Shalom,
Scripture references are from,
the SET (Stone Edition Tanach) or the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) for the OT
and the PNT (Power New Testament) for the NT unless otherwise specified.
Acts 24:10. Then the governor signified by a nod for him to speak and Paul answered, �Because I know that you have been a judge in this nation for many years, I cheerfully speak these things in my defense, 11. because you are able to ascertain that it is not more than twelve days since I went up from where you are to Jerusalem to worship. 12. And they did not find me in the temple, either arguing with anyone, or stirring up among a crowd, or in the synagogues, or throughout the city, 13. and they are not able to prove to you about these charges of which they now accuse me. 14. But I confess this to you that regarding the Way, which they call a sect; this is how I worship God the Father, believing all these things according to the Torah and the things that were written in the Prophets, 15. since I have hope in God, which hope they also accept, that there is to be a resurrection of both righteous and unrighteous. (Dn 12:2) 16. And in this I always do my best to have a clear conscience before God and men. 17. And then I came, after several years, producing gifts for the poor and offerings for my nation, 18. because of which, after my rites of purification, they found me in the temple, not with a crowd and not with an uproar, 19. but there were some Jewish men from Asia, who ought to be present before you and to bring charges if they have anything against me. 20. Let those who are present say what wrong they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin, 21. unless it is this one statement which I cried out while I stood among them that �It is concerning resurrection from the dead that I am being judged before you on this day.��
As you know by now Paul has been stepping into trouble for a while by the leading of The HOLY SPIRIT. I believe this area of the Book of Acts is fairly straight forward and clear so I will not provide you with play-by-play commentary of the events. There is however one point that should never be overlooked in this passage.
Paul states...
Acts 24:14. But I confess this to you that regarding the Way, which they call a sect; this is how I worship God the Father, believing all these things according to the Torah and the things that were written in the Prophets, 15. since I have hope in God, which hope they also accept, that there is to be a resurrection of both righteous and unrighteous. (Dn 12:2)
In this he first states before Governor Felix, that "The Way" (the original name for CHRISTianity), is known as a "sect" of Judaism. This places within the mind of Felix that "The Way" is a legally acceptable religious form thus disarming the first reason he might have to persecute Paul which would have been because he was of a "cult" or unofficial, illegal and unacceptable religious form within the national control of Rome.
Then Paul attempts to disarm the Jews by declaring that he also adheres to the teachings or instructions of The Torah. This is the point that we need to pay attention to today for at least two reasons!
First there is a popular teaching among some that the Old Testament no longer applies. This is a bold faced lie!
They will teach many things in their attempt to discredit the Old Testament or to render it non-applicable but in their attempts you "MUST" see that they are only serving satan. They are doing the very thing that satan/lucifer did when...
Isa 14:11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
Just as did satan in this passage, those who tell you that the Old Testament no longer applies to our lives or that it was "done away with" by the New Testament or The CHRIST, as CHRISTians, are attempting to elevate themselves above YHVH. They are attempting to tell you something that is contrary to HIS Word for what did we just read from Paul?
Acts 24:14. But I confess this to you that regarding the Way, which they call a sect; this is how I worship God the Father, believing all these things according to the Torah and the things that were written in the Prophets, 15. since I have hope in God, which hope they also accept, that there is to be a resurrection of both righteous and unrighteous. (Dn 12:2)
Although Paul is confessing to be a worshiper of YHVH through the methods and teachings of The Way he is also pointing out that this includes all of the ways of The Torah. He is tying The Way to Judaism so that neither Governor Felix nor the Jews have cause against him. Paul is telling both groups that he adheres to the feast of the Old Testament as well as to the liberties of the New Testament. That he tithes as in "required" in the Old Testament even though he does not "Have to" or is no longer "required to" in the New Testament.
If we were to take Paul aside today and have him to explain this in the light of all of the different teachings around, essentially he would be telling us that anyone who supports a position that declares the Old Testament to be "done away with" or "replaced" by the New Testament is a liar!
That this is a false teacher!
That according to The Scriptures this person is calling YHVH a liar!
It is not likely that Paul would say it but according to the rabbinical laws this "liar" should be stoned to death. It is more likely that Paul would have learned and would be teaching the mercy of YHVH at this point, rather than the requirements of rabbinical law.
The point that we must see however is that The Torah applied correctly through The CHRIST still applies according to what YHVH has stated through Paul. Therefore, anyone who is found to be teaching what today we refer to as "replacement theology," is a liar and is not to be followed.
"Replacement theology" has two primary pivot points within it's make-up. One is to replace the Old with the New Testament and/or the other is to replace the Jews with the Gentiles as YHVH's chosen family. Neither is correct. We have just seen how the Old was not replaced by the New Testament and we refer to Paul to discredit the other position as well.
Rom 11.1. Therefore I ask, did not God reject His people? May it not be! For also I myself am an Isreali, from the seed of Abraham, tribe of Benjamin. 2. God did not reject His people whom He knew beforehand. Or do you not know with Elijah what the Scripture says, as he intercedes with God with reference to Israel? 3. Lord, �They killed Your prophets, they tore down Your altars, and only I was left and they are seeking my life.� (1 Ki 19:10,14) 4. But what does the divine statement say to him? �I reserved seven thousand men for Myself, who did not bend a knee to Baal.� (1Ki 19:18) 5. Then, just as also in the present time, a remnant has come into being according to the election of grace: 6. and if by grace, it is no longer by means of works, because, if it were, grace would no longer be grace. 7. Then what? What Israel is seeking, this it did not obtain, but the election did obtain: and the rest grew callous, 8. just as it has been written,
�God gave them a spirit of stupor,
their eyes to not see
and their ears to not hear,
until this very day.� (Dt 29:4, Is 29:10, see also Is 6:10a)
9. And David said,
�Their table must become a snare� and a trap
�and into a stumbling block and for a repayment to them,
10. their eyes must darken so they could not see (Ps 69:22, 23 & 35:8)
and their back must now always bend.�
11:11. Therefore I say, did they stumble so they would fall forever? God forbid! But by their transgression the salvation for the heathens is to provoke them to jealousy. (Dt 32:21)
Be it known clearly to all that read this that YHVH has not replaced the Old with The New Testament and HE has not replaced HIS chosen nation of Israel with the Gentiles.
Rom Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance.
There is but ONE calling from YHVH and that is to accept HIM, to make HIM your SALVATION through the gift that HE has given all of us through The CHRIST.
For centuries the nation of Israel enjoyed the status of being favored by YHVH as they honestly attempted to walk uprightly before HIM. During that period there were many instances where YHVH attempted to disciple or correct HIS children when they were in error. HE sent Prophets, Teachers, Angels and eventually HIS FIRSTBORN Son who did follow as a living example before the people "The Way". Through all of this they rejected HIS corrections in order to accept their own established, Biblically extracted "Traditions".
As I stated before...
Then Paul attempts to disarm the Jews by declaring that he also adheres to the teachings or instructions of The Torah. This is the point that we need to pay attention to today for at least two reasons!
The second reason then that we need to see is that of the adherence to The Torah. There is a very rich tradition or established relationship hidden within The Torah and especially established within the feast of The Torah that YHVH established for good reason. YHVH knew that through these feast and the other teachings of The Torah that The CHRIST really would be found. The problem came because these were established by men as "Traditions" (Mk 7:13) without the reason of finding YHVH through The CHRIST that was placed within them.
One very simple example of this is found in The Pesach or Passover celebration where three pieces of Matzos are used. The three are placed within a pouch known as a Matzos Tasse which has three separate pouches within it or three crosses as we see in retrospect to Calvary. From the center cross or pouch is selected The CHRIST, the sacrifice which is taken from the pouch, broken and buried or hidden only later to be found. Also enclosed within The Pesach is The Lamb of YHVH sacrificed for ALL of the sins of ALL of mankind. He was not sacrificed only for the Jews nor did He die upon the cross only for the Gentiles.
In his presentation before Felix, Paul is also making his case for The CHRIST before the leadership of the Jews in his attempt to provoke them to jealousy. He is attempting to provoke both Jew and Gentile to search The Scriptures and to find The Way.
Lk 9:23. And He was saying to everyone, �If someone wants to come after Me, he must now deny himself and he must take his cross at once, and day by day he must consistently follow Me.
In this meeting before Felix, Paul has denied himself. He has laid down his own life in an attempt to save the lives of others and to allow the life of YHVH to live through him. In this he has followed The CHRIST for this is also what Y'SHUA did.
Phil 2:5. For you must live in harmony with yourselves, who are also in Messiah Jesus, 6. Who was in the form of God, yet did not think that this equality with God was to be eagerly clung to or retained, 7. but emptied Himself of His own equality, taking the form of a servant, when He came in a likeness of men: and, when He was found in a manner of life as a man, 8. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient until death, even of a death of the cross. 9. On this account then God raised Him to the highest rank and He freely gave Him the name above every name, 10. so that at the name �Jesus!� every knee of the heavenlies and the earthly and those below the earth would bow 11. and every tongue would confess that Jesus Messiah is Lord in the glory of God our Father. (Is 45:23)
Paul has taken up his cross and is hanging himself upon it where the nations meet, at The CHRIST!
He is stretching his arms in both directions in an attempt to bring all the nations together.
He is stretching his arms in both directions in an attempt to bring all of YHVH's creation to bow before YHVH through the life of The CHRIST.
Jos 1:14 Your wives, your little ones and your livestock will stay in the land Moshe gave you on the east side of the Yarden; but you are to cross over armed as a fighting force ahead of your brothers, to help them; 15 until ADONAI allows your brothers to rest, as he has allowed you; and they too have taken possession of the land ADONAI your God is giving them. At that point, you will return to the land which is yours and possess it, the land Moshe the servant of ADONAI gave you in 'Ever-HaYarden to the east, toward the sunrise.
Before we find peace in The Promised Land of YHVH we will first be called to sacrifice our lives. We must first lay down our "SELF", our will and our desires in order to save another.
We must deny our "SELF" and take up our cross.
We must die to live!
Ask a Veteran,
"Is there any sacrifice to great?"
