​With the recent introduction of vaccine passports in Aotearoa, New Zealand and the corresponding lifting of lockdown restrictions regarding restaurants, public meetings etc. Faith communities are being asked to refuse unvaccinated members entry to meetings. This political decision has fueled further division between members and leaders of faith communities over the ethical, moral and theological implications of discriminating against believers within the faith community based on their health care choices.
 
I have been asked my view on this matter, and having prayerfully considered this new development I have written the following article for those of you who are interested. The article addresses the issue as it stands at the present time and keeping in mind that the data available to date regarding the covid-19 pandemic and the associated vaccinations is far from exhaustive. In the past quarantines and vaccination have played a big role in reducing deaths during epidemics, and while to some extent these same mechanisms have been helpful in addressing the covid-19 pandemic, they have not been as successful as many might have hoped.
 
Yeshua teaches the principle that where God’s law is not compromised, we are to honor governing authorities to the best of our ability because ultimately all things belong to God (Mark 12:17). Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) in his letter to the Romans chapter 13, teaches believers to keep the reasonable laws put in place by moral rulers because those “who do what’s right” have nothing to fear from moral rulers.
 
However, an extremely popular misinterpretation of Romans 13 has led many to believe that with very few exceptions believers must always obey the governing authorities. In spite of the fact that in many cases obeying certain government legislation means breaking the Law of God (Biblical morality). In practical terms for example, a Pastor who believes based on the clear teaching of Scripture that same sex marriage is an aberration, would nonetheless, based on the misinterpretation of Romans 13, and due to the current marriage laws in many western countries, be required to marry a same sex couple contrary to the Law of God, and this in order to supposedly obey the Word of God according to the misinterpretation of Romans 13. The poor logic employed in order to reach this conclusion is self-evident.
 
In fact, Romans 13 gives a very clear qualifier for what kind of governing bodies are to be obeyed, they are those rulers who “hold no terror for those who do right” (v.3). The moral imperative to do right determines whether a government should be obeyed or disobeyed. In the case of governing bodies that impose Biblically immoral law, it is the governing body that is in rebellion, and thus, the perceived rebellion of those who choose to keep God’s law is not rebellion at all. After all, Romans 13 reminds us that the governing bodies to be obeyed pose no threat to those “who do right” (v.3), and that a further measure of a government’s legitimate standing is that of the redeemed conscience of the believer (v.5).
 
In other words, if a government is honouring the basic universal morality of God’s Law it is a government that should be obeyed. Governments that are to be obeyed are those who are “agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (v.4). We note that Paul is a devout Jewish believer who is using terms that reflect the traditional language of first century Torah (including TaNaKh) centric Biblical Judaism. The Biblical definition of a wrong doer is someone who breaks God’s Law. When a government breaks God’s Law it is the government that is the wrong doer and based on its legislating of wrong doing disqualifies itself as a government that should be obeyed (with regard to a specific immoral legislation, not generally speaking). In such instances believers are obligated by the wider edicts of Scripture to refuse to obey any law that seeks to either compel believers to sin or prevent believers from doing what is right. As Romans 13:3 states, the government should hold no “fear for those who do right”.
 
That being said the question remains, is it right to refuse unvaccinated believers’ entry to faith community gatherings?
 
Some spiritual leaders say, “We must refuse unvaccinated people entry because if we allow them entry, they are at greater risk of contracting and possibly dying from the covid-19 virus and or one of its new variants” (It appears to be the case that unvaccinated people are at greater risk). These leaders claim that it is the duty of Biblical believers to protect the unvaccinated by keeping them out of community gatherings. This logic says that “Love your neighbor as yourself” means “Love your neighbor enough to protect him from his poor choice”.
 
One of the many problems with this logic is that by disallowing unvaccinated people entry to community gatherings we are in fact not ensuring their safety at all. In fact, those who are firmly decided that vaccination is not an effective answer to the current pandemic are so adamant that they are by and large not abiding by government health department guidelines, nor do they have any intention of doing so, meaning that they are already gathering in larger numbers, mixing with other groups who share their views and are certain in their own minds of the Biblical reasoning behind their opposition to vaccination. Put simply, they will eventually contract covid-19 regardless (as will the vast majority of us at some point).
 
Are the unvaccinated a danger to vaccinated people in the community? According to the latest data both unvaccinated and vaccinated people can pass on the covid-19 virus and its variants to others. The claim of vaccination proponents is that vaccination reduces the risk of severe symptoms and in many cases prevents death (in many cases, not all), and aids in the development of herd immunity (which is evidenced in the cases of a number of historical epidemics). Those who believe vaccination has efficacy must also accept that they are in no more danger of contracting the virus from an unvaccinated person than they are of contracting it from a vaccinated person. This makes the position of those who refuse entry to unvaccinated people untenable. They are in fact, neither protecting the vaccinated or the unvaccinated by doing so.
 
Some say that “If a Spiritual leader allows entry to an unvaccinated person and that person contracts covid-19 and dies, the spiritual leader in question is culpable”. There are several reasons why this is contrary to both Scripture and sound reason.
 
First, this suggestion requires no accountability from the unvaccinated person for their decision not be vaccinated. The Scriptures teach that we will all give an account before God for our decisions both good and bad, at the judgement (Rom. 14:12). Spiritual leaders are responsible to teach sound doctrine, and give godly direction and warning (Eze. 3:16-21). They are not responsible for the individual decisions of believers within the faith community.
 
Second, there has been a wealth of information given to believers regarding the efficacy of vaccination. Those who have refused vaccination have done so in spite of this. Blood guilt is determined by a failure to warn. All have been warned. Therefore, it is the unvaccinated person who is culpable in this scenario. If in fact the anti-vaccination position is wrong (a matter that is up for debate given that covid-19 vaccination efficacy is yet to be conclusively proven).
 
Should we therefore refuse an unvaccinated person entry to a faith gathering over an amoral decision not to be vaccinated? The Bible teaches neither in favor of nor against vaccination (except when the Scripture is misinterpreted, decontextualized or misapplied).
 
Are we concerned with physical things only, or with spiritual matters also? Those who become disenfranchised are vulnerable to false doctrine which grows in the soil of isolation (the history of the faith community teaches us this). If we deny our spiritual obligation to the unvaccinated person in order to enforce a law that has unproven efficacy and in doing so disobey the command not to forsake the gathering together of believers (Heb. 10:25), we are certainly culpable, indictable for a greater sin. Of course, asking believers to quarantine for periods of time in order to prevent the spread of a communicable disease is a Biblical principle (Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:2), although nothing remotely similar to the covid-19 virus is addressed explicitly in Scripture. I am not speaking of temporal quarantines but of ongoing discrimination related to a virus that has not responded to our attempts to mitigate its effect on society.
 
Woke Jesus might say “Wherever two or more vaccinated people are gathered in My Name, there I am in the midst of them”, but Yeshua Himself uses no such a qualification (Yes, I understand that covid-19 was not a concern in the first century C.E. however, the principle applies). If we are unsure how to proceed, we would be wise to lean in the direction of the King Messiah Who did not refuse contagious people but touched them in order to heal them (Yes, I’m aware that leprosy is not covid-19, however, the principle applies).
 
Furthermore, after having read numerous articles by both those who are for and those against allowing unvaccinated people entry into faith community gatherings, I have noted that aside from the flippant use of “love thy neighbor as thyself” not one of the many articles I’ve read give any kind of sound Scriptural support for their respective positions.
 
Primarily this issue is being decided by Spiritual leaders based on human intellect, philosophical and ethical concerns, personal experiences, political bias, democratic process (many denominations practice the non-Biblical model of democratic governance), and so on. I believe that the reason for this is that any Scriptures used to promote one view can also be easily employed to affirm the other. “Love thy neighbor as thy self” for example can be easily used by both sides of the debate. One says “It’s not loving to allow unvaccinated people in” and the other says “It’s not loving to refuse them entry”.
 
I have observed that the sin of pride is present in both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. On the one hand the vaccinated person says “Why is my simple-minded brother not able to see that vaccination is important?” While the anti-vaxxer says “Why does my secular minded brother not see that vaccination is evil?”. Both are in error! Scripture admonishes those with greater understanding to carry weaker brothers and sisters of faith (Rom. 15:1-2), and further admonishes all believers to show love for one another (Rom. 12:10; Matt. 7:12; Phil. 2:3-4).
 
The real issue for the community of faith is being missed entirely. Division in the body over amoral issues like vaccination is the ultimate evil here (Rom. 16:17). Given that the efficacy of covid-19 vaccinations is yet to be proven, and that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can pass on the virus to others, and given that by far the majority of the world’s governments are slowly concluding that the covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent variants are something we will have to learn to live with for the foreseeable future and therefore have accepted that people will continue to contract the virus and in some cases die from it, we are faced with a decision over whether to enable division in the body of believers over an amoral issue, or to accept that we disagree and have the courage to remain one regardless of the inevitable outcomes (Heb. 10:25). Or are we of the fallen world, willing to do anything, even that which is Biblically immoral, in order to try and escape the death that is the inevitable result of this temporal sin affected life?
 
The cause of much of our disagreements over this issue is ungodly fear. Some, out of fear, have put their trust in the vaccine to deliver them from death, others also out of fear, have put their trust in the misinformation of antivaxx conspiracy theorists. In either case when our trust is placed not in God but in something or someone else, we become idolaters (Psalm 112:7; Prov. 3:5-6; Jer. 17:7-8).
 
A healthy fear of physical death is godly. God has created the human body for life and death is the progeny of sin (idolatry), it should be detested. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deut. 6:16; Matt. 4:7; Lk. 4:12) is seen in practice as an admonishment to respect healthy fear. For example, to listen to the healthy fear of falling, a physiological response of the human body when standing near the edge of a canyon, is God honoring. If vaccination is not anti-Biblical and may help protect us, we should exercise healthy fear and be vaccinated, but we are trusting God and not vaccination.
 
However, given the many unknowns concerning the covid-19 pandemic and the vaccinations, it is not healthy fear that we are exhibiting but a fear of the unknown. As believers we are taught by Scripture to entrust our anxiety over the unknown to God (Philippians 4:6-8). We are further taught that holding onto fear of the unknown is sin (Jeremiah 1:17; Psalm 139:23-24; Matt. 6:25-27, 34; 1 John 4:18). To fear God is an end to fear (Prov. 3:5-6). Therefore, we are all rebuked, both the vaccinated and the anti-vaxxer alike (James 4:11-12).
 
“Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” -Romans 14:4 (NASB)
 
Covid-19 is not the enemy, nor is vaccination, nor un-vaccination, nor government, nor the temporal and rapidly passing things of this age. The enemy we face in making this decision is the satanic emissary named Division.
 
“Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.” -Titus 3:10 NIV
 
Conclusion:
 
Whatever we decide as leaders and congregants, ultimately every one of us will give an account before God of our decision. With that in mind we would be wise to consider both the physical and spiritual ramifications of our decisions.
 
Having prayerfully weighed the many arguments for and against allowing unvaccinated people entry into faith community gatherings I have concluded that to refuse entry is contrary to the meta-narrative of God’s redemptive purpose as outlined in Scripture, and is in opposition to the Gospel of the King Messiah Yeshua as prophesied in the TaNaKh (OT) and recorded in the HaBrit HaChadashah (NT). It is further in direct violation of the command of Hebrews 10:25.
 
Those who wish to are of course free to refrain from gathering for the duration of the pandemic (many communities now stream their meetings online in order to cater for the vulnerable), however, there will always be something that will prevent people from meeting, and there are numerous other real and perceived dangers currently preventing members of our wider communities from being part of faith family. These dangers simply lack the P.R. machine of the covid-19 virus.
 
Those who desire kinetic fellowship, whoever they are (providing they are not seeking to disrupt the community), should be afforded the opportunity to attend community meetings regardless of vaccination status. Social distancing and other precautions can be taken to mitigate the differences of opinion but ultimately it is the issue of our Biblical obligation to be one in sound, core doctrine that needs to be addressed. We will always disagree on non-essential doctrines, medical, social, cultural and political issues. None of these disagreements should result in the kind of division we are now seeing unfold in the body of believers both locally and internationally.
 
Vaccinated believers should consider how they might feel were a law to be passed that refused vaccinated believers entry to faith gatherings (the reasoning might be, “You could still infect the unvaccinated who are at greater risk than you, therefore you should stay home!”). And those antivaxxers who have nothing but decontextualised Scripture and conspiracy theories as reasons for refusing the vaccine should reconsider vaccination for their own good and the good of the faith community.
 
None of us are blameless. We are called to repent and gather together in godly unity. We can do this in smaller groups, we don’t need buildings, buildings are not Church, we are. The current climate has afforded us opportunity for godly transformation, an opportunity to return to a right understanding of Church, the gathering of believers (ecclesia). Buildings, what of buildings? They will pass away. Zoom meetings? Live streams, what of Zoom meetings and live streams? They too will pass away. But the ecclesia, the body of believers, the Church of Messiah Yeshua will remain, vaccinated or not.
 
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” -Mishlei (Proverbs) 3:5-6
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Compiled by Spiritual Leader Yaakov Ben Yehoshua

Blessing for the festival Lights
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheiynu Melekh Ha-Olam, asher
Kidishanu bemitzvotav, vitzevanu lehadlik nir shel Chanukah
 
All blessing comes from You Lord our God, King of the universe,
Who sanctifies us by Your right actions and instructs us to kindle the festival light of Chanukah.
 
NB:(Prayed every night prior to lighting the Chanukiyah [Chanukah Menorah])
 
Blessing for Chanukah
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheiynu Melekh Ha-Olam, she’asah
Nisiym la’avoteiynu bayamiym haheim bazman hazeh
 
All blessing comes from You Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who worked miracles for our forebears in days of old during this season.
 
NB: (Prayed only on the first evening of Chanukah)
 
Blessing for the season
Barukh Atah Adonai Eloheiynu Melekh Ha-Olam,
Shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigiyanu,lazman hazeh
 
All blessing comes from You Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and privileged us to reach this season.
 
NB: (Prayed only on the first evening of Chanukah)
 
Order of Service:

• Sing Maoz Tzur
• Read PSALM 30, John 10:22, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, Revelation 1:12-19
• Eat fried foods, Latkes (Levivot) and Donuts (Sufganiyot)
• Play dreidels (Jewish Spinning tops)

 
Maoz Tzur
(Stronghold of the Rock)
 
Transliteration:
 Ma-oz Tzur Y’shu-a-ti Le-cha Na-eh L’sha-bei-ach
Ti-kon Beit T’fi-la-ti V’sham To-da N’za-bei-ach
L’eit Ta-chin Mat-bei-ach Mi-tzar Ha-mi-na-bei-ach
Az Eg-mor B’shir Miz-mor Cha-nu-kat Ha-miz-bei-ach
Ra-ot Sav-ah Nafshi B’yagon Kochi Ka-leh
Cha-yai Mei-re-ru V’koshi B’shi-bud Malchhut Egla
U-v’yado Ha-g’dola Ho-tzi Et Ha-sgula
Cheil Par-oh V’chol Zar-oh Yardu K’even Bim-tzula
Dvir Kodsho Hevi-ani V’gam Sham Lo Sha-kat-ti
Uva Nogeis V’higlani Ki Zarim Avad-ti
V’yein Ra-al Ma-sachti Kim-at She-a-varti
Keitz Bavel Z’ru-bavel L’keitz Shiv-im No-shati
Krot Komat B’rosh Bi-keish A-gagi Ben Hamdatah
V’ni-h’yata Lo L’fach U-lemokeish V’ga-a-vato Nishba-ta
Rosh Y’mini Niseita V'oyeiv Shmo Machita
Rov Banav V’kin-yanav Al Ha-eitz Ta-lita
Y’va-nim Nik-bi-tzu A-lai A-zai Bi-may Chash-ma-nim
U’far-tzu Chomos Migda-lai V’tim-u Kol Ha-shma-nim
U’mi-no-tar Kan-ka-nim Na-a-sa Neis La-sho-sha-nim
B’nei Vi-nah Y’mei Sh’mo-nah Kav-u Shir U’ri-na-nim
Cha-sof Z’ro-a Kodshecha V’ka-reiv Keitz Ha-yeshu-ah
N’kom Nikmat Ava-decha Mei-uma Har-sha-ah
Ki Archah Ha-sha-ah V'ein Keitz Limei Ha-ra-ah
D’chei Admon B’tzeil Tzalmon Ha-keim La-nu Ro-im Shiv-ah
​
Translation:
O mighty stronghold of my salvation,
to praise You is a delight.
Restore my House of Prayer
and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering.
When You will have prepared the slaughter
for the blaspheming foe,
Then I shall complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the Altar.
My soul had been sated with troubles,
my strength has been consumed with grief.
They had embittered my life with hardship,
with the calf-like kingdom's bondage.
But with His great power
He brought forth the treasured ones,
Pharaoh's army and all his offspring
Went down like a stone into the deep.
To the holy abode of His Word He brought me.
But there, too, I had no rest
And an oppressor came and exiled me.
For I had served aliens,
And had drunk benumbing wine.
Scarcely had I departed
At Babylon's end Zerubbabel came.
At the end of seventy years I was saved.
To sever the towering cypress
sought the Aggagite, son of Hammedatha,
But it became [a snare and] a stumbling block to him
and his arrogance was stilled.
The head of the Benjaminite You lifted
and the enemy, his name You obliterated
His numerous progeny - his possessions -
on the gallows You hanged.
Greeks gathered against me
then in Hasmonean days.
They breached the walls of my towers
and they defiled all the oils;
And from the one remnant of the flasks
a miracle was wrought for the roses.
Men of insight - eight days
established for song and jubilation
Bare Your holy arm
and hasten the End for salvation -
Avenge the vengeance of Your servants' blood
from the wicked nation.
For the triumph is too long delayed for us,
and there is no end to days of evil,
Repel the Red One in the nethermost shadow
and establish for us the seven shepherds.

Chanukah Scripture Readings
 
“At that time the Feast of Chanukah took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, And Yeshua was
walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Judeans gathered around Him
and said to Him, ‘How long will you Keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us
plainly.’ Yeshua answered ‘I did tell you but you did not believe me.’”
Yochanan (John) 10:22 (Author’s translation)
 
Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If
anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are
that temple. Rav Shaul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 3:16 
 
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God;
as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, go out from their midst, and be separate from
them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a
father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
Rav Shaul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16 -18
 
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden
Menorot (plural of Menorah: multibranched temple lampstand), and in the midst of the Menorot one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and
Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take
place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in My right hand, and the
seven golden Menorot, the seven stars are the angels of the seven communities of faith, and
the seven Menorot are the seven communities of faith.
Yeshua’s Revelation to Yochanan (John) 1:12-19 (Author’s translation)
 
Copyright 2019 Yaakov Brown

*Click on the link below to download the PDF version of this Chanukah siddur

Questions regarding godly discernment
 

1. Why is godly discernment so important today?
   2. What does the Bible teach about godly discernment?
   3. What does Yeshua (Jesus) the King Messiah teach about godly discernment?
   4. How does the discernment gifted of God's Spirit differ from human discernment which relies on human intellect alone?
   5. What practical things can I put in place in order to be more discerning both spiritually and intellectually?

 
Godly Discernment
 
Sadly, the spiritual gift of godly discernment is observably the least exercised spiritual gift in the modern community of faith.
 
Those who do exercise this gift are often accused of being divisive, critical, unspiritual. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
Because we have quenched the fire of the gift of discernment among us we are now reaping delusion in the body of faith on both a local and global scale.
 
We have an individual and corporate moral obligation in Messiah to repent of our sin in disarming those among us who have attempted to warn us through godly discernment, and we have a Biblical moral imperative to begin to encourage and elevate the practice of the gift of godly discernment within both the local and wider body of the King Messiah Yeshua.
 
1. Why is godly discernment so important today?
 
First let’s make a discernment, and distinguish between discernment and godly discernment.
 
Distinction, distinguish, judge, taste, insight, perception, awareness and wisdom are all synonyms of discernment, each of which inform our understanding of discernment.
 
Discernment is defined as "the ability to judge well".

Godly Discernment is defined as "Making a right judgement according to God's Spirit"

Intellect and human sight alone cannot be relied on to discern spiritual matters.

Yeshua (Jesus) says:

"Do not judge by mere appearances, but make a right judgment." -John 7:24

Godly discernment is the practice of godly judgement and is available to every believer through Yeshua according to the indwelling of God's Spirit and a disciplined knowledge of His written Word (the Bible, TaNaKh & HaBrit HaChadashah).

In the present chaos of this world believers are finding themselves in a position where they must make life changing decisions concerning issues for which an abundance of information exists, but have no clear indication of how they should move forward.

In such circumstances intellectual rational alone is of little help. We require spiritual help from the One Who sees the unseen and knows the hearts, minds and hidden agendas of humanity as well as the workings of the spiritual forces that influence us.

Practically speaking, in many cases within the fallen world, we are being offered false choices based on two opposing options, while God reveals a third option that exposes both seemingly "rational" choices and proves them to be counterfeit.

We see in part, He is all seeing (Proverbs 15:3), we know in part, He is all knowing (1 John 3:20). Therefore, we are foolish to base our decisions on human vision and intellect alone. Instead we are challenged to employ our sight and intellect in submission to God's Spirit and the gift of discernment that He imparts, rather than relying on our own, often flawed human discernment (Romans 8:5).
 
In matters of discernment, information and the source of it is of primary importance.

Information is not synonymous with truth. It must be interpreted and discerned. We live in an age of an overabundance of information from mainstream and alternative sources, but the majority of these sources are of fallen human origin or are gleaned from the airways (media) and influenced by the spirit of the air (Ephesians 2:2) rather than being from God.

Ultimately the only reliable source of information is God Himself through Yeshua. He has given us access to the most reliable source of information in this world, His Word both living (John 1) and written (TaNaKh, HaBrit HaChadashah), illuminated by the present help of His Spirit.

Today far too many believers are making emotional decisions based on fleshly (fallen human) thoughts and desires, often fuelled by ungodly fears. Our failure to effectively abide in Messiah, in God, in His Word (Bible) is resulting in mass delusion and an inability to comprehend the spiritual forces at work in our midst.
 
False choices are being presented by spiritual leaders who are often well meaning but sadly are nonetheless guilty of unnecessarily dividing the body of believers. Many of these false choices seem godly but are in fact born of the fallen nature and merely disguised in a form of godliness (2 Timothy 3:5).

One such example is the present debate concerning vaccines, another is the debate regarding political freedom. These two examples alone have become distractions that have taken the eyes of believers off Yeshua and away from the important work of the Kingdom of God.
 
At present two satanic emissaries are fighting for the hearts and minds of Messiah followers. The deity of False Freedom is battling the deity of Socialist Fascism and the prize they seek is the deluding of the minds of weak and undiscerning people.
 
When we make "Freedom" our god we show our disregard for the God of freedom. Anarchists masquerading as Libertarians herding gullible Conservatives, ultimately seek freedom devoid of accountability, built on vain conspiracy. They are sirens of moral decay trading one form of tyranny for another. Counterfeit freedom is the brother of bondage. In practice, "the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness" is a pursuit of three false deities, Temporal Life, False Liberty, and Fading Emotionalism. But the freedom gifted of God in the King Messiah Yeshua transcends all temporal chains.
 
The Good News is this, if we return to God's Word, both Living (the King Messiah Yeshua) and written (Bible), and turn away from the voices of the air (satanic voices [Ephesians 2:2]), we will be found among those whose homes are filled with light when the coming darkness descends (Ex. 10:22-23; Matt. 24:4-14; 2 Thess. 2:3-4).
 
2. What does the Bible teach about godly discernment?


Deuteronomy 4:1-10 teaches that:

Godly discernment is found in God's Instruction (the Bible) and keeps us safe. Failure to consistently abide in His Word results in a lack of godly discernment.
 
Hebrews 4:12 teaches that:
 
Godly discernment relies on God’s Word both written and living, and is able to divide indivisible things.
 
Q: Are you reading His written Word the Bible daily? If not, how do you expect to recognize what is Biblically moral and what is not?

1 Kings 3:7-12 teaches that:

Godly discernment helps us to govern (ourselves and others).

Ezra 8:16 teaches that:

Godly discernment is a collective responsibility. We are reliant on both God and each other in matters of discernment.
 
Q: Do you have godly mentors in your life whom you can seek out for counsel? If not, how might you develop friendships with godly believers? If you are an elder in the faith, how might you develop friendships with younger believers in order to mentor them?

Psalm 53:1-4 teaches that:

Those who disbelieve God lack godly discernment, are corrupt and seek to harm God's people.

Proverbs 3:21-26 teaches that:

Godly discernment must be observed and acted on.
 
Q: Do you know what you should say or do but fail to act on it out of ungodly fear? Act!

Proverbs 10:13 teaches that:

God disciplines those who lack discernment.

Daniel 5:14 teaches that:

Divine discernment is available only to the chosen of God.
 
Q: In Messiah am I owning my identity as a child of God?

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 & 1 Corinthians 11:31 teach that:

Godly discernment is of God's Spirit and not of the human nature. A believer who relies on God's Spirit to judge his motives is not swayed by the false judgements he makes of himself nor the false judgements others make concerning him. Therefore, the one who relies on God’s Spirit at work in him is able to discern seemingly undiscernible things.
 
Q: Are you relying on your intellect alone or are you submitting your intellect to God’s Spirit?

1 Corinthians 14:29 teaches that:

Godly discernment is required in order to judge the words of prophets within the body of faith.
 
Q: Do you presume that a believer with a prophetic gift always speaks of God’s Spirit, or do you test everything according to the command of Scripture? (1 Thess. 5:19-21)

1 Corinthians 12:10 teaches that:

The Holy Spirit gift of discernment distinguishes between spiritual forces and sees unseen things.
 
Q: Do you seek God’s help by His Spirit when faced with seemingly undiscernible things?

Colossians 1:8 explains that:

We are admonished to be discerning so as not to be lead astray.

1 John 4:1 teaches that:

Godly discernment tests spirits.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 teaches that:

Godly discernment tests everything and holds on to what is good.
 
Q: Do you test everything against Scripture as revealed in the Holy Spirit through Messiah?

1 Corinthians 12:13 teaches that:

Godly discernment affirms the authority and deity of Yeshua (YHVH with us) the King Messiah (Imanu – with us, El – God).
 
3. What does Yeshua (Jesus) teach about godly discernment?
 
In John 5:30 we read:
 
“I can do nothing on My own. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, for I do not seek My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me.” TLV

Yeshua teaches that godly discernment listens to and hears from God and does not seek self as the source of distinguishing between truth and error.

In John 8:15-16 we read:
 
“You judge according to the flesh, but I do not judge anyone. Yet even if I do judge, My judgment is true, because it is not I alone but I with the Father who sent Me.” TLV

Yeshua teaches that godly discernment does not judge according to the fallen nature.
 
In Mathew 11:25-30 we read:

“At that time Yeshua said in response, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing to You. “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” TLV

Yeshua teaches that godly discernment is revealed to infants while intellectual giants fail to comprehend it. He further teaches that the weight of godly discernment is light. God does not wish us to be burdened by the task of discerning, rather He has gifted us with discernment as a means of alleviating our burdens.
 
In Matthew 7:13-20 we read:
 
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.  How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes aren’t gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.” TLV

Yeshua teaches that godly people can be discerned based on their fruit, both its type and its condition.

4. How does the discernment of God's Spirit differ from human discernment, which relies on human intellect alone?
 
We have already been given the answer to this question in the preceding Scriptures:
 

• Godly discernment does not rely on human intellect.
• Godly discernment requires the discerner to be a child of God in Yeshua the King Messiah.
• Godly discernment requires the discerner to be familiar with God’s Word, written and living.
• Godly discernment requires the discerner to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Spirit of the Father and the Son).
• Godly discernment requires humility (it is revealed in children [innocent of heart and mind, teachable and inquisitive], but is kept from those in a state of intellectual pride).
• Godly discernment can distinguish between spirits and sees unseen things because it is a gift of the Holy Spirit rather than being reliant on an intellectual human artform.
• Godly discernment is completely reliant on God both in its use of spiritual knowledge and its application in guiding human intellect.
• Godly discernment often seems counterintuitive because it is propelled by the Word of God Yeshua Himself, Who makes a distinction between indivisible things (Heb. 4:12)

 
These are just a few of the many ways godly discernment differs from the discernment of human intellect and rational philosophy.
 
5. What practical things can I put in place in order to be more discerning both spiritually and intellectually?
 
The acronym R.I.T.E.S is a good start:
 
R - Repent of intellectual arrogance and choose to Rely on God
I - be Intentional about daily Scripture reading and prayer
T -Turn away from unreliable sources of information
E - Enter into dialogue with godly people
S - Submit all decisions to God through Messiah Yeshua in the power of His Holy Spirit
 
In practice:
 

1. Admit before God and to myself that without His help I am unable to discern correctly.
2. Repent of reliance on my own intellect in discerning.
3. Repent of any part I have played in quenching the use of the Holy Spirit given gift of discernment among the body of believers.
4. Choose to be completely reliant on God in Yeshua the King Messiah.
5. Be intentional about reading God’s Word (the Bible) daily.
6. Be intentional in praying for the revelation of God’s Spirit when deciding matters great and small.
7. Turn away from information sources that I’ve known to be unreliable, including those which claim to be vetted by believers but nonetheless bear the rotten fruit of apostasy.
8. When asked to discern between things, seek counsel from godly family and friends who are genuine disciples of Yeshua the King Messiah.
9. Choose to be teachable when asking for advice from godly people rather than coming with an already firmly decided emotional agenda.

 
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

​Introduction & Summary:
 
As the final chapter continues the writer adds the acts of sharing and good works to the sacrifices of praise and thankfulness (v.15) as modes of worship in Messiah, all of which are pleasing to God.
 
Where he has previously admonished the recipients to remember their godly forebears and leaders in the faith (v.7), he now directs them to obey and submit to their current leaders. The reason is given, “because they keep watch over your souls as ones who will give an account”.
 
In short, the role of leader is one walked in fear and trembling before God. No godly leader takes that role lightly. Therefore, those who are being shepherded must obey and submit to their godly leaders.
 
It is further noted that when members of the faith community make the job of leadership difficult through bickering, divisiveness and undue criticism, they are in fact making their own lives more difficult because a leader weighed down by an abusive community will inevitably either respond in their humanity, out of hurt (as Moses did at Meribah [Num. 20:2-13]) or give up and leave the community devoid of leadership. Worse still the community may then fall into the hands of ungodly leaders. This warning brings to mind the many struggles of Moses during his term as leader and shepherd of Israel.
 
The writer, a leader himself (probably Barnabas) asks prayer for both himself and the leaders who shepherd other faith communities in like fashion. He explains that they are leaders who take their role very seriously and conduct themselves with honor. The writer seeks to return to the community because he has been detained through ministering elsewhere. We know based on verse 23 that the writer was not, at the time of the writing of this work detained in prison.
 
To conclude the letter the writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit pronounces a blessing of God in the Name of the great Shepherd Yeshua the King Messiah. Part of that blessing is a reminder of the gift of God’s strength in Messiah, Who works in the believer to perform every good thing and to do God’s will. This pleases God and brings glory to God through the Son Yeshua Who is again described in terms of His deity “Yeshua the Messiah, to Whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
 
The writer then gives news of their fellow believing Jewish brother Timothy’s being sent, having been released either from captivity (Philemon 1:1) or more likely, from a certain ministry task. This, along with the passing on of greetings from a group of Jewish believers in Italy leads many to mis-conclude Pauline authorship in spite of the overwhelming evidence against such authorship. In fact, based on the wording “Those from Italy greet you” the writer is clearly passing on greetings from Italian believers living elsewhere, being “from Italy” not “in Italy”.
 
The fact remains that a number of early Messianic Jewish leaders knew Timothy, who was also known to the wider Jewish community in the diaspora (Acts 16:1-3). Additionally, many of the early Messianic Jewish leaders travelled throughout the diaspora, including Peter, Barnabas, and Silas to name a few. All of whom would have known Timothy and the believers in Rome and had regular contact with them, the community of faith still being small in terms of both numbers and resources, was reliant on strong relational networking. When we add this reasoning to the other factors mentioned in my introduction to the study of the Book to the Hebrews, and note that Paul’s custom was to both name himself [Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Php. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; 1 Tim. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1; Titus. 1:1; Phile. 1:1] and where possible write a part of the latter portion of his letters in his own hand [1 Cor. 16:21; 2 Thess. 3:17; Col. 4:18; Phile. 1:19] (neither of these common practices are included in the Book to the Hebrews), we can conclude with some certainty that it is very unlikely this work was written by Paul.
 
Ultimately it is not important who the earthly writer was except that he was Jewish, likely a Levite, and certainly one of the more prominent leaders of the early Jewish body of believers in Messiah Yeshua.
 
The work reaches its goal with the words “Grace, practical love, thankfulness, liberty, joy, acceptability, favor, be gifted to you all.”
 
For further explanation of authorship please use the following link to my “Introduction to the Book to the Hebrews”:
 
https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/an-introduction-to-the-book-to-the-hebrews-hebrews-1
 
Previous verses:
 
12 Therefore Yeshua[H] also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 13 So then (based on this example), let us go to Him outside the camp, bringing, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting, continuing city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. 15 Through Him (Yeshua) then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise, thankfulness to the God, that is, the fruit of lips, speaking mouths, professing thanks to His name.
 
HEBREWS 13:16-25 (Author’s translation)
 
16 Now don’t forget to reward with good and communicate with, contribute to, fellowship with one another, for with such sacrifices the God is well pleased [alt. Heb. These are a fragrant aroma to God]. 17 Listen to, obey, trust, place confidence in those who govern, rule, lead, shepherd, appraise, have headship over you and submit, yield to them—for they keep watch, stay awake, are attentive over your souls, lives, minds as those who will give, pay an account, a word, a substance, give judgement—so that they may do this with joy, gladness, not with grief, groaning, sighing; for this would be unhelpful, unprofitable, hurtful for you. 18 Pray for us, for we trust, have confidence in the fact that we have a good, better conscience, desiring, willing to conduct ourselves honourably, well, better, with goodness in all things. 19 Now I urge you all the more to do this, because I may come again to you soon. 20 Now may the God of peace, rest, wholeness, who brought up from the dead the (our) Lord Yeshua[H]  the great Shepherd of the sheep, sheepfold through the blood of the eternal covenant 21 make you perfect together in every good thing to do His will, working in yourselves that which is pleasing in His sight, through, in the hand of Yeshua[H] the Messiah, to Whom be the glory forever and ever, age without end. Amein[H], agreed, firm, certain. 22 Now I urge you, my fellow Jewish brothers and sisters, listen to, bear with, endure, suffer patiently the word, substance, essence of exhortation, comfort, consolation, entreaty for I have written to you few words. 23 Know that our brother Timothy is sent, has departed, with him, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet, embrace all of your leaders, those who govern, rule over you and all the holy ones, set apart ones. Those from Italy greet you. 25 The Grace, practical love, thankfulness, acceptableness, favour, liberty, joy be with you all.
 
HEBREWS 13:16-25 (line upon line)
 
16 Now don’t forget to reward (ligmal[H]) with good (eupoiia[G], tov[H]) and communicate with, contribute to, fellowship with (koinōnia[G]) one another, for with such sacrifices (thusia[G], zevachiym[H]) the God (ho Theos[G], lEilohiym[H]) is well pleased (euaresteō[G], lereiach[H]) [alt. Heb. These are a fragrant aroma to God]. 17 Listen to, obey, trust, place confidence in (peithō[G], shimu[H]) those who govern, rule, lead, shepherd, appraise, have headship over (hēgeomai[G], meashreiychem[H]) you and submit, yield (hupeikō[G]) to them—for they keep watch, stay awake, are attentive (agrupneō[G]) over your souls, lives, minds (psuchē[G], nafshoteiychem[H]) as those who will give, pay (apodidōmi[G]) an account, a word, a substance, give judgement (logos[G], lateit diyn[H])—so that they may do this with joy, gladness (chara[G]), not with grief, groaning, sighing (stenazō[G], va’anachah[H]); for this would be unhelpful, unprofitable, hurtful (alusitelēs[G], lo tov[H]) for you.
 
16 Now don’t forget to reward with good and communicate with, contribute to, fellowship with one another, for with such sacrifices the God is well pleased [alt. Heb. These are a fragrant aroma to God].
 
Combined with verse 15 the forms of sacrifice that please God in Messiah Yeshua are:
 

• Praise
• Thankfulness
• Rewarding fellow believers with good
• Communicating with other believers
• Contributing to the lives and ministries of other believers
• Fellowship with other believers

 
We note once again that the two commandments that sum up all others are conveyed here in practical terms. First “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength” and out of love relationship in God “Love your neighbour as yourself”. As I have previously mentioned, love for brothers and sisters in Messiah precedes love for secular neighbours because devoid of love for fellow believers we are incapable of properly loving non-believers. There is an order to all things.
 
It is interesting to note that Jewish tradition agrees that contributing to others is a form of sacrifice.
 
"greater is he who does alms than all sacrifices'' -Talmud Bavliy Sukkah, fol. 49. 2.
 
17 Listen to, obey, trust, place confidence in those who govern, rule, lead, shepherd, appraise, have headship over you and submit, yield to them—for they keep watch, stay awake, are attentive over your souls, lives, minds as those who will give, pay an account, a word, a substance, give judgement—so that they may do this with joy, gladness, not with grief, groaning, sighing; for this would be unhelpful, unprofitable, hurtful for you.
 
This does not apply to secular political leaders but to leaders of the faith community. Elsewhere, Rav Shaul addresses the issue of how we are to interact with secular powers (Romans 13:1-7).
 
Where the writer has previously admonished the recipients to remember their godly forebears and leaders in the faith (v.7), he now directs them to obey and submit to their current leaders. The reason is given, “because they keep watch over your souls as ones who will give an account”.
 
This is an instruction to honour godly spiritual leaders. How then do we determine whether a leader is godly? The qualifying leaders “keep watch, stay awake, are attentive over your souls, lives, minds as those who will give, pay an account, a word, a substance, give judgement…”
 
The role of spiritual leader is one walked in fear and trembling before God. No godly leader takes that role lightly (Eze. 3:17-18; 33:1-6).
 
We recognize godly leaders as those who live lives that show they walk before God with fear and trembling. The godly leader stands vigilant like a shepherd who stays awake to guard the flock. A godly leader warns of apostacy and heresy and admonishes the community of faith to stay away from divisive arguments over temporal things.
 
As I have said in the introduction to these verses, when members of the faith community make the job of leadership difficult through bickering, divisiveness and undue criticism, they are in fact making their own lives more difficult because a leader weighed down by an abusive community will inevitably either respond from their humanity, out of hurt (as Moses did at Meribah [Num. 20:2-13]) or give up and leave the community devoid of leadership. Worse still the community may then fall into the hands of ungodly leaders. This warning brings to mind the many struggles of Moses during his term as leader and shepherd of Israel.
 
We must remember that for some of the Jewish recipients of this work there was a determination to be made between the godly Messiah following leaders of the first century Jewish community and the leaders of the wider Jewish community, the Sanhedrin, priests, rabbis of non-Messianic Judaism. In some cases, such as that of the priests, many had become followers of Yeshua (Acts 6:7).
 
Discernment was, and is required. We do well to remember that discernment is as important today as it was then, and that for a lack of it the modern body of faith has fallen into delusions and has chased after false shepherds who seek glory for themselves rather than God.
 
We are not instructed to obey and submit to ungodly leaders but to true shepherds of God under the Great Shepherd Yeshua the King Messiah.
 
That said, it is common place among many believers today living in self-centered western cultures, to disrespect, rebel against and seed lies concerning godly leaders of the faith community. This is abhorrent sin. If through self-importance we denigrate our godly leaders we not only sin against God and our leaders but also against ourselves. This is why the writer of the Book to the Hebrews warns the first century believing Jewish community that to fail to obey and submit to their godly leaders “would be unhelpful, unprofitable, hurtful for you.”
 
Rebellion is self-harm. For when the leaders are toppled and the dust clears anarchy ensues.
 
The godly shepherds and watchmen of Israel are a gift from God to His people. Likewise the shepherds and watchmen of both Jews and Gentiles in Messiah are a gift from God to all who believe. The writer of the Hebrews is drawing on ancient examples here in warning against rebellion. The failure of Israel to obey and submit to Moses resulted in disaster, as did the failure of Israel to heed the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
 
“Thus says the LORD, stand all of you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’, and walk in it, and you all shall find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Hear, receive, understand, listen to the sound of the shofar (rams horn).’ But they said, ‘We will not Hear, receive, understand, listen.’18 Therefore, hear, receive, understand, listen, all you nations, and know, gathered ones, what is among them.19 Hear, receive, understand, listen land: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, and on the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heard, received, understood, listened to My words, nor to my Torah, but rejected it.” -Jeremiah 6:16-19 (Author’s translation)
 
We conclude that the responsibility of both the leaders and the faith community is great. Both leaders and followers are to live as those who will give an account.
 
18 Pray (hitpalelu[H]) for us (aleiynu[H]), for we trust, have confidence in (peithō[G], kiy-yada’nu[H]) the fact that we have a good, better (kalos[G]) conscience (suneidēsis[G]), desiring, willing (thelō[G]) to conduct (anastrepho[G]) ourselves honourably, well, better, with goodness (kalos[G]) in all things. 19 Now I urge (parakaleō[G]) you all the more to do this, because I may come again to you (lashuv aleiychem[H]) soon.
 
18 Pray for us, for we trust, have confidence in the fact that we have a good, better conscience, desiring, willing to conduct ourselves honourably, well, better, with goodness in all things.
 
Why “better conscience”? Because the writer has previously said that the fallen conscience of humanity is inherently wicked (Heb. 10:22).
 
We note that Hebrews 10:22 speaks in terms of being “purified from a wicked, delusional, spiritually evil conscience”. The conscience of a fallen human being is by nature “poneros” (wicked), in and of itself unable to discern properly between right and wrong because its inclination is to call right that which is wrong. Therefore, the “better conscience” spoken of here in Hebrews 13:18 is that of the Spirit filled believer of Messiah. Here applied specifically to the leaders of the faith community.
 
The integrity of the Messianic leaders, including the writer, is promoted with reference to their desire to walk honourably before God. Knowing that their lives are an example of godly living, the recipients are encouraged to pray for the continued strengthening of their leaders as an expression of God’s glory.
 
19 Now I urge you all the more to do this, because I may come again to you soon.
 
This verse begins the closing portion of the letter. This work includes all of the primary elements usually present in the first century letter writing style of the Roman Empire:
 

• Travel plans mentioned
• A blessing or benediction
• Final exhortations and encouragements
• Final greetings

 
Contrary to the view of some, these elements are not evidence of Pauline authorship. Rather, they are common elements of letters of this time period and therefore, used by numerous Messianic Jewish leaders of the time in their communications with other believers.
 
The writer has been detained by ministry elsewhere and looks forward to returning to the recipients soon. Based on verse 23 we know that the writer is not in prison. The inference is that the petition of prayer on behalf of the leaders of the early Messianic community is a good practice which keeps the leadership in the minds of the believers as an added mode of accountability. This is qualified by the phrasing “because I may come again to you soon.” In other words, “don’t be caught unaware”.
 
20 Now may the God (ho theos[G], haElohiym[H]) of peace, rest, wholeness (eirēnē[G], shalom[H]), who brought up from the dead (nekros[G], min hameitiym[H]) the (our) Lord (kurios[G], Adoneiynu[H]) Yeshua[H]  the great (megas[G], hagadol[H]) Shepherd (poimēn[G], et roeih[H]) of the sheep, sheepfold (robation[G], hatzon[H]) through the blood (aima[G], bedam[H]) of the eternal (aiōnios[G], leolam vaed[H]) covenant (diathēkē[G], b’riyt[H]) 21 make you perfect together (katartizō[G]) in every (bechol[H]) good (agathos[G], tov[H]) thing to do His will (thelēma[G]), working in yourselves that which is pleasing (catov[H]) in His sight (be’eiynayv[H]), through, in the hand of (beyad[H]) Yeshua[H] the Messiah (haMashiach[H]), to Whom be the glory (ho doxa[G], hakavod[H]) forever (aiōn[G]) and ever (aion[G], leolam vaed[H]), age without end. Amein[H], agreed, firm, certain.
 
20 Now may the God of peace, rest, wholeness, who brought up from the dead the (our) Lord Yeshua[H]  the great Shepherd of the sheep, sheepfold through the blood of the eternal covenant
 
“God of Peace” is a title for God used in a number of New Testament benedictions. We note that “God of Peace” means God of reconciliation, reconstructed wholeness, well-being, security, rest and so on.
 
As believers we are assured of our hope in the resurrection of the King Messiah. Thus, we serve the God of Peace Who raised up Peace Himself from the grave and the Shepherd of all Peace (Yeshua) has therefore silenced turmoil caused by sin and death forever through His saving work.
 
The Shepherd motif is common in ancient Mesopotamian and Jewish (Levantine) thought. The shepherds of the Levant being a picture of protection and care. The Davidic King and God are called “Shepherds” of Israel (Eze. 34; Psa. 23), and the epithet is used to describe Yeshua as the ideal Shepherd (Matt. 26:31; John. 10:11; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 7:17).
 
Therefore, by calling Yeshua “the great Shepherd of the sheep, sheepfold” the writer  acknowledges both His deity and rightful position as the Davidic King of eternity.
 
“The blood of the eternal covenant” refers to the blood of Messiah Yeshua (Isa. 55:3; 61:8; Jer. 32:40; Eze. 16:10, 37:26). Yeshua’s blood is the blood of the new and eternal covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:30-33 [31-34]; 32:40).
 
All those covenants of the TaNaKH called “everlasting” are made eternal in Messiah, Who is the Author and goal of them. This includes the sign of the rainbow (Gen. 9:16) which is a prefigure of Yeshua’s redemptive work. Also included are:
 

• God’s covenant with Avram concerning the land of Israel, which was ratified and affirmed as passing to Isaac and Jacob, and therefore to the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 15:17-21)
• God’s covenant with Avram concerning his descendants the ethnic Jewish people (Isaac, Jacob, Israel [Gen 17:7, 19; 1 Chron. 16:17; Psa. 105:10; ])
• The covenant of circumcision (Gen. 17:13)
• The covenant sign of Shabbat upon the people of Israel (Lev. 24:8)
• The covenant of Davidic dynasty (2 Sam 23:5)

 
21 make you perfect together in every good thing to do His will, working in yourselves that which is pleasing in His sight, through, in the hand of Yeshua[H] the Messiah, to Whom be the glory forever and ever, age without end. Amein[H], agreed, firm, certain.
 
The believers are made perfect through the blood of the eternal covenant, the blood of Messiah Yeshua, for the purpose of doing God’s will in every good thing. The will of God being present and active in every believer individually and collectively by the Spirit of God (Father and Son [John 15:26; Acts 2:33; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6; ]).
 
This pleases God and brings glory to God through the Son Yeshua Who is again described in terms of the nature of His deity“Yeshua the Messiah, to Whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
 
22 Now I urge you, my fellow Jewish brothers and sisters (adelphos[G], achiym[H]), listen to, bear with, endure, suffer patiently (anechomai[G], sheu-na[H]) the word, substance, essence (ho logos[G], divreiy[H]; my words) of exhortation, comfort, consolation, entreaty (paraklēsis[G]) for I have written (epistellō[G], kiy ma’at mizar catavtiy eleichem[H]) to you few words (brachus[G]). 23 Know that our brother (adelphos[G], achiynu[H]) Timothy (Timotheos[G]: honours God) is sent, has departed (apoluō[G]), with him, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet, embrace (aspazomai[G], sha’alu l’shalom[H]) all of your leaders, those who govern, rule over you (hēgeomai[G]) and all the holy ones, set apart ones (ho hagios[G], hakedoshiym[H]). Those from Italy greet you (leshalom lechem[H]). 25 The Grace, practical love, thankfulness, acceptableness, favour, liberty, joy (charis[G], ha chesed[H]) be with you all.
 
22 Now I urge you, my fellow Jewish brothers and sisters, listen to, bear with, endure, suffer patiently the word, substance, essence of exhortation, comfort, consolation, entreaty for I have written to you few words. 
 
The words of this work (letter) are an exhortation, an encouragement that both encourages and rebukes, admonishes and chastens. Therefore, the recipients are asked to listen to it, endure it, suffer it where discipline is required (Heb. 12:5), and patiently receive and walk in its substance, its substance being that of Messiah through the Holy Spirit Who inspired it.
 
The writer further notes that in comparison to other spiritual writings the work of the Book to the Hebrews is brief, a midrash, a comparative and practical teaching which promotes a halakhah (way we walk) that is strengthened in every believer through the blood of Yeshua and by the power of God’s Spirit.
 
23 Know that our brother Timothy is sent, has departed, with him, if he comes soon, I will see you. 
 
As I have noted in the introduction to these concluding verses of Hebrews 13, Timothy’s being sent, having been released is either due to captivity (Philemon 1:1) or more likely, being released from a certain ministry task in order to pursue another task.
 
The phrasing of verse 23, along with the passing on of greetings from a group of Jewish believers “from” Italy leads many to mis-conclude Pauline authorship in spite of the overwhelming evidence against such authorship.
 
The fact remains that a number of early Messianic Jewish leaders knew Timothy, who was also known to the wider Jewish community in the diaspora (Acts 16:1-3). Additionally, many of the early Messianic Jewish leaders travelled throughout the diaspora, including Peter, Barnabas, and Silas to name a few. All of whom would have known Timothy and the believers in Rome and had regular contact with them, the community of faith still being small in terms of both numbers and resources, was reliant on strong relational networking. When we add this reasoning to the other factors mentioned in my introduction to the study of the Book to the Hebrews, and note that Paul’s custom was to both name himself [Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Php. 1:1; Col. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1; 1 Tim. 1:1; 2 Tim. 1:1; Titus. 1:1; Phile. 1:1] and where possible write a part of the latter portion of his letters in his own hand [1 Cor. 16:21; 2 Thess. 3:17; Col. 4:18; Phile. 1:19] (neither of these common practices are included in the Book to the Hebrews), we can conclude with some certainty that it is very unlikely this work was written by Paul.
 
24 Greet, embrace all of your leaders, those who govern, rule over you and all the holy ones, set apart ones. Those from Italy greet you.
 
Based on the wording “Those from Italy greet you” the writer is clearly passing on greetings from Italian believers living elsewhere, being from Italy but not at that time in Italy. An example of this in modern terms would be that of Israeli guest living with my wife and I for a time each year here in Aotearoa, NZ. If while living with us here in Aotearoa they give their greetings to me to pass on to our kehilah (community) in New York. When speaking with the leaders of our kehillah there I would say of the Israelis living with us “Those from Israel greet you”.
 
25 The Grace, practical love, thankfulness, acceptableness, favour, liberty, joy be with you all.
 
This final greeting/blessing is used by Paul in some of his letters, however, it was likely widely used throughout the Messianic Jewish community and wider body of believers of the first century C.E. Once again, this is not evidence of Pauline authorship.
 
Note: The various subscriptions like that included in the King James English version (“written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy”) added to the original text by later scribes from different traditions (Common Greek, Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic etc.) including those attributing the final greetings to Timothy’s hand are numerous and contradictory and entirely untrustworthy. One only need read the text itself in order to conclude that Timothy was most certainly not the author of the phrasing “Timothy is sent, has departed, with him, if he comes soon, I will see you.” Clearly, someone other than Timothy is writing about Timothy. Nor does Timothy being mentioned (v.23) denote Pauline authorship. Timothy, as I said in the introduction to these final verses, was known to many of the early Jewish leaders of the Messianic faith.
 
Putting aside the futilities of debating the human writer, let’s turn to the final greetings and the theme of these last verses of the Book to the Hebrews.
 
Put concisely, the message of these final verses of the Book to the Hebrews is conveyed in terms of a recipe for repairing the divisive poison that has made the body of believers ineffective. In Judaism we speak of Tikkun Olam “repairing the world”, something that is only possible if Messiah works in us to do so. And how can we repair the world if our own communities are divided over foolish distractions?
 
The solution offered by God through the writer of the Book to the Hebrews is simple, “Be teachable, honor and pray for your godly spiritual leaders, leaders who are reminded that they will give an account before God for their conduct in shepherding His sheep under the Chief Shepherd Yeshua.”
 
Obedience to this instruction means that shepherds who fear God will diligently shepherd the sheep, and in turn sheep who fear God will show honor and respect for their shepherds.
 
If leaders and congregations alike were to return to a secure fear of God which births grace and respect for those in positions of godly authority (I am not speaking of those who are apostate but have position in the body and lead many astray, they bring curse on themselves and their followers), we would be less inclined to be sidetracked by foolish and divisive things.
 
In Messiah we are children of God, not children of the political kindergarten of this fallen world.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Introduction & Summary:
 
The final verses of chapter 12 encouraged the first century Jewish recipients and by extension all believers to carry with awe and practical love the gift of God in Messiah Yeshua and to be mindful of God’s holiness, working out the faith with fear and trembling. This correlates to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind and strength” and the first verses of chapter 13 are a reminder of the second most important commandment, “Love your neighbour as yourself”. We note that the love of one’s neighbour is here applied specifically to one’s brothers and sisters in Messiah.
 
By extension of their love for one another, Jewish believers of the first century C.E. are to remember to show hospitality to strangers (foreigners), accepting that God’s angels have manifest themselves to the Jewish forebears of their faith in the past while those same forebears practiced hospitality to messengers they considered to be strangers (foreigners).
 
The Jewish believers of the first century C.E. are further reminded to identify with and show practical love to those persecuted and imprisoned for their faith in Messiah, as if they themselves were imprisoned.
 
The sacredness of the marriage bed as a picture of the relationship between God and Israel is to be maintained and fiercely guarded against all forms of sexual immorality. This is followed by an admonishment to live with integrity of character and a warning against the love of material things (mammon), a form of idolatry. The believers are to live out of the assurance that God will neither return them to bondage nor forsake them, not individually or collectively. The believers are reminded that a constant phobia of what other human beings might do to them is no longer to be a part of their lives because Yeshua’s blood has eternally atoned for them. The suffering of this life is temporary but the joy of the world to come is unending.
 
The first century Jewish believers are reminded of their obligation to honour those who have shepherded them in Messiah and hold to their doctrines, walking in the faith of their forebears and those who are a present example to them as leaders of the community of faith. They are to look to the faithfulness of godly leaders even unto death, the goal being Yeshua and eternal life. Yeshua is then described in terms of His all existing nature, “yesterday, today and forever.”
 
There is a strong warning against foreign and strange, conspiratorial and false doctrines and idolatrous religious syncretism. Instead of chasing after “new revelations” the early Jewish believers are reminded to focus on practicing the grace which is at the foundation of their faith and are further warned away from superstitious adherence to the sacrifices of the Aaronic priesthood. The sacrifices of Yom Kippur and the red heifer in particular are then used as a figure for the death of Yeshua which occurred outside the camp, the walled city of Jerusalem where the carcasses of the sacrifices were burned. The believers are encouraged to go out to the place of Messiah’s suffering (Golgota[A]), metaphorically speaking, so as to take up their respective crosses (sacrificial ministries) and follow Yeshua.
 
The then Roman occupied city of Jerusalem is called temporary and the convergent eternal Jerusalem is brought into focus as the city that believers should seek in Messiah Yeshua. That city where peace rains (reigns) everlasting. The proper sacrifices of this eternal city require no further blood, but are instead sacrifices of praise, thankfulness and adoration toward God. These sacrifices are to be the continued offerings of the present eternal reality in Messiah Yeshua Who has imparted to all who believe a trans-locational space of worship. The followers of Yeshua having been given the ability to see the future peace in the present storm.
 
Previous verses:
 
28 Therefore (because of what has just been said and going forward), since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s carry, hold, exhibit, show grace, practical love, thankfulness, by which we may serve, worship the God acceptably, in a well pleasing manner with modest, humble, reverence and awe, godly fear, terrifying security; 29 for our God is a consuming fire. [Deut. 4:24]
 
HEBREWS 13:1-15 (Author’s translation)
 
1Let the love of siblings continue, abide, dwell perpetually. 2 Do not neglect, forget, lack care, refuse to show hospitality toward, show love for strangers, for by this some have given lodging to angels, messengers without knowing it, it having been hidden from them. 3 Remember, be mindful of those imprisoned, as though you were in prison, bound with them, and those who are mistreated, abused, tormented, as if you yourselves were also in the body of the tortured one [alt. as if you yourselves were one body]. 4 Marriage is to be held in honour, kept sacred, esteemed, as holy among all, [Heb. Holy is every wife of every man] and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for the God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 5 Make sure that your character, conversation, way of life, is free from the love of material things, money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never send you back, nor will I ever abandon you,” [Deut. 31:6] 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, live in phobia concerning what a human being might do to me?” [Psalm 118:6,7] 7 Remember those who rule over, shepherd you, who have spoken the word, essence, substance of God to you; follow, imitate, emulate, walk in their faith, trust, belief looking attentively to the result, goal, way, outcome of their collective [the intense extension of their] way of life, conduct 8 Yeshua[H] the Messiah is Himself yesterday and today, and forever. 9 Do not be misled, led astray, carried away by various, multiple and strange, alien, foreign teachings, doctrines, instructions; for it is good for the heart, centre, core being, inner person to be strengthened, established by grace, favour, not by foods, meats, which have failed to benefit those who were occupied with them. 10 We have a sacrificial altar from which those who serve the ha-Mishkan[H] (Tent of Meeting) have no right to eat. 11 For the carcases of those sacrificial animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place, Sanctuary, Holy of holies by the high priest as an offering for sin, missing the mark set by God’s holiness are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Yeshua[H] also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 13 So then (based on this example), let us go to Him outside the camp, bringing, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting, continuing city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. 15 Through Him (Yeshua) then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise, thankfulness to the God, that is, the fruit of lips, speaking mouths professing thanks to His name.
 
HEBREWS 13:1-15 (line upon line)
 
1Let the love of siblings (Philadelphia[G], ahavat achiym[H]) continue, abide, dwell perpetually (menō[G], tamiyd[H]). 2 Do not neglect, forget, lack care, refuse to (epilanthanomai[G]) show hospitality toward, show love for (philonexia[G], ve’ahavah[H]) strangers (orchiym[H]), for by this some have given lodging (xenizō[G]) to angels, messengers (aggelos[G], malakhim[H]) without knowing it, it having been hidden from them (lanthanō[G]). 3 Remember, be mindful of (mimnēskō[G], zicru[H]) of those imprisoned (desmios[G], asuriym[H]), as though you were in prison, bound with them (sundeō[G]), and those who are mistreated, abused, tormented (kakoucheō[G]), as if you yourselves were also (kai en[G]) in the body of the tortured one (sōma[G], bevasar echad[H]) [alt. as if you yourselves were one body].
 
1Let the love of siblings continue, abide, dwell perpetually. 
 
The love to be shown is specifically between brothers and sisters in Messiah. In the context of the work of the Book to the Hebrews the brothers and sisters are fellow Jewish followers of Yeshua. As always, by extension the principle is applicable to all believers regardless of ethnicity. Our love for one another is to dwell perpetually among us. That love being defined by God rather than human emotion, philosophy, science etc.
 
2 Do not neglect, forget, lack care, refuse to show hospitality toward, show love for strangers, for by this some have given lodging to angels, messengers without knowing it, it having been hidden from them. 
 
Note that familial love precedes love for strangers. The love of the believer must be established in the believing community before it can effectively overflow into the lives of strangers. Those who fail to live among the community (family) of faith will learn to hate the community of faith, bearing a grudge that will lead to death.
 
Hospitality toward foreigners was and is an intrinsic part of Biblical Jewish culture. The cultural importance of hospitality among the Levantine, Mediterranean and near eastern peoples is well documented. The Biblical mandate is clear (Gen. 19:1-3; Judg. 19:19-21; Job 31:32; Rom. 12:13; 1 Pet. 4:9).
 
The allusion to entertaining angelic messengers points the first century Jewish believers back to Abraham (Gen. 18), Lot (Gen. 19), Gideon (Judg. 6), Manoah (Judg. 13) etc.
 
Cleopas and his companion had entertained Messiah Himself (the Messenger of God) unaware as recorded in Luke 24:13-35. Cleopas Or Alphaeus was one of the seventy talmidiym (disciples), and father of the sent ones (Apostles) Yaakov  (James) and Yehudah (Jude), as well as being a brother to Joseph, the husband of Miriyam (Mary), the mother of Yeshua the Messiah). Therefore, the first century Jewish believers have both ancient and recent examples of angelic visitations to draw on.
 
It is important to note that contrary to the popular but false assertions claiming that modern believers can ascend into the heavens to speak with angels (an occult delusion), the angelic visitations of Scripture involve angelic representatives of God coming down, and not believers ascending. It is therefore of further interest that the writer goes on to warn against “foreign” doctrines, many of which were promoted at the time based on Hellenistic religious beliefs. The deities of the Greeks and Romans being counterfeit substitutes for the angelic beings of Scripture.
 
Yeshua explains that many believers, through their acts of love toward the Jewish people will entertain Him without knowing it (Matt. 25:31-46).
 
The Talmud Bavliy Shabbat says that hospitality is one of the six things which a human being enjoys the fruit of both in this world, and as a reward in the Olam Haba (world to come). Elsewhere Jewish commentators extol the virtue of hospitality.
 
“From hence we learn how great is the strength (virtue, practice) of the reception of travellers (hospitality), as the Rabboniym (Rabbis) of blessed memory say, ‘Greater is hospitality than the reception of the face of the Shekhinah (manifest divine glory).” -Rav Abraham Seba in Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18, 4.
 
3 Remember, be mindful of those imprisoned, as though you were in prison, bound with them, and those who are mistreated, abused, tormented, as if you yourselves were also in the body of the tortured one [alt. as if you yourselves were one body].
 
The Jewish believers of the first century C.E. are further reminded to identify with and show practical love to those persecuted and imprisoned for their faith in Messiah, as if they themselves were imprisoned. This is not a general instruction to show love to those imprisoned for immoral behaviour.
 
Ref. Heb. 10:32-34; 1 Cor. 12:26
 
4 Marriage (gamos[G]) is to be held in honour, kept sacred, esteemed, as holy (timios[G], kodesh[H]) among all, [Heb. Holy is every wife of every man] and the marriage bed (koitē[G]) is to be undefiled (amiantos[G]); for the God (ho Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) will judge (krinō[G], mishpot[H]) the sexually immoral (pornos[G]) and adulterers (moichos[G]). 5 Make sure that your character, conversation, way of life, (tropos[G], darkekhem[H]) is free from the love of material things, money (aphilarguros[G], kesef[H]), being content with what you have (arkeō[G]); for He (YHVH) Himself has said, “I will never send you back (aniēmi[G]), nor will I ever abandon you,” [Deut. 31:6]
 
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD your God, He goes with you; He will not fail you, nor forsake you.” Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:6
 
4 Marriage is to be held in honour, kept sacred, esteemed, as holy among all, [Heb. Holy is every wife of every man] and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for the God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. 
 
Ref. Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18; Matt. 19:3-12; Mk. 10:6-8.
 
In light of the flawed teaching of certain Messianic leaders, it is important first to show that the alternate reading proposed by some "Let sex within marriage be pure" does not support the false notion that the practice of niddah (ritual purity relating to a woman’s monthly flow) within Messianic Judaism is being referred to.
 
While niddah (Lev. 15:19-33) in the sense of the Torah warning of ritual impurity regarding sexual relations during a woman’s menstrual flow, is certainly part of ritual purity within the marriage, the context of the present text regards the “sexually immoral” and “adulterers”, neither of which relate to niddah, but are references to the outlawed sex acts described in Torah (Lev. 18).
 
The sanctity of marriage (between one man and one woman) and the procreating act of sexual intercourse is held sacred throughout Scripture and the punishment for desecrating the marriage bed (place of sexual purity) is the same as that for murder (Lev. 20:10).
 
Marriage is the ultimate figure for the reconciling of the sin affected creation to the Creator, and is specifically seen as an allegory concerning God’s relationship to His chosen wife Israel (ethnic, religious, empirical) [Eze. 16:8-14, 32-34, 43, 59-60; Jer. 2:2, 3:6-10, 12-14, 20, 31:32; Isa. 50:1, 54:5; Hosea 1:2, 2:2, 7, 15, 9:1; Joel 1:8 etc. etc.).
 
Those who sin sexually defile the marriage bed and are tearing at the foundation of society, the Biblical family structure ordained by God (Gen. 2:24). Further, sexual immorality is self-harm, the New Testament Scripture warns, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” 1 Cor. 6:18 (NIV).
 
Those who sin sexually sin against the community of faith and against Messiah Himself:
 
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Messiah Himself? Shall I then take the members of Messiah and unite them with a prostitute?” 1 Cor. 6:15
 
One of the ways the marriage bed is defiled is through a believer being unequally yoked to a non-believer. This is because the children of those unequally yoked are more likely to pursue false belief passed on by the unbelieving parent. This is why God warned Israel from marrying outside the community of faith.
 
“3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” -Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (ESV)
 
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Messiah with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” -2 Corinthians 6:14-18
 
Messiah followers are instructed not to associate with those who claim to be believers but are living wilful and continued sexually immoral lifestyles.
 
“But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or a greedy person, or an idolater, or is verbally abusive, or habitually drunk, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person.” -1 Corinthians 5:11 (NASB)
 
5 Make sure that your character, conversation, way of life, is free from the love of material things, money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never send you back, nor will I ever abandon you,” [Deut. 31:6, 8]
 
“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” -Joshua 1:5 (NIV)
 
The love of worldly wealth is idolatry. Idolatry being the root of all sin. The writer reminds his readers of that which they already know in Messiah, that God Himself is their provider and that He will never send them back into slavery nor forsake them. Therefore, they are not to place their trust in material wealth.
 
“For the love of money is the root of all the evil. Some people, coveting after it, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” -1 Timothy 6:10
 
The love of money is idolatry, idolatry being the love of something or someone other than God. The definite article in the Greek text does not allow for the flawed reading “is a root for all kinds of evil”.
 
Ref. Luke 12:15-21; Php. 4:10-13; 1 Tim. 6:6-19.
 
6 so that we confidently (tharrheō[G]) say, “The Lord (YHVH[H]) is my helper (boēthos[G]), I will not be afraid, live in phobia (phobeō[G]) concerning what a human being (anthrōpos[G], ben adam[H]) might do to me?” [Psalm 118:6,7] 7 Remember (mnēmoneuō[G], zichru[H]) those who rule over, shepherd you (hēgeomai[G]), who have spoken the word, essence, substance (logos[G], devar[H]) of God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]) to you; follow, imitate, emulate, walk in (mimeomai[G], darkam[H]) their faith, trust, belief (pistis[G], be’emunatam[H]) looking attentively to (anatheōreō[G]) the result, goal, way, outcome (ekbasis[G]) of their collective [the intense extension of their] way of life, conduct (anastrophē[G], darkam[H]) 8 Yeshua[H] the Messiah (haMashiach[H]) is Himself (autos[G]) yesterday (chthes[G], etmol[H]) and today (sēmeron[G], hayom[H]), and forever (eis aiōn[G], leolam va’ed[H]).
 
6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, live in phobia concerning what a human being might do to me?” [Psalm 118:6,7]
 
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” -Psalm 27:1
 
The LORD promises to help us, so that we need not fear the many possible outcomes of human persecution against us.
 
7 Remember those who rule over, shepherd you, who have spoken the word, essence, substance of God to you; follow, imitate, emulate, walk in their faith, trust, belief looking attentively to the result, goal, way, outcome of their collective [the intense extension of their] way of life, conduct 8 Yeshua[H] the Messiah is Himself yesterday and today, and forever.
 
Yeshua, Who is God with us (Imanu El), yesterday, today and forever, is the Goal of the faith journey of the leaders who rule over the community. Therefore, along with the latter admonishments to honour the leaders of the Messianic Jewish community of the first century C.E. (Heb. 13:17, 24), the writer here reminds the community to emulate the righteous lifestyle of their shepherds in Messiah, those who have passed from this life and those who continue to lead the community.
 
At least some of the leaders in question were dead at the time of the writing of this work, hence “outcome of their way of life”.
 
Ref. Heb. 6:12, 13:17, 24; 1 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 5:1; 1 Th. 1:6-7, 2:14; Gal. 4:12; Phil. 3:17, 4:9; 3 Jn. 11.
 
Yeshua is described in terms of His all existing nature (deity), “yesterday, today and forever.”
 
The use of this phrasing to describe Yeshua adds to the wealth of Scriptural evidence affirming His deity (Rev. 1:4, 8; 4:8).
 
“I am the Aleph and the Tav,” says the Lord God, “Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.” -Revelation 1:8
 
9 Do not be misled, led astray, carried away (peripherō[G]) by various, multiple (poikilos[G]) and strange, alien, foreign (xenos[G]) teachings, doctrines, instructions (didachē[G], torot[H]); for it is good (kalos[G], tov[H]) for the heart, centre, core being, inner person (kardia[G], laleiv[H]) to be strengthened, established (bebaioō[G]) by grace, favour (charis[G], chesed[H]), not by foods, meats (brōma[G]), which have failed to benefit those who were occupied (peripateō[G]) with them. 10 We have a sacrificial altar (thusiastērion[G], mizbeach[H]) from which those who serve the ha-Mishkan[H] (Tent of Meeting) (skēnē[G]) have no right to eat. 
 
9 Do not be misled, led astray, carried away by various, multiple and strange, alien, foreign teachings, doctrines, instructions; for it is good for the heart, centre, core being, inner person to be strengthened, established by grace, favour, not by foods, meats, which have failed to benefit those who were occupied with them.
 
Those who both seek out and proliferate “New revelations”, “Christian conspiracy theories”, “heavenly ascendance and conversations with angels”, “Syncretised foreign religious ideas” etc. would do well to take heed of this warning.
 
This is a strong warning against foreign and strange, conspiratorial and false doctrines and idolatrous religious syncretism [The Hellenistic religious beliefs and philosophies of the first century were being entertained by Jews and in some cases syncretised into religious practice].
 
The early Jewish believers are reminded of the grace which is at the foundation of their faith and are further warned away from placing undue emphasis on the sacrifices (meat, food) of the Aaronic priesthood. The following verse qualifies what kind of food/meat is being alluded to.
 
We must remember that some of the recipients of this work are still offering animal sacrifices according to the temple rituals and are coming to terms with the difference between what is temporarily symbolic (the physical sacrifices of the Torah commanded priesthood) and what has eternal efficacy (the blood of Messiah).
 
It is Messiah’s blood alone that is effective, therefore, in addition to staying away from foreign false beliefs, they are also not to place any trust in the physical sacrifices of the temple cult. They are to rely on God’s grace in Messiah rather than turning back to reliance on the meat of sacrifices which could never atone for the sins of either the priests who offered them or the people on whose behalf they were offered.
 
10 We have a sacrificial altar from which those who serve the ha-Mishkan[H] (Tent of Meeting) have no right to eat. 
 
Note that certain parts of the sacrifices of the Torah were food for the priests.
 
The altar upon which Yeshua sacrificed Himself was the cross and the blood of Messiah atones in the heavens in the holiest place. Those who continue to place their trust in the temporary sacrifices of the Aaronic priesthood offered at the earthly temple (tent of meeting) have not right to eat the spiritual food of Messiah’s body and blood sacrificed for us. That is His person, His essence, His Spirit, which transforms the substance of the redeemed human being. His blood being like a spiritual bone marrow transplant which changes our DNA to emulate His.
 
The atonement of Messiah is trans-locational in the sense that we carry the covering of the eternally atoning blood of Messiah upon us wherever we are.
 
11 For the carcases (sōma[G], figreiy[H]) of those sacrificial animals (hazvachiym[H]) whose blood (damam[H]) is brought into the Holy Place, Sanctuary, Holy of holies (hagion[G], ha-Kodesh[H]) by the high priest (archiereus[G], ha-Kohen ha-Gadol[H]) as an offering for sin, missing the mark set by God’s holiness (hamartia[G]) are burned (katakaiō[G]) outside the camp (parembolē[G]). 12 Therefore Yeshua[H] also suffered outside the gate (pulē[G]), that He might sanctify (hagiazō[G], yekadeish[H]) the people (laos[G], ha-am[H]) through His own (idios[G]) blood (aima[G], bedamo[H]). 13 So then (based on this example), let us go (exerchomai[G]) to Him outside (exō[G], michutz[H]) the camp (parembolē[G], lamachaneh[H]), bringing, bearing (pherō̄[G]) His reproach (oneidismos[G]). 
 
11 For the carcases of those sacrificial animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place, Sanctuary, Holy of holies by the high priest as an offering for sin, missing the mark set by God’s holiness, are burned outside the camp. 
 
This refers specifically to the Yom Kippur bull sacrifice and the goat sacrifice, the blood from these is sprinkled in the holy of holies and to the red heifer sacrifice used for cleansing Israelites from impurity. The carcases of each of these specific sacrifices were burned outside the camp of Israel (Lev. 16:27; Num. 19:2-3).
 
By the first century C.E. “outside the camp” had been amended to “outside the city (Jerusalem) gate” because the temple and the city of Jerusalem had become “the camp”. The use of this phrasing is found in the Mishnah Sanhedrin 6:4.
 
The writer of the Book to the Hebrews was clearly familiar with the modified phrasing and uses it himself in the following verse. Thus he draws together the ancient camp and the first century city of Jerusalem, making them synonymous in regard to the drash (comparative teaching) he is imparting to his readers.
 
12 Therefore Yeshua[H] also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 
 
“17 They (Roman soldiers) took Yeshua, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in a language of the Hebrews, Golgotha[A] (Skull). 18 There they crucified [drove stakes into] Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Yeshua in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “Yeshua Ha-natzriy Melekh Hay’hudiym” (Yeshua the Nazarene King of the Jewish People). 20 Therefore many of the Jewish people read this inscription, for the place where Yeshua was crucified was near the city (Jerusalem); and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek.” -John 19:17-20 (Author’s translation)
 
Yeshua’s death was like the sin offerings in two ways. First, like the blood of the Yom Kippur sacrifices offered in the holy of holies first on behalf of the high priest and his family and then on behalf of the people, Yeshua’s blood was offered in the holiest place in the heavens. Second, just as the bodies of the animals used for the high priest’s family, the corporate sin offering and the red heifer purification rite, were burned outside the city, so too Yeshua died outside the city gate.
 
“He might sanctify the people through His own blood.” Recalls Hebrews 9:11-14 which mentions the red heifer. Yeshua is the Ram of God, the Lamb of God, and the Red Heifer of God.
 
13 So then (based on this example), let us go to Him outside the camp, bringing, bearing His reproach.
 
Shame and reproach are associated with being outside the camp (the city gate) in numerous ways. Lepers were to dwell outside the camp, those declared impure were to dwell outside the camp. Yeshua, a friend to lepers was falsely considered impure and killed outside the camp, His naked body nailed to a Roman cross, utterly humiliated He suffered death outside the very city that belongs to Him and will see the ultimate fullness of its name in Him (Yeru – downpour, flood Shalayim – peace, wholeness, well-being, sound construction).
 
The first century Jewish believers are encouraged to embrace their position as shamed members of the Jewish community, as disgraced non-rabbinic Jews who have followed a “false” Messiah. Those who want to live a godly life must walk as Messiah walked (1 John 2:6).
 
14 For here we do not have a lasting, continuing (menō[G]) city (polis[G], iyr[H]), but we are seeking (epizēteō[G]) the city which is to come (mellō[G]). 15 Through Him (Yeshua) then, let’s continually (diapantos[G], tamiyd[H]) offer (anapherō[G]) up a sacrifice (thusia[G], zivcheiy[H]) of praise, thankfulness (ainesis[G], todah[H]) to the God (ho-Theos[G], le’Elohiym[H]), that is, the fruit (karpos[G], periy[H]) of lips, speaking mouths (cheilos[G], shefateiynu[H]) professing thanks (homologeō[G], todah[H]) to His name (onoma[G], lishmo[H]).
 
14 For here we do not have a lasting, continuing city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
 
Ref. Heb. 11:10-16; 12:22-29; Rev. 21:1-3.
 
The then Roman occupied city of Jerusalem is called temporary and the convergent eternal Jerusalem is brought into focus as the city that believers should seek in Messiah Yeshua. That city where peace floods everlasting.
 
15 Through Him (Yeshua) then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise, thankfulness to the God, that is, the fruit of lips, speaking mouths professing thanks to His name.
 
Once again we must refute the false teaching of certain Messianic theologians who claim literal thanks giving animal and food sacrifices are being referred to here. This is utter nonsense. The theme of the text denotes spiritual sacrifices understood as being born of the transcendently effective convergent physical/spiritual sacrifice of Messiah’s blood. Hence, “through Him”.
 
The present text is clearly teaching early Jewish believers to take their eyes off of physical symbols (sacrifices), which are shadows of the Messiah and to refocus on the heavenly reality of Messiah’s redemptive work.
 
The false assertion that the physical thank offerings of Torah are being referred to here is easily refuted by the text itself which says that the sacrifices in question are “the fruit of lips”, spoken sacrifices of mouths who profess Messiah Yeshua.
 
Those who say the text implies physical Torah prescribed sacrifices are in direct opposition to the teaching of these verses and in danger of drawing attention away from the sacrifice of Yeshua, and the free trans-locational worship of God imparted to those who believe. Their teaching is at least foolish and at worst apostate.
 
The Psalms describe prayers, songs and good works as sacrifices in conjunction with literal thank offerings (Psalm 50:23; 107:22) :
 
“Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the Lord.” -Psalm 27:6 (NIV)
 
“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart
    you, God, will not despise.” -Psalm 51:17 (NIV)
 
It’s interesting to note that the rabbinical tradition recorded in the Midrash Rabbah expresses a similar if not identical idea:
 
"Rabbi Pinchas, Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Menachem of Galliah, 'In the time to come all sacrifices will be annulled except for the sacrifice of thanksgiving.' " (Leviticus Rabbah 9:7)
 
Rabbinic Judaism also replaces daily sacrifices with prayers, however, it does so without a foundation of blood atonement with which to qualify the efficacy of those prayers. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22).
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown

Introduction & Summary:
 
The remainder of this chapter draws attention to the fact that the first century Jewish followers of Yeshua have not come into a faith that concerns earthly manifestations of heavenly things (Mt Horeb/Sinai, Torah etc.) but the heavenly things themselves, made accessible through God Who has come down (manifest) Himself in the person of His Son Yeshua the King Messiah, and the Great High Priest over all who believe.
 
Access to these things is purchased with the better covenant of Yeshua. Therefore, believers are warned not to neglect or fail to listen to the One Who has given them this covenant. A kal vechomer (light and heavy) argument is employed in order to show that if those who rejected the earthly manifestation of the promised redemption did not escape, how much more so those who refuse Yeshua, Who is Imanu (with us) El (God), His atoning work our only means of salvation.
 
This temporal sin affected world will be shaken unto the removal of all that is defiled and only that which is unshakable will remain. The Kingdom of God immovable is our present and future reward. Therefore, we are left with the instruction to give praise to God out of gratitude to Him Who is a consuming fire. The fire of God being that which warms the righteous and torments the wicked.
 
Previous verses:
 
15 look diligently, forbid everyone from coming short of the grace of the God; forbid any root of bitterness, poison from springing up to cause trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 Forbid any sexually immoral or godless person like Esav[H], who sold his own birth-right for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, disallowed for he found no place, room, opportunity for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
 
HEBREWS 12:18-29 (Author’s translation)
 
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, felt and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and sudden storm, 19 and to the voice, echo of a shofar[H] and the voice of words, which caused those who heard to beg that no further word, essence, substance be added, spoken further to them. 20 For they could not cope with the command, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” [Exodus 19:12,13] 21 And so frightening was the sight, that Moshe[H] said, “I am terrified and trembling.” [Deut. 9:19] 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Jerusalem most high, and to a multitude of angels, messengers, 23 to the general assembly, corporate gathering, public celebration, and the body of believers of the firstborn (plural) who are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, individually and collectively and to the spirits of the just, righteous ones made perfect, fully filled, made whole, 24 and to Yeshua[H], the mediator, go between, reconciler of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better, stronger than the blood of Havel[H]. 25 See, pay heed that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much more will we fail to escape who turn away from Him who warns us from heaven. 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” [Haggai 2:6] 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” declares the changing, translation, removal of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain in perpetuity. 28 Therefore (because of what has just been said and going forward), since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s carry, hold, exhibit, show grace, practical love, thankfulness, by which we may serve, worship the God acceptably, in a well pleasing manner with modest, humble, reverence and awe, godly fear, terrifying security; 29 for our God is a consuming fire. [Deut. 4:24]
 
HEBREWS 12:18-29 (line upon line)
 
18 For you have not come to a mountain (oros[G], har[H]) that can be touched, felt (psēlaphaō[G]) and that burned with fire (pur[G], eish[H]), and to blackness (gnophos[G]) and darkness (skotos[G]) and sudden storm (thuella[G]), 19 and to the voice, echo (ēchos[G], kol[H]) of a shofar[H] (salpigx[G]) and the voice (phōnē[G], kol[H]) of words (rhēma[G], devariym[H]), which caused those who heard to beg that no further word, essence, substance (logos[G], dabeir[H]) be added, spoken (prostithēmi[G], yosef[H]) to them.
 
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, felt and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and sudden storm, 19 and to the voice, echo of a shofar[H] and the voice of words, which caused those who heard to beg that no further word, essence, substance be added, spoken to them.
 
Ref. Exodus 19-20; Deuteronomy 4:10-13; Psalm 68:8
 
The writer by referencing Mt Sinai (Horeb), the giving of the Torah, seeks to make a comparison to Mt Zion (Moriah) in Jerusalem. The former mountain representing the giving of the Torah as an indictment against the wicked acts practiced in the sin affected creation, and the latter being a convergent place of heaven and earth made possible by the Goal of the Torah, Yeshua the King Messiah. Therefore, Messianic Judaism is proved superior to non-Messianic Judaism because the former has both Moses (the Torah) and Yeshua (the Goal), whereas the latter has only Moses (Torah).
 
The kol (voice, sound) of the shofar (ram’s horn) represents the voice of the King Messiah Who is prefigured in the ram who took Isaac’s place during the Akeidah (Binding). That same voice echoes throughout time and space calling to future generations of Jews, and by extension to the nations.
 
The event being alluded to here culminates in the giving of the 9 universally moral commandments and the Shabbat commandment incumbent upon Israel (ethnic, religious, descendants of Jacob) as a sign to the other nations directing those nations to Yeshua the Goal of the Torah, and eternal Shabbat, the Olam Haba (world to come).
 
“10 the day when you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb (Sinai), when the LORD said to me, ‘Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and they may teach their children. 11 And you came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire into the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.12 And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the words, but saw no image; you only heard a voice.13 And He declared to you His covenant, which he commanded you to perform, ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.” -Deuteronomy 4:10-13
 
We note that the covenant of Sinai relates specifically to the ten commandments. It is the universally moral nature of these commandments that is important because the better covenant made in Yeshua is also universally applicable, continually first for the Jew and also for the nations.
 
While the greater part of Torah uses the word mitzvot (commandments) to refer to the ordinances of God, Deuteronomy (Devarim: words) calls the ten commandments aseret hadevariym “ten words” (Deut. 4:13). These ten words (devariym) are spoken by kol devariym (a voice of words). Yeshua is both the voice (kol) and the Words (devariym), He is the Word, Essence, Substance (Davar) of creation (John 1).
 
The rabbinical Jewish commentator Maimonides notes that the manifestation of the divine voice was evidence to the people of Israel of the reliability of the words being commanded (Mishneh Torah, Hilcot Yesodei haTorah 8:1).
 
20 For they could not cope with the command (ho diastellomai[G], hamitzvah[H]), “If even an animal touches the mountain (ho oros[G], ba-har[H]), it shall be stoned.” [Exodus 19:12,13] 21 And so frightening (phoberos[G], norah[H]) was the sight, that Moshe[H] (drawn out one) said, “I am terrified (ekphobos[G], pachad kera aniy[H]) and trembling (entromos[G], ur’adah[H]).” [Deut. 9:19]
 
20 For they could not cope with the command, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” [Exodus 19:12,13]
 
The voice of the words is that same voice represented in the shofar, and the hearing of those words of truth was terrifying to those who received them at Sinai because the holiness manifest in the Word exposed the sinfulness of the people. The same voice of God (Yeshua) speaks at both Mt Sinai (earthly mountain) and Mt Zion (heavenly-earthly convergent mountain).
 
The specific command concerning the animals accentuates the fearful holiness manifest upon Mt Sinai. In effect, the animal that touched the mountain which was touched by God is considered to have been dedicated to God, a euphemism for its obligatory death.
 
21 And so frightening was the sight, that Moshe[H] said, “I am terrified and trembling.” [Deut. 9:19]
 
The Scripture records that Moses spoke saying “I was afraid” (Deut. 9:19) but does not record Moses explicitly saying “I am terrified and trembling”. The writer of the Book to the Hebrews is clearly sharing a convergent quote that makes a sum of both Biblical and extra Biblical Jewish tradition, which he considers to be a true account of Moses’ words. The tradition that Moses “trembled” comes from the Zohar (Zohar in Exod. fol. 84. 4.). Other traditions affirm Moses’ fear before the LORD at Sinai (Talmud Bavliy Shabbat, fol. 88. 2. Yalkut, 2. par. 2. fol. 92; Talmud Bavliy Yoma, fol. 4. 2; Midrash Kohelet, fol. 69. 4.)
 
The fear experienced by the people was different to that experienced by Moses. The people experienced the manifest presence of God as seen and heard at Sinai and were terrified, afraid to come near and asking for mediation. Moses on the other hand is quoted as saying “For I was afraid of the anger and the rage with which the Lord was angry with you so as to destroy you; but the Lord listened to me that time as well.” (Deut. 9:19) This shows that while Moses was afraid for the people. Through meeting face to face with God (in the person of Yeshua) in holy fear Moses developed the awe of terrifying security in relationship with the Creator of the universe through Yeshua. We note that Moses expressed these things having come down from the mountain to find Israel in the practice of idolatry, showing that the fear of God alone does not denote right relationship with God. Yaakov, the brother of Yeshua says “the demons believe and tremble” (Yaakov [James] 2:19).
 
22 But you have come to Mount Zion (el har Tziyon[H]) and to the city of the living God (zao Theos[G], Eil chaiy[H]), the heavenly (epouranios[G]) Jerusalem (Yerushalayim[H]: flood of peace) [alt. Heb. Yerushalayim hael’yonah: Jerusalem most high], and to a multitude (murias[H]) of angels, messengers (aggelos[G], malakhim[H]), 23 to the general assembly, corporate gathering, public celebration, (panēguris[G], adat[H]) and the body of believers (ekklēsia[G]) of the firstborn [Plural] (prōtotokos[G], habecoriym[H]) who are written (apographō[G], vaketuviym[H]) in heaven (ouranos[G], bashamayim[H]), and to God (Theos[G], Elohiym[H]), the Judge (kritēs[G], shofeit[H]) of all, individually and collectively (pas[G]) and to the spirits (pneuma[G], ru’chot[H]) of the just, righteous ones (dikaios[G], hatzadiykiym[H]) made perfect, fully filled, made whole (teleioō[G], sheleimiym[H]),
 
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Jerusalem most high, and to a multitude of angels, messengers, 
 
In Messiah the recipients of this work are not returning to the fear of the indictment of Torah given at Mt Sinai (Horeb) but instead have come to the convergent now and yet to be fully revealed Mt Zion (Mt Moriah, Har Beit etc.) of the heavenly Jerusalem with access to a multitude of messengers of God (as at Sinai) so as to be without excuse. In Messiah all who come enter the terrifying security of God through the receipt of the Goal of the Torah. Yeshua having mediated a better covenant that atones for all sin which the Torah speaks against.
 
Many who were receiving the Book to the Hebrews in the first century were still living in Jerusalem and regularly going up to Mt Zion, to worship at the temple mount. The place where HaShem has caused His Name (YHVH) to be remembered (Ex. 20:24; Neh. 1:9; Eze. 43:6-7). While the writer is, by the Holy Spirit, alluding to the heavenly Mt Zion and the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, which will descend in the latter days, he is also referring to the translation (change, renewal) of the present mountain. After all, Ezekiel states clearly “6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the house (temple), while a man was standing beside me. 7 And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.” Therefore, contrary to the false choice offered by many theologians, the writer is not speaking of the annihilation of the present Mt Zion where YHVH has placed His Name forever, but the translation of that same mountain in convergence with the descending heavenly mountain (Rev. 21:1-3).
 
Mt Zion (Mt Moriah, Har Beit etc.) in Jerusalem is a place of great significance. In many ways it is the point of convergence between heaven and earth, not because the place is in and of itself powerful but because YHVH has caused His Name to be remembered there. What other reason could there be for the insistence of every major empire in history to take possession of it?
 
The foundation stone of the ancient holy of holies is the point through which Jewish tradition says creation took place (Tanhuma Kedoshim 10), where the Scripture records Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:2), the place where Jewish tradition says Jacob’s dream of the stairway from and to the heavens occurred (Genesis 28 see my commentary), the place where David placed the ark of the covenant prior to the building of the temple (2 Sam. 6:2), where David’s purchase of the threshing floor (2 Sam. 24), the place where the temple of Solomon was built (2 Chron. 3:1) the place where Yochanan (John) by the revelations of Yeshua’s Angel (messenger), saw Yeshua, the Lamb standing (Rev. 14:1).
 
Mt Zion is called “the city of the Great King” (Psalm 48:2-3[1-2]).
 
The convergent and transcendent nature of this location is made trans-locational through Yeshua and revealed to those who believe (Gal. 4:25-26; Heb. 11:10, 13-16; 13:14; Rev. 21:1-3). What the first century recipients of the Book to the Hebrews can physically see in Jerusalem on Mt Zion is a shadow of what is to be revealed. This is consistent with the wider teaching of the Book to the Hebrews (Heb. 8:5, 9:11, 23-24; 10:1).
 
“to a multitude of angels, messengers,” refers the recipients back to the giving of the Torah at Sinai where a multitude of angels ministered the Torah to the people (Deut. 33:2; Heb. 1:14). The multitude of angels denotes access to the presence of God (Dan. 7:10), and relationship to God in Messiah (Luke 2:13-15), an audience with YHVH (Rev. 5:11-12). Not that we ascend, but that He descends. In Messiah God has opened to the believer present access to the future reality of God’s kingdom.
 
23 to the general assembly, corporate gathering, public celebration, and the body of believers of the firstborn (Plural) who are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, individually and collectively and to the spirits of the just, righteous ones made perfect, fully filled, made whole,
 
“the body of believers of the firstborn (plural)” The language “general assembly” denotes not only a connection to the assembly at Sinai but also to all the aliyot (going up) festivals of HaShem and to the gathering of all Israel in Jerusalem three times a year. A comparison is being made between the existing earthly shadow practices and the heavenly reality. By extension the assembly (ecclesia) is the body of all believers Jewish and of the nations who have together in Messiah become firstborn children who inherit according to the rights of the firstborn. Yeshua is the first of the firstborn and is therefore included in the plural “firstborn”.
 
Yeshua is the “firstborn” in the same way a thought is first thought, a word is first spoken, the thinker being God, the word being God’s word. Yeshua is the Image of the invisible God, all existing, not created but Creator (Col. 1:15). Yeshua is begotten of God, we are created by God, Yeshua is the essence of God with us (Imanu El). Yeshua is the Son of God, the true Heir, we are created by God through Yeshua and are adopted as children in Yeshua. Thus, we become co-heirs in Him (Rom. 8:29).
 
Yeshua is:

• Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15)
• Head of the body of faith and firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18)
• Firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Rom. 8:29)

 
“who are written in heaven” Those of us who belong to the assembly (ecclesia) of the firstborn (plural, Yeshua being the head) are written in the Book of Living in the heavens, which will be opened at the judgement (Ex. 32:31:33; Psa. 56:8, 69:27-28, 139:16; Dan. 12:2; Mal. 3:16; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 21:27). Those written in heaven are b’neiy Elohiym “Children of God” whereas those written in the earth (Jer. 17:13) are b’neiy Adam “Children of humanity (fallen nature)”.
 
“God, the Judge of all,” All will face judgement. Yom Ha-Din (the Day of Judgement) is referred to throughout Scripture (Eccl. 11:9, 12:14; Dan 7:22; Zeph. 1:14; Psa. 1:5; 149:9; Amos 5:18; Matt. 11:22, 12:36, 42; John 12:48; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16, 14:12; 2 Peter 2:9, 3:7; 1 Cor. 1:18, 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 John 4:17; Heb. 9:27; Jude 1:6; Rev. 20:13).
 
God has entrusted the judgement to Yeshua (John 5:22, 27-30; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16). Those made righteous in Messiah will receive mercy and eternal life while those who wilfully reject God’s loving offer of redemption will endure the eternal death which they have chosen.
 
“and to the spirits of the just, righteous ones made perfect” These are, given the context, first and foremost those listed as having gone before in faith (Heb. 12), being “spirits” because they have passed from this life and exist in Gan Eden (Paradise) within Sheol (place of the departed). However, by extension it refers to all, who from the creation of humanity to the fullness of those being saved in Messiah, are made perfect in God (Heb. 7:11, 11:4, 7, 33, 39-40, 12:2). The Talmud and Zohar call the righteous Tzadikiym gemoriym “Just ones perfected” (Zohar in Gen. fol. 28. 2. & 29. 1. & 39. 3. Talmud Bavliy Taanit, fol. 18. 2. & Rosh bahanah, fol. 4. 1. Pesachim, fol. 8. 1. 2.)
 
24 and to Yeshua[H] (YHVH saves), the mediator, go between, reconciler (mesitēs[G], meiliytz[H]) of a new covenant (neos diathēkē[G], liv’riyt chadashah[H]), and to the blood (aima[G], el-damo[H]) of sprinkling (rhantismos[G], hanizrak[H]), which speaks (laleō[G], kol keriyato[H]) better, stronger (kreittōn[G], tov[H]) than the blood (demeiy[H]) of Havel[H] (breath, vapour). 25 See, pay heed (blepō[G]) that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking (laleō[G], min hadoveir[H]). For if they did not escape (pheugō[G]) when they refused him who warned them on earth (ba’aretz[H]), how much more will we fail to escape who turn away (apostrephō[G]) from Him who warns us from heaven (ouranos[G], mishamayim[H]). 
 
24 and to Yeshua[H], the mediator, go between, reconciler of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better, stronger than the blood of Havel[H].
 
“Yeshua[H], the mediator of a new covenant” Heb. 7:22, 8:6-13, 9:15; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 2:5.
 
“the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better, stronger than the blood of Havel” ref. Heb. 11:4. Abel was the first to die (Gen. 4:3-10), Yeshua is, in the eternal sense, the last to die because His death affects life everlasting (Lev. 17:11). Where the blood of Abel sprinkled the earth with a demand for righteous judgement and the death of those who spill the blood of human beings unjustly (murder), the blood of Messiah on the other hand sprinkles those under judgement with atonement and produces life everlasting. Therefore, the voice (kol) of the blood of Abel is heard by God and answered with the voice (kol) of the blood of Yeshua, that is the essence of the universe, the ever living word of God.
 
Just as the blood of the first covenant at Sinai was sprinkled on the people (Exodus 24:8) as a reminder of the need for blood atonement and a prefigure of a better covenant, so too the blood of Messiah is sprinkled upon those who receive Him. The former a reminder of the need for the latter (Col. 1:20; 1 John 1:7). Further, Yeshua’s blood is sprinkled upon the heavenly mercy-seat in the holiest place (reflected in the holy of holies of the earthly temple) and gives all believers access to intimacy with God in right relationship, this being prefigured in the Aaronic High Priest’s actions (Lev. 16:15-16).
 
25 See, pay heed that you do not refuse Him Who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much more will we fail to escape who turn away from Him who warns us from heaven. 
 
God Himself is speaking in Yeshua by the Spirit. He speaks from the heavens in the right hand of God, resurrected and transcendent. He speaks in the hearts of all who believe by His Spirit. He is closer than breathing. Therefore, the kal vechomer (light and heavy) argument. If those who refused His manifest voice at Sinai, who refused the warning of Moses did not escape judgement, how much more so those who knowing His voice in relationship choose to refuse to continually listen.
 
Those who refused God’s voice at Sinai wanted to return to Egypt (double distress, slavery) [Acts 7:39]. Therefore, those who refuse the voice of God in Messiah will return to slavery to sin and their end will be eternal death.
 
26 And His voice (phōnē[G], kolo[H]) shook the earth (et ha’aretz[H]) then, but now He has promised (epaggellō[G]), saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth (ha’aretz[H]), but also the heaven (ouranos[G], shamayim[H]).” [Haggai 2:6] 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” declares (dēloō[G]) the changing, translation, removal (metathesis[G]) of those things which can be shaken, as of created things (poieō[G], nivra[H]), so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain in perpetuity (la’ad[H]). 
 
26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” [Haggai 2:6] 
 
“And mount Sinai was engulfed in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” -Exodus 19:18 (Author’s translation)
 
The second shaking will not be confined to one location (Sinai) but will shake the entire earth and the heavens, all sin affected creation will be shaken and judged in fire (1 Cor. 3.13; 2 Thess. 1.8; 2 Pt. 3.12).
 
27 This expression, “Yet once more,” declares the changing, translation, removal of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain in perpetuity.
 
The heavens and the earth (the created order) will be shaken once more, and then the judgement.
 
The translation of the present sin affected creation is described in terms of change and destruction. Like a sifting of wheat that removes the chaff and burns it in the fire, so too the sin affected creation will be translated, purified in Messiah and all that is convergent with the heavenly things will remain. Therefore, there will be both destruction and translation. All that is good in Messiah is unshakable.
 
One of the best explanations of the present verse is in the writings of Rav Shaul:
 
“50 Now this I say, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither do corruptible things inherit incorruptible things. 51 Behold, I show you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last shofar: for the shofar will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be translated, transformed. 53 For what is corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and what is mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when that which is corruptible shall have put on that which is incorruptible, and what is mortal will have put on immortality, then will come to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ 55 death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the indictment of Torah. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Yeshua Messiah.” -1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (Author’s translation)
 
God is good. In Messiah we are being sanctified, made good. All that is good remains.
 
28 Therefore (because of what has just been said and going forward), since we are receiving (paralambanō[G]) a kingdom (basileia[G], malchut[H]) which cannot be shaken, let’s carry, hold, exhibit, show (echō[G]) grace, practical love, thankfulness (charis[G], chesed[H], todah[H]), by which we may serve, worship (latreuō[G], vena’avdah[H]) the God (ho Theos[G], ha Elohiym[H]) acceptably, in a well pleasing manner (euarestōs[G]) with modest, humble, reverence (aidōs[G]) and awe, godly fear, terrifying security (eulabeia[G]); 29 for our God (hēmōn Theos[G], Eloheiynu[H]) is a consuming (katanaliskō[G]) fire (pur[G], eish ochlah hu[H]). [Deut. 4:24]
 
28 Therefore (because of what has just been said and going forward), since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s carry, hold, exhibit, show grace, practical love, thankfulness, by which we may serve, worship the God acceptably, in a well pleasing manner with modest, humble, reverence and awe, godly fear, terrifying security; 29 for our God is a consuming fire. [Deut. 4:24]
 
“Therefore”, because In Messiah God is shaking all things and will remove all that falls short of His glory, and because only that which is good remains…
 
“since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken” We are already receiving the kingdom of God which cannot be shaken, and will receive the fullness of it if we continue in faith.
 
“let’s carry, hold, exhibit, show grace, practical love, thankfulness,” We have been given the grace and practical love of God to hold, exhibit, and offer to others before God.
 
“with modest, humble, reverence and awe, godly fear, terrifying security; 29 for our God is a consuming fire.” We outwork our faith with fear and trembling, terrifying security, knowing that our God is a consuming fire. We note that the same fire that consumes dead wood illuminates the darkness and warms the living.
 
“I plead with you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you all present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, your well-reasoned sacred service of worship.” -Romans 12:1 (Author’s translation)
 
“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” -Psalm 2:11 KJV
 
“By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” -Hebrews 13:15 KJV
 
“for our God is a consuming fire. [Deut. 4:24]” Jewish tradition interprets Deuteronomy 4 :24 as referring to a form of fire that consumes fire (Zohar in Gen. fol. 35. 3. & 51. 1. & in Exod. fol. 91. 1. & in Lev. fol. 11. 1.)
 
“For your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” -Deut. 4:24
 
The fire we ignite on earth within the sin affected creation is by nature of this world a created thing. Whereas the consuming fire of God is all existing, not created, it consumes even the fire of creation. Deuteronomy says “Your God is a consuming fire”, whereas the Book to the Hebrews says “Our God is a consuming fire”. The former is directed at the people as a warning against idolatry, the latter is a reminder of our familial identity in Messiah. That we are to live out of the approval we have received through Messiah. Both remind us that HaShem is our God not because He belongs to us but because we belong to Him.
 
Copyright 2021 Yaakov Brown