Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Parashah #44: D’varim (Words) D’varim (Deuteronomy) 1:1-3:22
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu ( Isaiah)1:1-27
B’rit Chadashah : Yochanan (John) 15:1-11
The book of Deuteronomy provides the very foundation of our faith, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-11) which for those who embrace this command consider it a binding contract to which we pledge our commitment to G-d’s Torah. By reciting the Shema before we retire and when we arise, we start and end our days and nights with a reminder of our commitment which establishes our spiritual and physical priorities in the correct order. In the Old Testament in the context of G-d’s revelation to man. It is one of the most frequently cited books and referred to in the B’rit Chadashah (“New” Testament). It represents the core of what G-d revealed to Moshe at Mount Horeb(Sinai). With his personal knowledge and the failure of the first-generation Israelites who had been delivered from Egyptian bondage physically and spiritually, Moshe summarized all that was crucial to the welfare of the new generation from a life-and-death-perspective. This is significant for us today in that the same commands/instructions G-d ordered His people to follow, have not changed (Matt. 5:18). Moshe admonishes the people to “remember” and “do not forget” (5:15;7:18;8:2) as just a few references.
True believers are expected to respond to G-d and his commands/law/instructions with wholehearted love and devotion. This requires purposeful intent involving the whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Furthermore, this love and devotion must be exclusive to G-d, not “shared” with other gods, friends, family, or anything else, for G-d himself states that he is a jealous G-d (Ex. 34:14).
G-d calls(past, present, and future) for obedience for those who want to be included as His people. “Statutes are permanent written riles of conduct, prescribed by a proper authority, usually written to guide individuals and societies. “Judgements’ or ordinances are judicial decisions which serve as future precedents for the guidance of judges. Moshe addressed these as crucial to a blessed relationship with G-d. Indeed, life itself and the final disposition of our souls depends on our repentance, acceptance of Yahshua’s sacrifice as the only way to reconciliation with G-d, and obedience to G-d’s Word. At the time these commands, laws, instructions were given, the people did not yet understand the spiritual application of the Yom Kippur sacrifice tat would reach its full expression when Yahshua was crucified. However, the people were instructed to obey all that they were given at the time. As we progress through this book, we will discover how crucial a reverent fear of G-d and loving obedience to His Torah/instructions/law is to our soul’s final disposition. But for now, let us return to where the Israelites were in their journey to the Promised Land.
In the beginning of our parashah, we find that the people are about to enter the Land G-d had promised. They are told in no uncertain terms that it was time to leave the unprecedented experience on Mt Sinai, and to take the land: “ Adonai spoke to us at Horev, He said ‘ You have lived long enough by this mountain.” Then He names the places that establish the border of Israel and instructed the Israelites to “ Go in and take possession of the land Adonai swore to give your ancestors, Avraham, Yitz’chak, and Ya’akov, and their descendants after them” ( Deut. 1:6-8).
On the eve of Moshe’s death and the next chapter of Israel’s destiny that will leave them without Moshe as their leader, he delivers three speeches grouped together, reminding them of their history, expounding on their laws, and instructing them on the importance of loyalty to G-d.
The foundation for faith and trust in the G-d of Israel, the book of Deuteronomy was one of the most popular at Qumran. This book is second only to the Psalms in terms of the number of scrolls that were located in the desert of Judea. None of the 33 scrolls found are complete, but at least a part of every chapter is represented.
Why is this important? I refer back to an actual example of a Pagan man I met briefly who in a short conversation about my role as a rabbi of which he was made aware when my landlord introduced me, voiced a reason for not accepting that the G-d of Israel is the One True G-d is at least in part because of multiple translations of the Bible of which none are “correct.” Although many of the words in G-d’s Torah have been mis transliterated, mistranslated, omitted and/or otherwise “watered down,” the concepts are unchanging and applicable to all mankind as I previously mentioned in this commentary.
Back to the Scrolls of Qumran, the list identifying the location of the scrolls found revealed that three of the scrolls were found at sites further to the south of Qumran including Masada, Nahal Hever which is an intermittent stream in the Judean desert that flows through the West Bank and Israel, and at Murabba’at which is a ravine in the West Bank 18 km (11.18 miles) from Qumran.
The significance of the list of the locations of the scrolls is significant for several reasons, two discussed in this commentary. The first is that one Greek copy of Deuteronomy was used and/or stored at Qumran, which means that at least some of the people living there spoke Greek as well as Hebrew or Aramaic. Secondly,
the scripts in Hebrew and Aramaic copied between roughly the mid third century BCE and the first century CE, alongside a few Greek biblical fragments revealed an unprecedented closeness of the Hebrew textual landscape that stood behind the Greek Septuagint of which original seems to have contained only the Pentateuch. During the second century BCE the rest of the Hebrew canon was translated into Greek. Eventually, some of the Septuagint also had the deuterocanonical or apocryphal books which were not part of the Hebrew canon.. Because the Septuagint is a translation produced by Jewish scholars in the third-second centuries, BCE, and because the Scrolls include Hebrew copies from just prior to and after that same window, their convergence and divergence are relevant to restoring the earliest attainable text of the Old Testament. This is what we should look for when studying the Scriptures for the most accurate translations. That is, the older the better!
The value of the Scrolls in the context of the Septuagint includes a range of Hebrew textual forms in circulation during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods. These include copies closely aligned to the later Masoretic tradition. One of the manuscripts were written in paleo-Hebrew script rather than the square script used for most of the other scrolls. But when the transliteration of the paleo-Hebrew and translation from Hebrew to English was made, it became clear that the traditional Hebrew Bible- the Masoretic text- is confirmed or supported s well as the Septuagint. The Masoretic text is the standard version of the Hebrew Bible finalized by Jewish scribes called Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries C.E. This version has the added vowel points and accents. Although some of the readings support different textual traditions, the concepts remain consistent.
The Book of Deuteronomy held such importance to the community at Qumran because of its emphasis on G-d’s “covenant” with Israel. This term is used 26 times. There are several references to the Community of the New (or Renewed) Covenant found in the writings that indicate the Qumran community perceived themselves in a covenant relationship with G-d.
Another reason for the importance of Deuteronomy to Qumran is the prominent place it affords to the Law and its interpretation. G-d’s Law was significant to the people of Qumran just as it is in the life of a true believer today. G-d’s Law/Torah/Instructions have not changed. Because G-d never changes and He is the Word, we can safely deduce that His Law/Torah/Instructions have not changed and “will never pass away”(Matt. 24:35).
Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 1:1-27
This is the third and last of the “prophecies of destruction,” that are read during the three weeks between the Fast of the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the Fast of the Ninth of Av. This haftarah is read the Shabbat before the Ninth of Av, the day of the first and second Temples were destroyed. This is the most fitting haftarah for the occasion. The vision Isaiah had clearly illustrated what was expected of B’nai Israel, and the low level to which they had fallen. In order to save the nation from itself, both the Temple and the state were destroyed. The haftarah concludes by giving us the formula for deliverance: “Zion will be redeemed by justice… (1:27). We must trust that G-d’s will is perfect, even when the storms of our lives seem overwhelming. Remember, “He who watches Israel (true believers) neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4). Also refer to Rom. 5:4; 8:28, and James 1:2-4.
B’rit Chadashah: Yochanan (John) 15:1-11; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 3:7-4:11
John 15:1-2 reads “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” The fact that “vine” describes both true believers and their Messiah reinforces the intimate identification of Yahshua with Israel (both Jew and Gentile true believers). The Messianic Jewish remnant will obey Yahshua’s command/Torah/Law, remain attached to the true vine, thereby having the sustaining power to bear good fruit.
Notice the reference to “fruit” and “pruning.” Fruit is that which grows naturally out of a plant or situation. In this context it refers to character qualities given to believers. The Greek word prune literally means “cleans.” Accordingly, in the aforementioned verse it means to cleanse from sin. Previously we learned that G-d chastises those He loves, and this process is necessary to produce perseverance and more trust unto salvation. Some of us will but most will not (Matt. 7:14-15,21; 22:14). These who do not are “cut off.” In verse 2 we read this term of being “cut off” in the context that if we do not bear fruit we shall be “cut off.” Daniel who wrote of the Messiah being “cut off” meaning executed may also help to explain “cut off.” So it is with people who do not honor the Sabbath and who reject G-d’s Torah (Rev. 22). With such people, even their prayers are an abomination (Prov.28:9). The aforementioned passages further define what “cut-off” means in the sense that an unfruitful person will be “cast into the fire and burned” (a reference to Hell elsewhere in Scripture).
John 15:2 and many others teach against the doctrine of “eternal security.” It also begs the question: Who shall (future tense) be saved? Someone who merely professes or one who professes and is fruitful, and how do we determine what “fruitful” is in G-d’s eyes? The rest of the passage in this section answers these questions. In John 15:3 Yahshua unequivocally states “you are clean through the word I have spoken to you.” Does this mean by believing some portion of what He spoke we are automatically saved? If this were true it would contradict His warning of being fruitful and the result of being pruned if we are not fruitful. And of what word is He speaking? Yahshua taught, upheld, and lived the Torah of G-d, His Father. He is the eternal, living, manifest Word of G-d. Unfortunately, many people take this statement out of context and paste their own brand of understanding originating from their own desires instead of properly interpreting Scripture. Yahshua further emphasized in this passage that He obeyed the Father (YHVH-Torah) and He admonishes us in verse 10 to obey His commands if we are to remain in His love. Our salvation depends on us remaining in His love. To be outside that love is to be lost. What we can understand from this portion of scripture if we correctly focus our minds and pray for understanding through the Ruach is an intricate weaving of a person’s profession and belief in Yahshua that mandates Torah obedience, and the doing of “good works.” This concept is not only staunchly taught by Yahshua’s brother James, but is supported and reinforced by Sha’ul ( Paul), contrary to what many Christians are taught. Trust and obedience necessarily leads to “good works” (Hebrews 3:7-4:11) on which we will be judged (Rev.22:12).
Again in this second passage of the B’rit Chadashah we are reminded of the consistency of G-d’s Torah. In this case it is the inextricable way in which obedience is tied to salvation. There can be no salvation in the absence of obedience to YHVH’s teaching/instruction (Torah). First comes our trust in the Living Torah, Yahshua and heart-felt repentance, followed by obedience to the written Torah of YHVH Elohim as we pray, study, internalize, and act upon that which we learn.
In Christian typology the “promised Land” is a type of Heaven where believers will find ultimately rest. Think about what the previous passages reveal to us; YHVH did not allow the first generation of Israelites who rebelled against His Torah to enter the “Promised Land.” Rather, He assigned them to death in the desert. How could this generation who witnessed the miracles, signs and wonders; provision of manna and water that YHVH provided fall so far? Yet, they continued to grumble against Moshe, Aharon, and most importantly, G-d. They were condemned to death, falling short of reaching the “Promised Land.” Why? That generation was disobedient to G-d’s Torah. We may correctly and easily apply this narrative to our own generation and consider whose side we are taking. Have we sided with the Levites as in the episode of the Golden Calf, or will we be destroyed with others who take their own path in their own wisdom?
One other point of interest in the passage is found in verse 12: “Watch out brothers, so that there will not be in any one of you an evil heart lacking trust, which could lead you to apostatize from the living G-d.” The Greek word used is “apostenai” from which we get the English word “apostatize.” Here it is translated “unbelieving; to fall away.” We must ask ourselves if it is possible for “true believers” to apostatize (to go away, desert, stand apart, become apostate)? Can a person fall away permanently or just be ‘back slidden’? Or do you choose to define this doctrine in a Calvinistic way where “believer” is defined as “tautologically” in such a way that no one so defined ever falls away? This issue should prompt us to seriously investigate YHVH/Yahshua’s definition of a true believer that can be found in the seven-fold witness in the book of Revelation, John 14, and Romans 3. If you have questions about what the seven-fold witness is and where the specific verses are located, you can post questions on our website at https://rabdavis.org under the “ask the rabbi” link. Once you identify the seven verses you may want to highlight them in some way for future reference. The destination of our souls depends on our free-will choice to meet this two-fold definition: one who carries the testimony of Yahshua and guards the commands of HaShem (Rev. 1:2, Rev. 1:9; Rev. 6:9; Rev. 12:17; Rev. 14:12; Rev. 15:2-3; Rev. 20:4).
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart