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Maybe some of you remember in junior high school in your science classes studying plants and grafting into the stem of a plant a "twig" from the plant or possible another plant related to the primary plant. In doing so you grafted into a plant a "foreign" plant and the two became one. This new "implanted foreign" plant would take hold and grow and use the food of the mother plant for its nutrients. Soon we have a healthy "engraft" which took on the visible characteristics of the mother plant. This is exactly what Paul is saying to the Christian Church today. If we are grated into Israel we should resemble Israel. Whether we do or not is for you to decide after you continue your study into these areas.
Now the Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the church at Ephesus, was speaking to the Gentile-Ephesian "believers" (WILD OLIVE BRANCHES WHO HAD BEEN GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL), who WERE strangers before Yahweh's Word was delivered to them.
When the Gentiles came to faith in God (Yahweh), they were no longer "strangers"! They had accepted Yahweh's Holy Laws as well as Yeshua's religion which contained laws and commandments, which they had broken in times past, and they were given the opportunity to be JUSTIFIED through faith in and obedience to the Laws of Yahweh. In Ephesians 2:19, KJV:
19 Now <3767> therefore <686> ye are <2075> (5748) no more <3765> strangers <3581> and <2532> foreigners <3941>, but <235> fellowcitizens <4847> with the saints <40>, and <2532> of the household <3609> of God <2316>;
Lexicon Greek 4847
4847 sumpolites {soom-pol-ee'-tace} from 4862 and 4177; AV - fellowcitizens 1; 1
1) possessing the same citizenship with others, a fellow citizen
1a) of Gentiles as received into communion of the saints
Lexicon Greek 4862
4862 sun {soon} a primary preposition denoting union; TDNT - 7:766,1102; prep AV - with 123, beside 1, accompany + 2064 1; 125
1) with
Lexicon Greek 4177 4177 polites {pol-ee'-tace} from 4172; TDNT - 6:516,906; n m AV - citizen 3; 3
Answer for yourself: As fellow citizens with Israel (Gentile believer), does the word in the Greek Scriptures mean we are in union with the Jews? Yes.
Answer for yourself: Does the Bible, that we accept as the supreme authority for faith and practice of our faith, say that Gentiles like you and I who come to faith in the God of Israel attain the same citizenship with others in Israel, thus calling us fellow citizens of Israel? Yes.
Answer for yourself: As Gentiles who have been received into the fellowship, commonwealth, and communion of the saints of Jewish Israel, are we considered as fellow-citizens of Israel and the people of God? Yes.
Answer for yourself: Are fellow citizens of the SAME NATION (both Jew and Gentile) under the same LAWS of that nation? Sure are!
Answer for yourself: As Gentiles, who have come to faith in the One God of Israel through the endeavors of the followers of Yeshua following his death, did these non-Jews think at that time that they belonged to a "separate religious affiliation" from the Israel of God or did they understand that they were to identify, as did the Jews, with the Israel of God since they were grafted into the same religion as the Jews, only with slightly different responsibilities and covenants, thereby making them FELLOW CITIZENS OF ISRAEL? That should be easy...they did not think that they had created a new religion.
Answer for yourself: Now the Apostle Paul was speaking to the Ephesians (WILD OLIVE BRANCHES WHO HAD BEEN GRAFTED INTO ISRAEL), who WERE strangers before Yahweh's Word was delivered to them. When they received Yahweh, they were no longer "strangers"! They had accepted Yahweh's Holy Laws, which they had broken in times past, and they were given the opportunity to be JUSTIFIED through repentance and obedience to the Commandments of God as found in the Torah. In Ephesians 2:19, they are no longer called strangers because they had become what? Fellow citizens of Israel
Answer for yourself: These Gentile believers were equals citizens with who in the Israel of God, and of the household of God? The Jews
Answer for yourself: Are fellow citizens who are of the SAME NATION (both Jew and Gentile) under the same LAWS of that nation? Yes of course.
Answer for yourself: Sadly, today the vast majority of Christian Churches find their identity in their denomination or non-denomination and do not see themselves as a part of what? Fellow citizens of Israel.
Answer for yourself: By failing to recognize that as Gentiles we are part of Israel, most Christians identify with their denomination and non-denomination. This is in direct opposition to the Scriptures in the New Testament as well as the Old Testament which clearly instructs that the believing Gentile finds his position in the Household of God as part of whom along with the Jews? Fellow citizens of Israel.
Answer for yourself: What was the denomination of the church which Yeshua founded and which was led by James in the first century which took the Great Commission unto the world? It was Biblical Judaism, and this may startle you, but if you were to research the topic like I and multitudes have, you will see that believing Gentiles like you and me kept the Saturday Sabbath, the Biblical Feast days well into the fourth century until they were changed by Gentile paganism in the Christian Church/State of Rome.
Answer for yourself: As we have seen, can you now understand why there was to be ONE LAW for the Jew born in the land and the stranger (Gentile) that lived among them? I hope so.
Answer for yourself: Did the Apostolic church set the correct example by not promoting numerous “sects” and “denominations” with multitudes of conflicting doctrines, statutes, and commandments like we see today in Christianity with over 2,000 different denominations? They sure were.
Let us continue with Ephesians 2:6 as we see our Biblical position as Gentile believers:
Take notice of the change that follows in the thought processes of the Apostle Paul where he contrasts what we were before Yeshua's ministers revealed to us Yahweh and what our standing is now since receiving “the” faith of Yeshua and coming to faith in Yahweh.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh (before faith, repentance and acceptance of the Covenant given to Gentiles with its corresponding Laws and Commandments within the Torah), who are called Uncircumcision (it was customary for all Gentile males to remain uncircumcised) by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands (the Jews);
Notice again the previous condition of all Gentiles (called the "uncircumcised") who had never converted to Judaism and were without faith "in" and knowledge "of" Yahweh.
Then we read in Ephesians 2:12, KJV:
12 That AT THAT TIME you were without the Messiah (his faith), being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the COVENANTS OF PROMISE (plural),
12 That <3754> at <1722> that <1565> time <2540> ye were <2258> (5713) without <5565> Christ <5547>, being aliens <526> (5772) from the commonwealth <4174> of Israel <2474>, and <2532>strangers <3581> from the covenants <1242>of promise <1860>, having <2192> (5723) no <3361> hope <1680>, and <2532> without God <112> in <1722> the world <2889>:
"At that time"...what TIME was the Apostle Paul speaking of to these Ephesians? As Ephesians 2:2 says: "at the time they were walking in DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS OF GOD."
Lexicon Greek 526 [being aliens] 526 apallotrioo {ap-al-lot-ree-o'-o} from 575 and a derivative of 245; TDNT - 1:265,43; v AV - be alienated with + 5607 2, be alien 1; 3
Answer for yourself: Before faith in Yahweh and obedience to His Torah which allowed for Fellow-citizenship with the saints of Israel, were the Gentiles shut out from fellowship and intimacy with both God and the Jews? Yes.
Lexicon Greek 575 [root word for #526]
575 apo {apo'}a primary particle;; preposition AV - from 392, of 129, out of 48, for 10, off 10, by 9, at 9, in 6, since + 3739 5, on 5, not tr. 15, misc. 31; 669
Lexicon Greek 4174 [commonwealth] 4174 politeia {pol-ee-ti'-ah} from 4177 ("polity"); TDNT - 6:516,906; n f AV - freedom 1, commonwealth 1; 2
Answer for yourself: Being aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, the Gentile had not rights of citizenship. However, following the faith of Yeshua, did the Gentile believer in Yahweh become "fellow citizens with the Jews of Israel" or "Christians separated from the Jews of Israel"?
We may be called "Christians," but the Bible informs us that God calls us "Israel."
Let us examine the Greek word for "stranger":
Lexicon Greek 3581 [stranger] 3581 xenos {xen'-os} apparently a primary word; TDNT - 5:1,661; adj AV - stranger 10, strange 3, host 1; 14
Lexicon Greek 1242 [covenants] 1242 diatheke {dee-ath-ay'-kay} from 1303; TDNT - 2:106,157; n f AV - covenant 20, testament 13; 33
Lexicon Greek 1303 [root word for #1242] 1303 diatithemai {dee-at-ith'-em-ahee} middle voice from 1223 and 5087; TDNT - 2:104,157; v AV - make 3, testator 2, appoint 2; 7
These DISOBEDIENT Gentile-Ephesians were "strangers" to the citizenship of Israel, as well as to the Covenants of Promise BECAUSE THEY WERE ESTRANGED BY DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS OF GOD
Yahweh only makes a COVENANT with those who OBEY HIM.
The Lordship of Yeshua is only valid to the degree you submit to his rule in your life and that means obedience to His Father's Laws that pertain to you. Read for yourself the Blessings for obedience to GOD'S LAWS and the Cursings for disobedience to GOD'S LAWS, which are recorded in Deuteronomy 28:1-24 and Deuteronomy 29:15-19 for your instruction.
Let us summarize and notice that because of the ministry of Yeshua:
Answer for yourself: Does Yahweh wish the Jew to pattern himself after the Gentile or the Gentile after the Jew? In the Bible it is always the Gentile who is to follow the Jew for salvation is of the Jew, and will always be of the Jew.
Ephesians 2:13-14:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ (let us understand that through the death of Yeshua was catalyzed the taking of the Torah to the Gentile world, whereas before his death, no attempts were being made to give eternal life to the Gentile world).
14 For he is our peace, who hath MADE BOTH ONE, AND HATH BROKEN DOWN THE MIDDLE WALL OF PARTITION [between us-Jew and Gentile];
13 But <1161> now <3570> in <1722> Christ <5547> Jesus <2424> ye <5210> who <3588> sometimes <4218> were <5607> (5752) far off <3112> are made <1096> (5675) nigh <1451> by <1722> the blood <129> of Christ <5547>. 14 For <1063> he is <2076> (5748) our <2257> peace <1515>, who <3588> hath made <4160> (5660) both <297> one <1520>, and <2532> hath broken down <3089> (5660) the middle wall <3320> of partition <5418> [between us]
Lexicon Greek 3089 [hath broken down]
3089 luo {loo'-o} a root word; TDNT - 2:60 & 4:328,543; v AV - loose 27, break 5, unloose 3, destroy 2, dissolve 2, put off 1, melt 1, break up 1, break down 1; 43
Please notice that in verse 14 that the Gentile and the Jew had come into unity and the middle wall of separation between Jew and Gentile that consisted of such things as hatred, misunderstanding, prejudice, conflicting beliefs, doctrines, and religious rituals and ceremonies had been removed in order that both Jew and Gentile could find harmony in unity in the worship of God.
Answer for yourself: Let me ask you...does that condition of mutual acceptance and unity between Jews and Christians exist today in your church or in this world?
Answer for yourself: Where can you find this today? Why and how did we lose it (one new man in Messiah), since it is evident that it existed in the first century?
Answer for yourself: Does Yahweh wish the Jew to pattern himself after the Gentile or the Gentile after the Jew? You will have that answer after you finish these articles.
The Book of Ephesians chapter two and verse 15 states:
Possibly there is no greater error in Scriptural interpretation than the TWISTED Scripture in Ephesians 2: 15-16 where we find that multitudes "claim" that Yeshua "nailed the Law of Commandments to the cross" thereby giving mankind (the Gentile church) freedom from the LAW! That is the premise and quite understandable from a quick reading in English version of the text. Such a mistaken understanding is because our English Bibles contain added words which were never there in the Greek Scriptures which influence our reading to perceive the Law was abolished. If you will begin to study for yourself instead of trusting that your preacher has preached to you I promise you that you will come to many Bible truths that have for too long been overlooked. If you will do this then you would discover what I did that completely altered the direction of my life and SHOULD ALTER YOURS IF YOU ARE A TRUE LOVER OF GOD!
Today the vast majority of Christian Churches find their identity in the denomination or non-denomination and not as a part of Israel. This is in direct opposition to the Scriptures in the New Testament as well as the Old Testament which clearly instructs that the Gentile finds his position in the Household of God as part of Israel along with the Jew. The reason for so much misunderstanding today in the Christian Church concerning their relationship with the Israel of God is because there have been words ADDED to Ephesians 2:15-16 (as well as other passages in the New Testament) which have TWISTED THE MEANING OF THE GREEK SCRIPTURES thereby falsely leading multitudes to believe the Law has passed away! Following is a copy from the King James Version, with the added words underlined:
Ephesians 2:
As you can see from a close and careful reading of Ephesians 2:15-16 that the translators of the King James Version, by the USE of ADDED WORDS, PURPOSELY, with the INTENT TO FALSIFY, deceived THIS WORLD into "thinking" that Yeshua came to do away with the Law as we shall more clearly see later in this article! If we read the above Scripture and INCLUDE the words "even" and "contained" we come to the conclusion that Yeshua abolished in his flesh the law, commandments and ordinances through the cross. But dearly beloved "even" and "contained" are added to the Greek manuscripts before translating into English by the publishers of our Bibles.
Take time to read this text of the New Testament and leave out the italicized words and listen to the new meaning it brings to your awareness
Dear child of God, these word are not in the Greek texts recovered from ages of antiquity by archeologists. But by these “additions” by men “who want you to know their theology” we are unsuspectingly led astray from the real message God intended us to have.
If you remove these two "added" words we find that the ONLY THING ABOLISHED BY YESHUA AND THE CROSS IS THE "ENMITY." More on this later...let us continue with Ephesians.
Answer for yourself: As you can see from a close and careful reading of Ephesians 2:15-16 that the translators of the King James Version, by the USE of ADDED WORDS, PURPOSELY, with the INTENT TO FALSIFY, deceived THIS WORLD into "thinking" that Yeshua came to do what in regards to the Law? Nail the Law to the cross which he did not.
As stated earlier Yeshua's death and presumed resurrection were understood as a catalyst to motivate a Gentile-hating Judaism to repent in part (the followers of Yeshua) and take to the non-Jews of the world not "conversion", which required circumcision which for an adult was an effective deterrent to his acceptance of Biblical Faith, but the Laws of Noah which originally God gave to the non-Jew (did not require circumcision). No longer were 613 commandments placed upon the non-Jew along with circumcision for acceptance by the Jews; rather, 66 commandments dealing mainly with moral issues were his to keep and observe. Such repentance by Israel (the followers of Yeshua) in their attitude to the non-Jew was instrumental with the doing away with the hatred and opposition toward the Law on the part of the Gentiles by removing forced circumcision as a prerequisite. This main fact is the whole reason for the writing of the book of Galatians where Paul speaks only about one law not given to the non-Jew….circumcision. Paul never intended, in Galatians, that the Law pass away. He was only saying that the non-Jew was never under the Law of CIRCUMCISION as it was not part of the Covenant of Noah or the Law of Noah, but was conveniently used by the Jews to keep the non-Jew from fellowship and inclusion with them as they considered the non-Jew unclean and basically "dogs." I sure wish Christianity would study their history more and see such truths as this which have been overlooked for almost 2000 years.
Answer for yourself: If we read the above Scripture and INCLUDE the words "even" and "contained" we come to the conclusion that Yeshua abolished in his flesh the law, commandments and ordinances through the cross. But dearly beloved "even" and "contained" is added to the Greek manuscripts before translated into English. If you remove these two "added" words we find that the ONLY THING ABOLISHED BY YESHUA AND THE CROSS IS NOT THE LAW .......but what? Hatred toward the Law by the Gentiles, since now they could come to saving faith without the need for circumcision as an adult male, and so goes the husband and father, so went the family.
Answer for yourself: Since Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, and taught Yahweh's LAWS to these same Ephesians (chapter 6:2-3) well after Yeshua's death and presumed resurrection, WOULD Paul teach that these SAME LAWS were '"nailed to a cross", and not to be KEPT'? The answer is, DEFINITELY NOT!
First, I would like to remind you of the fact that when one reads the Greek Scriptures (the New Testament) and finds WORDS IN ITALICS, that means: the italicized words have been ADDED TO THE SCRIPTURES in translation WHICH WERE NOT THERE IN THE BEGINNING! In other words, it was not given by Yahweh, was not in the Greek manuscripts, and is not intended to be added to the context for often it ALTERS THE TRUE MEANING OF THE PASSAGE AND WE ARE LED INTO ERROR AND SIN WITHOUT KNOWING IT BY SUCH PLACEMENT OF ITALICIZED WORDS. Such is the erroneous teaching that the LAW HAS PASSED AWAY. This is just such the case in Ephesians 2:15-16: The ADDED WORDS in these Scriptures in the King James Version have DECEIVED millions of people for HUNDREDS of years! Let us investigate once again Ephesians 2:15-16, KJV, [added words bracketed]!
15 Having abolished in his flesh the ENMITY [hatred toward something] (EVEN) the law of commandments (CONTAINED) in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, (so) making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto Yahweh in one body by the "cross", having slain the ENMITY [hatred toward something] thereby.
Answer for yourself: What was abolished by the Cross (understood to mean the death of Yeshua)?
Understand the Jews loved the Law and did not hate it. The hatred toward the Law by the Gentiles was canceled by the death of Yeshua on the Cross as subsequent to his death whereby his followers would go into all the world thereby reaching the non-Jewish peoples of the world with the message of monotheism and the resulting responsibilities necessary for those coming to God to obtain salvation. No longer was the Gentile forced to "convert" and undergo circumcision to receive God's gracious gift of salvation. Circumcision had been used as a tool by Jews who hated Gentiles to discourage their coming to God and they used it effectively as they wished to have little or no contact with them since considering them unclean and not worthy of Eternal life (one only needs to read the accounts of Shammai to understand this situation). Circumcision was used to prevent the non-Jewish adult male from making conversion to Judaism. As an infant circumcision was no big thing as the baby carries the mother's antibodies against infection which lasts up to six months in the baby's blood. But for an adult this was a real problem as many died of the procedure due to infection. Now understand that by removing such an obstacle then the “death penalty” for transgression of the Law was removed for the non-Jew as he could now repent and come to saving faith without the need for circumcision. Not all of Israel was ecstatic over such actions taken by the Messianic community of Israel. It was even a slow procedure for the Apostles themselves as it literally took years and persecution to get them to respond in this manner. But no longer were the non-Jew kept from salvation as the Messianic part of Israel repented and began once again to be a "light to the Gentile" by directing them to God without all the excess baggage which had up to that time had effectively been used to prevent the conversion of the non-Jewish world. Now though faith, repentance, obedience, and observance of the Covenant of Noah along with its Commandments and Covenant stipulations, the non-Jew would have the "death penalty" which stood over his life removed and all this is traced to Yeshua's death on the cross and "believed resurrection" by his followers. In would be in the wake of Yeshua' death and the resulting ministry of his followers which developed afterwards that, in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, that the Jews, or at least some of them, would break from Jewish bigotry and go into all the world with the "good news" of faith in God and repentance to the non-Jewish world.
Let us regress for just a moment. First, we have established the FACT that there have been words ADDED at very critical places in these Scriptures. Now your pastors and preachers, most likely, have told you that the "ENMITY" in the verse refers to Yahweh's Law itself. As you can now see for yourself such is not the case.
Answer for yourself: Having seen for yourself the truth about these added words and that the Greek Scriptures do not contain them, are these Christian Pastors and Teachers correct in their interpretation or have they committed a grievous error and led you into sin (rejection of the Law and your covenant stipulations as non-Jews) without your knowledge? You be the judge!
Yahweh's LAW, however, is not the "ENMITY" slain as mentioned in the verse. Yeshua "abolished" on the cross the ENMITY (better understood as hatred toward something), for Paul has plainly said so in Romans 2:13, Romans 3:31, Romans 7:7, and Romans 7:12.
Romans 2:13
For NOT the "hearers" of the Law are just before Yahweh, but the "DOERS OF THE LAW" will be justified.
Answer for yourself: Did Paul teach "doing the Law" for justification AFTER THE CROSS? DEFINITELY YES!
Romans 3:31
Are we then "doing away with the Law through faith? BY NO MEANS! Rather, we ESTABLISH the Law!
Answer for yourself: Did Paul abolish or establish the Law in the Gentile churches (like yours) in Rome before or after the cross? The Law was established in Paul's preaching definitely after the cross!
Romans 7:7
Shall we therefore "say that the Law is 'SIN'? NO! By no means! But to the contrary, I did not know SIN (transgression of The Law) except THROUGH THE LAW, for I did not know lust, unless the Law had said (in Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21) Do not covet."
Romans 7:12
Therefore the LAW is HOLY, and the COMMANDMENTS holy, and Just, and Righteous.
Answer for yourself: Did Paul say this before or after the Cross of Christ? Definitely after!
Answer for yourself: Did the Jews love the Law or hate the Law? They loved the Law.
Answer for yourself: Then who do you suppose hated the Law (having not grown up with it and understood it properly like you and me)? The Gentiles for the reasons given above.
The Apostle Paul taught The Ten Commandment Law to the Ephesians, as proven by Ephesians 6:2-3, which says:
The LAW to honor one's father and mother, in order that your days may be long upon the land, is Commandment Number Five of The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20:12, and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:16.
Notice that the Apostle Paul was NOT teaching the "abolishment" of The Commandments (correctly understood as the ten categories that organized all the LAWS OF YAHWEH), or he would NOT have been teaching the Ephesians to OBEY the 5th Commandment!
This is made all the more difficult because Paul tells us in Romans that the "Law is holy, just and righteous."
Answer for yourself: So "what" was the ENMITY that Paul said was "abolished" on the Yeshua's cross if it is not the LAW?
To understand, we must look at the status and situation of the Gentile in first century Israel.
In Ephesians 2:15-16 we find the Greek word which is translated as "ENMITY. This word comes from the Greek word "echthra", word #2189 in Strong's Greek Dictionary, which is a derivative of word #2190 which means "hostility toward something.:
Thus, the word ENMITY in Ephesians 2:15-16, should have been WRITTEN: enmity TOWARD something or enmity TO something.
A Critical Lexicon and Concordance To The English and Greek New Testament, by Ethelbert W. Bullinger, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI., pps. 250-251, corroborates the FACT that the word ENMITY means: OPPOSITE TO, hating another, and adverse to Him:
"The ENMITY is TOWARD something, which in this case is hatred toward The Law of Yahweh!" So dear Christian, Yeshua's death and subsequent events traced to his death destroyed the hatred toward the Law by the non-Jew and not the Law...by catalyzing a movement to the non-Jewish world where the Laws of Noah...66 Commandments and not 613 were given to the Gentile without the requirement of circumcision...no longer conversion and forced circumcision on adult males was required for acceptance into the Israel Of God!
I bet that is a real revelation to most of you, especially considering you have been taught to hate the Law since you were children in Sunday school. Yeshua destroyed the hatred and opposition to Yahweh's LAW by catalyzing a Messianic movement whereby the non-Jews of the world were brought to God without the obstacle of circumcision, therefore making "peace" between the Gentile and the Jews...thus making the two...one...thereby breaking down the middle wall of opposition and separation between them. Now it was possible that both the Jew and the non-Jew would LOVE THE SAME THING: BOTH JEW AND GENTILE COULD LOVE THE LAWS OF YAHWEH! (The Laws of Noah are so simple..any non-Jew could easily live by them and most already were if they were righteous beings).
Answer for yourself: How so? By re-establishing the Laws of Noah for the Gentile as seen in Acts 15 (Messianic branch of Judaism in the second Temple period of which Yeshua belonged).
More on that later in forthcoming articles in this series.