Questions

[Shimon]

The following is a list of questions that I think may help us to understand the differences in our beliefs. You can reply with your responses, or simply answer them quietly to yourself:



1. What are the differences between what is taught in the Old Testament and what is taught in the New Testament, if any?

2. Describe your perception of who Yeshua (Jesus) is; His character, His mission, His message.

3. How does the Old Testament characterize the life of a modern believer, or does it?

4. What are the purpose of the “Law?” Are there any other names that better describe this section of Scriptures?

5. Is there a difference in your perception of the “God” of the Old Testament and the “God” of the New Testament?

6. List some of the times of worship and holidays that the believer in Messiah Yeshua celebrates.

7. What role do the Jewish people, and the modern State of Israel, have in the position of Christian understanding and theology?

8. What is “legalism?”

9. What is the Torah? What are your feelings about it?

10. How are we justified before God?

11. Describe the faith and practice of the 1st-Century Church.

12. Are there differences between this ancient church and the modern-day Evangelical Church in worship and lifestyle?

13. Describe your perception of Paul; His character, His mission, His message.

14. What does Paul mean when he says that Gentiles are grafted in to Israel?

15. What is the difference between a Jewish and a Gentile believer, if any?

16. How were people saved before the time of Yeshua’s life on earth, death, burial and resurrection? Or were they?

17. Has the modern-day church replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan?

18. Should believers in Messiah be encouraged to study the Old Testament as a source of teaching, correction of faults, conviction of sin, and training in righteous living?


Shimon

 

[Charles YTK]

Question 18.

I Tim 3:[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

This is a passage that is glanced over much of the time. Paul was speaking of the Tanakh, (The old Testament) in this verse as there was no such thing as a new testament. It is the Old testament that we are to use to establish all doctrine and to learn righteousness. According to Strong, Righteous, means "To be obedient to divine law, to obey the commandments of God". All this is to prepare us for what?, Good works! Yes we are to live and act (work) according to the changes for good that living in relationship with God has made in our very persons. Judaism AND Christinaity are both active faiths, that have real and tangible acts of love, charity giving caring support and more, manifested through the lives of its community of believers. If it is only believism, making hollow professions of doctrine, then it is no more than a social club for people who want to get together with others of the same stripe and assure each other of how wonderful they all are.

Charles YTK

 

[Shimon]

Charles:

To add to what you've said above:

In the letters of Paul, he quotes from or makes clear allusions to the Tanakh 111 times. In these quotes and allusions, he references the Torah 46 times, the Prophets 42 times, and the Writings 23 times (41% Torah, 38% Prophets, and 21% Writings). The majority of these quotes and allusions (75%) are from the Torah, Isaiah, and the Psalms.

Yeshua, Himself, referred to the Psalms as "written in your Torah:"

John 10:34: Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law (Torah), I said, Ye are gods?

Yeshua was quoting Psalm 82:6, and yet, here He is, referring to it as "written in your Torah."

It is interesting that when the manuscripts at Qumran are tallied, the three books most represented are Deuteronomy (27), Isaiah (21), and Psalms (39). This would indicate that Paul’s use of the Tanach fits into the general perspective of the 1st Century Judaisms.

In literal terms, "Torah" refers to the first five books of the bible, but in very real terms, "Torah" refers to the *entire* volume of scripture, because every other book was tested against the Torah to determine whether or not it was, in fact, "God-breathed." Any book which did not agree with Torah was thrown out.

As you pointed out, the Tanakh was the only "bible" in the Apostles' day. For Christianity to claim that we are no longer under "Torah," they are claiming that the entire "bible" of the Apostles had been rendered obsolete, and that they began writing their own "scriptures" to replace it.

Shimon