02.7. Pharisaic Judaism and Conclusions
Part Seven –Pharisaic Judaism and Conclusions The teachings of Pharisaic/Rabbinic Judaism are virtually unknown within Christian churches, but they MUST be understood when studying Paul’s writings.
1.Here is just a tiny sampling of the practices of Pharisaic Judaism known as the Oral Law, today known in Rabbinic Judaism as the Talmud. a.Adding to Scripture, the rabbis enacted 1,400 additional laws regarding the Sabbath (Scripture has seven). b.The rabbis define three different types of physical male circumcision (Scripture records one). c.The rabbis teach that their enactments supersede Scripture. i.“If there are 1000 prophets, all of them of the stature of Elijah and Elisha, giving a certain interpretation, and 1001 rabbis giving the opposite interpretation, you shall incline after the majority, and the law is according to the 1001 rabbis, not according to the 1000 venerable prophets.”
(Maimonides Introduction to the Mishna) ii.“Even if they instruct you that right is left, or left is right, you must obey them.”
(Sifrey Deuteronomy S154 on Deuteronomy 17:11) iii.“A person must not say, ‘I will not keep the commandment of the elders because they are not from the Torah.’ The Almighty says to such a person, ‘NO My Son! Rather all that they decree upon you, Observe! As it is written, According to the instruction which they teach you.’ (Deuteronomy 17:11) ‘EVEN I [YHVH] MUST OBEY THEIR DECREE, as it is written, You will decree and HE will fulfill it.’ (Job 22:28)” (Pesitka Rabbati 3) d.It was a sin for Jews to associate with gentiles.
Please take the time to read Matthew 23:1-39. Jesus is speaking to the scribes and Pharisees. Here are excerpts of how the Savior addresses these “out of order” men:
(13)
(16)
(17)
(24)
(26)
(33)
Paul left the hypocrisy of Pharisaic Judaism on the way to Damascus. It was Pharisaic Judaism’s oral laws that were burdensome and all but impossible to follow, not God’s Levitical laws. The oral laws were added to God’s laws and were built on the traditions of men. Paul left these blasphemous practices on the road to Damascus. The laws of God were zealously followed by Paul, Stephen, James, John, Peter, all of the apostles and even a great many of the scribes and Pharisees! Nowhere is it ever recorded that true followers of the Messiah taught others to break them.
God’s Word is true. God doesn’t change. God’s Word cannot contradict itself.
Here is a comparison between the Pharisees and the modern Church:
1.According to the Pharisees: a.The Oral Law was the “truth filter” that was applied to all Scripture, and it is still used by Rabbinic Judaism to this day. i.The only true interpretation of all Scripture could be attained through this filter 1.This filter ignored contradictory Scripture.
2.If a Scripture didn’t fit, they concocted some method of scriptural interpretation in order to make it fit or explain it away. a.The seven rules of Hillel, the thirteen rules of Ishmael, the thirty-two rules of Eliezer b.Traditions of the fathers and rabbis became more important than Scripture. c.Through skillful twisting, the Scripture could be made to say whatever they wanted. d.Anyone who disagreed was called a heathen, blasphemer or heretic.
2.According to the modern Church: a.The “no-law” doctrine is the “truth filter” that is applied to all of Scripture. i.The only true interpretation of all Scripture can be attained through this filter.
1. This filter ignores contradictory Scripture.
2.If a Scripture doesn’t fit, they concoct some method of scriptural interpretation to make it fit or explain it away. a.Progressive Revelation, Dispensationalism, Supersessionism, Covenant Theology, Ultradispensationalism b.Traditions of the church and church fathers became more important than Scripture. i.Even traditions with clearly dubious origins can be overlooked by saying, “That’s not what it means to me,” or, “It’s a mystery.” c.Through skillful twisting, the Scripture can be made to say whatever is required.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Conclusions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The “no-law” doctrine has taken Paul’s “hard to understand writings” and interpreted them to mean that the laws of God given through Moses are no more, and in so doing, have elevated Paul’s teachings above the teaching of Jesus and the very words of God.
Jesus is the Messiah, not Paul!
Salvation comes through Jesus, not Paul!
We are to follow the Gospel of Christ, not the Gospel of Paul! This isn’t easy! Paul’s writings are HARD to understand; the apostle Peter said so! We must realize that the writings of Paul are not exempt from these scriptural truths. We cannot ignore or twist his difficult writings to make them support beloved and long-held doctrines.
I have not been able to reconcile “the law is not to be followed by modern believers” with Scripture. The only conclusion I have been able to come to, without going against Scripture, is that the law is still in effect for modern believers, not as a condition of salvation, but as a reflection of how the Father wants us to be a holy and set-apart people, and out of love and obedience to him. This is an EXTREMELY unpopular stance, but what does the Savior have to say about it?
Matthew 5:19
Paul will be called GREAT in the Kingdom of Heaven! Will your Sunday school teacher? Will your pastor? Will you?