Old Time Religion

A while back I wrote a blog post about a Rev. Hatfield . I described his character pretty well. So, I recommend you read or reread that one first before reading this one. It will give you more context on who he was.  Today I remembered another encounter I had with him that I want to share with you.

Reverend Hatfield was a Pentecostal minister and frequently bought from my dad’s store. He was well meaning but unfortunately equally uneducated and closed minded. I don’t mean to be judgmental but it was pretty obvious to anyone that knew him. He was forever trying to start up a conversation about religion with anyone that would talk with him. Still, I found him a likable fellow in small doses if you could steer the conversation away from religion. 

One day he came in and loudly proclaimed “I’m going back to that old timey way”. I asked “what are you talking about Reverend”? He replied “I’m going back to that old timey way with my religion”. I, being a cheeky smart alec young wannabe comedian said “well what a surprise, I would never dreamed that you of all people would convert to Roman Catholicism”. The reverend mumbled “not that far back” and turned and walked away with a lot less wind in his sails.

There are a lot of christian groups that would love nothing more than to turn back time to some imagined golden age. The Amish shun modernity and still read their bibles in old German. That is an extreme example. But, other groups have similar leanings. There is a group among Roman Catholics that would bring back the Latin mass. Reverend Hatfield wanted to bring back the Pentecostal revivals of the early twentieth century. Today I want to talk about going back to the roots of religion.

I am currently reading a book by a man that identifies as a Jewish Rabbi. There is much in it that I disagree with. But there is also quite a lot of truth in it. The main lesson of the book is that Yeshua did not bring a new religion into existence. On this we agree. Yeshua was a Jew. He attended a synagog regularly.

Luke 4:16 Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read, 17 the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. 

Yeshua also celebrated YHWH’s holy days which He has us commanded to observe.

Luke 2:41 Every year His parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Feast.

He was circumcised on his eight day, after birth in accordance with the Torah’s instructions.

Luke 2:21 When the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived.

People recognized him as a Rabbi. 

John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

He never abolished the law as written in the Torah or told anyone to disregard it.

Matthew 5:17 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. 18 For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In short, He did not come to do away with the law and start some new religion. He in fact clarified and amplified it’s meaning. He reinforced the Law and commanded obedience to it from his followers. Every place in scripture in which it appears that Yeshua was speaking out against following the law He was in fact speaking out against the additions to the Law that were simply man made traditions. There were also times that he was accused of breaking the Law by healing on the sabbath. Yeshua pointed out to the scribes and Pharisees that it was legal and lawful to do good and have mercy even on the sabbath. Some will say that He declared all foods clean which could be pointed to as breaking the Law but He never did that. In Mark 7:19 there is a scribal addition, the words (thereby declaring all foods clean) were added later and are not part of the text. The preceding passage is concerning hand washing. The Torah has no Law about hand washing. 

The Apostles that followed Yeshua during his teaching ministry were observant Jews. They prayed in the temple and even insisted that Paul go to the temple and make a sacrifice to test him on whether or not he was still observant of the Law.

Acts 21:26 Then Paul, having taken the men on the following day, having been purified with them, entered into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of the purification until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.

Those same Apostles when asked what was necessary for the gentile converts that were coming to them said this.

Acts 15:13 When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me! 14 Simon has told us how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people to be His own. 15The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: 16‘After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things 18 that have been known for ages. 19 It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood. 21 For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Does this mean every law in the Torah applies to everyone? I don’t think so. There are Laws that apply to sacrifices at the temple. Obviously there is no temple because it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. We cannot do these ritual Laws without a temple and a Levitical priesthood. There are Laws that apply to men only and women only. There are civil laws that apply to people living in the land of Israel only. However pay attention to the last line.

21 For Moses has been proclaimed in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

It was assumed by the Apostles that the new converts would attend the synagog and learn the rest of the requirements of the law because Moses was taught every sabbath. I will not go into trying to tell you every law that pertains to you as a convert to The Way. I leave that to you to read and decide for yourself. However, the Torah is pretty clear on what law apply to who. Yeshua did not change that and neither did his Apostles. It simply isn’t possible because YHWH gave them and proclaimed them valid until all things were fulfilled.

Reverend Hatfield had the right idea but he didn’t go back far enough. The Torah given to Moses is still the word of God. Yeshua is The Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15. Every word He spoke came directly from YHWH. Let us get back to that old timey religion.