During the Age of Enlightenment (mid-18th to early 20th century) a process known as higher criticism was becoming very popular in Europe. The major emphasis of this age was to state that reason is the primary basis of authority in the world. In keeping with the theme of the Age of Enlightenment, higher criticism asserts that the Bible is a collection of writings which were put together with human motives. 

The Age of Reason or Age of Enlightenment brought with it the primordial question: Did God really say that? It is no surprise that this question should be asked. After all, it is the very question that was used to instill doubt upon God’s Word on the very first people, Adam and Eve. “Did God really say” (Genesis 3:1b).

The basic root of higher criticism is antisupernaturalism. Those who doubt that God’s Word is true have great difficulty with accepting the existence of supernatural activity, and therefore work diligently to explain away the miracles and spiritual aspects of the biblical text. The intent of higher critics is to state that the supernaturul events of the Bible are nothing more than natural phenomena which were not understood by the less informed people of the ancient world.

This chronological arrogance has allowed many modern scholars to spread their misunderstandings of Ancient Near Eastern Texts with confidence, claiming that miracles and spiritual realms are accepted only by those of lower intellect.

Our world is filled with many mysteries. To believe that what we see is all that exists would be the equivalent of thinking that the world is flat. I find it interesting that the more we learn the less in tune with the spiritual realm we become. It would seem that ancient people were more sensitive to the spiritual realms of the cosmos than most of us in this current age of higher learning.

I have no doubt that the first higher critic is still using its ancient strategy to cast doubt upon the Word of God. And our enlightenment heritage makes us every bit as vulnerable as Eve.

Be a blessing,
Johnny

© 2008 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

remez - A hint; referring to a rabbinic teaching technique in which a rabbi would hint at a meaning without actually coming out and saying it (definition from Ray Vander Laan’s glossary found at www.followtherabbi.com).

This past Friday night and Saturday, I was privileged to sit at the feet of my favorite teacher, Reverend Ray Vander Laan. His insights on the first century world of Israel are very informative and greatly inspiring. Among many of his teachings, was Jesus’ use of a rabbinical style of teaching known today as “remez.”  

A remez is a tool used commonly by first century rabbis to test the knowledge of their talmidim. Rabbis would also make use of a remez when speaking to other biblically literate Jews who knew Scripture well enough to recognize the clues in their statements. Without a thorough knowledge of the Tanakh (also referred to as the Old Testament), a person would completely miss the message that a specific sage was attempting to convey.

One powerful example of Jesus’ use of a remez is found in Matthew 11:28-30. The NIV records Jesus’ words here as follows: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

As Ray Vander Laan pointed out in his teaching on this passage, there are many messages in this short passage that are completely missed by the majority of Western expositors and scholars who are not familiar with the ancient rabbinic technique of a remez.

Within this short passage of the Text, Jesus makes great claims about who he is that have gone unnoticed by the majority of Christians. However, most first century, Galilean Jews would have immediately recognized Jesus’ allusions to many messianic prophecies.

First, those listening to Jesus speak would have recognized the words “I will give you rest” as an allusion to Exodus 33:14, which states, “The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’”

Second, when Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,” those listening, who were longing for the Messiah who would be the promised second Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18), would have recognized Jesus’ reference to Numbers 12:3, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

Third, as Jesus continued and said, “… and you will find rest for your souls,” the hearers would have recognized these words coming from Jeremiah 6:16, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths (ancient paths is a reference to the Messiah), ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

There are those of us who insist that Jesus never referred to himself as the Messiah, however, those who are familiar with the use of remez in the first century rabbinic world would immediately recognize that Jesus did indeed recognize his Messianic task and persona. Those Jews who were listening, whether they accepted his  messianic claims or not, would have also understood that Jesus was declaring himself to be the promised One.

In His dust,

Johnny

© 2008 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved