Teaching Team
Daily Dose of the Apostles
I enjoy rabbinic literature. I am happy to curl up with a tractate of the Talmud the way many people are happy to curl up with a detective novel. As I slog through the obscure and sometimes impenetrable arguments and legal wrangling of long-gone rabbis, I occasionally find a maxim or aphorism that leaps off the page--the wisdom of Torah distilled. The minds of those saintly sages were saturated with scripture, and the wisdom from above was on their lips. For example, yesterday I ran across this gem from tractate Yoma folio 23a of the Babylonian Talmud:
Concerning those who are insulted but do not retaliate with insult, who hear themselves reproached without replying, who do good works only out of love for the Lord and who rejoice in their sufferings, scripture says [in Judges 5:31], "Those who love Him will be like the rising of the sun in its might."
This type of material is not uncommon in rabbinic literature, and one who studies Judaism will find these sayings have often passed into proverbial currency, repeated again and again and again. For example, Hillel tells us to "Be a disciple of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace;" Ben Zoma says "Who is wise? He who learns from every man;" and Akiva tells us, "Love your neighbor as yourself, this is the greatest principle of Torah." Such sayings, often plucked out of their context within larger legal discussions, are repeated over and over and form the essential, ethical thrust of Jewish teaching. They are like precious pearls gleaming in the sand.
Not so with the New Testament, our Apostolic Scriptures. In the New Testament, aside from the narratives, the whole content is filled with such pearls. Instead of pearls in the sand, we find the very sand is made of pearl. One need not look far within the epistles or the teachings of our Master for the profound, the stirring, the sublime, and the spiritual. Every page blazes with spiritual fire and words of life.
For example, many Messianic believers find inspiration, deep challenge, and good instruction in the Chofetz Chaim's teachings regarding evil speech. The Chofetz Chaim compiled those insights from Talmudic-era sayings of the sages. But consider that our own Apostolic Scriptures contain many such warnings about the evils of the tongue, the weight of words, and the power of speech, and they do so in more eloquent terms. Had the Chofetz Chaim considered the words of Yeshua and the teachings of the Apostles in his compilations on the subject, his teachings would have found enrichment in the wisdom of Yeshua, Paul, Peter, and James.
The apostles did not write legal treatises. They were more concerned with the internalization of the Torah than the legal application. Indeed, that is the very purpose of the New Covenant in which God promises to write his Torah upon our hearts. Yeshua's emphasis on the heart-attitude, genuine repentance, and proper middot (character qualities) informed the thinking and writing of the apostles.
Our task, as Messianic believers, is to learn from the respect that Jewish teachers give to the wisdom literature of the rabbinic sages, and then apply that same respect, and even greater respect, to the teachings that come from our own sources: the Gospels and the epistles. Judaism takes a single saying of a sage and develops it into guiding principle for life. The reverence Judaism pays to the words of the sages provides us with an example of the kind of serious reflection and inquiry that we should apply to the words of our own sages.
Sometimes Messianic believers turn exclusively to Jewish writings for inspiration, searching for pearls in the sand, while neglecting the treasures contained within our own Bibles. We see Messianic believers dismissing the "New Testament" section of their Bibles as mere commentary on the Torah. Far from being "mere" commentary, these are the words of the life. "Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well" (Proverbs 5:15).
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Visitor Feedback:
Great post. I think it's significant to note that your encounter with the Chofetz Chaim (et al) actually served to both sharpen and heighten your understanding of and love for the teachings of Yeshua and His Apostles. I've experienced the same thing as well.
I especially like what you wrote about Yeshua and the apostles' approach to the Torah being most of all concerned with internalization of the principles of Torah (according to the promise that the New Covenant would involve Torah being written on the heart). It may seem obvious, but it strikes me as a useful way to further situate the teachings of Yeshua and his apostles within the world of Judaism.
Shalom!
Yahnatan
gatherthesparks.blogspot.com
Yahnatan Lasko | October 22, 2009 4:41 PM
I am amazed to have clicked on the link to this article, five minutes after typing into my facebook page, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall see God...been thinking alot about that lately" only to discover today the words in you blog.
It is amazing how blind we can be to the very heart of things that lies right in front of us. How very blind I know I have been way too often. And yet, the loving hand of The father brings us back to it again and again. I am one who loves to win an argument. I love to plead my case. And yet, lately, The Lord has been reigning in my words. "that is NOT your battle," he says when I want to retaliate with words that really "zing" someone. How one can be a believer for so long, and yet I am still seeing how desparetely I fall short of walking in Agape, in the trust that many Jewish rabbis tell of, a trust that leaves the weight of our angry temptations at His feet, where He and he alone deals with things with True righteousness.
Randy Weiss | October 22, 2009 8:01 PM
Oh how I hunger to more and more throw the weight of my cares on him, Btach B Hashem, to roll all the care of my frustrations on in trust unto Him so I may respond by praying for the one who criticizes me, maligns me, hurts those I love, and even physically threatens and may abuse me. I often wonder, if I was beaten 5 times 40 stripes minus one, If I was stoned and left to die, if I was beaten with chains, would I respond in love? would I bless my enemy? would I have compassion on his anger and pray for the love of Y'shua to soften his heart? Would I say "father forgive them, for they know not what they do..."
The words of Jesus are so plain in Matthew 5 and 6 how we are to handle our enemy. And that that is the true test of our love...not how well we bless those who love us. How short I fall. In his love, I believe the Father's hand allows the chastising hand of an adversary into our lives to draw out more of His love from our hearts. And when we fail, He'll bring another.
Randy Weiss | October 22, 2009 8:11 PM
Great post. Yasher koach!
Rebyosh | October 22, 2009 8:30 PM
Wonderful Thoughts to consider. After all, much of the Apostolic Writings pre-date the codified extra-biblical writings.
Paul Dunlap | October 23, 2009 9:03 AM
One of the best posts I've read yet. Thank you for recognizing the value of the
N.T. in and of itself and not "just" a commentary on the Torah. I have longed
for years to see such a statement Wonderfully refreshing to read.
Bill Garner | October 23, 2009 12:56 PM
Beautiful. Very wise instruction!
Trishia Herbst | October 23, 2009 2:23 PM
I find it easier to forgive and to pray for an enemy when he attempts insult than when someone I love on a personal level does so. It seems to sting all the more. I find myself referring to 1 Corinthians 13 over and over for guidance.
Thank you for the Post.
Kip Hurst | October 25, 2009 2:27 AM