Tuesday, December 1, 2015

An Instance of Yeshua (Jesus) Teaching Torah

In the Gospels, if we read it with our eyes open, we can see clearly that Yeshua taught/clarified and explained Torah.  Here, in Jn. 7, during the Feast of Sukkot (Booths), Yeshua begins teaching mid-way through the feast.

"Now when the feast was already half over, Jesus went to the temple courts* and began to teach.* Then the Jews were astonished, saying, “How does this man possess knowledge, because he* has not been taught?” So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not mine, but is from the one who sent me. If anyone wants to do his will, he will know about my* teaching, whether it is from God or I am speaking from myself."

The Jews were clearly impressed and amazed at his teaching.  He was not teaching to do away with the Law (Torah), otherwise they would have torn their clothes and decried him a blasphemer.  But this is not what happened (Jn. 7:19-24).

We are not told all of what Yeshua taught here, though we are given a glimpse of some ( vv. 19-24), exhorting the Jews to follow Moses and KEEP Torah!  All His teaching had a point, we can safely assume it had something to do with the feast of Sukkot, and His role in fulfilling it (c.f.. Matt. 5:17-19).  The Apostle John points out in the beginning of his Gospel account, that the incarnated Torah (Word of God) became flesh and tabernacle (or "sukkahed") among us (Jn. 1:14).

"Now on the last day of the feast—the great day—Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let him drink, the one who believes in me. Just as the scripture said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now he said this concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)"

We see here that indeed Yeshua was teaching on how He is the substance of what the feast is pointing to.  He's not saying "Quit keeping the feast," but explaining how He is the fulfillment (Mt. 5:17).

Yeshua taught we are to keep His commandments, and the word (of His time, he did not supercede it, He WAS it) commands we observe Yhwh's feasts (Lev. 23; Mt. 5:17-19).

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