9 posts tagged “apologetics”
Feast of the Passover (Final)
XI Shulchan Orekh…..The Festive Seder Dinner!!
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Those demonstrations or teachings on the Seder conducted without a dinner can use many of the traditional songs during this interim.
The following are some songs taken from the “Judasim 101: Peasach” website:
Many people think of Pesach as a time of deprivation: a time when they cannot eat bread or other leavened foods. This is not the traditional way of viewing the holiday. Pesach is Z'man Cheiruteinu, the Time of Our Freedom, and the joy of that time is evident in the music of the season. There are many joyous songs sung during the seder.
Mah Nishtanah (Why is it Different?)
This is the tune sung during the youngest participant's recitation of the Four Questions:
Why is this night different from all other nights, from all other nights? Mah nishtanah ha-lahylah ha-zeh mi-kol ha-layloht, mi-kol ha-layloht?
1) On all other nights, we may eat chametz and matzah, chametz and matzah. On this night, on this night, only matzah. She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin chameytz u-matzah, chameytz u-matzah. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, kooloh matzah.
2) On all other nights, we eat many vegetables, many vegetables. On this night, on this night, maror. She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin sh'ar y'rakot, sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, maror.
3) On all other nights, we do not dip even once. On this night, on this night, twice. She-b'khol ha-layloht ayn anu mat'bilin afilu pa'am echat, afilu pa'am echat. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, sh'tay p'amim.
4) On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, either sitting or reclining. On this night, on this night, we all recline. She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin bayn yosh'bin u'vayn m'soobin, bayn yosh'bin u'vayn m'soobin. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, koolanu m'soobin.
Dahyenu (It Would Have Been Enough For Us)
This is one of the most popular tunes of the seder, a very up-beat song about the many favors that G-d bestowed upon us when He brought us out of Egypt. The song appears in the haggadah after the telling of the story of the exodus, just before the explanation of Pesach, Matzah and Maror. I provide just two sample verses from a rather long song. The English does not include all of the repetition that is in the Hebrew.
Had He brought us out of Egypt and not judged them, it would have been enough for us. Ilu hotzi-hotzianu hotzianu mi-Mitzrayim, v'lo asah bahem s'fateem dahyenu.
(Chorus) It would have been enough for us. Dahy-dahyenu, dahy-dahyenu, dahy-dahyenu, dahyenu, dahyenu, dahyenu.
Dahy-dahyenu, dahy-dahyenu, dahy-dahyenu, dahyenu, dahyenu!
Had He judged them and not done so to their idols, it would have been enough for us. Ilu asah bahem s'fateem, v'lo asah beyloheyhem, v'lo asah beyloheyhem dahyenu.
Chorus, etc.
Eliyahu Ha-Navi (Elijah, the Prophet)
Many people sing this song when the Cup of Elijah is poured and the door is opened in anticipation of his return.
Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah, Elijah, Elijah the Gileadite Eliyahu ha-Navi, Eliyahu ha-Tishbi, Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi.
Speedily and in our days, come to us, with the messiah, son of David, with the messiah, son of David. Bimhayrah v'yamenu, yavo aleynu, im Moshiach ben David, im Moshiach ben David.
Adir Hu (He is Mighty)
Adir Hu is a great sing-along song, because it has a lot of repetition. You don't need to know much Hebrew to get by with this one! It's also got a catchy tune. It's sung as the seder comes to a close. It expresses our hope that the messianic age will begin soon, and the Temple will be rebuilt. Each line of praise begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in alphabetical order, a common gimmick in Jewish hymns.
He is mighty, He is mighty Adir hu, adir hu
Chorus:
May He soon rebuild his house
Speedily, speedily and in our days, soon.
G-d, rebuild! G-d, rebuild!
Rebuild your house soon! Chorus:
Yivneh vayto b'karov
Bim'hayrah, bim'hayrah, b'yamenu b'karov
E-yl b'nay! E-yl b'nay!
B'nay vayt'kha b'karov
He is distinguished, He is great, He is exhalted
(Chorus) Bachur hu, gadol hu, dagul hu,
(Chorus)
He is glorious, He is faithful, He is faultless, He is righteous
(Chorus) Hadur hu, vatik hu, zakay hu, chasid hu,
(Chorus)
He is pure, He is unique, He is powerful,
He is wise, He is King, He is awesome,
He is sublime, He is all-powerful, He is the redeemer, He is all-righteous
(Chorus) Tahor hu, yachid hu, kabir hu,
Lamud hu, melekh hu, nora hu,
Sagiv hu, izuz hu, podeh hu, tzaddik hu
(Chorus)
He is holy, He is compassionate, He is almighty, He is omnipotent
(Chorus) Kadosh hu, rachum hu, shaddai hu,
takif hu
(Chorus)
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XII Tzafun: The Afikoman
The father or leader of the Seder now brings forth the hidden piece of Matza that had been broken, wrapped in white linen and buried. If during the Seder, the Matza, called the “Afikoman”, which means, “that which comes after”, has been taken from its hidden place by one of the children, then the father or leader of the Passover Seder will have to redeem it in silver. The piece of Matza is the last thing eaten at the Seder…and is called the “dessert”.
As I said before, the Matza is taken out of the Matza cover at the beginning of the Seder. The Matza cover is divided into three compartments. This represents the one God who has revealed Himself in three specific persons: the Father (Jehovah), the Son (Yeshua – Jesus)and the Holy Spirit (Ruach Hokodesh). The same is seen in the Old Testament description of the three courts of the Tabernacle. They call the Afikoman, the hidden bread.
The son (center piece Matza) is hidden between the other two pieces..”the Father and the Holy Spirit”. The Jewish people understood the Father and the Spirit, but they did not understand the Son. He was hidden. I am reminded of the (1 Colossians 3:3) “your life is hid with Christ in God.” Timothy calls Christ the “mystery of the ages” (1 Tim 3:16). This middle piece is broken. Jesus said at that last Passover, “this is my body broken for you;” (1 Corinthians 11:24) And like Jesus, the Matza is wrapped in white linen and buried. (Matthew 27:59) “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in clean linen cloth.” (Matthew 27:60) “And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock:” With the third cup of wine….redemption, the bread is brought forth from its entombment and all at the table eat of it with the wine. It is the last thing eaten, as if “he who eats of this bread, shall never hunger.” (John 6:35)
The parallels between the Messiah and the hidden bread are obvious and in the ancient copies of the Haggadah, this was reflected in it writing. One of them, written over 100 years ago reflects that connection.
“I am ready and prepared to keep the commandment eat the Afikoman for the sake of the G_d and His presence, may it be counted as done in the name of all Israel. I am observing the commandment so that I may remember the Passover lamb that was eaten at the end of the Seder before midnight, may the eating of the Afikoman also achieve all the spiritual things accomplished in the Passover lamb itself. May it be thy will O Lord our G_d and the G_d of our Fathers, that you build the holy temple soon during our lifetime. May we be able to bring our offerings there and eat of the Passover lamb during our lifetime, as the Torah says. And then, of the first year, roasted over the fire, together with the Matza and Moror, may we be able to do this in our holy city of Jerusalem soon in our lifetime.”
Jesus, as the father of the Passover, took the bread and He blessed it, saying, “ Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.” This is another prophetic utterance reflecting His resurrection to come three days later.
Let’s take a closer look at the bread.
….It’s STRIPPED (Isaiah 53:51) “By His stripes we are healed”.
….It’s PIERCED (Zech 12:10) “And they shall look upon Him who they have pierced.”
….It’s PURE, without leaven. (1 John 3:5) “In him was no sin”.
….It was PLACED On DISPLAY. (Exodus 5:22/John 12:32) “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me.”
….Jesus was born in Bethlehem (which mean the “HOUSE OF BREAD”)
….Jesus was raised in Nazareth (Which means a stalk of grain)
….Jesus used images of bread all though his teaching. He was “baked in the fire”, judged on our behalf. And He was buried of the 2nd feat day, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and risen on the Festival of First Fruits.
XIII The Third Cup……….Redemption
The Third Cup of wine….the cup of redemption is represented by a silver chalaise. Like in the Tabernacle and the Temple, silver always represents redemption. Traditionally the wine was mixed with a little water. Some Rabbis feel this was done so the children also could partake of the wine. I am reminded that as the Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a spear, out from His side flowed blood and water. (John 19:34)
Jesus took the wine and He blessed it. Does anyone know what that blessing was? First let’s look at the Jewish wedding.
-Parallels in Jewish Tradition-
a. A contract is made with the bride, which they both sign. The groom pays the bride’s father a dowery. Often the price is very high, but under the advise of the groom’s father, the price is paid in full.
b. The groom goes to “prepare a place for her. Their new home.
c. The bride waits at home of her father…consecrated, bought with a price, with oil in her lamp, as the groom might come at night. She wears a veil if she goes out because is no longer her own.
d. With the groom, things are going as fast as possible, but even he does not know the day or the hour of the wedding, as it is in his fathers hands.
e. The big day comes. The groom gets his groomsmen ready and his best man and off they go. He sends the best man ahead to warn others of his impending arrival, who gives a great shout, “Behold the bridegroom cometh.”.
f. The best man would wait outside the room for the voice of the groom and would be told when the marriage had been consummated. (John 3:29)
g. They would have a seven day celebration that would end….with a great marriage supper. Sometimes they would even run out of wine…..unless there was someone to turn the water into wine.
Wedding/ New Testament Comparisons
a. Jesus (Yeshua) approached us with a contract as we see in Jeremiah 31:31-34, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
b. As we can see the contract is particularly advantageous to us as it forgives us of all sin and is paid in full, by Jesus Himself.
c. Jesus found the price very high, but because it was the will of the Father and because of His great love for us, the bride, He paid the price in full.
d. Then He “went to prepare a place for us, that where He is we might be also”. He went to prepare a mansion for us.
e. Like the Jewish wedding, the day and the hour are in the Fathers hands.
f. The believer is to be set-apart, sanctified, bought with the blood of Christ Himself. We are no longer our own…we belong to Him.
g. Like the bride we are to have oil in our lamps (the Holy Spirit).
h. Jesus will let us know of His coming. He sent John the Baptist before Him to tell the people that the “kingdom of God was at hand”. Before He takes the church home He will let us know, “with the trump of God and the voice of an Archangel.”
i. And we will wear beautiful white linen, which represents “the righteousness of saints”
All this is to demonstrate that blessing upon the wine, is also a toast to the bride in the lifting up the cup with the right hand and sealing the contract.
The blessing was: Blessed art thou, I Lord our God, King of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.”
“Baruck ato Adoni, Eluhaynu meleck haw olam, borey paree agophen.”
Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” We are the branches. Before Jesus comes into our lives our branches are withered from the decay of sin and we were barren of any fruit. But the Father grafted us onto the true vine of His Son so that now as we abide with Him we become a “fruitful bough…hanging over the wall” The fruit of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and patience, witnessing to the world the character of Christ.
XIV Barekh: Grace after Meals
Reading from the Haggadah: “Y’hee shaym Adoni m’vo-roch v’ad olam”.
“Let is bless G_ds name forever and ever.
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our G_d, King of the universe, who in thy goodness feedest the entire world, and in mercy providest sustenance for all living creatures. The blessing of food has never failed us, for in thy goodness, thou dost provide for all our needs.
IX Nirtzah: Closing Elijah’s Cup..The Cup of Joy
The fourth cup is poured, including a cup set aside for the prophet Elijah, who is supposed to herald the Messiah, and is supposed to come on Pesach to do this. The door is opened for a while at this point (supposedly for Elijah.
Tradition tells us that Jesus turned over this last cup, before it was filled saying, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom”. (Luke 22:18)
Every Seder closes with these words: “Next Year in Jerusalem”
“ L’shana ha’ba-ah b’Yerushalayim”
So, we to wait for that glorious day….for the marriage supper of the lamb, in New Jerusalem!!
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Whether in homes or in the local church I like to finish this Seder with communion together, to lift our cups to the Lord and give thanks for the awesome plan of the groom.
Feast of Passover No. 4
The Four Questions Ma-nish-a-nah
The youngest asks in the household or congregation who is able, asks for questions from the Haggadah. Since at one time, every child has been the youngest…everyone would have a chance to hear the answers and thus the commandment to pass this down to all generations would be fulfilled. The four questions are:
1) Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we can eat any kind of bread but on this night only unleavened bread?
2) Why on all other nights we can eat any kind of herbs but on this night only bitter herbs?
3) Why on all other nights we do not even dip once but on this night we dip twice?
4) Why on all other nights do we sit up at the table but on this night we all sit in a reclined position? Why?
Answers:
1) Unleavened Bread (Matza)is the symbol of purity and holiness, as it contains no leaven. Leaven is a symbol of sin, as we seen in both the Tenach and the New Testament. (Exodus 24:25/ 1 Corinthians 5:7) “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” What more fitting that on the night of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt by a Holy and Righteous God, that they would use this symbol of holiness. Also this was the bread of affliction made in great haste with no time for the leaven to rise as they were thrust out of Egypt.
2) Bitter Herbs (Maror) represent the bitterness of slavery and bondage in Egypt. As Christians we see this as the bitterness and bondage to the slavery of sin. (John 8:34) “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
3) The Dipping of the Parsley (Karpas) into the salt water represents both the tears of repentance, as well as the Hebrew children who entered the Red Sea and came out safely on the other side. As Christians we too see tears of repentance and the second dip is our Baptisim. We also came out in safety…changed. (Romans 6:4) “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. It was also this action whereby Jesus identified Judas as the one who would betray Him at the last Passover meal they would share together.
4) The reclining in their seats represents their deliverance from slavery.
Even so, we can see this as a celebration of our freedom. (John 8:32) “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
In Orthodox households the Mageed (the story of the Exodus) was chanted. After the reading of the four questions (the Ma-nish-a-nah) and the answers are read from the Haggadah, the “Be-khol-dor-vecor” (In every generation
every individual, we are redeemed.”) is read. To me these are both
reminders that God desires “that all be saved”….and that so great a salvation is offered “to whosoever will” trust in His sacrifice for the world. Truly it was enough (Dayanu) to secure a place for us in God’s kingdom.
The best version of the Exodus story can be found in the book of Exodus. The important point is not just that God delivered His people, but how He chose to do that. God could have used any means He wanted to “translate” His people out of Egypt and into the promised land. But Gods work with mankind has never been just about the destination but the journey. God would have them take a lamb without spot or blemish from among the flock of Israel. Four days before the Passover, the lamb was selected and examined by the people. Jesus entered into Jerusalem four days before Passover and was examined by the people. Many cried, Hossana”, (Oh, Save Us!) The Passover lambs were kept in an area called “Ephratah”, just outside Bethlehem, watched over by temple priest/ shepherds. (Micah 5:2) “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting. The lamb was slain outside the gate and its blood sprinkled upon the lintels and doorposts of the house, that the angel of death would “pass over” those covered with the blood. Our body is the “the house or temple of the Holy Spirit” (Hebrews 3:6) “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Jesus (Yeshua), Gods lamb without spot or blemish, has sprinkled His own perfect blood upon “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord” (Romans 10:13), and we have passed from death unto life by faith in His sacrifice for us. (1 John 3:14) “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.
The message to be remembered down through the ages is that BLOOD SAVES!!
(Leviticus 17:11) “For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:”
The story continues….
Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, wandering in the wilderness, and finally entering into the promised land. The ceremonial foods are taken and eaten from the Sedar plate.(K’arah)
The items on the Seder Plate are: Bitter Herbs (Maror)…often ground horseradish, Vegetable (Karpas)..usually parsley, Charoset (a sweet mixture of honey, nuts, apples and cinnamon), an Egg, and a Lambshank (Zeroah). On the table is Unleavened Bread (Matza) ,Salt Water to dip the Karpas and Wine for the Four Cups.
We have already spoken of the Bitter Herbs (Maror) and the Dipping in Salt Water. Let’s look at the other items on the Seder Plate.
1) Parsley (Karpas) represents to both the Jew and the Christian the promised land and its abundance. Although we recognize the fulfillment of Gods promise as the Hebrew people came into the land of Cannan, as well as the fulfillment of prophecy as Israel was born again in 1948…as Christians we see another promised land, promised to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. The Kingdom of Heaven. We see the description of New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and its beauty is beyond description.
2) Charoset represents the sweetness of a life devoted to God. The “sweet savour of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15)
3) To the Jewish people, the Egg represents the hardness of Pharaohs heart, and was probably added to the Seder plate during the Babylonian captivity. But to Christians it also represents the new life we have in Christ.
4) The Lambshank (Zeroah) represents the lamb sacrificed at the Passover, as well as in the temple at Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). It is interesting that the word “zeroah” lterally means “right arm”, “right hand”, or “mighty power”…all terms directly linked to the Messiah…and linking the Messiah to the sacrificial lamb.
-A Scriptural Parallel- (Genesis 37-50)
The Passover story really begins with Joseph being sold in to slavery by his brothers who were jealous of his relationship with his father
Jacob and with the Lord. During the following seventeen years in Egypt, divine providence brings Joseph to a place great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh and Joseph becomes a man of great power and authority…just under Pharaoh himself. A severe famine brings the sons of Jacob for food. Which Joseph had been storing up for the previous seven years being forewarned by the Lord of the famine. After a wonderful story of the families reconciliation and forgiveness, Jacob and the rest of their family and servants moved to Egypt. When Jacob died, Joseph fulfilled his dying wish to be taken back to Cannan for burial, where his body is still today. Many years later as Joseph grew old, he prophesized that one day all their descendants would again return to Cannan and when they did, they were to take his bones back with them for burial in that land of his fathers. (Genesis 50:24-25). After Joseph’s death, his body was embalmed and buried in the Valley of the Kings in accordance with his royal station. While in Egypt, Joseph was called…Joseph of Rama…which means “Joseph in the seat of idolatry” as he was just under Pharoah in his authority over the most idolatrous kingdoms in existence at that time. The Egyptians had hundreds of gods, and yet Joseph remained faithful to the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.
Four hundred years pass and there arose Pharaohs who knew not of Joseph. Great cries of anguish went up to God as the Hebrew people were forced into slavery. God raises up Moses to deliver His people but God hardens Pharaohs heart so that His glory and power might be seen in the peoples deliverance. God brings great plagues upon the Egyptians that concludes with the death of all the first born of Egypt. Only those within a house whose doorpost and lintels have been
sprinkled with the blood of the Passover lamb are untouched as the angel of death passes over Egypt. Pharaoh is defeated and tells Moses to take his people into the wilderness to worship for three days. But it was not long after the Hebrews had left Egypt, that the Pharaoh knew that they were not returning and began to make plans to pursue them and force them back into Egyptian slavery.
The question is: How did Pharoah know that the Hebrews would not be returning after the three days of worshiping in the wilderness?
Because the tomb of Joseph was open and his bones were gone…taken back to Cannan for burial in fulfillment of Josephs last dying wish.
The Chaldean word “Rama” meaning “a place of idolatry”, is much the same as the Hebrew word “Arimathaea”. Arimathaea is a town in Israel named after its “high” places that were used in the worship false gods. Are we seeing the parallel yet?
Now, let’s jump ahead another 1, 476 years. Jesus (Yeshuwa) lays down His life at the hands of wicked men to die on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for all those that would believe and trust in Him. He is taken down from the cross and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea.
After three days, they find the stone rolled away and His body is gone.
* * * * * * * * *
-Scriptural Parallel-
The name Jesus is actually a translation..…of a translation.... of a translation.
Jesus name in the Hebrew is Yeshua, which means “Savior”. Yeshua was not directly translatable into Greek…which used the name Iesous. Iesous became Yesous….. Yesous became Jesous….. Jesous became Jesus. If you directly translate Yeshua into English it becomes Joshua. How interesting. Who was it who brought the Hebrew people into the promised land? Joshua
(Joshua 6:20) and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Let’s compare that to the New Testament promise of Yeshua
(1 Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Yeshua (Jesus) bringing us into the promised land of heaven.
VIII The Second Cup……… Deliverance
This is a time for the Jewish people to look back on what they were delivered from. The father or leader of the Seder would dip his finger in the wine and drop…one drop at a time....the wine onto a white saucer before him each time reciting a plague that fell upon the Egypt. As Christians it is a time for us to remember what we were delivered from and the Jesus shed His blood …one drop at a time…for the sins for the entire race of Adam, and secured a place in heaven for all those that believe on Him.
IX Rachtzah ……..The Washing of hands
This time the washing of hands is done with a blessing in preparation for eating the Matza. There is also a blessing given over the all the grain products (the Motzi) and the bitter herbs (the Moror) And finally the blessing upon the Matza itself.
“Baruch ato Adoni, Eluhaynu meleck haw olam, a moshek amin ahorey”.
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”
More about this important prayer at the end of the Seder.
X Korech……. Rabbi Hillel’s Sandwich ?
A portion of the Seder sometimes includes this tradition. Rabbi Hillel placed the Moror and the Charoset together between two pieces of Matza. It is interesting that the sweetness of the Charoset, which represents Gods love in sending the Messiah cancels out the bitterness of the Moror, which represents sin.
XI Shulchan Orekh…..The Festive Seder Dinner!!
(Continued from Feast of Passover No 2)
Feast of the Passover No. 3
Let’s start out this third session with an explanation of some of the terminology and symbols.
afikoman: Greek, "dessert," in ancient times the last morsel of the paschal lamb, eaten at the end of the Passover meal. In modern times, it is represented by half of the middle Matzah in the ceremonial Seder dish, which, when broken off, is hidden until the end of the meal. Adapted from some Jewish traditions, it also symbolizes the Messiah who will come to restore all things. In Christian Seders, this becomes the symbol of Jesus the Messiah (Christ), and is used as the bread of the Eucharist.
beitzah: "roasted egg," in the Seder meal represents the burnt offerings brought to the Temple during festivals in ancient days; it also symbolizes the cycle of life, the endurance of God’s people and the hope for a future. Traditionally, a brown egg is used on the Seder plate, roasted in an oven until it turns dark. Vegetarians often use an avocado seed as a substitute for the egg on the Seder plate. While hard boiled eggs are often served as the first course of the Seder meal, like the zeroah the beitzah is not eaten since sacrifices are no longer offered.
chametz: "leaven" or "yeast," the ingredient in bread that ferments and makes the bread "rise"by producing bubbles of gas in the dough. Its absence in Passover carries a dual symbolism. First, the use of unleavened bread symbolizes the haste with which the Israelites had to flee Egypt; second, it is often a symbol of corruption and sin, and so its removal symbolizes the freedom from sin that God brings.
charoset: derived from the Hebrew word for "clay," a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon, honey, and wine which serves to sweeten the bitter herbs. Because of its appearance, it symbolizes the mud mixed with straw used by the slaves in Egyptian buildings. However, it’s sweetness symbolizes that the bitterness of slavery is tempered with the hope for a future. While the maror and matzah are biblical commands, the charoset was an element added by the rabbis.
haggadah; plural, haggadot: from a root which means "to tell," the printed booklet that contains the instructions or order or service, readings, and songs for the Passover Seder.
k’arah: a ceremonial Seder plate, sometimes very ornate, that contains places for the five symbolic elements of the Passover Seder: karpas (parsley), lamb bone, bitter herbs, egg, and charoset. On more elaborate plates, additional places are provided for other symbols, such as a place for a small bowl of salt water.
karpas: "green vegetable," garden greens, usually parsley, celery, lettuce, or other leafy green vegetable such as watercress used in the Seder meal. The greens are dipped in a small bowl of salt water, recalling the hyssop dipped for sprinkling on the door posts of Hebrew dwellings in preparation for the Exodus (Exodus 12:22).
maggid: "telling," the section of the Seder in which the story of exodus and Passover are recited in various ways.
maror: "bitter herb," traditionally a piece of horseradish root or romaine lettuce. A reminder of the bitterness of life in bondage, not only in Egypt, but everywhere. In the Seder meal, grated horseradish is usually used.
matzah; plural, matzot: "unleavened bread," dough made without yeast that bakes into a thin flat bread. Biblical tradition says that the Hebrews had to leave Egypt so quickly that they did not have time to let the bread rise so they made the dough without yeast or leaven. It is possible that they took the dough with them in kneading bowls and sun baked the bread on the hot rocks of the desert. There are various ways to transliterate this term. Today, Matzah is represented by flat cracker-like wafers. In the Passover Seder three Matzot are used, two representing the two loaves of bread that were placed in the Jerusalem Temple on festival days, plus an additional one for Passover.
pesach: "passover," used to refer to the entire Passover festival or more specifically to the Passover lamb. In the Seder, it refers to the roasted lamb shank bone that represents the sacrificial Passover lamb (Exodus 12:21-27).
seder: "order," refers both to the service of the Passover festival meal that follows a prescribed order, and to the entire festival meal itself.
zeroah: "arm," the roasted shank bone of a lamb that is symbolic of the Passover lamb, both the lambs that were killed in Egypt for the first Passover, but also for the sacrificial lambs offered in the Temple to commemorate Passover. Some Jews understand the bone also to symbolize the arm of God outstretched to help his people in times of trouble. Since there are no longer Temple sacrifices, no lamb or any other roasted meat is eaten at Passover. Some households use a chicken neck in place of the shank bone, and vegetarians often use beets to replace the shank bone on the seder plate, with the red beets and juice symbolizing the blood of the lamb that was used to mark the door posts of the houses.
This is Not exhaustive…but it should help………………
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Kaddesh… Previously (No. 2), we had done the Kaddesh (The Blessing ) over the items on the table and the Seder plate. But before the First Cup of wine is drunk from, there is a special blessing over the wine.
“Baruck ato Adoni, Eluhaynu meleck Haw Olam, boray paree agophen.”
Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.”
Then they all Drink of the First Cup.
In teaching the Passover, I usually do not explain the Christian parallel of this incredible prayer until the end of the Seder.
Urchatz.. The Washing of hands
In preparation for the meal, there is a ceremonial hand washing This is not a sanitary action but is symbolic of the "clean hands" with which one comes before God (Psalm 24:3-4). This can be done only by the leader, with a brief explanation of the action, or can be done by all the participants. If time allows, this can be expanded into a communal activity, in which one person pours for another, thus emphasizing the humility and service to each other in community. It is also possible to incorporate a reading here from John 13:2-14, in which Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as a sign of humility. It is not included here in order to preserve the flow of the story without introducing specifically Christian elements at this point.
This first washing of the hands is none without a blessing in preparation for eating of the Karpas (Vegetable.. usually parsley or celery).
Karpas .. A vegetable (usually parsley) is dipped in salt water and eaten. The vegetable symbolizes the lowly origins of the Jewish people; the salt water symbolizes the tears shed as a result of our slavery. Parsley is a good vegetable to use for this purpose, because when you shake off the salt water, it looks like tears. Once again all these symbols have a fulfillment in Christian doctrine and will be explained a little later in the Seder.
Yachatz… The breaking of the Matza
At this point the Father of the Passover (or the leader) picks up the Matza cover containing three pieces of Matza. The three pieces separate and yet under the cover together. In this we see the trinity of the one God. The Father, the Son and the Spirit. The center piece, the Son, is removed. It is broken, wrapped in white linen or placed a special cover. This piece is called the “Afikoman”.. the dessert. The children cover their eyes while the Father hides the Afikoman. While he buries it. If during the Seder. A child finds the Afikoman, it must be redeemed in silver.
Like children with their eyes closed, the disciples really did not understand, when Jesus told them He would have to leave soon. And when they came to the empty tomb their first reaction was, “Where is my Lord? What have you done with Him?” It was after He had risen that suddenly all these symbols of a ceremony that had done every year of their lives…moved from their heads…to their hearts. More detail on this will be given near the end of the Seder.
Mageed… The Story
Mageed means the story and begins with the invitation…the “Ha-lahma-anya”…”this is the bread of affliction”. Spoken in Arabic traditionally, as they believed that was the language of the Jews spoken in that era. But if fact, at the time of the first Passover, the language spoken was Egyption, Hebrew..or a mixture of those language that had developed during the 400 year captivity. Much as Yiddish formed in Europe as a unique blend of both Hebrew and German. It wasn’t till much later that Arabic became a common language. It was the common language of Jesus. In His great pain and anguish on the cross, Jesus would speak in the language of His childhood…Arabic, when He said, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me”. “Eli Eli Lama sabach thani”, as prophecied in Psalm 22.
Reading from the Haggadah: “Lo, this is the bread of affliction, the humble and simple bread which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let anyone who is hungry join us at this Seder, and let him partake of what we have to share.
This is amazingly similar to the invitation to communion!!
(More of the Mageed to come…in Feast of Passover No. 4)
The Feast of Passover No.2
Preparation For The Passover. It doesn’t just happen!!
“On the 14th day of the first month at even, is the Lord’s Passover” (Leviticus 25:5)
A) Bedikat Hametz: In preparation for Passover, all chametz or leavened food (food with yeast) is removed from the house and cannot be eaten during the seven days of the Festival. The unleavened bread symbolizes the haste with which the Israelites had to flee from Egypt. Since they did not have time for the bread to rise in order to have provisions for the journey, they had to bake it without yeast (Ex 12:11, Deut 16:3). A game is played with the children, as they search through the house for leaven. The father hides crumbs on windowsills or counters. When the children find them, they yell out, “Leaven, leaven.” The father quickly comes and sweeps them onto a piece of paper and them throws them into the fire. In this we can see the doctrine of justification as Jesus became our sin-bearer…going through the fire of Gods wrath on our behalf. We can also see the doctrine of sanctification of being separated from sin and made holy through Jesus the Messiah.
(1 Corinthians3:13) “Every man’s work shall be made manifest,
For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire;
And the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”
(1 Corinthians 5:7-8) “Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye
may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our
Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast, not
with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
The house is trimmed in white, a symbol of righteousness as seen
In Rev 19: 1-8…white linen, napkins, candles. The leader of the
Seder (usually the Father in the home) wears a white “Yarmulke”
and a special white “Talis” for the occasion. All this is symbolic
of that the priesthood has come into the home (Rev 1:6), and also
of the glorified Christ (Rev 1:12-16). Even the dishes are special.
In orthodox Jewish homes have four sets of dishes to keep
Kosher. One set for the separation of dairy products and meat ..
And the other sets that had never touched leaven.
Hadlakat Ha-Nerot The Lighting of the Passover Candles
Women in Judaism participate in very little of the traditional formal ceremonies, but a woman must light the candles of the Passover.
How fitting this is as the “Light of the world” would come not through the seed of man….but the seed of woman.
(Isaiah 7:14) “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.”
(Galations 4:4) “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent
forth His Son, made of woman, made under the law,”
As the Seder begins and a woman lights the candles, this prayer is
said.
“Barch ato Adoni, Eluhaynu melech haw olam, asher v’kid shawnu
B’mitz-vu-sawu visti vanu ver hadlick ner shal peasch.”
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has
Commanded us to kindle the Passover lights.”
The Four Cups
The Seder is predominated by four cups of wine. Reading from the
Haggadah, “Four times in the course of the Seder, we shall partake of the wine, a symbol of joy and thanksgiving. The four cups represent the four-fold promise which the Lord made to the Israelites in Egypt. In the following words, He assured them that they would be freed from servitude. I will bring you forth, I will deliver you, I will redeem you I will take you.
First Cup (Sanctification) (1 Corinthians 6:11) but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Second Cup (Deliverance) (Colossians 1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Third Cup (Redemption) (Galations 3:13) Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:
Fourth Cup (The cup of Joy/ Elisha’s Cup) (Matthew 26:29) But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
Kaddesh Sanctifying Prayer and the First Cup
The Kaddesh means “cleansing” and this prayer of sanctification
begins the Seder. The prayer can be quite long in orthodox traditions
and is said over the items and food on the Passover table. Reading
from the Haggadah:
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who hast chose us for thy service
from among the nations, exalting us by making us holy through thy
commandments. In love hast thou given us, O Lord our God, Sabbaths
for rest, holidays for joy and festivals for gladness. Thou did give us
this feast of unleavened bread, the season of our freedom, in commem-
oration of our liberation from Egypt. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who
hallowest Israel and the festival.”
“Bauch ato Adoni, Eluhaynu meleck haw olam, she-he-che-yo-noo,
V’kee-ymo-noo, vhee-gee-o-noo, lazman hazeh.”
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast kept
us in life, who hast preserved us and hast enabled us to reach this
season”
(More to come in Passover No. 3)
My apologies but this will take about 5 different posting. Please have patience. Thanks......
The Feast of the Passover (No. 1)
Over the past 30 years, I have done hundreds of demonstrations of the Jewish Passover Seder for local churches and for home bible study groups. Most Christians do not really understand the incredible continuity running through the entirety of the Holy Writ from Genesis to Revelations. The Bible is not a divided book. The message of God’s Grace is evident from Genesis 3 to Revelations 21. The Tenach (Old Testament) points forward in time and the New Testament points backward….and they meet on Golgotha’s hill.
Passover is the oldest and most important religious festival in Judaism, commemorating God’s deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and his creation of the Israelite people. Passover is actually composed of two festivals, The Feast of Unleavened Bread and Passover (which is sometimes used to refer to the single day and sometimes to the entire span of both festivals). The Passover has been called the “crown jewel” of the Jewish feasts as within its rituals and symbolism is a perfect picture of God’s plan of salvation. There are seven major festivals (or feasts) mentioned in the Torah (Leviticus 23). The festival of Passover, known as Pesach, is the first of these festivals and begins at sunset on the 14th of Nisan (usually in March or April), marking the beginning of a seven day celebration that includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The focal point of Passover is a communal meal, called the Seder (which means "order," because of the fixed order of service), which is a time of rejoicing and celebration at the deliverance for the Hebrews that God accomplished in the exodus.
Unlike the most Holy days of Christianity that are observed in Church, since the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70, Passover has been celebrated in the home with family and friends as they eat a meal together. It is customary to invite guests to share the Seder meal, especially newcomers to the community. The actual Seder meal in most Jewish homes is an elaborate feast, with food, games for the children, and plenty of time to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt. It is not unusual for a Seder to last three to four hours.
The Seder involves everyone present since they all have a “Haggadah” (Heb: "telling," the printed order of service, reading, and songs) and are called to share in reading and singing the story. Passover is really more than a festival. It is an elaborate teaching experience, especially for the children. By using all of the senses, the Passover Seder tells the story of God’s grace in history and calls the participants to experience and share in the story as their own story.
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I usually begin this teaching with a prayer given both in the Hebrew and the English.
“Baruch ato Adoni, Eluheynu valuhay avu sanu, aluhay Aveco, aluhay Izrac, aluhay Avachom, aluhay Yeshua Hameshea, Melech Haw Olam.
“Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the father of Jesus the Messiah, King of the universe.”
So, Why should Christians study the Passover?
Answers:
1) It is what Jesus did. Jesus walked three times a year (75 miles roundtrip) from Galilee to Jerusalem for the feasts. Jesus considered this particular feast of such importance that He would celebrate it the night before his crucifixion and would use this feast to introduce a New Covenant between man and God purchased through His blood which would be shed upon the altar of the cross.
2) The Passover is a witness to the Jewish people. It is a great tragedy that the very people from which the Lord would spring forth from are almost all unsaved. Paul states that his desire and burden was to see the Jewish people come to know their Messiah.
(Romans 10:1) “Brethren, My hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.”
3) Most witnessing to the Jewish people is done by small or individual ministries rather than the church as a whole. One of the reasons of this is because most Christians don’t know enough about Judisim, from the Old Testament, to be able to share the gospel based upon a common ground. The knowledge of the Passover provides Christians with that common ground to share the good news of the Messiah in a ceremony that is familiar with every Jewish person.
4) The Passover is an insight into the very essence of Christianity …. “the sacrifice of the lamb.” The crucifixion was in many ways a repeat of the ritual sacrifices seen in the Old Testament. God had already shown that a lamb, without blemish, of the first year, from among the flock….was sufficient to cover the sins of an individual (Genesis 4:4), of a family (Genesis 8:20), of those in a house (Exodus 12:23), and of a nation ( Yom Kippur...Levitcus 16:34). John the Baptist declared, “Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29)
The Passover bridges time in that both the Jew and the gentile can say…”I was delivered from slavery by the blood of the lamb.”
5) And lastly, we will be celebrating in the Lords kingdom and this ceremony is just a taste….a foreshadow of the marriage supper of the lamb.
Errors and Misrepresentations
Christopher Hitchens may be extremely knowledgable regarding history and world politics...and may be very quick witted and well read but does that mean the "facts" he presents in his book "God Is Not Great" are true? Mark Roberts debated Christopher Hitchens not to long a ago and from this put together a 10 part series looking at many of the errors, misquotes and misrepresentations found in his book. VERY interesting reading.
http://www.markdroberts.com/htmfiles/resources/godisnotgreat .htm
The Tabernacle In The Wilderness
Before in the “Mystery of the Trinity”, I showed just a few of the Old Testament inferences of the “Trinity”. Probably the most beautiful and detailed explanations of not just the Trinity but the Deity of Christ .. and every other doctrines of the scriptures…is found in the study of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle, also called “Gods Dwelling Place” and the “Tent of Meeting”, was built to exact specifications given by Moses, under Gods command. It was an exact duplicate of what God had shown Moses on the mount. It is interesting that there are only 2 chapters in the Bible on creation…but 50 chapters on the Tabernacle. Another interesting point is that the symbolism used in the Tabernacle…the numbers of items, the materials, the precious gems and metals, the dimensions, the pieces of furniture, the attire of the priests, the sacrifices…all remain the same throughout the entire holy writ. The physical elements of the Tabernacle only have their meanings in the light of Christ and refer to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the history of the church, the redemption of the believer, the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. The tabernacle also paints a beautiful picture of the Godhead.
Without going into a lot of detail, the Tabernacle, or the “Tent of Meeting” was made to be able to be taken apart and transported from place to place, as the Hebrew children followed the pillar of fire by night or the cloud by day. The “outer court” was 150 feet long by 75 feet wide and consisted of a linen barrier 7.5 feet high supported by 60 gold covered pillars with brass sockets and silver caps….10 on each width and 20 on each length. The tabernacle was laid out with the length going east to west…and had an opening on the east side, with a white linen material covered entrance, with colors of scarlet, purple and blue in designs of cherubim.
If you were to walk in through the first veil entering the outer court…. in front of you would be seen the “brazen altar”. The bronze square altar with horns on the corners was the place of sacrifice. After the “brazen altar” you would come to the laver. The laver was made of shiny brass, filled with water and was used by the priest for ceremonial washing. West of the laver was a structure, 45 feet long by 15 feet wide and 15 feet high.
The Tabernacle building was made of gold plated wooden walls on both sides and on the rear (western end) of the structure. There was an entrance on the east side made of material hung on five gold plated pillars. The three walls were constructed of wide, thick boards standing on end, having two tenons inserted into heavy silver sockets. The sockets were placed on the ground. The boards were 15 feet long, twenty-seven inches wide and 4.5 inches thick. The inside of the tabernacle building was dived into two areas: the front (eastern room) was the Holy Place and was 15 feet by 30 feet, taking up 2/3 of the structure. Another material curtain separated that area from the Holy of Holies, which was a perfect cube 15 feet in height, length and width.
The tabernacle structure was covered with 4 layers of material: a white linen with hues of scarlet, purple and blue in the designs of Cherubim; next was a tent of black goats hair; next red dyed Rams skins and lastly badger skin.
Back to your journey, you have passed the Laver and now enter through the second curtain into the Holy Place. Thirty feet in front of you is the Golden Altar of Incense (actually directly in front of the last curtain entering into the Holy of Holies). On your right is the Table of the Shewbread and on your left the Lampstand. The Lampstand is the only light in Tabernacle. Behind the last curtain, which is about 6 inches thick, is the Holy of Holies. In the center of the square room is the Ark of the Covenant. The top of the Ark is a removable lid which has two gold cherubim on it, facing each other, kneeling in prayer, which is called the Mercy Seat.
As I said, this is an incredible study, that I truly encourage you to explore. There are a number of good books on the Tabernacle by Henry Soltau, David Levy James Strong and William Brown. If you can find Alexander Ness, Patterns for Living, which has been out of print for many years…you will be blessed.
So here is some facets of this incredible teaching.
There are three courts. The outer court, which is open to the elements of this world. The light, the rain, the heat, the stars, sun and moon. To get in this outer court you must come in through the first entrance. Jesus said “ I am the door”. This is the only way. This court represents God the Son. Jesus laid aside His robe of majesty and girded Himself with the towel of humanity. God became man. The two pieces of furniture are the Brazen Altar..the place of sacrifice (the cross) and the Laver…the place of washing. (Baptism…and being washed by the water of the Word. Jesus is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
The three courts represent, God the Son…God the Spirit…and God the Father. The entrances… the Way, the Truth and the Life. Only ONE Tabernacle …containing three specific partitions.
You enter through the second veil (the truth) into the Holy Place (God the Spirit). The only light is the Lampstand. Remember at Pentecost how the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples as a baptism of fire. The Holy Spirit illuminates us and shows us truth. On the right is the Table of the Shewbread. The 12 loaves of unleavened bread representing not only the 12 tribes of Israel but the 12 disciples. It represents Gods work on each of us to knead us, mold us and bake us in the fire of trials and testing. The Table of Shewbread represents “Sanctification” which is a work of the Holy Spirit within us. In front of us the “Golden Altar of Incense”. The place of prayer, supplication, praise and worship, which is our way of entering into the presence of the Father.
The last curtain (veil) representing the life.. enters us into the Holy of Holies (The Father). The only light here is the presence of God Himself. In Revelations 21:23 John describes New Jerusalem (also a perfect cube like the Holy of Holies) saying, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” Jesus came before the Father with His own blood, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat of heaven, as a propitiation for the sins of the race of Adam. God said He would meet with Moses between the wings of the Cherubim. And Moses was a type of Christ in the Old Testament. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”
The Mystery of the Trinity
Everyone keeps asking for me to write a post on the Trinity, but the one I have written is really too long for this website. But here is a little of it:
The word Trinity is derived from the Latin “tinitas”,literally meaning threefold (trin/us)., the union of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in one God head. Some have stated that the concept of the trinity is of New Testament origin and was not even created until the third century where it was confirmed at the Council of Nicea. The fact is that the plurality of God…the Godhead....was understood and taught in the Old Testament…and was more completely understood with the words of Jesus (Yeshua) and the writings of the New Testament. They understood God Almighty..(Yehovah/ El Elyon/ El Shaddai). They understood the Spirit of God….(Ruach Eloheim/ Ruach Hokodesh). But they didn’t understand the Son….Hameshea…the Messiah.
While Trinitarian concepts are more explicitly laid out in the New Testament, they are implicitly revealed in the Old Testament. Here are a few intimations from the Old Testament Hebrew:
1. Usage of "one" in a composite sense.
Even though the Old Testament teaches that God is "one," (Deuteronomy 6:4) this does not conflict in any way with Trinitarian beliefs. On the contrary, it actually helps to affirm them. The use of the Hebrew word for "one" (echad) in other clearly demonstrates that this word means "one entity" …or “composite unity”. The Shema reads, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one God.” Shema Yisrael, Adoni Eluheynu Adoni Echad. Does the word for one (Echad)…actually mean one…in singleness? How is the word used in scripture? Adam and Eve were “one flesh”…Basor Echad. Does than mean they inhabited one body? The nation of Israel stood as one man. Ish Echad Does that mean there was one one person in the nation of Israel? The spies took a huge cluster of grapes from the promised land…on a pole that several men had to carry. Eschol Echad Does that mean there was on ly one..300 lb grape? Of course not. The use of the word in scripture shows a “composite unity.”
2. The three persons of the Godhead seen simultaneously both in the Old and New Testaments.
This is truly an incredible scripture. Isaiah 48:5-17. The one speaking has already identified Himself as God. Verse 12:” I am the First. I am also the Last. 13: My hand has laid the foundation of the Earth.”
Verse 16: “Come near to me, hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was…I was there. And now, the LORD GOD (Yehovah) and His Spirit (Ruach Elohhim) has sent Me. (there is the Trinity..the Godhead) 17: Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel, I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way that you should go.” Who is this? …. Yeshua…(Jesus).
Who is Jesus?
Every religious persuasion whether it be a false religion, alternative thought or cult (as defined in Christian Theology), attacks four basic tenet’s of the Christian faith: the virgin birth (incarnation), the deity of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity and the bodily resurrection of Christ. The doctrine of Christ’s deity is essential to understanding both the virgin birth and the mystery of the trinity. These are but a few of the proofs of His deity in the scriptures.
First, who does Jesus say He is? What was Christ’s own self-concept? It must be admitted that Jesus never defines His place in the Trinity in theological language. However He made many statements about Himself that would not only be inappropriate, but blasphemous if He was not God in the flesh. In Matthew, He calls both the angels and the kingdom of God His. Elsewhere angels are called “the angels of God” and the Kingdom of God is found written throughout the scriptures. Matthew 13:41, Jesus says, “ The Son of Man will send His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and evildoers.”
Mark 2:5 A paralytic is lowered through the roof by his friends, for Jesus to heal. Jesus first response was to say that the man’s sins were forgiven. The Scribes knew the implications of that statement for only God can forgive sins. Jesus relies, “Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Tour sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise up take up your pallet and walk? “ To confirm His authority to forgive sins, Jesus healed the man, who rose, picked up his pallet and walked home.
John 14:9, Jesus tells Thomas, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” And in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” At this statement the Jew picked up stones to stone Him. Jesus said, “Many good works have I shown you from My Father. For which of these good works do you stone me? The Jews answered Him saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, make Yourself God.” They all understood exactly what He was saying.
John 8:58, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am.” Some believe this is His strongest claim to deity. The Jews responded by picking up stones again to stone Him for declaring Himself God. Jesus recognized the phrase, “I am” as one not only referring to God but used by God in the Old Testament as His name given to Moses in Exodus 3:14.
In John 5:21 and 11:25, Jesus claims to have authority over life itself, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will”. His use of the self referential “Son of God” title, point to unique power and authority and His essential equality with God.
Second, What do the His followers say who He is?
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… speaking of Jesus.
1 Timothy 3:16, “God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory..”
John20:28, Thomas who sees Jesus after His resurrection from the dead, and touches His hands and the wound in His side, falls to his knees and says, “ My Lord and My God.”
The writer of Hebrews writes plainly of Christ’s deity as the chapter starts out, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word.”
The passage also states that Jesus is not an angel or a priest. In Colossians 1:15, Paul adds, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, For by Him (Jesus) all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
The belief in Jesus Christ being of the same essence as God the Father began with Jesus Himself, was taught to His Apostles, who in turn handed down this belief to the early church fathers and apologists. Christ’s deity is the foundation upom which the Christian faith rests.
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