Layers of Tradition in both Jews
and Christians need to be investigated and each group needs to alter according
to God’s Word – Yeshua is needed and the Torah is also needed (both are
evidenced in scripture), both together to form the one new man through
Messiah. However, each group has added
their own customs and so called sacred religious traditions… The question is: Who Are You Obeying?
Matthew 15 v3 why do you transgress God by keeping your
tradition? V6 by your tradition you make
null and void the word of God.
The ancient name Pharisee is today
the modern name Orthodox Jew (which comes from the word Pharisee). If you are a Pharisee then you have 2 torah’s
which is the written word and the oral.
These are man-made additions called Takanot (enactments or in the
dictionary – reforms that change biblical law).
List: Oral Torah
1. Mishnah
200CE (Pharisaical traditions, orals, law);
2. Jerusalem Talmud 350 CE (written in Tiberias); 3.
Babylonidan Talmud 500 CE; 4. Midrash 200-900CE (The Midrash states the
absolute authority of a rabbi - which sets him above God).
Eg. Kippah wearing was not around
1000 years ago and is a man-made law which has become sanctified over
time. You may say well it’s nice to wear
one and it feels good, and what’s wrong with adding this….
What’s wrong is stated in deut 4v2 and other, about specific
prohibitions of adding or detracting from the Torah (law of God or YeHoVaH).
Another eg. Do not boil a kid in
mothers milk is not a dietary law, it simply means what it says, and this, in
context, is because it was done as a fertility paganistic ritual.
Another eg, The Midrash
(Rabbinical writings) says, a person mustn’t say I wont keep commandments of
elders because it is not in the torah!
The Almighty will say, No, son etc.
(This is literally putting words in God’s mouth). It goes on, ‘Even I G-d must obey their
decree (which is taken by taking a sentence out of context ‘you will declare
and I will fulfill’). This is
sanctifying traditions.
Another eg, washing hands before
eating done in a very specific and ritualistic way according to jewish man-made
law Matt 15 v2-3 they ask why the men are breaking the tradition of the
elders and Yeshua says why are you breaking the commands of God to keep your
tradition?
Matt. 15v9 teaching for doctrines the commandments of men
Isa 29v13 a learned commandment of men
At the same time, The traditions
of easter and Christmas are not only not in scripture, man-made but also their
researched roots and source of where they came from… can be looked at by
reading:
http://www.shalom-peace.com/ischris.html
Not only are we not to remember
them, we are not to mention them Ex 23 v 13 Names of other gods you
shall not ‘zekher’ (means remember but is broader and stronger meaning to say
with mouth).
See Deut 6 v 13-25…
You are to fear YeHoVaH your God, serve him and swear by his name. You are not to follow other gods, chosen from
the gods of the people around you, because YeHoVaH your God, who is here with
you, is a jealous God. If you do, the anger of YeHoVaH your God will flare up
against you and he will destroy you from the face of the earth. Do not put YeHoVaH your God to the test, as
you tested him at Massah (testing).
Observe diligently the mitzvot (commands) of YeHoVaH your God, and his
instructions and laws which he has given you.
You are to do what is right and good in the sight of YeHoVaH so that
things will go well with you and you will enter and possess the good land
YeHoVaH swore to your ancestors, expelling all your enemies ahead of you, as
YeHoVaH said. Some day your child will
ask ‘What is the meaning of the instructions, laws and rulings which YeHoVaH
our God has laid down for you?’ Then you
will tell your child…. What He did for you in Egypt…. V24 YeHoVaH ordered us to
observe ALL these laws, to fear YeHoVaH our God, ALWAYS for our own GOOD, so
that he might keep us alive as we are today.
It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to obey all these mitzvot
before YeHoVaH our God, just as he ordered us to do.