F

or anyone who is looking for the opportunity to learn more about the Jewishness of Jesus, I would like to introduce you to three of my favorite teachers. Click on the pictures to go directly to their websites.

Beyond their wonderful web teaching, you can look into their DVD resources and books, which can all be found at their websites.

Dwight Pryor

Lois Tverberg

Ray Vander Laan

In His dust,
Johnny

There is a connection between the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Spirit on Mt. Zion. Both are associated with Pentecost, or the biblical Feast called Shavu’ot or Weeks (e.g., Deut 16:9-10).

In studying the Scriptures, the Jewish Sages of old concluded that the Torah (Law) was given to Israel seven weeks (shavu’ot) or the fiftieth day (pentecostos) following the Exodus from Egypt. At Sinai, Israel’s Redeemer became Israel’s Teacher. Through His servant Moses, the Almighty conveyed divine instruction to His beloved children when the fiery radiance of His Spirit came down on the mountain and wrote upon Tablets of Stone.

Ancient Jewish commentary suggests that the Divine Voice at Sinai separated into tongues of flame that went throughout the earth, so that all nations could hear: “I am the LORD your God … you shall have no other gods before me” (Ex 20:2-3).

Not surprisingly, echoes of Sinai reverberate behind the Acts account of the historic events on Mt. Zion “when the day of Pentecost had fully come” (Ac 2:1ff).

Fifty days after the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, the disciples of Yeshua, along with the people of Israel and Jewish pilgrims from the nations, assembled at the House of the Lord to commemorate the Festival of Shavu’ot. Once again, to a newly redeemed people, the Almighty came to rest upon a mountain by the fire of His Spirit.

This time He wrote the Torah upon the tablets of the believers’ hearts – in accord with Jeremiah’s promise of a “new covenant” (31:33). As tongues of flame came to rest upon them, the Divine Voice once again gave utterance to the nations. Many heard the good news. Even as three thousand perished at Sinai due to rebellion, at Zion three thousand were added due to faith (Ex 32:28; Ac 2:41).

CHRISTIANS WHO WANT to develop the Hebraic mind of the Messiah will find it helpful to rethink the Torah (Law) in the light of the Spirit. We tend to overlook the baseline biblical truth that “the Torah (Law) is spiritual” (Romans 7:14); that our true selves delight in it (7:22); and that when we walk by the Spirit we will fulfill its righteous requirements (8:4), as did our Lord.

Historically, Christian polemics against Judaism have stressed negative aspects of the Law as that which identifies and condemns sin and brings curse instead of blessing upon the rebellious and disobedient. Here are some Hebraic principles that will help you develop a more positive attitude toward the Torah (Law).

1] The Torah is a loving Father’s teaching. The Hebrew word torah fundamentally connotes guidance and instruction – that which aims you so that you hit the mark. And the mark for the Torah always is life. The English word Law (from the Greek nomos) seldom has such a positive connotation; so you may find it helpful instead to use the Hebrew term that Jesus used, Torah.

2] The Torah is a treasure. Only in light of the above can we appreciate the Psalmist’s attitude: “O how I love your Torah!” (Ps 119:97). Psalm 119 consists of 8 verses for each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and every one of the 176 verses extols the wisdom and will of God found in the multifaceted Torah.

3] The Torah is a gift of the Spirit. The Torah was written by “the finger of God” (Ex 31:18; Deut 9:10). This Hebrew idiom is found also in Luke 11:20 and explained in the parallel of Matthew 12:28. It means “the Spirit of God”. Truly the Torah – the foundational “Scripture” to which the Apostle Paul alludes in 2 Timothy 3:16 – is “inspired”, i.e., in-Spirited. It is God breathed.

4] The Torah is guidance for a redeemed people. The Law was given to Israel after they had been saved out of Egypt, not as the basis or means of their salvation. It was meant to guide the covenant people in paths of righteousness that would bring them to the appointed place of promise and productivity. As followers of Jesus of Nazareth, it is good to be reminded that these things “were written for our instruction” (1 Cor 10:11) as well.

God’s Word is truth (Ps 119:160; Jn 17:17), and Yeshua reminds us that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Truth (Jn 15:26). We would do well this Pentecost season to study the spiritual connection between Sinai and Zion.

Dr. Pryor is Founder and President of the
Center for Judaic-Christian Studies.
www.jcstudies.com

© 2009 Dr. Dwight Pryor and The Center for Judaic-Christian Studies. All Rights Reserved.

“What’s in a name?” Juliet assures Romeo. “That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”

Shakespeare notwithstanding, names in the Bible are important and meaningful. They convey character and calling, purpose and promise.

Significant life transformations are sometimes demarcated by name changes. Abram becomes Abraham. Jacob’s higher nature is called forth by his new name Israel, and Moses renames Hoshea, his young lieutenant, Joshua.

Behind the name Joshua or Y’hoshua in Hebrew is the assurance that YAH (the LORD) yoshia (will deliver or save) His people – a timely reminder, when ten of the men sent with Joshua to spy out Canaan see it as “a land that devours its inhabitants” and is filled with giants (Numbers 13:32).

Plays on words also are commonplace with Hebrew names.

At the angel’s announcement of a son, Abraham like Sarah was incredulous, and he laughed (va’yitzchak). So the son of promise was named Yitzchak (Isaac). Because God heard (ki-shama) Hagar’s afflictions, she was given a son named Yishma’el (Ishmael). Jacob grasped his first-born twin brother Esau by the heel (ba’akev); so he was called Ya’akov.

WE SEE THIS WORD-PLAY phenomenon in the Gospels with the name Jesus. An angel appears to Mary (Luke 1:31) and to Joseph (Matthew 1:21) announcing the divinely ordained birth of a son. Then he adds, “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

This is classic Hebraic expression and word play. In English we normally would say, “You shall name him…” or “Call him…” But the biblical pattern is “You shall call his name …” (cf. Genesis 16:11 and 17:19).

The significant name play is lost to English readers but clear in Hebrew: “You shall call his name Yeshua (Jesus) for he yoshia (will save) his people from their sins.”

The name Yeshua (Jeshua) is found thirty times in the Hebrew Bible. But what is seldom appreciated by Christians is that the name was a common one in the first century. My colleague David Bivin of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research has identified it as one of the five most common male Hebrew names of the Second Temple period, along with Shim’on (Simon), Yosef (Joseph), Y’hudah (Judah) and Yochanan (John).

In accordance with Jewish custom, Jesus was given his Hebrew name at his circumcision on the eighth day (Luke 2:21). In this case, it was a common name that held uncommon significance for the identity and mission of Yeshua MiNatzeret (Jesus of Nazareth).

The name, properly pronounced, consists of three syllables: Ye (the e sounding like ei in neighbor); shu (the u sounding like oo in shoot); and a (like the a in father). The accent is on the second or middle syllable.

Why wasn’t the name Yeshua transliterated as Jeshua in the New Testament as it is in English versions of the Old Testament? Because New Testament scriptures were preserved in Greek, not Hebrew, Yeshua was transliterated into the equivalent Greek letters as Iesous (with the addition of a final s for a male name). The iota (I) subsequently was rendered by the letter J in Old English, pronounced as a Y (as in hallelujah). Thus we have the English name Jesus, which in its current pronunciation seems far removed from the original sounding Yeshua.

Christ was not Jesus’ surname. He wasn’t listed in the Nazareth phone directory as “Christ, Jesus”! Christ is the Greek translation of the meaning of the Hebrew title Mashiach, the anointed one. Messiah is its English transliteration.

Christ is a title, therefore, not a second or last name. This is clear from Simon Peter’s response to Yeshua’s question, “Who do you say that I am?” He replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

The early community of faith called upon the name of Jesus (Yeshua) for salvation (y’shuah). Whether in prayer or baptism or healings, everything was done b’shem Yeshua. “In the name of” is a Hebraic figure of speech that means “with reference to” or “in association with” the person of Jesus.

His name is extraordinarily meaningful to us but it is not a magic formula. How one says it is not as important as how one carries it. To walk in obedience to Christ’s commands and to conduct ourselves in ways that sanctify the name of his Father in heaven is the biblical way to honor the name, Jesus.

© 2009 Dr. Dwight Pryor and The Center for Judaic-Christian Studies. All Rights Reserved.