INTRODUCTION:
The most misunderstood Scriptures in the Renewed Covenant appear to be in the letters of Paul. Why? The apostle Peter (Kefa) tells us in II Peter 3:15-17:
“Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.”
From this Scripture, it is clear that Peter was witnessing the beginning of the same distortion and misinterpretation of Paul’s writings that is still prevalent today. For nearly two thousand years, “Lawless” teachers have been erroneously using Paul’s writings to lead people away from obeying the Word of God.
Yeshua (Hebrew: “Salvation,” Greek translation: Jesus) warned that false teachers would come. He told us in Matthew 7:21-23 that men would prophesy, do mighty works, and even “cast out devils” in His name. BUT, on judgement day, Yeshua will say to them: “depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Is it not strange that these men who performed signs and wonders in Yeshua’s name will be told to depart from His presence because they “work iniquity?” What did He mean by work iniquity? In the Greek, (Strong's Ref. # 458) the word iniquity is “anomia.” It means: “against the Law, transgress (-ion of) the Law, unrighteousness.” Therefore, if we “work” against God’s Law or teach against His Law, this will be said to us! I John 2:4 states, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
WHAT IS LAW AND HOW SHOULD IT BE VIEWED?
What is the Hebraic understanding of the word Law? The word “Law” was translated into English from the Hebrew word “Torah.” Torah means guidelines and instructions. Since God commissioned us to be a kingdom of priests, a holy (set-apart) people, and to teach His “Torah” to the nations, we need to know these guidelines and instructions because the Torah defines holiness and sin. What we are to do and what we are not to do, cannot be left up to our “feelings.”
King David, a man after God’s own heart, said of the Torah in Psalm 19:7, “The Law of the Lord is perfect…” and in Psalm 119:70, “…I delight in thy Law.” We can see through the following teachings of Rabbi Paul that his view of the Torah lines up with King David’s.
· Romans 2:13 “For it is not those who hear the Law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the Law who will be declared righteous.”
· Romans 7:12 “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”
· Romans 7:14 “We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.”
· Romans 7:22 “For in my inner being I delight in God's Law;”
· Romans 3:31 “Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold (establish) the Law.”
· Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
PAUL’S TORAH-OBSERVANT LIFESTYLE:
Perhaps the most important witness of what Paul taught about the Torah is evident in his lifestyle and testimony from Scripture:
Acts 24:14 “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets…” [Paul’s testimony as he stood before the Sanhedrin]
Acts 23:9 “There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the Law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. ‘We find nothing wrong with this man.’” [If the “teachers of the Law” had thought that Paul was breaking the Law, it would have been brought out with great resistance.]
Acts 21:24 “…walkest orderly, and keepest the Law.” [Paul is convinced by James to prove that he (Paul) does keep the Law.]
Act 23:6 “...Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee...” [Paul tells us his view of the Law by the group he associates himself with] (See Phil. 3:5)
WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING OF PAUL’S LIFE AND HIS VIEW OF THE TORAH (LAW), LET US EXAMINE SOME OF HIS WRITINGS
The Book of Galatians
The center of controversy in this letter is the subject of circumcision. This is the same issue that sent Paul and Barnabas to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. Acts 15:1 states: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” Apparently, there were men teaching the Galatians that circumcision was a pre-requisite for salvation. Please keep this in mind as you read Galatians, a very misunderstood letter, as well as other writings of Paul.
· Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Messiah and are turning to a different gospel—…“
The different gospel here is: “one is not saved until circumcised.” Paul states later in Gal. 2:3-4, “Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. [This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Messiah Yeshua and to make us slaves.” (In the history of Christianity, a similar debate has existed over “baptism” with some denominations claiming “you must be baptized in order to be saved.” Other salvation legalisms include: you must speak in unknown tongues, belong to certain denominations, partake of the seven sacraments, etc.)
· Galatians 2:15-16 "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the Law, but by faith in Yeshua Messiah. So we, too, have put our faith in Messiah Yeshua that we may be justified by faith in Messiah and not by observing the Law, because by observing the Law no one will be justified.”
Paul expresses the true Hebraic view that Abraham, Moses, David, himself, and others had regarding “observing the Law for justification.” These men NEVER understood that salvation would be gained by observing the Law. They “believed” God; knowing that ONLY by His mercy and grace could they find favor. In response to His loving kindness, they obeyed His Torah. The same applies to us today. Yeshua alone gives us the gift of salvation and because of His sacrifice; we want to obey His Torah. This is how we express our love for Him (1 John5:2-3).
· Galatians 2:21 “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the Law, Messiah died for nothing!"
No one is justified before God by being “circumcised” or relying on any other part of the Torah for salvation. Scripture states that "The righteous will live by faith." However, faith does not oppose Torah (discussed below).
· Galatians 3:10-13 “All who rely on observing the Law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law…Messiah hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”
Paul is not saying that the LAW itself is a curse because God’s Word is perfect. However, the Law contains curses as well as blessings. Since all of us have committed sins worthy of death, Messiah had to redeem us from the curses contained in the Law by becoming accursed for us (Isaiah 53). For it is written: “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:” (Deut. 21:23)
· Galatians 3:21 “Is the Law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a Law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.”
The only way we can come before our Heavenly Father for eternal life is through faith in Yeshua. With the right understanding of Torah, we can see that Torah is not opposed to faith nor is faith opposed to Torah. Rather, they cannot be separated. In James 2: 17-18, we read: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
· Galatians 3:24, 25 “Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”
The purpose of our “tutor or schoolmaster,” the Torah, is to teach and instruct us in God’s ways. Just as we’ve experienced in our modern school systems, we NEVER totally abandon what we were previously taught. After coming to Messiah, do we then live “Lawless” lives? No! The Torah still continues to function as the standard for holiness and gives the knowledge of sin.
· Galatians 4:9-10 “But now that you know God‑‑or rather are known by God‑‑how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years.”
Hopefully, no one would ever call the Torah of God “those weak and miserable principles.” Paul is speaking to those who once left paganism, came to know God’s ways, and were now turning back to their previous paganism. Yes, pagans have special days, months, seasons, and years (e.g., Halloween, Winter Solstice/Christmas, Valentines Day, Spring Equinox/Easter).
· Galatians 6:12 “Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Messiah.”
How many times does it have to be said? False teachers were telling the Galatians that they had to be circumcised before they could be saved. Salvation Legalism is what Paul is fighting in his letter to the Galatians.
· Romans 3:19-21, “Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets;”
Literal Greek Translation Romans: “We know, But that what the Law says, to those |1722| in the Law it speaks, that every mouth be stopped, and under judgment may become all the world to God. Because by works of Law not will be made right all flesh in the presence of Him. through For Law {there is the} full knowledge of sin. now But without Law a righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.” [J. P. Green, Sr, “Interlinear Greek-English New Testament,” Third Edition]
Notice that the word “under” is not in the Greek in verse 19 and should be translated “in” (Strongs #1722). Paul is saying that God’s standard is the LAW and that the world will be judged by this standard. In the same chapter, verses 9-10, Paul states: “both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. As it is written there is none righteous, no not one.”
Since there is none righteous, God had to send Messiah Yeshua who is our righteousness. He is the One now revealed and witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. Notice that Paul DID NOT say that the Law was done away with; but, that through it, we would know that sin is “the transgression of God’s Law.” In 1 John 3:4 we also read: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the Law."
· Romans 6: 14-15. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid!
These verses cannot stand on their own. This chapter compares being slaves to sin verses slaves to righteousness. We know that the Torah defines both sin and righteousness but cannot give justification from sin. In the previous chapter, the word “gift” is mentioned five times to show God’s grace by giving us Messiah Yeshua as our justification. Because of His grace, we cannot go on sinning; which is breaking the Law (Rom 6:1).
· Romans 7:4-6, “So, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the body of Messiah, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the Law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
If Paul is talking about the “Law or Torah of God” here, then he is a very confused person! In this same chapter, verses 12-22, he states that the Torah is Holy, Spiritual, and that he delights in the Torah. The law mentioned in context here (and in the beginning of chapter 8) is the “law of sin and death.” Yeshua paid the penalty for our disobedience through His death. We’re released from the “law of sin and death” to serve in the power of the Spirit.
· Romans 10:4, “Messiah is the end of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”
The “end of the Law” is a terrible translation. The word "end" in Greek is “teleos.” It should be accurately translated as “the goal.” In the original Greek it reads: "Messiah is the goal of the Torah for righteousness to all who believe." This text in no way teaches the end of Torah for believers. If this were true, then what about: “Thou shalt not murder, steal, covet, etc.?” “Goal” is in complete harmony with other Scriptures like I Peter 2:21 where we are instructed to walk in Yeshua's footsteps.
· Romans 14:5,6 “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.”
Read the whole chapter of Romans 14 in context. This Scripture has been misused by many false teachers to say that they now have the right to choose what days they assemble to honor God. This chapter is clearly addressing eating habits and special fast days. Paul tells us not to judge a brother or sister who eats only vegetables or one who eats both meat and vegetables. People were setting aside certain days of the week for eating or abstaining from certain foods. Paul instructs us not to pass judgment upon another regarding either food preference or a fast day. The Catholic Church still sets aside special days for eating certain types of food.
· Romans 14:14 “As one who is in the Lord Yeshua, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.”
Again, believers were concerned about eating food that they purchased in the marketplace, which had been sacrificed to idols. Because of this, some would eat ONLY vegetables. Paul addresses this same issue in I Cor. 10:25. Don’t take this Scripture out of context to say that Paul declared “all food clean.” If he did, then he would have been telling them to “sin” (transgress the LAW). The Torah distinguishes between clean and unclean food in Leviticus 11. This has not changed. Some have misused Peter’s vision in Acts 10 to reinforce this incorrect view. Please read the whole chapter of Acts 10. Peter was being taught by God not to call any “man” (Gentile) unclean, not food!
· I Timothy 4:3-5, “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.”
False teachers use these verses to declare that all animals are now “clean” to eat as long as they are “received with thanksgiving and blessed through prayer.” They leave out the most important part of this verse. If you read the phrase just before the mention of prayer, it states that the food (meat) is “sanctified [set apart, made holy] by the Word of God.” In Leviticus 11, the Torah sets apart what animals are clean for human consumption. This has not changed. Our prayers cannot override the written Word of God and make clean what God has declared unclean.
In context, this chapter is warning against “lying” teachers who espouse “doctrine of demons.” Later, in verse 13, Paul tells Timothy to devote himself to the public reading of the Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. The ONLY Scripture Timothy had at that time was the Torah and the Prophets.
· Ephesians 2:15-18: “Having abolished in His flesh the enmity that is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two thus making peace.”
This passage clearly states that through the Messiah’s sacrifice, the enmity or hatred between Jew and non-Jew, NOT the Torah, was abolished. Jews and non-Jews are now ONE new man! This enmity was caused through extra-biblical traditional commandments and ordinances, never by God, who continually invited non-Jews to join and fellowship with the nation of Israel and learn HIS Torah. (See Acts 15:21)
· Colossians 2:13-15. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Some have erroneously interpreted these verses to say that the Law was nailed to the cross. A close examination of this text reveals that it was NOT the Law but God’s written list and record of our SINS. The Greek word translated as “ordinances” is Strongs #1378 “dogma” which is never interpreted as Law in the Renewed Covenant. In fact, other than here, the word is only used four other times and is translated as “decrees.” (Luke 2:1, Acts 16:4, Acts 17:7, Eph. 2:15).
If you read these five verses, there’s no support for interpreting this word as “ordinances” of the Torah, rather, it is as stated, the list of “all trespasses” God had decreed against us. II Cor. 5:19-21 reaffirms this: “…God was reconciling the world to himself in Messiah, not counting men's sins against them…God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
· Colossians 2:16-17, "Let no man therefore judge in meat or in drink or in respect of a holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days: which are a SHADOW of things TO COME but the body is Messiah."
False teachers have claimed that the things listed in this verse from the Torah are things of the past, no longer valid today. However, this verse states that the Sabbath, new moon, dietary laws, and festivals teach us about the MESSIAH TO COME. Clearly, this is speaking of the future since Colossians was written long AFTER the death of Yeshua. (Study Isaiah 66 and Zechariah 14 where these days will continue to be observed in the future reign of Messiah)
Also, in verse 22, he’s warning against the submission to commandments and teachings of men, NOT against obedience to the commandments and teachings of God, which these are. These verses teach that no believer should judge another believer on how they observe these special days.
· Hebrews 7:17-22. “For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless.”
Hebrews chapters 7, 8, and 9 all speak of the change in priesthood from the physical (Levitical) priesthood to the everlasting priesthood through Yeshua by His sacrifice. Presently, it doesn’t depend on the handing down from generation to generation within one tribe. For now, the heavenly Melchizedekian priesthood has made the Levitical priesthood obsolete. However, the Levitical priesthood will eventually be restored according to Exodus 29:9 and Ezekiel 40:48.
· Hebrews 8:13: " In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”(KJV) “By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”(NIV)
Read the whole chapter. People are the problem, not God’s covenant. Israel obeyed God for short periods of time but because they didn’t continue in His Torah correctly with love, Yehsua had to come. He showed us that God’s covenant with Abraham wasn’t flawed but the hearts of the people were. After Yeshua’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit was given to write the Torah on our hearts, helping us obey His Torah. The Renewed Covenant is not a “brand new” covenant, rather it is an extension of Abraham’s covenant which has been renewed and made better with Moses, Joshua, David, and most recently with Yeshua. (See Jer. 31:31)
· II Corinthians 3:1-6. “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts… Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
The Greek word for Law, which is “nomos,” is not used anywhere in the book of II Corinthians. What we have here is a ministry problem, not a Law problem. In context, Paul, in chapter 3, is calling the Corinthian believers a “letter;” literally, a living epistle. He’s saying that a written “letter of recommendation” is not needed to confirm his apostleship because the Corinthian’s spiritual lives prove his qualifications. Amidst attempts to disqualify him, Paul is defending his apostleship as being from God (II Cor. 6:3-4).
In verses 7-18, he contrasts his ministry with that of Moses where the people were not able to look at the glory upon Moses after he had been with the Holy One of Israel; literally, Moses had to veil his face from the people. Paul, unlike Moses, ministers in an unveiled fashion. These chapters are comparing the two ministries. The people were now able to see the glory of God through the ministry of the Spirit (verses 8-9).
CONCLUSION:
From the Scriptures we have examined, we can see that Paul fought two extremes in his ministry; one of legalism and one of anti-nomianism (anti-Law). In Romans 1:5, he gives us an outline of this ministry,
“Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.”
The literal Greek translation of “…to the obedience that comes from faith” is:
“the obedience of faith or faithful obedience.”
Paul was in no way teaching “lawlessness” but a faithful obedience to the Torah as understood through Yeshua’s example and teachings. He stated in 1 Cor. 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Messiah.” We know that Yeshua was the perfect example of faithful obedience to His Father’s Commandments and “Whoever claims to live in Him [Yeshua] must walk as Yeshua did. (I John 2:5)
We hope that through this study, a correct view of Paul’s teaching concerning the Torah (Law) has been gained. If Paul were here with us today, he would still say, concerning the Torah of God:
“Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold (establish) the Law!”
Romans 3:31
References:
King James Version of the Bible
New International Version, Zondervan Bible Publishers
Complete Jewish Bible, Dr. David H. Stern
Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, Third Edition, J. P. Green
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
By Richard and Betsy Bailey
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