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Understanding the Torah Law of Works vs. Law of Faith By Dr. J. Michael Murphy [Messianic Jewish Rabbi]
Genesis 3:3; Zechariah 7; John 5:1-13; Matthew 15:1-14; Galatians 4:21-31; Colossians 2:20-23 |
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What did the Apostle Paul mean when he stated in Romans chapter 3 that believers are not justified by "works of law" or "law of works"? First it must be said that Paul taught the same doctrine as Yeshua (Jesus) did. Matthew 5:17 says; "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill." Greek pieroo fulfill means "to fill up" or "complete" in meaning. Yeshua came to bring the full meaning of Torah (Law; Instruction) and to elucidate it, not destroy it. So why does there appear to be a contradiction when Paul says we are justified by faith apart from works and James tells us that faith without works is dead. James 2:14-22 To understand this we must midrash (dig down) into our roots as believers in Yeshua. In doing this we must understand that the Assembly of Messiah began Jewish. Today if you ask a Rabbinic Jew how many Torah's (Laws) there are; he will reply and say "two", the Oral Law from Moses and the Written Law from Moses. In Yeshua's day the Oral law was also known as "the traditions of the elders". The Rabbi's in many cases added to the Written Law and gave their own unique interpretations on how to keep it. Rabbinic Judaism believes that the Rabbi's interpretation of Torah brings out it's true meaning; pieroo, as we said. It had gotten to the point that the Oral Law was considered even more authoritative than the Written Law. According to Rabbinic Judaism, the Oral Law was given to the children of Israel by Moses at Sinai and passed down "orally" through repetition and eventually compiled and written down into a work called the Mishnah in about 200 C.E.. We could see that in Yeshua's day the traditions of the elders had become a great problem in Jerusalem and Israel. An illegitimate priesthood had taken over the Temple that brought a heavy weight upon the people subjecting them to bondage (legalism). Yeshua actually came to elevate His Law; the Law of Moses (Written), the Law of liberty, the Law of Messiah, and rebuke the abuse of tradition according to the elementary principles of the world (Col. 2:20-23). Notice I said the abuse of tradition not a sound enjoyment of it. A good example of this would be the gospel passage concerning the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem where Yeshua healed him on the Sabbath. According to the rigid sect of Pharisees of the school of Shammai, it was forbidden to carry anything on the Sabbath. Yeshua diliberately said to the man; "arise, take up your pallet and walk." And we can see this stirred up trouble. The fact is Yeshua said it's lawful to do good on the Sabbath; and yet all the added commands of the Rabbi's had placed a heavy load on everyone. Touching objects consecrated for the Sabbath was even forbidden along with over thirteen hundred other Sabbath commands of that day. There was also the incident of Yeshua and His disciples not washing their hands before eating; even by a certain prescription according to Rabbinic law (Matthew 15:1-14). We see also later on Rabbi and Apostle Paul refuting the Judaizers in these matters. In Colossians 2:20-22 it reads: " if you have died with Messiah to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourselves to decrees such as, do not handle, do not taste, do not touch! (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using) - in accordance with the "commandments" and "teachings" of men?" Let us be reminded that teachings of men are not God's Law. What Rabbinic law had done is put a fence around the Law of God stating that Rabbi's are the only ones who could properly interpret and create laws on how to keep Scripture (walk Torah). In one of many cases the Apostle Paul puts it all in perspective. In Romans 3:27 he says; "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a LAW of faith. The Written Law (God's Law) is the true Law of faith with Yeshua Himself being the Living Torah. By the Grace of God we love His Son and keep His commandments! Not by our own strength and standard. Where did this all begin? Genesis 3:1-3 reveals it's origin through Eve. Concerning the forbidden fruit she stated, God has said "You shall not eat from it, OR TOUCH IT, lest you die." Yet what did God really command? "You shall not EAT of it." We see from this that Eve added to the command putting a fence around Torah. Interestingly the Torah itself says not to add or take away from it. Rabbinic Judaism has added to God's Law while the Church is guilty of taking away from it! What if by touching Adam and Eve could dig up and get rid of the tree all together. Just a thought.
"Tell me, you who want
to be under law (legalism), do you not listen to the LAW? For it is
written Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free
woman. But the son of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh,
and the son by the free woman through the promise (faith).
In Galatians
4:21-31 the Apostle Paul gives an excellent exposition concerning the
contrast between legalism and liberty. According to the Torah (Law;
Instruction), what happened at Mount Sinai? Moses received the Law from
God (Jerusalem above/ Free woman). Yet their was also a rebellion in
the camp by the worship of the Golden Calf (slavery/ bondwoman). Here
we see a continuation of Israel "taking matters into her own hands".
God and His Law is not enough; "Moses delays from coming down!" We need
the "elementary principles of the world to guide us" (golden calf).
What the Israelites had done is subject themselves to bondage. God
brought them out of Egypt, out of bondage to put them in bondage at
Sinai? NO! God brought them out of Egypt to liberate them to worship
Him and maintain that intimacy by giving them His Law from heaven. Yet
Rabbinic Judaism says the Law is not in heaven. Where do they get
this?
In Deuteronomy 30:11-14 it
says; "For this commandment which I command you today is not too
difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that
you should say, Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and
make us hear it, that we may observe it? Nor is it beyond the sea, that
you should say, Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make
us hear it, that we may observe it? But the word is very near you, in
your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it." By this
the Rabbi's mistakingly have taken this to mean that the Law is not
coming from heaven; but rather from the earth or better yet the "mouth
of the Rabbi's". What a grave mistake on understanding God's intimate
compassion with His people. All God was telling Israel was that His Law
was near and in them, not far away. Yet we can see how the teachers of
the Law have taken matters into their own hands up to this very day.
Only the Rabbi's can
properly interpret the Word, sound familiar? Interestingly, the Apostle
Paul uses a Rabbinic form of teaching called "REMEZ" (allusion) to bring out the
pierro "true meaning" of this portion of Torah. In his
letter to the Romans in 10:4-8 he teaches; "For Messiah is the GOAL
of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes
that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall
live by that righteousness. But the righteousness based on faith speaks
thus, "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN? (that is to
bring Messiah down), or WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS? (that is,
to bring Messiah up from the dead). But what does it say? "THE WORD IS
NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"-- that is the Word of faith
(trust) which we are preaching... Paul's Remez of Deuteronomy 30 puts
into perspective the truth of the Law of Messiah. In this he equates
the Torah to the Messiah! What an awesome exposition Paul declared
by using his background knowledge of Torah.
Just as the Law came from
heaven and is with us; so did the Messiah (the living embodiment of
it). Yeshua is the Rabbi who came from heaven to earth whom we need to
listen to. In Galatians Paul was speaking of liberation through God's
Law in Messiah; and refuting the bondage of man's standard of keeping it
(flesh). Messiah not only descended to His people Israel; but also
ascended back to the Father to make intercession on behalf of all who
call upon the name of the LORD.
More to come... The Rev.
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