Introduction

Yeshua (Jesus) said:

"Go therefore and make talmidim (disciples) of all the nations, immersing (baptizing) them in the name of the Av (Father) and of the Ben (Son) and of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit), teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." –Mattitiyahu/Matthew 28:19, 20

Therefore the rite of Mikvah/Immersion/Baptism is practised in obedience to Yeshua’s instruction, as a testimony to both the believer and to others.

It is a rite of Hebrew origin that signifies an admission of sin and t’shuvah, repentance—returning or turning—toward G-d. This immersion process involves the complete Kippot (covering) of the candidate as a symbol of all-encompassing cleansing from sin and the sanctification/purification of the body, mind and soul.

In Messianic Judaism there are three key, distinct examples of immersion in a ritual sense. These forms of immersion are known as entering the mikvah (pool of immersion). These three forms of immersion become echad (one) in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). They are:

1.       Redemption/T’shuvah (Returning)

2.       Priesthood/Kohanim (Priesthood)

3.       Sanctification/Eytzer (Comfort)

These three central mikvot (immersions) are seen in both ancient Israel and in the first century C.E. during the earthly ministry of our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

Immersion of Ancient Israel

1.       Israel are redeemed through the blood of the Lamb (The Father offers His firstborn) and is immersed through the parting of the Red sea.

Exodus 12:23New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
A Memorial of Redemption 23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you.

Exodus 14:21-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord [l]swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided. 22 The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

2.       Ritual cleansing with water is given to the priesthood (The Son) of Israel at Sinai along with the Torah (Written word of G-d)

Exodus 29:4New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
4 Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

3.       Israel is sanctified by fire (The Holy Spirit) at the mountain of Sinai and comforted by the promise of a future redeemer and the land of promise.

Exodus 24:17New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.

Immersion of the Ministry of Messiah

1.       Yochanan (John) the immerser taught an immersion of confession and returning

Acts 19:2-4 
 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit).” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you immersed (baptized)?” And they said, “Into Yochanan’s (John’s) immersion (baptism).” 4 Paul/Shaul said, “Yochanan (John) immersed (baptized) with the immersion (baptism) of shuvah (returning, repentance, confession), telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Yeshua (Jesus).”

2.       Yeshua provided an immersion of redemption through His death and resurrection. In addition, as our High priest He makes it possible for all believers to receive a priestly immersion.

Romans 6:3-4 
 3 Don’t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. 

1 Peter 2:9                                                                                                         
But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,” so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;

3.       The Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) is given to immerse us and sanctify our actions. We’re given the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) as a deposit and assurance of our redemption and eternal security. He also comforts and guides us. He is G-d the helper to every believer. Therefore, by His work in us we have been redeemed and are being sanctified.

Mark 1:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Ephesians 1:13-14New American Standard Bible (NASB) 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in [c]Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

John 14:26New American Standard Bible (NASB) 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

These three immersions also represent the persons of the unity of G-d:

1.       The Father offers chesed (grace and mercy) to the repentant (returning) person who willingly confesses his or her sin

2.       The Son, Yeshua offers redemption through His blood, and He offers priesthood to all believers as a result of His High priesthood

3.       The Spirit, Ruach Ha-Kodesh offers us the strength and comfort so that we can live as new creations: having been (past tense) redeemed, we are (present continuous tense) being sanctified, made holy.

All three immersions are unified in Messiah Yeshua:

1.       Yeshua’s sacrificial death makes way for returning to G-d and redeems the repentant person

2.       Yeshua’s resurrection gives life to a new priesthood and the promise of eternal life to all believers

3.       Yeshua’s comfort and strength is poured out upon as when, having returned to The Father G-d, He and the Father send the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) as our helper, comforter and strength, as we journey toward the completion of all things

Romans 6:1-11 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

“6:1 So then, are we to say, “Let’s keep on sinning, so that there can be more grace”? 2 Heaven forbid! How can we, who have died to sin, still live in it?3 Don’t you know that those of us who have been immersed into the Messiah Yeshua have been immersed into his death? 4 Through immersion into his death we were buried with him; so that just as, through the glory of the Father, the Messiah was raised from the dead, likewise we too might live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was put to death on the execution-stake with him, so that the entire body of our sinful propensities might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For someone who has died has been cleared from sin. 8 Now since we died with the Messiah, we trust that we will also live with him. 9 We know that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death has no authority over him.10 For his death was a unique event that need not be repeated; but his life, he keeps on living for God. 11 In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God, by your union with the Messiah Yeshua.”

When we enter into the mikvah/Immersion of Yeshua, we are dying with Him in His death and being raised with Him in His life. Water has long represented death and sheol (holding place of the dead) in Judaism as well as life and purification. This dual understanding is seen in the ritual of water immersion. We die to our old lives of sin and are washed clean in the water of life in order that we might begin anew, living our lives in the Spirit of G-d as children of G-d.

Therefore the rite of Mikvah/Immersion/Baptism is practised in obedience to Yeshua’s instruction as a testimony to both the believer and to others.

In conclusion, the ritual of Messianic Jewish marriage requires the premarital immersion of both groom and bride. Yeshua was immersed by Yochanan (John) the immerser prior to His death (Matthew 3:13-17), which was also an immersion (Mark 10:38), in preparation for His future marriage to the community of believers at the end of the age. As believers we also enter into immersion as a sign of our having received His wedding proposal and of our willingness to prepare ourselves for that future wedding day.

Prior to Israel’s entering the promised land (Yehoshua/Joshua 3), which the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 4)  tells us is a picture of the Shabbat rest of the Olam Haba (World to come/eternity); Israel is lead through the parted Jordan river by Yehoshua (Joshua/Jesus/Salvation). This mikvah/immersion/baptism is Israel’s final preparation for her entry into the land of promise, Eretz Yisrael.

One day we will all enter this final mikvah, the mikvah of death, in preparation for the eternal rest of G-d, but as believers in Messiah Yeshua we will not enter it alone. Yehoshua/Yeshua (The names are synonymous in Hebrew) goes before us, He is behind us and beside us and He is within us. We will enter the mikvah of death in the same way that we briefly entered the water mikvah/immersion/baptism of our faith, breaking through the surface of the water of life and into the fresh air of eternity. This is the ultimate hope of all mikvot (immersions) and it is found only through the mikvah of Yeshua our L-rd and King, our Redeemer and friend, our Mashiyach, Melekh ha-melekhim (King of kings).

Therefore we gladly and willingly keep His instruction:

Yeshua (Jesus) said:

"Go therefore and make talmidim (disciples) of all the nations, immersing (baptizing) them in the name of the Av (Father) and of the Ben (Son) and of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit), teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." –Mattitiyahu/Matthew 28:19, 20

© 2015 Yaakov Brown

An examination of Luke 5:27-39

INTRODUCTION:

This latter section of Luke chapter six follows several miraculous events performed by Yeshua. The large catch of fish after an unsuccessful night of fishing by Shimon, Yaakov and Yochanan, the healing of a man with leprosy and the healing of a bed ridden cripple who had been lowered down from a roof by friends.

Shimon, at the sight of the miraculous fishing event, falls on his knees before Yeshua and proclaims, “Depart from me lord, for I am a sinful man.” Following this Yeshua calls Shimon, Yaakov and Yochanan to be fishers of men. Yeshua calls these talmidim to shuva (return) to the calling of Israel, written in the Torah, to be a light to the nations, to do the things that the prophets of old did, thus becoming fishers of men. The old is better than the new.

When the man with leprosy is healed Yeshua commands him to go and do what is lawful according to the instruction of Moshe, by showing himself to the Temple priests. He does this to ensure that the man will be publically accepted back into the community, which is the purpose of the specific Torah instruction referring to the healing of skin diseases. After this, news spread concerning the miracle and as a result large numbers of people pursued and surrounded Yeshua. This is an example of a new miraculous event being promoted at the expense of the lesson Yeshua is teaching—a return to the true goal of the Torah. This resulted in the loss of the old, which is better.

Yeshua withdrew by Himself to the wilderness to converse privately with His Father (G-d).

Finally prior to the healing of the crippled man Yeshua is challenged by the thoughts of some of the religious leaders concerning the forgiveness of sins. Yeshua, knowing what they’re thinking, challenges their false understanding of forgiveness, and as proof that He has the authority to forgive sin He heals the man. This is a sign which is intended to prove the ancient teaching of forgiveness and not the other way around. The Torah principle of forgiveness is overlooked until the crowd’s gaze is redirected by the miraculous healing. The old is better than the new.

BEGINNING WITH THE SUM:

This latter portion of Luke chapter 6 begins with the goal of the teaching, the joining of the bride to the groom.

“27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi (joining) –Mattitiyahu (Gift of YHVH)--sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ 28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.”

Levi the Jewish tax collector is mishmod (a traitor to the Jewish people), because he enforces Roman tax law upon his own people and likely exacts a higher fee so as to skim money for himself. This was common practise at the time and meant that tax collectors were looked upon with the same distain as prostitutes and drunkards (addicts) by the religious Jewish community.

Add to this the standard practice for rabbinical training and discipleship. The brightest Torah students from the villages and towns of Israel were called to become the talmidim (students) of the great rabbis of Jerusalem. This made Levi a non-starter, he wasn’t a devoted young Torah student; he was a tax collector, a sinner, a reject among the Jewish people. However, the greatest of rabbis called him, “Levi, follow me”. It’s no surprise then that he dropped everything and followed Yeshua.

Notice his Hebrew names: Levi (joining) and Mattitiyahu (Gift of YHVH). Yeshua is about to use a betrothal analogy alongside the symbolism of wine, in order to reveal to His hearers the purposes of G-d: sinful Israel (Levi) will return (shuvah) to the old ways and ultimate goal of the Torah (Yeshua Himself), and be joined (Levi) to the gift of G-d (Mattitiyahu), Yeshua Himself, the Mashiyach.

“29 And Levi gave a big feast of reception for Yeshua in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 The P’rushim and their scribes began grumbling at Yeshua’s talmidim (disciples), saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?’31 And Yeshua answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’”

Naturally, Levi’s friends were tax collectors and sinners, people who wouldn’t look down on him at the dinner table. However, it’s important to note that Yeshua’s entourage included P’rushim and scribes, and that Levi had obviously not refused them entry to the feast, despite the fact that he had every reason to hate them for looking down on him.

The additional teachings of the rabbis at the time included those instructing pious Jews not to eat with Gentiles, sinners, tax collectors and drunkards, for fear of becoming ritually unclean through contact with them. This was extended even to the point of not entering the homes of such people. I say, “Additional,” because they were not the instructions of the Torah, rather they were the rules of human beings. The same types of rules are taught by various Christian teachers and scholars today, “Don’t drink alcohol”, “Don’t watch movies”, “don’t listen to secular music”, “if you fast more often you’ll hear from G-d” and so on. The new rules of human beings.

Yeshua’s answer couldn’t be clearer. If there’s one thing a pious religious person knows, it’s how terribly sinful he is and how desperately he needs the ultimate spiritual physician (G-d). Yeshua explains that He’s come to call sinners to t’shuvah (return) to HaShem (G-d). The P’rushim and Torah Scribes know that the scripture says,

“Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.” –Ecclesiastes 7:20

Therefore Yeshua is calling everyone present to return to the Old ways of the G-d of Israel.

”33And the scribes said to Yeshua, “The talmidim (disciples) of Yochanan (John) often fast and offer prayers, the talmidim of the P’rushim also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.’”

There is only one fast commanded in the Torah, the fast of Yom Kippur (Day of Covering). There were only one or two other fasts practised by Israel prior to the development of the Pharisaic sect. These may have included the fast of Esther and a fast for the remembrance of the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. However, Biblically speaking, the only fast incumbent upon Israel was the fast of the Day of Covering.

In a zealous effort to encourage the people of Israel to return to G-d in devout observance of the Torah and it’s goal, which is G-d Himself; both the P’rushim (Pharisees) and Yochanan’s talmidim (disciples) were fasting numerous times throughout the week and offering additional prayers outside of the three traditional prayer times of the Jewish religious day. In doing so they hoped to bring about the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of Israel from oppression and subjugation to the Romans. Similar teaching exists today among both Jewish and Christian communities:

The Hassidim (Jewish sect) and others, teach Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), believing that by doing good and through devout observance of the Torah, Mishnah, Talmud and so on, that our righteous deeds will cause the coming of the Messiah.

Some Christian pastors teach that unless a congregation fasts regularly and works hard to do righteous acts and battle spiritual powers that they will fail to bring about revival to the Christian community, and, in extreme cases, failure to do so is thought to result in the lose of an individual’s  salvation.

What utter nonsense! No, it’s worse still, it’s anti-Christ. Why? Because “all our deeds are like used menstrual rags!” How dare we think that our efforts can save us, or force the return of the Messiah. It’s arrogant idolatrous filth that has nothing to do with the Gospel of Yeshua Mashiyach!

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like filthy menstrual rags;
And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” –Yeshaiyahu/Isaiah 64:6

We are saved by the chesed (grace, mercy) of G-d, spoken about in the Torah, the old teachings of our people and not in the new teachings of human effort.

“In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the angel of His presence saved them;
In His love and in His chesed (mercy) He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” –Yeshaiyahu/Isaiah 63:9

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of G-d; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” –Ephesians 2:8-9

”34And Yeshua said to them, ‘Can you make the children of the chuppah fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.’” 

In order to understand this saying we must understand the ancient Jewish betrothal practice. A practice in which two bridal chamber or chuppah ceremonies are conducted (please see the previous blog on the Ancient Jewish Betrothal customs).

Yeshua is speaking here of the first chuppah (bridal chamber) engagement ceremony and the subsequent going away of the groom to prepare a family home for His new bride. The groom goes away for a period of approximately one year before returning to take His bride as a wife to dwell together in the new home He has prepared for her.

While the groom is away, the bride is to prepare herself for His return. She learns to be a devout wife and partner to her groom. She purifies herself and creates new garments for her wedding day. She prepares herself in anticipation of her grooms return. This practice is new for her and she will take time to mature in her new position, thus becoming an old hand at bridal preparation. 

Yeshua is explaining that the time to purify themselves and prepare for their joining to Him is in the period of waiting following the first chuppah ceremony of betrothal that is the ceremony where they accept His bride price, His death and resurrection, as seen in the symbols of the Passover wine and matzot. Following this betrothal the talmidim of Yeshua will fast, not out of obligation or in order to force His return, but out of love and in preparation for His return and their joining to Him. Looking forward to a future day when they will again feast with their beloved.

He is hinting at the fact that there is a right time for new wine/garments, but that time is not now, that time is coming following His ressurection.

It’s not additional fasting that’s needed now, but a return to the ancient practices of the Torah, the old ways of repentance and reconciliation to G-d. Why? So that the P’rushim and the disciples of Yochanan might see that the Torah points to Yeshua as its goal. Only in shuvah (returning) to the old will they ever experience the new.

” 36 And He also told them a mashal (parable): ‘No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise when the new cloth shrinks in the wash both the old and new cloth tear, also the piece from the new will not match the old. 

The message is clear. The new cloth at this point in time (that is prior to His ressurection) represents the new teachings concerning fasting. If this teaching is used as a means of repairing the holes in Israel’s Torah observance it will result in, not only a failure to observe the new teachings, which were intended to cause Israel to return to the old teachings, but also in a failure to return to G-d through the old teaching of the Torah. Both the old garment and the new patch are torn.

“’37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.’”

Don’t try to add new teachings to the old system of belief found in the Torah until the time is right for new teachings to mature within the Messianic community of believers. If you do you will cloud the Torah's meaning and detract from its goal. “You place heavy burdens on people that they can’t carry and you yourselves don’t lift a finger to help them.” If you do this you’ll ruin the people you are claiming to help.

”’ 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.’”

Simply put. Enjoy the old wine of the Torah, return to it and put the new wine into new wine skins when the time is right, so that it can mature and become old wine. That is, train newly repentant people up at the appropriate speed with the appropriate teaching so that they can come to observe the goal of the Torah, which is Messiah Yeshua Himself.

The purpose of traditionally made new wine is for it to become mature. This means cellaring it until it becomes old wine. The new Ecclesia that emerges from Messiah’s death and resurrection will take time to find their way and become mature wine.


The point is not to say that new wine or Old wine are inherently good or bad in and of themselves, but to say that if new wine is mixed improperly with Old skins it will prove untimely and disasterous, where as if it is preserved properly it will become mature Old wine. It is the intention of the new teachings that are called into question, rather than the new teachings themselves.


A new hammer can be used by a murderer as a murder weapon or it can be used by a righteous man as a tool for building houses for the poor. The hammer is neither morally good or evil, it's the intention of the user that makes it a vehicle for one or the other.

”’ 39 And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

Old wine is better. The chesed and reconciliation of the Torah and its goal, as seen through the sacrificial death of Messiah Yeshua; is the reason that Israel needs to return to the old wine of the Torah and observe the simple truth of G-d rather than add untimely new rules that only cause confusion.


There will be a right time for new wine, but even then, the new wine will be left to mature, ready for the bridegroom's return, thus the new too will become old and delight the tastebuds of the groom.

As Yeshua Himself quotes, “The old wine is better!”

© 2015 Yaakov Brown