a relational connection to our Creator and to one another. In acknowledging Who God is by way of alluding to His Names and attributes, we receive comfort even before we offer our petition before Him. The prayers of Selichot draw our attention to the thirteen attributes of God’s mercy revealed to Moses by God following the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 34:6-7). “And HaShem passed before him and proclaimed, ‘HaShem [YHVH: Mercy], HaShem (1), El [God] (2), Rachum [merciful] (3) and Chanun [gracious] (4), Erekh Apayim Slow to anger (5), and Rav-Chesed abounding in kindness (6) and Emet truth (7), Notzer-Chesed: keeping mercy for thousands (8), Nosei Avon: Carrying perversity (9) and Pesha: rebellion (10) and Chata’ah sin (11), by Lo yenakeh: not clearing the guilty (12), Poked Avon: visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.’”
It is a worthwhile exercise to contemplate the thirteen attributes of God and consider how the Person of God participates in our Teshuvah (returning): In Hebrew terms this is known as Kavanah (intention). There is great comfort to be found not only in His mercy but also in His bearing our iniquity and His justice etc. “And Adonai passed before the face of Moses and proclaimed, ‘Adonai, Merciful El, Judge and Almighty One, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, carrying perversity and rebellion and sin, not clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.’ (Exodus 34:6-7)” “We have sinned, our Rock, forgive us, our Creator May You forgive our iniquities and our wrong doings, and make us your heritage (Selichot).” “We pray in the Name of our King Messiah Yeshua our salvation: thankful that His shed blood has atoned for our sin.” (Messianic Jewish) © 2018 Yaakov Brown |
Yaakov BrownFounder of the Beth Melekh International Messiah Following Jewish Community, Archives
February 2024
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