12/14/2007 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

Tonight I would like to share a scripture study concerning a portion of Yahushua's sermon on the mount.

It is commonly believed that the words spoken in this portion represent a 'new teaching' based on the 'new testament/covenant' that either changes or is in opposition to what is found in the Tanakh/Old Testament (OT).

Some say that Yahushua was presenting a new law that is "based on the heart" rather than "that old Mosaic law that was based on outward appearance".

Long studies are done by various Christians detailing the vast differences they perceive between the Old Testament and New Testament.

Such studies are embraced and believed by the masses.

Tonight we will examine one of the most commonly quoted teachings of Yahushua, but we will examine it in full context. We'll also compare with other scriptures.

Let's start at verse 17 of Matthew 5 where Yahushua says:

Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 - For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:19 - Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In a study I shared earlier this year, we examined these verses and their meaning more thoroughly. It was concluded that Yahushua was upholding the Torah and not changing it or abolishing it. It is interesting that Yahushua would give such a clear statement that He didn't come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it

For many twist Yahushua's words that follow these statements to teach just that.

They say that we are free to break those commandments in Yahweh's law because Yahushua did away with them.

It is also commonly believed that since Yahushua "Fulfilled" the law, we need not do so. But this is not true. One of the points brought out by the earlier study was that we are encouraged by other so-called 'new testament' scriptures to be like Yahushua and fulfill the law:

Romans 13:8 - Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Romans 5:14 - Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

wrong book

Galatians 5:14 - For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

1John 2:6 - He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Therefore, by these words alone we know that Yahushua cannot be abolishing/changing the Torah/law in what He is about to say.

He can't be saying that "fulfill" means "do away with", else we would no longer need to love

In fact, He specifically says that whoever breaks one of the least of the Torah commandments will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. And those who do and teach them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. All this, while specifically saying that He did not come to destroy/abolish the law.

So let's continue continue in Matthew 5 until we reach the end of the chapter:

Matthew 5:20 - For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

For some reason, many believe that the Scribes and Pharisees were a people who could be characterized as keepers of the Law.

Some also believe that even though the Scribes and Pharisees were keeping the law, that law-keeping wasn't good enough for Yahweh and so now there is a 'new law' based on the heart.

They say that Yahushua "internalized" the law.

Is this scriptural?

First of all, let's see if the Scribes and Pharisees were really keeping the law.

When addressing them, Yahushua said:

John 7:19 - Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

He plainly said that not one of them keeps the law. Another time Yahushua said:

Matthew 23:23 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

So it is evident that they were not only breaking the law of Yahweh, they were ignoring the most important parts of it!

Yahushua plainly said that judgment, mercy and faith are all part of the "weightier matters" of Yahweh's law. Yet some today act as if mercy and faith have nothing to do with the law.

In another place Stephen said of them:

Acts 7:52 - Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Therefore we can quickly dismiss the idea that the Scribes and Pharisees (as a whole) were law keepers. They were not law keepers, they were law breakers!

It is true that they at least believed in keeping the law, but scripture says that they did not keep it. In fact, Yahushua said they omitted the weightier matters of the law.

So did Yahushua "internalize" an "external" standard of righteousness found in the Torah/Law? We will see.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:21 - Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Matthew 5:22 - But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Is this a changed teaching that those who do these things are "in danger" of judgment or the lake of fire?

Surely not, for this concept is one of the first things spoken in scripture. Yahweh gave Cain a warning about the potential of his anger:

Genesis 4:6 - And YAHWEH said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:7 - If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

So Yahweh had warned Cain about his anger and where it would lead. Cain was in danger of condemnation. He was angry at his brother without cause.

Cain eventually was judged by Yahweh to be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth (Gen 4:12).

In the Psalms, we also are warned about anger:

Psalms 37:8 - Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Cain hated a righteous man without a cause, and murder was the result. The Psalmist also knew how wrong it was to hate someone without a cause:

Psalms 7:3 - O YAHWEH my Elohim, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

Psalms 7:4 - If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

Psalms 7:5 - Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

Nowhere in the Torah is it taught that we should hate our brother without a cause or slander one another. In fact, it is taught that we should love one another, and not hate.

It is taught in the Law that we should not hate "in our heart" and that we should not be a 'talebearer' (Heb. slanderer):

Leviticus 19:16 - Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am YAHWEH.

Leviticus 19:17 - Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart"

Leviticus 19:18 - Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YAHWEH.

This may come as a shock to some, but the Law clearly says: "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart"!

It also says "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself!"

These aren't new at all! It was there all along.

So already we see that the above verses in the Law have very much to do with one's heart.

A commandment against hating and bearing a grudge are not 'external commandments' but are internal and have to do with the heart. The concept Yahushua is giving here is clearly found in the Tanakh/Old Testament.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:23 - Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:24 - Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Being clear of sin in the eyes of Yahweh before making an offering to Him is something Yahweh has always desired.

After David had sinned with Bathsheba and Yahweh convicted him of his transgression, he wrote Psalm 51. There it is written:

Psalms 51:16 - For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

Psalms 51:17 - The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Elohim, thou wilt not despise.

Psalms 51:18 - Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalms 51:19 - Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

So only after one's heart is clean will be an offering be accepted by Yahweh. A proverb says:

This concept is also repeated in Isaiah:

Proverbs 21:27 - The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Isaiah 1:11 - To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith YAHWEH: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

Isaiah 1:12 - When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

Isaiah 1:13 - Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Isaiah 1:14 - Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

Isaiah 1:15 - And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

So why is Yahweh rejecting their offerings?

Isaiah 1:16 - Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith YAHWEH: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

First repent and be cleansed of your sin, then offer your gifts and offerings to Yahweh. Yahushua was teaching concepts that Yahweh had been saying all along.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:25 - Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Again, Yahushua repeats a principle that is already found in the Tanakh/Old Testament:

Proverbs 6:1 - My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

Proverbs 6:2 - Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Proverbs 6:3 - Do this now, my son, deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

Proverbs 6:4 - Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Proverbs 6:5 - Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

And again:

Proverbs 25:8 - Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

Remember also that Jacob humbled himself before his adversary Esau and gave him many possessions so as to prevent conflict.

When there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot, Abraham humbled himself before Lot and let him choose the best of the land.

Therefore, again we see that these are not new principles or teachings that are foreign to the Tanakh/Old Testament scriptures.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:27 - Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

This is an old favorite of various preachers of mainstream churches and it is often quoted by "New testament only" teachers to prove that Yahushua 'internalized' the Torah/Law by giving new or changed commandments.

They like to say that He was teaching the "New Covenant" way of life.

And by quoting this they claim the "Old Covenant" was merely external obedience, but now the "law is in our heart" so He requires obedience internally now.

For this reason, they say we don't keep "External" commandments now (Like the Sabbath)... and that we should concern ourselves only with the internal.

But if they would only pick up, read, and study what they call the "Old Testament," they would find that it the Law of Yahweh plainly taught that it was just as wrong to lust after a woman in your heart then as it is now.

In fact, it is such a basic and important teaching.. it is actually included in the 10 commandments!

Exodus 20:17 - Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

In the above verse it is commanded that we not 'covet (our) neighbors wife'. This is obviously a commandment against lusting after a woman in your heart.

Anyone who lusts after another man's wife is violating one of the 10 commandments and is walking in sin.

This particular commandment is an 'internal' commandment involving something that occurs in someone's heart.

It is wrong for a man to desire what belongs to someone else.

Yahweh didn't want the children of Israel to even desire what belonged to another person, including another person's wife!

Also, Job said:

Job 31:1 - I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

A maid is a virgin, an unmarried girl. Job was married and had made a covenant with his wife to keep himself only to her.

Therefore he made a covenant with his eyes to prevent him from desiring other women.

And we that he also recognized that Yahweh sees into his heart and will judge all things:

And we see that he also recognized that Yahweh sees into his heart and will judge all things:

Job 31:2 - For what portion of Eloah is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

Job 31:3 - Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

Job 31:4 - Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

Job has long been understood to be a man who lived before the Torah was given. Therefore, this was a sin in the eyes of Yahweh long before Yahushua forbade it in Matthew 5.

Yahushua was simply reiterating a principle already written in the "Old Testament" (Tanakh).

Now this is not to say that Yahushua never offers any new insight that revealed and clarified Yahweh's original will, for He did this many times in His teachings. But Yahushua was not instituting a 'new testament teaching' that was totally foreign to, or contradicted Yahweh's words in the Tanakh/Old Testament.

The point is, He wasn't starting some new law that was intended to replace one that He was about ready to abolish!

He was sharing Yahweh's original intent and will for all mankind, much of which was already written down before.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:29 - And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 - And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Yahushua is demonstrating that we must be willing to do whatever is needed to rule over sin. We must remove whatever stumbling block is in our way and deliver ourselves from whatever might snare us.

While these particular examples are not directly mentioned in the "Old Testament," the concept behind His teaching is there.

Recall that Cain was admonished to rule over the snare of his anger which eventually led to murder. Recall also that Yahweh wanted the children of Israel to remove all the potential snares and stumbling blocks when entering the land of Canaan:

Exodus 23:32 - Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their elohim.

Exodus 23:33 - They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their elohim, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

Deuteronomy 7:16 - And thou shalt consume all the people which YAHWEH thy Elohim shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their elohim; for that will be a snare unto thee.

Also, one of the proverbs says:

Proverbs 22:24 - Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Proverbs 22:25 - Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

And a Torah-loving Psalmist writes:

Psalms 119:165 - Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

The Hebrew in this last verse for "offend" means "an occasion for stumbling". Those who love the Torah will have nothing that will offend them or cause them to stumble.

One reason is the many warnings and safeguards against stumbling that the Torah gives.

Therefore, although the specific examples Yahushua gave were new, the concept of removing and avoiding things that would be a snare or stumblingblock to us is clearly throughout the Tanakh/OT.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:31 - It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

Matthew 5:32 - But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Here are some very controversial statements. I have written a detailed study on the Divorce and Remarriage issue which can be found at http://www.eliyah.com/family/divorceremarriage.html

In that study it is very clearly demonstrated that Yahushua wasn't teaching a new thing at all. In fact, He quoted the "Old Testament" scriptures in Matthew 19 when He made similar statements to what is seen here.

Matthew 19:3 - The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

Matthew 19:4 - And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Matthew 19:5 - And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Matthew 19:6 - Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore YAHWEH hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Notice that Yahushua is appealing to the Old Testament to make his point. He even reacts as though they should know this already! He says "Have you not read...?"

Therefore, regardless of one's conclusion on this issue we know that Yahushua was not speaking of a "new testament" concept that was foreign to the "Old Testament". In fact, He quotes the "Old Testament" to back up His statements.

Regarding the bill of divorcement..

A close examination of the Hebrew in Deuteronomy 24 (where the bill of divorcement is discussed) will reveal that Yahweh was not telling anyone to write a bill of divorcement.

He was saying that when a husband writes his wife a bill of divorcement and she marries another, he cannot remarry her because that would be an abomination to Yahweh.

The King James Version says "Let him write her a bill of divorcement", but it should say "and he writes her a bill of divorcement". Nearly all other translations do a better job of reflecting this in the Hebrew. Again, see the study at http://www.eliyah.com/family/divorceremarriage.html for more details on this topic.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:33 - Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto YAHWEH thine oaths:

Matthew 5:34 - But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is YAHWEH's throne:

Matthew 5:35 - Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Matthew 5:36 - Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:37 - But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

This is another commonly quoted one. It seems apparent to me that the context of Yahushua's words have to do with frequent swearing to affirm/deny an action.

In the scriptures, there are not any examples of Yahweh condoning a person to engage in the practice of swearing (Hebrew word #7650 "Shaba" or #7621 "Shebuwa") to affirm or deny an action on the part of the person (e.g. as many say today "I did not do that, I swear to G--").

Rather, "Shaba" or "Shebuwa" are typically used when someone pledges to perform or not perform some future action. The greek word for "swearing" found in Matthew is used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew words above.

We can know for sure that Yahushua wasn't forbidding every form of vow or oath, for Yahweh Himself swore an oath on multiple occasions. We see even see an angel in heaven engaging in the practice here:

Revelation 10:5 - The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven

Revelation 10:6 - and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,

We also know that Paul took a vow in Acts 18:18 and four other disciples had taken a vow in Acts 21:23.

One day Yahweh is going to force all to swear:

Isaiah 45:23 - I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Isaiah 45:24 - Surely, shall one say, in YAHWEH have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

Isaiah 45:25 - In YAHWEH shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

In that day, all will be forced to swear that only in Yahweh do we have righteousness and strength. Of course, we do know that Yahweh chose to bring us His righteousness and justification through Yahushua the Messiah. If it were wrong to participate in all forms of swearing, then surely Yahweh wouldn't force "every tongue" to do so.

If Yahushua forbade all forms of swearing, Yahweh would be forcing everyone to sin when to Him "every knee" bows.

So what was Yahushua talking about?

It appears that there was a false understanding going around at that time that it was somehow not as binding to swear when you didn't actually do it in Yahweh's name. But Yahushua declared that it is all the same, whether you swear by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even the hair of your head. He dealt with this also in Matthew 23:

Matthew 23:16 - Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Matthew 23:17 - Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Matthew 23:18 - And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Matthew 23:19 - Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Matthew 23:20 - Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

Matthew 23:21 - And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

So Yahushua dismissed the foolishness of various levels of swearing.

Matthew 5:37 - But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Based on Yahushua's final comment here, it seems evident that He didn't want these various levels of swearing which were nothing more than an act of trickery. "Sorry, I only swore only by the altar so... ha ha.. got you there. I am not held to anything"

But Yahweh wants our words to be truth, even as His words are truth.

So it apparently was a common practice among some people to back up their common "yes" or "no" with swearing. This is even evident today.

This form of swearing was being practiced where a simple "Yes" or "No" was all that was needed. This was an unscriptural practice. True believers should not need back up their "yes" or "no" with swearing.

If it was a practice among believers, frequent swearing would be needed to maintain the integrity of one's "Yes" or "No". But we are already forbidden in the Ten Commandments to bear false witness:

Exodus 20:16 - Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

And in the Law, we are told not to deal falsely or lie to one another:

Leviticus 19:11 - Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

Therefore, Yahushua wasn't condemning the making of vows, but He was condemning the practice of needing to back up our confirmations and denials with any added weight other than the integrity of our word.

Since our words should always be truth, there should be no need to go beyond it. Only those who regularly imitate the father of lies (satan) would need to go beyond the integrity of their word in affirming or denying something. I believe that is why anything beyond these is from evil.

The father of lies would inspire various levels of binding/non-binding oaths so that a man can be freed from speaking truth.

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:38 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Matthew 5:39 - But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:39 - But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:40 - And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Matthew 5:41 - And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Matthew 5:42 - Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Matthew 5:43 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

The practice Yahushua is condemning here is taking vengeance. The quotation from the Torah here is always in reference to a person being punished by civil authorities after having committed some sort of crime.

For instance:

Leviticus 24:19 - And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;

Leviticus 24:20 - Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

Yahweh wasn't promoting vigilante justice or personal vengeance here. Otherwise, He would say "If a man gives you a blemish, do right back to him!"

We are reading "case law" for appropriate punishments needing to be done for various crimes in the community. The judges decided these matters.

For those who would think to bear false witness:

Deuteronomy 19:18 - And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;

Deuteronomy 19:19 - Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

Deuteronomy 19:20 - And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

Deuteronomy 19:21 - And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

The context of each instance of this "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" is referring to the proper judgment where some sort of crime is involved, not personal vengeance against one who would do us some kind of harm.

Contrary to popular belief, the Law never says that when someone hits you that you need to take personal vengeance and hit him back.

Such things were to be handled by the judges and they would determine appropriate punishment based on Yahweh's instructions in the law.

Because Yahushua speaks of personal vengeance in these verses, I do not believe He was teaching against the Torah concept of "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" in regards to criminal punishment. He was against the use of that verse to justify personal vengeance.

Are there any Torah commandments that speak against taking personal vengeance? Yes:

Leviticus 19:18 - Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am YAHWEH.

"Thou shalt not avenge". To avenge means to take personal vengeance or revenge

We find this also elsewhere in the "New Testament":

Romans 12:19 - Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith YAHWEH.

Paul is appealing to the "Old Testament" scriptures to justify his point. If the "Old Testament" was abolished, why would Paul even bother to use an "Old Testament" verse to back up his statement?

So... what about "turning the other cheek"?

That's another popularly quoted one.

The truth is, the concept of "turning the other cheek" rather than taking vengeance is also found in the "Old Testament:"

Lamentations 3:25 - YAHWEH is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Lamentations 3:26 - It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of YAHWEH.

Lamentations 3:27 - It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Lamentations 3:28 - He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.

Lamentations 3:29 - He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

Lamentations 3:30 - He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

"He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him"

Not so much new under the SON!

Continuing in Matthew 5:

Matthew 5:43 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

I wish to call attention to the fact that Yahushua sometimes makes the statement: "Ye have heard that it hath been said".

He is not necessarily declaring that the Old Testament actually says these things, but He is declaring that THEY HEARD that it said these things.

In fact, nowhere in the Torah are we told to hate OUR enemy. In fact, just the opposite as we shall see. But let's continue in Matthew 5 first:

Matthew 5:44 - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 5:45 - That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:46 - For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Matthew 5:47 - And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Matthew 5:48 - Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Contrary to popular opinion, loving our enemy and doing good to those who hate us is not a new concept or the result of some 'new testament' teaching that was foreign to the "Old Testament."

In an example given by Yahweh in the Law, we see that loving our enemy is actually commanded!

Exodus 23:4 - If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

Exodus 23:5 - If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

In the above, we can see that Yahweh wants us to do good to our enemies rather than hate them. This concept is throughout the Tanakh/Old Testament:

Proverbs 24:17 - Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Proverbs 24:18 - Lest YAHWEH see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Proverbs 25:21 - If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

Proverbs 25:22 - For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and YAHWEH shall reward thee.

So in the "Old Testament" we see that Yahweh even rewards those who bless their enemies. This is not a new concept at all!

Even the idea that the "Old Testament" didn't speak of the importance of being willing to suffer wrongfully is not true. All the martyred prophets of Israel are testimony of this fact. Suffering for righteousness sake is a concept as old as Cain and Abel. This isn't just some "new covenant" concept.

The instructions you see in the "New Testament" about non-resistance are the instructions for any man who is living under a foreign governmental power at any time.

You never saw Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Ezra or Nehemiah revolting against Babylon or Persia. Why? Because they were obeying these scriptural principles that have always existed: You let the Heavenly Father decide when to establish His government/kingdom.

Vengeance is Yahweh's. He will repay.. not YOU.

When He wanted to establish His nation, He used them to pay vengeance to His enemies.

You see, the real problem is that people are told to ignore the "Old Testament" and just focus on reading the "New Testament". Therefore most do not care enough to really pay much attention to the Tanakh/Old Testament scriptures!

People are fed this idea that it's the Old Testament in one corner and the New Testament in the other corner and they are two completely different teachings that clash against one another.

But this is a lie! :(

It is simply not true! Yahweh's WORD is not divided against itself

The so-called "Old Testament" was not some "mad scientist experiment" that Yahweh did with the Israelites that did not work (as some portray it).

Yahweh is not this "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hide" character that was mean and judgmental in the Old Testament but kind and merciful in the New Testament.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

He's not a chameleon and He is doesn't have a multiple personality disorder!

In many ways, it is the titles "Old Testament" and "New Testament" that man has placed on the books the create this wall between the two. I prefer not to even use the titles unless I need to... and if I do, I typically use quotation marks.

I'm quoting what someone else calls them, not what I believe to be appropriate titles

Yahweh never put those titles on the scriptures.

For the whole of scripture is the word of Yahweh. Yahushua is the "Word" and He is not divided against Himself. Yahweh is One, Yahushua is One with Him and we can be One with them in unity. Yahushua prayed for us:

John 17:20 - Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 17:21 - That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

His word is one!

And we live by EVERY WORD of it!

Matthew 4:4 - But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YAHWEH.

We need to be living by "every word" that proceeds out of His mouth... no matter when or where it was written!" In fact, Yahushua was quoting the Torah when He said that:

Deuteronomy 8:3 - And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YAHWEH doth man live.

Therefore, let's speak with one voice that ALL of Yahweh's word is in unity, and it is ALL good and profitable for correction and instruction in righteousness:

2Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of YAHWEH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Timothy 3:17 - That the man of YAHWEH may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

There was no "new testament" in Paul & Timothy's day. Therefore, for anything to be classified as scripture, it would have had to be in line with what already is scripture.

Otherwise, we end up with conflicting doctrines, conflicting words of reproof, and conflicting instructions in righteousness!

But there is no such conflict between the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament". Yahweh is not divided against Himself! The conflicts are found in the minds and doctrines of men who want to disregard certain portions of Yahweh's word!

But brethren, there isn't really so much new under the SON!

To be sure, He certainly shared new insight into what Yahweh had already said -- but He was not divided against what had already been spoken and inspired by the Father through Him!

The Torah (Heb. word for "Law") does not fall! It stands as tall as Yahushua stands for He is the Torah and word of Yahweh made flesh!

John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Therefore it is high time that we lift up what they call the "old" portions of Yahweh's word as words to be instructed and reproved by.

Matthew 13:52 - Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

It must be realized that the old does not conflict with the new. If it did, we would even have to say "out with the new"!

Isaiah 8:20 - To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

But we DO NOT say this, for the new does not conflict at all with the old!

In fact, Paul pulls out profound and awesome treasuries out of the Tanakh/'Old Testament' writings. Things that are wondrous, awesome and very exciting if we would only take a look more deeply!

Therefore, it is high time that we lift up the standard that Yahweh intended for all men to live by: The WHOLE BOOK!

Let's refute the false teachings of today that bring men into bondage/sin.

Let's seek and find the fullness of His word.

Let's stretch out our hands and taste the sweetness of Yahweh's full instruction and wisdom:

Jeremiah 15:16 - Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O YAHWEH Elohim of hosts.

Psalms 119:103 - How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalms 19:10 - More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

As Jeremiah did, may we who are called by His name rejoice in what we find.

What will we find if we will only seek?

Many things, but it will all have one thing in common...

A unified, sweet, and blessed word of truth that leads us to the true way of love, the way to eternal life.

May Yahweh lead all of us there by His Spirit...

...and may Yahweh bless you and have mercy on us all!