The Jerusalem Council

A Global Association of Orthodox Jewish Believers in Messiah Yeshua

Teaching

Orthodox Jewish Conversion: Esther 8:17 and 9:27

What the LXX translators understood happened in Esther 8:17, was the very same concept Paul was warning his Galatian disciples against in Galatians 2. If one believes Paul was warning his Galatian disciples against Jewish conversion, then one must also believe the LXX translators were describing that Jewish conversion was happening in Esther 8:17. If one calls it Jewish conversion in Galatians 2, then one must agree that the LXX translators would have called it conversion in Esther 8:17.

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Posted in Giyur | 1 Comment »

Messanic Apologetics 101

The foundational premise of all Messianic Jewish apologetics is this: one must reduce every argument to a Torah argument alone. This is based on the understanding that the Prophets and Writers could not add to or subtract from the Torah which is the Word that G-d commanded to Israel, and neither can we do so. Thus, the first question in any apologetic discussion should be “where is this (argument) found in the Torah?”

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Posted in Apologetics | 5 Comments »

Lashon Hara

I would like to bring attention to the issue of our speech. It seems there are cases where we openly attack other believers in the Messiah. Be they called Christians, Messianic Jews, Messianic Believers, Believers, we should not make disparaging comments about what they are called, we should not take pot shots as to their faith.

The most common, and perhaps the most serious speech problem is lashon hara, literally, “evil talk.”

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Posted in Teaching | 6 Comments »

Why Must All Teaching Be Tested By Torah?

We are to limit our understanding about the Messiah and what he taught, to the boundaries of HaDavar – the Word that HaShem commanded (mitzvah), that is, the Tablets, the Torah, and the Mitzvah. Anything else in addition, or subtraction of that, and thus of the Messiah, is according to Hashem equatable to those who engaged in fornication in the incident of Baal Peor.

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The Purpose of the Tabernacle

I wanted to clarify the purpose of the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, since many seem to be confused as to what it’s purpose was, and what it will be in the future when it is built again.

The purpose of the Temple is for G-d to dwell with man.

It was not to provide atonement for sin. That was not its function. Instead it is because we are unclean, and sinful, and G-d who is holy can not dwell with unclean and sinful man, that atonement for us is required as we “draw near” to G-d. In fact the Hebrew word for “drawing near” is the same as “making a sacrifice.”

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Obedience and Distance to HaShem are Related

The further we are away from HaShem, the more we cut off ourselves from greater and greater opportunities of obedience to Him.

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