What Did Jesus Teach About the Torah, Part 2?

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:19-20

This is the tenth part of my series on what Yeshua (Jesus) taught his Jewish disciples to teach the newly minted Gentile disciples to obey. It is also the second part focusing on his teachings on the Torah (the Law). Before we begin, let's take a look at the summary of Part 1: What Did Jesus Teach About the Torah?

In a nutshell, we learn that Gentiles are supposed to learn and obey everything Yeshua taught, including the fact that the Torah will be with us for a long time. We learned that God called each of us as the person He made us to be, so Jews don't have to turn into Gentiles, and Gentiles don't have to turn into Jews in order to be disciples of the Messiah and in fact, deliberately turning ourselves into something we're not just because we think it will justify us before God, makes Yeshua valueless to us. Loving God and loving others is the totality of the Torah and the Prophets and we should do both, not neglecting one for the other. In order to find out what comes next, we can't neglect what the Torah teaches, because that's what Yeshua teaches.

We see Yeshua teaching that the Torah is more important in the lives of the Gentile believers than what we might imagine, especially from a traditional Christian viewpoint. After all, in the church, we are generally taught that the Law or the Torah was nailed to the cross with Jesus and died there with him. We are taught that Jesus was resurrected, but that the Law remained dead and was replaced by grace. Of course this assumes that the Law and Grace are mutually exclusive concepts and, if you've read my previous nine blog posts in this series or many of my other posts, both here and at my congregation's blog, you'll know that's not what I believe.

Today, I'm going to present what you might think of as Yeshua's commentary on the Torah, found in Matthew 5:21-48. Earlier, in the same chapter, Yeshua said:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:17-20

I've already explained in Part 1 of this series that my understanding of Yeshua's words is that he did not do away with Torah by "fulfilling" it, but rather, he brought the Torah to its ultimate lived expression through the actions of his earthly life. He became our perfect role model for righteous living. Since disciples are students who learn from imitating their teacher, then we, as Yeshua's disciples, should learn by imitating all he did. The Matthew 28:18-20 directive seems to confirm that even Gentile disciples were to learn to obey everything he taught, and since Yeshua is a role model, we Gentile disciples can only learn by watching him and then doing what he did as well. But does that really mean we Gentile Messianic disciples are to behave as if we were Jewish Messianic disciples? Perhaps and perhaps not, but the pursuit of the answer to this question is the core of my blog series.

In seeking to answer that really tough question, I want to address the Torah commentary of the Master found in Matthew 5:21-48. To understand what he's saying though, I have to reference another teacher:

The opposing statements of Jesus that follow His opening teaching on the vitality of the Torah and the Prophets are each introduced with the statement, "You have heard..."

...Thus the phrases, "I hear..." or "You hear..." in rabbinic dialog introduces one interpretation of the text, but one with which the writer disagrees.

"He who hears..." is used in the sense of "He who sticks to the superficial, literal meaning of Scritpure"...

"He who hears" (who takes Scripture literally, i.e., woodenly) will form the erroneous belief that the second account refers to different facts, but in reality, it is merely a repetition with more particulars.
From It is Often Said, Volume 1
by Tim Hegg

To rephrase Hegg's comments in more plain language, when Yeshua says, "You have heard it said, but I say to you..", he isn't re-writing or contradicting the original Torah scripture, but rather, expanding on the original meaning as it was given to Moses. Just like today, among the Jewish population in Israel in the 1st Century C.E., the meaning of the Word of God wasn't always made clear to the common people or even those who were well educated. Yeshua cut through all the theological error and bias (much of which we still have with us today) and laid out the Torah in a way that reflected the original details and intent of Moses and of God.

With that in mind, let's now go to the specifics of Yeshua's commentary:

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You good-for-nothing!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. -Matthew 5:21-24

Yeshua is addressing Exodus 20:13 which states simply (in English) You shall not murder. Obviously, he's not removing or contradicting the commandment to not murder another person, but rather, he's expanding the concept of "murder" to leveling insults and denegrating a person. It is no better to be cruel or to behave hatefully towards a person than to actually kill the person.

Just a few days ago, college student Tyler Clementi committed suicide after he discovered that his recent gay sexual encounter was secretly recorded and streamed online by two fellow students. We will never know what 18 year old Clementi felt, but obviously this act of cruelty by his Rutgers University classmates resulted in emotions so terrible that they lead to Clementi's suicide. While the classmates doubtlessly didn't intend Clementi's death, nevertheless, their careless actions cost another human being his life. We cannot be so callous with our words and deeds toward another person. As Yeshua says, we must, to the best of our ability, make peace with our fellow, particularly before approaching God (yes, I know that Clementi's classmates weren't worrying too much about God's perspective). If we have no peace with other people, how can we have peace with our Creator?

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. -Matthew 5:27-30

Yeshua is quoting from Exodus 20:14, You shall not commit adultery, and giving a more detailed description of just what "adultery" actually means (and no, he's not literally suggesting casual self-injury). It's not enough to avoid having physical, sexual contact with a person other than your spouse. Looking longingly and lustfully at another, fantasizing about them, and actively desiring that person, is an affront to your spouse and a betrayal to your wedding vows (such as "forsaking all others") before God. That rather punches a hole in, not only "coveting your neighbor's wife" but even looking at pornographic material with lustful intent (and who actively seeks out pornographic material without lust in their minds and hearts?).

"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery. -Matthew 5:31-32

This is Yeshua's commentary on the following:

If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. -Deuteronomy 24:1-4

This might be clearer if we consult Yeshua's commentary on divorce in Matthew 19:1-12 and specifically the following:

So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. -Matthew 19:6

In the church in the U.S. today, it has been said that the divorce rate is at or over 50%, though these figures have been disputed. But even if there are any significant percentages of divorced people in the community of faith, and particularly if the church supports and even advocates for casual divorce, it is clear evidence of a watering down of the commandments in both Deuteronomy and Yeshua's commentary in Matthew. Marriage is a state in which we are not to enter lightly and having once entered it, we should not leave it in haste or with minimal concern, yet we see exactly that happening every day. Are we hearing yet?

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. -Matthew 5:33-37

This isn't a simple topic and, according to a commentary found at Torah.org, there are a number of different kinds of oaths, including false oaths, vain oaths, oaths about deposits, and so on. In general, the danger in taking an oath in God's name is if we fail to fulfill our oath. Exodus 20:7 states "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. It would be better to take no oath and all and just to say "yes" or "no" rather than swear upon the Name of God and fail to keep our word.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. -Matthew 5:38-42

Yeshua is referencing a number of parts of the Torah here including Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. Let's take a closer look at one of them:

If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. -Exodus 21:22-25

If taken literally, it sounds like a mutilation free-for-all, but every legitimate rabbinic interpretation states that these verses address what we could consider in the U.S. courts today to be civil suits for injury. If you were involved in an industrial accident, for instance, that cost you the sight in one eye, you could sue the company for financial damages that would be considered equivalent payment for your loss of sight. You certainly wouldn't demand that the company's CEO have one of his eyes taken out as payment. What good would that do you? How would this express the justice and righteousness of God?

Yeshua isn't necessarily contradicting the option to sue someone for damages (though I can see how you could interpret his words this way), but if we maintain the context and theme of our study, a better way to understand the Master's words is that, even in situations where we are owed damages, we should consider carefully if suing is the best way to express God's love and mercy as well as His justice. Yeshua offers the avenue of rejecting the option to sue and rather, continuing to behave humbly. Imagine what message you could send as a believer, if you could sue a person (and they knew you had them dead to rights), but instead, you relented and showed mercy. This fits very, very well with a teaching of Paul's on Proverbs 25:21-22:

On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:20-21

This seems to fold quite well into the final commentary Yeshua has on the Torah in the current study:

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. -Matthew 5:43-48

This is Yeshua's commentary on the following:

" 'Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.

" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. -Leviticus 19:17-18

Yeshua's words seem to fly in the face of other portions of the Torah (not to mention human nature), including the commandment to Remember Amalek (Deuteronomy 25:17-19), but of course, it also begs the question "who is my neighbor" (see Luke 10:25-37)?

Yeshua isn't speaking of those nations or people groups who seek our death and he's not saying we can't defend ourselves (otherwise, the story of Esther would be moot). He is instructing us how to behave towards people we don't like and who don't like us, within our faith community and outside the faith but within our societal community. Just because your next door neighbor borrowed your power tools and didn't give them back, doesn't mean he's evil. Don't run over his kid's bike with your car, which was left carelessly in your driveway, but rather, give the bike back, then offer to mow your neighbor's lawn when he has the flu. Believe me, you'll make a bigger and better impression and you'll probably get your power tools back as well.

There's one huge issue looking us in the face. Many Messianic Jewish groups have said that the Torah is only for the Jews, except for certain minor portions that can also be applied to Gentile Messianic disciples. However, if we take Yeshua seriously in Matthew 28:18-20 about we Gentile disciples being taught to obey everything that the Yeshua taught the Jewish disciples, and if Yeshua taught the Jewish disciples Torah interpretation in Matthew 5, then we have evidence that at least the portions of Torah quoted by the Master here are as equally applicable to Gentile disciples as they are to Jewish disciples.

Wow!

Conclusion: What did Yeshua instruct the Jewish disciples to teach the Gentile disciples about obeying the Torah?

1. Do not murder, either by killing a person's body or by "killing" their spirit through insult and denigration. If you injure a person's emotions, you may actually take his life.
2. Do not commit adultery, either by having sex with a person other than your spouse, or by lusting after another person, desiring them in your heart.
3. Do not divorce, except in extreme cases such as sexual infidelity. Your marriage vows are not to be taken lightly, since they were taken before God. God made you one flesh with your spouse. Don't try to pull apart what God put together.
4. It is better to make no oaths at all than to swear an oath before God and then break it. Just say "yes" or "no". Do not tempt God (Deuteronomy 6:16; Luke 4:12).
5. Even if you can rightfully sue another for damages, consider that you could better show the justice and mercy of God by not suing.
6. Love both those who love you and those who don't even like you. Imagine the message you could send someone you don't like by doing kindness to them.

If we take the Matthew 28 directive seriously, then the Jewish disciples were and are to teach the Gentile disciples to obey these portions of the Torah. This is starting to fit some of the teachings of what we call One Law/One Torah and we seem to be coming up against the teachings of Messianic Judaism as proposed by organizations such as the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations. These are Messianic Jews who are  specifically opposed to all or most forms of Torah observance by Gentile Messianic believers (i.e. Gentile Christians).

There will likely be a Part 3 to this study of Gentile Torah obedience. After all, how can there not be? I'm leaving this at what you could call a "cliffhanger", since we have only a partially defined map of a Gentile believer's relationship to the Torah. What will we ultimately find? My current opinion is that we'll discover Gentile Torah obedience will more than what "strict Messianic Judaism" wants to believe. That said, it may also be quite different than what One Law/One Torah adherents have traditionally understood.

What a way to celebrate Simchat Torah. To be continued. Yasher koach.