​Introduction:
 
Chapter 3 is essentially an exposition of Numbers 12:7 & Psalm 95:7-11. This section of the Book to the Hebrews adds to Messiah’s superiority over angelic beings, His superiority over Moses the Law giver and great intermediary between God and Israel. Moses the drawn out (resurrected) one is seen as being part of the house of Israel, built by God, and Yeshua the Son Who has dominion over that same house is called the Builder of Moses. The receipt of this revelation is compared to the receipt of the Torah and the promise of the land (Ha’aretz Yisrael) to the Israelites who escaped Egypt by God’s outstretched arm. While, at the same time the text makes clear that Yeshua is superior to Torah, being the Author and goal of it. The writer of Hebrews warns the early Jewish followers of Yeshua of the great danger to them if they choose to turn away from Yeshua, Who, is intrinsically linked to the Creator (Builder) of the house of Israel, that is, God Himself.
 
As is the case with all Scripture (scrolls of the original texts), there are no chapter breaks or verse markers (or punctuation for that matter) in the scroll of the Book to the Hebrews. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter, the last verses of chapter 2 being:
 
17 Therefore, in all things individually and collectively He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful, true high priest in things pertaining, before the face of God, to make atoning reconciliation upon the sins [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] of the people. 18 Now since He Himself suffered temptation, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
 
BOOK TO THE HEBREWS Chapter 3 (Author’s translation)
 
1 Therefore, holy (set apart) brothers and sisters, partners, friends, companions of a heavenly vocation (a practiced calling), behold, consider, perceive the face of the sent One, Apostle, Messenger and High Priest of our profession, the sworn statement of our tongue: Yeshua (YHVH Saves); 2 He was faithful to Him Who appointed Him, just as Moshe (drawn out, resurrected) also was, in all His house (household).[Num.12:6-9]. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moshe, in the same way that the builder of the house has more honour than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moshe was faithful in all His house [Num.12:6-9] as a servant, for a witness of those things which were to be spoken; 6 but the Messiah now, as a Son over His house—whose house we belong to, provided we hold firmly, cling to our confidence, strength and the rejoicing of our hope to the goal. 7 Therefore, according to what the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts, core being, inner person as when they provoked Me, As on the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers put Me to the test, And saw My works for forty years. [Psalm 95:7-10 LXX] 10 Therefore I was angry with, grieved by this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray, are deceived in their heart, core being, inner person, And they did not know, come to understand, learn My ways’; 11 As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX] 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that there will not be any among you who have an evil, wicked, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. 13 Moreover encourage, comfort, prove one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness]. 14 For we have become partners, friends of Messiah if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the goal, 15 while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.” 16 For who of them provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, yet not all those who came out of Egypt (double distress) through, in the hand Moshe (drawn out, resurrected)? 17 And whom was He grieved by for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient, apathetic? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
 
HEBREWS 3 (line upon line)
 
1 Therefore (hothen[G], al-ken[H]), holy (set apart) brothers and sisters (adelphos hagios[G], achay anosheiy kodesh[H]), partners, friends, companions (metochos[G], chaveriym[H]) of a heavenly vocation [a practiced calling] (klēsis epouranios[G]), behold, consider, perceive (katanoeō[G]) the face of the sent One, Apostle, Messenger (Apostolos[G], peneiy malakho[H] alt. Shaliach[H]) and High Priest (archiereus[G], Kohen HaGadol[H], kumrea[A]) of our profession, the sworn statement of our tongue (homologia[G], tishava leshoneinu[H]): Yeshua[H] (Iesuos[G], Joshua, Jesus, YHVH Saves); 
 
1 Therefore, holy (set apart) brothers and sisters, partners, friends, companions of a heavenly vocation (a practiced calling), behold, consider, perceive the face of the sent One, Apostle, Messenger and High Priest of our profession, the sworn statement of our tongue: Yeshua (YHVH Saves);
 
“Holy brothers and sisters” The writer of Hebrews is speaking to fellow Jews who are also fellow partners in the heavenly calling of Yeshua.
 
“Heavenly vocation” Is the practiced outworking of the Gospel message of Yeshua. The recipients of the Book to the Hebrews are “set apart” as fellow workers in the Kingdom of God. Partners who are admonished to “behold, consider, perceive the face of the sent One”.
 
Intimacy with Yeshua is encouraged because only through intimate relationship with God in Yeshua can believers continue to participate in the practiced calling of God’s redemptive work. Right doing is the fruit of right being.
 
Yeshua is referred to here as the Shaliach (Apostle: sent One). This is the only place in the Brit HaChadashah (NT) where the Greek Apostolos is used to describe Yeshua, and denotes that He is the Apostle over all other apostles (those who share in His ministry). This in correlation to Moses, the one sent by God in the Word (Yeshua) to carry the Torah to Israel. In short, the Author of the Torah (Yeshua in God) Who had sent Moses, now has come. YHVH sent Himself manifest as Yeshua, God with us (Imanu-El). The early Jewish believers are being admonished to work out their vocation (practiced heavenly calling) with fear and trembling, remembering that they are now partners (brothers and sisters [2:11-12]) with The Sent One Yeshua. During His earthly ministry Yeshua spoke often about His being sent of the Father God (Matt. 10:40; 15:24; Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48; John 4:34; 5:24, 30, 36-38; 6:38).
 
It’s important to note that the use of the Greek word apostolos (apostle: the equivalent of shaliach or malakh in Hebrew) here in reference to Yeshua infers that those who partner with Him in His vocation (practiced calling) are also apostles (sent ones). This is consistent with the teaching that all who receive Yeshua are priests under Him Who is Kohen HaGadol the High Priest over all creation (1 Peter 2:9). It is foolish then, for modern leaders of the faith community to adorn themselves with the title “Apostle” as a means of distinguishing themselves above fellow believers, given that we are all apostles, we are all priests, and we serve One Apostle, One High Priest.
 
The writer doesn’t only call Yeshua “Apostle” (Shaliach), he also calls Him “Kohen HaGadol” the High Priest. Thus, he unifies the roles of Prophet/Law giver (Moses) and Mediator (Aaron) in Yeshua. The High Priest was of central importance to the Temple cult and the practice of mediation and sacrificial reconciliation. The Jewish audience of the Book to the Hebrews, (the Levites in particular) would have placed great importance upon the role of the High Priest and the necessity of blood atonement for the remission of sin. Therefore, the writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit, makes clear that Yeshua is the all existing High Priest, able to atone eternally through the eternal blood of God, as Son over all creation.
 
It is of great significance that Jewish tradition says of the High Priest on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) that he is called “Shaliach” (sent One):
 
"Lord high priest, we are the messengers of the Sanhedrim, and thou art Sh’lucheiynu (our apostle, messenger), and the messenger of the Sanhedrim.'' - Mishnah Yoma, c. 1. sect. 5.
 
“High Priest of our profession, the sworn statement of our tongue: Yeshua…” Yeshua Himself has imparted His testimony upon our tongues. Profession is practiced, it does not stay dormant or remain unspoken. The recipients of the Book to the Hebrews are being reminded of the inseparable elements of faith, belief in action, relationship reciprocated and shared with others. Those who claim that we need only live well in order to pass on the Gospel message are in grave error. We should live well, we should also speak well. Failure to do either is failure to walk in obedience to Scripture.
 
2 He was faithful (pistos[G], ne’eman[H]) to Him Who appointed Him, just as Moses (Moshe[H]) also was in all His house, household (holos oikos[G], bekol-beiyto[H])[Num.12:6-9].
 
2 He was faithful to Him Who appointed Him, just as Moshe also was in all His house, (household).
 
Yeshua has submitted Himself to God Who appointed Him as Prophet and Redeemer of Israel, just as Moses was faithful to God, Who appointed him to be mediator of the Torah. Yeshua’s faithfulness includes His willingness to be made for a little while, lower than the angelic beings whom He created in God (2:7).
 
The Hebrew word ne’eman used here to translate the Greek pistos, is used in Mishnaic Hebrew to mean “trusted” (Mishnah Sanhedrin, c. 3. sect. 2.). Moses had been trusted to lead Israel out of bondage through slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt, and Yeshua has been trusted to lead Israel out of the bondage of slavery to sin resulting in death, under the Devil (2:14-15), and into both the present and future Kingdom of God. Yeshua offers the Shabbat rest of present salvation in convergence with the Shabbat rest of the Olam Haba (world to come) [4:3, 9], to all those who receive Him, continually firstly to the Jews and also continually to the nations (Romans 1:16).
 
The writer of Hebrews quotes Numbers 12:7 in order to draw attention to the weight of the calling brought by Yeshua the King Messiah. He has already warned the early Jewish believers against “drifting away” (2:1) and forsaking “so great a salvation”(2:3). Now he emphasises the sacred obligation of serving with Yeshua and affirms that this privilege comes with the opportunity to speak with God face to face just as Moses did.
“6 he said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
    I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,
    I speak to them in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
    he is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I speak face to face,
    clearly and not in riddles;
    he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
    to speak against my servant Moses?”
9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.” -Numbers 12:6-9 NIV
“just as Moshe also was in all His house, household.” Means that Yeshua, like Moses, has been faithful in all Israel, in His tribe (Judah), among the tribes (all Israel), in the land of Israel, in the present world, and in all creation.
 
3 For He has been counted worthy (axioō[G]) of more (pleiōn[G]) glory (doxa[G], kevod[H]) than Moses (Moshe[H]), in the same way that the builder (kataskeuazō[G], boneih[H]) of the house has more honour (timē[G], rav kevodo[H]) than the house (oikos[G], beiyt[H]). 4 For every house (oikos[G], kol-bayit[H]) is built by someone (banuy biydeiy voneh[H]), but the builder of all things (kataskeuazō[G], uvoneh-khol[H]) is God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]).
 
3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moshe, in the same way that the builder of the house has more honour than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
 
The analogy makes Yeshua the Builder of Moshe, and in the proceeding clause implicitly calls Yeshua the Creator of all things. Yeshua is the One Whom Moshe prophesied would come (Deut.18:14-21). Given that God is Creator of all things, and thus the Creator of Moshe, Yeshua is God with us (Heb. 1:6; Col. 2:9 etc.)
 
The use of the noun “house” denotes a family, a people, a nation. Moshe represents the house of Israel under Torah (moral Law). Therefore, Yeshua is also worthy of greater honour than the Torah of Moses and all the righteous ones of Israel’s history because Yeshua is builder and goal of the “house” (Israel under the leadership of Moses).
 
The idea that the Messiah participates in creation and that He is greater than Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Rabbi), is present in Jewish tradition:
 
" 'And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.' This phrase from Bereishit (Gen.) 1:2 alludes to the spirit of the Messiah, because Yishayahu (Isaiah) 11:2 says, 'And the spirit of Adonai will rest upon him' [that is, upon the 'shoot of Jesse', which is a name for the Messiah]. Also we learn from the same text in Bereishit (Gen.) 1:2 that this spirit of the Messiah comes through the merit of repentance; for in Kiynot (Lamentations) 2:19 repentance is likened to water: 'Pour out your heart like water.' " (Genesis Rabbah 2:4)
 
"At the beginning of the creation of the world king Messiah had already come into being, because he existed in God's mind even before the world was created." (Pesikta Rabbati 33:6)
 
Compare John 1:1-18; 8:58-59; Colossians 1:15-17.
 
5 Now Moses (Moshe[H]) was faithful (pistos[G], ne’eman[H]) in all (holos[G], vekol[H]) His house (ho oikos autos[G], beiyto[H]) [Num.12:6-9] as a servant (therapōn[G], ke’eved[H]), for a witness (marturion[G], le’eidot[H]) of those things which were to be spoken (laleō[G]); 6 but the Messiah (Christos[G , Christ, HaMashiyach[H]) now (de[G]) as a Son (uihos[G]) over His house (oikos autos[G], ubeiyto[H])—whose house (oikos[G], beiyt[H]) we belong to, provided we hold firmly, cling (bebaios[G], nocheiz[H]) to our confidence, strength (katechō[G], bemivtacheinu veoz[H]) and the rejoicing (kauchēma[G]) of our hope (elpis[G], tikvato[H]) to the goal (ad-hakeitz[H]).
 
5 Now Moshe was faithful in all His house [Num.12:6-9] as a servant, for a witness of those things which were to be spoken; 6 but the Messiah now as a Son over His house—whose house we belong to, provided we hold firmly, cling to our confidence, strength and the rejoicing of our hope to the goal.
 
Moses was faithful in all his house (Israel) and prophesied the One to come, the Greatest Prophet of God Yeshua (Deut.18:14-21) Who is over His house (Israel). The early Jewish believers are admonished to stay firm and confident in their hope in Messiah Yeshua so that they don’t perish in the same way that those who rejected the leadership of Moses (appointed by God) did on the way to the promised land (Shabbat rest [4:9]).
 
“as a servant, for a witness of those things which were to be spoken” Moses is seen as a witness testifying to the coming of the greatest Prophet Yeshua (Deut.18:14-21), and the things that were to be said in Yeshua.
 
“the Messiah now as a Son over His house” Moses was a servant in a house affected by sin but Yeshua is the Son over that house come to redeem it from slavery to sin. All Israel, Moses included, were slaves to sin, Yeshua, Who was never a slave to sin, has come as the Son to bring many sons to glory (Heb. 2:10; John 8:34-36; 15:15; Galatians 4:1-7).
 
“whose house we belong to” This describes the Jewish writer and his Jewish recipients. They belong to the house of Yeshua both ethnically and through faith in Him. While it is true that all believers regardless of ethnicity belong to the house of Yeshua, that is not what the writer of Hebrews is saying here. He is specifically speaking of Yeshua’s house as it applies to His ethno-religious Jewish brothers and sisters, the “Israel of God” are ethno-religious Jews who have received Yeshua. We know this because both the term Jew and Israel are ethnic (tribal) nouns describing blood descendants of Yaakov (Jacob). A Jew who is a Jew inwardly must by definition (Jew being an ethnic term) be an ethnic Jew [Romans 2:29; 9; 11]. A Gentile Christian who claims to be a “Spiritual Jew” is no different from a Scotsman who claims to be a “Spiritual Navajo”, it is a logical fallacy, a spiritual heresy.
 
“provided we cling to our confidence and the rejoicing of our hope to the goal.” Belonging to the house of Messiah is established in the action of faith. Faith not acted on is faithless. The early Jewish believers are encouraged to see no separation between trust and action. This is consistent with pre-Hellenistic Jewish language, which had no word for theology. Ultimately, the “end” or “goal” is the Olam Haba (world to come), the eternal Shabbat rest offered to all who are faithful in belief and action (4:9-10). The warning to remain firm is pretext to the following exposition of Psalms 95:7-11 LXX.
 
7 Therefore (dio[G]), according to what (kathōs[G]) the Holy (hagios[G], HaKodesh[H]) Spirit (pneuma[G], Ruach[H]) says, “Today (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]) if (ean[G], im[H]) you hear (akouō[G], tishmau[H]) His voice (phone[G], bekolo[H]), 8 Do not (me[G]) harden (sklērunō[G]) your hearts, core being, inner person (kardia[G], levavchem[H]) as when they provoked (parapikrasmos[G]) Me, As on the day (hēmera[G], keyom[H]) of trial (peirasmos[G]) in the wilderness (erēmos[G], bamidbar[H]), 9 Where your fathers (patēr[G], avoteiychem[H]) put Me to the test (peirazō[G]), And saw (rau[H]) My works (ergon[G], pa’alay[H]) for forty years (arbaiym shanah[H]).
 
7 Therefore, according to what the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts, core being, inner person as when they provoked Me, As on the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers put Me to the test, And saw My works for forty years. [Psalm 95:7-10]
 
“Therefore” Means, based on the supremacy of Yeshua as Son over the house of Israel, and by extension over all nations, and that Yeshua is appointed by God the Father as the Sent One over all sent ones, and considering that those who accept Yeshua are partners with Him, and that Moses our (the Jewish people) Law giver is subject to Him.
 
This begins a quote from Psalm 95:7-11 (attributed to David Heb. 4:7). The writer presumes that his readers have full knowledge of the Psalm and the prerequisite phrase:
 
“for He is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.” Psalms 95:7 NIV
 
The writer continues to emphasise Yeshua’s role as the “Prophet” like Moses (Deut.18:14-21), the One Who is Greater than Moses. Believing Israel, chosen, ethnic, religious is being reminded of the challenge of God issued to her ancestors and now reiterated at the revelation of God’s Kingdom come and the inception of her pre-entry into the Olam Haba (Promised Land/World to come).
 
By quoting this Psalm, the writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit, addresses three specific generations of Israelites:
 
1.Those who rebelled in the wilderness (Exodus 17:1-7, approx. 1446 B.C.E)
2.Those who lived at the time the Psalm was written by David Hamelekh the King (Approx. 1015 B.C.E)
3.The Jews of the first century C.E. (Approx. 60 C.E.)
 
The Hebrew text of the Psalm:
 
7“For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture,
the flock of His hand.
Today, if you hear His voice:
8 “Do not harden your heart as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
9 when your fathers tested Me,
they challenged Me, even though they had seen My work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation.
So I said: ‘It is a people whose heart goes astray,
who do not know My ways.’” -Tehilim (Psalms) 95:7-10 TLV
 
“Today if you hear His voice,” Refers to the time of David’s first offering the Psalm to public reading, and to the time when the Jewish believers of the first century C.E. first received the words of the Book to the Hebrews. In fact, it means “now”, for as long as God allows the fallen world to continue. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor. 6:2 [Isaiah 49:8])
 
A well-known midrash teaches that Messiah is come in every moment when “Today” we “hear” (receive) His “voice” (spoken word):
 
"Rabbi Joshua ben-L'vi met Elijah and asked him, 'When will the Messiah come?' 'Go and ask him!' 'Where is he?' 'At the entrance [to Rome], sitting among the lepers.' So he went, greeted him, and asked, 'Master, when will you come?' 'Today,' he answered. Upon returning to Elijah, Rabbi Joshua said, 'He lied to me. He told me he would come today, but he has not come.' Elijah replied, 'What he said to you was: "Today, if you will hear his voice." ' " (Condensed from Sanhedrin 98a) From Sterns Complete Jewish New Testament Commentary
 
Elsewhere in traditional Jewish commentary the same phrase is applied to Messiah where it is said that providing the Jewish people repent as a nation, even for one day, or keep the Shabbat even for one day, the Greater Son of David, the King Messiah, would come; because it’s said, "today if you will hear His voice" (Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 1. Shemot Rabbah, sect. 25. fol. 109. 3. & Shirhashirim Rabbah, fol. 19. 3.)
 
This is consistent with the redemption of the entire remnant of chosen, ethnic, religious, empirical Israel at the end of the age (Zechariah 12:20; John 19:37; Romans 11:25-26; ).
 
“8 Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me, As on the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers put Me to the test, And saw My works for forty years.” The hardening of the inner being is a wilful choice to deny God’s sovereignty. The provocation, (Heb. merivah) was the general “quarrelling” the people had levelled at Moses as God’s appointed leader when they rebelled in the wilderness, and the “testing” ( Heb. masah) refers specifically to the demand for water (Exodus 17:1-7). The Septuigant text doesn’t specify “Merivah” and “Masah” but translates the locations as modes of disobedience.

10 Therefore (dio[G]) I was angry with, grieved by (prosochthizō̄[G], akut[H]) this generation (genea[G], bador[H]), And said, ‘They always go astray, are deceived (planaō[G]) in their heart, core being, inner person (kardia[G], leivav[H]), And they did not know, come to understand, learn (ginōskō[G], yadu[H]) My ways (hodos egō[G], derachay[H])’; 11 As I swore (omnuō[G], nishbatiy[H]) in My anger, flaring nostril (orgē[G], veafiy[H]), ‘They certainly shall not enter (eiserchomai[G], im-yevoun[H]) My rest (katapausis ego[G], el-menuchatiy[H]).’” [Psalm 95:10-11 LXX]
 
10 Therefore I was angry with, grieved by this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray, are deceived in their heart, core being, inner person, And they did not know, come to understand, learn My ways’; 11 As I swore in My anger, flaring nostril, ‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’”
 
The additional phrasing of the Psalm is quoted according to the LXX (Septuagint). The Hebrew text reads more concisely as:
 
10 For forty years I loathed that generation.
So I said: ‘It is a people whose heart goes astray,
who do not know My ways.’
11 Therefore I swore in My anger,
    ‘They shall never enter into My rest.’” -Tehilim (Psalms) 95:10-11 TLV
 
The Greek text was widely accepted by Jews of the post Hellenistic period and used prolifically in the first century C.E. Greek was one of two languages accepted by the ancient rabbis as being kosher for use in the transmission of Scripture.
 
“And they did not know, come to understand, learn My ways’” Reinforces the admonishment of the writer of the Book to the Hebrews (3:6).
 
‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’” In the context of the Psalm as it pertains to the disobedient among Israel during the period of the exodus, the “rest” spoken of is “the promised land” of Israel. By extension, it is now applied to the eternal Shabbat “rest” which awaits the faithful followers of Yeshua, both Jew and Gentile, but in the case of the present book, specifically to Jewish believers. Therefore, it is those who refuse Yeshua who will fail to enter the present and future Kingdom of God and the eternal rest of the Olam Haba (everlasting Shabbat).
 
One Jewish commentator writes:
 
“"the generation of the wilderness have no part in the world to come:'' -Tzeror Hammor, fol. 118. 1.
 
12 See to it (blepō[G]), brothers and sisters (adelphos[G], achay[H]), that there will not be any among you who have an evil, wicked (ponēros[G], ra[H]), unbelieving heart (kardia apistia[G], leiv[H]) that departs (aphistēmi[G]) from the living God (Theos zao[G], Elohiym chayiym[H]). 13 Moreover (alla[G]) encourage, comfort, prove (parakaleō[G], hochiyhu[H]) one another every day (hekastos hēmera[G], yom beyom[H]), as long as (kol-od[H]) it is called “today,” (sēmeron[G], yikarei hayom[H]) so that none of you will be hardened (sklērunō[G]) by the deceitfulness (apatē[G]) of sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] (hamartia[G], chatato[H]).
 
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that there will not be any among you who have an evil, wicked, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God.
 
Those Jews who have believed are reminded that salvation is worked out in fear and trembling. They must be intentional in remaining faithful in Yeshua so as not to be lead astray by those fellow Jews who like the disbelieving Israelites of the wilderness, fail to enter the “rest” of God.
 
Rav Shaul (Paul) speaks in similar terms to the predominantly Gentile community of the Philippians:
 
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” -Philippians 2:12 NIV
 
“that departs from the Living God” The Greek aphistēmi, translated “departs” comes from the root apistia meaning “unfaithful” and is the etymological root for the word “Apostate”. Therefore, in counter distinction to Moses and Yeshua, both of whom are called “faithful” by the writer, those who are unbelieving will by nature depart, being unfaithful in God’s house.
 
To despise those who have confident faith is to prove oneself faithless. There is great arrogance in doubt. Therefore, we are admonished to remain faithful. As Yeshua has said, “When the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
 
13 Moreover encourage, comfort, prove one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness].
 
The early Jewish believers are also tasked with encouraging and comforting the faith of their fellow Messiah followers. Intentional personal faith must by its very nature outwork itself as intentional communal faith. No believer stands alone, the salvation of the nation is dependent on the willingness of the people to share their faith collectively. This must be done for as long as there is a “today”, now is the time. This is not something we think of doing tomorrow, for in this context tomorrow is the judgement and the next day, the world to come (cf. 1 Thess. 5:11).
 
“Today” is not, as some foolishly say “a reference to the Gospel dispensation”. How can it be? This word “Today” is quoting the Psalm of David (Psalms 95:7) written over a thousand years prior to the writing of the Book to the Hebrews. The Gospel of redemption is offered from before creation toward the goal of eternity and is therefore without dispensation. Since the first humans sinned and until HaShem calls time, “Today” is now! And those who receive Yeshua now have already passed from death (although for a time still living in the present sin affected world) into life (the world to come).
 
"Rabbi 'Eli'ezer said, 'Repent one day before you die.' His talmidim objected, 'Does one know in advance the day of one's death?' He replied, 'All the more reason to repent today, lest you die tomorrow! In this way, your entire life will be one of repentance.'" (Shabbat 153a)
 
14 For we have become partners, friends (metochos[G], chaveiriym[H]) of Messiah (Christos[G], Christ, HaMashiyach[H]) if we keep the beginning (archē[G]) of our commitment (bebaios[G]) firm (katechō[G]) until the goal (telos[G]), 15 while it is said, “Today (sēmeron[G], hayom[H])  if you hear (akouō[G], tishmau[H]) His voice (phōnē[G], bekolo[H]), Do not harden (sklērunō[G]) your hearts (kardia[G], levavchem[H]), as when they provoked (parapikrasmos[G]) Me.”
 
14 For we have become partners, friends of Messiah if we keep the beginning of our commitment firm until the goal, 15 while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.”
 
We are become friends, co-workers with Messiah, if we keep the beginning of our faith unto the goal of our faith. Yeshua is the Author and goal of our faith, the Sustainer of our integrity, our righteousness and our hope. We should not fear our ability to keep our first love in Him, because He has partnered with us (Rev. 2:1-7). Therefore, we do not keep our beginning commitment alone but we are kept by Him, and in us He keeps us unto Himself. All this happens “Today”, in what the believer understands to be the eternal present.
 
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” -Hebrews 11:1 KJV
 
16 For who of them provoked (parapikrainō[G]) Him when they had heard (akouō[G], hashomiym[H])? Indeed, yet (alla[G]) not (ou[G]) all (pas[G]) those who came out of Egypt (Aiguptos[G], Mitzrayim[H] double distress) through, in the hand of (dia[G], beyad[H]) Moses (Moshe[H] drawn out, resurrected)? 17 And whom was He grieved by (prosochthizō̄[G]) for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned (hamartanō[G], vachataiym[H]), whose dead bodies (kōlon[G]) fell (piptō [G]) in the wilderness (erēmos[G], bamidbar[H])?
 
16 For who of them provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, yet not all those who came out of Egypt (double distress) through, in the hand of Moshe (drawn out, resurrected)? 17 And whom was He grieved by for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?
 
The meaning is plain. It is the wilfully disobedient who fail to enter God’s rest. We are all wandering in the desert of the sin affected world, some in humility through submission to God are wandering toward the rest (promised land of the world to come) and some in wilful rejection of God’s offer of redemptive love, wander aimlessly toward the abyss of everlasting fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:15; 21:7-8).
 
Of that wilderness generation only Yehoshua (YHVH is salvation) and Calev (contempt, fierce, dog) entered the promised land. Now, in this generation, we must cling to Joshua (Yeshua) and have contempt for sin. Thus, through belief in Him we enter the now and yet to come Kingdom of God.
 
18 And to whom did He swear (omnuō[G], nishba[H]) that they would not enter (eiserchomai[G]) His rest (katapausis[G], menuchato[H]), but to those who were disobedient, apathetic (apeitheō[G])? 19 And we see (blepō[G], roiym[H]) that they were not able to enter (eiserchomai[G]) because of unbelief (apistia[G], choser emunatam[H]).
 
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient, apathetic? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
 
The Greek word apeitheō translated “disobedient” gives the reader great insight into what it means to be disobedient. Wilful disobedience bears the fruit of apathy and likewise the soil of apathy produces wilful disobedience. Complacency and indifference give birth to apathy, and the sum of the three is rebellion.
 
Rebellion is not some great act of strength and purpose, to the contrary, it is the progeny of apathy. It is the lazy and disillusioned who rebel. The obedient son puts his hand to the plow and does not look back (Luke 9:62).
 
“And we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” Those first century Jewish recipients of this Book to the Hebrews “saw” in respect to understanding the past disobedience of our people, that those who through unbelief rebel against God’s love do not enter the promised rest (neither the physical land of Israel nor the present & future Kingdom, Olam Haba). Therefore, they like us are challenged in the present (Today) to believe, act, trust in the faithful King Messiah Yeshua and enter, enter now and continue to enter until He returns to fully reveal to us the eternal present of God’s Kingdom come.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
 
The sum of this passage is almost too simple to accept. That, for a little while (a short time) Yeshua became lower (not less than God, but God with us [Immanuel] that is, God within Himself) than the messengers: both the prophets of old [as stipulated in Hebrews 1:1], and the Malakhim (messengers, angels, aggelos[G], elohim[H]) who had participated as mediators of the Torah (Instruction) of God prior to Yeshua’s having been born into time.
 
Yeshua, Who is ha-Davar (the living Word, Essence, Substance) is the sole mediator between God and man, in that His sacrificial suffering unto death, His resurrection and ascension bring those who believe, face to face with God. In short, if we want to hear from God, we must accept His gracious offer and speak directly with Him. If we are in Messiah, we now have no need of chasing angels and prophets to mediate on your behalf. God wants to engage with us intimately and personally through His Son Yeshua. Our modern propensity for seeking to hear from God through human and angelic mediators is anti-Messiah. Yeshua the Messiah has come to speak to us directly, God loves us that much. He doesn’t want to be fobbed off to some prophetic intermediary. We spit in His face when we seek out mediocre substitutes.
 
The death from which Messiah resurrected, cancels out the power of death (previously held by Satan), and gives hope to those who live with the physical reality of death on a daily basis). The conclusion being, that because He has suffered, we can be free from the fear of death (the power of death) because the power of death is not death itself but rather fear of the second death. In Messiah we need not fear what comes next because what comes next is, as the text states, the Olam Haba (world to come) which is, through Messiah Yeshua, subject once more under His reign, to humanity, just as the earth once was, before we (humanity) invited death into the world through sin via its agent, Satan.
 
In Messiah we are assured of life everlasting, not because we won’t die but because having died, we will live in Him (John 11:25). Therefore (which is how this chapter begins) we need no longer surrender to the power of death because the power of death is the fear of the unknown but the promise of God is that we are known in Him and that through His Son we will exist in right relationship with Him for all eternity. In addition to all this future hope, we have the assurance that He has suffered in every way as a human being and has endured. Why is this reassuring? Because we know that He identifies with us and is suffering in us when we suffer and like Him, we are being brought to eternal completion, made perfect in what we suffer, just as He was. We now know His Glory, though our eyes fail us, our hearts (the convergence of our entire being) see beyond the power of death to the Olam Haba (world to come). This is love, this is what remains. For while we live in this fallen world we have faith, hope and love but in the world to come we have need of love alone (1 Cor. 13:13). Thus, faith is belief against doubt, in the Olam Haba there will be no doubt. Hope is the assurance of things unseen, in the Olam Haba all will be revealed. But love, love is eternal. God is love.
 
As is the case with all Scripture (scrolls of the original texts), there are no chapter breaks or verse markers (or punctuation for that matter) in the scroll of the Book to the Hebrews. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter, the last verses of chapter 1 being:
 
‘13 Moreover, to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, Until I set Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet”? [Psalm 110:1] 14 Are they not all ministering, serving spirits, sent out appointed to help those who will receive salvation?’
 
Therefore, we carry the theme of Messiah’s supremacy and the role of His angelic servants with us as we read on…
 
BOOK TO THE HEBREWS Chapter 2 (Author’s translation)
 
1 For this reason, upon this precept we must continually pay more heed to that which we have heard, received, understood in spoken words, essences, substances so that we don’t carelessly drift away. 2 For if the word, essence, substance spoken through angels/messengers was made unalterable, and every violation, individual, and collective an act of disobedience which receives a just punishment, by the rod of judgement 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? If we hate the things which are our life? After it was in the beginning received, spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various and numerous powerful miracles and by gifts of His Holy Spirit according to His own will. 5 For He did not make subject to angels the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But someone has testified in a certain place, saying, “What is man, that You are mindful of him? Or a son of man, that You have visited him? 7 You have made him for a little while lower than angels; You have crowned him with glory and honour; 8 You have put everything, individually and collectively in subjection under his feet.”[ Psalm 8:4-6] For in subjecting all things, individually and collectively to Him, He left nothing that is not subject to Him. But now we do not yet see all things individually and collectively subjected to Him. 9 But now we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels /messengers, Yeshua, through His suffering death crowned with glory and honour, splendour, so that by the grace, unmerited favour, practical love of God He might eat death for everyone, individually and collectively. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things individually and collectively and through Whom are all things individually and collectively, in bringing many sons into glory, splendour, genius, the Author, Originator, Prince of their salvation through sufferings, to perfect, consecrate, fulfil, complete. 11 For both He who sanctifies, consecrates, atones and those who are sanctified, consecrated, atoned for, are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying, “I will proclaim, show, tell Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.” [Psalm 22:22] 13 And again, “I will put My trust, hope, confidence, belief in Him.” And again, “Behold, pay attention, now I and the young children whom My God has given Me.” [Isaiah 8:17-18] 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself similarly also became a partaker of the same, so that through death He might do away with, abolish, cause to cease the one who had the dominion of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free, deliver those who through fear of death were all the days of their lives guilty, subject to bondage. 16 For doubtless He does not take hold of angels, messengers, but He takes hold of the seed, issue of Abraham. [re. Isaiah 41:8-9] 17 Therefore, in all things individually and collectively He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful, true high priest in things pertaining, before the face of God, to make atoning reconciliation upon the sins [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] of the people. 18 Now since He Himself suffered temptation, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
 
HEBREWS 2 (line by line)
 
1 For (dia[G]) this reason (alt. Upon this mitzvah[H]) we must (dei[G]) pay more (perissos[G]) heed (prosechō[G]) (ad-meod[H] perpetually more) to that which we have heard, received, understood (akouō[G]) [alt. Badevariym asher shamanu[H] in the spoken words, essences, substances] so that we don’t (mēpote[G]) carelessly drift away (pararrhueō[G]).2 For if the word, essence, substance (logos[G], ha davar[H]) spoken through angels/messengers (aggelos[G]) (alt. al-piy malakhiym[H] upon the face of angels) was made (ginomai[G]) unalterable (bebaios[G]), and every violation, individual, collective (pas[G]) an act of disobedience (parakoē[G]) which receives a just (endikos[G]) punishment, (misthapodosia[G]), (alt. besheivet mishpat[H] with the rod of judgement)
 
1 For this reason, upon this precept we must continually pay more heed to that which we have heard, received, understood in spoken words, essences, substances so that we don’t carelessly drift away.
 
This is the first of five warnings placed throughout the book, exhorting these early Jewish believers not to “drift away”.
 
1.Having received Yeshua as superior to all powers and His Gospel as superior to the Torah, and having understood that the angelic beings are His servants sent to help you, be intentional in paying heed to the Gospel message so that you don’t drift away.
 
“For this reason, upon this precept…” For what reason? For the reason that Yeshua is not merely another angel but is the Son of God and the promised King Messiah, and for the reason that God has defeated all enemies of Messiah and the people over whom He reigns and has made the ultimate enemy His footstool, and for the reason that Yeshua the King Messiah is superior to all mediators of God’s redemptive purposes being the Author and Goal of the Torah (given upon the face of angels), and finally, for the reason that the angelic forces are present to serve God under the reign of Messiah by helping those who are receiving Yeshua’s saving work and have become His “brothers” and sisters (v.12).
 
“we must continually pay more heed to that which we have heard, so that we don’t carelessly drift away.” This admonishment expresses to the early believing Jewish community the need to be intentional in perpetuating the message given to them by those who received that message directly from Yeshua. That message being that Yeshua God’s Son as both Author and Goal of the Torah is superior to the Torah.
 
Throughout this chapter the writer of Hebrews uses the familiar historical circumstances of the giving of the Torah, and the traditions of angelic facilitation, both Biblical and extra-Biblical, to make a correlation with the importance of the revelation of the Gospel of the King Messiah Yeshua, which is superior by nature of its ability to free its recipients from the just punishment for sin, required by the Torah indictment against sin.
 
The need to “pay more heed” means that they were not paying enough attention to the Gospel of Yeshua, and the purpose of “paying more heed” was to prevent “carelessly drifting away” from the Gospel of Yeshua, and the greater illumination of God’s redemptive purposes in Him.
 
2 For if the word, essence, substance spoken through angels
/messengers was made unalterable, and every violation, individual, and collective an act of disobedience which receives a just punishment, by the rod of judgement
 
“For if the Word (Yeshua) spoken through angels/messengers was made unalterable” The Word (Yeshua) ministered His essence through His servants both angelic and human, and in particular at Sinai in the giving of the Torah, and that word (the moral laws of written Torah Instruction) was made “unalterable” (something that proponents of rejecting Torah entirely fail to comprehend). The moral law of Torah is said to be “unalterable”. Therefore, Yeshua has not come to remove Torah but to bring resolution to the problem of sin which the Torah exposes.
 
The angelic forces are subject to Messiah and ultimately those same forces will be subject to redeemed humanity (1:14). However, as servants of God they were present in the giving of the Torah at Sinai and are acknowledged by the rabbis as having an important role to play in God’s work. The fact that this was general knowledge among observant Jews of the first century is evident elsewhere in the Brit HaChadashah (NT) [Acts 7:53].
 
“The Lord came from Sinai,
And dawned on them from Seir;
He shone from Mount Paran,
And He came from the midst of myriads of holy ones;
At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.” -Deuteronomy 33:2 NASB
 
“The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands;
The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” -Psalms 68:17 (18) NASB
 
“This is the one who was in the [y]assembly in the wilderness together with the angel who spoke to him at length on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to you…
 
"you who received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”
-Acts 7:38, 53 NASB
 
“Why the Law then? It was added on account of the violations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a mediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” -Galatians 3:19 NASB
 
“and every violation, individual, and collective an act of disobedience which receives a just punishment, by the rod of judgement” This is in the present continuous sense and therefore continues to be applicable to those who act in disobedience to the Word (written Torah).
 
The Torah continues to be the measure by which right and wrong actions are accessed (Exodus 20:22-23:33). The superiority of Yeshua over Torah does not negate the moral imperatives set by Torah, which, as the text says, have been “made unalterable”. In fact, they are unalterable because Yeshua is superior, His Word being the very essence of Torah.
 
Ultimately every violation of Torah demands just punishment which can be mitigated only by the atoning blood of the King Messiah Yeshua in Whose book the righteous are written (Rev. 20:11-15).
 
3 how (eiykh[H]) will we escape (ekpheugō[G]) if we neglect (ameleo[G]) so great (tēlikoutos[G], rav[H]) a salvation (sōtēria[G], l’yesha[H]) [alt. “if we hate the things which are our life”[A] re. Deut. 32:45-47]? After it was in the beginning (archē[G], meirosh[H]) received (lambanō[G]), spoken (laleō[G]) through the Lord (kurios[G], ha-Adon[H]), it was confirmed (bebaioō[G], vayeiamein[H]) to us by those who heard (akouō[G]), 4 God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) also bearing witness (sunepimartureō[G]) with them, both by signs (sēmeion[G], beotot[H]) and wonders (teras[G], uvmopetiym[H]), and by various and numerous (poikilos[G]) powerful miracles (dunamis[G], veniflaot[H]) and by gifts (merismos[G]) of His Holy Spirit (pneuma hagios[G], Ruach kadsho[H]) according to His own will (thelēsis[G]).
 
3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? If we hate the things which are our life? [Deut. 32:45-47] After it was in the beginning received, spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various and numerous powerful miracles and by gifts of His Holy Spirit according to His own will.
 
“how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” This question regards a correlation between the revelation of Torah at Sinai and the superior revelation of Yeshua. If those who witnessed the giving of the Torah at Sinai are accountable for how they responded to the Instruction God had given, how much more so those who have received the salvation from the just punishment of the Torah through Yeshua the King Messiah.
 
“So great a salvation” refers to both Yeshua and the salvation He has purchased in His blood. In short, the Torah (in particular the moral law of Torah applicable to all humanity) makes the indictment against sin clear and Yeshua is the One Who has purchased our freedom from the just result of that indictment, therefore, “How will we escape if we neglect Yeshua?” Given that He is the only means of our being set free from the consequences of our sin (missing the mark set by God’s holiness). This is spoken to Jewish believers as a reminder so that they do not turn back from faith in Yeshua due to the false teaching concerning Him which was being proliferated by fellow Jews of the developing rabbinical order. This same warning is spoken to Messiah following Jews today, “Do not return to the bondage of Law keeping, but stand firm in Messiah Yeshua, in Whose blood we have received freedom and by whose Torah (written on our core being) we are kept.”
 
“10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati—whom you had crucified, whom God raised from the dead—this one stands before you whole. 11 This Yeshua is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!” -Acts 4:10-12 TLV
 
“If we hate the things which are our life?” This translation of the Aramaic text is helpful because it clarifies the connection to Torah. It is a quotation of the Torah:
 
“45 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you will command your sons to follow carefully, all the words of this Law. 47 For it is not a trivial matter for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” -Deuteronomy 32:45-47 NASB
 
“After it was in the beginning received, spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,” This makes a further correlation between the Gospel of Yeshua and the Torah. Like the Torah the Gospel was given by God, only the message of the Gospel is brought directly by Yeshua Who is God with us, and speaks directly to first century (C.E) Israel. Having heard Yeshua speak the Gospel in person the disciples had passed on what they had heard directly from God and not by the facilitation of angelic beings as was the case with the Torah.
 
“God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various and numerous powerful miracles and by gifts of His Holy Spirit according to His own will.” Just as God had affirmed the Instruction given at Sinai in signs, wonders, and miracles (Exodus. 7:3; Deut. 4:34; 6:22), so too He had come by His Spirit to affirm the superior Word of Yeshua to those who received Him. God Himself bearing witness to the authority given to Yeshua and the superiority of His Gospel of sacrificial, atoning, substitutionary reconciliation (Acts 2:4-12, 43; 3:7-9, 11-12; 15:12; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4:11).
 
5 For He did not make subject to angels (aggelos[G], ha-malakhiym[H]) the world to come (oikoumenē mellō[G], et-haolam heatiyr lavo[H]), about which we are speaking. 6 But someone has testified (diamarturomai[G]) in a certain place, saying (legō[G], haomeir[H]), “What is man (anthrōpos[G], mah-anosh[H]), that You are mindful of him (mimnēskō[G])? Or a son (uihos[G], ben[H]) of man (anthrōpos[G], adam[H]), that You have visited (episkeptomai[G]) him?
 
5 For He did not make subject to angels the world to come, about which we are speaking.
 
The “world to come” is used here to describe not only the Olam Haba but also the inception of the Messianic age as it pertains to Yeshua’s first coming. Therefore, there is a progression of manifestation of the Messianic Kingdom. The Gospel of Yeshua is in no way mitigated by or subject to angelic beings as the Torah was, rather both the Gospel and its manifestation upon the earth brings a sacrificial, atoning reconciliation to the sin affected earth (creation) that will return dominion to humanity through the Greater Son of David, the promised King Messiah Yeshua, Who, being the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), will return to rule (Psalms 110:1) and give the role of caretakers of creation back to humanity in her redeemed state (Gen. 1:28).
 
“So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” -1 Corinthians 15:45 TLV
 
6 But someone has testified in a certain place, saying, “What is man, that You are mindful of him? Or a son of man, that You have visited him?
 
This begins the writer’s exposition of Psalms 8:4-6 which continues to follow the theme of Yeshua’s supremacy over all creation.
 
The writer is quoting a Psalm known to all observant Jews of the day and as was the custom of Yeshua, he need only reference it as being Scripture in order to denote its authority. Where Yeshua said “It is written”, the writer of the Book to the Hebrews says “It is testified to in a certain place” (cf. Heb. 7:17). Which is in keeping with rabbinic Jewish tradition (Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin, fol. 37. 1. Maimon. Hilchot Yesode Hattorsh, 3. 7. sect. 6. & Melachim, c. 11. sect. 1. Vid. Iben Ezra in Lev. xvi. 8.) The “someone” who “has testified” is king David the writer of the Psalm in question.
 
This Psalm speaks of the King Messiah as the son of mankind (Adam) in Whom God visits humanity.

7 You have made him for a little (brachus[G]) while lower (elattoō[G]) than angels (aggelos[G], malakhiym[H]); You have crowned him with glory (doxa[G], vekhavod[H]) and honour (time[G], hadar[H]); 8 You have put everything, individually and collectively (pas[G], kol[H]) in subjection (hupotassō[G]) under his feet (ragelayv[H]).”[ Psalm 8:4-6] For in subjecting (hupotassō[G]) all things, individually and collectively (pas[G]) to Him, He left nothing that is not subject to Him. But now we do not yet see (horaō[G]) all things individually and collectively (pas[G]) subjected (hupotassō[G]) to Him.
 
7 You have made him for a little while lower than angels; You have crowned him with glory and honour;
 
The Hebrew text reads “elohim” rather than “malakhim”, however, elohim in this context refers to angels and not gods, as testified to by numerous ancient Jewish commentators (the Targum Yonatan, Yarchi, Iben Ezra, Kimkhi, and Ben Melekh)
 
This speaks of Yeshua entering time and space born to Miriyam by the seed of the Holy Spirit. His earthly ministry of sacrificial reconciliation and His resurrection and ascension returning Him to His rightful place as Heir to all things. His earthly ministry being a “little while” in respect to eternity. He allows Himself to be made temporarily lower than the angelic beings with regard to being confined to time and space. Now, He has been crowned with glory and honour by God the Father.
 
8 You have put everything, individually and collectively in subjection under his feet.”[ Psalm 8:4-6]
 
The nearest subject is Messiah. David by the Holy Spirit had prophesied the humanity and deity of the promised Messiah, His defeat of the sin affected order and the death that resulted and the subjecting of all creation to Him (1 Peter 3:22).
 
For in subjecting all things, individually and collectively to Him, He left nothing that is not subject to Him. But now we do not yet see all things individually and collectively subjected to him.
 
In short, the redemptive work of Yeshua has been completed in His death, resurrection and ascension and the future perfected outside time and space from an act of sacrificial love made within time and space. However, from within time and space, and post resurrection, the Kingdom of God is being made holy in preparation for the return of Messiah and the judgement, after which the manifest transcendent recreation will become eternal reality for all who receive the Messiah.
 
This concept is very similar, in fact, intertwined with the present nature of the outworking of the faith of Messiah followers.
 
“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” -Hebrews 10:14 NIV
 
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” - Philippians 2:12 NIV
 
9 But now (de[G], aval[H]) we do see (blepō[G], roeym[H]) Him Who was made (elattoō[G]) for a little while lower (brachus[G]) than the angels/messengers (aggelos[G], malakhiym[H]), Yeshua[H] (Iesous[G], Jesus, YHVH is salvation), through (dia[G]) His suffering (pathēma[G]) death (thanatos[G]) crowned (stephanoō[G]) with glory (doxa[G], khavod[H]) and honour, splendour (time[G], hadar[H]), so that by the grace, unmerited favour, practical love (charis[G], chesed[H]) of God (Theos[G], meiElohiym[H]) He might eat (geuomai[G], ta’am ta’am[H]) death (thanatos[G], hamavet[H]) for everyone, individually and collectively (pas[G], kulam[H]).
 
9 But now we do see Him Who was made for a little while lower than the angels /messengers, Yeshua, through His suffering death crowned with glory and honour, splendour, so that by the grace, unmerited favour, practical love of God He might eat death for everyone, individually and collectively.
 
The writer explains the purpose of Yeshua being made lower than the angelic beings for a “little while”.
 
“But now we do see Him” Means, if we see Him now, we see all things made subject to Him forever, even though we live in a world that is yet to be fully subjected to Him.
 
He had come in the unmerited favour of God to suffer death, to consume death on behalf of all who deserve death but will be delivered from death in Yeshua. This is something a created angelic being could not do. Yeshua is the all existing God born into creation, whereas the angelic beings are created beings who serve God as helpers to creation.
 
Through Messiah’s substitutionary death, Death, the by-product of sin itself becomes a by-word.
 
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” – Philipians 2:8 KJV
 
“12 So then, just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, in the same way death spread to all men because all sinned. 13 For up until the Torah, sin was in the world; but sin does not count as sin when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in a manner similar to the violation of Adam, who is a pattern of the One to come. 15 But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if many died because of the transgression of one man, how much more did the grace of God overflow to many through the gift of one Man—Yeshua the Messiah. 16 Moreover, the gift is not like what happened through the one who sinned. For on the one hand, the judgment from one violation resulted in condemnation; but on the other hand, the gracious gift following many transgressions resulted in justification. [a] 17 For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one,[b] how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua. 18 So then, through the transgression of one, condemnation came to all men; likewise, through the righteousness of one came righteousness of life to all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man, many will be set right forever.[c] 20 Now the Torah came in so that transgression might increase. But where sin increased, grace overflowed even more— 21 so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness, to eternal life through Messiah Yeshua our Lord.” -Romans 5:12-21 TLV
 
10 For it was fitting (prepo[G]) for Him, for Whom are all things individually and collectively (pas[G], hakol[H]) and through Whom are all things individually and collectively (pas[G], hakol[H]) in bringing many (rabiym[H]) sons (uihos[G], baniym[H]) into (eis[G]) glory, splendour, genius (doxa[G], ligeon[H]), the Author, Originator, Prince (archēgos[G], sar[H]) of their salvation (sōtēria[G], yeshuatam[H]) through sufferings (pathēma[G]) to perfect, consecrate, fulfil, complete (teleioō[G]). 11 For both He who sanctifies, consecrates, atones (hagiazō[G], chafeir[H]) and those who are sanctified, consecrated, atoned for (hagiazō[G], yechafeir[H]) are all from one Father (heis[G], meiAv echad[H]); for this reason He is not ashamed (ou epaischunomai[G]) to call (kaleo[G]) them brothers and sisters (adelphos[G], achiym[H]),
 
10 For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things individually and collectively and through Whom are all things individually and collectively, in bringing many sons into glory, splendour, genius, the Author, Originator, Prince of their salvation through sufferings to perfect, consecrate, fulfil, complete.
 
The justice of God demanded that God Himself must enter creation in order to live as man, identifying fully with all the sufferings and temptations of humanity but remaining sinless and thus, able to sacrifice Himself in order to satisfy His justice and provide the means for humanity to be reconciled to Him.
 
“Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” -Isaiah 59:1-2 KJV
 
Yeshua has bridged the gap of separation between sinful humanity and God and through His suffering has become the Author and perfector of our faith.
 
“looking only at Yeshua, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews 12:2
 
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.” -John 1:12-13 NASB
 
11 For both He who sanctifies, consecrates, atones and those who are sanctified, consecrated, atoned are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,
 
“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” -John 17:19 KJV
 
We note that “both He who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified, are all from one Father”, meaning that only those who receive Yeshua’s sanctifying work are of One Father. The text is not make a connection between all human beings and Yeshua, rather it is speaking of the adoption of those who receive Yeshua’s atoning work.
 
Those who receive Messiah’s atoning work show themselves to belong to the One Father of Creation, not only as children of creation but also as children of God redeemed by the blood of the Son of God, begotten of God, all existing, not created. Yeshua is not ashamed to call the repentant “brothers and sisters” because in Him they reflect the relationship between the Redeemer and the redeemed.
 
“when the King Messiah shall be revealed to the congregation of Israel, the children of Israel shall say unto him, Come, be thou with us, be thou our brother".” -Targum on Song of Songs 8:1
 
12 saying, “I will proclaim, show, tell (apaggellō[G]) Your name (onoma[G], shimeicha[H]) to My brothers (adelphos[G], le’echay[H]), In the midst of the assembly (ekklēsia[G]) I will sing Your praise (humneō[G]).” [Psalm 22:22] 13 And again, “I will put My trust, hope, confidence, belief (peithō[G], vekireiytiy[H]) in Him.” And again, “Behold, pay attention, now (hineih[G]) I and the young children (paidion[G], yiladiym[H]) whom My God (ho Theos[G], YHVH[H]) has given Me (didōmi[G], natan-liy[H]).” [Isaiah 8:17-18]
 
12 saying, “I will proclaim, show, tell Your name to My brothers, In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.” [Psalm 22:22]
 
The writer quotes Psalms 22:22. This Psalm is one concerning the triumphant King Messiah, sometimes referred to as the Mashiach Ben David. The “brothers” of the Messiah are fellow Jews to whom He proclaims the Name of YHVH (Mercy). “The assembly” is the community of faithful Jews, in relation to whom Yeshua is both brother and King.
 
In Jewish tradition an assembly, congregation, minyan, must be made up of no less than 10 men of age (Mishnah Sanhedrin, c. 1. sect. 6.)

NB: The 10 man minyan is based on the scripture concerning the 12 spies sent to survey the land of Israel by Moses. 10 returned with a bad report, HaShem says "listen to this community of wicked men" (Numbers 14:27). Thus, 10 men are a community for prayer etc. However, it was the 2 righteous men Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:38; 32:12; ) who God honoured along with Moses. Thus Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of their generation who entered the promised land. This is why Yeshua (contradicting the teaching of the rabbis concerning the minyan) says, "Wherever two (Joshua & Caleb) or three (Joshua, Caleb & Moses) are gathered in My Name (that is, gathered in Salvation), there I am in the midst of you" (Matthew 18:20).
 
13 And again, “I will put My trust, hope, confidence, belief in Him.” And again, “Behold, pay attention, now I and the young children whom My God has given Me.” [Isaiah 8:17-18]
 
The writer of Hebrews connects Yeshua with the prophet Isaiah and explains that like Isaiah, Yeshua trusts in YHVH and that like Isaiah, Yeshua’s spiritual progeny are a testimony to humanity of the love of God.
 
The text and context of Isaiah 8:17-18
 
Isa 8:17 And I will wait for HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), Who hides His face from the house of Yaakov (Jacob: Judah & Ephraim-Israel), and I will look for Him.
 
Isaiah waits upon the Lord. The true prophet understands that the future redemption he sees in the spiritual may not be made manifest in his lifetime. Thus, he ultimately places trust in Hashem rather than in what he can see with his physical sight. The true prophet accepts that the promises of Hashem are eternal and that the prophet will yet rise at the last day to behold what he has faithfully prophesied within time and space.
 
The phrase, “Hides His face from” means that HaShem has intentionally withheld His manifest countenance from wrestling Jacob (Israel united: prior to his redemption). However, although Hashem’s face is hidden from the one who denies Him, the prophet will seek Him out.
 
Isa 8:18 Hinei, Now, Behold, I and the children whom HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) has given me are for le’otot signs and for ul’mofetiym wonders in Yisrael from HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) Tzevaot (Of heaven’s armies, going to war), Who dwells in mount Tziyon (Parched land).
 
Isaiah proclaims his family’s identity as living representations of God’s Word to His people. Yeshua proclaims the same concerning those who have become His followers and therefore Sons of the Living God. We are to be living examples of God’s Word to the world we live in.
 
14 Therefore, since the children (paidion[G], yiladiym[H]) share (koinōneō[G) in flesh (sarx[G], basar[H]) and blood (aima[G], dam[H]), He Himself similarly (paraplēsiōs[G]) also became a partaker (metechō[G]) of the same, so that through (dia[G]) death (thanatos[G], bemoto[H]) He might do away with, abolish, cause to cease (katargeō[G]) the one who had (echō[G]) the dominion (kratos[G]) of death (thanatos[G], hamavet[H]), that is, the devil (ho diabolos[G], haSatan[H]),
 
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself similarly also became a partaker of the same, so that through death He might do away with, abolish, cause to cease the one who had the dominion of death, that is, the devil,
 
God the Son chose to enter time and space to share in the flesh of humanity so that in overcoming in life, death and resurrection He might afford human beings the opportunity to overcome in Him.
 
In Jewish tradition Samael also named Satan, is sometimes referred to as malakh hamavet (Angel of the death) [Targum Jon. in Gen. iii. 6. & in Hab. iii. 5; Talmud Bavliy Sukkah, fol. 53. 1. & Avoda Zara, fol. 5. 1. & 20. 2; Zohar in Gen. fol. 27. 1, 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 2. & 22. 4. Caphtor, fol 26. 2. & alibi.]
 
One particular tradition says that Satan will cease in the Olam Haba (world to come), the days of the Messiah, Who, having come will destroy the power of Satan. (Baal Hatturim in Numb. iv. 19.)
 
15 and free, deliver (apallassō[G], veshilach lachafshiy[H]) those who through fear (phobos[G], mei’eiymat[H]) of death (thanatos[G], mavet[H]) were all the days (kol yemeiy[H]) of their lives (zaō[G], chayeiyhem[H]) guilty, subject (enochos[G]) to bondage (douleia[G]). 16 For doubtless (dēpou[G]) He does not take hold of (epilambanomai ou[G]) angels, messengers (aggelos[G], malakhiym[H]), but He takes hold of (epilambanomai[G]) the seed, issue (sperma[G], lezerah[H]) of Abraham (Avraham[H] father of a great number of people). [re. Isaiah 41:8-9]
 
15 and free, deliver those who through fear of death were all the days of their lives guilty, subject to bondage.
 
Messiah has come to free all who will accept Him from the just punishment for their sin.
 
While those who deny any culpability with regard to their immoral lifestyles may have deluded themselves that they do not fear death, the truth is that in the end death holds all unrepentant human beings in bondage. We note that the text says “guilty”, thus, the guilt of sin exposes the reality of the fruit of sin, death.
 
In one sense the fear of death is a healthy acknowledgement of the need for deliverance from it. Those religions that, devoid of Messiah, nonetheless claim death as a simple transition of matter and spirit, are in greater danger than those who live in the fear of death.
 
In Messiah we need not fear death, not the temporal death of the present world, nor the eternal death (perpetual fire) assigned to the wicked, because He has purchased our freedom in His blood.
 
16 For doubtless He does not take hold of angels, messengers, but He takes hold of the seed, issue of Abraham. [re. Isaiah 41:8-9]
 
This means that Yeshua has come not to take hold of and redeem angelic beings but to take hold of and redeem the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob:
 
“But you, Israel, My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of Abraham My friend,
You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth
And called from its remotest parts,
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.” -Isaiah 41:8-9 NASB
 
Alternatively this refers to Messiah Yeshua, Who has not become convergent with angelic beings but has taken hold of humanity being born of God into humanity through Miriyam. And then, not into just any ethnicity but into the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, being both Jewish by bloodline and Abrahamic in faith.
 
“15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” -Genesis 22:15-18 NASB
 
17 Therefore (hothen[G]), in all things individually and collectively (pas[G], bakol[H]) He had to be made like (homoioō[G]) His brothers (adelphos[G], le’ehayv[H]) so that He might become a merciful (eleēmōn[G], berachamayv[H]) and faithful, true (pistos[G], uve’emunatiy[H]) high priest (archiereus[G], kohen gadol[H], rav kumrea[A]) in things pertaining, before the face of (lifneiy[H]) God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]), to make atoning reconciliation (hilaskomai[G], lechafeir[H]) upon the sins (hamartia[G], al-chatot[H]) [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] of the people (laos[G], ha’am[H]).
 
17 Therefore, in all things individually and collectively He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful, true high priest in things pertaining, before the face of God, to make atoning reconciliation upon the sins [missing the mark set by God’s holiness] of the people.
 
Yeshua has been made like His fellow Jewish brothers in respect to humanity, ethnicity, religion, culture, and according to the requirements of the Torah given to His brothers He has walked in sinless perfection. Thus, He is best qualified to show mercy as the faithful Kohen Gadol High Priest appearing on behalf of sinful people before the face of the Holy God of Israel, able to do so because of the shedding of His blood as the atonement over the sins of His people.
 
“make atoning reconciliation upon the sins of the people.” This correlates to the Yom Kippur sacrifice of two goats the one (for the people: Azazel, the escaping goat) being delivered by the other (the goat for YHVH).
 
Ref. Yom Kippur, Messiah and the Escaping Goat
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary---15081497151214931513-1497150615111489/yom-kippur-the-escaping-goat
 
18 Now (gar[G]) since He Himself suffered (paschō[G]) temptation (peirazō[G]), He is able (dunamai[G]) to come to the aid (boētheō[G]) of those who are tempted (peirazō[G]).
 
18 Now since He Himself suffered temptation, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
 
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet is without sin.” -Hebrews 4:15
 
“Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” -Isaiah 53:12 KJV
 
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.” -Hebrews 7:25
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

General Introduction:
 
I have no intention of addressing every possible argument for and against certain authorship possibilities, nor will I waste time debating dating and audience to the extent that many others do. After extensive research the following are concise explanations of my conclusions on authorship, dating, audience, and theme.
 
Author:
 
The writer doesn’t identify himself but seems to have been well known to the recipients of the work. There was no agreement among the Church fathers of the earliest centuries as to the authorship of this book. From the period of the reformation (16th century C.E) the book has been attributed to Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle), however, while there are some similar Messianic themes, by and large the writing style and specific subject matter is significantly different to that of Paul.
 
Unlike Paul, the author of Hebrews doesn’t identify himself except to say that he is male (11:32 use a masculine Greek verb). The phrase “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation; which was at first received spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard…” (2:3) shows the author to be someone who had not heard directly from Yeshua in any way but was conveying the message of salvation as one who had received it from those who had heard it directly from Yeshua. This excludes Rav Shaul (Paul) as a potential author (Gal. 1:11-12).
 
It’s also worth noting that the writer of Hebrews has more than a passing familiarity with the Levitical priesthood and is likely to have been a Levite. Paul on the other hand was of the tribe of Benjamin (Acts 13:31; Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5), and was a student of Rabban Gamaliel, one of the forefathers of Rabbinic Judaism, also a descendent of the tribe of Benjamin and of the line of David according to the mixed tribal lineage of his grandfather Hillel the Elder (Ketubot 62b re. Y’hudah HaNasi).
 
The style of Greek used in the Book to the Hebrews is yet another reason that Pauline authorship is unlikely. Greek scholars generally agree that the Greek of the text of Hebrews is more refined, its wording more eloquent, a studied form of Greek quite different from the fluid, colloquial, contextualized Greek of Paul’s letters.
 
The first suggestion of authorship made by the early Christian Church fathers was that of Tertullian in his work titled De Pudicitia “On Modesty” (200 C.E), in which he quotes “an epistle to the Hebrews under the name of Barnabas.” Barnabas was a Jew of the priestly tribe of Levi (Acts 4:36) who like many others of the priestly cast had become believers early in the growth of the Messianic Jewish community (Acts 6:7). He later became a good friend of Rav Shaul (Paul) and was commissioned along with Paul by the Church at Antioch under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to take the Gospel message to the Greeks [nations] (Acts 13:1-4).
 
While the writer of the Book to the Hebrews cannot be identified with any certainty, it seems unlikely that Paul was the author, and of the other proposed writers Barnabas seems the most likely, and if not Barnabas then another believing Levite of the time who had not heard the message of the Gospel directly from Yeshua. Of course, the arguments for and against Pauline authorship are numerous and diverse and the debate will continue until the Messiah comes. Ultimately it is the divine inspiration of the text that best guides our understanding.
 
Date:
 
It seems likely that the Book to the Hebrews was written prior to the destruction of the Temple (70 C.E) for at least two significant reasons:

1. Had it been written following the destruction of the Temple it would surely have alluded to the Temple’s destruction.
2. The writer consistently uses the present tense when referring to the priestly practices (5:1-3; 7:23, 27; 8:3-5; 9:6-9, 13, 25 etc.), thus denoting that the sacrificial system was still functioning at the time of writing.

 
Those who claim a post Temple dating are unable to effectively answer the “present tense” evidence of the text.
 
Audience:
 
Several of the oldest Greek manuscripts include the title Πρὸς Ἑβραίους “To the Hebrews”, making the original intended audience Messiah following Jews of the first century C.E. Like the book of Yaakov (James) the Book to the Hebrews addresses those Jews who have become part of the sect Ha-Derekh (the Way) and are in need of ongoing discipleship in order to understand the fullness of what it means to be both Jewish and followers of the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
Some scholars believe the work was written for Jewish believers in Jerusalem, while others assert that it was likely written in Rome. It is impossible to know with any certainty.
 
Theme:
 
Most scholars agree that the theme of the Book to the Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of the King Messiah Yeshua. However, those Christian scholars who conclude Successionism (one of the many foundational manifestations of Replacement Theology) from this are sadly mistaken.
 
Messiah being supreme predates the giving of the Torah and does not therefore annul the purpose of Torah, nor does Hebrews teach such a nonsense. Messiah is the Author (John 1) and Goal (Rom. 10:4) of the Torah and His being greater than its covenants and priesthood regards His position over all creation, and elevates the purpose of Torah rather than diminishing it. Hebrews explains that the many prophecies and promises of the Tanakh (OT) are fully filled, or begin to be fully filled in Messiah Yeshua (Who has entered time and space through the womb of Miriyam), however, it does not nullify those prophecies and promises, rather it illuminates their purpose.
 
When the author of the Book to the Hebrews says of the Mosaic Law, “a shadow is the Torah (nomos) for holding the coming good things” (10:1), he is not disabusing us of the shadow but pointing us to the One Who casts the shadow. Those fools who conclude based on the Book to the Hebrews (not written to Gentiles but to Jews) that the Church (today predominantly Gentile, in part due to the millennia of sin perpetrated in the name of the Church against the Jewish people) has replaced or succeeded the chosen, ethnic, empirical, religious Jewish people, would do well to remember that “a shadow” is cast by a person, and that to deny the shadow is to deny the person who has cast it.
 
Author’s translation:
 
As is the case with my translation of the Gospel of John, I have made a convergent translation of the Book to the Hebrews in an attempt to present the reader with a collective representation of the meaning of the ancient Greek text (2nd century C.E), the significantly later Aramaic text (5th century C.E), and the translation into Hebrew (16th century C.E). The intended outcome being to convey an insight into the ancient Hebrew worldview as it perceives the inspired Word of God and the transmission of it.
 
As is always the case, I don’t make the foolish claim that one language has precedent over another based on chronology. While the Torah, Prophets and Writings were originally written in various forms of ancient Hebrew (with assimilated Aramaic in post exilic text etc.), the transmission of Scripture in both Hebrew and Greek has been approved by our rabbis from ancient times, the ancient Greek Septuagint (which generally predates the oldest complete Hebrew manuscripts available to us today [with the exception of some of the Qumran texts/Dead Sea Scrolls], having been translated from the third to mid second centuries B.C.E) being a work of translation from Hebrew made by ancient Jewish (ethnic descendants of Jacob) scholars. We do not trust in the infallibility of scribes but in the infallibility of the One Who inspired them and, in His faithfulness, to transmit His Word generationally regardless of language.
 
Having said this, what is clear is that the human writers of the Word of God were Jews (ethnic descendants of Jacob). They wrote in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, while they thought and lived as Hebrews, Israelites, Jews. Therefore, the thinking present in the ethnicity, religious culture and spirituality of the people of Israel should be a determining factor in sound interpretation, particularly in the areas of religious cult practice, religious rites, daily life, tradition, chronology, deity, relationship and worldview. Those who fail to consider this will also fail to properly interpret the teaching of Scripture.
 
Introduction to Study:
 
Regardless of all other interpretive concerns we submit our study and understanding, our learning and practice of the text to God, through the Rabbi of rabbis Yeshua our King Messiah, Who by His Spirit makes known to us the Way of God.
 
Translation Key:
 
[G] Greek (using root words)
[H] Hebrew
[A] Aramaic (where is differs from or further illuminates the Hebrew text)
 
BOOK TO THE HEBREWS Chapter 1 (Author’s translation)
 
1 In many parts, many ways and with many variations, turnings, revolutions of old, in former days the God spoke to our forefathers in the hand of the prophets; before, toward, in reference to these the last days, He speaks to us in the hand of His Son
2 Who He set in place, established, appointed, named as heir of all things individually and collectively, and also through Whom He formed in His hand the unbroken age, ages, world, worlds, universe, universes.
3 Who is the shining forth, the rays, brightness, radiance of His glory, judgment, splendour and the exact expression, character, pictured bones of His substance, nature, person, soul; Who Himself carries both His individual and collective living voice, spoken word, substance and the strength, power, in singular Divine nature. When [after] He had made purging, purification, cleansing, washing in His soul of sins (the missing of the mark established by God’s holiness), He was made to sit down in the right hand of the Majesty, Greatness in High,
4 So having become vastly stronger, better than the messengers, angels in as much as He has inherited a more excellent Name [The Name (Hebrew text)] than they.
5 For to which of the messengers, angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, I this day have fathered You”? [Psalm 2:7] And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He will be a Son to Me”? [2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13]
6 And when He again brings the firstborn into this world, He says, “And worship, pay homage, kneel before Him all messengers, angels of God.” [Deut. 32:43 LXX & DSS]
7 And with regard truly to the messengers, angels He says, “He makes His messengers, angels winds, spirits, And His ministers, servants a fire flash.” [Psalm 104:4]
8 But with regard to the Son He says “Your throne, O’ God, is unto the unbroken age, forever and ever, in perpetuity, And the staff of the righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom, dominion, royal power.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of exaltation, joy from Your companions, friends.” [ Psalm 45:6,7]
10 And, “You, in the beginning Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
11 They will perish, but You remain, continue, stay permanently; And they will all like a garment, wear out, decay
12 And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed, transformed, exchanged. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end, fail, cease, pass away.” [Psalm 102:25-27]
13 Moreover, to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit  at My right hand, Until  I set Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet”? [Psalm 110:1]
14 Are they not all ministering, serving spirits, sent out appointed to help those who will receive salvation?
 
The Text of the Book to the Hebrews line by line:
 
V.1-2
 
1 In many parts, many ways (polumeros[G], rabot[H]) and (kai[G]) with many variations, turnings, revolutions (polutropos[G]) of old, in former days (palai[G]) the God (ho Theos[G], Ha Elohim[H]) spoke to (laleo[G], diber[H]) the (to[G]) forefathers of us (pater[G], avoteiynu[H]) in the hand of (en[G], beyad[H]) the (to[G], ha[H]) prophets (prophetes[G], neviyiym[H]); before, toward, in reference to (epi[G]) the last (eschatos[G], beachariyt[H], achraye[A]) the (to[G]) days (hemera[G], hayamiym[H], yavmata[A]), these (houtos[G]) He speaks (laleo[G], diber[H]) to us (hemin[G], eileiynu[H]) in the hand (en[G], beyad[H]) of His Son (uihos[G], beno[H]) 2 Who (hos[G]) He set in place, established, appointed, named (tithemi[G], shamo[H]) as heir (kleronomos[G], leyoreish[H]) of all things individually and collectively (pas[G], kol[H]), and also through (dia[G], vegam[H]) Whom (hos[G]) He formed (poieo[G], asah[H]) in His hand (veyado[H]) the (to[G], et[H]) unbroken age, ages, world, worlds, universe, universes (aion[G], haolamot[H], avad l’alme[A]).
 
1 In many parts, many ways and with many variations, turnings, revolutions of old, in former days the God spoke to our forefathers in the hand of the prophets; before, toward, in reference to these the last the days, He speaks to us in the hand of His Son 2 Who He set in place, established, appointed, named as heir of all things individually and collectively, and also through Whom He formed in His hand the unbroken age, ages, world, worlds, universe, universes.
 
Put concisely, in the past God spoke by the Word (Yeshua) through the prophets pointing Israel toward the days of Messiah (Yeshua). Now Yeshua has entered time and space seeded by God’s Spirit in the womb of Miriyam of the line of David, and speaks directly to Israel, and by extension following His death, resurrection and ascension He speaks directly to all who believe by His Spirit.
 
Prologue
 
The Prophecy of Tanakh (OT) & the Prophetic Gift of the Brit HaChadashah (NT):
 
One of the many things Hebrews 1:1-2 teaches is that true prophecy will cause us to look upon Yeshua, Whose testimony is the Spirit of prophecy (Rev.19:10b), and is available to all who believe and not only to the select few.
 
We must remember that with very few exceptions, the prophets of the Tanakh (OT) did not name themselves prophets. Therefore, every true disciple of Yeshua should be weary of any self-proclaimed "prophet".
 
The Scripture says:
 
"In the past God spoke in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us through His Son, Whom He appointed heir of all things, and through Whom He created the world." -Hebrews 1:1-2
 
In Messiah we have all been afforded direct access to God's voice. Elsewhere the Scripture says:
 
"Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua (Jesus) is the Spirit of prophecy." -Rev.19:10b
 
We are no longer to receive people in the Tanakh (OT) role of prophet (John the Immerser being the last to come in this fashion, in the spirit of Elijah [Matt. 11:11; Luke. 7:28]), nor should we chase after prophets in order to get direction from God (this is idolatry), we instead listen by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to the Son (Yeshua) and through Whom we hear the Father, for the glory of God, Who is echad (a complex unity).
 
Those who chase after direction from so called "Prophets" today are committing idolatry. They're ultimately no different to those who seek direction from fortune tellers.
 
The New Testament prophetic gift of the Holy Spirit is one of affirmation and edification (1 Cor.14:3), it does not emulate the role of the Tanakh (OT) prophets. The mark of legitimacy for the prophetic word in the New Testament is whether it gives glory to Messiah Yeshua unto God, something that must be attested to by "the (NT) prophets" (1 Cor.27-33), and ultimately by the Spirit of prophecy, the testimony of Yeshua Himself, Who is Yeshua (Rev.19:10b). Any word or act that contradicts Scripture by definition fails to fall into the category of legitimate prophecy.
 
1 In many parts, many ways and with many variations, turnings, revolutions of old, in former days the God spoke to our forefathers in the hand of the prophets;
 
The opening verse explains that from the beginning of creation God has been speaking in, through and to the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob) in many varied and perpetual ways. One meaning of the Greek text denotes revolutions, or cycles of a repeated message of redemption. In short, the message has not changed but now, rather than send a letter the Author is come to deliver the message face to face.
 
The writer is a Jewish (probably Levite) follower of Yeshua. Therefore, when he writes “our forefathers” he means the forefathers of Faith (Adam through Avraham and Isaac) and the ethnic-religious forefathers descending from Jacob as Israel the various tribes and their descendants. It is important to remember throughout that the initial audience for this work are Jewish Messiah followers of the first century C.E.
 
In one sense the writer of Hebrews is calling all the writers of the Tanakh (OT) and the prophetic figures whom they recorded, “prophets” speaking to the people of Israel (Jews). From Adam to Moses, to the Judges and then kings like David and Solomon, the prophets of the land of Israel, Isaiah, Hosea, and the prophets of exile, Jeremiah, Zechariah, all the way to the last prophet Malachi.
 
The Hebrew text renders “in the hand of the prophets” meaning that the Word of God was spoken and acted on in the strength of those same prophets. The actions of the righteous prophets of old are as much the speech of God as the verbal declarations and the subsequent written texts.
 
before, toward, in reference to these the last days, He speaks to us in the hand of His Son
 
This phrasing gives us the purpose of the Word of God spoken in the prophets of old. Which was to reveal the Son, Who would come to speak the message of the Father face to face with the people of Israel (descendants of Jacob) and by extension to all humanity in His Spirit.
 
The Biblical Hebrew phrase Beachariyt hayamiym “In the last days” (Gen. 49:1) is understood by traditional Jewish scholars to refer to the days of the Messiah (Kimkhi & Iben Ezra on Isa. ii. 2.). The Brit HaChadashah (NT) teaches that the Messianic era is inaugurated at Messiah Yeshua’s incarnation (entry into time and space) [Acts 2:17; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 2:18], and that the last days are already upon us [1 Cor. 10:11].
 
In one Talmudic Jewish tradition it is taught that the duration of the world will be six thousand years, divided into three equal parts, the last of which is assigned to the Messiah, the years being assigned as ages 1. Two thousand years devoid [of Torah] 2. Two thousand years of Torah 3. Two thousand years the days of the King Messiah (Talmud Bavliy Sanhedrin, fol. 97. 1.).
 
2 Who He set in place, established, appointed, named as heir of all things individually and collectively, 
 
This is the first of seven statements describing Yeshua:
 
1.     Yeshua is Heir to all things (cf. Romans 8:17)
 
The use of the word “heir” conveys the position of Yeshua at the right hand of God, ascended and transcendent, having come into His inheritance as the Greater Son of David. Therefore, here, the writer begins with the Goal (Yeshua) [Romans 10:4].
 
and also through Whom He formed in His hand the unbroken age, ages, world, worlds, universe, universes.
 
This is the second of seven statements describing Yeshua:
 
2.   Through Yeshua God created the universe (cf. John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16)
 
The writer had begun with the Goal (Yeshua seated at God’s right hand), he now places the Goal (Yeshua) at the beginning, explaining that by Yeshua’s hand (strength, action) all creation came into being (cf. John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16).
 
“Through Whom He also formed the worlds” is consistent with the traditional Jewish understanding which teaches the three worlds of the created order as 1. The outer heaven and dwelling place of God 2. The atmosphere (air) 3. The earth (Tzeror Hammor, fol. 1. 4. & 3. 2, 3. Caphtor, fol. 79. 1.). Also referred to as 1. The world of angels (heavenly dwelling), 2. The world of globes (sun, moon, planets and stars) 3. The world below (earth) (Tzeror Hammor, fol. 83. 2. Caphtor, fol. 90. 1.).
 
Our prayer tradition calls God Rabon kol haolam “Lord of all the worlds” ( Seder Tephillot, fol. 5. 2. & 40. 2. Ed. Amstelod.)

Of Rabbi Akiva it is said in the Mishnah:
​
"He used to say, '... God loves Israel, because he gave them a precious instrument. But he enhanced that love by letting them know that the precious instrument they had been given was the very one through which the universe was created-as it is said, "For I give you good doctrine; do not forsake my Torah" (Proverbs 4:2).' " -Avot 3:14

V. 3
 
3 Who [the Son] (hos[G], hu[H]) is (oan[G]) the shining forth, the rays, brightness, radiance (apaugasma[G], zohar[H]) of His [the God] (to[G]) glory, judgment, splendour (doxa[G], kevodo[H]) and (kai[G]) the exact expression, character, pictured bones (charakter[G], vetzelem atzmoto[H]) of His [the God] (to[G]) substance, nature, person, soul (hupostasis[G], venosei[H]); Who Himself [the Son] (autos[G]) carries (phero[G]) both (te[G]) His [the God] (to[G]) individual and collective (pas[G], kol[H]) the (ho[G]) living voice, spoken word, substance (rhema[G], bidevar[H]) and the (ho[G]) strength, power, in singular Divine nature (dunamis[G], gevurato[H], baqnumeh[A]). When [after] He (autos[G]) had made purging, purification, cleansing, washing (katharismos[G], tiheir[H]) in His soul (otanu benafsho[H]) of the (to[G]) sins [missing of the mark established by God’s holiness] (hamartia[G]), He was made (poieo[G]) to sit down (kathizo[G], yashav[H]) in (en[G]) the right hand (dexios[G], liymiyn[H]) of the (ho[G]) Majesty, greatness (megalosune[G], hagedolah[H]) in (en[G]) High (hupselos[G], bameromiym[H]),
 
3 Who is the shining forth, the rays, brightness, radiance of His glory, judgment, splendour and the exact expression, character, pictured bones of His substance, nature, person, soul; Who Himself carries both His individual and collective living voice, spoken word, substance and the strength, power, in singular Divine nature. When [after] He had made purging, purification, cleansing, washing in His soul of sins (the missing of the mark established by God’s holiness), He was made to sit down in the right hand of the Majesty, Greatness in High,
 
The remaining statements describing Yeshua are found in this verse:
 
3.     Yeshua is the radiating light of God’s glory (John 1:14, 18)
4.     Yeshua is the exact representation of God’s being (John 14:9; Col. 1:15)
5.     Yeshua sustains all things (Col. 1:17)
6.     Yeshua provides atoning redemption through His death and resurrection (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 15:3)
7.     Yeshua is seated in the right hand (strength, action) of God (Eph. 1:7, 20; Col. 3:1; 1 1 John 2:2; Pet. 3:22; Gal. 1:4; Rev. 1:5)
 
3 Who is the shining forth, the rays, brightness, radiance of His glory, judgment, splendour and the exact expression, character, pictured bones of His substance, nature, person, soul;
 
Yeshua is described here as the all existing Light which radiates from God, the very rays of God’s glory (known as the kevod HaShem “Glory of God” in Biblical Hebrew and Shekhinah “feminine Light manifestation of the Spirit of God” in Talmudic Hebrew [Saadiah Gaon 882-942 C.E.]), and the exact representation of the substance of God.
 
While differing in important ways from the explanations of our rabbis, the concepts alluded to by the writer of the Book to the Hebrews are nonetheless consistent with Jewish thought.
 
The radiance of God called Shekhinah in Talmudic Hebrew is defined by the Encyclopaedia Judaica as:
 
“the Divine Presence, the luminous immanence of God in the world,... a revelation of the holy in the midst of the profane ..."
 
"One of the more prominent images associated with the Shekhinah is that of light. Thus on the verse, '... the earth did shine with His glory' (Eze. 43:2), the rabbis remark, 'This is the face of the Shekhinah' (Avot diRabbi Natan [18b-19a]; see also Chullin 59b-60a). Both the angels in heaven and the righteous in olam ha-ba ('the world to come') are sustained by the radiance of the Shekhinah (Exodus Rabbah 32:4, B'rakhot 17a; cf. Ex. 34:29-35…”
 
 - Encyclopaedia Judaica Volume 14, pp. 1349-1351
 
Moshe saw the T’munah “likeness, representation” (in modern Hebrew “picture”) of God and spoke with Him face to face. Moshe spoke with the transcendent resurrected Messiah Yeshua (not pre-incarnate but post incarnate, resurrected, unbound by time and space), Who was is and will always be the “radiance” of God, this is why Hebrews says:
 
“By faith Moshe, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Messiah greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” -Hebrews 11:24-26
 
Who Himself carries both His individual and collective living voice, spoken word, substance and the strength, power, in singular Divine nature.
 
Yeshua is the Word, Substance, Essence (Davar, John 1) of God and carries the living spoken Word (Greek. rhema) being one (echad) with the Divine nature. In short, Yeshua holds “carries” all things (Col. 1:17).
 
When [after] He had made purging, purification, cleansing, washing in His soul of sins (the missing of the mark established by God’s holiness), He was made to sit down in the right hand of the Majesty, Greatness in High,
 
“A Psalm of David. YHVH said laAdoniy to my Lord, ‘Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” -Psalm 110:1
 
This expresses the completed work of redemption through vicarious, atoning, sacrificial death and resurrection followed by ascension. Thus, having ministered the sacrificial love of God to Israel and all humanity, He was given His rightful place seated “in” the right hand of God. Meaning that Yeshua is seen as the action and strength of the Creator outworking reconciliatory love in all creation.
 
“25 Whom God displayed publicly as a reconciling substitutionary sacrifice, propitiation in His blood through faith. In order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Yeshua.” - Romans 3:25–26
 
“21 He made Him who knew no sin to be a sin sacrifice in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21
 
The “Right hand of God” is both a place and a transcendent position of authority unlimited by time, space or any element of creation. Therefore, Messiah being seated “in” God’s right hand does not limit His participation in the past, present and continued outworking of God’s redemptive purposes for creation. He is Kohen HaGadol (High Priest [Heb. 7]) over all creation, continually interceding for God’s children.
 
HaG'dulah BaM'romim “Greatness in High,” is a euphemistic reference to God. Long before the first century C.E. it had become common practice among observant Jews not to pronounce the Holy Personal Name YHVH. Thus, euphemisms became the norm when referring to HaShem (YHVH). This is still the case today. In fact the correct pronunciation of the Holy Personal Name is unknown. The phrase HaG'dulah BaM'romim is probably based on 1 Chronicles 29:11:
 
“Lecha For Yours, YHVH, is the greatness (HaG'dulah) and the power (ve’HaG'vurah) and the glory (ve’HaTif’eret),"
 
Similar phrasing is used in Mark 14:62 & Matthew 6:13. In Greek the word kurios is used to convey both the common noun lord and the Holy Name YHVH (Matt. 1:20). Therefore, the writer of Hebrews uses the Greek equivalent of the euphemism HaG'dulah BaM'romim “Greatness in High,” in order to make clear to his Jewish audience that He is referring to YHVH.
 
V. 4
 
4 So having become (ginomai[G], vaygedal[H]) vastly (tosoutos[G], meod[H]) stronger, better (kreittōn[G]) than the messengers, angels (aggelos[G], hamalachiym[H]) inasmuch as (hosos[G]) He has inherited (klēronomeō[G]) a more excellent (diaphoros[G]) Name [The Name (Hebrew text)] (onoma[G], hasheim[H]) than (para[G]) they (lahem[H]).
 
4 So having become vastly stronger, better than the messengers, angels inasmuch as He has inherited a more excellent Name [The Name (Hebrew text)] than they.
 
The messengers (angelic and otherwise) are created entities of Elohim, whereas Yeshua is all existing (John 1) a messenger Who is the YHVH manifest. In the past He has been called Imanu El “with us God” (Isa. 7:14; 8:8). His Name, Nature, Identity is proved greater within creation through His vicarious sacrificial act of redemption, His resurrection and ascension (mentioned in the previous verse).
 
Neither angel nor prophet, neither king nor judge, no one who ever lived or will ever live, have or will ever achieve what Yeshua has achieved, nor has or will anyone ever qualify as an inheritor by Divinity of the Name of God spoken within the created order. Within time and space it appears that Yeshua has inherited the Divine Name from the Father God, while outside of time and space the Divine Name is inherent in Yeshua. Therefore, from within time and space we understand Yeshua to be YHVH with us, in the past, and in the present, having inherited the future, establishing our eternal life through His saving work.
 
The “more excellent Name” does not refer to Yeshua being called “Son” in the following verse, as many theologians suggest. This cannot be the case because the common noun “son” is not a proper noun (personal name). Given that a personal name is what the context denotes, the “more excellent Name” refers to Yeshua’s identity as the manifest and exact representation of YHVH. The Hebrew translation of this text uses the common euphemism for YHVH HaShem “the Name”. When the disciple Peter says “There is no other name under the heavens by which a human being can be saved” (Acts 4:12), he is reminding his hearers of the words of the prophet Yoel (2:32) “everyone who calls on the Name of YHVH will be saved” (Acts 2:21). Knowing that the pronunciation of the Holy Personal Name YHVH had been lost, Peter was making it clear to his hearers that Yeshua is YHVH and that calling on His Name is the only means of accessing salvation. We know this because in the context of Yoel 2:28-32 the Messianic era (last days) are being referred to.
 
“Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:” -Philippians 2:9
 
There is only One Name which is “above every name”, the Holy Personal Name of God YHVH.
 
On Jewish tradition regarding Messiah being greater than the angels:
 
In the midrash Genesis Rabbah 78:1 the rabbis speak of righteous people being better than angels.
 
The midrash Yalkut Shimoni conveys a similar view of the King Messiah to that of Hebrews 1:3-4:
 
"'Behold, my servant shall (deal wisely) prosper.' This is King Messiah. 'He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.' He shall be exalted beyond Avraham, and extolled beyond Moses, and raised high above the ministering angels." (Yalkut Shim'oni 2:53:3, on Isaiah 52:13; quoted in B. F. Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 16)
 
5 For to which (tis gar[G], kiy el-miy min[H]) of the messengers, angels did He ever say (epo pote ho aggelos[G], hamalachiym amar meiolam[H]),“You are My Son (uhios mou su[G] , beniy atah[H]), I (ego[G], Aniy[H]) this day (semeron[G], hayom[H]) have fathered (gennao[G], yeludtiycha[H]) You (se[G])”? [Psalm 2:7] And (kai[G]) again (palin[G], veod[H]),“I (ego[G] , Aniy[H]) will be (esomai[G], ehyeh-lo[H]) a Father to Him (autos eis pater[G], leav[H]) And (kai[G]) He (autos[G], vehu[H]) will be (esomai[G], yihyeh[H]) a Son to Me (moi eis uihos[G], liy levein[H])”? [2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13] 6 And when (hotan de[G]) He again (palin[G]) brings (eisago[G]) the firstborn (ho prototokos[G], et-habechor[H]) into (eis[G]) this (ho[G]) world (oikoumene[G], laolam[H]), He says (lego[G], omar[H]), “And (kai[G]) worship, pay homage, kneel before (proskuneo[G], vehishtachavu[H]) Him (autos[G], lo[H]) all (pas[G], kol[H]) messengers, angels (aggelos[G], malacheiy[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]).” [Deut. 32:43 LXX & DSS]
 
5 For to which of the messengers, angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, I this day have fathered You”? [Psalm 2:7] And again,“I will be a Father to Him And He will be a Son to Me”? [2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13] 6 And when He again brings the firstborn into this world, He says, “And worship, pay homage, kneel before Him all messengers, angels of God.” [Psalm 97:7; Deut. 32:43 LXX & DSS]
 
For to which of the messengers, angels did He ever say, “You are My Son, I this day have fathered You”? [Psalm 2:7]
 
God has always been Father to the all existing Yeshua. Therefore, the present reference “this day” is an allusion to Yeshua’s entry into time and space and the present age, which began at the point of Messiah’s entry into the world. This age does not end the function of Torah rather it illuminates its purpose and reveals its Author and Goal.
 
With regard to ancient Jewish commentary on Psalm 2 the oldest reference recognizes the subject of the Psalm to be Mashiach Ben David (Messiah Son of David) the conquering King Messiah [Psalms of Solomon 17:21-27, mid 1st century B.C.E.]. The Talmud tractate Sukkah 52a likewise identifies the subject of Psalm 2 to be Mashiach Ben David.
 
While angels are on rare occasions called beneiy Elohim “sons of God”, there are no instances in Scripture where an individual angelic being is called “My Son”, nor are angels born of the Father God, rather the angelic beings are part of the created order. Simply put, they are created not begotten (fathered).
 
And again,“I will be a Father to Him And He will be a Son to Me”? [2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13]
 
Nathan the prophet prophesied the coming of the Greater Son of David (King Messiah) [2 Samuel 7:4-17; 1 Chronicles 17:2-14]. Our rabbis misapply this prophecy as a drash concerning the people of Israel, but the Brit HaChadashah (NT) applies it in its entirety to the Messiah Yeshua noting that it includes the promise that Messiah the Greater Son of David will rule over the House of David forever, as the One "descended from David physically" (Romans 1:3; Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23-38), while being the "Son of God spiritually" (Romans 1:4; Luke 1:35).
 
“I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:” -2 Samuel 7:14 KJV
 
2 Samuel 7:14 infers that the son and descendant of David and Solomon has the potential to sin but does not say that he will sin. In reality Yeshua was tempted in every way that a human being can be tempted but was without sin (Heb. 4:15). Thus, He has taken on himself the chastening “rod of men” and the “stripes of the children of men”.
 
There is a correlation between Israel as God’s collective son and Messiah as the Son of God born into time and space of the people of Israel, fathered by God (Matt. 2:15). The writer of Hebrews makes a parallel between the prophecy concerning Messiah (1:5) and the prophecy concerning the people of Israel (Heb. 8:10 [Exodus 7:7; Jer. 31:32-33]).
 
In Exodus 4:22 God calls Israel collectively “My son…” and “firstborn”.
 
Psalm 89 understands the King Messiah as the fulfilment of 2 Samuel 7:4-17:
 
“27He will call to Me: ‘You are my Father,[d]
my God and the rock of my salvation.’
28 I also will set him as firstborn—[e]
the highest of the kings of earth.[f][g]
29 I will maintain My love for him forever,
and My covenant with him will be firm.
30 His seed I will establish forever,
and his throne as the days of heaven.” -Psalms 89:27-30 TLV
 
With regard to Solomon son of David the seed finds its fulness in Yeshua the Greater Son of David. With regard to Yeshua Who has no physical seed (He did not procreate, if He had He would be a fornicator given that He is to be the Groom to the New Jerusalem [Rev. 21:9]), the seed are all who believe in Him and are reconciled to God.
 
And when He again brings the firstborn into this world, He says, “And worship, pay homage, kneel before Him all messengers, angels of God.” [Psalm 97:7 LXX]
“Firstborn” does not mean first created. Yeshua is all existing. In the context of this passage, the psalm, and the wider Gospel narrative, it means “firstborn from the dead”.
 
“This world” is the present sin affected creation the olam hazeh. Yeshua comes from the heavens and returns to the right hand of the Father. Born into the sin affected world He lives a perfect life, dies as an unblemished substitutionary sacrifice for sin and rises from the dead as victor, swallowing up death and making a way for all who will receive Him to enter olam haba “the world to come”. Therefore, as stated, He is the “firstborn” from the dead.
 
The Hebrew text of Psalm 97:7 reads:
 
“Let all who serve graven images be ashamed—all who boast in idols.
Bow down before Him, all you elohiym (gods)!”
 
The Hebrew elohiym can refer to angelic beings, rulers, judges, the Judge, gods and to God Himself. Thus, elohiym is a common noun and not the Holy Personal Name of YHVH.
 
In the context of Psalm 97 YHVH is the subject to Whom the gods are instructed to bow down. The writer of Hebrews understands this and applies the Psalm to Yeshua, yet another implicit allusion to Yeshua’s deity.
 
At the birth of Yeshua the angels did gather to worship singing “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” (Luke 2:14). The words of these angels reflect the meaning of the phrase HaG'dulah BaM'romim “Greatness in High” (v.3).
 
7 And (kai[G]) with regard (pros[G]) truly (men[G]) to the messengers, angels (ho aggelos[G], lamalachiym[H]) He says (lego[G], omar[H]), “He makes (poieo[G], oseh[H]) His messengers, angels (aggelos autos[g], malachayv[H]) winds, spirits (pneuma[G], ruchot[H]), And His ministers, servants (leitourgos autos[G], umeshartayv[H]) a fire (pur[G] , eish[H]) flash (phlox[G], loheit[H]).” [Psalm 104:4] 8 But with regard to (pros de[G]) the Son (ho uihos[G], velabein[H]) He says (hu omar[H]) “Your throne (ho thronos sou[G], kisacha[H]), O’ God (ho Theos[G], Elohiym[H]), is unto (eis[G]) the unbroken age, forever (aion[G], olam[H]) and ever, in perpetuity (aion[G], vaed[H]), And (kai[G]) the staff (ho rhabdos[G], sheivet[H], p’shita[A]) of the righteousness (ho euthutes[G], miyshor[H]) is the scepter (rhabdos[G], sheivet[H], p’shita[A]) of Your kingdom, dominion, royal power (basileia sou[G], malchutecha[H]).
 
7 And with regard truly to the messengers, angels He says, “He makes His messengers, angels winds, spirits, And His ministers, servants a fire flash.” [Psalm 104:4] 8 But with regard to the Son He says “Your throne, O’ God, is unto the unbroken age, forever and ever, in perpetuity, And the staff of the righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom, dominion, royal power.
 
And with regard truly to the messengers, angels He says, “He makes His messengers, angels winds, spirits, And His ministers, servants a fire flash.” [Psalm 104:4]
 
By the inspiration of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) the writer continues to affirm that Messiah Yeshua is superior to all and in this case to the elemental forces of creation personified as the angelic beings and messengers of God.
 
The Hebrew text of Psalm 104 reads:
 
“and makes winds His messengers and a flashing fire His servants”
 
Hebrew grammar often reverses subject and predicate. Understanding this affords us the opportunity to see that in the context of psalm 104 the elemental forces of creation are being spoken of as being under God’s authority and the sense of the Hebrew text is that the winds are messengers and that lightening flashes (fire from the sky) are His servants. In other words, not only is Yeshua superior to the angelic beings, He is also superior to all creation, being the very essence and substance that forms creation, one with the Creator.
 
But with regard to the Son He says “Your throne, O’ God, is unto the unbroken age, forever and ever, in perpetuity, And the staff of the righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom, dominion, royal power.
 
The quotation of psalm 45 begins here and ends in the following verse. It is a wedding poem written for an Israelite king. However, the Targum (Aramaic 2nd Century C.E) on Psalm 45 understands the king in the psalm to be the King Messiah. Several more recent Jewish commentators affirm this understanding (Kimkhi & R. Sol. ben Melekh in loc. & R. Abraham Seba, Tzeror Hammor, fol. 49. 2.).
 
“it is spoken concerning David, or Messiah his Son…” -Iben Ezra
 
Those of our rabbis who do not accept the possibility that Yeshua is the promised King Messiah (which is by far the majority of our modern rabbis), say of the Hebrew text of Psalm 45:5-6 (6-7), “the Hebrew is difficult”. What they really mean is, “the Hebrew says something I refuse to accept”. If the psalm is speaking of David, it is calling David God, and if it speaks of the King Messiah, David’s Greater Son, it is calling Him God. In either case it is attributing deity to a human being. The only historical figure Who fits this convergent reality is Yeshua the King Messiah.
 
The present text explains that Psalm 45 is spoken to the King Messiah Yeshua as the Son of God and the Hebrew text says “Your throne O God”, in short, the King of the psalm and the Son Yeshua are one and the same and the Holy Spirit inspired writing of the Book to the Hebrews affirms it. This is an explicit statement declaring Yeshua’s deity. He is superior to both the angelic beings and the elements because He is God with us (Imanu El).
 
“the staff of the righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom”
 
I’ve rendered the same word (rhabdos[G], sheivet[H], p’shita[A]) as “staff” and then “sceptre” respectively, in an attempt to convey the emphasis of the double use in the original languages as a reflection of the fulness of meaning inherent in the object. Both “staff” and “sceptre” are acceptable translations. They both denote strength, authority, power, dominion, however, in one aspect they differ, the staff also denotes the shepherding attribute of the ruler whereas the sceptre denotes judgement. Ancient Egyptian rulers are often pictured with a hooked short staff (shepherding ruler) in one hand and a flail (threshing and discipline) in the other, the two denoting a similar meaning to what the text of Psalm 45 is conveying. Both are at once true of the rule of the King Messiah to Whom these words are directed.
 
The Shepherds staff is a staff of sacrificial love, of protection, redemption and guidance. It is hooked in order to save the stranded lamb, it is strong in order to strike the attacking predator, it is firm in order to direct the wayward lamb, it is laid down when only the Shepherd’s body will serve to thwart the lion who approaches to attack the sheep. Therefore, the sacrificial staff of the Shepherd that has both symbolised the righteous character of the Shepherd and at the same time has symbolised the sacrificial act of the Shepherd, which has purchased righteousness for all His sheep, is become the sceptre of His just judgement and the symbol of His eternally secure dominion.
 
The attributes of righteousness and justice are also mentioned in the two psalms already quoted by the writer of Hebrews (Psalms 89:15; 97:2).
 
The nature of Messiah’s dominion is taught by the prophet Isaiah:
 
“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” -Isaiah 9:5-6 (6-7) NASB

9 You have loved (agapao[G], ahavta[H]) righteousness (dikaiosune[G], tzedek[H]) and (kai[G]) hated (miseo[G], vatisna[H]) lawlessness (anomia[G], resha[H]); Therefore (dia[G], al-ken[H]) God, Your God, has anointed You (touto chrio se ho Theos ho Theos sou[G], meshachacha Elohiym Eloheycha[H]) With the oil (elaion[G], shemen[H], meshkha[A]) of exaltation, joy (agalliasis[G], sason[H]) from Your companions, friends (para ho metochos sou[G], meichaveireycha[H]).” [ Psalm 45:6,7]
 
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of exaltation, joy from Your companions, friends.” [ Psalm 45:6,7]
 
The love of righteousness is not sufficient, the Messiah who loves righteousness while allowing lawlessness (within those who belong to the eternal kingdom), is a false Messiah. The Gospel of the false Messiah is taught freely in many believing communities today, “God is love, He forgives you, you’re okay just as you are…”, no mention of God’s hatred of evil or the fact that forgiveness is offered to all but can only be received by the repentant, in fact, no mention of the need for sorrow over sinful actions or the need to turn from them. And therefore, a false Gospel that has no need of the atoning work of blood, after all, what’s to atone for? Thus, the false Messiah makes himself redundant.
 
The true Messiah Yeshua, loves righteousness and hates lawlessness. He understands that “the life is in the blood” and that it has been “given upon the altar for the remission of sins”.
 
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of exaltation, joy from Your companions, friends.” [ Psalm 45:6,7]
 
Once again the Hebrew is “difficult” for my nonbelieving Jewish brothers and sisters, because it clearly attributes deity to the King Messiah. “Therefore, Elohiym Eloheycha God, Your God…”
 
We note that it is not the oil of exaltation of angels but the oil of exaltation of companions that the Messiah is anointed with. The Hebrew translation of the Greek reads mei-chaveireycha “from your friends”. The Oil (Holy Spirit) given through Messiah to His friends (disciples) will be poured out in exaltation of Him from His friends. This is in keeping with the work of the Ruach HaKodesh:
 
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit (Wind), Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” -John 14:26
 
10 And (kai[G]), “You (su[G]), in (kata[G]) the beginning (arche[G]) Lord (Kurios[G], YHVH[H]), laid the foundation of the earth (ho ge themelioo[G], haaretz[H]), And (kai[G]) the heavens (ouranos[G], shamayim[H]) are the works of Your hands (yadeycha[H]); 11 They will perish (apollumi[G]), but You remain, continue, stay permanently (diameno[G], ta’amod[H]); And (kai[G]) they will all (pas[G], vekulam[H]) like (hos[G]) a garment (himation[G], kabeged[H]), wear out, decay (palaioo[G])
 
10 And, “You, in the beginning Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands; 11 They will perish, but You remain, continue, stay permanently; And they will all like a garment, wear out, decay
 
This begins a quote from Psalm 102:25-27 which is completed in the following verse.
 
As is the case with all the quotations of the writer of Hebrews, this quotation conveys the Greek Septuagint text which differs slightly from the Hebrew texts we have available today, though probably better reflects the more ancient Hebrew text that it was translated from.
 
In the Septuagint the quoted verses of Psalm 102 are spoken by God to someone Whom He calls "Lord," probably meaning "YHVH". However, in the Masoretic Hebrew Bible the same words are understood as the prayer of a human being, spoken to God.
 
The use of the Septuagint text by the writer of Hebrews is within accepted rabbinic interpretive practice and even if it is not accepted as a direct rendering of the ancient Hebrew text, it is nonetheless valid as a midrash or comparative teaching regarding the subject.

12 And (kai[G]) like (hosei[G])a mantle (peribolaion[G], kalevush[H]) You will roll (helisso[G]) them up; Like (hos[G]) a garment (himation[G], kabeged[H]) they will also (kai[G]) be changed, transformed, exchanged (allasso[G]). But You are the same, And Your years (etos[G]) will not (ou[G]) come to an end, fail, cease, pass away (ekleipo[G]).” [Psalm 102:25-27]
 
12 And like a mantle You will roll them up; Like a garment they will also be changed, transformed, exchanged. But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end, fail, cease, pass away.” [Psalm 102:25-27]
 
The rolling up of the mantle is an excellent description of the meaning of the anglicised word “Revelation”, and has more than a passing correlation to the Revelation of Yeshua given to Yochanan.

Again, these words are attributed to Yeshua as God. The differences between the Septuagint and Masoretic text notwithstanding. Yeshua is called eternal, superior to the decaying and passing sin affected created order. The sin affected creation will pass away, be rolled up, transformed, recreated, changed, but He will never change, His Name and character being immutable.
 
13 Moreover, to which of the angels (ho aggelos[G], hamalachiym[H]) has He ever said (ereo[G], amar[H]), “Sit  (kathemai[G], sheiv[H]) at My right hand (dexios[G], liymiyniy[H]), Until (heos[G], ad[H]) I set (tithemi[G], ashiyt[H]) Your enemies (echthros[G], oyveycha[H]) as a footstool (hupopodion[G], hadom[H]) for Your feet (pous[G], leragleycha[H])”? [Psalm 110:1] 14 Are they not all (pas[G], kulam[H]) ministering, serving (leitourgikos[G]) spirits (pneuma[G], ruchot hashareit[H]), sent out (diakonia[G], sheluchiym[H]) appointed to help (apostello[G], le’ezrah[H]) those who will receive (kleronomeo[G]) salvation (soteria[G], et-hayeshuah[H])?
 
13 Moreover, to which of the angels has He ever said, “Sit  at My right hand, Until  I set Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet”? [Psalm 110:1] 14 Are they not all ministering, serving spirits, sent out appointed to help those who will receive salvation?
 
In Hebrew this Psalm 110:1 begins “YHVH said to Adoniy…” HaShem said to my Lord…
 
Psalm 110 is the final nail in the coffin of disbelief. King David speaks of witnessing HaShem speaking to the Lord of David. Is HaShem not the Lord of David? Of course yes. Therefore, HaShem is speaking to that part of His person the Son, the promised King Messiah, the Greater Son of David and David’s Lord.
 
This psalm is referred to throughout the Book to the Hebrews (1:3; 5:6; 6:20; 7:17; 7:21; 8:1; 10:13; 12:2).
 
The writer of Hebrews is on to something, after all, Yeshua inferred that Psalm 110:1 was speaking of Him:
 
‘41While the Perushiym were gathered together, Yeshua asked them,
42Saying, “What do you think of Messiah? Whose son is he?” They responded to him, “The Son of David.”
43He said to them, “How then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44 ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit you on My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool”’?
45”If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither did anyone from that day on ask him anything else.’
-Matthew 22:41-46
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
 
As is the case with all of Hebrew Scripture, there are no chapter breaks in the scroll of the 12 Prophets in which Hosea is located. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter:
 
“Ephraim has provoked bitter anger; and his blood will be left upon him, and his scorn Adonai will return to him.”
 
Chapter 13
 
1 When Efrayim (doubly fruitful) spoke, reteit trembling. He nasa hu lifted himself up beYisrael in Israel, vayesham and incurred guilt baBa’al in Baal (master, lord, husband, Canaanite fertility deity) vayamot and died.
 
“When Ephraim spoke, trembling.” This is most likely an allusion to Jeroboam trembling before Solomon in whose court he had served prior to his rebellion and the setting up of the northern kingdom (1 Kings 11:26).
 
The text speaks of Ephraim (the kings of northern Israel) who exalted himself (pride) in Israel (the 10 northern tribes), in the past tense saying that he has already died as a result of his guilt in worshipping the Canaanite fertility deity Ba’al. In other words, the end of the northern kingship was predetermined by the idolatrous actions of her first king (1 Kings 12:25-33) and the subsequent actions of Ahab, who sinned in worship of Ba’al under the influence of Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31).
 
With regard to the pride that caused Jeroboam to engage Ba’al Rashi says:
 
“As soon as he assumed greatness and became guilty with Baal.”
 
“‘he died’ i.e., Jeroboam’s dynasty was terminated, and so was Ahab’s dynasty. Jonathan renders: When one of the house of Ephraim would speak, fear would seize the nations. They were great among Israel, but when they sinned by worshipping idols, they were slain.” -Rashi
 
There is strong textual evidence supporting an intrinsic link between the calf deities of Jeroboam, the calf of Sinai and the Ba’aliym (Canaanite deities). Therefore, it is inconsistent to make the claim that the tribes of the north considered the calves to be representations of YHVH. They clearly linked the calves to the false Canaanite deities the Ba’aliym. The fact that there were two calves (1 Kings 12:29) supports this polytheistic understanding, and blatantly contradicts a monotheistic Deity. Both the leaders of Israel (Sinai) [Exodus 32:4] and Jeroboam I [1 Kings 12:28] had appropriated the actions of YHVH and attributed them to other gods (calf deity of Egypt, calf deity representing Baal).
 
The text teaches us that humble position does not necessarily denote a godly outcome. It is true that the Scripture says “humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up” (Yaakov 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6), however, although Jeroboam was in a humble position before the Lord he had not humbled himself but had been appointed as servant to Solomon (1 Kings 11:26). Additionally Jeroboam lifted himself up (God allowed his kingship in response to Solomon’s disobedience, He did not appoint Jeroboam). His belief in his own strength over that of the Lord’s (in spite of the fact that the prophet Ahijah [1 Kings 11:26-39] had informed him that it was YHVH Who was allowing him to have dominion over the 10 northern tribes) resulted in idolatry.
 
Note: In this verse “Israel” is used of the 10 tribes and not all of Israel (as some foolish commentators suggest). We know this because the kings of the north beginning with Jeroboam I lifted themselves up over the 10 tribes of the north only. The sin of the southern kingdom under Solomon was the worship of Ashtoret, Molek and Chemosh (1 Kings 11:4-8) and not the worship of Ba’al (who is not mentioned in the indictment against Solomon), as is the case concerning the indictment of Israel in the present verse. Therefore, the resulting death is that of the northern kingship and the exile of the northern tribes, and not, as some erroneously suggest, the death of all Israel (all 12 tribes).

2 And now yosifu they increase lachato their sin (miss the mark of God’s glory), vayasu and they have made lahem for them maseichah cast metal icons, mikasoam from silver, kitvunam skilfully made atzabiym idols ma’aseih charashiym kuloh lahem all from the work of an engraver, to them. Heim They omeriym say zovecheiy adam “sacrifice a man (human sacrifice) agaliym yishakun kiss the calves [alt. they say ‘a man sacrifices to calves he kisses!’]”
 
This is a description of human sacrifices offered to man-made cast metal and silver plated idols. “They increase their sin” is an allusion to the fact that idolatry diversified and increased under the reign of Ahab and was maintained under the reigns of the pursuant kings of the north. In short the calf idol worship was merely the beginning.
 
The silver mentioned tells us that idols other than the calves of Bethel and Dan (made of gold ref. 1 Kings 12:28) were being made.
 
Sadly, human sacrifice to false gods was not alien to Israel (2 Kings 17:17; 23:10; Eze. 20:26; Mic. 6:7).
 
“Kiss the calves” This is an allusion to worship of the two calf deities of Bethel and Dan. A “kiss” is a symbolic act of intimacy, homage, submission (Psalms 2:12; 1 Kings 19:18).
 
Rashi notes:
“Those who sacrifice man may kiss the calves The priests of Molech say to Israel, “Whoever sacrifices his son to the idol is worthy of kissing the calf” for he has offered him a precious gift. So did our Sages explain this in Sanhedrin (63b), and it fits the wording of the verse better than Jonathan’s translation.” -Rashi
​
“Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” -1 Kings 19:18 NIV

3 Lachein Therefore, yihu they have become ka’anan-boker like a morning cloud vechatal and like night mist (dew) mashkiym holeich and leave early, kemotz like chaff yesoeir driven by the storm winds migoren from the threshing floor, ucheashan and like smoke meiarubah from a chimney.
 
Each of the examples given here are short lived, they appear and are gone soon after. The inference is that the northern kingdom and its kingship, will, historically speaking, be brief.
 
4 Ve’Anochiy And I Am YHVH the Lord Eloheycha your God/Judge, meieretz mitzrayim from the land of Egypt (double distress); veilohiym zulatiy lo and no gods but Me teida did you know umoshiya nor any other saviour.
 
YHVH reminds Ephraim (northern tribes) that He is her God and Judge, and has been from before she existed as a people. He has been with Israel from her bondage in Egypt and is the One Who delivered her from her captivity.
 
“no gods but Me” is in response to the false claim of Jeroboam I, who pointed out the calf idols and said “Behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” (1 Kings 12:28).

5 Aniy I yedatiycha yes I knew you bamidbar in the desert be’eretz taluvot in the land of drought.
 
YHVH was present, in the cloud of the presence, in provision of quail and manna, in provision of water, leading Israel through her desert journey, and continuing to do so even after she had rebelled against Him (Numbers 13 & 14).
 
6 Kemariytam Because of their pasture, vayisbau they became full, shaveu they were satisfied [alt. they became fully filled], vayarom and exalted with pride libam in their inner being (heart); al-kein shecheichuniy Therefore they’ve forgotten Me.
 
Due to God’s provision and care Israel became comfortable, full, “well grazed”. Rather than give glory to God for their comfort as their forefather Abraham had done, Israel instead turned to other gods and appropriated God’s gifts naming them as evidence of the provision of false gods.

7 Vaehiy And I will become lahem to them kemo like shachal a lion; kenamer like a leopard I al-derech I will lie in wait in the way, ashur observing.
 
YHVH previously depicted as the Shepherd of Israel (4:16) is now seen as a Lion Who, like a leopard, a bear, and other predatory wild animals, attacks the sheep and rips them apart (cf. Jeremiah 5:6).
 
God is pictured figuratively as a Lion throughout Hebrew Scripture. YHVH as Lion is both a terrifying and comforting use of imagery. When Israel sins He comes as a Lion of discipline (Hosea 13:7-8), and when Israel repents He comes as a Lion of fierce protection and comfort (Hosea 11:10-11).
 
“A lion has roared! Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken! Who can do anything but prophesy?” -Amos 3:8 NASB
 
“I yes, I will lie in wait in the way, (Ashur) observing.” The Lord will not only attack in discipline, He will lie in wait even as Israel is taken into exile. The Hebrew “ashur” observe is identical in spelling to the proper noun of the Empire. Thus, HaShem will ashur (observe) them on the way to Ashur.
 
“by the way I will lurk Heb. אָשּׁוּר. Every instance of אָשּׁוּר in Scripture is punctuated with a “dagesh,” but this one is “weak,” since it is not a place name but it means, “I will lurk and ambush.” Comp. (Num. 24:17) “I see him (אֲשּׁוּרֶנוּ) but not near.” -Rashi
 
Both the king of Assyria and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon are referred to as lions scattering the sheep of Israel:
 
“Israel is a scattered [a]flock, the lions have driven them away. The first one who devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one who has gnawed his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” -Jeremiah 50:17 NASB
 
8 Efgesheim I will encounter them kidov like a bear shakul bereaved of her cubs, ve’ekra and tear open segor the enclosure libam of their inner being (hearts); veocheleim I will eat them sham there kelaviy like a lioness, chayat hasadeh a beast of the land tevake’eim that tears them to pieces.
 
The imagery of the bear is ambiguous. HaShem comes as a bear bereaved of her cubs. Israel are His cubs, and at the same time are the abductors of His cubs (leading their own children astray) [cf. 2 Sam. 17:8; 2 Kings 2:24; Pr. 17:12].
 
Rashi rightly observes that HaShem is bereaved in the loss of His children the people of Israel and in the need for the disciplining of them.
 
“as a bereaving bear Heb. שַׁכּוּל. Like שּׁוֹכֵל, as you say חָנּוּן, gracious, and רַחוּם, merciful, so שַּׁכּוּל, i.e., entirely attired with bereavements and ready to bereave people.” -Rashi
 
“tear open the enclosure of their inner being (hearts)” This denotes the “heart surgery” that will be required in order to fix Israel’s disobedient heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). The heart is the core being and the centre of consciousness. Note that the Hebrew libam (hearts) is plural and that the text says “their”. Therefore the present text denotes God’s intention to open and convert the heart of rebellion at the centre of His people.
 
“And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,” -Ezekiel 11:19 NASB
 
The Targum Yonatan supports this understanding:
 
“My word shall meet them as a bear bereaved, and I will break the wickedness of their hearts…'' -Targum Yonatan
 
9 Shichetcha It is to your own destruction, Yisrael (overcome in God) Israel, kiy-viy ve’ezrecha that you are against Me, against your help.
 
God would help Israel, but she has turned her back on Him. The northern kingdom will suffer the consequences of their own sin and therefore, “your own destruction”. The destruction that is coming is a direct consequence of Israel’s poor political decisions and abhorrent worship practices (sacrificing children to false gods). Israel has weakened herself. God will simply pull back His hand of protection and Israel’s discipline will be the fruit of her actions. As I have previously stated, sin, among other things, is self-harm.
 
Now, as always, our help is in YHVH, and not of our own strength.
 
10 Ehiy Where is malkecha your king, eifo where? Veyoshiyacha And who will save you bechol-areycha in all your cities? Veshofeteycha And your judges/rulers, asher to whom amarta you said, “tenah-liy melech Give me a king vesariym and princes”?
 
“Where is your king?” This can be understood as a rhetorical question relating to the withdrawing of YHVH’s (King of Israel) hand. It may refer to the death of Israel’s (the northern kingdom) last king. The former is the most likely given the follow up question “And who will save you?” In short, “Without Me (YHVH) Who will save you?”
 
And where are “your judges?” God is Israel’s Judge. Israel had asked both God and her human judges and rulers for a king like the other nations (1 Sam. 8:5, 20), however, here the text is referring to the request of the northern tribes for a king other than the king of Judah (1 Kings 12:26).
 
“I will be, where is your king? Heb. אֱהִי מַלְכְּךָ אֵפוֹא. Jonathan renders: Where is your king? But I say that it is unnecessary to interpret it other than its apparent meaning. I will be standing from afar to see where your king is, for I will make Myself see what your end will be, where your saviour is.” -Rashi

11 Eten-lecha I gave you melekh a king beapiy while My nostrils flared (fierce anger), ve’ekach and snatched him away be’evratiy in the excess of My wrath.
 
The monarchy of the northern kingdom is considered apostate and rebellious by God Who had allowed it in His anger against Solomon’s sin but did not appoint its kings (1 Kings 12:16). Additionally the first king of all 12 tribes of Israel was given as a response to rebellion against God and that same king Saul likewise rebelled and was taken away by God (killed by the Philistines) [1 Sam. 8:7].
 
12 Tzarur Bound up avon is the perversity of Efrayim; tzefunah chatato His hidden sin (missing the mark of God’s glory).
 
The sin of Ephraim is more than a simple missing of the mark, it is intentional and perpetual perversity. It is bound up, kept for a time of punishment. Additionally, the depravity of Ephraim has bound him up. Perversity binds the one who practices it. It comes back upon the sinner. The fornicator contracts a deadly sexually transmitted disease, the murderer is killed by the relative of his victim, the liar tells so many lies that when he speaks the truth he is not believed to his hurt and so on.
 
"the sins of the house of Ephraim are treasured up; they are reserved to punish all their offences;'' -Targum Yonatan
 
"the sins of the house of Ephraim are treasured up; they are reserved to punish all their offences;'' -Job 14:17 NASB
 
13 Chevleiy The (umbilical) cord yoledah of childbirth yavou will wrap (come) around (on) lo him; hu-vein lo chacham He is not a wise son (brain oxygen starved at birth), kiy for eit-lo ya’amod  it is not the time to remain, bemishbar in the breaking forth baniym of children [alt. the time for hesitation is not at the moment of birth].
 
First and foremost this is an analogy concerning new birth. Israel has been offered numerous opportunities to repent and be delivered into a new season of favour in right standing with God, but has instead resisted to her own hurt.
 
The analogy speaks of a child who knows that it’s time to break forth from the womb but instead twists itself into a breech position and in doing so strangles itself on its own umbilical cord, starving itself of oxygen and impairing its cognitive development. In these circumstances the father of ancient Israel must come and forcibly move the baby into birthing position or cut open the mother performing a C-section delivery. In both cases there is great suffering as a consequence but the baby’s life is saved.
 
Therefore, YHVH is explaining to His wayward people that they have placed themselves in a position where they are unable to see the predicament they have put themselves in, nor are they able to deliver themselves.
 
"distress and trouble shall come upon them, as pains on a woman with child; he is not wise to know my fear:'' -Targum Yonatan

14 Miyad From the hand of sheol (the place of the departed) efdeim shall I ransom them? Mimavet From death egaleim I will redeem them! Ehiy Where are they? Devareycha Your plagues mavet Death, Ehiy Where are they? katavecha Of your destruction Sheol (the place of the departed), nocham repent! Yisateir It shall be concealed (covered) from mei’eiynay My eyes.
 
“From the hand of sheol (the place of the departed) shall I ransom them?” The question is rhetorical, the answer is “Of course yes, I will ransom them!”, in fact the answer is given in the proceeding phrase.
 
Note: Sheol is NOT the grave (kever). Sheol is the holding place of the departed. Nor are Biblical Israelites (Jews) buried under the earth. Therefore, kever (grave) in Biblical Hebrew means an above ground interment in either a tomb or by piling large rocks over the body above ground. Numerous false theologies regarding death and the afterlife can be avoided by this one simple piece of basic Hebrew understanding.
 
“From death I will redeem them!” This is a promise, the answer to the previous question. YHVH will redeem Israel from death, not natural death (although He has often delivered Israel this way) but from eternal death. We know that at the time of Israel’s exile to Assyria many died, therefore, HaShem is not alluding to the temporal death of the body but to the eternal death of the soul/spirit, the neshama (transcendent consciousness). Hosea is prophesying the redemption that comes through Yeshua the King Messiah, through His atoning/covering blood and His resurrection living. The fullness of this promise culminating in the salvation of all the remnant of Israel (Romans 11:25-27).
 
“Where are they? Your plagues Death, Where are they? Of your destruction Sheol (the place of the departed), repent! It shall be concealed (covered) from My eyes.”
 
How does God conceal death? By covering it. Kippur, to cover, atone for. The beginning of the verse explains that the concealing of death will come about through “ransom” and “redemption”. Therefore, the covering and concealment of death from the eyes of HaShem will be made possible through vicarious sacrifice, a kaparah (atonement, sacrifice, reconciliation) that puts death to death permanently. Those who have met Yeshua the King Messiah know that He performed that atoning sacrifice by giving His sinless body into the hands of God and died on the Roman cross, rising again on the third day according to Scripture and thus offering redemption through the ransom He paid, perpetually to the Jew first, and also to the nations in perpetuity unto the judgement and life everlasting (Romans 1:16).
 
It is this verse that Rav Shaul is quoting in 1 Corinthians 15:55:
 
“Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?” (NIV)
 
“I am He Who would ransom them from the clutches of the grave and redeem them from death…” -Rashi
 
15 Kiy For hu he bein among achiym brothers and sisters yafriy is fruitful, yavo kadiym ruach an east wind will come, YHVH (Mercy) The Lord mimidbar from the wilderness oleh comes up; ve’yeivosh mekoro and his fountain will become dry veyecherav and dried up ma’yano his spring; hu yishseh he will plunder otzar the treasure kol-keliy chemdah of all the precious vessels.
 
“For he among brothers and sisters is fruitful” This refers to Ephraim and is the literal meaning of his name. Ephraim was prophesied to be fruitful (Gen. 48:10-20), and became a powerful tribe (Judges 8:1-3; 12:1-7; 1 Sam. 1:1-4). Prominent leaders such as Joshua (Josh. 24:30) and Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26) came from Ephraim and the tribe was subsequently named for the 10 tribes of the north.
 
“An east wind will come” This refers specifically to the wind of the Assyrian empire wielded by God as a sword of discipline (Hosea 5:13, 7:11, 8:9; 2 Kings 17:3).
 
The Targum supports this understanding:
 
"now will I bring against him a king strong as a burning wind;''-Targum Yonatan
 
The king of Babylon is also referred to as a violent wind in Jeremiah 4:11.
 
The “east wind” is used as a metaphor for false knowledge (Job 15:2), imminent onslaught (Isaiah 27:21), a scattering force (Jeremiah 18:17), it is a wind of discipline wielded by YHVH for the purpose of returning His people to Himself.
 
“The Lord from the wilderness comes up;” The Lord is in control of all that is about to happen, He is wielding the winds of Assyria and Babylon.
 
"by the word of the Lord, through the way of the wilderness shall he come up;'' -Targum Yonatan
 
“And his fountain will become dry and dried up his spring” This is a metaphor for the drying up of Israel’s access to the living waters of YHVH poured out on the faithful among His people.
 
The LORD is the fountain of Israel, who have access to His waters through repentance and return.
 
“Lord, the hope of Israel, All who abandon You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, that is the Lord.” -Jeremiah 17:13 NASB
 
It is also a metaphor denoting the reduction of progeny over the period of exile (cf. Deut. 33:28). Israel (the sons of Jacob) are called the “fountain of Jacob” in Scripture (Psalms 68:26).
 
The fear of the Lord is also called a fountain (Prov. 14:27). Therefore, this is an indication that Israel’s fear of God has dried up and resulted in Israel’s discipline.
 
“He will plunder  the treasure of all the precious vessels.” This does not concern the vessels of the Temple which were taken away over 100 years later by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36:7). Rather it refers to vessels associated with the worship of false gods, removed by the Assyrians when they invaded the northern territories of Israel.
 
“he shall destroy the house of his treasures, and shall lay waste the city of his kingdom; he shall spoil the treasuries, all vessels of desire.'' -Targum Yonatan

16 [14:1] Tesham Shomeron (guardian mountain) Samaria will pay for her guilt (offense), kiy Because maretah she rebelled beiloheyah against her God. Bacherev In the sword yipolu they will fall oleleiyhem their infants yerutashu dashed to pieces vehariyotayv and their pregnant women yevukau will be ripped apart.
 
Samaria was the head/capital of Ephraim (Isaiah 7:9) which was besieged for three years by Shalmaneser king of Assyria (the east wind); and eventually conquered and its inhabitants taken into exile (2 Kings 17:5) [Assyria invaded in 734 BCE then conquered and exiled its residents between 722 and 721 BCE]. Samaria was a hot bed of idolatry and vile sacrificial practices to false deities, a beacon of pagan worship. God would give a foreign idolater the strength to topple it and destroy its altars. Samaria’s guilt would come upon her own head because she rebelled against her God to her own harm.
 
Chapter 14
 
1 [2]  Shuvah Return, Yisrael, ad to YHVH the Lord Eloheycha your God/Judge, kiy for chashalta you have stumbled ba’avonecha in your depravity.
 
"return to the fear of the Lord.'' -Targum Yonatan
 
“to the Lord your God One taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: Return, O Israel, while He is still יהוה, with the Divine Attribute of Mercy; otherwise, He is אֶלֹהֶיךָ with the Divine Attribute of Justice, before the defense becomes the prosecution. [from Pesikta d’Rav Kahana, p. 164a]” -Rashi
 
YHVH continues to offer a hand of mercy and calls Israel to return to Him and turn away from her depravity. The rhythm of Mercy, judgement and the fruit of judgement Mercy, continues just as it does in the words of Hosea’s contemporaries (Isaiah, Amos, Micah).
 
"great is repentance, for it brings a man to the throne of glory;'' -Talmud Bavliy Yoma, fol. 86. 1.
 
Rashi understands this as a warning to the southern kingdom of Judah (& Benjamin):
 
“Return, O Israel You, who are in the land of Judah, lest what happens to Samaria happens to you. Therefore, the topics are juxtaposed. This can be compared to a king against whom a province rebelled. The king sent a general and commanded him to destroy it. That general was expert and deliberate. He said to them, “Take for yourselves days (sic); otherwise, I will do to you as I have done to such-and-such a province and to its allies, and to such-and-such a prefecture and to its allies.” Therefore it says, “Samaria shall be accounted guilty,” and then Scripture says: “Return, O Israel.” As is found in Sifrei in the section commencing. (Num. 25:1), “And Israel abode in Shittim.” -Rashi
 
2 [3] Kechu Take imachem with you devariym words, essences, things veshuvu and return el-YHVH to the Lord. Imru Say to Him, “Eilayv away kol-tisa avon take all depravity away vekach-tov and receive good uneshalemah and a covenant of peace, wholeness, wellbeing pariym sefateiynu fruit [calves] of our lips.
 
The text uses “devariym” (words, essence, things) rather than ketuviym (written words) or Torah (Instruction) because God is admonishing Israel to carry and walk in His living Word that is His written Word in action, the Word not only the Torah but of the prophets and writings, the right action of faith in Him, Halakhah (the way we walk). Yeshua the King Messiah is revealed as the Living Word (Davar) Essence of the Universe Who is both Author and Goal of the TaNaKH (Bible) [John 1; Romans 10:4]. We note that only in the Word is Israel able to return to YHVH (Mercy).
 
“Say to Him, “take all depravity away and receive good and a covenant of peace, wholeness, wellbeing fruit [calves] of our lips.” This is an instruction to the people to ask God to take away all their iniquity through a covenant that brings peace. This is a reference to the blood sacrifice of Yeshua the King Messiah and the covenant of peace that His shed blood establishes. Only by receiving it can Israel be saved from the rightful punishment for her sin. We note that this covenant becomes an act of worship that overflows from her lips, that is, the testimony of salvation through Yeshua the King Messiah. This is why the ambiguity occurs in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew prym can mean either the plural of fruit peri or of calf par. This is because the author of the prophetic work is conveying the Divine Word of God indicating both sacrifice and the testimony of that same sacrifice as it is heard on the lips of those who receive it. The ambiguity therefore, conveys an intended convergent meaning.
 
“and teach [us the] good [way] Heb. וְקַח-טוֹב. And teach us the good way. Another explanation: The few good deeds in our hands take in Your hand and judge us accordingly. And so does David say (Psalms 17:2): “Let my sentence come forth from before You, may Your eyes behold the right.” Another explanation: And accept good And accept confession from us, as it is said (Psalms 92:2): “It is good to confess to the Lord.
 
and let us render [for] bulls that we should have sacrificed before you, let us render them with the placation of the words of our lips.” -Rashi

3 [4] Ashur (a step) Assyria lo yoshiyeinu will not save us, al-sus lo nirkav on horses we will not ride; velo-nomar and nor will we say od again, ‘eloheiynu Our god’ lema’aseih To the work yadeiynu of our hands; asher-becha For in You yerucham there is mercy, compassion for yatom the fatherless.”
 
These words continue the proposed confession of repentant Israel at a future time post exile. Assyria to whom the northern kings had turned would not only not save them but would in fact conquer and subjugate them.
 
“Assyria shall not save us Say this also before Him, “We no longer seek the aid of man, neither from Assyria nor from Egypt.” -Rashi
 
“nor will we say again, ‘Our god’ To the work of our hands” Part of Israel’s repentance involves turning their backs on all false idols. I am reminded of the son of a Hindu High Priest who came to faith in our community and was being immersed (tevilah) in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He excitedly answered my question to him, “Do you choose to worship of the God of Israel alone, do you forsake the worship of all other Gods? Do you acknowledge that Yeshua the King Messiah is Imanu with us El God?” his response was a resounding “I do!”
 
When we turn to God in Messiah we are in one sense taking a wedding vow, “I cleave to You alone, forsaking all others…”
 
“For in You there is mercy, compassion for the fatherless.” An acknowledgement that only the Greatest of father’s the Creator of the universe can truly understand and gift compassion for the fatherless.
 
4 [5] Erpa I will heal, repair meshuvatam their turning away, ohaveim I will love them nedavah freely, voluntarily, kiy Because shav afiy turned away is My flaring nostril (anger) mimenu from them.
 
“I will heal, repair their turning away” This is a certain promise. YHVH will heal, repair, cure Israel of her turning away. In short, turning away from God is an illness that leads to death. Through His Son the King Messiah He has provided the cure for that illness and with it wholeness and eternal life.
 
“I will love them freely, voluntarily” The Calvinists avoid this verse because it describes free will as an attribute of God and is therefore one of many Scriptures that refute their false supposition. In fact, without free will there is no love, only mindless robotic subjugation.
 
“Because turned away is My flaring nostril (anger) from them.”
 
God will yet turn away His wrath from His people because His purpose has always been to discipline them unto repentance and restoration.
 
“I will remedy their backsliding Said the prophet: So has the Holy Spirit said to me. After they say this before Me, I will remedy their backsliding, and I will love them with My charitable spirit. Although they do not deserve the love, I will love them charitably since My wrath has turned away from them.” -Rashi
 
5 [6] Eyeh It will be chatal like night mist (dew) leYisrael to Israel; kashoshanah He will blossom like the lily, veyach And he will cast forth sharashayv his roots kalevanon like Lebanon (whiteness from lavan).
 
“It will be like night mist (dew) to Israel” Here, it’s the wrath of God that will disperse like the dew. This is the counterpoint to Ephraim’s temporal reign and Israel’s (northern tribes) fading prosperity in the land (v.3).
 
“He will blossom like the lily, and he will cast forth his roots kalevanon like Lebanon (whiteness, from lavan).” Whiteness, purity, is multiplied here (Lilly [white] & Lebanon [whiteness]). This is an allusion to the purity that will blossom and put down roots as a result of the salvation that comes through Yeshua the King Messiah from YHVH the Deliverer of Israel.
 
"they shall dwell in the strength of their land, as a tree of Lebanon, which sends forth its branch.'' -Targum Yonatan
 
There is also a picture of strength such as that of the strong well rooted trees of the northern region (not the modern state of Lebanon).
 
“and it shall strike I.e. the dew shall strike its roots and cause them to prosper like the Lebanon like the roots of the trees of the Lebanon, which are large.” -Rashi

6 [7] Yeilechu And he will send out yonekotayv his young branches, vihiy like chazayit an olive tree hodo in its beauty, vereiyach lo and his aroma kalevanon like Lebanon (whiteness).
 
"they shall multiply or increase with sons and daughters:'' -Targum Yonatan
 
When Israel returns to HaShem through the King Messiah, he will send out his branches like an olive tree and his aroma will draw the nations to the purity (Lebanon/whiteness) of Messiah in him. This has a correlation to the olive tree imagery of Rav Shaul (Romans 11).
 
“Its branches shall go forth Sons and daughters shall increase and it shall be Their beauty shall be like the beauty of the menorah of the Temple, and their fragrance like the fragrance of the incense.” -Rashi
 
7 [8] Yashuvu yosheveiy They shall return and dwell vetzilo in His shadow yechayu they will revive dagan grain veyifrechu and sprout forth chagafen like a grape vine. Zichro keyeiyn His remembrance, memorial like wine levanon of Lebanon.
 
“They shall return and dwell in His shadow” This is a reference to God and is also seen by our ancient Jewish forebears as a reference to the King Messiah. Therefore, acknowledging an intrinsic link between the two.
 
"and they shall be gathered out of the midst of their captivity, they shall dwell under the shadow of their Messiah;'' -Targum Yonatan
 
“they will revive grain and sprout forth like a grape vine. His remembrance, memorial like wine of Lebanon.” Redeemed Israel (chosen, ethnic, religious, empirical) will be revived in Messiah and produce fruit, the fruit that Ephraim should have produced but did not. The true King will be of Judah and will be the Vine Who breaks forth and spreads in righteousness. His Name/Remembrance will be like whiteness/purity, the strength of the trees of Lebanon (the northern mountain ranges of ancient Israel).
 
“its fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon Jonathan renders: Like the remembrance of the blasts of the trumpets over the old wine poured for libations in the Temple. For they would blow the trumpets over the libations when the Levites would recite the song.” -Rashi
 
8 [9] Efrayim, mah-liy od says what more have I to do la’atzabiym with idols? Aniy I aniytiy I answer va’ashurenu and watch over you. Aniy kivrosh I am like a juniper ra’anan luxuriant, green. Mimeniy From Me peryecha your fruit nimtza is attained.
 
"they of the house of Israel shall say, ‘what is it to us to serve idols anymore?’ ‘I by my Word will receive the prayer of Israel, and will have mercy on him:’'' -Targum Yonatan
 
Redeemed Ephraim (kings and tribes of the north) who will come under the kingship of Judah over all Israel, will say “What more do I have to do with idols?” In short, “I’m forever done with idolatry!”
 
“Ephraim will say, ‘What more do I need to follow the images?’ And they will turn away from idolatry. I will answer him I will answer him from his trouble.” -Rashi
 
“I, yes, I answer and watch over you.” YHVH will answer redeemed Ephraim in her repentance and say “I hear and answer you with mercy and protection!”
 
“I am like a juniper luxuriant, green. From Me your fruit is attained.” This is the only instance in the Tanakh where God is figuratively compared to a tree and it is not a cedar but a juniper (a fruit bearing evergreen tree). We note that the fruit of redeemed Ephraim is not of Ephraim but of God. Ephraim in her sinful state bore fruit of destruction but through the King Messiah she has been created anew to bear the fruit of God’s character.
 
“Therefore if anyone be in Messiah, he is a new creation: the old has gone; behold, pay attention, all things have become new.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 (Author’s translation)
 
Our righteousness is in God and not of ourselves. Our right actions proceed from the Spirit of God in us through the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
9 [10] Miy Who chacham is wise, veyavein let him understand, discern, consider eileh these things; Navon understand, ve’yeida’eim and they will know, comprehend. Kiy For yeshariym straight, right darcheiy are the ways YHVH of the Lord (Mercy), vetzadikiym and the righteous ones yeilechu will walk vam in them, ufoshe’iym and rebels, transgressors yikashelu shall stumble vam in them.
 
This final challenge is issued to all who have ears to hear. It is much like the former challenge of HaShem to the tribes of Israel as they entered the land:
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil. 16 What I am commanding you today is to love Adonai your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His mitzvot, statutes and ordinances. Then you will live and multiply, and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are going in to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you do not listen, but are drawn away and bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I tell you today that you will certainly perish! You will not prolong your days on the land, where you are about to cross over the Jordan to go in to possess. 19 “I call the heavens and the earth to witness about you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20 by loving Adonai your God, listening to His voice, and clinging to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell on the land that Adonai swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob—to give them.” -D’varim (Deuteronomy) 30:15-20 TLV
“Who is wise and will understand these Who among you is wise and will ponder to put his heart to all these and return to Me?” -Rashi
 
“Who is wise, let him understand, discern, consider these things; understand, and they will know, comprehend.” Only those who take the time to pause and consider these things will gain the understanding required to act on the warning of God in repentance. Today many pass on information they have no real knowledge of, spreading rumours and falsehoods on social media, email, message boards and the like without bothering to consider, discern, investigate and learn the truth of a mater. We would do well to take pause here and allow the Spirit of God to expose our hearts, and with sober judgement to access the state of our being and repent.
 
“For straight, right are the ways YHVH of the Lord (Mercy), and the righteous ones will walk in them, and rebels, transgressors shall stumble in them.” To the wicked the Instruction/Ways of YHVH (the Torah) are an indictment that condemns them to death, but that same Way/Instruction (Torah) points the righteous to its Goal Yeshua (Romans 10:4). How does one know that he is redeemed? The evidence of Messiah in us is seen in our halakhah (the way we walk), “For straight, right are the ways of Mercy (YHVH), and the righteous ones will walk in them!”
 
The same fire that warms the righteous consumes the wicked.
 
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

​A Supplementary Note:
 
Throughout my commentary I refer to the attributes of mercy and justice as they relate to the Names of God YHVH and Elohim. Some have asked where this understanding comes from. The following is a brief explanation.
 
In Jewish tradition it is written:
 
"The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to those, You want to know my name? I am called according to my actions. When I judge the creatures I am Elohim, and when I have mercy with My world, I am named YHWH" (Exodus Rabbah 3:6).
 
In Scripture Elohim is the Name given for God as the Creator & Judge of the universe (Gen 1:1-2:4a) and implies strength, power, rule, and justice, whereas YHVH, expresses the idea of God's closeness to humans. For example, YHVH "breathed into his (Adam's) nostrils the breath of life" (Genesis 2:7). Closeness to humanity only continues in the sin affected world and beyond through YHVH's mercy.
 
Therefore, we say “YHVH Elohim, our Merciful Judge”.
 
Introduction:
 
As is the case with all of Hebrew Scripture, there are no chapter breaks in the scroll of the 12 Prophets in which Hosea is located. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter:
 
“Ephraim turns back from Me with lies and with deceit the house of Israel; and Judah continues to rule with God, and with the holy ones is faithful.
 
1 [2] Efrayim (doubly fruitful) roeh feeds ruach a wind, breath, spirit verodeif and follows kadiym the east wind, breath, spirit; kol all hayom the day kazav deception vashod and destruction yarbeh increase. uveriyt and a covenant im-Ashur (a step) with Assyria yichrotu they have cut, veshemen and oil lemitzrayim to Egypt (double distress) yuval is carried.
 
“Efrayim feeds a wind, breath, spirit and follows the east wind, breath, spirit;”
 
The Hebrew text doesn’t say “feeds on a wind” but “feeds a wind”. This is supported by the Aramaic Targum:
 
“the house of Israel are like to one that sows the wind, and reaps the whirlwind all the day;” -Targum Yonatan
 
Ephraim, the northern kingship and its dominion “feeds a wind, breath, spirit” among the tribes of the north that is the fruit of following “the east wind, breath, spirit” of the Assyrians.
 
Both striving after and releasing wind are Biblical metaphors for futility (Ecclesiastes 1:14; Job 15:2). The particular wind being sown by Ephraim is one of idolatry (the calf idols etc.) Rashi notes that “roeh” (feed) is an expression of “reia” (friend) and that this infers a friendship with false gods.
 
“joins the wind Heb. רֹעֵה. An expression of רֵעַ, a friend. He joins words of the wind, viz. idolatry.” -Rashi
 
The “east wind” is used as a metaphor for false knowledge (Job 15:2), imminent onslaught (Isaiah 27:21), a scattering force (Jeremiah 18:17), it is a wind of discipline wielded by YHVH for the purpose of returning His people to Himself.
 
Alternatively or jointly, the two types of wind alluded to may represent Egypt (2 Kings 17:4; Isaiah 30:6-7) and Assyria (Hosea 5:13, 7:11, 8:9; 2 Kings 17:3), the two powers with whom the northern kings sought to solidify their political position in the volatile region (The northern kings in question being Menahem, Pul, and Hoshea, who sought help from Shalmaneser of Assyria in order to assist them against their enemies, and to strengthen their kingdom [2 Kings 15:19]).
 
The ever changing nature of wind is also a factor here. With the exception of the Wind of God’s Spirit, winds are constantly shifting and changing and are therefore not a firm foundation on which to establish the direction of the nation.
 
“all the day deception and destruction increase.”
 
“He is forever adding Illusion to calamity.” -Sefaria English Version
 
The phrase “all the day” infers perpetual consequence. “Deception and destruction” increase as the fruit of Ephraim’s pursuit of foreign powers and false gods.
 
“Ephraim is a shepherd of wind and vanity in matters of faith, and all day long he lies and demons abound in the words spoken between a man and his friend,” -Malbim
 
“and a covenant with Assyria they have cut, and oil to Egypt is carried.”
 
“and they carried gifts to Egypt;” -Targum Yonatan
 
The kings of the north have “cut” a covenant in blood with the Assyrians in order to get a “step up” (Ashur). This symbolizes their embracing both the spirituality and the political strength of the Assyrian Empire. They have also carried “oil” (abundance, fat of the land) to Egypt, symbolising their attempts to use the abundance attributed to false gods as a means of purchasing political security. At that time these foreign powers were at war with one another for control of the east. Therefore, the kings of the north were playing both sides off against one another and would reap the dire consequences.
 
Ultimately, regardless of the political intrigue, Ephraim was seeking provision, protection and security from powers other than YHVH. In each instance they were practicing idolatry, in both its religious and secular forms.
 
2 [3] Veriyv And a dispute laYHVH has the Lord (Mercy) im-Y’hudah with Judah (praise), velifkod and will appoint punishment al-Yaakov upon Jacob (follower) kema’alalayv for his deeds yashiv lo will return to him.
 
The southern kingdom is also put on notice. HaShem is bringing an indictment (ref. 4:1)  against Judah and will establish punishment for all Israel, both Ephraim and Judah (ref. 10:11). Thus “upon Jacob”. The deeds of all the tribes will come back on them. They have sown a wind and will reap a whirlwind.

3 [4] Babeten In the womb akav by the heel et-achiyv he grasped his brother, uveono and in his vigorous strength sarah he contended et-Elohiym with God/the Judge.
 
“prophet, say unto them, was it not said of Jacob, before he was born, that he would be greater than his brother?” -Targum Yonatan
 
The birth and life of Jacob, from whom all the tribes of Israel are descended (a chosen, ethno-religious people), is used as a mashal (teaching parable) by the prophet. It is as if HaShem were saying, “remember when you grasped after the right of the first born? (Gen. 25:25) And when as an adult you wrestled with My messenger (a man “iysh” Gen. 32:22-32), and I blessed you so that you overcame in Me “Yisrael” (yisra-overcome, El-God).
 
It is utter nonsense to say that Jacob is being referenced here as a deceiver by nature, something predicated on a misrepresentation of Jacob’s name propagated by far too many Christian theologians. One popular Christian commentary says “In their deceitfulness, Israel and Judah were living up to the name of their forefather…” If only they had been, for the name Jacob means “to grasp after, to follow”, it does not mean “deceiver”, a lie all too often promoted by the ignorant. Note that Radak rightly interprets the meaning of Jacob’s name:
 
“In the womb he (Jacob) followed his brother as it is said ‘and his hand held the heel of Esau’ and it was a great miracle that the foetus while in the womb having no strength or ability in even one of its limbs to achieve this, and the placenta would surely have ruptured and caught him in the heel of the other foetus, (and yet he wast able to do so) it is a great wonder…” -Radak on Hosea 12:3 [2]
 
Further, Rashi rightly identifies God’s hand in promoting the position of Jacob over Esau, not through deceit but as a result of Divine intervention.
 
“In the womb, he seized his brother’s heel All this I did for him, he held him by the heel, as a sign that he would be a master over him.” -Rashi
 
We note that as a man Jacob, here symbolic of all Israel, wrestled with God as Judge. That is the point here, God has come to apostate Israel as Judge in order to reconcile her to Himself through discipline and t’shuvah (repentance, returning). In short, when Israel (Jacob) stops fighting against God and instead takes hold of Him and asks Him to bless and transform her, she, like her namesake and progenitor Jacob, will come into the fullness of her name “one who overcomes in God” (Israel).
 
4 [5] Vayasar and he wrestled el-malach with a messenger (angel) vayuchal and attained; bachah he wept vayitchanen-lo and begged His favour. Beiyt-Eil At Bethel (house of God) yimtzaenu He found him, vesham and there yedabeir He spoke imanu with us,
 
“and he wrestled with a messenger and attained;”
 
Continuing the story of Jacob the finer details of his wrestling with God’s Messenger are affirmed. Jacob wrestled with a Messenger (Angel) [Hosea 12:4 (5)] who is also a Man (iysh) [Gen. 32:24]. The common misconception among English readers is that “angel” inherently denotes a noncorporeal supernatural or spiritual being with wings. While this is sometimes the case, it is not always the case. In some instances the Hebrew “malakh” refers to a human messenger, (the name of the prophet Malachi is from the root malakh and means “My messenger”) in others a supernatural messenger and in the present case, it refers to Imanu El (God with us), both man and supernatural being, at once both corporeal and noncorporeal. Therefore, we don’t ask “Did Jacob wrestle a man or an angel?” Rather we accept that he wrestled an individual Who is both a Man (the last Adam) and a Messenger (HaMalakh HaShem), God with us, Yeshua the resurrected and transcendent King Messiah.
 
“he wept and begged His favour.”
 
This refers to Jacob. It cannot refer to the Messenger/Angel as is suggested by the Jewish commentators Rashi, Yarchi and Kimkhi, along with numerous Christian theologians. In the account of Genesis 32 the only one who makes petition (begging) is Jacob, and the only one capable of bestowing favour is the Messenger (man) with Whom Jacob wrestles. Therefore, according to the Biblical text it is Jacob who “wept and begged His (the Man’s) favour”.
“25 So Jacob remained all by himself. Then a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. [a] 26 When He saw that He had not overcome him, He struck the socket of his hip, so He dislocated the socket of Jacob’s hip when He wrestled with him. 27 Then He said, “Let Me go, for the dawn has broken.”
But he said, “I won’t let You go unless You bless me.”
28 Then He said to him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he said.
29 Then He said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but rather Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men, and you have overcome.”
30 Then Jacob asked and said, “Please tell me Your name.”
But He said, “What’s this—you are asking My name?” Then He blessed him there.
31 So Jacob named the place Peniel, “for I’ve seen God face to face, and my life has been spared.”
32 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed by Peniel—limping because of his hip.” -Genesis 32:25-32 TLV
“At Bethel (house of God) He found him, and there He spoke with us,”
 
God is the nearest subject as the Messenger Who wrestled with Jacob. Therefore, we understand from this verse that God, as Messenger, not only wrestled with Jacob but is also the One who found Jacob at Bethel (Gen. 28:10-22), and that at that time, God spoke not only to the individual Jacob but also to all his progeny through him. This is why the text says “He (YHVH, as Messenger) spoke to us”.
 
Of this same Messenger/Angel, not a created being but that person of the all existing God Imanu El, Jacob says:
 
“The Messenger/Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” -Genesis 48:16
 
Note “which redeemed me from ALL evil”. Jacob understood that the Messenger/Angel of YHVH had not simply delivered him from Esau but had redeemed him from the wages of sin.
 
In summation, YHVH entered time and space to offer Jacob and his descendants blessing and deliverance from evil, speaking to all the generations of Jacob through His deliverer the King Messiah Yeshua (resurrected and transcendent [not pre-incarnate!]), the Malakh (messenger), Iysh (man), Imanu El (God with us).

5 [6] VaYHVH And the Lord (Mercy), Eloheiy God hatzevaot the One Who goes warring, YHVH (Mercy) The Lord zichro is His remembrance (memorial, Name).
 
The nearest subject is the Messenger/Angel of the LORD Who spoke to all Israel through Jacob with whom He wrestled. Therefore, the Name/Memorial of the Messenger Who wrestled with Jacob is Eloheiy HaTzevaot God the One Who goes warring [God of the Hosts of the heavens]. We note that the usual designation YHVH Tzevaot is rendered differently here as Eloheiy HaTzevaot. This is because the Messenger Who is the Person of God manifest within time and space, is subject to the fullness of God Who is outside all things, thus the Messenger is called Eloheiy (Ruler, Judge, God) Who is the Person of YHVH with us.
 
However, the Messenger is also definitively YHVH, as the text says “YHVH is His Remembrance/Name.” This of course refers to the Messenger Yeshua the King Messiah, Imanu El God with us. It is interesting that elsewhere it appears that other than Hosea only the prophet Amos, a contemporary of Hosea uses the formula “Eloheiy Tzevaot” (Amos 3:13; 6:14; 9:5), and thus denotes that the speaker Who has imparted his words of prophecy is the Messenger/Angel of YHVH (Yeshua). This makes cohesive sense in light of the fact that almost every prophet is introduced to us as one to whom HaDavar YHVH the Word of the LORD has come (ref. John 1:1).
 
6 [7] Veatah And you, beiloheycha in your God tashuv return to, chesed kindness, faithfulness, practical love umishpat and justice, shemor guard, keep, observe, vekaveh and wait, looking with hopeful expectation el-Eloheycha for your God tamiyd continually.
 
These words are spoken to all Israel (Jacob).
 
Based on the recollection of the Messenger of YHVH, Who has been with Israel from the beginning, it is Jacob (All Israel) who is now challenged to return in God to the practice of God’s character. Note that “In God” precedes the “return to kindness, faithfulness, practical love and justice…” all these being the practice of attributes of the Creator.
 
In God and having returned to right action, Jacob is then instructed to guard what he has been given and to look with hopeful expectation for the deliverance of his God, and not to cease looking, hoping, expecting. For if Jacob (Israel) will confess his sin HaShem is faithful and just to forgive Jacob (Israel) his sin and cleanse him from all unrighteousness.
 
Another contemporary of Hosea writes:
 
“For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest you will be saved; in quietness and in confidence will be your strength: and you would not.” -Isaiah 30:15

7 [8] Kena’an A merchant (Canaanite), beyado in his hands mozneiy are scales mirmah of deceit, la’ashok aheiv he loves to oppress.
 
This verse opens with a wordplay (kena’an = merchant, khena’an = Canaan/Canaanite) that makes a correlation between Israel (named in the following verse as Ephraim, the northern kings and their dominion) and the Canaanite people of the land whom they had been tasked to remove because of their vile and idolatrous practices. Thus, in one sense, God is accusing Israel of being as vile as the Canaanites whom they had been tasked to remove from the land. And in another sense they are wicked merchants who use illusion to scam others out of their money, people who delight in oppressing others to the point of loving it (not unlike the practices of many producers, retailers, and advertisers today). The indictment is just, because Israel has literally adopted the false gods and the vile practices of the inhabitants of the land rather than imparting the light of God’s Torah (Instruction) to those same peoples.
 
“Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them away from [a]you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to take possession of this land.’ Rather, it is because of the [b]wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to take possession of their land, [c]but it is because of the [d]wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and in order to confirm the [e]oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” -Deuteronomy 9:4-5 NASB
 
9 “When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to [f]imitate the detestable things of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, a soothsayer, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who consults the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God is going to drive them out before you. 13 You are to be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations, which you are going to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.” -Deuteronomy 18:9-14 NASB
 
8 [9] Vayomer Efrayim And  Ephraim said, “Ach Surely ashartiy I have become wealthy, matzatiy I have attained on liy vigour for myself; kol-yegiyay in all my toil lo yimtzeu-liy they will find no avon iniquity in me, asher-cheit which is sin.”
 
So great is the evil lifestyle of the northern kingdom that upon the foundation of self-provision and self-worship they have built with the straw of self-delusion. Though they were filthy with perverse iniquity they claim that there is no evidence of wicked practices nor fruit of sin in them. Self-sufficiency is manifest idolatry, and leads to self-destruction (cf. Hosea 10:13; Dt. 32:15-18).
 
Ephraim speaks the heart of  the deceitful merchant, “There’s nothing wrong with my practices”. The secular world makes the same claim today, and sadly, so does a large portion of the wider body of believers. We dilute God’s word and claim righteousness while practicing wickedness.
 
“Such is the way of an adulterous woman; that she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.” -Proverbs 30:20
 
“Surely I have become rich Now why should I worship the Holy One, blessed be He?” -Rashi
 
“And Ephraim said: Surely I have become rich; I have found a deed for myself.” Jeroboam son of Nebat, who was of the tribe of Ephraim, boasts and declares: Surely I have become rich, I have found a deed for myself, one deed, that all Israel are my slaves, for my father acquired them, as it is written: And his brothers too went and fell before him, and said: Behold we are your slaves. And whatever a slave acquires belongs to his master. Hence, all their property is mine. Therefore, I have no sin if I take all that is theirs, for they are my slaves. What is written after this? And I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt. The greatness that came to your father in Egypt was from Me. Said the Holy One, blessed be He. ‘Behold we are your slaves,’ you have not forgotten, but ‘I am the Lord your God,’ which was stated in the Decalogue, you have forgotten, for you have erected two calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan. And according to the simple meaning of the verse, you say, “I have found power for myself through oppression and deceitful scales.” And I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt. There I distinguished between a droplet [of seed] of a firstborn and a droplet which was not of a firstborn. I also know and exact retribution from deceitful scales made without understanding and from one who hides his weights in salt in order to deceive.” -Rashi

9 [10] Veanochiy And I am YHVH (Mercy) the Lord Eloheycha your God mei’eretz from the land mitzrayim of Egypt (double distress); od again oshiyvecha I will make you dwell vo’ohaliym in tents kiymeiy like the days of moeid an appointed time (festival).
 
Continuing the admonishment to think back to her humble beginnings (cf. Hosea 2:14-15, 13:4; Exodus 20:2), God reminds Israel that He is from before the beginning and was with her in her beginnings as Deliverer. He further reminds her of her disobedience which resulted in her dwelling in tents for forty years by way of discipline. What He is pointing back to He is also pointing forward to, a time of wandering and bondage born of her sin. Concisely put He is explaining to His wayward children that He continues to love them and seek to deliver them while disciplining them for their good, and that due to their rejection of His help and their wilful sin, suffering awaits.
 
“I will make you dwell in tents like the days of an appointed time (festival).”
 
The connection to dwelling in tents (temporary dwellings, sukkot) infers that a specific appointed time is being referenced, that being Sukkot (Festival of Booths) [Lev. 23:42-44]. The “days of an appointed time” more generally refers to the time of Israel’s desert wandering when the greatest of Israel’s prophets Moses first spoke to them and the prophets that followed walked in the same Spirit.
 
While prophesying discipline, this is also a promise of future restoration in the Messianic age, a reminder that just as God once manifestly dwelled with us while we lived in tents in the desert (the Cloud of the presence which dwelt in the Holy of holies in the mishkan [tent of meeting]), He will one day dwell with us eternally.
 
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall surely go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD Who goes warring, and to keep the festival of Sukkot.” -Zechariah 14:16
 
10 [11] Vedibartiy And I have spoken al-haneviyiym upon the prophets, veanochiy and I chazon hirbeiytiy multiplied visions, uveyad and in the hand of haneviyiym the prophets adameh I used likenesses, comparisons, parables [alt. I appeared as likenesses].
 
Not only did YHVH speak through His prophets, He spoke upon them, with them, in them, around them. He spoke prolifically to His people the warnings intended to bring about repentance. He gave ample warning and is just in punishing them unto repentance (ref. Hosea 6:5; Amos 2:11, Heb. 1:1).
 
“In the hand of the prophets I used likenesses, comparisons, parables”
 
The hand denotes strength and the practice of carrying.
 
We note that the Hebrew “adameh” only figuratively alludes to parables. More literally it means “likeness, similitude”, which is why Rashi understands the text to say “I appeared to them in many likenesses”. This correlates to the previous verses concerning the Malakh (Angel, Messenger, Man).
 
God speaks common parables in the mouths of His prophets, using storys and metaphors that reflect the spiritual principles at work in everyday life. Likewise Yeshua spoke in parables using common elements to convey eternal truth (Numbers 12:6-8; Amos 1:1; 2 Sam. 12:1-4; Ps. 78:2; Isa. 5:1-7; Eze. 17:2, 24:3; Matt. 13:10-14). The message of redemption is spoken simply and clearly to all, so that all might be given the opportunity to receive God’s redemptive love.
 
“and to the prophets I assumed likenesses I appeared to them in many likenesses. Another explanation. I gave My words likenesses to them through allegories in order to make them comprehensible to their listeners.” -Rashi

11 [12] Im-Gilead With Gilead (rocky region: witness heap) aven there is wickedness, ach-shav hayu they also have become worthless. BaGilgal In Gilgal (rolling wheel) shevariym zibeichu they slaughter (sacrifice) bulls, gam also, mizbechotam their altars kegaliym are like stone heaps, al talmeiy upon the furrows of shaday a field.
 
Gilead was invaded by the Assyrians between 734 and 732 BCE (2 Kings 15:29).
 
“Gilead” meaning “witness heap” testifies as a witness against its own vile sin.
 
The city Gilead in Gad (territory of the tribe of Gad) was the capital of the wider region of Gilead. The wider region covered area near and beyond the Jordan river, and was inhabited by Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh; and thus belonged to the ten tribes of the north.
 
The city of Gilead is thought to be Ramot-Gilead, a city of refuge inhabited by priests, both apostate and Levite. This made the sin of the city even more deplorable given that the priests and Levites had knowledge of the Torah but had clearly not properly conveyed that knowledge to the wider community.
 
While the wickedness alluded to can refer to murder and idolatrous sacrifices, it can also denote bloodguilt brought on the city by the misapplication of the law of refuge. It may be that murderers guilty of premeditated murder were being given refuge contrary to the law, or that those guilty of accidental killing were being given over to the avenger of blood rather than being protected by the city of refuge in accordance with Torah law*.
 
*The Bible names the six cities as being cities of refuge: Golan, Ramot-Gilead and Bosor, on the east of the Jordan river (Left bank) [Deut. 4:43; Josh. 20:8], and Kedesh, Shechem, and Hebron on the west bank of the Jordan river [Joshua 20:7].
 
Ref. Hosea 6:8-9 and notes.
 
“BaGilgal In Gilgal (rolling wheel) shevariym zibeichu they slaughter (sacrifice) bulls, gam also, mizbechotam their altars kegaliym are like stone heaps (that cover the dead), al talmeiy upon the furrows of shaday a field.”
 
There is a wordplay here using Gilgal and galiym (heaps, piles). The residents of Gilgal will see their altars so utterly destroyed that the stones of those altars will be scattered and will be picked up from the fields before ploughing and placed in piles.
 
"they have multiplied their altars, like heaps upon the borders of the fields;'' -Targum Yonatan
 
The Targum understands the piles of stones as being those picked from fields before ploughing and oiled at the edges.
 
The stone heaps may also be an allusion to stones piled over the dead. Ancient Jewish interment consisted not of burial beneath the ground but of tombs and or stones piled over the body above ground. Thus, the inference would be that the altars of these supposed gods of fertility and life would end up being broken apart and used as covering for dead bodies. Therefore, the false fertility gods of life are seen for what they are, dead gods, not gods at all.
 
The Gilgal mentioned here is connected to the wickedness of Gilead and is therefore likely to be the more northern location (Joshua 6:11) rather than the town bordering the territory of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:7; 18:17).
 
“Gilgal” is thought to be the same as Gibeath-haaraloth, the location where Joshua renewed the covenant of circumcision (Joshua 5:3), following which the Passover was celebrated for the first time in the promised land (5:10). It was to Gilgal that the ark of the covenant was returned each day after the children of Israel paraded it around Jericho (Joshua 6:11). It’s where the Gibeonites made their treaty with Israel (9:3).
 
Samuel the prophet made Gilgal one of the three places where he held circuit court (1 Samuel 7:14).It was at Gilgal that Samuel killed Agag the king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:33).
 
Saul was both crowned and rejected as king at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:14, 15).
 
Both Hosea and Amos refer to Gilgal as a centre for idolatry (Hosea 4:15; 9:15; 12:11; Amos 4:4; 5:5).
 
Elisha made Gilgal his headquarters for a time (2 Kings 2:1; 4:38). Gilgal also known as Beit Gilgal (Nehemiah 12:29).
 
Speaking of Gilgal Rashi says:
 
“There they worshipped idols to a great extent (on high places, absent in mss.). Since the Mishkan (Tent of meeting) was there first, the prophets of Baal would tell them that was a choice site, and it belonged to the kings of Israel.” -Rashi on Hosea 9:15
 
12 [13] Vayivrach Yaakov And Jacob was driven away sedeih aram to the country of Aram (Arameans/Assyrians), vaya’avod and served Yisrael beishah for a wife, uveishah and for a wife shamar he kept, guarded, observed sheep.
 
Stepping back further God reminds Israel that her forebear and namesake Jacob served two lots of seven years for his wife Rachel after fleeing Esau and running to Paddan Aram, where he had become Laban’s herdsman (Gen. 28 through 31). Likewise YHVH had served as Shepherd over Israel, making her His wife. Jacob’s fleeing to Aram is also prophetic of the exile that is about to come upon the northern tribes (Assyrian exile) and subsequently also upon Judah and Benjamin (Babylonian exile), and exile of 70 years, a number representing fullness multiplied and a number connected to the nations of the earth.

13 [14] Uvenaviy And in a prophet he’elah YHVH (Mercy) the Lord brought Yisrael up mimitzrayim from Egypt (double distress), uvenaviy and in a prophet nishmar he was kept, guarded, protected, observed.
 
The prophet is Moses (Nu. 12:6-8; Deut. 18:15, 34:10), who spoke of the future Prophet of prophets, the King Messiah (Heb.1):
 
“15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen. 16 This is in accordance with everything that you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God again, and do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die!’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They have [g]spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them everything that I command him. 19 And it shall come about that whoever does not listen to My words which he speaks in My name, I Myself will [h]require it of him.” -Deuteronomy 18:15-19 NASB
 
Additionally, because “the Prophet” Moses spoke of is all existing (Yeshua, HaMalakh, The Angel/Messenger), and because Yeshua was present, in His resurrected, transcendent form as HaMalakh HaShem in the cloud that lead Israel out of Egypt and brought her to the promised land, we could understand the prophet who guarded Israel (in the later clause of this verse) to be Yeshua Himself, the King Messiah.
 
14 [15] Hichiys Efrayim tamruriym Ephraim has provoked bitter anger; vedamayv and his blood alayv yitush will be left upon him, vecherpato yashiv lo Adonayv and his scorn Adonai will return to him.
 
“the fault of innocent blood which he shed shall return upon him:'' -Targum Yonatan
 
The Northern kings and their dominion had provoked God to anger by their many vile acts of idolatry, adultery, murder, and countless other heinous immoralities (Hosea 1:4, 4:2, 5:2, 6:8). The former verses consistently cite idolatry (spiritual adultery) as the primary sin of the north. Thus, HaShem is provoked in the same way a husband is provoked by a perpetually cheating wife (which is how Hosea’s scroll began).
 
“his blood will be left upon him and his scorn Adonai will return to him” is an allusion to blood guilt incurred through the murder of innocents.
 
“So you shall not defile the land in which you live; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” -Numbers 35:33 NASB
 
The Scripture also teaches that:
 
“Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse cannot land.” -Proverbs 26:2
 
The people of the north had uttered curses through blood oaths to false gods and would receive back upon themselves that which they had been wishing upon others. Because an undeserved curse cannot land it returns to the one who spoke it. This is a dire warning to all who utter foolish curses. The right response to a realisation that we have acted in folly by way of cursing is to confess, repent and receive deliverance from God through the shed blood of Yeshua which releases us from curse. Further illuminating the teaching of Yeshua (Luke 6:28), Rav Shaul reminds us that except where God commands curse, we should bless and not curse (Romans 12:14-21).
 
Rashi makes an insightful drash (comparative teaching) on this verse:
 
“yea, bitterness (Heb. תַּמְרוּרִים,) they are to him for his blood which he shed by causing Israel to sin by clinging to idolatryand one who causes a person to sin is worse to him than one who kills him, as we learn from Ammon and Moab, who misled Israel to cling to Baal-Peor, and Scripture punished them more severely than an Egyptian and an Edomite, who drowned them in the river and went forth toward them with the sword...” -Rashi
 
We must be careful to understand blood guilt in a modern context. For example, medical techniques including some (not all) vaccinations and medications, utilize cultures grown in labs, originating from the cells of aborted foetuses. Therefore, even though the cultures are not technically cell tissue from the aborted foetuses they originate from, they are nonetheless indirectly connected to the murder of those preborn human beings.
 
Abortion (not miscarriage, nor a medical procedure that is necessary to save a mother’s life, but in all other cases) is infanticide/murder. Therefore, those who chose it, perform it, and those who use the tissue of the foetus for other purposes, bear the blood guilt associated to murder, as does the land upon which the abortion (murder) was committed.
 
The only exception is where the commandment for taking the life of a murderer in order to remove the blood guilt attached to the land, is contradicted by the Torah instruction to guard life. In which case the blood guilt is offset by the honouring of innocent life in the application of the medical technique or medication.
 
Nonetheless, the blood guilt that is presently manifest upon the lands of many western democracies due to the mass murder of preborn human beings is palpable, and it remains that only the blood of those who shed it can cover it (Num. 35:33), except where those who have committed these crimes truly confess, and repent of them and accept the blood of Yeshua as ransom for their heinous acts.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Introduction:
 
As is the case with all of Hebrew Scripture, there are no chapter breaks in the scroll of the 12 Prophets in which Hosea is located. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter:
 
15 So it will be done to you all at Beiyt-El (house of God/Judge) from the face of your evil, evils. Alt. [of your great wickedness.] In the dawn cut off, destroyed will be a king of Yisrael. -Hosea 10:15
 
1Kiy When na’ar Yisrael (overcome in God) was young va’ohaveihu I loved him, umimitzrayim and out of Egypt (double distress) karatiy livniy I called to My son.
 
“When he who overcomes in God was a young boy I loved him and from a place of double distress and bondage I called to My son.” -Author’s paraphrase based on meaning of Hebrew names
 
This is now the prophet’s third allusion to historical events concerning Israel’s relationship to YHVH (9:10; 10:9). In this case Israel is called a young boy, meaning between the ages of 8 and 30 years. This is an important time in a person’s development, a time when one is still open to being taught and to seeking out a teacher. Iben Ezra in his commentary on this verse likens young Israel in Egypt to a talmid (student of a rabbi). It is also an important time in the development of the relationship between a father and a son who is moving toward adulthood and independence.
 
This verse is illuminated by the talmid Mattisiyahu as a type for the King Messiah (Matt. 2:15). However, in the context of Hosea’s prophetic work it begins a heart breaking interaction between a good Father and a wayward Son. Mattisiyahu uses it to show the response of the Son of righteousness as being the counterpoint to the action of the rebellious son.
 
“I loved him” Does not mean “I used to love him” rather, it means “I have loved him” and will continue to. The past tense used in reference to God’s love is simply a reference point relative to chronology. The love of God is everlasting, past, present and future, affecting time and space but not limited by them.
 
“From afar Adonai appeared to me.”
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” -Jeremiah 31:2 [3] TLV
 
There is continuity here between the loss of human kingship alluded to in the last verse of chapter 10 and the return to thoughts of a time before Israel demanded her own human king like the other nations had. The Father points back to a time of innocence born of suffering. A time when Israel looked to Him for redemption and freedom from bondage. This of course is starkly contrasted against Israel’s disobedience and rejection of God at this point in history prior to the Assyrian invasion.

2 Kareu lahem They called to them, ken halechu yes they walked mipeneiyhem from their faces. Labealiym To the Ba’als (lords, masters, husbands, gods) yezabeichu they sacrifice velapesiliym and to idols yekateirun they burn incense.
 
“I sent the prophets to teach them, but they wandered from them;” -Targum Yonatan
 
“They” refers to Moses and Aaron (Exodus 6:9), and by extension to the prophets sent by God to call His beloved son Israel to Himself and away from the bondage that results from idolatry and sin. However, Israel “walked from their (Moses, Aaron, prophets) faces” and toward “the Ba’aliym (false gods)”.
 
“As much as the prophets call to teach them the good way, so did they turn their backs to run away from them.” -Rashi
 
“The prophets to whom I am sending call them early in the morning and in the evening to return to the Lord:” -Radak
 
“To the husbands (ba’aliym) they sacrificed” Israel, having been trained as a young boy in the way he should go nonetheless rebelled as a teenager and went after lovers who were unequal in faith. Elsewhere we read of God as Husband, here we read of Israel’s direct affront to her true Husband in her chasing after false husbands.
 
The ba’aliym being masters, were the slave masters Israel chose in place of the slave masters of Egypt. Therefore, from the face of freedom (the prophets of God) Israel turned toward a different kind of bondage.
 
Metzudat David understand the idols to be synonymous with the calf idols of Dan and Bethel.

3 Ve’anochiy And I tirgaltiy I walked with, taught Efrayim (doubly fruitful), kacham I took them al-zero’otayv upon my arms; velo But they didn’t yadeu learn (know) kiy though refatiym I healed them.
 
“I, by an angel sent by Me, led Israel in the right way.” -Targum Yonatan
 
“And I, I walked with, taught Efrayim” This refers to the kings of the north and their dominion and therefore to the northern tribes. The prophet is likening HaShem’s care for them to the care He gave Israel when He lead her from Egypt by His Malakh (Angel, Messenger).
 
“I took them upon My arms” This is probably a nursing mother metaphor but may also convey the actions of a shepherd or herdsman. It could be seen to represent both personages as a transition to the next verse where Israel is metaphorically cared for as a herd animal.
 
“And in the wilderness, where you all have seen how the LORD your God bore you all, as a man bears his son, in every way that you all went, until you all came into this place.” -Deuteronomy 1:31
 
“he took them on his arms This is Moses, concerning whom it is stated (Num. 11:12): “As the nursing father carries the sucking child.” -Rashi
 
“But they did not learn though I healed them” In spite of God’s care and healing the northern tribes did not learn from their mistakes or the mistakes of the peoples around them whose false gods they had turned to. Further, they didn’t “know”, meaning they didn’t receive the intimate connection YHVH had offered in the nurture of them. The Hebrew “yada” is used euphemistically to refer to sexual intercourse.
 
“And said, If you all will diligently hear and act in response to the voice of the LORD your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you all, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I the LORD heal you all.” -Exodus 15:26
 
4 Bechavleiy With cords adam of a man (humanity) emshecheim with dragging ba’avotot in ropes ahavah of love, va’ehyeh I have become lahem to them kimriymeiy like one who lifts the ol yoke al from lecheiyhem their jaws; ve’at and gently eilayv I bent down to ochiyl feed them.
 
“My word was to them as a good husbandman, who lightens the shoulder of oxen, and loses the bridles on their jaws.’” -Targum Yonatan
 
Having been compared to a heifer in the previous chapter, Ephraim the son is here likened to a herd animal but is said to be drawn, not by ropes used to pull cattle but by the cords of human love and in the complex bindings of rope made up of the many facets of the immutable love of God. Thus, HaShem is like one who lifts the harness/yoke that prevents the herd animal from eating and with care, bends down to fed them hand to mouth.
"and, even when they were in the wilderness, I multiplied to them good things to eat.'' -Targum Yonatan
​
“I constantly drew them with tender cords with which a man draws his son… Like the farmers who lift the yoke off the neck of the cow or the ox by lengthening the peg upon which the yoke is placed, to lighten it for the ploughing cow. So was I with them in every trouble to make it lighter for them. So did Jonathan render it: like a good farmer [who makes it lighter for the shoulders of the oxen and lengthens their bridles.]… and I extended to him the ability to bear I extended him the strength to bear the yoke of the torments. Jonathan renders: referring to His supplying them food in the desert.” -Rashi
 
“The LORD has appeared of old unto me, saying Yes, I have loved you all with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you all.” -Jeremiah 31:2 [3]
 
5 Lo They will not yashuv return el-eretz to the land Mitzrayim of Egypt (double distress); ve’ashur But Assyria--hu he will be malko his king kiy because mei’anu they refused lashuv to return.
 
This is not a contradiction of Hosea 9:3 but rather refers to the majority of the northern tribes. While a small number will seek refuge in Egypt to no avail, the majority will be taken into exile in Assyria.
 
“He” refers to the king of Assyria who will subjugate them.
 
“Because they refused to return” Israel has been given ample opportunity to return to HaShem but has not only refused, she has wilfully turned from Him.
 
6 Vechalah And the twisting, dancing cherev sword be’arayv against their cities, vechiletah and put an end to vadayv their isolated, separated, (branches) oracle priests, ve’achalah and devour them, mimo’atzoteiyhem because of their counsels, plans, devices, principals.
 
The Assyrian king besieged the capital Samaria for three years. Thus, “the twisting sword against their cities”, meaning that the Assyrian invaders will be relentless.
 
“put an end to their branches, and devour them, because of their counsels.” The branches may refer to the diviners and apostate priests. “Branches” may also denote leaders, mighty men, princes etc.
 
“and it shall slay his mighty men, and destroy his princes;” -Targum Yonatan
 
We note that HaShem sends the Assyrians to discipline Israel and put an end to the false spiritual guides to whom they had turned.

7 Ve’amiy And My people teluiym cling limshuvatiy to turning away from Me. Ve’el-al And toward the Most High [alt. the heights] yikrauhu they call.
 
“Cling to turning away” This is a description of deep seeded devotion to rebellion.
 
“Toward the heights they call” seems the more likely translation given the intentional nature of the rebellion of the people. However, it may also be correct to render “Toward the Most High” as a transition to the next verse.
 
8 Eiych How etencha can I give you up, Efrayim? How can I amagencha shield, encompass you, Israel? Eiych How etencha can I make you cheadmah like Admah (red earth, city near the dead sea)? How can I asiymecha set you kitzvoyim like Zeboiim (gazelles, one of the 5 cities in the plain of Sodom and Gomorrah)? Nehpach Turned alay within Me libiy is My heart, yachad unified nichmeru with yearning nichumay are My compassions, comforting.
 
“How can I give you up” God is faithful even when Israel is unfaithful.
 
“if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot disown himself.” -2 Timothy 2:13
 
“How can I shield, encompass you” God is just and righteous, a good Father Who disciplines His son. To shield someone who sees the shield as an affirmation of sin behaviour is to hate that one. Thus, HaShem speaks the rhetorical question “How can I enable you?”
 
“How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim?” In short, given My love for you, “How can I utterly destroy you as I did the cities surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah?”
 
“Admah” and “Zeboiim” were cities of the plain destroyed when Sodom and Gomorrah were wiped out (Gen. 10:19; 14:2, 8; 19:24-25; Deut. 29:23; Jer. 49:18).
 
“Turned within Me is My heart, unified with yearning are My compassions.” In spite of Israel’s sin and rejection of HaShem, He is nonetheless incapable of completely abandoning her because of His faithful character, His everlasting love for her. This language conveys the struggle within the heart of a loving Father as He watches His son wilfully rebel against His love.

9 Lo e’eseh I will not execute charon My burning apiy nostrils (anger); lo ashuv I will not return to leshacheit destroy Efrayim. Kiy For El Anochiy I am God/Judge velo-iysh and not a man, bekirbecha in the midst of you (plural) kadosh Holy, velo avo and I will not come beiyr in terror.
 
“I will not execute My burning nostrils…” Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit born of the character of God. HaShem has every right to outwork his anger but chooses not to utterly destroy His wayward people.
 
“I will not return to destroy Efrayim…” God will not allow the disciplining of the northern tribes to be multiplied unto their complete destruction. They will eventually return to the land and, yet future, live under the reign of the Greater Son of David the King Messiah Yeshua of Judah.
 
“For I am God/Judge and not a man, in the midst of you (plural) Holy, and I will not come in terror.” HaShem is patient, just, slow to anger and abounding in love, He is not prone to rash vengeance or punitive reaction, He is Holy and in the midst of Israel, grieving her sin, feeling her pain, set apart and working to set Israel apart in Him.
 
“I will not come in terror” This means that even while allowing invaders to enact the discipline required by justice, HaShem will nonetheless be in the midst of His disobedient people in order to guide them back to His loving arms.
 
“I will not return from My good word, which I said (Lev. 26:44) ‘I have not rejected them nor have I abhorred them,’ to destroy Ephraim… for I am God Who keeps His favorable word, and I do not retract the good… I will not enter a city I.e., another city. I have already promised to cause My Shechinah to rest in your midst in Jerusalem, and I will never again cause it to rest on another city. Others explain it as an expression of hatred. Comp. (I Sam. 28:16) “And has become your adversary (וַיְהִי עָרֶךָ).” -Rashi
 
10 Achareiy After Me YHVH (Mercy) yelechu will they walk, ke’aryah like a lion yishag He will roar; kiy indeed Hu He will yishag roar, veyecherdu and trembling will come vaniym the children miym from the sea.
 
This is prophetic of the return from exile. The roar is a call to return following the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles. In addition to the return of the eastern exiles this phrasing alludes to the children of Israel returning from the sea (to the west), which infers a later exile that will ultimately end in Israel (all tribes) returning from a world-wide diaspora. This was fulfilled in part prior to and during the formation of the modern state of Israel (1948), and is yet to be fully filled (today more than half the world’s Jewish population still live outside of Israel).
 
“The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” -Joel 3:16 KJV
 
“After Me YHVH (Mercy) will they walk” In the midst of Israel’s disobedience HaShem prophecies her future obedience.
 
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” -Zechariah 12:10 ESV
“25 For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes[m]—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; [n] 26 and in this way[o] all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer shall come out of Zion.
    He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 And this is My covenant with them,[p]
    when I take away their sins.”[q]” -Romans 11:25-27 TLV

11 Yecherdu chetzipor They will come trembling like birds mimitzrayim from Egypt (double distress), ucheyonah and like doves mei’eretz from the land Ashur (a step) of Assyria; vehoshavtiym and I will place them al-batayhem in their houses, ne’um-YHVH (Mercy) declares the Lord.
 
“as a bird which comes openly, so shall they come who are carried captive into the land of Egypt; and as a dove that returns to its dove house, so shall they return who are carried into the land of Assyria; and I will return them in peace to their houses, and my word shall be their protection, saith the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan
 
Unlike the foolish doves (7:11), these bird metaphors indicate an eager return to the nesting ground. Birds kept captive excitedly returning home upon their release.
 
“I will place them in their houses, YHVH (Mercy) declares the Lord.” The Hebrew “batayhem” (their houses) denotes peaceful civil dwelling in a land devoid of war. In short, they will dwell in everlasting peace within the appointed housing of God as rooms in the greater house of God, the Olam Haba (world to come).
 
12 Sevavuniy vechachash Efrayim Ephraim turns back from Me with lies uvemirmah and with deceit beiyt Yisrael the house of Israel; and ve’Y’hudah (praise) od continues rad to rule [alt. wander] im-Eil with God, ve’im-kedoshiym and with the holy ones (plural intense) ne’eman is faithful [alt. with the Holy One, is faithful].
 
“Ephraim turns back from Me with lies and with deceit the house of Israel…” Both the kings and the collective tribes of the north have behaved deceitfully and turned their backs on YHVH. All this in spite of HaShem’s open hand.
 
“and Judah continues to rule with God, and with the Holy One, is faithful.” This does not mean that Judah will not sin and go into exile but that the kingship will not depart from Judah until Shiloh (the King Messiah) comes (Gen. 49:8-12). Thus, “continues to rule with God”. This describes the rule of the Greater Son of David Yeshua the King Messiah. Once again the rhythm of Mercy, discipline and the fruit of discipline being the product of Mercy, is seen.
 
8“Judah, so you are--
    your brothers will praise you:
Your hand will be on your enemies’ neck.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 A lion’s cub is Judah--
    from the prey, my son,
    you have gone up.
He crouches, lies down like a lion,
    or like a lioness--
    who would rouse him?[a]
10 The scepter will not pass from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[b]
    until Shiloh (he to whom it belongs) comes.
To him will be the obedience of the peoples.[c]
11 Binding his foal to the vine,
    his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,[d]
    he washes his garments in wine,
    and in the blood of grapes his robe.[e]
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
    and teeth that are whiter than milk.” -Genesis 49:8-12
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

​Introduction:
 
As is the case with all of Hebrew Scripture, there are no chapter breaks in the scroll of the 12 Prophets in which Hosea is located. It’s important to see the text of this chapter as a continuation of the previous chapter:
 
“They return not to the most High: they have become like a slackened bow: their princes will fall by the sword from the rage of their tongue: this stammering derision in the land Egypt.” -Hosea 7:16
 
1“Put a shofar (ram’s horn) to your mouth! Kanesher Like an eagle al upon beit YHVH the house of the Lord (Mercy) Ya’an because averu the people have passed over, alienated veriytiy My covenant (cutting agreement), ve’al and against Toratiy My Torah Instruction pashau rebelled.
 
“Put the shofar to your mouth” is an instruction to the prophet Hosea. He is to blow the shofar (ram’s horn) with the wind (ruach) of the Holy Spirit in him. The mouth denotes both intimacy and proclamation. The shofar (Gen. 22) represents the voice of the Ram of God (Yeshua the King Messiah), Who is the Word (Ha-Davar) essence, the substance of God and the testimony of Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10).
 
It is interesting to compare a similar phrasing spoken to Yishayahu (Isaiah):
 
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a shofar, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” -Isaiah 58:1
 
“Ram’s horn” (shofar) is often blown as a warning (Joel 2:1; Amos 3:6) and is also associated with the giving of the Torah (Ex. 19:16) [poignant given the accusation concerning rejection of Torah in verses 1 & 11], the jubilee (Lev. 25:9), war & miracles (Jos. 6:4; Jdg. 6:34; 7:8) etc. And finds its true origin in the “binding of Isaac” (Gen. 22). Meaning that at its root it is the sound of redemption.
 
Rashi understands this verse to carry the same meaning as that of Isaiah 58:1.
 
“The Shechinah says to the prophet: Let the voice of your palate be heard, and call like a shophar, and say: You enemies! Fly and hasten as the eagle swoops and come to the house of the Lord. To your palate a shophar, it is as though a shophar is placed to your palate. [after Jonathan]” -Rashi
 
“Like an eagle upon the house of the LORD”
 
“behold, as an eagle flies, so shall a king with his army come up and encamp against the house of the sanctuary of the Lord.” -Targum Yonatan
 
The eagle is a bird of prey and is used as a figure for invading rulers and their empires (Eze. 17:3; Deut. 28:49). This is misinterpreted by the majority of Christian scholars as referring to the Assyrian invasion. This cannot be the case because the Assyrians did not take Jerusalem and defile the Temple (House of the LORD).
 
The rabbinical interpretation rightly concludes that this is prophetic of the Babylonian invasion when Nebuchadnezzar (Ezekiel 17) would destroy the Temple in 586 BCE. Therefore, the warning reaches beyond the exile of the northern tribes to the exile of all Israel including Judah and Benjamin.
 
“And say, ‘Thus says the LORD GOD; A great eagle with great wings, long winged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:” -Ezekiel 17:3
 
All this had been long since prophesied over Israel’s disobedience:
 
“The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;” -Deuteronomy 28:49
 
“because the people have passed over, alienated My covenant, and against My Torah Instruction rebelled.” The reason for the warning is that Israel (the northern tribes) have ignored the covenant they have with YHVH (made at Sinai) and have wilfully rebelled against the Torah Instruction of YHVH. “Pasha” a Hebrew word for sin means “to miss the mark” and at its root denotes rebellion born of idolatry. This is significant because the beginning of this chapter addresses with warning the idolatry of the previous chapter.
 
2 Liy To Me Yisrael (overcome in God) yizaku cries,  ‘Elohay My God, yeda’anucha we know You!’
 
The northern tribes claim to call on God as “My God”, “Our God”, but they do so while calling on many gods and while rejecting YHVH’s covenant and wilfully turning from his Torah. To this hypocrisy they add the self-incriminating phrase “we know you” denoting intimate knowledge of God. This is vile for two reasons, first, God has offered Israel faithful intimacy and they have spurned Him, and second, they have been consistently intimate with false gods, prostituting themselves before His face.
 
The Targum Yonatan interprets this as temporary, situational confession from the lips of the unrepentant:
 
"in every time that distress comes upon them, they pray before me, and say, now we know that we have no God besides thee; redeem us, for we are thy people Israel;'' -Targum Yonatan
 
Rav Shaul the Shaliach (Apostle) writes concerning hypocritical “Messianic Gentiles” who acted in a similar way. These gentile believers were demanding that other gentiles be circumcised in the flesh contrary to Shaul’s (Paul’s) teaching (Philippians 3). This same gentile circumcision cult were claiming to teach the things of God and to know God, but were in themselves detestable, disobedient, and worthless in God’s sight.
 
“10 For there are many rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of [h]dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprimand them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” -Titus 1:10-16 (NIV)
 
Amos, another contemporary of Hosea, makes it clear that while Israel was claiming to Know YHVH she was practicing flagrant idolatry (Amos 2:4, 7-8; 3:14; 5:26).

3 Zanach Yisrael Israel has cast off, spurned, rejected tov good; oyeiyv  an enemy yirdefov will pursue him.
 
“Israel has cast off, spurned, rejected good;” Good is not just a reference to a distinction in circumstance or flavour. Good is defined by the character of God. This is why Yeshua said “Why do you call me good, no one is good but God alone.” (Matt. 19:17; Mark 10:18). Therefore, this opening phrase is the poetic couplet which correlates to “rebelled against My Torah” (v.1). Some of our ancient rabbis rightly interpret this as “Israel has cast off and rejected God (Good Himself).”
 
“an enemy will pursue him.” This correlates to the “eagle” who is to come against all Israel including Judah and Benjamin. In fact there is a progression of eagles through Assyria (against the northern tribes) and on to Babylon (taking Judah and Benjamin into exile).
 
4 Heim They himlichu have set up kings ve’lo mimeniy that did not come from Me; heisiyru they appointed princes ve’lo yadaetiy not known by Me. Kaspam With silver uzehavam and gold asu  they make lahem for themselves atzabiym idols/images lema’an for the purpose of yikareit cutting themselves off.
 
“They have set up kings that did not come from Me”
 
“They” refers to the northern tribes and the “kings” are all the kings of the north from Jeroboam I onward. Jeroboam I having set the stage for the idolatry of the north by setting up the calf idols of Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:25-33). The evidence that the kings did not “come from” (were not established) by God is manifest in their idolatrous and unrepentant behaviour. This is not to say that God was not in control but that He allowed their disobedience for a greater redemptive purpose.
 
Jeroboam I was allowed by the will of God to become king of the northern tribes, but was nonetheless crowned by the people without the express instruction of God, and without His counsel being sought by either rulers or people. God allowed but did not consent to the crowning of Jeroboam I. Therefore, the appointment of Jeroboam I was on the heads of the people themselves.
 
Many of Jeroboam’s (I) successors were conspirators, who set themselves up without the consent of either God or the people of the northern tribes. They plotted to overthrow others, and reigned after slaughtering them. This is true of Shallum, Menahem, Pekah, and Hoshea (the king, not the prophet).
 
Further still, the people of Israel had no right to choose a king for themselves; the right belonged to God alone; it was He that chose and appointed the kings of all Israel (Deut. 17:15): Saul, David, and Solomon, were all chosen and appointed by YHVH (1 Samuel 10:24).
 
The people of the north brought curse on all the kings of the northern tribes through their rejection of the line of David. By rejecting the throne of David they rejected the greater Son of David, the King Who was to come, the King Messiah.
 
“What share do we have in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
To your tents, Israel!
Now look after your own house, David!” -1 Kings 12:16 (NIV)
 
Jeroboam I had built up Shechem as his residence. Thus the connection to the rebuke of Hosea levelled against those practicing acts of perversity on their way to Shechem (Hosea 6:9).
 
“they appointed princes not known by Me” Here “known” does not negate knowledge of the princes, rather it reveals the fact that there was not an intimate connection between them and YHVH as there had been with Solomon and David. The key is that the princes were “appointed” by apostate people and not by God.
 
“With silver and gold they make for themselves idols/images for the purpose of cutting themselves off.” Their idolatry results in self-harm. Practically speaking idolatry makes waste of things which God has purposed for use while turning useful things into waste. 
 
Isaiah another contemporary of Hosea, says:
 
“They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he makes it a god: they fall down, yes, they worship.” -Isaiah 46:6

5 Zanach Cast off, reject, spurn egleich your calf-idol Shomeron (Samaria, guarding/watch mountain) [alt. “Your calf-idol has been cast off Samaria” or "Your calf has cast you off"]! Charah Fury burns apiy in My nostrils bam against them. Ad-matay How long will they lo yuchelu refuse to overcome nikayon with innocence?
 
“Cast off, reject, spurn your calf-idol Samaria!” This connects the apostate kingship of the north through Jeroboam I to the calf idols established by him in the territory of Samaria in the towns of Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28-33). It is worth noting that upon setting up these calf idols Jeroboam I had spoken the same words Aaron had spoken when setting up the calf deity at Sinai.
 
“So the king Jeroboam I consulted, and he made two golden calves; and he said to the people, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.’” -1 Kings 12:28
 
This can be read as “Your calf-idol has been cast off Samaria” or "Your calf has cast you off" Kimkhi and Ben Melekh understand this to mean that the false god has left the northern tribes in the lurch, it has forsaken them, and has removed itself. It can also mean that the calf will be carried away. In fact that is exactly what Hosea prophecies, indicating that the king of Assyria will do so (Hosea 10:5).
 
“Fury burns in My nostrils against them. How long will they refuse to overcome with innocence? The mention of snorting nostrils in the Hebrew denotes intimate fury. There is heartbreak in the expression and a sense of incredulity, though God is not capable of the human response, it is meant to be viewed with incredulity by the hearer/reader. A shocking indictment. Israel, knowing the way of innocence revealed through covenant and Torah, nonetheless wilfully refuse it to their own harm.
 
6 Kiy For miYisrael from Israel vehu charash asahu he (the calf idol) is made by a craftsman; ve’lo and it is not elohiym a god/judge. Hu he (the calf idol) kiy-shevaviym will be splintered, powdered yihyeh it will happen egel to that calf of Shomeron (Samaria, guarding/watch mountain).
 
“For it was Israel’s doing; It was only made by a joiner, It is not a god. No, the calf of Samaria shall be reduced to splinters!” -Hosea 8: 6 Sefaria translation
 
“For from Israel he (the calf idol) is made by a craftsman.” This is an important phrase which emphasizes the fact that the calf idol is not an assimilated deity from the Canaanites or from other foreign cults but is an invention of Israel, from Sinai to Samaria (Bethel and Dan) the calf idol is the sole responsibility of Israel. The idea for the calf idol may have originally been borrowed from the Egyptians who had a cult that worshipped a living ox or cow, however the allusion here is to the fact that it was gold and silver of Israel moulded by a member of the northern tribes that was crafted into the calf idols of Bethel and Dan.
 
With prophetic irony the calf idol of which Jeroboam I had said “behold your gods…” is called “not a god!”
 
“he (the calf idol) will be splintered, it will happen to that calf of Shomeron (Samaria, guarding/watch mountain).” The calf idol, not a god, will provide no protection, it will not guard the mountain of guardians (Shomeron), it will be splintered like a breaking beam, pulverised into powder.
 
The commentator Yarchi says that in ancient Aramaic (Syriac) “shevaviym” signifies, beams, planks, and boards, and pieces of them falling as dust. The Targum and Ben Meleckh agree in accordance with rabbinical teaching. The inference being that the calf idol of Samaria will be ground to fine dust and the northern tribes made to drink it mixed with water just as the golden calf was ground to powder by Moses, and all those who sinned in it were made to drink the powder mixed with water. The symbolism of the act conveys the reality that idolatry is self-harm.
 
7 “Kiy For ruach a wind yizrau they have sown vesufatah and a whirlwind yiktzoru they will reap. Kamah eiyn-lo The standing grain does not tzemach bud, fruit;  beliy wearing out it will not ya’aseh produce kemach flour. Ulay ya’aseh If perhaps it yields grain, zariym strangers yivlahu would swallow it down.
 
“For a wind they have sown and a whirlwind they will reap.” The wind produced by the voice of idolatrous worship has reaped the much greater whirlwind of God’s prophetic judgement at the hand of Assyria and then Babylon.
 
“The standing grain does not bud, fruit;  wearing out it will not produce flour.” The grain barely grew tall enough to produce ears sufficient for grinding flour.
 
“If perhaps it yields grain, strangers would swallow it down.” Even if the crop were to produce grain the tribes of the north will not consume it, rather it will be eaten by the invading armies of Assyria.

8 Nivla Yisrael (overcomes in God/the Judge) is swallowed up; now she hayu has become bagoyim in the nations kichliy  like a vessel eiyn-chefetz none delight in.
 
Like swallowed grain Israel (northern tribes) will be swallowed up by the invading Assyrian armies. As a result of her exile she will become known among the nations as a worthless vessel, a jug with cracks in it, a tool with a blunt edge, without value, devoid of purpose, and without place.
 
 9 Kiy For they have alu gone up to Ashur (Assyria, a step) pere  a wild donkey bodeid wandering alone. Efrayim (doubly fruitful) hitnu has hired herself out ahaviym to lovers.
 
A wild donkey wanders aimlessly and is vulnerable as prey to lions.
 
The kings (Ephraim) of the northern tribes have sought help from the Assyrians, paying them tribute (Menachem 2 kings 15:19, Hoshea 2 Kings 17:3) and courting their power like prostitutes trying to sleep their way to a position of higher social status and strength.

10 Gam Also kiy because yitnu they have hired themselves out bagoyim in the nations, now akabetzem they gather together. Vayacheilu and defile, pollute themselves me’at becoming a little thing mimasa from the burden Melekh of a king sariym of princes.
 
The gathering of the northern tribes refers to them being gathered for captivity. They intensify the fruit of their idolatrous sin and as a result are weakened and become subject to a king who is over many princes (an allusion to the king of Assyria Isaiah 10:8).
 
11 “Kiy-hirbah For Efrayim mizbechot has made many altars lachato for sin (offerings), hayu-lo which  have become mizbechot altars lachato for sinning.
 
The northern kings, first inspired by Jeroboam’s (I) idolatrous act (calf idols), have syncretised the practice of sin offerings from the Torah with the altars of false gods and the worship of the calf idols. Thus the offerings that might have covered their sin have in fact become additional sin of an abhorrent nature.
 
How many “altars”, both physical and metaphorical, have been built in “Church” communities throughout the world? Altars built as places to repent and receive forgiveness for sin by connecting to the Gospel message, that have instead been turned into altars of sinful practice. The list is long:
 
·      “Church” Buildings costing millions, while the people of the community struggle for work and the sick and poor go unaided
·      Popular “Christian” music proliferated and profited from by secular record companies that own smaller “Christian” record labels. The money of believer’s being used to fund immoral secular agendas
·      Famous pastors, prophets, authors and worship leaders, followed as heroes to the point of idolatry
·      “Christian” psychology intended to help and mature believers, nonetheless fallen prey to secular psychological philosophies that contradict and distort the message of Scripture. Places where people come for help from godly men and women who should be pointing them to God’s strength in their time of need, but instead encourage them to trust in their own mental strength, and promise the self-empowerment to overcome (that empowerment being from the poisoned well of secular self-help doctrines
·      The list goes on and on…
 
12 Echtov-lo I wrote for them kemov-ribov the many things Toratiy of my Instruction (Torah), zar nechshavu but they thought of them as a foreign thing.
 
Here God refers to His Torah which Israel had treated like the spiritual writings of another people, written in a foreign language, an alien thing that had no connection to them. They had spurned the love letter of the Creator to His creation, given to and through the nation Whom He had chosen and called to be a light to others.
 
“I constantly reprimand them through My prophets, and write for them the great things of My Law, but they are considered a strange thing.” -Rashi

13 Zivcheiy They offer sacrifices havhavay as gifts to Me, yizbechu they sacrifice vasar flesh vayocheilu and they eat it, YHVH (Mercy) the Lord lo does not ratzam accept them.

 The offered sacrifices may have included offerings which were to be eaten only by the priests (Levites)[Lev. 6:24-26]. These offerings were apparently being eaten by those who should not eat them. Additionally it is possible that the priests were acting in a similar way to the sons of Eli, taking the fat that should have been burned as the LORD’s portion, and instead eating it themselves (1 Samuel 2:15-17).

Of course, the priests of the north included men from tribes other than Levi, meaning that all offerings brought to God by them were apostate based on the requirements of the Torah.
​
Ultimately, the reason the offerings were not accepted was because there was no genuine repentance, no real willingness to obey YHVH.
 
“21 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this is [h]what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you shall walk [i]entirely in the way which I command you, so that it may go well for you.’ 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked by their own advice and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and they [j]went backward and not forward.” -Jeremiah 7:21-24 (NIV)
 
Now yizkor he will remember avonam their perverse depravities. Veyifkod  and visit chatotam their sins (missing the mark, uncleanness, offenses) upon them: Hemah They yashuvu Mitzrayim will return to Egypt (double distress).
 
God is just and must punish perversity. The disobedience of Israel will result in a return to bondage (Egypt) for the purpose of discipline and return to God.

14 Vayishkach Yisrael And Israel (overcomes in God/the Judge) has forgotten, ignored, wilfully turned from et-Oseihu their specific Maker vayiven and built heiychalot temples (to false gods);
 
The Targum reads “and built temples to idols”.
 
No one forgets a lover except by wilful avoidance. Israel had turned her back on her Husband (YHVH), Who was also her Creator. Like an adulterous and hateful wife she had sought other lovers (idolatry).
 
Israel (the northern tribes) had sought strength in other gods (idolatry).
 
Y’hudah (praise) hirbah has become great, multiplying ariym betzurot fenced cities (excitement). Veshilachtiy-eish But I will send fire be’arayv in his cities ve’achelah and devour armenoteyah the palaces.”
 
Where Israel (the northern tribes) had sought strength in other gods (idolatry), Judah had trusted in his own strength (idolatry). But fire from God would devour them and burn away the weak strength of those temporary things they had trusted in. Historically speaking Jerusalem would be burned by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Jeremiah 52:13).
 
Messiah follower, do we pass judgement on those who worship idols while trusting in our own intellect, physical strength, talents, finances, emotional intelligence, qualifications, righteousness? If so, we are hypocrites and idolaters.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Scroll of the Twelve Prophets:
 
The book of Hosea is the first of twelve books collected into a single scroll some time prior to the second century BCE (ref. Dead Sea Scrolls 4QXII; Sirach [Ecclesiasticus] 49:10). The orthodox Jewish order of the books within the scroll of the twelve prophets is: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (from the period of Assyrian empire), Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (from during the decline of the Assyrian empire), Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (dating from the post exilic era).
 
Given what we know from extra-Biblical textual sources, it is likely that the twelve prophets were combined into one scroll within a century of the completion of the book of Malachi. Thus, the scroll of the twelve prophets has taken its place alongside the other canonical Jewish prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Daniel is considered part of the Ketuvim [poetry books] in the Jewish canon [TaNaKH].
 
Author and Dating of the book of Hosea:
 
Regardless of the specific date of writing (be it by a scribe or by Hosea himself), Hosea prophesied sometime in the mid eighth century BCE. His ministry began in tandem with that of Amos, who threatened God’s judgement at the hands of an unnamed foreign power which Hosea identifies as Assyria (7:11; 8:9; 10:6; 11:11).
 
Given the kings mentioned in Hosea 1:1, Hosea would have ministered for approximately 60 years. The Talmud calls Hosea the greatest prophet of his generation (Pesachim 87a), a bold claim given that Isaiah was one of his contemporaries. Hosea is unique in that he is the only one of the writing prophets to come from the northern kingdom (10 tribes/Israel). His prophecy is addressed to the northern kingdom. However, his work references the kings of Judah as a means of dating and is therefore, most likely to have been written in the territory of Judah following the fall of the northern capital, Shomron (Samaria) (722-721 BCE) [1:7, 11; 4:15; 5:5, 10, 13; 6:4, 11; 10:11; 11:12; 12:2]. This means that Hosea’s warnings to the northern kingdom were also intended as a warning to Judah. While Judah continued to dwell in the land under the repentant king Hezekiah, the southern kingdom was eventually taken into captivity by the Babylonian empire in 586 BCE (136 years after the demise of the northern kingdom) through a succession of invasions and as a result of political intrigue. This exile, while leaving a remnant of Judah in the land, nonetheless (generally speaking) meant the fullness of the exile of the entire nation (12 tribes) and was a judgement decreed by God of seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10) which ended in 516 BCE (there are varied scholarship estimations of the dating of the Babylonian exile).
 
Context:
 
Hosea lived in the final days of the northern kingdom, during which six kings reigned within a 25 year period (2 Kings 15:8-17:41). These kings are said to have been given by God “in anger” and taken away “in wrath” (13:11). The Assyrian empire was expanding to the west and Menachem king of Israel submitted the northern kingdom to the Assyrian empire, and paid tribute (2 Kings 15:19-20). Shortly afterward in 733 BCE Assyria dismembered the northern kingdom following the murder of Pekahiah, Menachem’s son by Pekah. Leaving only the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. Then, due to the disloyalty of Pekah’s successor Hoshea (the king), Shomron (Samaria) was captured and its people exiled from 722 - 721 BCE. This was the end of the northern kingdom, but it was not the end of Israel.
 
Message:
 
Like the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Hosea’s ministry proclaims a message of judgement and redemption pretexted by the holiness and love of God. The rhythm of the book is consistent with the redemptive meta-narrative of the Bible as a whole. Hosea’s book is essentially a Gospel (Good News) message. One that calls out the evil deeds of those to whom the offer of redemption is given. Like the Gospel, the book of Hosea recognizes the need for labeling and rebuking sinful behavior and exposing its consequences in order to inspire its hearers to return to God and receive His redemptive sacrificial love.
 
Throughout the book loving discipline is followed by the offer of unmerited favor, grace, mercy, and a return to right relationship. Hosea, like all God’s prophets, demands that the wicked acknowledge and repent of their sinful lifestyles and return to God. This too is the message of the Gospel. All are offered forgiveness but only the repentant receive it. Those who present God as love but fail to convey the message of repentance, turning away from evil, are enablers of the wicked. A Gospel devoid of rebuke is a false Gospel, nothing more than a vehicle carrying souls to torment. Like Hosea we are tasked with a message that exposes wickedness and requires repentance in order to receive redemption through the sacrificial love of God.
 
The first three chapters tell of Hosea’s family life, an historical account that also acts as an allegory for God’s relationship with Israel. Chapter 3 is likely a sequel to Chapter 1, making chapter 2 the observation of the actions of the wayward woman Gomer. Chapters 4 through 14 detail the idolatrous practices of Israel and her adoption of Canaanite deities. Hosea calls Israel to return to HaShem (YHVH). Hosea observes that it is Israel’s failure to acknowledge God which is at the root of her suffering and spiritual darkness (4:6; 13:4). God’s relationship with Israel is one of immutable love (2:19), likened to that of husband and wife, and later compared to the relationship between Father and child (11:1-4). Israel’s disloyalty toward God is likened to the behavior of a promiscuous woman and is a metaphor for idolatrous worship (4:13-14; 5:4; 9:1). Hosea details Israel’s worship of the Baalim (masters/husband gods) of the Canaanites and their sacrificing at high places used for the worship of false gods. Israel had also been worshipping the calf deity at Shomron (Samaria) [8:5; 10:5-6; 13:2], a return to the sin at Sinai (Exodus 32).
 
Ultimately the message of Hosea is one of God’s love for Israel and based on His character, a story relating His inability to utterly forsake her even when He has cause.
 
“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them.” -Hosea 14:4 (NIV)
 
Hosea in Jewish liturgy:
 
It is interesting to note that Hosea plays a special role in orthodox Jewish liturgy. Hosea 14:2-10 is read in the afternoon service of Tish’ah b’av (the ninth day of the month of Av [coincides with July and/or August], and is the major day of communal mourning in the Jewish calendar. Although a large number of disasters are said to have befallen the Jews on this day, the major commemoration is of the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. and 70 C.E., respectively. Central to the observance of this day is fasting) by Sephardi and Yemenite communities. On Shabbat Shuvah (Sabbath of turning/returning) between Rosh HaShanah (New Year a.k.a Yom Teruah [Day of soundings]) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Hosea 2:1-22 is read as haftarah (completion of the Torah) for the parashah B’midbar (Num. 1:1-4:20). Additionally, Hosea 2:21-22 (19-20) is prayed while binding Tefillin shel Yad (Prayer box of the hand) to the wedding finger (fingers) on the left hand.
 
“I will betroth you to me in perpetuity;
    I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
    in immutable love and compassion.
 I will betroth you in fidelity,
    and you will acknowledge YHVH.” -Hosea 2:21-22 (19-20)
 
Hosea Transported in to Today’s Context:
 
Some things worth considering…
 
In the midst of today’s immoral world, and given the fact that even in ancient Israel during her days of immorality there were still a remnant community who were faithful to God, what would it be like for a righteous man who has been asked by God to marry a promiscuous woman for the purpose of revealing the love of God? Then to be instructed not to divorce her (though he had cause), and further to take her back and remain faithful to her in spite of her unrepentant nature.
 
How would such a man be viewed by the righteous remnant community of today’s world?
 
Consider the difficulties faced by such an individual as a result of his obedience and devotion toward HaShem (YHVH). Some among his righteous pairs in ancient Israel may well have challenged Hosea’s choices with sound Biblical reasoning. Others among the immoral majority may have used Hosea’s choice to marry the wayward woman as an excuse to take on promiscuous partners and even become promiscuous themselves. How we view and apply the lessons of Hosea to our lives today will directly influence our walk before HaShem, for better or worse.
 
Remember that for all intents and purposes Hosea was marrying a woman of his own ethnic religious faith community and was therefore not becoming unequally yoked (according to Torah). The indictment issued by this prophetic work is not against Hosea but against the hypocrisy of Gomer (Israel). Many righteous people among the faith community of today marry fellow believers in good conscience only to discover that a true heart change within that person has yet to occur.
 
Hosea’s calling should not be considered an excuse for believers as a whole to marry promiscuous people (of the same faith). However, nor does it negate the very real principle that teaches a salvation offered to all, including those who seem least likely or able to receive it. In truth, even the most hardened sinner can be redeemed through Yeshua our King Messiah. A lifestyle of sin can be incinerated by the blood of our King, and a new creation made from the ashes. It is important to recognize that new actions are the evidence of a person made new in Messiah.
 
The Text
 
Hosea Chapter 1:1-2:2 (1:1-11)
 
1 1 A Word, Essence, Substance (Devar) of the Lord (YHVH: Mercy) which happened (hayah) to, through Hosheia (Salvation) the son of Be’eiriy (My well/spring) , during the days of UziYah (My might is YHVH), Yotam (YHVH is perfect, complete), Achaz (grasp, seize), and YechizkiYah (Hezekiah: My strength has been YHVH), kings of Y’hudah (praised), and during the days of Yarav’am (Jeroboam: quarrelling people) the son of Yoash (YHVH fire), king of Israel (Yisra: overcome, El: in God).
 
In the Hebrew text the opening phrasing reveals the Word of God as the substance of God’s mind present and happening to and through Hosea, whose name is salvation. The beauty here is that the Word (Ha-Davar [John 1:1]), Who is Salvation Himself, the King Messiah, is manifest in substance upon the tongue of Salvation (Hosea). This book of prophecy begins and reaches its goal with Salvation, the son of Mayiym Chayiym (living waters), Be’eiriy “My wellspring”.
 
The Word, Essence, Substance of God doesn’t just come to Hosea, He (the Word) happens in Hosea.
 
HaShem, Who is the source of Israel’s living waters has been forsaken by the majority of Israel’s people. Therefore, out of love for Israel He has sent yet another prophet to draw their attention to their spiritual dehydration which has resulted from their rejection of Him.
 
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” -Jeremiah 2:13
 
“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” -Isaiah 12:3
 
“On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.” -Zechariah 13:1
 
Yeshua answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” -John 4:10
 
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Yeshua stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Yeshua was not yet glorified.” -John 7:37-39
 
The kings of Judah and the king of Israel who collectively spanned the ministry of Hosea are listed as they are for a number of reasons. By listing them this way the scribe gives us an approximation of the length of Hosea’s prophetic ministry and the historical period in which the prophet lived God’s Word in the presence of the people of Israel and Judah. As previously stated Hosea ministered for approximately 60 years in the mid eighteenth century BCE. We know this because the reigns of the kings listed begin in 793 BCE and span to 686 BCE, making it possible for Hosea to have lived to be over 100 years old. It is likely that Hosea began his ministry around the age of 25 years. Hosea was a contemporary of Isaiah, Amos and Micah. Therefore, it’s good to be aware of the messages of these three prophets when considering the message of Hosea.
 
We note that the kings of Judah are listed first and with some detail, while the king of Israel is listed last. The prophet clearly intends that the people of Judah take the demise of the northern kingdom seriously and repent of their own wickedness and unfaithfulness toward God. The destruction of the northern kingdom was inevitable at this point in time and acted as a dire warning to Judah, lest she too fall at the hands of a foreign power (Babylon 586 BCE).
 
Jeroboam II died during the reign of Uzziah (2 Kings 15:8). Therefore, from the Israelite perspective the book is understood from the last period of the northern kingdom’s waning strength. Whereas from the perspective of Judah, according to the listing of the kings of Judah, the book finds its context in the slightly earlier period where Israel first began to move from a position of political strength into one of political demise. Each perspective is relevant and the Hebrew text clearly intends to make the words of the prophet poignant for both Israel (northern kingdom) and Judah.
 
Additionally, the names of the kings have prophetic significance past, present, future, and when reading the text according to the meaning of the names one sees the redemptive purposes of God conveyed.
 
NB: In order to help non Hebrew readers understand the depth of meaning within the Hebrew text the following is an allegorical [drash (comparative), remez (hint) & sod (mystery)] reading, utilizing the Hebrew meanings of words and names:
 
A Word essence of Mercy happened through Salvation the son of My well-spring, during the days of my might is Mercy, Mercy is perfectly complete, grasping, my strength has been Mercy, kings of praise during the days of a quarrelling people, the son of Mercy’s fire, king of those who overcome in God. (Authors Paraphrase)
 
The allegorical reading presents a message of fire (judgement, purification) and Salvation (overcoming in God). Therefore, the literal, literary and allegorical interpretations are convergent. This is an excellent example of how one should utilize the rabbinic method of interpretation PaRDeS (P’shat [Plain meaning], Remez [hint], Drash [comparative], Sod [mystery]). All the components of PaRDeS that proceed from the P’shat (plain meaning) must submit to the plain meaning, which is precisely what occurs here when each sub-method of interpretation is applied to the text.
 
2 Beginning (Techilat) a Word, Essence, Substance (Diber) of the Lord (YHVH: Mercy) in Hosheia (be’Hosheia), and said (vayomer) the Lord (YHVH: Mercy) to (el) Hosheia (Salvation), “Go (leich), take (kach) to yourself (lecha) a woman (eishet) of promiscuities, fornications (zenuniym), and children (veyaldeiy) of promiscuities, fornications (zenuniym); for (kiy) a whore, fornicator, promiscuous woman (zanoh) of whoredom (tizneh) is the land (Ha-Aretz: Israel), from ceasing to follow after (mei’achareiy) the Lord (YHVH: Mercy).”
 
The command to marry (legitimize) a promiscuous woman presents Hosea with an opportunity to empathize with the grief of God regarding His promiscuous wife Israel. Hosea’s marriage to the promiscuous woman is not mere allegory as some suggest. The false choice between allegory and practical reality is unnecessary (Rashi & Abravanel say that this is literal [Pes. 87a], whereas Ibn Ezra, Radak & Maimonides claim that it is a prophetic vision, this is supported by the Targum). Hosea literally marries a promiscuous woman and this reality acts as a vehicle for allegory reflecting God’s relationship to wayward Israel. This verse sets the stage for the remainder of the book.
 
“Techilat” is not a new beginning, as in the case of “Bereishit”, but a beginning that takes place mid journey. The Word begins in Hosea in the midst of a faltering people who having begun in God have now stepped off the path and gone after other gods. Therefore, God sends His messenger to call Israel to return to right relationship with Himself.
 
The imagery of the marriage between God and Israel is also seen in the works of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
 
In Biblical Hebrew narrative the repetition of something denotes that it is firmly established. In this verse the Hebrew root “zanah” (fornicator, harlot, whore) is employed four times, emphasising the fact that the idolatry of Israel has exceeded even the most debauched practices of the godless. This is a tragic indictment. One that could well be levelled at the community of believers today.
 
Hosea is instructed to take not only a promiscuous wife but also the children who are the fruit of her promiscuity. In light of the figurative application regarding God and Israel it is important to understand and sympathise with Hosea’s appointed task and the spiritual, emotional and practical turmoil that he must certainly have experienced. He is choosing to marry (legitimize) an unrepentant fornicator and to welcome her unrepentant children, who have grown in the knowledge of sexual sin (idolatry) as seed of that same sexual sin. We see this generational sin at work in the modern world. The reality of generational sexual sin is palpable. In fact, our movie and tv screens advocate for it. This present reality reflects the idolatrous spiritual condition of today’s secular world, but more poignantly, it reflects the present syncretised condition of the body of believers. After all, the message of Hosea is to the people of God (Israel), those who claimed to have overcome in God but were in fact hypocrites, idolaters, fornicators. This was no foreign harlot Hosea was marrying, but an Israelite woman. Sadly the modern body of believers is in no position to say “Thank God we are not like the whoring nation of Israel during the time of Hosea!” To the contrary, we are. Many claim to be followers of Messiah while practicing sexual sin, superstition, idolatry, debauchery, and the list goes on. Therefore, we to must repent or suffer the discipline of God.
 
The land of Israel is intrinsically linked to the people and the condition of the land is therefore affected by the behaviour of the people. Therefore, when God speaks through the prophet saying that the land of Israel is full of fornication (idolatry) and the fruit thereof, He is speaking of both physical and spiritual consequences. The disease of the spirit is reflected in the sexual diseases and the death that results from them. The people are weakened by their sin and are unable to resist their enemies, as a result of the physical condition of the people the land is unfruitful and unable to provide nutrition for the people, and so the cycle of sin and death are perpetuated. All this is happening among a people who have been afforded the instruction of God and the living waters that flow from Him.
 
So how has all this come about? The text is clear, it is the result of a people “ceasing to follow after the Lord”.
 
Why is the body of believers in such disarray today? Are we not guilty of this same cycle of perdition. If so, how have we arrived here? The same way Israel did, by turning away from devotion to God. We have made our religious practice just another app on our home screens, and we wonder why the world is turning to custard.
 
Rav Shaul (Paul) illuminates the abhorrent reality of Hosea’s experience when he writes to the early believers at Corinth:
 
“Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually members of Messiah? Should a man take his body, which is part of Messiah, and join it to a prostitute? Never!” -1 Corinthians 6:15
 
To say that God’s instruction to Hosea contradicts His Word is a lie. While it was forbidden for a priest to take a promiscuous woman as a wife, it was not a sin for a prophet to take a once promiscuous woman to wife. It was in fact an opportunity for that woman to be redeemed through the sacred unity of godly marriage. However, any subsequent act of adultery by that same woman was punishable by death. Hosea’s long suffering was to reflect the fact that in spite of Israel’s continued adulteries (idolatries) God had shown patience and great mercy toward her.
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
When a Word essence of Mercy in Salvation began to speak through Salvation, He said “Go, take to yourself a woman of promiscuous lifestyle and the children who are the fruit of her promiscuity, for the land of Israel is like a whore of whoring because they stopped following after Mercy. (Authors Paraphrase)
 
3 So he (Hosea: Salvation) went and took the certain, specific, definite (et) Gomer (complete, perfect, end, goal) the daughter (bat) of Divlayim (multiple pressed figs), and she conceived and bore him (lo) a son (ben).
 
It is worth noting that Gomer means “perfect, goal etc.” and that we can understand this to convey the idea that Salvation (Hosea, a figure for Messiah) sees the yet to be redeemed Israel (Gomer) as perfect outside of time and space, in the sense that he knows she will eventually repent through discipline and receive the atoning work of God. This reflects the meta-narrative of God’s redemptive purpose which finds its ultimate fullness in the redemptive work of Messiah Yeshua’s substitutionary sacrifice and the eternal covering blood of God.
 
We also note that Gomer is the daughter of sweet and abundant provision. The fig is the fruit of the tree which symbolises the seat of Israel’s teachers and commentators. This means that Gomer (Israel) is without excuse because she has been brought up in the ways of God’s Torah instruction and in the fruitfulness of godly life but has chosen to reject good instruction and turn aside to other gods.
 
The Hebrew “lo (him)” referring to Hosea is omitted in verses 6 and 9, making it more than likely that the two subsequent children were the progeny of adulterous relationships with other Israelite men, relationships entered into by Gomer while she was married to Hosea.
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
Salvation went and took a chosen woman Whom He saw perfect, in spite of her sinful lifestyle, she was the daughter of the abundant sweet fruit of the land, and she conceived and bore him a son. (Authors Paraphrase)
 
4 And the Lord (YHVH: Mercy) said to him (Hosea: Salvation), “Name him Yizre’el (sown by God); for in a little while I will visit, reckon, punish, care for (ufakadtiy) the (et) shed blood (demeiy) of Yizre’el (sown by God) upon (al) the house (beit) of Yeihu (YHVH is He), and I will cause to cease (vehishbatiy) the kingdom (mamlechut) of the house (beit) of Israel (the northern kingdom, Yisra: overcome, El: God). 5 And it will happen (v’hayah) in that day (be’yom) of the him (hahu) that I will break into pieces (veshavartiy) the (et) bow, (keshet) of Israel (Yisra: overcome, El: God) in the Valley (be’eimek) of Yizre’el (sown by God).”
 
The literal historical outworking of this prophecy sees the just punishing of Yeihu for the blood his house shed and the demise of the northern kingdom at the hand of the Assyrian Empire. Subsequently (136 years later) Judah also went into exile, however a remnant of Judah remained in Judea throughout the Babylonian exile. The allusion to the valley of Yizre’el (a plain in central Israel and a city on its perimeter [Joshua 17:16]) likely refers to the events described in 1 Kings 21:1-24; 2 Kings 9:21-35 (The demise of Jezebel [Baal exalts]).
 
In addition to the literal historic fulfilment of the prophecy there are the far reaching Messianic implications and the seeding of Messiah into time and space followed by the dispersion and return of Israel (the Jewish people) and the coming of God’s kingdom.
 
The name Yizre’el means “Seeded by God” and conveys both judgement and redemption. Seed is scattered and so the tribes of the north will be scattered in judgement against their idolatry. In addition a son seeded by God will bring both retribution and redemption to Israel as a whole (born of Judah), making the seeding a means of salvation.
 
This, Hosea’s firstborn son to Gomer is according to the previous verse “his” (Hosea’s) son, that is, of his seed. It is important to recognise that the name of this son denotes direct connection to God in a figurative sense and that this one seeded by God (Yizre’el) is a figure for justice and restoration. This son is a figure for One yet future (at the time of Hosea’s prophecy) seeded by God through the Jewish people, Who will put an end to apostate faith and break Israel into pieces, eventually sending all Israel into exile and then returning all the tribes of Israel to Judea where Israel in her entirety now known as Y’hudiym (Jews) will be reconciled to God through Him. This is why a distinction is made later in Hosea’s prophecy between the northern kingdom (Israel) and Y’hudah (Judah). Messiah will be seeded in Judah in the line of David.
 
We note that an end is to be put to the northern kingdom (Israel) but not to Israel/Jacob/Judah as a whole. This is of the utmost importance given the misuse of this text by the satanic “Continuationist” (Supersessionist, Replacement etc.) ideology of many modern Christian scholars and practitioners.
 
As alluded to in my commentary of the previous verse, there is no indication that the subsequent two children (v.6, v.9) were of Hosea’s seed, possibly denoting their illegitimacy.
 
“In that day” is an ambiguous phrase referring to the day, days, time period of God’s work of redemption and judgement through the One seeded by YHVH (Yizre’el), who is a figure for the King Messiah Yeshua, the only human being born of a woman to be directly seeded of God (Yizre’el).
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
And Mercy said to Salvation, “Name your son ‘Sown by the Judge’”; for in a little while I will require blood for the shed blood of he who I have sown from the house of the one who pretends that I AM his God, and I will put an end to the hypocritical kingdom of the house of those who claim to overcome in Me but do not. And it will come to pass that in the day of Him (Messiah) I will break into pieces the strength of those who claim to overcome in Me but do not, in the valley of the One Whom I have sown. (Authors Paraphrase)
 
6 Then she (Gomer) conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And He (YHVH) said to him (Hosea), “Call, declare (kera) her name (shemah) Lo-ruchamah (no mercy, love, compassion, tenderness), for I will no longer have mercy (arachem) on the house of Israel (Yisra: overcome, El: God), nor (kiy) will I lift them up, carry them (naso), take them away (esa).
 
As mentioned previously Gomer conceived again but it is not said that she conceived by “him” Hosea. It is possible that lo-ruchamah was the daughter of another man (another Israelite).
 
We note that while the firstborn son was “named” the daughter and the subsequent son are “Declared by name”. In other words, the firstborn son is named without proclamation, whereas the children of judgement are declared as a warning to all who have ears to hear. This reflects the nature of Messiah’s (Yizre’el) first earthly ministry and the present declaration that warns our people in order to redeem all Israel (ethnic, religious, chosen) through Yeshua upon His return (Rom. 11:25-27).
 
“I will no longer have mercy” is directed toward the apostate among Israel. We must remember that in every generation Israel and Judah had a faithful remnant who served God, or else where did the prophets come from?
 
“Nor will I lift them up” is a statement of deep love and beautiful saving irony. God will give of Himself, not lifting up Israel but lifting up His Son the King Messiah Who is of her, seeded by Him, making the King Messiah (Yizre’el, Yeshua) to become accursed and hanging on a tree for the sake of Israel’s sins. Therefore, “He Who was without sin became a sin offering for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
Then the one perfect in Salvation conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Mercy instructed Salvation to call the daughter “No Mercy” for Mercy said “I will no longer have mercy on those who claim to overcome in Me but have instead rejected Me. Nor will I lift them up, or help them escape the fruit of their own wickedness.”  (Authors Paraphrase)
 
7 And on the (ve’et) house (beit) of Y’hudah (praised) I will have mercy (arachem) and save (ve’hoshatiym) them in the Lord (Ba’YHVH: Mercy) the Judge (Elohim: God), and will not save them (oshiyeim) by bow, (be’keshet) or sword (uvecherev), or battle (uvemilchamah), by horses (be’sosiym), or horsemen (uve’farashiym).”
 
This reference is first to the temporal salvation of Judah during the Assyrian Empire but does not negate the later exile of Judah due to her sin (Babylonian exile 586 BCE). It is also a prophetic allusion to the fact that salvation Himself (Yeshua, Yizre’el) will come through the line of David of the tribe of Judah. Therefore, “Not by might or by power but by My Spirit says the Lord Who goes warring.” (Zechariah 4:6)
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
“And upon the house of praise I will have mercy and save them in Mercy the Judge, and will not save them by the strength of temporal things.” (Authors Paraphrase)
 
8 When she (Gomer) had weaned Lo-ruchamah (no mercy, love, compassion, tenderness), she conceived and gave birth to a son. 9 And He (YHVH) said to him (Hosea), “Call, declare (kera) his name (shemo) Lo-amiy (not My people), because you are not My people, and I (ve’anochiy) have not existed (lo Ehyeh) to you (lachem).”
 
Once again this child is not attributed to the seed of Hosea and is likely the progeny of an adulterous relationship with another Israelite.
 
NB: “Ehyeh asher Eyeh” is “I AM that I AM”, “I Exist for I Exist”. Therefore, when the Hebrew text of Hosea records HaShem’s words as “lo Eyeh lachem” it translates literally as “I don’t exist to you” rather than the popular English mistranslation “I am not your God”.
 
YHVH has never ceased to be Israel’s God.
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
When the one perfect in Salvation had weaned no mercy, she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Mercy instructed Salvation to call the son “’Not my people’ because you are not My people, I don’t exist to you”.  (Authors Paraphrase)
 
I cannot emphasize enough the fact that God’s declaration “You are not My people” (Hosea 1:9) is not Him denying His people but an observation of their denial of Him. It is the inverse of the fact that the statement “He is our God” does not mean He belongs to us but that we belong to Him. The former is idolatry, the latter is, right relationship.
 
2:1 [1:10] And it will happen (ve’hayah) that the number (mispar)
of the children of Israel (beneiy Yisrael)
Will be like the sand (kechol) of the body of water (hayam),
Which cannot be measured (yimad) or counted, recorded (yisafeir);
And it will happen (ve’hayah) in the place (bimkum: the temple mount, hamakum)
Where it is said to them,
“Lo-amiy Not My people,”
It will be said to them,
“Beneiy El-Chay Children of the God of life.”
 
Almost as if in the same breath that issued the disappointment of God at the rejection shown Him by His people, He issues the promise born of His deep love for them.
 
In the first verse of the second chapter God immediately reverses the name and fate of His people Israel. Where He had said that He would put an end to her He now numbers her offspring as the sands of the waters. Where He had said “Not My people” He now says “Children of the God of Life!”
 
How is this possible? Through the seeded One (Yiz’re’el). Those who once chose to put an end to themselves through sin will repent and be numbered exponentially, and those who chose not to be called the people of God will repent and through the seeded One become Children of the God (Judge) of Life.
 
The God of Israel is God of Merciful Judgement. We know Him as Adonai (YHVH: Merciful) Elohim (Judge). His Mercy precedes His judgement. Put another way “Mercy triumphs over judgement”. (Yaakov [James] 2:13)
 
The rhythm of mercy, judgement, mercy fulfilled is the rhythm of all Scripture, the redemptive story of God and His creation.
 
In Israel’s sin we see our own sin and our desperate need to repent and be restored to right relationship with God. As Messiah followers we cannot afford to sit in judgement of Israel but must instead ask God to judge us and in sober self-examination, by His Spirit, allow Him to cleanse us of that which defiles Him in us (Imanu El) as our Groom, our Husband to be. We open ourselves to Him in the knowledge that “through one sacrifice Messiah has made perfect (Gomer) those who are being made holy (sanctification through discipline: Gomer in transition).” (Hebrews 10:14)
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
“And it will happen that the children of those who truly overcome in God will be as immeasurable as the sand of every body of water on earth. And it will happen that on the temple mount where I declared you ‘Not My people’ you will be declared ‘Children of the God of Life’”.  (Authors Paraphrase)

2:2 [1:11] And gathered (ve’nikbetzu) shall be the children (beneiy) of Y’hudah (praised) and the children (beneiy) of Israel (Yisra: overcome, El: God), they will be gathered together (yachdav), And they will appoint, ordain, permanently fix (vesamu) to themselves (lahem) a Head, First, Leader (Rosh) Who is One (Echad: a complex unity) and they will ascend (ve’alu) from the land (min-ha-aretz: Israel),
For (kiy) great (gadol) is the day (yom) of Yizre’el (the sowing of God).
 
Many of our modern commentators claim that this prophecy was never fulfilled, and in part they are right, but not in full. This prophecy began its fulfilment at the first coming of the King Messiah Yeshua (Whom, in the first century CE, tens of thousands of Jews/Israelis received and followed as the ordain Son of David and High Priest over all peoples), and will reach its fullness at the end of days when on His return we Jews (all the tribes of ethnic, religious, chosen Israel) will look upon the One Whom we have pierced and mourn in repentance, receiving Him as the means of our redemption and restoration to right relationship with El Elohay Yisrael (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:37).
 
“They will appoint to themselves a Head Who is One” means, “They will submit themselves to the authority of the Head Who is One”. “The Head Who is One” is God the Father and His King Messiah Imanu El (God with us) Yeshua, in the power of the unified Spirit of God. We need not make the false choice between this representing God or the King Messiah. God is One.
 
A local Chabad Rebbee says, “I’m okay with you believing Yeshua is the Messiah, but I am not okay with you believing Yeshua is a manifestation of God.” To which I respond, “If Yeshua is the Messiah, and we know that the Messiah will not lie concerning either Himself or the nature of God, then Yeshua is also God with us, for Yeshua says of Himself ‘I and the Father are Echad’, and when called ‘My Lord and My God’ by His disciple, Yeshua does not rebuke His disciple (T’oma) but says, ‘Because you have seen you have believed’. Therefore, if as you say, it is okay to believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, it is also okay to believe what Yeshua says of Himself. Thus, your statement both contradicts itself while also agreeing that Yeshua is Imanu (with us) El (God), according to the prophet Yishayahu (Isaiah)!”
 
“They will ascend from the land”. To date Israel has returned in part to our land physically speaking. However, because over 7 million Jews still live outside of the land of Israel it is not true to say that the prophecy in question has been fully filled as yet. Therefore, this is ultimately a reference to all the tribes of Israel ascending from their various allotments of land to celebrate HaShem in the later days at the redemption of our people through Yeshua our King Messiah. “Land” may also refer to the land of our exile [to sin] and correlate to Isaiah 11:16. Regardless, this speaks of the unity of our people in Messiah and the perpetual day called the Olam Haba (world to come) when God will manifestly dwell with us and us with Him forever. In one sense this day began before the creation of the world and again with the first coming of our King Messiah Yeshua.
 
See Ezekiel 37:15-28 for another prophecy regarding the reunification of Israel’s tribes under the reign of David (the Messiah) in the Olam Haba (world to come).
 
Allegorical Reading continued:
 
And the children of praise will be gathered and the children of those who truly overcome in God will also be gathered, the two gathered together in praise and overcoming, and they will appoint over, submit themselves to the Head Who is One, the King Messiah under God, and they will ascend from all parts of the land of Israel to go up to the LORD of Mercy, for great will be the day that brings to perfection all that the Judge of the Universe has seeded.  (Authors Paraphrase)
 
The first eleven verses of the book of Hosea reveal the whole of God’s redemptive purpose. These verses, which act as an overview to the remainder of the book, conclude with the goal. That being the appointment of the King Messiah and His rule over all Israel. This wonderful outcome made great through the seeding of Elohim (God and Judge).
 
The Mercy of God both precedes Judgement and is the result of it.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

“One person esteems one day over another while another judges every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes that day does so to the Lord. The one who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one who abstains, abstains to the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.”
–Romans 14:5-6 TLV
 
Introduction:
 
At this time of year the inevitable Christmas objectors rear their ugly heads. Being a Jewish Messiah follower and spiritual leader, and given my clear teaching in refutation of the “Pagan Christmas” lie, I usually receive a number of angry messages and or responses to posts on the subject. These messages are full of twentieth century evidence (not evidence at all), emotionalism and personal attacks and the majority of the reactionary messages are from pseudo learned so called “Messianic Gentiles”.
 
The Messianic movement has now been so heavily inundated with hyper-law keeping Gentiles that it no longer truly represents the Jewish followers of Yeshua. As Messiah following Jews we are appalled at the nonsense taught by many Messianic Gentiles and some Messianic Jewish leaders, who do not represent the freedom we have found in Yeshua but rather, are teaching as the laws of God, the doctrines of human beings, flesh born, unspiritual.
 
As a result of the demise of the genuine Jewish Messianic movement, our congregation now call ourselves “Messiah following” rather than “Messianic”. This is a decision made to clearly distinguish ourselves from the foolish teaching of so many.
 
I am bemused by the hypocrisy which has developed among hyper-law communities. I have heard them denounce the Talmud for being myth and conjecture, uninspired and full of made up stories and flawed theology, while they themselves teach as truth that which is not true. Christians have their Talmud, full of rapture theory, love languages, self-help, misinterpretation. So too do Hebrew roots groups, and Messianics, with their anti-birthday, anti-Christmas, everyone must keep Sabbath, we are the true called out Church nonsense.
 
How ironic that the Messianic anti-Christmas movement, which prides itself on living a faith that is connected to Hebrew roots and consistent with the Jewish Messiah Yeshua, has nonetheless taken its que for the denigration of Christmas from a gentile protestant.

The anti-Christmas movement essentially began in the eighteenth century CE, 1500 years after Christians began to celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. The anti-Catholic German protestant Paul Ernst Jablonski (1693-1757) attempted, through pseudo scholarly works (1743), to prove that December 25 was somehow pagan and therefore Christmas was a pagan celebration and Catholicism is heretical.

His facts were false and his conclusions error but his work tickled the ears of protestants and puritans (a subgroup), the majority of whom hated the Catholic Church. Thus, out of hatred for Catholicism, and not from Scripture, the “modern” anti-Christmas movement was born. It has ebbed and flowed through the last two centuries and has now found new proponents among the Messianic movement. Rather than actually looking to the Scripture, and Jewish roots of our Jewish faith, we have taken the word of a man who based his theories on false facts, a Gentile no less, and have concluded that it is Jewish to be anti-Christmas. Actually, it couldn’t be more goyish (Gentile).
 
The truth is that for the most part modern Jews could care less about Christmas because 13.7 million of us believe Jesus to be a false demi-god of a Gentile religion that has nothing to do with our faith. Therefore, as a people and a religion Jews have little interest in being anti-Christmas.
 
But, for the Messiah following Jews of the first century the celebration of the birth of Yeshua had everything to do with being Jewish and with the redemption of Israel (so not remotely pagan, in fact, the opposite).
 
Several years ago, one of the beautiful ironies at work to refute the now metastasised anti-Christmas sentiment, was that at least one of the most common objections to the celebration of Christmas (it shouldn’t be celebrated on a date when a pagan deity was worshipped), was made impotent by the date of the Jewish observance of Chanukah (Rededication), which began on Christmas day, the 25th of December 2017. In 2017 the lunar Calendar of Israel coincided with the Gregorian calendar so that the 25th of Kislev and the 25th of December (a so called pagan date) became the same day.
 
The primary reason that I continue to speak out against the demonizing of Christmas, is the demoralizing effect that anti-Christmas sentiment has had on the community of believers (Ecclesia). I come across this message of bondage far too frequently among the wandering masses of Christianity, who, disillusioned with the shallow nature of their own faith, seek depth at the feet of pseudo-learned lay people and worse, professed Messianic Jewish Rabbis, many of whom dine on a steady diet of conspiracy theory, YouTube Bible teaching and conjecture.
 
My hope is that the following article will equip you for the practise of freedom in Messiah. A key aspect of the faith that has been sadly neglected by the para-church swing back to bondage on the rebound from hyper-grace. It has become more and more clear that in recent times the gift of the Holy Spirit most lacking in the western Ecclesia (Church) is that of discernment.
 
I am consistently told by certain Messianic extremists that I should not celebrate Christmas, worship on Sundays, use the name “Jesus,” etc. Though it must be said they are entirely misinformed regarding Christmas and the use of the name Jesus and fail to understand that all days belong to God; the more poignant issue is this, that they are so busy telling others what they shouldn’t do, that they are unable to articulate the freedom, wonders and depth of faith found in a Messiah essential Messianic Jewish Tradition. What’s more, the same celebrate extra Biblical festivals and break numerous other commands of Torah on a daily basis and are therefore, the greatest of hypocrites.
 
When we define ourselves by what we are not, we are repeating the error of our forebears both Jewish and Christian. Those we seek as converts to our way of thinking are instantly disillusioned, in our zeal we turn them away from the beauty and traditions we might otherwise have positively offered them. Often our fierce words of rebuke are based on poor historical knowledge, misinterpretation of Scripture, inaccuracies and myth; passed on by lazy teachers and blinded guides.
 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” Mattitiyahu/Matthew 23:14-16
 
This is not who we are, it is who we were, before we met Messiah, but now, in Him, we are to be a light to the nations. It is time to stem the flow of darkness that is issuing from our mouths. We are, “A royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people belonging to G-d. That we might declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Kefa/Peter 2:9
 
If we continually define ourselves by what we are not, we will inevitably forget who we are.
 
Anti-Christmas Sentiment is Anti-Christ
 
It’s interesting to note that the list of Christmas objectors includes the Mormons, Jehovah’s witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Muslims, Conspiracy theorists, Hebrew roots groups, Messianic believers and atheists, among others.
 
“those who celebrate Christmas do not honor God or Christ, but honor pagan celebrations and pagan gods.” –The Watchtower Magazine (JW) Dec. 8 1988 (pg.19)
 
We must ask, why are cults and atheists some of the strongest opponents of Christmas? What is it that they share in common? There is one unifying answer, every pseudo Christian cult and atheist group agree on one thing, that Yeshua (Jesus) is not God with us (Imanu-El).
 
“Do not be deceived, evil communication (bad company) corrupts good character” -1 Corinthians 15:33 (The Bible)
 
The deity of Messiah is first revealed on earth in the Christmas narrative (Historical record: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7). His divine conception and His lineage are first illuminated in the Christmas accounts. To neglect the celebration and remembrance of the Christmas story is a means of cutting off the truth of Messiah’s divinity and His legitimate human lineage at its root, thus supporting the Satanic claims that Yeshua (Jesus) is just a man and at the same time does not qualify to be Israel’s Messiah. This is a direct attack on Messiah, the Christ, and is at its heart driven by a spirit of anti-Christ.
 
Refuting Common Objections to Christmas
 
First, let me repeat that generally speaking Jews do not object to Christians celebrating Christmas because for the most part Jews do not accept Jesus (Yeshua) as Messiah.
 
Therefore, from their perspective Christmas is simply the religious practice of the Gentile Western world.
 
So who are these people within the faith community who are objecting to the celebration of Christmas? They are for the most part, disillusioned Christians, who, with great pride, claim to be Messianic. They are not Jews but they are Judaizers and because of their devote observance of human rules, consider themselves more righteous than the so called, “Apostate Church” they claim to have separated themselves from. As a Jew I find this extremely offensive because they are not only misrepresenting the message of the Messiah but they are also pretending to observe Jewish practices and thus often appear to be representing the Jewish view. They do not represent the Jewish view, nor do they represent the Messianic Jewish view. They simply represent themselves and their own confused attempts to earn God.
 
A Response to Some of the Most Common Objections to Christmas
 
Some popular false claims regarding supposed Christmas syncretism with false gods:
​

Even if it were true that false deities were worshipped in similar ways to Yeshua prior to His birth, this does not detract from Yeshua Who is all existing and therefore pre-existed all these false deities (John 1:1). Nor does performing miracles equate false gods and holy men to Yeshua. The Bible teaches that the Anti-Messiah will perform miracles in an attempt to fool the elect (2 Thessalonians 2:9).
 
The misuse of something does not define its intended purpose! A counterfeit does not delegitimize the real thing.
 
Nor does it matter on which day Yeshua was born or if other deities were worshipped on that day. All days were created by God for His glory. Again, the misuse of a thing does not define its intended purpose!
 
1.Christmas is Pagan.
 
This generalisation is lazy and intellectually dishonest as well as being an oxymoron (self-contradicting).
 
In fact Christmas is the name of a Judeo-Christian celebration of the birth of Christ (Messiah). The name Christmas is a contraction made up of two words: Christ and mas.
 
Christ comes from the Greek Khristos and means anointed one, it was intended by the Jewish New Testament writers to convey the Hebrew title Mashiyach, which is often translated Messiah, both titles represent the anointed one of God, Who would be born into time and space to deliver His people Israel. So I guess you could say the first part of the name Christmas is pretty much Jewish.
 
Mass: the English term mass comes from the Anglo-Saxon word maesse, which came from the Latin missa, which is a form of the verb mittere, which means "to send." In Hebrew we would use the term neshlach—to send. Therefore the meaning of Christmas is, “Christ is sent,” or Mashiyach neshlach—Messiah is sent. In truth, the two concepts of anointing and sending are rooted deeply in Judaism and help make Christmas—in my opinion—as much a Jewish Holiday as Purim and Chanukah. So, is Christmas Pagan? Well, the name certainly isn’t.
 
Some say that the celebration of Christmas is part of a Satanic agenda. To the contrary, to be anti (Christmas) Christ being sent is more Satanic than all the so called pagan links to Christmas put together. If there is a Satanic (Pagan) agenda at work, it is the agenda that seeks to silence the celebrating of the birth of our Messiah: it’s literally an anti-Christ agenda.
 
I wish you a hearty, “Chag Sameach le’Mashiyach neshlach!” and a, “Chag Ha-molad Sameach!”
 
Christ = Messiah & mas (Sent)
Christmas = Messiah is Sent
 
2.The date of Christmas is a day on which pagan deities were worshipped. Therefore, Messianic believers shouldn’t celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December.
 
As clearly shown in my previous tables regarding the supposed correlation between false gods and Yeshua (Jesus), the majority of the proposed pagan deity connections to the 25th of December are false. In addition, we have the following:
 
The god Tammuz was celebrated in February, March, April, June and July. The “Wailing of Tammuz” was celebrated at the end of summer long before the winter solstice.
 
Saturnalia was celebrated from 17 – 23 December, not 25 December.
 
And then there’s the false claim that Christmas borrows from Natalis Sol Invictus (Birth of the Unconquerable Son) an addition to the Emperor cult syncretized from paganism.
 
Natalis Sol Invictus is celebrated on the 25th December (4th century), however…
 
While Aurelian made Sol Invictus an official religion in Rome in 274 CE, the December 25 connection to the religion is a later syncretism between Sol Invictus and Saturnalia that did not exist in the third century CE. The earliest reference to this pagan celebration on the 25th December is written by Macrobius Theodosius in the 4th century CE [j].
 
The Christian author Hippolytus of Rome (170-235 CE) writing prior to 235 CE suggested that Yeshua (Jesus) was born on December 25. [k] Therefore, according to the known historical record, the first Christian reference to a December 25th date for Messiah’s birth predates the pagan Sol Invictus celebration by over a hundred years. The only conclusion is that the Emperor of Rome borrowed from the Christian practice in order to syncretize the pagan practice, and not the other way around.
 
Put simply. Christians used the 25th of December prior to the Natalis Sol Invictus cult. Pagans adopted our date.
 
The logic of this objection is that any day used to worship a false god should not be used to worship the one true God. Nonsense! Prior to the giving of the Torah and the moedim (festivals) of HaShem at Sinai, Israel was under bondage in a land where the Sun deity Ra-Atum was worshipped every morning at dawn and every evening at sundown (365 days a year). Using the foolish logic of those who claim pagan deities defile days, every one of HaShem’s moedim (festivals) should not be celebrated because they fall on days when the pagan deity Ra-Atum was worshipped. Who made the days? On which of the days should the God of Israel not be worshipped? We are fools to argue over the keeping of days while worshiping the One Who is beyond days. The One Who formed each day for His glory.
 
In the midst of all the rhetoric and conspiracy allegations aimed at the Gentile Church fathers of the 2nd Century regarding the so called pagan date of the 25th of December. Few Christmas objectors have bothered to consider the fact that the authentic fathers of the Church were Jews who lived over 100 years before the first records indicating syncretism, and would have been eager to celebrate the birth of the Jewish Messiah on a regular basis in a Jewish way and for at least 100 years, free from Gentile interference.
 
In fact the Jews have an intrinsic connection to the date of the 25th of December. Every four years or so Chanukah coincides with the 25th of December. In fact, last year in 2017 the first day of Chanukah 25th of Kislev coincided with the 25th of December. Those who claim that pagan connections to this date make the day unsuitable must either denounce Chanukah (A festival Yeshua venerated) or simply admit that they are in grave error.
 
Given that we have no way of knowing when Messiah was born either from Biblical or Historical record, who’s to say that the 25th of December is the wrong date? We don’t know the date, therefore we contradict ourselves by saying that the 25th is the wrong date.

Consider this, the 25th of Kislev of the Biblical lunar calendar of Israel which begins Chanukah (A festival of light/dedication) coincides with the 25th of December  of the Gregorian Solar calendar on a regular cycle. Therefore, if we are bound by conjecture, as so many anti-Christmas proponents are, we may as well conjecture that it is equally likely that the date of Christmas was simply transitioned from one calendar to another and that early Messianic Jews celebrated the birth of Yeshua (The Light of the World Who rededicated Israel to God) during the festival of Chanukah. Which, as we know, is in the winter months and regularly coincides with Christmas.
 
3. Yeshua (Jesus) said, "Remember my death until I come", therefore, we should not celebrate Christmas.
 
The logic here is, that anything not explicitly commanded in Scripture should not be observed. This flawed logic makes a negative commandment out of a positive commandment. It is a self-defeating premise because Messiah’s death cannot be remembered without His birth into time and space.
 
Yeshua Himself observed Chanukah (John 10:22-41), a festival that is not commanded in Scripture.
 
If we pursue the foolish logic of this objection, we must also cease to celebrate Purim, Chanukah, the Torah cycle,  the resurrection, and the miracles of the Messiah. Therefore, if we fail to acknowledge the Messiah’s literal birth into the world we make His life and ministry redundant.
 
An instruction to remember something does not negate the remembrance of other things.
 
4.Christians and Messianics shouldn’t celebrate Messiah’s birth because birthday celebration is pagan.
 
Ancient Pagans celebrated weddings too, should we no longer celebrate weddings? The false Canaanite deity Shalem is said to have been worshipped on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (Yebus) thousands of years before Solomon’s Temple was built there.[l] Does this mean the Temple Mount is Pagan? By applying the logic that we should do nothing that pagans do, we must also cease drinking water, procreating, even breathing.
 
Did Joseph and Mary not celebrate the birth of Yeshua? They did, are they pagan? Did the Jewish shepherds of the Migdal Eder (Temple flock) not celebrate Yeshua’s birth? They did, are we to call them pagan? Were the gifts of the magi not celebratory? If they were considered pagan, why did Joseph and Mary allow them to be presented to Yeshua?
 
Some go so far as to suggest that Jews don’t celebrate birthdays. What nonsense, they have obviously spent little time around Jews. Furthermore, Jews have honoured and celebrated birthdays from ancient times. Within the Tanakh (OT) there are numerous examples of the births of children being celebrated. One of the ways the birth of Jewish children is celebrated both in the Scripture and in modern Jewish life is with the naming ceremony, called a Brit Milah for Jewish boys (circumcision), and held eight days after the birth. The births of children are honoured throughout Scripture by placing a God given name on the child and/or choosing a name that expressed the character attributes exhibited by the child through the pregnancy and in the birthing process (Gen. 25:24-26; ). Hence, Yeshua (YHVH Saves)! One of the most famous Messianic prophecies of Isaiah is in fact a birthday celebration song:
 
“For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given to us,
and the government will be upon His shoulder.
His Name will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor,
    Mighty God
    My Father of Eternity,
    Prince of Peace.
6 Of the increase of His government
    and shalom there will be no end--
on the throne of David and over His kingdom--
    to establish it and uphold it
    through justice and righteousness
    from now until forevermore.
The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot
    will accomplish this.”
-Isaiah 9:5-6
 
5.Yeshua (Jesus) wasn't born during the Christmas season, He was born during Sukkot (Festival of Booths).
 
No, there isn’t any conclusive way to determine the day or season of Messiah’s birth. We simply don’t have historical information that enables us to make an accurate assessment concerning the time of His birth. Those who presume to know are reliant on conjecture born from theological niceties and presumption. Am I saying Messiah was born on the 25th of December? Certainly not. Does it matter which day He was born? Given the lack of Biblical evidence citing exact dates and times for His birth I would hazard a guess that God doesn't want us to know the date or season of His Son’s birth. He probably has a very good reason for this. Learn to embrace the mystery of God, you don’t need to know everything, knowledge puffs up but love builds up.
 
With regard to the “Sukkot birth” claim, the census recorded in Luke 2:1-4 was the first of two, taken between 1 C.E. and 7 C.E. (It’s the latter of the two that is referred to in Acts 5:37). While Quirinius was not physically governing in Syria until 6 C.E., he was responsible for the oversight of its operations and defence under Varus, during Herod’s reign.
It’s important to remember that for the people of Israel, a census was considered an affront to God. The taking of a census denoted a lack of trust in God’s provision. This census therefore, was something they were forced to participate in under an oppressive Roman occupation. (See Exodus 30:12; 2 Samuel 24).
 
Beit-lechem (Bethlehem) is approximately 8 kilometres from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) and approximately 136 kilometres from Natzeret (Nazareth) in the Galil (Galilee).
Given that a majority of governors over the province of Philistia (Occupied Israel) were keen to avoid further uprisings and the causes for them, it is unlikely that a census would have been called during an Regalim (going up) festival of Israel (Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot). In addition, a Jew could not be both in his ancestral town and in Yerushalayim at the same time. While Beit-lechem was close to Yerushalayim, the majority of Israel’s outer communities were more than two days journey from Yerushalayim, where the Temple stood.  This is just one of many reasons why a Sukkot birth for Messiah is extremely unlikely. In fact all of the Regalim festivals fall into this category. Therefore, it is more likely that Yeshua was born in the winter months.
 
Some misuse the following verse, claiming it proves a Sukkot birth:
 
“Now in the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,” –Luke 1:26
 
There has been much needless conjecture relating to this text. Many who are desperate to claim a Sukkot birth for Messiah need to perform linguistic, contextual, chronological and cultural gymnastics—to name a few—in order to manipulate this date to fit their argument, something every good Bible student knows, is usually an indication that we’re headed in the wrong direction. It’s most likely that this “sixth month” refers to the time as counted from the conception of Yochanan (see verse 36), the problem with confirming the date this way is that we don’t know which of the two times of year that Aviyah’s (Zechariah’s clan) division was serving is intended by the narrative.
 
We’re not told at what point during the year that the 24 divisions began to serve but we can presume that they began in the seventh month, Tishrei, following the inauguration of Solomon’s temple. If this continued to be the practice and providing the beginning of their service was not initiated at the spiritual new year of Pesach or at the giving of the Torah during Shavuot (Which are also possibilities [even if this were the case the math still wouldn’t conclude a Sukkot birth]), then we would calculate that each of the 24 divisions would serve one week twice a year. If they performed their duties in order of selection, Aviyah’s (Zechariah’s clan) division would have performed its duties eighth, in the last week of Nisan and the last week of Cheshvan, with some anomalies caused by the lunar calendar this will have varied slightly. If we count from Nisan, the sixth month would be Tishrei. If this is the month of Messiah’s conception then He was born in the month of Sivan. If we count from Cheshvan we arrive at Iyar, which makes Messiah’s birth in the eleventh month of the Hebrew Calendar, Shevat. Neither date is even remotely close to Sukkot.

However, the sixth month could also refer to the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar Elul, which is the month prior to Tishrei, which again leaves us with Iyar as a possible birth date for Messiah.
 
Additionally because Luke is either a Greek proselyte or a Jew from the Greek Diaspora, he could also be referring to the sixth month of the Roman calendar. Regardless, any conclusion arrived at is pure conjecture. We have no definitive way of knowing when Yeshua was born.
 
Some say, “But He was born dwell with us, and John 1:14 says that He became flesh and sukkot (dwelt) in our midst.”
 
But the text of John 1:14 does not say that Messiah Sukkot with us, but that He Shakhan (from Mishkan) came as flesh, as a Tabernacle in our midst. Meaning, He was a human being Who was like the Tent of meeting (Mishkan) which once dwelt in the midst of Israel. Shakhan is the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek Skaynoo. Both are verbs and NOT proper nouns. Sukkot is a proper noun that is unrelated to the Hebrew Shakhan.
 
While it is true that Messiah dwells with us, it is not proof of the date or season of His birth. Messiah is also the Lamb of God, that doesn’t mean He was born at Passover. He is the substitutionary sacrifice for our sin, that doesn’t mean He was born during Yom Kippur.
 
6.The feasts of the Torah were specifically commanded by God but Christmas wasn’t. Therefore Christians and Messianics shouldn’t celebrate Christmas.
 
It’s true, Christmas was not commanded by God: neither were Purim or Chanukah, and yet Yeshua venerated Chanukah and used it as a teaching platform—John 10:22-36. Therefore, based on the foolish logic of this objection, Yeshua sinned because He celebrated a festival that wasn’t specifically commanded by God. Utter nonsense!
 
Some claim that Yeshua’s veneration of Chanukah is an exception because He is God with us, but Yeshua is not the exception, He is the Rule! He is the first-born among many brothers (Rom. 8:29). We are called to be like Him.
 
David was not commanded by God to dance half naked before the Ark of the Covenant—which carried the tablets of stone upon which God had engraved His word—as he brought it into Jerusalem with music and rejoicing. His wife Michal criticized him for His shameless celebrating and as a result the Scripture says that she remained barren until her death. If David danced semi naked in celebration before the written word of God as it entered Jerusalem, how much more should we celebrate with great joy the entry into our world of the living Word Yeshua our Messiah, born of a virgin, born to save us from sin. Though we know not the day, we celebrate Him gladly, lest we become like those who begrudge others their joy and seek to imprison people in the bondage of the past! The warning is clear, we must not become like Michal: perhaps she was physiologically unable to conceive after this event? On the other hand perhaps her husband simply no longer approached her to be sexually intimate with her? Or worse still—and most likely—she may have continued to harden her heart until she no longer wanted to be around David. This is the dangerous road we walk when we neglect grace and follow rules born of the foolish arguments of human beings. When we harden our hearts through jealousy and false religion we become isolated and alone. Like Michal we might find our spiritual womb barren, not because we can’t conceive but rather because we have refused our Husband, whose name is Freedom and in turn have failed to be inseminated by His grace. Don’t let the misconceived theories of the pseudo-learned mislead you.
 
7.Shepherds in Israel don't tend their sheep in winter, therefore, the shepherds of the Christmas story can't have been tending their flocks in winter. Thus, a December date for Messiah's birth cannot be correct.
 
In fact, Israel’s sheep are shepherded throughout the year including the winter months. Even more importantly, the shepherds of the Christmas story (approx. 3 C.E.) were no ordinary shepherds. It’s an historical fact that there was a tower in close proximity to Beit-lechem, called Eder (flock), around which were pastured the flocks destined for the Temple sacrifices. The group of shepherds in charge of these flocks held a position of great esteem in Israel and were led by a Priest whose role was to ensure the production of unblemished animals that would be offered at the Temple in nearby Yerushalayim. These sheep were needed year round for the Temple sacrifices. Therefore, a winter date for Messiah’s birth is quite possible.
 
8.Christmas trees are pagan.
 
Are they? It’s true that pagan cultures have venerated trees and worshipped tree deities. However, these were living trees growing outside the home. Furthermore, those that did bring trees into the home or communal space, didn’t use them in the same way that Christmas trees are used today. For example, the yule tide log of the Norse culture was burned in the fire. These pagan examples do not equate to the cutting down of a tree for symbolic use during Christmas celebrations.
 
Some decontextualize and mis-quote the following scripture from Jeremiah:
 
How the Christmas tree objectors read it based on their presupposition:
 
“3 For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. 4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over. 5 Such idols are  like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”
 
What the full text actually says:
“3 For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. 4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over. 5 Such idols are  like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”
 
It is not speaking of anything remotely similar to Christmas trees. It is speaking of idols carved from trees and representing false gods.
 
But I ask, “Who came first? The tree or the pagan?” The tree of course. God commands us not to worship objects of creation, he doesn’t tell us not to use them as reminders of Him, in fact God Himself commands the manufacture of Cherubim for the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18), and these were symbols of His protection, not to be worshipped but to give a visual understanding to His worshippers. Are trees good or evil? They are neither. Once again, if the use of a thing by pagans makes it sinful then we should also discontinue using oxygen—this might be a good idea for some. I repeat, the misuse of a thing does not define it!
 
Conclusion
 
So we see that for many and varied illegitimate reasons, a number of modern Christians (Hebrew Roots movement) and Messianics (a term that is now so loosely applied that it is unable to identify any one group), have decided not to celebrate Christ-mas (Messiah is sent).
 
This on its own would be of little consequence if they simply chose to celebrate His birth at another time, however in the aftermath of the establishment of this foolish pseudo-learned doctrinal decision, they have ceased celebrating the birth of our Messiah altogether. Like the Separatists of the late 18th &19th  centuries, they have become so convinced of their own separation from the Ecclesia [Community of faith] (Viewing themselves as the so called “called out” pure Church/Bride), that they have, in seeking purity through their own actions, become subject again to bondage; forgetting that in Messiah we are not keepers of the Torah but rather we are kept by the Living Torah, Ha-d’var Emet (The Word of Truth) Yeshua, Who, if not for His birth into time and space, could not have been crucified and resurrected, thus leaving us without hope. Therefore, let us celebrate His birth, which illuminates His purpose in being sent, that we might also hope in the future glory purchased for us through His death and resurrection.
 
This year our congregation will once again delight ourselves in remembering the birth of our Messiah Yeshua, each one practicing the Biblical remembrance of Christmas (Messiah is sent) utilizing the symbolism and positive traditions that affirm their own convictions regarding this celebration. We are reminded that every Shabbat we light the candles of Sh’mor (Observance) and Zakhor (Remembrance), therefore we observe the holy day, remembering that Yeshua was born for the purpose of our Salvation (Yeshua). We remember what God has done, what He is doing and what He has promised to do, in Messiah, The Hope of Glory.
 
“One person esteems one day over another while another judges every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes that day does so to the Lord. The one who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one who abstains, abstains to the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.”
–Romans 14:5-6 TLV
 
As I’ve said before, we are fools to argue over the keeping of days while worshiping the One Who is beyond days. The One Who formed each day for His glory.
 
An Afterthought
 
All our Jewish celebrations and festivals fall into one of two categories. Either they celebrate God’s provision for us or they commemorate His delivering us from our enemies. Christmas is the celebration of God’s greatest provision and the commemoration of the beginning of our eternal deliverance. Thus it qualifies as one of the most important Jewish celebrations of all time.
 
If it were possible to be dull in the Olam Haba (World to come), I’m inclined to believe that those who argue against the celebration of Christmas will be wandering around the new Jerusalem debating whether we should celebrate Messiah’s return. After all, it’s not commanded in the Torah. Wake up sleeper!
 
Sources:
 
[a.] Vermaseren, M. J. (1951). "The miraculous Birth of Mithras". In Gerevich, László (ed.). Studia Archaeologica. Brill. pp. 93–109. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
 
[b.] https://www.ancient.eu/Mithra/
 
[c.] Ulansey, David (1991). The origins of the Mithraic mysteries. p. 6. ISBN 9780195067880.
 
[d.]https://www.ancient.eu/Horus/#:~:text=The%20elder%20Horus%20is%20one,the%20creation%20of%20the%20world.&text=In%20another%20version%20of%20the,wife%2C%20and%20daughter%20of%20Horus.
New York Folklore Society (1973). "New York folklore quarterly". 29. Cornell University Press. p. 294.
 Ian Shaw (2003). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-815034-3.
Piotr O. Scholz (2001). Eunuchs and castrati: a cultural history. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-55876-201-5.
Roy G. Willis (1993). World Mythology. Macmillan. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-8050-2701-3.
 
[e.] https://www.ancient.eu/Horus/
 
[f.] https://strangenotions.com/horus-manure/
 
[g.]https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/dionysus/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20origin%20given,his%20true%20form%20to%20her.&text=A%20few%20months%20later%2C%20Dionysus%20was%20born%20from%20Zeus's%20thigh.
 
[h.] https://www.greekboston.com/culture/mythology/dionysus/
 
[i.] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dionysus
 
[j.] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ambrosius-Theodosius-Macrobius
 
[k.] https://www.circeinstitute.org/blog/december-25th-day-christ-was-born-8-arguments
 
[l.] https://www.biu.ac.il/JS/rennert/history_2.html
 
NB: In combination with this article, please also consider the articles I’ve written on Luke chapters 1 and 2, and the previous articles I’ve written regarding Christmas:
 
Christmas: An Open Letter to the Haters
http://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/christmas-an-open-letter-to-the-haters
 
This Jew Boy will be Celebrating Christmas on the 25th of December
http://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/this-jew-boy-will-be-celebrating-christmas-on-the-25th-of-december
 
Isaiah 9: For unto us a Child is Born
http://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/isaiah-91-2-6-7-for-unto-us-a-boy-is-born
 
Luke 1:1-38: Choosing Between Disbelief and Wonder
http://bethmelekh.weebly.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/luke-11-38-choosing-between-disbelief-wonder
 
Luke 1:39-80: From Generation to Generation
http://bethmelekh.weebly.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/luke-139-80-ldor-vdor-from-generation-to-generation
 
Luke 2:1-24: G-d’s Plan is not World Peace, it is Peace for the World
http://bethmelekh.weebly.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/luke-21-24-g-ds-plan-is-not-world-peace-its-peace-for-the-world
 
Luke 2:25-52: Hearing About Grace and Favour
http://bethmelekh.weebly.com/yaakovs-blog---14991514148914971493-15131500-1497150615111489/luke-225-52-hearing-about-grace-favour
 
© Yaakov Brown 2020

​The Gospels’ of Matthew and Mark mention that Yeshua would appear to the talmidim (disciples) in the Galilee following His resurrection (Mt. 28:7, 10, Mk. 16:7).
 
Matthew records one such appearance (Mt. 28:16-20), which occurs after the appearance recorded in the present chapter of Yochanan’s Gospel.
 
1After these things Yeshua[H] revealed (phaneroo[G]) Himself again to the talmidim[H] (disciples) at the Sea (yam[H]) of Tiberias[G] (from the Tiber [a river god], named for the Roman Emperor Tiberias), and He revealed (phaneroo[G]) Himself in this way: 2 Shimon[H] (Hears) K’fa[H] (Peter: rock), T’oma[H] (twin) who was called Didymus[G] (twofold), Netan’el[H]   (Gift of God/The Judge, [Bar Tulmay: Covenant son of paths]) of Kana[H] (reed) in Galiyl[H] (Galilee, circuit) the sons of Zavdiy[H] (Zebedee, “My Bride Price” from zeved: dowry, endowment, gift [Yaakov/James & Yochanan/John]) and two others of His talmidim[H] (disciples) were together.
 
“After these things” refers to the resurrection of the Messiah, His appearance to Miriyam (Mary of Magdala), and His two appearances to His disciples. There is no way to determine exactly how long after these events the present appearance takes place. We know that Yeshua continued to appear to the disciples (wider group of followers) for forty days [Acts 1:3] following His resurrection and ascended to the heavens ten days prior to Shavuot (Pentecost) and the outpouring of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) [Acts 2].
 
“Were together”, in expectation of seeing Yeshua again according to the message relayed by Miriyam Magdala and the other Miriyam,“Tell my brothers to go to the Galilee and there they will see Me.” (Matthew 28:7, 10). It is likely that they were in a familiar place, like the shore near K’far Nachum (Capernaum: Village of Comfort) where K’fa (Peter) lived. The present events took place over two days, the disciples decided to fish through the night (v.3).
 
“the sons of Zavdiy[H]” are perhaps mentioned in order to bring the wider Gospel narrative in full circle (Mark 1:19-20). The meaning of their father’s name denotes prophetic foreknowledge of the One Who would pay the “Bride price” for His Bride.
 
“two others of His talmidim[H]” These are thought to be Andrew and Philip; which is very likely, since they were both of Beit Tzaida (Bethsaida: House of hunting/fishing)[John 1:44], a city in the Galilee region not far from Yam Kinneret (lake Galilee).
 
One year during my childhood (aged 10 years old) my Sabba (Grandfather) arranged to have the younger children in our community gather at the beach on yom sheniy (Monday) following Pesach (Passover). Earlier that same morning he took my brothers and I out in a small boat approximately 100 meters from shore where we waited with freshly caught fish on ice in a cooler. My Sabba had arranged for two women from our community to bring the young children and pre-teens to the beach to read the account of John 21. At a certain time, as the account was read to the youths, they looked up to see us returning to shore in my Sabba’s boat, it was my job to play K’fa (Peter), I dove over the side of the boat and rushed into shore to the excited cheers of the other young boys and girls of our youth group.
In hind sight I was the best choice for K’fa (Peter), excitable and brash at times, my far more gracious brother David Ben Yehoshua (Philip), suited the role of Yochanan the contemplator and my youngest brother Israel Ben Yehoshua (Stephen) at the age of three or four years was probably busy trying to catch more fish off the back of the boat with no bait on his hook.
 
Once the boat came ashore we unloaded the fish and made a coal fire on the beach to cook the fish over and share among the youth group. A wonderful kinetic memory attached to the history of our Messianic brothers, the first to believe.
 
3 Shimon[H] (Hears) K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They said to him, “We’re also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat immediately; and that night (nux[G], specifically midnight) they caught nothing. 4 But when the dawn (proia[G]) was now come (ginomai[G]), Yeshua[H] stood on the shore; yet the talmidim[H] (disciples) did not see, perceive (eido[G]) that it was Yeshua[H].
 
“I’m going fishing.” They said to him, “We’re also coming with you.” Our Jewish sages say that fishing is one of ten traditions that Joshua delivered to the children of Israel when he divided up the land to apportion it to each tribe as God had commanded:
 
"that any man should be free to catch fish in the waters (or sea) of Tiberias; and he might fish with an hook only; but he might not spread a net, or place a ship there, except the children of the tribe to whom that sea belonged in their division.''-Maimonides. Hilch. Nezike Maramon, c. 5. sect. 3. Vid. Talmud Bavliy Bava Kama, fol. 81. 1.
 
"in a place of running water no clean fish goes along with unclean fish, and lo, the sea of Tiberias is as running waters". -T. Hieros. Avoda Zara, fol. 42. 1.
 
Sadly, some commentators, both Christian and Messianic in their revisionist need to impugn the character of the disciples rather than honour the integrity of these called out ones, say that by returning to fishing “Peter was going back to his old way of life having failed to understand the commission of Jesus (John 20:21)”. Utter nonsense! Peter and the six other disciples with him needed to eat, they knew how to fish, so they fished for food. It’s not rocket science. Furthermore, if we are to read anything into the fishing practice of the post resurrection lives of the disciples, it should be that the disciples continued to fish because it was a physical reminder to them of their new spiritual role as fishers of humanity, a fulfilment of Israel’s role as “a light to the nations” (Mt. 4:19).
 
The same aforementioned commentators claim that the disciples caught nothing because they were fishing of their own strength. What garbage. It is far more likely that they caught nothing so that they would recognise the repeated miracle of Yeshua (Luke 5:3-7) and understand that it was truly the resurrected Messiah who was speaking to them from the shore. If commentators wish to impugn the character of the historical men and women of the Scriptures, let them do so with discernment and sober judgement or let them beware.
 
The standard English translation “yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus” only partially conveys the meaning of the text. The Greek “eido” means “to see”, both literal and cognitive sight is denoted, which adds an important dimension to the contextual meaning. They did “see (the man on the shore)” Yeshua but they did not “see (recognise)” Him.
 
5 So Yeshua[H] said to them, “Little children, infants (paidion[G]), you don’t have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 
 
“Yeshua[H] said to them, “Little children, infants (paidion[G]), you don’t have any fish to eat, do you?” In today’s society Yeshua’s words might be considered patronizing or even demeaning, unless spoken perhaps by a beloved father to a mature son. The language is intimate from the outset. Yeshua does not say, “Hey you out there” or “Hey, chaverim (friends)” or even “Shalom achim (brothers)”. But “little children, you don’t have any fish do you?” Perhaps their hearts began to stir as they heard these words, perhaps they recalled a previous mashal (parable) “If a son asks his father… for a fish will he give him a snake? (Mt. 7:69-11; Luke 11:11).
 
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will discover (heurisko[G]).” So they cast, and then they were not able to pull it in because of the multitude of fish.
 
“Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will discover (heurisko[G]).” Discover what? Fish yes, but more than that, the Creator of fish, the resurrected King Messiah.
 
“and then they were not able to pull it in because of the multitude of fish.” This had happened before by the command of Yeshua (Luke 5:5).
 
7 Therefore that talmid (disciple) whom Yeshua[H] loved completely (agapao[G]) said to K’fa[H] (Peter: rock), “It is the Lord (ho Kurios[G], Ha-Adon[H])!” So when Shimon[H] (Hears) K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) heard that it was the Lord (ho Kurios[G], Ha-Adon[H]), he put on his outer garment (for he was naked [gumnos[G]]), and without a second thought threw (ballo[G]) himself into the sea (yam[H]).
 
Up to this point in His gospel Yochanan (John) the author has called himself “the disciple whom Yeshua loved as a dear friend (phileo[G])”, now he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Yeshua loved completely (agapao[G])”. This doesn’t mean that Yeshua’s love for John has changed but that John’s understanding of Yeshua’s love for him has changed. We note that it is the beloved disciple who first recognises Yeshua.
 
It is Yochanan who first speaks the words “It is the Lord”, and Peter who abandons everything and dives into the water. The dynamic duo of revelation and participation. What a mighty example of brothers in unity focused on the King Messiah Yeshua to the glory of God. Remember, in the pre-Greco-Roman Hebrew world there was no word for theology, there was faith and action made echad (one) alone. Yeshua came to cause us to return to true faith and to reconcile us to God through His blood, placed on the heavenly altar for the remission of our sin.
 
8 But the other talmidim[H] (disciples) came in the little boat, for they were not far from the shore, but about 90 meters away, dragging the net of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a coal (anthrakia[G]) fire made and fish[plural] (daggim[H]) placed on it, and bread (lechem[H]).
 
There is a beautiful prophetic allegory in the disciples’ dragging of the multitude of fish. These were those who would bring the Gospel of Yeshua to the people of Israel and subsequently to the nations, being the light to the nations that Israel had been called to be, and the fishers of human beings that Yeshua had called them to be. Here they were dragging a net so full of fish it could not be brought into the boat but instead required several men to drag it to shore. A promise of the salvation to come.
 
10 Yeshua[H] said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just now caught.” 11 So Shimon[H] (Hears) K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish (daggim gedoliym[H]), 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
 
Peter doesn’t just bring “some of the fish”, he drags the entire net (probably with the help of the other disciples). This is a testimony to Peter’s character and the fact that he always sought to go above and beyond what was asked of him. It is perhaps also a prophetic testimony of his role in leadership among the early fathers of the body of faith.
 
The fish were large as opposed to some of the smaller varieties found in the lake. This signifies the abundant goodness of God to His faithful children.
 
The number “153” is significant but cannot be interpreted with certainty. It is unwise as some do, to use gematria (numerology) to determine the meaning of this number because there are many Hebrew words that when calculated have the sum 153. Nor is it tenable to conjecture metaphorical, scientific or mathematic meaning as some of the Gentile Church fathers of later centuries C.E. have. The reality is that we know only this for certain, it was a lot of big fish and it was a miracle that the net didn’t break.
 
12 Yeshua[H] said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” None of the talmidim[H] (disciples) dared (tolmao[G]) to ask Him, “Who are You?” seeing, perceiving (eido[G]) that it was the Lord.13  Yeshua[H] came and took the bread (ha-lechem[H]) and gave it to them, and the fish also.
 
This text tells us at least two things plainly. There was something significantly different about Yeshua’s resurrected body and appearance that caused the disciples to be confused in the certain knowledge that it was Yeshua, or perhaps they were still trying to get their heads around the fact that Yeshua was resurrected and remained on earth, in the Land (Israel) with them. Second, they were certain that it was Yeshua and therefore didn’t dear to entertain the idea that it wasn’t by asking Him Who He was.
 
Just as He had eaten with them at His first appearance to them corporately, so to here He passes around the food and (though the text does not state it explicitly) likely joined them in eating the fish and bread, just as He had eaten the fish at His previous appearance to them (Luke 24:42-43).
 
For each of us who follow Yeshua the same words are said to us each morning, “Come have breakfast…”
 
14 This was now the third time that Yeshua[H] revealed Himself to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
 
Yeshua’s first two appearances to the disciples are recorded in John 20.
 
Yeshua reconciles Peter in Love (Verses 15-17):
 
The three questions of love convey Yeshua’s forgiveness concerning the threefold denial of Peter (John 18:17, 25-27). 
 
15 Now when they had finished breakfast, Yeshua[H] said to Shimon[H] (Hears) K’fa[H] (Peter: rock), “Shimon[H] (Hears), of Yonah[H] (dove), do you love Me completely (agapao[G]) more than these?” He (Peter) said to Him (Yeshua), “Yes, Lord (ken Adon[H]); You see, perceive (eido[G]) that I love you as a dear friend (phileo[G]).” He (Yeshua) said to him (Peter), “feed (bosko[G]) My little lambs (arnion[G]).”
 
Yeshua knew the answer to the question before He asked it of Peter. The question was for Peter’s sake. Peter was yet to understand the fullness of love that he would come to have for Yeshua. Therefore, Yeshua was proving Peter for his good, so that Peter might mature in love.
 
Yeshua asks, “do you love Me completely (agapao[G]) more than these?” In order for Peter to lead the leaders of the redeemed community He must first be certain of his complete love for Yeshua (God with us), acknowledging Yeshua above all others, even his best friend John and the other dear disciples whom he has suffered with in spiritual brotherhood.
 
Peter does not respond by saying “I love you completely (agapao)” but with the words, “You see that I love You as a dear friend (phileo).” Yeshua is helping Peter to understand that his responses to Yeshua show a need for growth in his love for Yeshua because it is Yeshua’s intention to assign Peter the role of leader of the full variety of sheep among the children of Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical, chosen) who are coming to faith, and over the sheep that are not of the sheepfold of Israel (Gentile believers are not Jews, spiritual Jews or otherwise, but are chosen uniquely according to their own identities to be members of the commonwealth of Israel, and to share in the promises of God. Share, not appropriate) whom Yeshua knew in advance (John 10:16). It will be Peter’s role to direct the growth and discipleship of the believers and therefore, requires him to submit more fully to the Yeshua in complete love (agapao).
 
“feed (bosko[G]) My little lambs (arnion[G]).” In short, literally “feed the children who belong to Me”, and spiritually, “feed the new believers”. The first conclusion denotes “feeding” with God’s Word (Scripture, and Yeshua’s Living Word) for the “new believers” lambs.
 
16 He (Yeshua) said to him (Peter) again, a second time, “Shimon[H] (Hears), of Yonah[H] (dove), do you love Me completely (agapao[G])?” He (Peter) said to Him (Yeshua), “Yes, Lord (ken Adon[H]); You see, perceive (eido[G]) that I love you as a dear friend (phileo[G]).” He (Yeshua)  said to him (Peter), “Shepherd (poimaino[G]) My mature sheep (probation[G]).”
 
Yeshua asks a second time, “do you love Me completely (agapao[G])?” Peter responds as before saying, “You see that I love You as a dear friend (phileo).” This indicates that Peter is at this point more concerned with being emphatic about his genuine love for Yeshua than he is in trying to understand why Yeshua is using specific terminology or teaching Peter in living mashal (parable).
 
Yeshua says, “Shepherd (poimaino[G]) My mature sheep (probation[G]).” Formerly Yeshua had asked Peter to “feed” His lambs, a role that could be performed by a friend or employee. Now Yeshua asks Peter to become a Shepherd of His mature sheep, a role that would be trusted only to a member of the family. The Good Shepherd (Yeshua) is asking one of the sheep to become a shepherd in His (Yeshua’s) Name.
 
17 He (Yeshua) said to him (Peter) the third time, “Shimon[H] (Hears), of Yonah[H] (dove), do you love Me as a dear friend (phileo[G])?” K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) was sorrowful, grief stricken (lupeo[G]) because He (Yeshua) had said to him (Peter) the third time, “Do you love Me as a dear friend (phileo[G])?” And he (Peter) said to Him, “My Lord (Adoniy[H]), You see, perceive (eido[G]) all things; You know (ginosko[G]) that I love You as a dear friend (phileo[G]).” Yeshua[H] said to him, “feed (bosko[G]) My mature sheep (probation[G]), [Aramaic alt. r’iy liy n’kavatiy[A] {shepherd my ewes[fem.]}]’.
 
In His third question Yeshua is recorded as changing the word He uses for love to phileo (friendship). He says, “do you love Me as a dear friend (phileo[G])?” This is in response to Peter’s insistence and repeated use of the word for the love of friendship (phileo). It is as if Yeshua is providing Peter with the opportunity to see that true friendship will require sacrifice, which is the evidence of complete love (agapao).
 
“K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) was sorrowful, grief stricken (lupeo[G]) because He (Yeshua) had said to him (Peter) the third time, “Do you love Me as a dear friend (phileo[G])?” We must be careful here to understand that the first two times Yeshua had asked Peter if “completely loved” (agapao) Him, but this time He asked if Peter “loved” Him “as a friend” (phileo).
 
Peter notices the change in language and the challenge to his professed love of friendship and is sorrowful, not because he believes Yeshua doubts his love but because he realises that Yeshua is showing him that his failure to be a true friend by acknowledging his support for Yeshua when he was asked of his affiliation during the pre-trial (John 18:17, 25-27) requires repentance. Peter’s sorrow is repentant sorrow.
 
Therefore, in repentance Peter says, “You see, perceive (eido[G]) all things; You know (ginosko[G]) that I love You as a dear friend (phileo[G]).” Meaning:
 
“I know Who You are and that you not only see (eido) but also know (ginosko) all things including what is in my heart. You know that I want to go on from here exhibiting the love of a true friend toward you. I get that I have no right to expect Your trust having let you down so severely. I love You.”
 
To which Yeshua responds:
 
“feed (bosko[G]) My mature sheep (probation[G]), [Aramaic alt. r’iy liy n’kavatiy[A] {shepherd my ewes[fem.]}]’. In short:
 
“I trust you with My flock, that’s how truly forgiven you are My dear friend.”
 
“Feed My mature sheep” denotes the need to continue to feed the Word (Scripture and Living) to those who mature in the faith so as to keep them from falling away. Maturity is as susceptible, if not more so, to the temptation of sin, and the Word (food) of God is a guardian against the lies of the evil one.
 
The Aramaic text uses the feminine “ewe” and means that the entire discussion sums up all members of the flock (community), children, men, and women. In other words, “feed My children, shepherd My men, feed My women,”
 
“A human being does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” -D’varim (Deuteronomy) 8:3 [Matthew 4:4]
 
18 Amen[H] [G]Amen[H] [G] (B’emet[H], B’emet[H]), In truth, In truth, It’s certain, it’s certain I tell you, when you were young (neos, neoteros[G]), you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old (gerasko[G]), you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Now He (Yeshua) said this, indicating by what kind of death he (Peter) would glorify God (Elohiym[H]). And when He (Yeshua) had said this, He (Yeshua) said to him (Peter), “Follow, join, attend to (akoloutheo[G]) Me!”
 
Early Church tradition says that Roman authorities sentenced Peter to death by crucifixion “with arms outstretched” at the time of the Great Fire of Rome in the year 64 CE. In accordance with the Apocryphal Acts of Peter (200 CE), he was crucified head down.
 
Church history confirms Peter’s crucifixion at the hands of Rome (Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 1. 2. C 25.)
 
20 K’fa[H] (Peter: rock) turned around and saw the talmid (disciple) whom Yeshua[H] loved completely (agapao[G]) following—the one who also had leaned back on His (Yeshua’s) chest at the sacred meal (deipnon[G], Pesach Seder[H], Passover meal) and said, “My Lord (Adoniy[H]), who is the one who is betraying You?” 21 So K’fa[H] (Peter: rock), upon seeing him (the beloved disciple John), said to Yeshua[H], “My Lord (Adoniy[H]), and what about this man?”
 
Peters concern for John was not the disgruntled complaint of a petulant child, as some foolish commentators suggest. Rather it was genuine concern for John’s inclusion in the work of leading Yeshua’s flock, and an interest in what type of sacrificial death he too would die.
 
The context and explicit speech of Mark 10:38-39 indicates that both Yaakov (James) and Yochanan (John, the author of this Gospel) will drink the cup of sacrificial death that Yeshua was to drink. Church tradition says that John died in Ephesus (Polycrates, St Irenaeus).
 
We must remember that Peter is in a post repentant state when he shows concern for John, he is still cherishing the emotional and spiritual relief of receiving Yeshua’s forgiveness and the role of shepherd.
 
22 Yeshua[H] said to him (Peter), “If I want him (John) to remain until I come, what is that to you? You join, attend to (akoloutheo[G]) Me!” 23 Therefore this account went out among the brothers, that that talmid[H] (disciple: John) would not die; yet Yeshua[H] did not say to him (Peter) that he (John) would not die, but, “If I want him (John) to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
 
Yeshua reminds Peter that He had asked him “Do you love me completely, more than these?” It was kind of Peter to be concerned for John but it was not what was needed. Yeshua admonishes Peter to “Follow Me”. What is important is what Yeshua wants, and not what Peter wants.
 
Verses 23 through 25 appear to be the work of someone close to John who completed the manuscript following John’s death.
 
24 This is the talmid[H] (disciple) who is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is absolutely true (alethes[G], emet[H]).  25 But there are also many other things which Yeshua[H] did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
 
This last verse indicates that someone other than John recorded the last few words of John’s Gospel just as Joshua had completed the Torah following the death of Moses. Alternatively, John is simply adjusting his style of writing to include the early believers as corporate participants in the passing on of his Gospel.
 
Once again emphasis is placed on the fact that this is a first-hand account of events from the mouth of the beloved disciple John. Reliable eyewitness testimony from a trustworthy witness. Historical fact.
 
The purpose of this Gospel is to reveal Yeshua as the all existing promised Messiah and Redeemer of Israel, the Author and goal of the Torah, the Lamb of God, and the Creator of the Universe present with us (Imanu-El).
 
Yochanan, the author has included only those things which are relevant to his message and thus has left out untold events of Yeshua’s life, some of which are alluded to in the other Gospels but many of which remain unrecorded.
 
It is not mere hyperbole for the author to say “there are also many other things which Yeshua[H] did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” When the Master of the Universe enters time and space for the purpose of redeeming humanity, His life and actions, His death and resurrection transcend the limits of this world so that the present fallen world is quite literally incapable of containing all that could be written about Him.
 
Copyright 2020 Yaakov Brown