HANUKKAH:

SHOULD TORAH-OBSERVANT BELIEVERS KEEP IT?

[ verses quoted are from the Holy Bible: Ancient Paths Version ]
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The Truth About

The Doctrine of Salvation

Introduction

The doctrine of salvation is the most significant doctrine of the Holy Scriptures because whether or not you understand it properly may very well determine whether or not you will enter into the Kingdom of Elohim[1] for all eternity. We cannot afford to get this doctrine wrong; our very lives hang in the balance!

Since this doctrine is so important, it would be wise for us to investigate it thoroughly, starting with asking ourselves the following questions: How do we achieve salvation? When do we receive salvation, in this lifetime or at the end when Yeshua[2] returns and resurrects the saints? Is Paul’s teaching on salvation consistent with the commandments of Elohim and the testimony of the leaders of the faith, from the beginning? Finally, is the doctrine that “Works do not produce salvation; salvation produces works” true, as many Torah[3]-observant people have come to believe? All of these challenging questions will be answered in this article, so let’s get started!

After Moses delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, he led them to Mt. Sinai. There, Elohim instructed him, as His mediator, to propose a covenant to the Israelites. Exodus 19:3-9 states, “And Moses went up to Elohim, and YHVH called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a set apart3 nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which YHVH commanded him. Then all the people answered together and said, “All that YHVH has spoken we will do.”

So Moses brought back the words of the people to YHVH. And YHVH said to Moses, “Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever.” So Moses told the words of the people to YHVH.” Notice the statement, “‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a set apart nation.’” This proves that, even though the covenant that Elohim made with Abraham was now unconditional, His covenant with Abraham’s descendants remained conditional, based on their obedience!

After Moses delivered the commandments, statutes, and judgments of Elohim to the Israelites recorded in Exodus chapters 20 through 23, he pressed them to confirm their decision two more times. Exodus 24:3-8 states, “So Moses came and told the people all the words of YHVH and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which YHVH has said we will do.” And Moses wrote all the words of YHVH. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to YHVH. And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that YHVH has said we will do, and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which YHVH has made with you according to all these words.”

In New Testament times, those who accept Yeshua as their Savior enter into the New Covenant with God, which is the same covenant, but based on better promises.

There is a meme that's been circulating on Facebook in Hebrew Roots groups that has various adaptations, but is often worded something like this: "We don't keep the Torah to be saved; we keep it because we are saved." Is this true?

The Hebrew Roots community believes that salvation is a two-step process. The first step is the one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior through faith alone, which results in having our past sins forgiven (Rom. 3:23-25). The second step is a lifelong process of overcoming sin to the end (Rev. 2:26: etc.) through the combination of faith and works (James 2:14-26).

A careful reading of the meme’s message, though, will prove that it conflates the two steps of salvation into one, the first step when we accept Messiah Yeshua as Savior. This raises the question of who is promoting this teaching. It appears to be a conflicting mixture of Torah-observant doctrine with Baptist, once saved, always saved, doctrine. One way or the other, this teaching is a heresy that can lead to God’s people not striving to overcome sin to the end and ultimately losing their salvation. Thus, this false teaching and those who promote it need to be rooted out of the Hebrew Roots community.

It assigns salvation that occurs at the end when Yeshua returns to resurrect the saints, to the first step

In his book titled, The Other End of the World, pp. 23-24, Roger Rusk wrote, “The ceremony at Mt. Sinai was a wonderful wedding ceremony. In it there is a courtship, a proposal, an acceptance, a period of getting ready, and a presiding minister. The Lord [YHVH] spoke His vows; the people of Israel spoke their vows. The people became very nervous with some bridal jitters during the ceremony. They even ran away for a while. There was music, a wedding feast; the whole ceremony is complete. It was a wonderful ceremony when Elohim married Israel at Mt. Sinai. This is a covenant, a contract; but a highly conditional one. Elohim said, if, if, if, right on down the line. And the people accepted those conditions. First of all the Law is given and written for them as part of the marriage contract. With no other people did Elohim ever enter into contract on the basis of the Law like He did with Israel on that day. And the Law is more than the Ten Commandments. After hearing the Ten Commandments, the people ran away. That is all they heard. But in Exodus 21, 22, 23 there are more laws and judgments. All are part of the contract” (emphasis mine). This covenant that Elohim made with Moses’ generation of Israelites is known as the Mosaic covenant and as Roger Rusk so aptly explains, it was a “highly conditional” one!

In Deuteronomy 7:6-12, Moses reminded the Israelites that the covenant Elohim had made with them was conditional, based on their obedience. He stated, “For you are a set apart people to YHVH your Elohim; YHVH your Elohim has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. “YHVH did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; “but because YHVH loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, YHVH has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. “Therefore know that YHVH your Elohim, He is Elohim, the faithful Elohim who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; “and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. “Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them. “Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that YHVH your Elohim will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.”

Notice that in verse 8, Moses states that YHVH “would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers.” Then, in verse 9, Moses describes YHVH as, “the faithful Elohim who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Of course, this statement implies that YHVH will terminate His covenant with those who break their covenant with Him! Finally, in verse 12, Moses adds, “Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that YHVH your Elohim will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.” In all three passages quoted above, the status of God’s covenant with the Israelites is conditional, based on their obedience.

Most teachers in the Hebrew Roots community are now teaching their followers that: We don't keep the Torah to be saved; we keep it because we are saved." Is this true?

After Moses delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, he led them to Mt. Sinai. There, Elohim instructed him, as His mediator, to propose a covenant to the Israelites. He said, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a set apart nation’” (Ex. 19:3-9).

“Works do not produce salvation; it is salvation that produces works.” Are these statements true?

What does the statement, "We don't keep the Torah to be saved; we keep it because we are saved" Others teach their followers to "Keep the Torah, not for your salvation, but because of your salvation."

The Apostle Paul revealed a very important principle in 1 Corinthians 15:46. He wrote, “However that which is spiritual is not first, but that which is physical, then that which is spiritual.” During Old Testament times, Israel was a physical-minded people; they had a physical king; they had a physical temple; the Torah was written on physical material, stone; their enemies and weapons were physical; life and death were physical; and they entered into a physical Promised Land, Israel; etc. Conversely, during New Testament times, remnant Israel is a spiritually minded people (Gal. 3:7); we have a King who is a spirit being (John 4:24), Yeshua; we are a spiritual temple (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; Eph. 2:14-22; 2 Thess. 2:4); the Torah is written on spiritual material, our hearts (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-13); our enemies and weapons are spiritual (Eph. 6:10-20); life and death are spiritual (2 Cor. 4:18); and we will enter into a spiritual Promised Land (Heb. 11:13-16), the Kingdom of Elohim (John 3:3-6; 1 Cor. 15:50).

Sadly, there are many devout Believers in the Hebrew Roots community who believe that God will have a servant raise up a “third” temple and restore the sacrificial system. This will not happen. Paul’s principle mentioned above concludes when the superior, spiritual state is achieved. Not only that, but the second spiritual temple, which was built by Yeshua, who dedicated it to His Father, is the ultimate temple. Do we really believe that Yeshua’s temple will be superseded by a temple with a sacrificial system?

So, what about Ezekiel’s temple? If a temple is raised up, it will, no doubt, be a deception.

Torah Established and Upheld

Elohim established both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant on the Torah (Jer. 31:31-33), and the true leaders of the faith upheld it throughout time. Below are a few examples of this:

In the Old Testament, when the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai, Elohim spoke to them through Moses saying, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice, and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine” (Ex. 19:5). Verse 8 adds, “All the people answered together, and said, “All that יהוה[4] has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to יהוה.” After the Israelites agreed to the terms of the Old Covenant, Elohim gave them His commandments” (Ex. 20).

A short time later, Elohim spoke to the Israelites, saying, “Oh, that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” (Deut. 5:29).

Before Joshua lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, he paused to address them, saying, “This book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. Then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. יהוה your Elohim is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:8-9). Verse 16 adds, “They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.”

After the Israelites were settled in the Promised Land, King Solomon wrote, “This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear Elohim, and keep His commandments, for this makes man whole. For Elohim will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil” (Eccl. 12:13-14).

In the Eighth-Century BC, the prophet Isaiah warned the Israelites against those who would teach against the Torah. He wrote, “To the Torah and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, surely there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20). The significance of Isaiah’s warning cannot be overstated, for it would soon come to reveal whether or not anyone who claimed to be a teacher during New Testament times was actually a true teacher.

When Yeshua arrived on the scene during New Testament times, He made it clear that He was the light (John 8:12), and that He upheld the Torah and the testimony, proving that He passed Isaiah’s test. He stated, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fill it to its fullest. For amen, I tell you, until the heavens and the earth pass away, not even one yod[5] or one stroke[6] shall in any way pass away from the Torah, until all things are accomplished” (Matt. 5:17-18). He also stated, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will tell Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice Torahlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23). Again He stated, “…But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matt. 19:17).

The Apostle John also upheld the Torah and the testimony. He wrote, “This is love, that we should walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it” (2 John 1:6).

James, the brother of Yeshua, who was head of the Jerusalem congregation, also upheld the Torah and the testimony. He wrote, “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20).

The Apostle John also wrote the following statement in the Book of Revelation, “Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of Elohim, and the faith of Yeshua” (Rev. 14:12). Also, in the Book of Revelation John quoted Yeshua as stating, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city” (Rev. 22:14).

These are just a few Old and New Testament examples of Elohim establishing the Torah (Jer. 31:31-33) and a few prominent leaders of the faith upholding it.

Was Paul a False Apostle?

The fact that the Torah was upheld by the true leaders of the faith throughout the periods of both the Old and New Testaments begs the question, “What caused mainstream Christianity to come to speak against it?” Incredibly, this is the very thing the prophet Isaiah had warned against. Some believe that Paul was a false apostle and that he was the reason why mainstream Christianity became apostate. Is this so?

When Paul was brought before the Roman Prefect, Felix, when he was accused of insurrection and profaning the temple, he defended himself, saying, “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the Elohim of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the Torah, and which are written in the prophets” (Acts: 24:14). Clearly, like all the prominent leaders of the faith before him, Paul too upheld the Torah and the testimony. However, when studying Paul’s writings, we must keep in mind that Luke tells us that they are hard to understand and that unlearned people twist and “…fall from [their] own steadfastness” (2 Pet. 3:14-17). So the question is, do people twist Paul’s writings by teaching that he taught the Gentiles that they too were required to keep the Torah and the testimony just as all the prominent leaders of the faith taught, or by teaching that they were not required to keep the Torah and the testimony? Of course, the answer is that they twist Paul’s writings by teaching that Gentiles are not required to keep the Torah and the testimony. Of course, if Paul had taught the Gentiles that they were not commanded to keep the Torah and the testimony, he would have been a false apostle according to the Prophet Isaiah (Isa. 8:20).

Paul is well known for making this controversial statement: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim, not of works, that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Most Christians interpret it to mean that they receive salvation in this lifetime. This is not so!

Two Steps of Salvation

The Scriptures teach that salvation is achieved in two steps, “justification” and “sanctification.” Justification is a one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior and having our past sins forgiven (Rom. 5:1; 3:24; 4:24-25; Titus 3:7; etc.). Sanctification is a lifelong process of keeping Torah by faith and overcoming sin to the end (Matt. 10:22; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13; Rev. 2:26), when we receive salvation (Rom. 6:22; 1 Thess. 4:1-10; 1 Cor. 1:2; etc.).

In Paul’s letter to the Romans he addresses the difference between justification and sanctification. With regard to justification he wrote, “Having been therefore justified by faith, we have peace with Elohim through our Master Yeshua Messiah” (Rom. 5:1). With regard to sanctification he wrote, “But now, having been set free from sin, and having become servants of Elohim, have your fruit unto sanctification, and its end, eternal life” (Rom. 6:22). He also wrote, “For Elohim called us not unto uncleanness, but onto sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:7). He added, “Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into transgression, but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and sanctification with sobriety” (1 Tim. 2:14-15). He also added, “Follow after peace with all men, and sanctification, without which no man will see the Lord…” (Heb. 12:14). Notice that in each of these Scriptural references, with the one exception of the first that addresses justification, all the people who Paul referenced were in the process of achieving sanctification, meaning that they had not yet received salvation.

Now let’s return to Paul’s statement in Ephesians 2:8-9 mentioned above, which reads, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim, not of works, that no one may boast.” Those who interpret this statement to mean that we receive salvation in this lifetime conflate justification with sanctification. Thankfully, Paul speaks of salvation and works in more exact terms in Romans 3:28. He wrote, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Torah.” Here, Paul specifically states that the “works of the Torah” are not required for the sake of justification, which is only the first step of salvation, the one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior and having our past sins forgiven. Paul never said in any of his letters that works were not required for sanctification, the lifelong process of keeping Torah in faith and overcoming sin to the end when we receive salvation.

Did Paul contradict James

Most Christians cannot resolve why Paul’s statement on justification is opposite to James' statement on justification. James wrote, “You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith” (James 2:24). However, Paul wrote, “We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Torah” (Rom. 3:28; cf. vv. 21-22; Gal. 2:16). A careful comparison of these statements seems to suggest that they flat-out contradict one another. Is this so?

Martin Luther, the Catholic “theologian” who started the Protestant Reformation, recognized this supposed contradiction and falsely concluded, “Therefore St. James' Epistle is really an epistle of straw, compared to them; for it has nothing of the nature of the Gospel about it.” Sadly, Luther was an anti-Semite who rejected the Torah and the testimony, and as a result, pointed to the gospels as being the foundation of the faith rather than the Old Testament Scriptures. If he had heeded Isaiah’s warning, and if there were indeed a contradiction between James and Paul’s statements, he would have rejected Paul for speaking against the Torah and the testimony, not James.

While it is true that Paul’s statement in Romans 3:28 and James’ statement in James 2:24 are opposites of one another, it is not true that they contradict one another. In fact, properly understood, they are in complete harmony with one another. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13; Gal. 2:1-10) and in accordance with his ministry he addressed the fledging Roman congregation in a letter, from where his statement was quoted. In contrast, James was the head of the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem and in accordance with his ministry he addressed, “the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion” (James 1:1), in a letter, from where his statement was quoted. The reason why Paul tells the Romans who were converting to the faith that, “…a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Torah”, and James tells the Israelites that, “…by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith”, is because they are speaking to their respective groups who were at different stages of their spiritual walk.

Again, justification is a one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior and having our past sins forgiven. So, the reason why James tells the Israelites, “…by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith”, is because they were already in covenant with Elohim and, as a result, were required to keep the Torah (James 1:2, 16, 19, etc.) during the time of their justification. In contrast, the reason why Paul tells the Roman who were converting to the faith that, “…a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Torah”, is because they were Gentiles who were not in covenant with Elohim and, as a result, were not required to keep the Torah during the time of their justification. However, once they were justified by faith and entered into a covenant with Elohim, they were required to keep the Torah and seek salvation through the lifelong process of sanctification, just as the Jews were required to do so.

Furthermore, most Christians interpret Paul’s statement, “We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Torah” out of context. Just three verses later, in verse 31, he wrote about the second step of salvation: sanctification. He said, “Do we then nullify the Torah through faith? May it not be! No, we uphold the Torah.” Thus, the truth is that Paul upheld the Torah and the testimony just as all of the leaders of the faith did before him, including: Moses, Joshua, King Solomon, the Prophet Isaiah, James, John and Yeshua, etc..

Finally, the Scriptures teach that there is one Torah for both the native-born and those who are grafted in (Ex. 12:49; Lev. 24:22; Num. 9:14; 15:16). The “native-born” is a reference to the Jews and “those who are grafted in” is a reference to the Gentiles.

False Doctrine of Salvation

Does Obedience Come Before or After Salvation?

Most teachers in the Hebrew Roots community are now teaching their followers that “Works do not produce salvation; it is salvation that produces works.” Are these statements true?

The Scriptures teach that salvation is achieved in two steps, “justification” and “sanctification.” Justification is a one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior and having our past sins forgiven (Rom. 3:23-25). Sanctification starts at the same time as justification and continues on in a lifelong process of keeping the Torah by faith and overcoming sin to the end when we receive salvation (Matt. 10:22; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13; Rev. 2:26).

If we were to apply the statement, “Works do not produce salvation; it is salvation that produces works,” to the first step of salvation alone, which is justification, then it would be technically true because when we accept Messiah Yeshua as our Savior, we are saved from our past sins. However, this application is irrelevant because those who share this statement, and others like it, don't mean it this way. If they did, they would tell us that it only applies to our past sins, but this is not the case. Rather, they conflate justification and sanctification and apply both to the one-time act of accepting Messiah Yeshua as Savior, thus canceling out the process of sanctification. Then, as a result, they refer to themselves as being saved, in the sense of having received salvation. Of course, this is not true because the Scriptures teach that “…he who endures to the end will be saved” (cited above). Thus, since we don’t receive salvation until the end, it follows that we cannot produce works in this lifetime as a result of having achieved salvation, proving their doctrine to be false.

Correctly stated, the statement above should read, “Works do not produce salvation; faith and works do." This is consistent with James' statements, “…faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17).

This Satan-inspired doctrine is nothing more than a mixture of the keeping God’s Torah, which is characteristic of the Hebrew Roots community, and “once saved; always saved” doctrine, which is characteristic of mainstream Christianity and Messianic Judaism. Satan’s goal is to deceive Believers into sinning through the mixture of holy and unholy doctrine (Ezek. 44:23) to cause us to lose our salvation, just as He deceived Adam and Eve who sinned and lost their lives in the Garden of Eden.

The truth of the matter is that when we enter into a covenant with Elohim, we are required to keep the Torah as a condition of that covenant.

we produce works because we are, who commands to do so.

Yeshua states, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever…” (John 14:15-16). Notice that Yeshua made a connection to the keeping of the commandments with the receiving of the Helper, the Holy Spirit (vs. 26; cf. 15:26; 16:7). Why? The answer is found in Acts 1:8, where Yeshua states, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Thus, since we cannot keep the commandments of Elohim perfectly on our own (Rom. 3:23), our Father helps us keep them by the power of the Holy Spirit.

While it is true that we are able to produce works through the power of the Holy Spirit in this lifetime, it is not true that we have already received salvation as a result of having the Holy Spirit in this lifetime. In speaking of Messiah Yeshua, Paul wrote, “…in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the good news of your salvation, in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the own possession of Elohim, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14). He also wrote, “Now He who establishes us with you in Messiah, and anointed us, is Elohim; who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). He adds, “Now He who made us for this very thing is Elohim, who also gave to us the earnest of the spirit” (2 Cor. 5:5).

Thus, the doctrine, “Works do not produce salvation; it is salvation that produces works” is false. Rightly said, this statement should state, "Works do not produce salvation; faith and works produces salvation.”

The danger of this Satan-inspired doctrine cannot be overstated. Those who live by it thinking that they have already achieved salvation in this lifetime are much more likely to use the grace of Elohim as a license to sin, and ironically, lose their salvation as a result.

Paul admonishes us to “Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). He also admonishes us to “…make [our] calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10-11). We would be wise to follow his advice!

Conclusion

Many Believers are uncomfortable with the uncertainty of not knowing if they are going to receive salvation, so they deceive themselves into believing that the Scriptures teach that they have already received it in this lifetime. This is not so. While we do not achieve our ultimate salvation in this lifetime, we can certainly live our lives in hope of it. Paul wrote, “But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). He also states, “For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruit of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Rom. 22-25).

May יהוה bless you!

Stephen P. Otto

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Quotations must include Bible translation name or abbreviation APV.

[1] Hebrew title for God.

[2] Hebrew, personal name of Jesus.

[3] The Law of Elohim, meaning His commandments.

[4] Hebrew, personal name of Elohim.

[5] Gr, “iota,” which is the equivalent of the Hebrew “yod” (י), the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

[6] Gr. “keraia,” which is the smallest part of a letter, or stroke of a pen, referred to as “horns.” The fact that Greek letters do not have horns suggests that Matthew was originally written in the Hebrew alphabet and language.

HANUKKAH:
SHOULD TORAH-OBSERVANT BELIEVERS KEEP IT?

Introduction

John’s good news[1] account tells us that Yeshua[2] was present at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah. Hanukkah means "dedication" in Hebrew (John 10:22-23). It was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus in 164 BC to commemorate the purification and rededication of the temple altar after it was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, the Greek ruler of Syria. Antiochus had placed an altar to the pagan god Zeus in the temple and sacrificed a pig, which is an unclean animal, on the Altar of Burnt Offerings. Hanukkah is an eight-day annual feast that begins on the 25th of Chislev, which corresponds to the middle of December.

Since Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah, some Believers in the Hebrew Roots community choose to keep it. However, others choose not to, mainly because it is not a commanded observance in the Scriptures. The Hanukkah account provides little information on which to base an opinion. Nonetheless, Proverbs 25:2 states, “It is the glory of Elohim to conceal a matter, but it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.” So, let us expand our search into the surrounding chapters of the account to gain a broader perspective.

[1] Often left untranslated as the Greek word “Gospel.”

[2] Hebrew personal name for Jesus.

Yeshua’s Spiritual Temple

Sometime before the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua made a startling declaration. As the mediator of the new covenant, He declared, “I will build my congregation…”[1] (Matt. 16:18), which is referred to as the Body of Messiah or the “Israel of Elohim” (Gal. 6:16) by the New Testament writers. According to them, it is the spiritual temple (Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; 1 Pet. 2:4-5). With regard to this temple, Paul wrote, “So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of Elohim, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in יהוה,[2] in whom you also are built together for a habitation of Elohim in the spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

There have been three temples since God chose Israel as His people: Solomon’s temple, Ezra’s temple, and Yeshua’s temple. Although Solomon dedicated the first temple to God (1 Kings 8:2), He allowed it to be destroyed and replaced by the second temple. Similarly, although Ezra dedicated the second temple to God, He allowed it to be desecrated and subsequently cleansed by the Maccabees, only to be destroyed and replaced by Yeshua’s spiritual temple. Yeshua dedicated His temple to God, after the Passover supper, just before the Romans executed Him on a stake (John 17). Paul wrote, “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). This means that Yeshua's spiritual temple is eternal and is the final, ultimate temple.

Paul revealed an important principle in 1 Corinthians 15:46: “…the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.” During Old Testament times, the Israelites were a physical-minded people. They had a physical king. They had a physical temple. They offered up physical sacrifices. The Torah was written on physical material, stone. Their enemies and weapons were physical. And they entered into a physical Promised Land, Israel. In contrast, during New Testament times, remnant Israel is a spiritual-minded people (Gal. 3:7). We have a King who is a spirit being, Yeshua (John 4:24). We are a spiritual temple (Eph. 2:14-22; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; 2 Thess. 2:4). We “…offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Elohim through Yeshua Messiah…” (1 Pet. 2:4-6). The Torah is written on spiritual material, our hearts (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-13). Our enemies and weapons are spiritual (Eph. 6:10-20). We have a “…better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises…” (Heb. 8:6), including the “promise of the eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15; 2 Cor. 4:18). Thus, we will enter into a spiritual Promised Land (Heb. 11:13-16), the Kingdom of God (John 3:3-6; 1 Cor. 15:50). Notice that Paul did not say, first the natural, then the spiritual, and then back to the natural. He said, “…the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.” This confirms that in New Testament times, Yeshua's spiritual temple is eternal and is the final, ultimate temple.

In a significant statement related to Passover, Paul wrote: “Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:27-28). Paul's call for self-examination goes beyond the Passover supper memorial and extends to a yearly rededication to God. This rededication is not of the physical temple cleansed by the Maccabees, but of the spiritual temple dedicated to God by Yeshua. Yeshua dedicated His temple to His Father on Passover, and since then, His followers have been examining themselves and rededicating themselves to God yearly. However, they did not fully understand the significance of what they were doing in terms of Yeshua’s spiritual temple.

Yeshua and His disciples taught that His spiritual temple replaced the previous physical temples. This begs the question; then, “Why was Yeshua at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah?”

The Plot to Kill Yeshua

To fully understand why Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah, we need to know that the Jews were trying to kill Him at the time. The Apostle John wrote, “After these things, Yeshua was walking in Galilee, for He would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now, the Feast of Tabernacles was near. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here, and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see Your works which You do. For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, reveal Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him. Yeshua therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because My time is not yet fulfilled.” Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee. But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He also went up, not publicly, but as it were, in secret. The Jews therefore sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but He leads the multitude astray.” Yet no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews. But when it was now the middle of the feast, Yeshua went up into the temple and taught. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?” Yeshua therefore answered them, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone desires to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from Elohim,[3] or if I am speaking from Myself. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” Did Moses not give you the Torah, and yet none of you do the Torah? Why do you seek to kill Me?” The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” (John 7:1-20). Thus, the Jews were trying to kill Yeshua well before the Feast of Hanukkah began.

The Feast of Tabernacles

During the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua healed a man born blind. Afterward, the Pharisees questioned him and threw him out (John 9:13-34). Let’s pick up the account in verse 35: “Yeshua heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Elohim?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Yeshua said to him, “You have both seen Him, and it is He who speaks with you.” He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped Him. Yeshua said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” Yeshua said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin, but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains. Truly, truly I tell you, one who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Yeshua spoke this parable to them, but they did not understand what He was telling them. Yeshua therefore said to them again, “Amen, amen, I tell you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know My own, and I am known by My own; even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. Therefore, the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I may take it again. No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down by Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I received this commandment from My Father.” Therefore, a division arose again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It is not possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?” (John 9:35-10:21).

The Feast of Hanukkah

About two months after the Feast of Tabernacles, John places Yeshua in the temple during Hanukkah. He wrote, “Now, it was the Feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Yeshua was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. The Jews therefore came around Him and said, “How long will You hold us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Yeshua answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name. These testify about Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I told you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One…” (John 10:22-30). Notice that Yeshua spoke to the Jews about His sheep during both the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Hanukkah.

Yeshua’s Sheep

During the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua did not go to the temple until the "middle of the feast" to avoid the Jews who were trying to kill him. This raises the question of why He risked His life by going to the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah, which is not a commanded observance. Yeshua's decision to go to the temple during Hanukkah indicates that there must have been a significant reason for it. A closer examination of the Hanukkah account reveals that His visit to the temple and His exchange with the Jews proves to be related to them trying to steal His sheep during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 10:1-21).

At the Feast of Tabernacles, Yeshua shared a long message in which He referred to Himself as the “Good Shepherd,” His followers as “sheep,” and the Pharisees as “wolves” who snatch the Good Shepherd’s sheep out of His hand and scatter them (John 10:12). The last detail John told us was: “Therefore, a division arose again among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It is not possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?” (John 10:19-21).

Shortly after that, Yeshua was at the Feast of Hanukkah in a confrontation with the Jews over His sheep. He said, “Neither shall anyone snatch them [His sheep] out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One…” This implies that the accusation of the Jews at the Feast of Tabernacles that Yeshua was demon-possessed caused a number of His sheep to be scattered as He had foretold in John 10:12. This resulted in Yeshua going to the temple during the Feast of Hanukkah about two months later. As the Good Shepherd, He was walking in Solomon’s Porch to find His sheep and to bring them back home (Matt. 18:10-14; Luke 15:4-7).

Biblical Feasts Were Planned, but not Hanukkah

There is a noticeable difference between the way the New Testament writers acknowledged an upcoming biblical feast day and the way they acknowledged the Feast of Hanukkah. When a biblical feast day was approaching, the writer would say something like: “Now, the Feast of Tabernacles was near” (John 7:2), or “You know that after two days the Passover is coming…” (Matt. 26:2), or “But I will stay at Ephesus until the Feast of Weeks…” (1 Cor. 16:8). This indicates that the Jews had great reverence for the biblical feast days and that they acknowledged them beforehand because a good amount of preparation was necessary to keep them. In contrast, this is the way John acknowledged the Feast of Hanukkah: “Now, it was the Feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem.” Notice that John did not acknowledge Hanukkah beforehand, which implies that Yeshua’s presence at the feast was not planned. This is another reason why Yeshua was not at the Feast of Hanukkah to celebrate it but to find His sheep and bring them back home. Also, since Yeshua was at the Feast of Hanukkah to find His sheep, He likely limited His time there to the Sabbath, which is a commanded observance, as the Jews were still determined to kill Him.

Miracle of the Oil

In his book, Antiquities of the Jews, XII, Josephus, a prominent, first-century Jewish historian refers to the rededication of the temple altar as the Festival of Lights. Interestingly, he does not mention the "miracle of the oil", which is often associated with Hanukkah. This miracle is said to have occurred when one cruse of oil, enough to light the temple for about one day, ended up providing light for eight days. The "miracle" is not mentioned in the apocryphal books 1st or 2nd Maccabees either. In fact, the first time the "miracle" is mentioned is in the Babylonian Talmud (Sabbath 21b), which was written over three hundred years after the event. This means that the commentary was written about 136 AD, well after the time of Yeshua.

The Jewish Encyclopedia's article on "Hanukkah" reads, “The actual reason for the selection of the twenty-fifth of Kislev by Judas Maccabeus for the dedication of the altar is stated to have been, as mentioned above, that on the very same day three years earlier Antiochus Epiphanes had a pagan altar set up at the altar of burnt offerings in the Temple of Jerusalem and sacrifices offered to his idol (I Macc. a. 41-64; comp. II Macc. vi. 2, where the heathen god is called “Zeus Olympius”). The twenty-fifth of Kislev was accordingly a day sacred also to the heathen before it became a Jewish festival. According to Ewald (“Gesch. des Volkes Israel,” 3d ed., iv. 407) and Wellhausen (“Israelitische und Jüdische Gesch.” p. 210; comp. Paulus Cassel, “Weihnachten,” pp. 57, 97, and p. lii., notes), it had been celebrated as the winter solstice feast by the Jewish people before it became a historical festival associated with the great Maccabean victory. Regarding the historical data connected with the Ḥanukkah feast see Maccabees; Maccabees, Books of.”[4]

When Yeshua was at the temple during the Feast of Dedication, He too did not mention the “miracle of the oil.” He also did not talk about the topic of light. Instead, it was at the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurred about two months prior, when He proclaimed, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). This raises the question of why Yeshua did not wait to share His message that He is the light of the world at the Festival of Lights, which is what Hanukkah is also known as. The fact that He did not share this message at the Feast of Hanukkah suggests that the "miracle of the oil" may not be true and that the Jewish Encyclopedia was correct in saying that Hanukkah, “…had been celebrated as the winter solstice feast by the Jewish people before it became a historical festival associated with the great Maccabean victory.”

Conclusion

Some people who identify with the Hebrew Roots movement believe that Yeshua kept Hanukkah because He was present at the temple during the feast. However, this is reading preconceived beliefs into the text. For example, someone could be at a bank during a robbery, but that does not necessarily mean that that person was involved in the robbery. Nonetheless, Yeshua had a reason for being at the temple during Hanukkah. A straightforward reading of the account shows that it was His sheep. As the Good Shepherd, He was walking on Solomon’s Porch to find His sheep that the Jews had scattered during the Feast of Tabernacles and to bring them back home (Matt. 18:10-14; Luke 15:4-7).

Since Yeshua did not go to the temple until the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles because the Jews were trying to kill Him, it is likely that during the Feast of Hanukkah, He only went to the temple on the Sabbath, which is a commanded observance. This would explain why there is only one recorded exchange with the Jews during the entire eight-day feast.

Interestingly, John was the only good news writer to have shared the account of Hanukkah, which implies that the other good news writers and disciples were not present at the feast.

Before a biblical feast day, the New Testament writers would acknowledge that it was approaching beforehand (John 7:2; Matt. 26:2; 1 Cor. 16:8), as it required preparation. However, John did not acknowledge Hanukkah beforehand, which suggests that Yeshua's presence at the feast was not planned. John simply wrote, "Now, it was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem."

Yeshua proclaimed, “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12) during the Feast of Tabernacles, about two months before the Feast of Hanukkah. This implies that the “miracle of the oil” associated with Hanukkah is a myth.

Some people argue that without Hanukkah, there would be no Savior. However, such an argument is false because it makes God’s will contingent upon the free will of man. John, the Immerser said, “Do not think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father, ‘for I tell you that Elohim is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matt. 3:9). Therefore, God can raise an army of Jews from stones and have one of them give birth to the Savior.

In this study, I explored the question of whether Torah-observant Believers should celebrate Hanukkah. Based on my research, I’ve concluded that the answer is "No" for the following reasons. Firstly, there is no evidence to suggest that Yeshua actually participated in the eight-day Feast of Hanukkah, despite being present during the event. Secondly, there is evidence that Yeshua did not participate in the event, the evidence I shared in this document. This includes the fact that He is currently building the ultimate temple, and honoring a lesser, former temple that no longer exists would detract from the significance of His temple and dishonor Him.

[1] The words of יהוה in the Old Testament and the words of Yeshua in the New Testament are presented in blue type, which is consistent with the reason why יהוה commanded the children of Israel to attach a blue cord in their tassels (Num. 15:37-41). (See the Introduction of The Ancient Paths Version for the full description).

[2] Hebrew, personal name for God.

[3] The Hebrew title for God.

[4] Jewish Encyclopedia, Hanukkah, Kaufmann Kohler.

יהוה bless and keep you. יהוה make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. יהוה lift up His face toward you, and give you peace.

Stephen Otto

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