Let us examine a few
misconceptions we have today as we look upon this Man who was "King of the Jews"
and King of all Israel as the scriptures states clearly:
Yahshua the Rabbi, or as He is known by many, Jesus of Nazareth.
Do we know this person? It is possible to have a religious concept or image
in our mind, which is far from the truth, and which actually can prevent us
coming to know Him in a deeper and more intimate way.
What did He look like when He walked on this earth 2000 years ago? What was
His culture? Was He a "Church" man?
Could we have a wrong mind-set about Him?
Do we have a desire to know Him as He really is? and be ready to accept the
truth about what He was really like as He walked this earth 2000 years ago?
Looking into His background, Yahshua was born of Jewish parentage, of the House of
David.
Luke 2:4 “Joseph also went…for he was of the house of David…”
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Yahshua of Nazareth. What does He look like? What was His culture when He walked on
this earth 2000 years ago? Was He a "Church" man? Could we have a wrong
mind-set about Him? Do we have misconceptions of His dress, His
life-style, even His "religion?" What will He be like when He returns?
This
wholly Jewish man has been misinterpreted in my thinking. The 'lovely'
Xmas story we heard at school makes everyone feel good, but were there
really three kings? Did His birth take place in the middle of winter? I
think not.
What other concepts have we misunderstood? Why have we arrived at
these conclusions?
I once heard an eminent preacher say, "The Gentiles have
run off with the Gospel and made it Gentile." We have, in fact, a Hebrew Gospel,
written and enacted by the Hebrew race. Gentiles have a place, but the body of
faith throughout the generations has been founded upon a Hebraic life-style and
customs worked out from Torah. This truly Jewish Rabbi, Yahshua, came to show us
the correct way of life and to die for our sins.
Matt.2:6"...a
Ruler who will shepherd (A.V."rule") my people Israel"
My own concepts have changed radically.
This wholly Jewish man has been misinterpreted in my thinking.
Jesus was Jewish.
He had a Jewish name, Yahshua, he had a law-keeping mother and father.
He lived, ate, spoke,
in a totally Jewish manner. Has He suddenly changed?
I once heard an eminent preacher say, "The Gentiles have run off with the
gospel and made it Gentile."
The gospel has been ‘Gentil-ised’
It needs to be studied in depth using the original wording in order to see the
original thoughts behind such phrases as "the hem of His garment" the ‘hem’ of
course alluding originally to Tallit worn by every God conscious Jewish man of His
day.
The work of the holy Spirit in our day is bringing believing people back to the
correct concepts of their Master. There is a restoration taking place.
Originally, believers in Yahshua were almost all Jewish,
Believers were then just another part of the Jewish faith.
Gentiles have a place,
but it is wholly wrong to think of them being separate from the Body of faith
throughout the generations, founded upon the Hebraic life style, and customs.
We will look briefly at three points; His background, His actions, and lastly,
His teachings.
His background.
His parents were zealous keepers of the Law.
Luke 2:21-24 “…on the eighth day, when it was time for His(Yahshua’s) b’rit-milah,
(circumcision) He was given the name Yahshua…”
“ Luke 2: 27 “…when the parents brought in the child Yahshua to do for him what the
Torah required…”
The family regularly travelled the many miles to Jerusalem where it was customary to
keep the Feasts. Luke 2:41 ”Every year Yahshua’s parents went to Jerusalem,
for the festival of Pesach.(Passover)…”
His parents were zealous of the Law, attending the Feasts of Yahweh three times in
the year as stated in Lev. 23.and Deut. 16
Luke 3:41 “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover
…when He was twelve years old, after the custom of the feast”
Yahshua was brought up in Jewish ways and taught to observe the Law. He was Jewish through and through.
Yahshua’s family were faithful to the Law. His cousin John’s parents were part of
the priesthood and worked in the temple area.
Luke 1:5, 67. "…a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and his wife
was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth"
It was told to Miryam Yahshua’s mother, that He would be king of Israel.
"…He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be
no end"
Now to pass on to my next point....