DIVIDED BY THE TRUTH or UNITED IN ERROR?

Are we to compromise the TRUTH for the sake of unity or is the TRUTH to be the source of our unity? Which one is better, "DIVIDED BY THE TRUTH" or "UNITED IN ERROR"?

TORAH is RELATIONSHIP

TORAH is a relationship, NOT a religion. Human religion seeks to “re-bind” the rift between our Creator and mankind with contrived efforts and rituals invented by men, often inherited from Pagan cultures (not ordained by Y-H-V-H).

TORAH is the foundation for the relationship, and the Creator consistently refers to TORAH as a MARRIAGE COVENANT between Himself and His people (Jews and non-Jews who worship Y-H-V-H). He will never break it, and changes not.

All mankind is designed to be His people (the Bride) through observance of TORAH, and Yeshua is the Mediator of the Covenant.

(see Eph 3:8-13; Isa 55 - 56; Jer 3).

The objective of TORAH is :
to teach us LOVE for Y-H-V-H, and LOVE for our neighbor. TORAH is a relationship.

Those of us who are teaching others to obey TORAH are doing it out of love. If people ignore TORAH, they reject what Yeshua would bring to them and write upon their hearts.

JESUS THAT WE WORSHIP

JESUS THAT WE WORSHIP
Andre Widodo
© ORI
Shalom,

JESUS that we worship has His Hebrew's Name : [ישֵׁועַ] YESHUA.

Isaiah says : Isaiah 9
YESHUA is [אֵל גִבוֹר] EL GIBBOR : THE ALMIGHTY GOD.
YESHUA is [שַׂר שָׁלוֹם] SAR SHALOM : PRINCE OF PEACE.
YESHUA is [אבי-עד] AVI-AD : EVERLASTING FATHER.

Matthew says : Matthew 2
YESHUA is [מֶלֶךְ היְהודִים] MELECH HA'YEHUDIM : KING OF THE JEWS.

John says : John 1
YESHUA is [מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל] MELECH ISRAEL : KING OF ISRAEL.

YESHUA is [πληρησ χαριτοσ] PLERES CARITOS : FULL OF GRACE.

YESHUA is [αληθειασ] ALETHEIAS : TRUTH.

Note :
Let's read again John 1:14.

Joh 1:14
And the WORD was made flesh, and DWELT among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) FULL OF GRACE and TRUTH.

We do NOT reject His GRACE, YESHUA is FULL OF GRACE. That's AMEN! But let's see about His TRUTH.

What is TRUTH?

Psa 119:142
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy LAW is the TRUTH.

Joh 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy WORD is TRUTH.

1Jo 2:3-4
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. He that saith, I know him, and KEEPETH NOT his COMMANDMENTS, is a LIAR, and the TRUTH is not in him.

So, what is the TRUTH?
Psalm 119:142 says, TRUTH is THE LAW / TORAH.
John 17:17 says, TRUTH is THE WORD OF GOD.
1 John 2:3-4 says, TRUTH is KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS / LAW / TORAH.

So, let's go back to John 1:14. John says, YESHUA is FULL OF GRACE and TRUTH. YESHUA is FULL OF GRACE and TORAH.

If we believe in YESHUA, that's good. That means you have FAITH in HIM. But this FAITH is NOT PERFECT yet. Why? Because the devils also believe / have FAITH that YESHUA is Son of God.

Jas 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

What is the thing that make a difference between BELIEVERS IN YESHUA and devils?

BELIEVERS IN YESHUA :
1. They have FAITH.
2. They have WORKS (OBEDIENCE TO TORAH).

Devils :
1. They have FAITH.
2. They do NOT have WORKS (They are TRANSGRESSORS OF THE LAW / TORAH).

1Jo 3:4
Whosoever committeth SIN transgresseth also the LAW: for SIN is the transgression of the LAW.

So, how is mankind justified?

Jas 2:24
Ye see then how that by WORKS a man is justified, and not by FAITH only.

Mankind is justified by FAITH and WORKS (OBEDIENCE TO TORAH). Look at Abraham as example.

Abraham was justified by FAITH :
Gen 15:6
And he BELIEVED in the LORD; and he counted it to him for RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Abraham was also justified by WORKS (OBEDIENCE TO TORAH) :
Gen 22:1-19.

Jas 2:21
Was not Abraham our father justified by WORKS, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

This is JESUS / YESHUA that we worship. HE is FULL OF GRACE and TRUTH / TORAH.

We are justified by our FAITH in HIM and our WORKS OF OBEDIENCE TO HIS TORAH.

FAITH without WORKS is DEAD.

Jas 2:20
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that FAITH without WORKS is dead?

I know that maybe some of you will quote Paul's writing in Romans 3:28.

Rom 3:28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by FAITH without the DEEDS OF THE LAW.

We must be CAREFULL on examining Paul's writing, otherwise we'll be DEAD because misunderstand Paul's writing. This is not what I said, this is what Peter said in 2 Peter 3:16

2Pe 3:16
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

What did Paul mean by the DEEDS OF THE LAW? It comes from Greek word [εργων νομου] ERGON NOMOU. The word [εργων] ERGON means PRODUCT; DEED; LABOUR.

Paul used the word [εργων νομου] ERGON NOMOU and that means PRODUCTS OF THE LAW / TORAH; DEEDS OF THE LAW / TORAH.

What is PRODUCT OF THE LAW / TORAH?

I share you an example : Mar 7:3-5.

The TORAH says about FOOD in Leviticus 11. But the PRODUCT OF THE TORAH is WASHING HAND / NETILAT HA'DAYIM.

The TRUTH is :
Lev 11 is a KOSHER FOOD. Once we say FOOD, that means KOSHER. The KOSHER FOOD can NOT be NON KOSHER just because one doesn't do NETILAT HA'DAYIM.

NETILAT HA'DAYIM is PRODUCT OF THE LAW.

This is what Paul meant in Rom 3:28. We are justified by FAITH, NOT by the PRODUCT OF THE LAW. And James in James 2:24, he made it PERFECT, that man is justified by FAITH and by WORKS (ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO TORAH).

So, who are saying the TORAH now is DONE?

Rom 3:31
Do we then make void the LAW through FAITH? God FORBID: yea, we ESTABLISH the LAW.

Church...this is the GOSPEL that Paul preached. The GOSPEL that establish the LAW / TORAH.

If you heard the GOSPEL who denies the LAW / TORAH, that is OTHER GOSPEL. And about this, Paul says :

Gal 1:8-9
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be ACCURSED. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that ye have received, let him be ACCURSED.

LIVING TORAH - HOLY SPIRIT

HOLY SPIRIT = SPIRIT OF THE LORD = SPIRIT OF Y-H-V-H.

Act 8:39
And when they were come up out of the water, the SPIRIT OF THE LORD caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Joh 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

HOLY SPIRIT is sent in YESHUA's Name, shall TEACH and REMIND us all things YESHUA had said.

YESHUA says :

Mat 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the TORAH, or the PROPHETS: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

HOLY SPIRIT will remind us about it also.

Was the Torah (the Law) Really Nailed to the Cross

Is that true that in the New Testament the Torah (the Law) really nailed to the cross by reading Col 2:14?

Col 2:14
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;

Let us examine the Scripture together.

The word ORDINANCES in Greek is DOGMA (δόγμα). DOGMA (δόγμα) means = DOCTRINE; DECREE; PUBLIC DECREE MADE BY RULERS. It applies to the man-made decree. NOT from God.

If we refer to the TORAH that God gave to Moses, it is called in Greek as NOMOS (νόμος). NOT DOGMA. NOMOS means = MOSAIC LAW; THE LAW.

Col 2:14 is talking about "DOGMA". It is NOT "NOMOS".

Eph 2:15
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ORDINANCES (DOGMA); for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Eph 2:15 is also talking about "DOGMA".

How did Yeshua (Jesus) view the Torah?

Shalom,

Have you ever asked, "What did Yeshua (Jesus) teach from"? Did Yeshua (Jesus) bring totally new teachings?

Let us see!

And "The Greatest Commandment" according to Yeshua (Jesus) is from the Torah. Yeshua (Jesus) quoted from the Torah.

Mar 12:28  KJV
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mar 12:29  KJV
And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30  KJV
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  KJV
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Mar 12:28  CJB
One of the Torah-teachers came up and heard them engaged in this discussion. Seeing that Yeshua answered them well, he asked him, "Which is the most important mitzvah of them all?"
Mar 12:29  CJB
Yeshua answered, "The most important is, 'Sh'ma Yisra'el, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, O Isra'el, the Lord our God, the Lord is one],
Mar 12:30  CJB
and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.'
Mar 12:31  CJB
The second is this: 'You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other mitzvah greater than these."

As we can see, Yeshua (Jesus) quoted from Deu 6:4-8.

Deu 6:4  KJV
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Deu 6:5  KJV
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6  KJV
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7  KJV
And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8  KJV
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deu 6:4  CJB
"Sh'ma, Yisra'el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, Isra'el! Adonai our God, Adonai is one];
Deu 6:5  CJB
and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources.
Deu 6:6  CJB
These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart;
Deu 6:7  CJB
and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deu 6:8  CJB
Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead,



Joh 14:6  KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:6  CJB
Yeshua said, "I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.

What is that way?Psa 119:1  ALEPH.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
Psa 119:1  א (Alef)
How happy are those whose way of life is blameless, who live by the Torah of Adonai!

And what is Truth?

Psa 119:142  KJV
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Psa 119:142  CJB
Your righteousness is eternal righteousness, and your Torah is truth.

And what is Life?

Pro 13:14  KJV
The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Pro 13:14  CJB
The teaching of a wise man is a fountain of life, enabling one to avoid deadly traps.


The Helmet of Salvation(Yeshua) covers our head; Protecting our eyes, ears, and mouth.

Isa 59:17  KJV
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation [ ישׁוּעה - Yeshua] upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Isa 59:17  CJB
He put on righteousness as his breastplate, salvation [ ישׁוּעה - Yeshua] as a helmet on his head; he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal.

Pro 7:2  KJV
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law [תּורה - tôrâh] as the apple of thine eye.
Pro 7:2  CJB
Obey my commands, and live; guard my teaching [תּורה - tôrâh] like the pupil of your eye.

Pro 28:9  KJV
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Pro 28:9  CJB
If a person will not listen to Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.

Mal 2:6  KJV
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
Mal 2:7  KJV
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Mal 2:8  KJV
But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 2:9  KJV
Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

Mal 2:6  CJB
The true Torah was in his mouth, and no dishonesty was found on his lips; he walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many away from sin.
Mal 2:7  CJB
A cohen's lips should safeguard knowledge, and people should seek Torah from his mouth, because he is the messenger of Adonai-Tzva'ot.
Mal 2:8  CJB
But you turned away from the path, you caused many to fail in the Torah, you corrupted the covenant of Levi," says Adonai-Tzva'ot.
Mal 2:9  CJB
"Therefore I have in turn made you contemptible and vile before all the people, because you did not keep my ways but were partial in applying the Torah."

Psa 1:2  KJV
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:2  CJB
Their delight is in Adonai's Torah; on his Torah they meditate day and night.

Psa 119:97  KJV
MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Psa 119:97 CJB
 מ (Mem) How I love your Torah! I meditate on it all day.

Psa 119:44  KJV
So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Psa 119:45  KJV
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Psa 119:44  CJB
and I will keep your Torah always, forever and ever.
Psa 119:45  CJB
I will go wherever I like, for I have sought your precepts.

Isa 51:7  KJV
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
Isa 51:7  CJB
"Listen to me, you who know justice, you people who have my Torah in your heart: don't be afraid of people's taunts, don't be upset by their insults.

We meditate on Torah, look at Torah, listen to Torah, speak Torah, walk in Torah, seek Torah, delight in Torah, the Torah is in our heart. There is liberty in Torah! 

For Torah is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. For Yeshua is the Living Torah and we have the mind of Messiah! Isn’t great to know He is the same yesterday, today and forever! His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever!

His Word will stand forever!

Perhaps some people may ask, what does "Torah" really mean?

תּוָֹרה - tôrāh
tōrāh :
A feminine noun meaning instruction, direction, law, Torah, the whole Law. This noun comes from the verb yārāh (H3384), which has, as one of its major meanings, to teach, to instruct.

The noun means instruction in a general way from God; for example, Eliphaz uttered truth when he encouraged Job and his readers to be willing to receive instruction from God, the Almighty (Job 22:22). In Israel, a father and mother were sources of instruction for life (Pro 1:8; Pro 6:20); along with wise persons (Pro 13:14; Pro 28:4).

In contrast, rebellious people were not willing to accept God's instructions in any manner (Isa 30:8-9); the scribes handled the instructions of the Lord deceitfully and falsely (Jer 8:8). Various words are found in synonyms parallel with this term: It is paralleled by the sayings of the Holy One (Isa 5:24); the word of the Lord (Isa 1:10); and the testimony or witness (Isa 8:20). It is used regularly to depict priestly instructions in general or as a whole. The Lord rejected the priests of Israel for they had disregarded ( forgotten) the Law (Jer 2:8; Hos 4:6). They had been charged to carry out and teach all the instructions of the Lord (Deu 17:11).

Torah means “teaching” and is good for reproof, correction & instruction in righteousness!

2Ti 3:16  KJV
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Pro 6:23  KJV
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Pro 13:9  KJV
The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Mat 25:8  KJV
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

The foolish virgins are the ones without torah! Without the instruction!

Lam 2:9  KJV
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

Pro 29:18  KJV
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Keep in His Word. Keep in His Torah (instruction) as Yeshua (Jesus) kept the Torah (instruction).

Blessing,
Andre

What does it mean : Not under the Law but under Grace?

Shalom,

Rom 6:14  KJV
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15  KJV
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

What does it mean : "Not under the Law but under Grace?"

What was Paul saying when he made this statement?

Was he having a discussion and comparing keeping the Torah verses and not keeping the Torah?

Was Paul comparing and contrasting the Torah given at Mount Sinai to the grace of YHVH manifested through the death of Messiah when He died on the cross?

Was Paul discussing and teaching how we are saved in Messiah?

What is the meaning of Paul's statement, "... for ye are not under the law but under grace".

THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD VERSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

What is the #1 most misunderstood verse in the New Testament?

I believe Rom 6:14-15 is the most misunderstood verses in the New Testament. Paul said, "... for ye are not under the law but under grace".

And this verses become legitimacy to some Christians to forget the Law (the Torah), not to observe the Torah.

But, is it the case? Did the first believers in Jerusalem observe the Torah or not although they had believed in Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach)?

Let me share with you some proofs to prove that the believers they still observed the Torah although they had believed in Jesus Christ. Let us read about Paul.

In Acts 23:6 Paul confessed, "I am (not "was") a Pharisee."

Act 23:6  KJV
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

Paul identified himself as Pharisee, although he believed in Yeshua HaMashiach already.

He even declared that concerning the observance of the Torah he was "blameless," which indicates that he observed a Jewish lifestyle to his dying day (Phil. 3:6).
Php 3:6  KJV
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Paul testified that he kept the Torah throughout his life (Acts 25:7-8, see also Acts 28:17).

So, if it is the case, then why Christians now forget about the Law? Why are Christians now so difference with the first Christians in the Bible?

How is this so?

Why is this so?

It is because Christians DON'T read and study their Bible. They only KNOW
parts of the Bible which they have HEARD while attending church. They only KNOW what they have been TOLD to believe. They only know what they have been TOLD to believe regarding the understanding and interpretation of various Bible passages.

But why?

Because the Bible says that the people of YHVH are SHEEPS. SHEEPS are FOLLOWERS. Sheeps FOLLOW what other SHEEPS DO.


MOST CHRISTIANS CAN QUOTE : '...for ye are not under the law but under grace'

While most Christians don't know their Bible very well, MOSTLY ALL Christians can quote to you when having a discussion about following Torah and being a
believer in the Messiah: '...for ye are not under the law but under
grace.'

Why are Christians so familiar with this verse?

It is because they have heard the verse quoted from their Chrisitan leaders OVER and OVER in emphasizing to them that a believer in the Messiah should
NOT follow Torah.

But is this what Paul was teaching when he wrote the verse?

In this study, we will discover that this verse is being quoted OVER and OVER by Christian leaders and the quote is taken OUT OF CONTEXT.

MOST CHRISTIANS CAN'T TELL YOU THE CONTEXT OF THE VERSE :
'...for ye are not under the law but under grace'

Most Christians can't tell you where the verse, '...for ye are not under the law but under grace' is in the Bible or the CONTEXT of the verse.

Therefore, let us examine the CONTEXT and teaching of Paul regarding this verse. But first, let us examine Paul's teaching in general about salvation in Messiah and the role of Torah in the life of a believer in the Messiah.

SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Paul clearly teaches in the NT that our salvation in Messiah is by grace through faith.

Eph 2:8  KJV
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

So, we are saved by grace through faith. We are NOT saved by our own good merit or our own good works.

Eph 2:9  KJV
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

SAVED UNTO GOOD WORKS

Does our salvation by grace through faith mean that we DON'T persue GOOD WORKS?

The answer is that someone saved in Messiah WILL PERSUE GOOD WORKS. However, the GOOD WORKS DON'T SAVE them. GOOD WORKS is a RESULT of being SAVED by GRACE through FAITH.

Eph 2:10  KJV
For we are his workmanship, CREATED in CHRIST JESUS unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD WALK in them.

Mat 5:16  KJV
Let your LIGHT so shine before MEN, that they may SEE your GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Tit 3:7  KJV
That being JUSTIFIED BY his GRACE, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Tit 3:8  KJV
This is a FAITHFUL SAYING, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Heb 10:24  KJV
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to GOOD WORKS:

LIGHT SHINE = GOOD WORKS

Messiah taught that GOOD WORKS is associated with your LIGHT shining.

Mat 5:16  KJV
Let your LIGHT so shine before MEN, that they may SEE your GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

What is LIGHT?

TORAH / KEEPING COMMANDMENTS = LIGHT

Pro 6:23  KJV
For the COMMANDMENT is a LAMP; and the TORAH is LIGHT; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Isa 51:4  KJV
Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a TORAH shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a LIGHT of the PEOPLE.

Isa 8:20  KJV
To the LAW and to the testimony: if they SPEAK NOT according to this word, it is because there is NO LIGHT in them.

Therefore, when Messiah was saying, you are the LIGHT of the WORLD ... let them SEE your GOOD WORKS, He was telling those that believed that He is the Messiah to FOLLOW TORAH.

TORAH / KEEPING COMMANDMENTS = HOW WE WALK

Eph 2:10  KJV
For we are his workmanship, CREATED in CHRIST JESUS unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we SHOULD WALK in
them.

We are to WALK in GOOD WORKS. "Walking" is a Hebrew idiom for
"following Torah".

The Jewish people refer to the way in which you seek to follow Torah is HALACHAH.

HALACHAH comes from the Hebrew word HALAK which means, "to walk".

So, keeping the commandments / Torah is the WAY that one WALKS.

Exo 16:4  KJV
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will WALK in my TORAH, or no.

Jos 22:5  KJV
But take diligent heed to DO the COMMANDMENT and the TORAH, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to WALK in all his WAYS, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

1Ki 2:3  KJV
And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to WALK in his WAYS, to KEEP his statutes, and his COMMANDMENTS, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is WRITTEN in the TORAH of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

Psa 78:10  KJV
They kept not the covenant of God, and REFUSED to WALK in his TORAH;

Psa 119:1  KJV
ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who WALK in the TORAH of the LORD.

Jer 26:4  KJV
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to WALK in my TORAH, which I have set before you,

1Jn 2:4  KJV
He that saith, I know him, and KEEPETH NOT his COMMANDMENTS, is a LIAR, and the truth is not in him.

1Jn 2:6  KJV
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to WALK (follow Torah), even as HE (Messiah) WALKED (follow Torah)

PAUL TAUGHT : SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Rom 3:28  KJV
Therefore we conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED by FAITH WITHOUT the DEEDS (trusting in your OWN GOOD WORKS) of the law.

Rom 3:30  KJV
Seeing it is one God, which shall JUSTIFY the CIRCUMCISION (Jew) by FAITH, and UNCIRCUMCISION (non-Jew) through FAITH.

PAUL TAUGHT : SAVED BY FAITH TO KEEP TORAH

Rom 3:31  KJV
Do we then MAKE VOID the TORAH through FAITH? GOD FORBID: yea, we ESTABLISH the TORAH.

Unfortunately, I don't think that I EVER remember anyone in church, radio or TV quote Paul's teaching of Romans 3:31 : 'Do we make void the Torah through faith? God forbid, we ESTABLISH the TORAH'.

However, I have heard THOUSANDS of TIMES : '...for ye are not under the law but under grace'

If Paul taught in Romans 3:31 that AFTER we are SAVED by GRACE through FAITH (Romans 3:28:30) that we are to ESTABLISH (follow) the TORAH ...

If Paul taught in Ephesians 2:10 that AFTER we are SAVED by GRACE through FAITH (Ephesians 2:8-9) that we are CREATED unto MESSIAH to do GOOD WORKS ....

Then how do we think that Paul taught differently quoting the verse, ' ..for ye are not under the law but under grace' ?

It is because we have taken the verse, ' ..for ye are not under the law but under grace' OUT OF CONTEXT and have TWISTED the teachings of Paul.

UNLEARNED = TWIST THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL

Peter wrote that :

2Pe 3:15  KJV
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the WISDOM given unto him hath written unto you;

2Pe 3:16  KJV
As also in ALL his EPISTLES, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are UNLEARNED and unstable TWIST, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

WHO ARE THE UNLEARNED?

The unlearned don't know or follow Torah. The learned follow Torah.

Deu 31:12  KJV
Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may LEARN, and fear the LORD your God, and OBSERVE to do all the words of this LAW:

Psa 119:7  KJV
I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have LEARNED thy righteous JUDGMENTS.

Peter said that those who are "unlearned" (dont' follow Torah) TWIST the teaching of Paul.

How? It is because there is a TERMINOLOGY to understanding TORAH like :

#1) Wisdom = Walking in Torah
#2) Light = Walking in Torah
#3) Truth = Walking in Torah

The UNLEARNED won't recognize the 'coded' words used by the Messiah or by Paul in the way in which they teach Torah.

MESSIAH SPOKE IN PARABLES SO UNLEARNED WON'T UNDERSTAND

Mat 13:10  KJV
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

A 'parable' is a CODED message.

The TORAH is taught as a PARABLE.

Psa 78:1  KJV
{Maschil of Asaph.} Give EAR, O my people, to my TORAH: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Psa 78:2  KJV
I will OPEN my MOUTH in a PARABLE: I will utter dark sayings of old:

Messiah taught in PARABLES (coded Torah language).

Mat 13:11  KJV
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the MYSTERIES of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

The word, 'mystery' is a CODED Torah understanding. There are four primary levels to interpreting Torah.

#1) Peshat: Literal
#2) Ramez: Allusion. One Scripture alluding to another Scripture
#3) Derash: Homiletical. Parables
#4) Sod: Deeper 'hidden' meaning of a Torah text. The 'hidden'
meaning is the HEART (true meaning) of the TORAH

Messiah said that the 'Mystery' (SOD) level of Torah is given to His disciples (those that follow Torah). Those who are 'unlearned' (don't follow or understand Torah) won't understand the 'hidden' teachings of the Messiah.

Mat 13:12  KJV
For whosoever hath (seeks to follow Torah), to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: (more Torah knowledge) but whosoever hath not (doesn't follow Torah), from him shall be taken away (his knowledge of the Bible will be so basic that they have trouble understanding the BASIC things like a believer in YHVH through Messiah will follow Torah) even that he hath.

Mat 13:13  KJV
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing SEE NOT; and hearing they HEAR NOT, neither do they understand.

LITERAL AND REDEEMED JACOB IS BLIND

Who sees and sees not? Who hears (tries to follow the ways of YHVH) and hears not? It is the LITERAL house of Jacob (whom we recognize today as JEWS) and the REDEEMED house of Jacob (whom we recongnize as CHRISTIANS).

Messiah rules over a REDEEMED house of Jacob.

Luk 1:33  KJV
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Why does the LITERAL house of Jacob and the REDEEMED house of Jacob see but see not and hear but hear not? It is because the LITERAL house of Jacob have walked away from the LIVING TORAH (Messiah) and the REDEEMED house of Jacob have walked away from the WRITTEN TORAH.

Isa 42:18  KJV
Hear, ye DEAF; and look, ye BLIND, that ye may see.

Isa 42:19  KJV
Who is BLIND, but MY SERVANT? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and BLIND as the LORD'S SERVANT?

Isa 42:20  KJV
SEEING many things, but thou OBSERVE NOT; OPENING the EARS, but he HEARETH NOT.

Isa 42:24  KJV
Who gave JACOB for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would NOT WALK in his WAYS, neither were they obedient unto his TORAH.

So, Messiah spoke in parables so that those who follow Torah will understand what He taught and increase in their Torah knowledge. Those who don't follow Torah won't understand the teachings of the Messiah.

UNLEARNED TWIST TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION

What is the DESTRUCTION of the UNLEARNED (those that don't follow Torah in Messiah) ?

They are LEAST in the Kingdom or they are NOT the Bride of Messiah.

Mat 5:19  KJV
Whosoever therefore shall BREAK one of these LEAST COMMANDMENTS, and shall TEACH MEN so, he shall be called the LEAST in the KINGDOM of heaven: but whosoever shall DO and TEACH them, the same shall be called GREAT in the KINGDOM of heaven.

PAUL WAS GIVEN WISDOM = KNOWLEDGE OF TORAH

2Pe 3:15  KJV
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the WISDOM given unto him hath written unto you;

What is this WISDOM which Paul was given? It is the KNOWLEDGE of TORAH and the desire to FOLLOW TORAH.

Hos 4:6  KJV
My people are destroyed for LACK of KNOWLEDGE: because thou hast REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast FORGOTTEN the TORAH of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Mal 2:7  KJV
For the priest's lips should KEEP KNOWLEDGE, and they should SEEK the TORAH at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

1Ch 22:12  KJV
Only the LORD give thee WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest KEEP the TORAH of the LORD thy God.

Psa 111:10  KJV
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM: a good understanding have all they that DO his COMMANDMENTS: his praise endureth for ever.

Deu 4:5  KJV
Behold, I have taught you STATUTES and JUDGMENTS, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should DO so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

Deu 4:6  KJV
KEEP therefore and DO them; for this is your WISDOM and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

WHAT DID PETER SAY?

Peter said that Paul was given WISDOM (knowledge of Torah) by God and those who are UNLEARNED (don't know Torah) TWIST (wrongly interpret) the teaching of Paul to their OWN DESTRUCTION (keep them from receiving blessings from YHVH for DOING His commandments thus being GREAT in the Kingdom.)

2Pe 3:15  KJV
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the WISDOM given unto him hath written unto you;

2Pe 3:16  KJV
As also in ALL his EPISTLES, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are UNLEARNED and unstable TWIST, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

WHAT DID PAUL MEAN WHEN HE SAID '...for ye are not under the law but under grace'

So based upon what has been written in this article so far, what really did Paul mean when he said, '...for ye are not under the law but under grace' ?

To begin with, we need to read this verse in CONTEXT. This verse is found in Romans 6:14.

Rom 6:14  KJV
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

So, if this is the 14th verse of Romans 6 what is the CONTEXT?

What is said in Romans 6:1-13 which forms the CONTEXT of Romans 6:14?

Let's now examine Romans 6:1-14.

Rom 6:1  KJV
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Paul begins by asking a question. Should we SIN so that GRACE may abound? Before we can understand Paul's question, we need to understand the definition of sin.

1Jn 3:4  KJV
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

So, Paul was asking, 'Do we SIN = (BREAK THE COMMANDMENTS) so that
grace may abound?

Does it make sense that MESSIAH FORGAVE us of our SIN = BREAKING THE COMMANDMENTS so that we can SIN (NOT follow His commandments) ?

Well, Paul has an answer to that question.

Rom 6:2  KJV
GOD FORBID. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Paul's answer to this question was : JUST SAY NO!

Shall we purposely SIN = BREAK THE COMMANDMENTS so that we can receive GRACE AFTER we are saved (Romans 3:28-30) ?

YHVH FORBID!

FORGIVEN FROM SIN = DEAD TO SIN

Rom 6:3  KJV
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Now, Paul begins to make an anology :

Dead to sin = Baptized unto death of Messiah = Died for our SINS

In other words, once we are FORGIVEN of our SIN through Messiah, we are NOT to pursue a LIFE of SIN (breaking the Torah). Our desires should be to seek to be a HOLY people and NOT persue living a SINFUL LIFE.

In we seek to be a HOLY people, we are 'DEAD TO SIN'.

Paul is equatiing being DEAD TO SIN with the DEATH OF MESSIAH.

Rom 6:4  KJV
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5  KJV
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Since we are DEAD TO SIN which Paul is comparing to the DEATH OF MESSIAH, we have been "raised up from the dead" (FORGIVEN OF OUR
SINS) so we should WALK in newness of life.

WALK is a Torah 'code' word for OBEYING TORAH.

So, Paul is saying that we have been FORGIVEN of our SINS for the purpose of WALKING (obeying Torah) in NEWNESS OF LIFE.

Rom 6:6  KJV
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:7  KJV
For he that is dead is freed from sin.

OLD MAN = FLESH = CRUCIFIED = FORGIVEN BY MESSIAH

Paul is saying that now since we have a NEW HEART and have REPENTED of our SINS and thus have our SINS FORGIVEN that the OLD MAN or the FLESH who DESIRED to SIN should be CRUCIFIED so that we don't SERVE the FLESH or SERVE SIN.

DEAD TO SIN = OLD MAN = FLESH = CRUCIFIED = DIED WITH MESSIAH

Rom 6:8  KJV
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

DEAD WITH CHRIST = SINS FORGIVEN = OLD MAN = CRUCIFIED

LIVE WITH CHRIST = WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE = FOLLOW TORAH

Rom 6:9  KJV
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Rom 6:10  KJV
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Rom 6:11  KJV
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:12  KJV
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

If the OLD MAN has been CRUCIFIED = DEATH OF MESSIAH then NEW MAN = NEW HEART = FOLLOW TORAH then the rebellious heart to NOT follow Torah and wants to SIN shouldn't have dominion (power) over us.

REBELLIOUS HEART = STONY HEART = NOT FOLLOW TORAH

Zec 7:11  KJV
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and STOPPED their EARS, that they should NOT HEAR.

Zec 7:12  KJV
Yea, they made their HEARTS as an ADAMANT STONE, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets:

NEW HEART = HOLY SPIRIT = SEEKS TO FOLLOW TORAH

Eze 36:26  KJV
A NEW HEART also will I give you, and a NEW SPIRIT will I put within you: and I will TAKE AWAY the STONEY HEART out of your flesh, and I will give you an HEART of FLESH.

OLD MAN = FLESH = STONEY HEART = DEATH OF MESSIAH

Eze 36:27  KJV
And I will put MY SPIRIT within you, and cause you to WALK in my statutes, and ye shall KEEP my judgments, and DO them.

NEW MAN = HEART OF FLESH = WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE = RESURRECTION OF THE MESSIAH

Rom 6:13  KJV
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are ALIVE from the DEAD, and your members as INSTRUMENTS of RIGHTEOUSNESS unto God.

SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH = DEAD TO SIN

NEW MAN = ALIVE FROM DEAD = RESURRECTION OF MESSAH

NEW MAN = ALIVE FROM DEAD = INSTRUMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

NEW MAN = ALIVE FROM DEAD = FOLLOW TORAH

NEW MAN = ALIVE FROM DEAD = GOOD WORKS

So, the CONTEXT of Romans 6:1-13 is that Paul is saying that a believer in Messiah should NOT SIN (break the Torah commandments) because that OLD MAN who desired to SIN has been CRUCIFIED with Messiah so that the NEW MAN who has been FORGIVEN from his SINS should WALK in NEWNESS of LIFE (follow Torah) and be an instrument of righteousness (produce GOOD WORKS by following Torah).

Next, Paul says the FAMOUS VERSE :

Rom 6:14  KJV
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1Jn 3:4  KJV
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

SIN (breaking the commandments) shall NOT have dominion over you!

In Romans 6:14, Paul is saying (for those who are LEARNED in Torah) that we should FOLLOW TORAH because SIN (breaking Torah) shall not have dominion over you.

Rom 6:14  KJV
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Under the law?

What law is Paul talking about in Romans 6:1-13?
The Torah? NO!

He is talking about the LAW of SIN and DEATH.

THE LAW of our FLESH that cause us to SIN shall NOT have dominion over us because that OLD MAN has been CRUCIFIED with Messiah and by being FORGIVEN of our SINS (breaking the Torah) YHVH has extended GRACE /
MERCY to us to allow our SINS to be FORGIVEN.

YHVH extends GRACE / MERCY to those that KEEP His commandments.

Exo 20:6  KJV
And shewing MERCY unto thousands of them that love me, and KEEP my COMMANDMENTS.

Psa 103:17  KJV
But the MERCY of the LORD is from EVERLASTING to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

Psa 103:18  KJV
To such as KEEP his covenant, and to those that REMEMBER his COMMANDMENTS to DO them.

WHAT WAS PAUL SAYING IN ROMANS 6:14 ?

Rom 6:14  KJV
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

THE LAW of our FLESH that causes us to SIN shall NOT have dominion over us because that OLD MAN has been CRUCIFIED with Messiah and being FORGIVEN of our SINS (breaking the Torah) YHVH has extended GRACE /
MERCY to us to allow our SINS to be FORGIVEN.

Since GRACE / MERCY has been extended to us to allow our SINS to be FORGIVEN through Messiah dying on the cross, YHVH has given us His MERCY / GRACE to those that LOVE HIM and WALK in HIS COMMANDMENTS. Those who do so will produce GOOD WORKS.

GOOD WORKS (following Torah and being a LIGHT in a world of darkness)
is the FRUIT of someone FORGIVEN of their SINS and who DESIRES to
show our LOVE to YHVH through Messiah by KEEPING His commandments.

Those who choose to do so will be given MERCY / GRACE by YHVH as they
seek with all their heart to be OBEDIENT unto Him, KEEP His commandments and produce GOOD WORKS (fruits of righteousness) for the
GLORY of HIS KINGDOM.

Messiah said :

Joh 14:15  KJV
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

I pray that this teaching has been and will be a rich blessing to you in your studies. PLEASE share this teaching with others.

May YHVH in the Name of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ) continue to bless you in your studies.

Blessing,
Andre

Understanding Mat 5:17-19 - The Law and The Gospel - Part 2

Shalom,

Often Christians think that the "Old Testament" is virtually irrelevant today, since the doctrines of the Church are made explicit in the New Testament writings. However, this is a serious mistake, as the following facts will demonstrate:

1.
Yeshua (Jesus) and all his disciples were Torah-observant Jews. The Scriptures which they studied, loved, and quoted were the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings (the Jewish Tanakh). Indeed, Yeshua quoted from the book of Deuteronomy (from the Torah) more than any other book in the Scriptures. As a child, Yeshua would have studied the Torah and memorized it with other Jewish children. He would also have been familiar with the teaching of the earlier Jewish sages of Israel.

When asked what was the greatest commandment of the LORD, Yeshua quoted the ve'ahavta portion of the Shema : ve'ahavta et Adonai eloheykha be'khol-levavkha, u'vekhol nafshekha, u'vekhol me'odekha,

"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deu 6:5), and then He added the commandment, v'ahavta l're'akha kamokha - ani Adonai , "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18). Both of these commandments come directly from the Torah.

Indeed, Yeshua said that He did not come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Mat 5:17-19). He later told a prospective follower of His, "If you would enter life, keep the commandments" (Mat 19:17). When He was further asked which ones, Yeshua replied by citing the Ten Commandments and appealed to the man to follow Him (Mat 19:18-21).

2.
Yeshua said that the Jewish Scriptures plainly testify of Him (John 5:39). As His followers, we should understand what this means and how they indeed bear witness of Him as the King of the Jews (Mat 2:2; 27:11). In addition, by studying Torah, we can more fully appreciate the glory and grace as revealed in the Person and Work of our beloved Mashiach. For example, we can more fully savor the role of the sacrificial system and how Yeshua fulfilled all of God's holy requirements on our behalf as the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) of the new covenant.

3.
When two disciples were on their way to the town of Emmaus discussing the implications of the crucifixion of Yeshua three days earlier, who but the Master Himself appeared alongside of them and taught them from the Jewish Scriptures? "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24: 13-36). Again, as His followers, we should likewise be able to recount how Yeshua is revealed in the Jewish Scriptures.

4.
The "Church" was born on a Jewish holiday of Shauv'ot (Pentecost) among the Jewish people in Jerusalem. Peter's sermon during that festival (Acts 2:1-41) was entirely Jewish, copiously quoting from the prophets and David, which would have meant little to any Gentiles in earshot (if there were any). It is likely, therefore, that the 3,000 people who were saved that day would have been all Jewish. The earliest members of the new church met regularly in the Temple, where Gentiles were explicitly excluded (Acts 2:46). Note that the apostles Peter and John are recorded to have gone to the Temple for prayer during the time of the minchah (afternoon) sacrifices (Acts 3:1), and their ministry continued exclusively among the Jewish people, "among whom were thousands who believed and were zealous for the Torah" (Acts 21:20). Even after they were imprisoned but miraculously escaped, an angel told them to "Go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life" (Acts 5:20).

Peter's vision and visit to the house of Cornelius, a ger tzeddek ("God fearer") who attended synagogue and observed Jewish customs and traditions (Acts 10), was subject to a crisis of conscience for him. First, in his vision he said that he never would eat of the "unkosher" animals shown to him, and second, he had qualms about even entering the house of a non-Jew. This indicates, among other things, how steeped Peter was in the Torah, even after spending three years under the teaching of Yeshua.

5.
Later, when the Jerusalem Council wrote their letter to the Gentiles regarding their relationship to the Torah, they advised them to at first abstain from those things that would make them abhorrent to the Jews, with the assumption that they would later go on to study the Torah of Moses and the other Jewish Scriptures (Acts 15:19-21).

6.
The Apostle Paul was raised a Torah observant Jew who studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3). Rabbi Sha'ul (as he would have been called) was well-established in the Jewish leadership of his day, and even had a relationship with the Sanhedrin and High Priest of Israel (Acts 9:1-2). But even after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-21), he still identified himself a Jew. In Acts 23:6 he confessed, "I am (not "was") a Pharisee." He even declared that concerning the observance of the Torah he was "blameless," which indicates that he observed a Jewish lifestyle to his dying day (Phil 3:6). Paul testified that he kept the Torah throughout his life (Acts 25:7-8, see also Acts 28:17).

Paul took the Nazirite vow (Acts 18:18), lived "in observance of the Torah" (Acts 21:23-24), and even offered sacrifices in the Jewish Temple (Acts 21:26). Notice that Paul not only paid for his own sacrifices in order to be released from his Nazirite vow, but also paid for the sacrifices for four other Jewish believers! Notice also that this was performed at the explicit request of James, the head of the Jerusalem Church (and half-brother of Yeshua).

Paul regularly attended synagogue. "He came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2).

When Paul wrote to the Gentile churches, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17), he was of course referring to the Jewish Scriptures, since the New Testament had not yet been compiled for the church.

Indeed, in order to understand Paul's writings, we need to remember his training as a Rabbi when he quotes the Scriptures in his writings. For example, when he wrote, "And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:4), he was quoting from a story later written in the Talmud (i.e., that from the time that Moses struck the rock at Horeb and brought forth water until the death of Miriam (Exo 20:1), this water-giving rock "followed the children of Israel through the desert and provided water for them each day" (Taanit, 9a and Bava Metizia, 86b).

7.
Many Christian denominations profess to believe in the authority of both the "Old Testament" and the New Testament Scriptures while functionally relegating the study of the Torah to the dustheap of history. If the Jewish Scriptures are taken seriously at all, these denominational traditions attempt to explain away their clear reading (for example, the covenantal promises made to ethnic Israel) and arrogate the intent of the text as being applicable solely to the Church.

Blessing,
Andre

Understanding Mat 5:17-19 - The Law and The Gospel - Part 1

Shalom,

Often Christians think that the "Old Testament" is virtually irrelevant today, since the doctrines of the Church are made explicit in the New Testament writings. However, this is a serious mistake, as the following facts will demonstrate:

1.
Yeshua (Jesus) and all his disciples were Torah-observant Jews. The Scriptures which they studied, loved, and quoted were the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings (the Jewish Tanakh). Indeed, Yeshua quoted from the book of Deuteronomy (from the Torah) more than any other book in the Scriptures. As a child, Yeshua would have studied the Torah and memorized it with other Jewish children. He would also have been familiar with the teaching of the earlier Jewish sages of Israel.

When asked what was the greatest commandment of the LORD, Yeshua quoted the ve'ahavta portion of the Shema : ve'ahavta et Adonai eloheykha be'khol-levavkha, u'vekhol nafshekha, u'vekhol me'odekha,

"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deu 6:5), and then He added the commandment, v'ahavta l're'akha kamokha - ani Adonai , "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18). Both of these commandments come directly from the Torah.

Indeed, Yeshua said that He did not come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Mat 5:17-19). He later told a prospective follower of His, "If you would enter life, keep the commandments" (Mat 19:17). When He was further asked which ones, Yeshua replied by citing the Ten Commandments and appealed to the man to follow Him (Mat 19:18-21).

2.
Yeshua said that the Jewish Scriptures plainly testify of Him (John 5:39). As His followers, we should understand what this means and how they indeed bear witness of Him as the King of the Jews (Mat 2:2; 27:11). In addition, by studying Torah, we can more fully appreciate the glory and grace as revealed in the Person and Work of our beloved Mashiach. For example, we can more fully savor the role of the sacrificial system and how Yeshua fulfilled all of God's holy requirements on our behalf as the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) of the new covenant.

3.
When two disciples were on their way to the town of Emmaus discussing the implications of the crucifixion of Yeshua three days earlier, who but the Master Himself appeared alongside of them and taught them from the Jewish Scriptures? "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24: 13-36). Again, as His followers, we should likewise be able to recount how Yeshua is revealed in the Jewish Scriptures.

4.
The "Church" was born on a Jewish holiday of Shauv'ot (Pentecost) among the Jewish people in Jerusalem. Peter's sermon during that festival (Acts 2:1-41) was entirely Jewish, copiously quoting from the prophets and David, which would have meant little to any Gentiles in earshot (if there were any). It is likely, therefore, that the 3,000 people who were saved that day would have been all Jewish. The earliest members of the new church met regularly in the Temple, where Gentiles were explicitly excluded (Acts 2:46). Note that the apostles Peter and John are recorded to have gone to the Temple for prayer during the time of the minchah (afternoon) sacrifices (Acts 3:1), and their ministry continued exclusively among the Jewish people, "among whom were thousands who believed and were zealous for the Torah" (Acts 21:20). Even after they were imprisoned but miraculously escaped, an angel told them to "Go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life" (Acts 5:20).

Peter's vision and visit to the house of Cornelius, a ger tzeddek ("God fearer") who attended synagogue and observed Jewish customs and traditions (Acts 10), was subject to a crisis of conscience for him. First, in his vision he said that he never would eat of the "unkosher" animals shown to him, and second, he had qualms about even entering the house of a non-Jew. This indicates, among other things, how steeped Peter was in the Torah, even after spending three years under the teaching of Yeshua.

5.
Later, when the Jerusalem Council wrote their letter to the Gentiles regarding their relationship to the Torah, they advised them to at first abstain from those things that would make them abhorrent to the Jews, with the assumption that they would later go on to study the Torah of Moses and the other Jewish Scriptures (Acts 15:19-21).

6.
The Apostle Paul was raised a Torah observant Jew who studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3). Rabbi Sha'ul (as he would have been called) was well-established in the Jewish leadership of his day, and even had a relationship with the Sanhedrin and High Priest of Israel (Acts 9:1-2). But even after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-21), he still identified himself a Jew. In Acts 23:6 he confessed, "I am (not "was") a Pharisee." He even declared that concerning the observance of the Torah he was "blameless," which indicates that he observed a Jewish lifestyle to his dying day (Phil 3:6). Paul testified that he kept the Torah throughout his life (Acts 25:7-8, see also Acts 28:17).

Paul took the Nazirite vow (Acts 18:18), lived "in observance of the Torah" (Acts 21:23-24), and even offered sacrifices in the Jewish Temple (Acts 21:26). Notice that Paul not only paid for his own sacrifices in order to be released from his Nazirite vow, but also paid for the sacrifices for four other Jewish believers! Notice also that this was performed at the explicit request of James, the head of the Jerusalem Church (and half-brother of Yeshua).

Paul regularly attended synagogue. "He came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2).

When Paul wrote to the Gentile churches, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17), he was of course referring to the Jewish Scriptures, since the New Testament had not yet been compiled for the church.

Indeed, in order to understand Paul's writings, we need to remember his training as a Rabbi when he quotes the Scriptures in his writings. For example, when he wrote, "And all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:4), he was quoting from a story later written in the Talmud (i.e., that from the time that Moses struck the rock at Horeb and brought forth water until the death of Miriam (Exo 20:1), this water-giving rock "followed the children of Israel through the desert and provided water for them each day" (Taanit, 9a and Bava Metizia, 86b).

7.
Many Christian denominations profess to believe in the authority of both the "Old Testament" and the New Testament Scriptures while functionally relegating the study of the Torah to the dustheap of history. If the Jewish Scriptures are taken seriously at all, these denominational traditions attempt to explain away their clear reading (for example, the covenantal promises made to ethnic Israel) and arrogate the intent of the text as being applicable solely to the Church.

Blessing,
Andre

Knowing the heart of the Law and the Law of the Gospel

Shalom,

During His earthly ministry, was Yeshua (Jesus) instructing us to become followers of Moses?

Did He come and die on the Cross so that we could be forgiven and therefore "start over" by keeping the Law (and its 613 commandments)?

Is the gospel message really a sort of "reformation" of Temple Judaism? 

Did Yeshua (Jesus) come to renew the covenant made with Israel at Sinai or did He come to give us a new and better covenant that would somehow supersede it (Heb. 8:6)?

Heb 8:6  KJV
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

In the light of His teaching, it appears that the answer to each of these questions is both a "yes" and "no."

When Jesus proclaimed in Mat 5:17

Mat 5:17  KJV
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

He was actually amplifying the message of both Moses and the prophets, though His interpretation was contrary to various "traditional" views of His day. 

Ye have heard that it was said (in the Law, or by your sages) ... BUT I SAY unto you...

As a good Jewish teacher, Jesus continually affirmed the inner meaning of the Torah, especially the Shema and the related obligation to love others.

Mat 22:36  KJV
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37  KJV
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  KJV
This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  KJV
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  KJV
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

In that regard His doctrine was surely a continuance of the Torah's foundational message. 

However, Jesus clearly extended the reach of the Torah to include the inner heart attitude of the person. Observing the Law was not a matter of adhering to various external codes of conduct but involved the rigorous self-examination of the heart and soul.

The law forbade the act of murder, for example, but Jesus extended the scope of the Law to reach the intent of the heart.

Mat 5:21  KJV
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time (by Moses himself as he quoted the words of YHVH), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22  KJV
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
 
Likewise, the law forbade the act of adultery, but Jesus focused not on the external action but rather the heart condition.

Mat 5:27  KJV
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time (by Moses himself as he quoted the words of YHVH), Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28  KJV
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Note :
Notice how Jesus quoted the Law by saying :Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, and then Jesus extended the scope of the Law by saying : But I say unto you. In this case we can see how Jesus intended to keep the Law and fulfilled the requirement of the Law.

When Jesus explained that the Law's intent was to prevent even looking with lust upon a woman, for all the more reason it should be obvious that we refrain from physical acts of adultery or fornication. Dealing with the inner heart attitude that gives rise to the lustful look therefore obviates the need to forbid the outer practice of the flesh (and therefore fulfills the intent of the Law against adultery).

In matters relating to :

1) divorce (Deu 24:1-4),
2) the taking of oaths (Deu 6:13; 10:20; Num 30:2; Exo 20:16),
3) the exercise of retribution (Exo 21:23-24, Lev 24:19-20; Deu 19:21), and
4) the obligation to hate one's enemies (Deu 7:2, 13:15-17, 20:16, Psalm 137:9, etc), Jesus actually circumvented the written words of Torah by denying matters that were technically permissible according to the "letter of the Law" (Mat 5:31-47).

We see this clearly in the case of divorce, for instance. 

When the Pharisees asked Him whether it was permissible to put away one's wife according to Deu 24:1-4.

Deu 24:1  KJV
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
Deu 24:2  KJV
And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.
Deu 24:3  KJV
And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;
Deu 24:4  KJV
Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Mat 19:7  KJV
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Mat 19:8  KJV
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Mat 19:9  KJV
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Note :
Once again that the rigor of Jesus' interpretation superseded that of Moses himself, who permitted divorce as a concession to human frailty and evil.

Indeed, in each of these examples (divorce, taking oaths, retaliation, tribal loyalty), Jesus' interpretation was more DEMANDING and RIGOROUS than the written Laws found in the Torah of Moses. It means : Jesus kept the Law even more.

By expounding the requirements of the Law with such rigor, Jesus was claiming equal authority with YHVH Himself (יהוה).

After all, each antecedent clause, "Ye have heard that it was said..." referred to an explicit utterance made by the LORD Himself at Sinai.  Jesus then authoritatively extended the reach of the commandment by identifying its underlying ethical intent.

This is what He meant by "fulfilling" the Law, or reaching the goal of the Torah's message. 

The time of "circumcision of the heart" was at hand.
Deu 30:6  KJV
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

The message of the Law was to be written on hearts of flesh, not tablets of stone.
Jer 31:33  KJV
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2Co 3:3  KJV
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Co 3:6  KJV
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The Law of God - in particular, the moral aspect of the law - is indeed "holy, just, and good," though it is powerless to change the heart.
Rom 7:12  KJV
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

This is not because the Law is sinful, but rather because it reveals the presence of sin in our hearts.

The Law simply demands that we live as morally perfect agents -- regardless of our heredity, infirmities, social status, education, and so on.  Like a flawless mirror, the Law reflects back to us the truth of our moral and spiritual condition, and thereby reveals our need for deliverance from ourselves.

The "problem of the law" is that it is "weak" on account of human "flesh," and therefore remedy had to be sought through other means.

Rom 8:1  KJV
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  KJV
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3  KJV
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  KJV
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

This is the ultimate gospel message itself - that God sent His Son to both save us from the just verdict of the Law (through Jesus' sacrifice) and to provide the heart's means to serve Him in the truth (through Holy Spirit).

To underscore the need for personal deliverance, Jesus was once asked by "a rich young ruler" what "good deed" must be done to inherit eternal life.

Mat 19:16  KJV
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17  KJV
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18  KJV
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19  KJV
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 19:20  KJV
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21  KJV
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22  KJV
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Notice how Jesus answered with the statement, "Keep the commandments," and then provided the mitzvot listed in the second half of the tablets (that is, the commandments that dealt with social relationships). 

When He was further asked, "What else do I lack?" Jesus told him to sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor.  The "one thing missing" in this man's observance was the heart -- namely, love and genuine compassion for the poor. Such love was not something that could be gained by merely "following the rules" but required a radical heart change.

Again, Jesus was calling for religious observance that was far more rigorous than was conventionally understood by the Jewish leaders of His day. 

It's the inner intent of the commandments that matter, not mere conformity to an external ideal.
Mat 5:48  KJV
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  

Sometimes those who advocate "Torah observance only without Jesus" for the Christian seem to protest that the gospel message is often presented as a sort of "get out Hell free card" or a means of obtaining a "cheap grace" that encourages a lackadaisical performance of religious obligation. 

Such people -- well meaning as they may be -- have yet to fully hear the words of Jesus regarding the righteousness required by the law itself
Mat 5:20  KJV
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Was Jesus then suggesting that His followers were to be more scrupulous than the hand-washing Pharisees or the nitpicking scribes of His day?

Were His followers to be marked by fastidious attention to the law's every detail, painstakingly adhering to the percentages of "mint and cumin" that should be designated as a tithe (Mat 23:23)?

Or was He rather suggesting that the righteousness of Messiah required "taking up the cross" and following Him in faith and self-sacrifice?

Let's return to the story of the "rich young ruler" who asked what "good deed" must be done to inherit eternal life. As the story goes, after the man heard Jesus' demand for self-sacrifice, "he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." 
Mat 19:22  KJV
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Jesus then said to His disciples, "Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Mat 19:23  KJV
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24  KJV
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

The disciples were astounded at Jesus' comment and exclaimed, "Who then can be saved?"
Mat 19:25  KJV
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

Jesus replied to them, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible".
Mat 19:26  KJV
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Those who advocate the observance of the Law as a means of justification (or sanctification) before God need to confess their need for salvation -- from their own sinful heart condition. 

Only God has the power to change the self-serving human heart. This is a glory not shared with the various "self-improvement" programs of the world's religiously minded.

Hear the words of Jesus regarding the "goal" or "end" of righteousness required by the Law :
Self-sacrifice, unfeigned love for others, genuine compassion, and the unselfish practice of mercy -- all of which were perfectly exemplified in the life of Messiah Himself.

The "goal of the law" is the miracle of heart changed by the power and grace of God.

Now there is a "twist" regarding this entire discussion.

In ethical matters we clearly see that Jesus' interpretation of the Law was more rigorous than that of Moses, but regarding ceremonial and social laws we note that Jesus often overruled the Torah entirely.

For example, when Jesus spoke of dietary restrictions (kashrut) He said, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
.
Mat 15:11  KJV
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

And by so saying implied that various rules regarding what foods to eat, how meat was slaughtered, ritual handwashing, and so on, were not relevant.

Concerning ritual impurity, we note that Jesus touched a "leper".
Mat 8:1  KJV
When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Mat 8:2  KJV
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Mat 8:3  KJV
And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Mat 8:4  KJV
And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

It was something explicitly forbidden by the law without becoming "unclean" (Lev. 14:4-29).

Moreover, Jesus not only touched a leper but healed him and declared him "clean," overruling the Law's requirement that only a kohen (priest) could do so based on prescribed rituals (note : that Jesus' instruction to give "testimony" of the healing to the Temple priests was intended to testify that Someone greater than the Levitical priesthood was now in their midst).

Likewise we read that Jesus touched the corpse of a young girl -- another act that would render someone ritually unclean -- yet this action displayed the power of God by raising her from the dead.
Mar 5:41  KJV
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

Finally, when Jesus "cleansed the Temple" and stopped the "carrying of the ritual vessels," He interfered with the regular sacrifices of Israel, something clearly forbidden by Levitical Law.
Mar 11:16  KJV
And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

But what about the matter of Sabbath observance?

Did Jesus break the Sabbath?, or

Did He adhere to various rules about not touching or doing certain things on this day (i.e. the 39 categories of work forbidden by the rabbis)? 

When He was once criticized by the Pharisees for allowing his disciples to pick some grain from the fields on the Sabbath, He responded that the Scriptures themselves testified that King David "broke the commandment" by eating the bread reserved for the priests (the "showbread"), and noted that the priests likewise "profaned" the Sabbath by performing avodah (service) at the Temple.
Mat 12:1  KJV
At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Mat 12:2  KJV
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Mat 12:3  KJV
But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Mat 12:4  KJV
How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Mat 12:5  KJV
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Jesus then stated that "someone greater than the Temple is here" and went on to chastise His accusers by pointing out that the deeper principle of the Law is to show mercy before sacrifice.
Mat 12:6  KJV
But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7  KJV
But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 12:8  KJV
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

References :
Hos 6:6  KJV
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Psa 51:16  KJV
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17  KJV
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Pro 15:8  KJV
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Mat 9:13  KJV
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

As the very "Lord of the Sabbath",
Mat 12:8  KJV
For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Jesus sanctioned acts of mercy to be performed on the consecrated day of rest. 

Indeed, just as the Law permitted a male to be circumcised or an animal to be pulled out of a well on Sabbath, for all the more reason should a man be healed on the Sabbath.
Mat 12:11  KJV
And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat 12:12  KJV
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

The Sabbath is not a day of (static) rest but is a means of providing rest for others by doing acts of chesed and mercy. 

Again, the Pharisees had confused the "inner" with the "outer" and made a category mistake.
Mar 2:27  KJV
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

So we see both evidence of continuity regarding the Law in the teaching of Jesus. 

Regarding the underlying commandment to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself, He was in full agreement. Yet Jesus revealed that the practice of such love was far more rigorous than was commonly interpreted by the sages of His day, and nothing short of moral and spiritual perfection was acceptable to God. 

Mat 5:48  KJV
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

By revealing the "goal" of the law, Jesus also revealed our need of personal deliverance.  We are sinners and we need a changed heart from God to be saved.

Jesus summed up His view of the obeying the underlying intent of the Law with the following sober warning :

Mat 7:24  KJV
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  KJV
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  KJV
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  KJV
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

For those who trust in Him for a heart change and eternal life, Jesus is the Authority of Almighty God, the very Word of God incarnate. His Words define our Torah. We all must answer to Him.

The love of God is the fulfillment of the Law. It doesn't mean the Law is no longer valid.
Rom 13:8  KJV
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9  KJV
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10  KJV
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Gal 5:14  KJV
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jas 2:8  KJV
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

And this love is manifest in the Person and Presence of Jesus, the perfect fulfillment of the Law of love.
Joh 1:1  KJV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 13:34  KJV
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35  KJV
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1Jn 4:10  KJV
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:11  KJV
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
1Jn 4:12  KJV
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

2Jn 1:6  KJV
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

The love of Jesus imparts "righteousness to every one who believes".
Rom 10:4  KJV
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Thew word the end came from Greek word τέλος - telos which  means : the last in any succession or series, the goal, the purpose.

Practically speaking, living in response to the love of God does not imply spiritual anarchy or "lawlessness," however, since the Law of Messiah (תּוֹרַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ) is to "bear one another's burdens" by emulating the sacrificial love that Yeshua has revealed and bestowed to us.

Gal 6:2  KJV
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Joh 13:15  KJV
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:34  KJV
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (It needs the change of the heart and mind -- like in Rom 12:2).

Joh 15:12  KJV
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Joh 14:15  KJV
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh 15:10  KJV
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Moreover, those who receive Jesus as their Savior are given the Holy Spirit (רוּחַ הַקּדֶשׁ) -- also called the Comforter (παρακλητος) -- through whom the inner intent of the Law is written upon the heart by faith.
Gal 5:18  KJV
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Gal 5:22  KJV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  KJV
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The heart of the Law, then, is the Law of the Gospel message itself - to love God and to serve others through the miraculous agency of God's redemptive grace.

So, if one asks, should Christians observe the Law?
Yes, Christians are to observe the Law since we are following Jesus Christ. We observe the Law not for our righteousness because our righteousness is in Jesus Christ. We observe the Law because Jesus instructed us to do so in Mat 28:30.

Mat 28:20  KJV
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Example :
Jesus observed The Feast of Dedication (Chanukah). So do we.
Joh 10:22  KJV
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
Joh 10:23  KJV
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

Jesus observed Passover. So do we.
Mat 26:18  KJV
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

Keep in the Word of the Living God. May God bless you.
Andre