- I believe with perfect faith that G-d is the Creator and Ruler of all things. He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.
- I believe with perfect faith that G-d is One. There is no unity that is in any way like His. He alone is our G-d He was, He is, and He will be.
- I believe with perfect faith that G-d does not have a body. physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.
- I believe with perfect faith that G-d is first and last.
- I believe with perfect faith that it is only proper to pray to G-d. One may not pray to anyone or anything else.
- I believe with perfect faith that all the words of the prophets are true.
- I believe with perfect faith that the prophecy of Moses is absolutely true. He was the chief of all prophets, both before and after Him.
- I believe with perfect faith that the entire Torah that we now have is that which was given to Moses.
- I believe with perfect faith that this Torah will not be changed, and that there will never be another given by G-d.
- I believe with perfect faith that G-d knows all of man's deeds and thoughts. It is thus written (Psalm 33:15), "He has molded every heart together, He understands what each one does."
- I believe with perfect faith that G-d rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress Him.
- I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. How long it takes, I will await His coming every day.
- I believe with perfect faith that the dead will be brought back to life when G-d wills it to happen.
The Rambam's Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith
Bilateral Ecclesiology and the Gentiles Series
According to Chabad.org:
The great codifier of Torah law and Jewish philosophy, Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides" also known as "The Rambam"), compiled what he refers to as the Shloshah Asar Ikkarim, the "Thirteen Fundamental Principles" of the Jewish faith, as derived from the Torah. Maimonides refers to these thirteen principles of faith as "the fundamental truths of our religion and its very foundations."If you're an observant Jewish person or a Christian who knows some of the basics of religious Judaism, you should be familiar with these thirteen principles and their meaning. What you may not know is that, in the early 20th century, a man named Pastor Joseph Immanuel Landsman wrote a response to the Rambam's thirteen principles. Landsman was born and Orthodox Jew and, in Jorge Quiñónez's document Messianic Jewish version of Maimonides’ "Thirteen Principles or Articles of Faith" in Hebrew (2005), we learn:
Around 1913, Joseph Immanuel Landsman wrote a Hebrew Messianic Jewish version of the Maimonides "Thirteen Principles or Articles of Faith," that is now standard in the siddur (Jewish prayer-book). Its Hebrew title is Ikarei Emunatenu Hakedosha (Hebrew for "The Principles of Our Holy Faith"). The Landsman piece is a pastiche or parody (depending how you look at it; imitation is the best form of flattery as they say) of the Rambam's original. It is virtually unknown to modern Messianic Jews. The version in the pdf file includes a nearly century-old English translation by David Baron from The Scattered Nation (1914) and the Hebrew original of Landsman's "Thirteen Principles" with a Yiddish translation at the bottom of each page. At the end, it includes a transcription I made of the Hebrew part only to print out a legible copy. Such liturgy today among Messianic Jews is uncommon. Most Messianic Jews today for various reasons prefer to employ the simplified versions of the traditional siddur.Justin at Beit Tefillah Chavurah recently commmented about this document on Derek Leman's blog:
I have recently completed a fresh translation of Joseph Immanuel Landsman’s ‘Principles of our Holy Faith’; a wonderful Hebrew Christian response to the 13 Principles of Faith produced by the Rambam. Landsman’s Principles were not written for the Church, as he wrote them for the Jewish community in Hebrew and Yiddish, as a way of explaining our faith in Messiah and he did so in a very Jewish way, for the Jewish people. However, his point of view has not been and probably will not be accepted by the current stream of messianic thinkers, especially regarding ‘gentiles;’ which is why I have endeavored to produce an in depth Messianic Jewish commentary for this work.While Justin's translation isn't available for public consumption (though I hope it will be soon), I'm presenting the version that is available in the public domain as translated by David Baron, another Messianic Jewish leader from the late 19th and early 20th century:
1. I believe with a perfect faith in YHVH, the Eternal God of Israel, the God of Love and Salvation, the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. He is the One God and Father. Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things, and He is over all and with all and in all. His is the glory for ever. Amen.Note: I tried to transcribe this text from the PDF as faithfully as possible, but if you see any errors, let me know. The only things I deliberately changed was replacing "Jehovah" with "YHVH" and changing the Roman numerals for the references to standard Arabic numerals.
1 John 5:7-15; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6; 1 Corinthians 8: 6; Ephesians 4:6; Romans 11:36; Mark 12:28-34; John 17:23.
2. I believe with a perfect faith that God - blessed by His Name! - is Spirit, and that the true worshippers must worship their Father in heaven in spirit and in truth, for with such worshippers the Father is well pleased.
John 4:21-24; Romans12:1; Hebrews 12:15; James 12:27.
3. I believe with a perfect faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, the only begotten and well-beloved of His Father in heaven, whom God raised up to be the Redeemer of Israel, according to the promise which He made to our fathers by the mouth of His holy prophets - Who for us men and our salvation descended from heaven and became man.
He was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Marry, of the seed of David, and was anointed of God with the Holy Ghost and with power. He was in all points tempted as we are, but without sin. He glorified His Father in heaven, and made known His Name and His holy will to the children of men. He walked about on earth doing good to the children of Israel.
He bore the reproach of sinners, and was afflicted and humbled Himself unto dath; yea, the death of the cross - the Righteous One for the wicked.
He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.
Wherefore also God hath highly exalted Him, and raised Him up again from the dead on the third day after His death and burial. He showed Himself openly to His disciples after His resurrection, and ascended into heaven, where He now sitteth at the right hand of God; but thence He shall come again a second time in glory to set up His Kingdom, restore all things, and to judge the quick and the dead.
He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.
Matthew15:13-17, 3:17, 17:5; Luke 2, John 3:13; Philippians 2:5-2; Matthew 1:1, 18-23; Romans 1:3- 4; Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:13, 14, 2:17,18, 12:2, 3; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53; Matthew 20:28, 26:26, 27; Acts 2:22-36, 3:12-26, 4:8-12, 5:30, 31; Romans 8:34; Acts 19-11; 2 Timothy4:1; Luke 1:33, 34.
4. I believe with a perfect faith that Jesus Christ our Lord is the image of the invisible God, the effulgence of His glory, the very image of His being, andthe pre-existnig cause of all things. He is the power of God and the wisdom of God. In Him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He that seeth Him seeth our Father in heaven. He is the Way, the Truth and the Live, and no one cometh unto the Father but by Him.
Matthew 11:26-30; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24; Colossians 22:3, 9; John 14:1-4.
5. I believe with a perfect faith that for us first God did raise up Jesus Christ, and sent Him to bless and to save His people from all their sins; and although our fathers rebelled and sinned against Him, God did not cast off His people, but exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and the forgiveness of sins - even to as many as believe on the Name of Jesus Christ with a true and perfect heart.
Acts 3:25-26; 13:26, 31; 3:19, 20.
6. I believe with a perfect faith that by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God our fathers rebelled against the Messiah Jesus the Knig of Israel and his glory, that through their fall salvation may come to the Gentiles, that they might be brought near to God and to His salvation in the Messiah. But when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be gathered into His Kingdom then all Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation, and the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, and YHVH shall be King over all the earth.
Acts 2:23; 3:17-18; 7:51-52; Romans 11:11-32; Isaiah 11:1-10.
7. I believe with a perfect fatih that the Messiah through His cross, when He offered Himself as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, abolished the law of the commandments and ordinances, which was the source of enmity between Jews and Gentiles, and broke down the middle wall of the partition that He might create in Himself of the two One new man, reconciling both unto God, and creating peace between them. And now there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither bond nor free; there is neither maile nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:14-22; Galatians 3:26-29; Colossians 3:10-11.
8. I believe with a perfect faith that the Messiah is the end of the law unto righteousness to all them that believe on Him, and that it is by faith in Him apart from works of the law that men are justified before God; for by the works of the law no flesh can either by justified or perfected.
Romans 10: 4; 3:21-30; 4:5; Galatians 2:15-17; 3:10-11; Hebrews 7:18-19.
9. I believe with a perfect faith that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation, and faith which worketh by love; for love out of a pure heart is the end of the whole law and its true fulfilment, and whoever is in Christ is a new creation, created unto good works.
Galatians 5:5; 6:15; 1Timothy 1:5; Romans 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10.
10. I believe with a perfect faith in the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Comforter, Who dwelleth for ever with them that believe, to sanctify them and to lead them into all truth.
John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-14.
11. I believe with a perfect faith that God, Who spake unto our fathers through the prophets, hath in the last days spoken unto us by His Son Jesus the Messiah, and that both alike are the words of the living God.
Hebrews 1:1; 2 Peter 1:21; John 6:63, 68; 7:16-18; 12:44-50.
12. I believe with a perfect faith that the Holy Scriptures which we now possess were written by the Holy Spirit, and are able to make us wise unto Salvation through faith in the Messiah Jesus, and to lead us in ways of righteousness so that we may be perfect and completely furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12-13.
13. I believe with a perfect faith in one holy Catholic Church consisting of the whole congregation of the saints, and built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus the Messiah Himself being the chief Corner-stone. I believe in one baptism; in the forgiveness of sins; in the resurrection of the dead, and in the life everlasting. Amen.
Ephesians 2:19-22; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4:5; Acts 2:38; Ephesians 1:7-8; Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians1:14; 1 John 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15; John 5:24-29; 6:32-55.
What's interesting is that, as Justin previously said, Landsman originally wrote this work in both Hebrew and Yiddish, so it was obviously meant for a Jewish, and not Gentile, audience. Further, if we were to apply what Pastor Landsman wrote to the Messianic landscape today, the distinctions between Messianic Jews and Christian Gentiles would be all but obliterated. This is doubtless a document that would not find much, if any, support in any part of the Messianic Jewish world in the early 21st century.
While Vine of David does include a PDF of this document (and I posted a link to the PDF, as provided me by Justin, above) on what they call their Remnant Repository for David Baron's works, it is unlikely that even their moderate viewpoint would be accepting of Landsman's principles.
I'm posting all of this to bring out into the light of day an interesting chapter in the history of modern Messianic Judaism. How are we to understand the words of Pastor Landsman in the modern era and what, if any, credence can we give to the thoughts of this pioneer in Messianic Judaism today?
17 comments:
James,
Outstanding. Thanks for bringing this out.
Wow! You're fast, Dan. :)
I don't imagine everyone will agree with these principles, but the point of posting them is to inspire discussion.
"How are we to understand the words of Pastor Landsman in the modern era and what, if any, credence can we give to the thoughts of this pioneer in Messianic Judaism today? "
I usually only read the writings of these Hebrew Christians for their historical value. These early Hebrew Christians are not pioneers of Messianic Judaisms for me personally because I came to my understanding that Jews who follow Messiah should live as Jews without reading or even hearing about ANY of them. In fact, the anti-Judaism of some of them is quite disturbing. Their primary contribution, as I understand it, is chipping away at the anti-Judaic bias and antisemitism accumulated in Protestant Christianity over two millennia.
One must note that there's a world of difference between Hebrew Christian thought of yesteryear and Messianic Judaism. As you noted, Hebrew Christians never strayed very far from your standard Protestant theology and practice and often bent backwards to be seen as good Protestants by the Church. For most of them Torah was a valued heritage but was no longer to be observed (even for Jews), save for voluntary non-dogmatic observances of Sabbath, circumcision and Jewish traditions, especially when these are used as a half-way means to eventual full embrace of Christianity and to facilitate proselytism of the Jews.
While you may not consider Landsman and his contemporaries pioneers in Messianic Judaism personally, they were still Jews who, having come to faith in Jesus (Yeshua) as the Jewish Messiah, were doing the best they could to understand their role in relation to Judaism and the Christian faith. The fact that Landsman specifically wrote his principles in Hebrew and Yiddish meant he was trying to reach out to a larger Jewish audience and the content seems to indicate that he also felt linked to Gentile Christians.
Even I don't agree with each and every point he makes, but as far as I can tell from this little "snippet" of his life, he did seem to be internally connected both to Jews and to Gentiles. While we can debate and disagree with the specific principles, maybe he was closer to finding a piece between Jews and Gentiles than we are.
His quote from Ephesians 2 speaks of a peace between Jewish and Gentile disciples in Messiah. I long for that day.
"While we can debate and disagree with the specific principles, maybe he was closer to finding a piece between Jews and Gentiles than we are."
James, Landsman's idea of peace and unity between Jews and Gentiles is wholly incorporating Jews into Christianity and churches - invariably leading to their total assimilation, "Gentilizing" them. So, this in itself is nothing new - how is this different from what Christianity did with Jewish converts for the last two thousand years? Every church in the world teaching this type of "unity" between Jews and Gentiles. Anyone knows of Landsman's Jewish descendants?
Messianic Jews feel threatened by assimilation into Christianity. Gentile Christians feel threatened by the (apparent) rejection of them by the the Jewish disciples who brought them into Messianic worship (albeit, two-thousand years ago). Everyone is protecting their own turf. Is there no middle ground for fellowship (if not community)?
James, also - I am good friends with many Gentile Christians. Just talked to a pastor friend the other day about his plans to plant a new church, and me and my wife are meeting with our close friends, a Christian couple for dinner next week. What they all have in common is that none of them have any desire to be part of a Jewish congregation (yes, they came to visit) but all of them are VERY supportive of the work G-d is doing among Jewish believers.
This is unity and peace in practice, not uniformity. Respect, love and acceptance of each other's space and differences. I don't have to tell you that many One-Law / Hebrew Roots Gentiles are antagonistic to both MJs (too rabbinic) and Gentile Christians (too pagan) - how is that love and unity? If anything, most MJs and Christians are know already demonstrate much love and unity to each other - I experienced it myself.
I would like to add that Gentiles in "Messianic Movement" should first reconcile with their Christian Gentile brothers BEFORE they take on any issues they see with lack of unity with their Jewish brothers.
Why do you think I'm seeking uniformity? As I told Derek when he made the same remark a day or two ago, being married to a Jewish (non-Messianic) wife has given me plenty of perspective on us not being punch out from the same cookie cutter. My recent encounter with the local Chabad Rebbetzin has added dimension to that perspective.
I think that Christians are "safe" for BE/Messianic Jews as long as we stay on our side of the fence (speaking of Mike and Morrie), but the more I ponder this round of discussions about BE specifically and MJ in general, the more I can see that the viability of my continuing as a worshiper, let alone a teacher, in my current faith community is falling apart at the seams, at least as far as BE proponents are concerned.
God didn't make me Jewish. I don't want your identity. I find what I've studied in my own small exposure to Judaism and the Messianic expression of Judaism compelling, but there's no way to pursue such interests or relationships without provoking the "you want us to lose our distinctiveness and to become uniform" argument.
I know it's nothing personal on your part and I'm sure if we could sit down over lunch, that we'd get along just fine, Gene. But, as you have just suggested, that only works in the long run if I return to a traditional Sunday church setting and abandon any further interest in Jewish learning.
"But, as you have just suggested, that only works in the long run if I return to a traditional Sunday church setting and abandon any further interest in Jewish learning."
James, being in a church setting will in no way prevent you (personally) from pursuing your interests in Jewish learning. After all, you are not really in a Jewish setting right now either, right!? But it may allow you to interact with a much greater body of believers, quite similarly to how MJs seek to interact with a greater Jewish world (at a much greater risk of personal rejection, and sometime worse), often joining mainstream synagogues.
Interesting blog post by Boaz Michael here about his Christian pastor friend: http://ffoz.org/blogs/2011/01/respect_the_work_that_god_is_d.html
James, also - I am good friends with many Gentile Christians. Just talked to a pastor friend the other day about his plans to plant a new church, and me and my wife are meeting with our close friends, a Christian couple for dinner next week. What they all have in common is that none of them have any desire to be part of a Jewish congregation (yes, they came to visit) but all of them are VERY supportive of the work G-d is doing among Jewish believers.
You have a tendency to ask questions or make statements that don't have short and simple responses. In order to reply to your overall suggestion that I would be better off and happier in a traditional church setting, I'll have to compose another blog post.
Frankly, I was hoping to hold off on this or even by some miracle prevent it, but now it seems, I can either completely ignore your statement or allow it to force my hand five or six months early. I suppose I always knew it would end this way, but I was hoping God would show me an alternative, sort of just telling everyone go "go pound sand" and doing what I wanted to do.
I'll post the link to the "response" blog here when I'm done.
"You have a tendency to ask questions or make statements that don't have short and simple responses."
Is that good or bad:)? At the very least you get to practice what you love - writing.
"In order to reply to your overall suggestion that I would be better off and happier in a traditional church setting, I'll have to compose another blog post."
James, I don't know where YOU would be happiest. You seem to be happy just where you are, right? If you are not, why not? Everything depends on a specific place and people in it.
"I was hoping God would show me an alternative, sort of just telling everyone go "go pound sand" and doing what I wanted to do."
Again, who says that he will not do just that at one point?
You all know my position, so I will not comment, but I just discovered this:
http://www.torahresource.com/EnglishArticles/sages_in_context_final.pdf
Three messianics who wrote in Hebrew.Interesting read.
OK Gene and everyone else. This is about the best I can do under the circumstances to respond to the requirements for relationship for Gentiles in the BE framework: Fractured.
James, being in a church setting will in no way prevent you (personally) from pursuing your interests in Jewish learning. After all, you are not really in a Jewish setting right now either, right!? But it may allow you to interact with a much greater body of believers, quite similarly to how MJs seek to interact with a greater Jewish world (at a much greater risk of personal rejection, and sometime worse), often joining mainstream synagogues.
Gene, I realized that while I was writing the subsequent blog post, I didn't specifically respond to some of your statements. Yes, I realize I don't worship in a Jewish environment. Never said that I did. But the idea that I could study the Torah or read about the sages isn't discouraged in that environment but it would be elsewhere. As far as interacting with a larger body of believers, I address that specifically in Fractured.
James, I don't know where YOU would be happiest. You seem to be happy just where you are, right? If you are not, why not? Everything depends on a specific place and people in it.
When I'm in my congregation and interacting with everyone, I am happy, but I can't exist in the isolation of one small group. We're supposed to be connected but frankly, I don't know how to accomplish it. I thought that expanding my communications circle via the Messianic blogosphere would help, but we've seen the result of that. If I can't somehow expand the role of my congregation to include a larger believing community, what am I doing?
Again, who says that he will not do just that at one point?
On the one hand, I have no idea what God's going to do next or when. On the other hand, I can't just sit around, twiddling my thumbs "waiting for a sign". God's going to do what He's going to do and, while I have faith that He won't just let me keep swinging in the breeze, I have to continue to behave honestly with myself and the people around me. You said yourself that congregations such as mine are non-viable, both because it's made up of mostly Gentiles and because it exists large in isolation, and I've heard that from a number of others in the MJ community. While we could keep going for years and years the way we are, Hashem be willing, how do I know it's not a developmental dead end, at least for me?
"I thought that expanding my communications circle via the Messianic blogosphere would help, but we've seen the result of that."
I've only seen positive results of your efforts here. Did I miss something?
"While we could keep going for years and years the way we are, Hashem be willing, how do I know it's not a developmental dead end, at least for me?"
Perfect religion is one that cares for orphans and widows in their distress and keeps himself from being contaminated by the world. If you'll do that your development will be well on its way, even if other things like "movements" seem important (they won't last).
Perfect religion is one that cares for orphans and widows in their distress and keeps himself from being contaminated by the world. If you'll do that your development will be well on its way, even if other things like "movements" seem important (they won't last).
I must admit that the priorites of Messianism seem confusing at times. We do try to service those who have needs, the poor among us and in the community. It's something that I think the movement in general lacks sometimes. Yet much of what I hear is that the goal of Messianism is to extend its "legitimacy" into both Jewish and Christian realms and to join the larger community of faith. I suppose the goals aren't mutually exclusive, but in the blogosphere, the latter is often more emphasized than the former, which is more Biblical.
I've only seen positive results of your efforts here. Did I miss something?
Only my flair for the dramatic. But seriously, I still can't decide what I'm seeing in "the movement" is good or bad. It appears as if a crossroads has been reached in "the movement", but "crisis" can be a good thing as it overcomes inertia and promotes change. Reminds me of my favorite "Spock" quote about "having faith that the universe will unfold as it should" when Valaris tries to convince him that "a turning point in the affairs of the Federation has been reached". "History", as Spock says, "is replete with turning points. We must have faith."
Post a Comment