My Perception of Yah'shuah
By Isaac Aluochier
[Author's note: The following article is a response to questions raised by a serious student of the Holy Scriptures.]
HOW CAN NEW TEACHING BE JUSTIFIED?
REFUSAL TO OBSERVE YAHWEH'S FEASTS AT YERUSHALAYIM
OBEDIENCE ESSENTIAL TO RETAIN STATE OF SALVATION
REQUIREMENT NEW TEACHING MUST MEET
Shalom Brother Isaac,
You are a very worthy "sparring" partner and brother. I think we are in agreement for the most part. Again, I think our problem is that of halakhah because it is establishing what Yahshua actually taught his disciples. Granted, I cannot prove directly exactly what Yahshua taught, I can only infer that if He was of the Netzarim halakhah (which was a slightly modified Perushim halakhah) then He had to teach His disciples not only that which is recorded in the "New Testament" but He had to teach Torah. We are both aware that He endorsed the Perushim halakhah, at least that part which was consistent with Torah, although he "rebelled" against some of the Perushim traditions that were not halakhah.
A Different Perception of Yah'shuah
Shalom Brother
I tend to view Yah'shuah a bit differently from the manner you have described above. I make no effort in trying to categorise him under the Netzarim halakhah or the Perushim halakhah or any other halakhah for that matter. I view him as a figure INDEPENDENT of the various groupings existent at his time. He did not even undertake his work together with that of Yahchanan the Baptizer, though he acknowledged that both he and Yahchanan were of Yahweh, with each one of them undertaking the role assigned them by Yahweh.
Yah'shuah's Teachings Not Completely Identical With Other Teachings Of His Time
While there were similarities between what Yah'shuah taught and what other groups in his time taught, his teachings and their teachings were not identical in all respects. He came to, among other things, speak what his Father taught him. These included instituting the breaking and eating of matzah, the drinking of the fruit of the vine, and the washing of the disciples' feet. These were new commands not contained even in the Torah, and not taught even by Yahchanan the Baptizer, leaving aside the other religious groups around at the time.
Yah'shuah Did Not Belong to Any Religious Group Existing at His Time
Therefore, in my perception of Yah'shuah, I do not see him as having belonged to any religious group existing at his time. I see him as having operated independently of all of them. Therefore the issue of his "rebelling" against some of the Perushim traditions does not even arise, for he was NEVER under them, nor was he one of them. The Perushim did not even know where Yah'shuah came from, for his teachings were alien to them.
Scripture and the Holy Spirit the Bases for Yah'shuah's Teaching
Therefore, in ascertaining what Yah'shuah taught, I make no reference to the Netzarim halakhah or other Perushim halakhah. I simply use the scriptural record as received from Mattityahu, Mark, Luke and Yahchanan his beloved disciple. For those matters that he taught which these writers did not record, for Yahchanan did indeed say that he did not write everything that transpired, I rely on the Holy Spirit to bring these to our awareness. For Yah'shuah did indeed say that the Holy Spirit would bring to the memory of his disciples those things which he had taught them.
That, simply, is my position.
HOW CAN NEW TEACHING BE JUSTIFIED?
My big question with what you are now teaching is that it is a "New" halakhah...and there is nothing wrong with that. But, how can we justify such halakhah and make it congruous with what I "believe" Yahshua taught, i.e. Netzarim halakhah. The Netzarim halakhah did not make the distinctions in Torah that you make.
Scripture and the Holy Spirit the Bases for Justifying New Teaching
Having explained above my sources for Yah'shuah's teachings, it is indeed evident that I am not familiar with the Netzarim halakhah. For I have not hitherto sought this halakhah, neither has it been brought to my awareness that this halakhah is identical with the teaching of Yah'shuah. Maybe you can give me references with respect to this halakhah that I may increase by awareness of it.
As for me, as I have already said, my bases are Scripture and the Holy Spirit. It is the word that comes via these avenues that I use. I hope that in the process of so doing I do not add my own views which cannot be ratified by Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
Do You Acknowledge the Authority of the Holy Spirit?
What about you? Do you acknowledge the authority of the Holy Spirit? Do you also acknowledge that the Holy Spirit was to teach Yah'shuah's disciples things which he himself did not teach them, for is not this what Yah'shuah said? And if you so acknowledge, how do you assess the veracity of the "new" things taught by the Holy Spirit, additional to what Yah'shuah taught?
REFUSAL TO OBSERVE YAHWEH'S FEASTS AT YERUSHALAYIM
You say, "To recall my earlier writing, you will remember that I said that Daniyel did not observe Yahweh's set feasts while he was in captivity in Babylon, yet he will be in Yahweh's kingdom." This is true, but if you recall my response to this, I make a distinction between the inability to bring beasts to the temple, celebrate feasts etc and the refusal to do so based on some new halakhah. There were infirm people who could not bring sacrifices to the Temple. Yahweh did not view them as disobedient. However, those who refused to do these He considered disobedient. There is a difference.
No Obligation on One Outside Yisrael to Attend Yahweh's Feasts at Yerushalayim
It appears that we are agreed that one should not be disobedient to a command from Yahweh issued to him. My point is that one should not refuse to observe the set feasts of Yahweh. My point is that they are OPTIONAL to the Goyim living outside of the land of promise, seeing that Yahweh's righteousness does not reside in these particular commands.
Let me give my view a different slant. If it was essential for salvation purposes, even for retaining a state of salvation, that one attend the set feasts of Yahweh according to command without fail, then the likes of Daniyel would have been required by Yahweh to so attend his set feasts at Yerushalayim all throughout the captivity of Yahudah. It would have been irrelevant that the Babylonian authorities physically prevented him from so doing. For provided he failed to observe the set feasts at their appointed time and place he would have been deemed a transgressor, thereby losing out on his state of salvation. But that this was not the case shows that it was NOT obligatory for salvation purposes that he show up at Yerushalayim every year at the appointed times to observe the set feasts of Yahweh.
Obligation to Observe Yahweh's Righteous Requirements Outside Yisrael
In the case of his three colleagues, Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah, who refused to bow down in worship to Nevukhadnetztzar's idol, it is seen that this command continued to remain applicable to all irrespective of the geographic locality they were in. For the command against idolatry is one containing Yahweh's righteousness and can be observed anywhere, not only at Yerushalayim. If Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah had violated Yahweh's command against idolatry, they would have been jeopardising their state of salvation. Thus it should be clear that those commands containing Yahweh's righteousness remain obligatory to all irrespective of their geographic locality, while those commands not containing Yahweh's righteousness are NOT OBLIGATORY on all who are outside the land of promise. And I speak not just of the Goyim, but also of Yisraelites, for Daniyel was an Yisraelite. Therefore, if one can attend Yahweh's set feasts at Yerushalayim, travelling from outside the land of promise, it is fine if he does. But if one does not attend Yahweh's set feasts at Yerushalayim, travelling from outside the land of promise, he has not violated Yahweh's righteous requirements. He therefore does not jeopardise his state of salvation by not so attending these set feasts at Yerushalayim.
OBEDIENCE ESSENTIAL TO RETAIN STATE OF SALVATION
You say, "... my view is that those commands not containing Yahweh's righteousness are not necessary for performance for purposes of salvation, while your view appears to be that they are." This is not quite correct. Obedience to any commands cannot save us but refusal to obey any commands will get us lost. There is a difference. Obedience is imperative for those who already have the faith because it is evidence of that faith. If they refuse to obey then their faith called into question.
Agreement on Requirements for Salvation
Thank you for clarifying your position. We are agreed on this matter.
REQUIREMENT NEW TEACHING MUST MEET
In a nutshell, whatever halakhah you can develop, it has to preserve the halakhah by which Yahshua Himself lived and taught. It is going to be difficult to do away with the basic Netzarim/Perushim halakhah without violating Torah.
Shalom,
Brother
I look forward to hearing your comments in response to my earlier comments with respect to my sources for Yah'shuah's teaching, seeing that I am not familiar with the details of the Netzarim/Perushim halakhah, save only those areas that are coincident with the sources I have mentioned.
Shalom
ISAAC
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