{"id":71,"date":"2020-10-21T13:59:25","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T13:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nachalayim.com\/?p=71"},"modified":"2020-12-02T16:08:20","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T16:08:20","slug":"the-forgotten-history-of-sad-misunderstandings-and-hate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nachalayim.com\/?p=71","title":{"rendered":"The Forgotten History of Sad Misunderstandings and Hate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praiseworthy are those whose way is perfect, who walk with the Torah of       \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4 \u2026\u2026.How can a youngster purify his path? By observing Your word.  Ps 119: 1, 9      <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So many, no, I would even propose, most Christians believe many misconceptions.  One easily fall into the bad habit of repeating and professing a belief wrapped up in a succinct sentence that lacks truth and depth.  A good example of this is when Paul writes :  All Scripture is breathed out by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight,  for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.   <\/em>[2Tim. 3:16]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Scripture is Paul referring to?  The Tenach<\/strong>, or what is also called the Old Testament.  The New Testament [NT] did not exist when he said that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently Bob O’Dell wrote:  “I certainly didn’t know about the deplorable history of the church since the time of Constantine\u2026I was undone, both by the violent history of Christians toward the Jewish people and also by the fact that [I] had never learned this history. (*1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is essential before you go ahead and start studying the Torah,  that you familiarize yourself with the history of the first five centuries, i.e the time of the so called  church fathers and the effect their teachings subsequently had on Christians who over centuries  had Jews live in ghettos; forcing them to wear special clothing, expelling Jews from countries, burning synagogues with Jews trapped inside;  forcing thousands to either convert or they would be drowned;  attacks on Jewish institutions and cemeteries,  lynching, riots and pogroms (1881 in more than a hundred towns) against Jews especially in Poland and Russia, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studying the Torah without this necessary perspective on history and especially if you do so with  the misconceptions of ‘the Law being nailed to the cross’ or from a so called Replacement Theology (*2) attitude,  your heart and soul will be shut to the treasures of G-d in the Torah. In fact you will be blind to the Hebrew<\/strong> Roots<\/strong> in the NT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will never forget when a tour leader here in Israel told how shocked the widow of a pastor was to hear that Yeshua ben Joseph [Jesus] was a Jew. This aversion to Jews and Judaism goes back to the early second century CE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The earliest followers of Jesus followed Torah\u2026[yet] Leader after Proto-Orthodox leader castigated them and others within their own ranks for continuing to observe Jewish customs, festivals and laws\u2026If Christianity had remained Torah-observant, even with reverence for Jesus as a potential Messiah, there would have been no grounds for excluding the movement from the family of Judaism.’ [14.248\/9] It is important therefore to know the history of the first four centuries after CE to understand the situation we – Jews and Christians – find ourselves today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s amazing how the following verses are just skimmed over or ignored: Matt 12:9, Matt 13:54,  Mark 1:21, Mark 3:1, Mark 6:2, Luke 4:15,16,44;  Luke 4:31, Luke 6:6, Luke 13:10, John 6:59,  John 18:20   -Again and again it is stated here: ‘And He [Yeshua]was teaching in one of the congregations (synagogues) on the Sabbath.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, after the Ascension of Yeshua,  His followers also followed the customs of the Torah and the Modeim <\/em>(G-d’s festivals\/ Appointed times):- “You see brother, how many thousands of Yehudim there are who have believed, and all are ardent for the Torah\u2026..<\/strong>you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Torah,”  <\/strong><\/em>Acts 21:20,24<\/strong> “..I worship the Elohim of my fathers, believing all that has been written in the Torah and in the Prophets,..”Acts 24:14 \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>wrote Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And therefore we see how these believers of The Way <\/em>practiced and continued Torah observant (Jewish) ways: Acts 2:1 & 20:16 [meeting on Shavuot]; \u00a0Acts 18:21, Acts 20:6 & 7( making Hafdalah)<\/em> ], going to the Temple [Acts 2:46, 5:42 ], going to synagogues [Acts 13:5,14&15, 44; Acts 14:1, Acts 17:1,2,10,17;\u00a0 Acts 18:4, 19:8;\u00a0 keeping the Sabbath [Acts 9:20, 16:13, & 17:2 & 18:4]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there is the important verse(s) that is usually incorrectly<\/strong> quoted (*3) and misinterpreted:  <\/strong>Acts 15:20 & 21.  <\/strong>At the meeting between Shaul, and Barnaba with the Ecclesia (assembly) of Yeshua’s disciples and followers in Yerusalem,  Ya’aqob says the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 20 but that we write to them <\/em>[the gentiles] to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring and from what is strangled, and from blood.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 21 For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him \u2013 being read in the congregations every Sabbath<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note the following:  What is mentioned in verse 20 is literally from the heart of the Torah,  that is,  Leviticus 17, 18 & 19.   Here we read:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

             You shall be holy, for holy am I,  <\/em>\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d4<\/em> your God\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u2026you shall love your fellow as yourself\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

           You shall observe My decrees\u2026. (Lev19:1,18,19)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again and again in these 3 chapters we read:\u00a0 Any man of the House of Israel and of the proselyte\u2026The proselyte who dwells with you shall be like a native among you\u2026(Lev17:10&19:33) .\u00a0 <\/em>These three chapters touch on the heart of\u00a0G-d’s commandments:\u00a0 to be holy, not to eat blood \u2013 and therefore the Kosher laws \u2013 not to follow the pagan idolatrous ways, and to conduct a sexually pure life style,\u00a0 as well as ‘You shall not commit a perversion in justice..’<\/em>[ giving many examples] (Lev 19:35)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I maintain that it is especially these commandments that specifically separates and characterizes the Israelites and the people that follow the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and His Torah, from pagans and other nations and beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important not to forget or leave out verse 21 of Acts 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It clearly continuous the former verses in which Ya’aqob, the leader of the elders and emissaries of the followers of Yesuha that were meeting in Yerusalem, explain to Saul and Barnaba who went to them to clear up the dispute concerning the new gentile and pagan believers from other nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line is:\u00a0 step by step,\u00a0 little by little.\u00a0 First, the most important commandments that characterizes a follower of G-d, and then as is the custom, to go to the Synagogue on Shabbat and hear the Torah being read,<\/span> and therefore,\u00a0 bit by bit learn all the commandments.<\/span>(*4)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>This same method is followed when a Christian returns to the Hebrew foundation of his faith and learn the Roots of Yeshua’s teachings. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em>What I stress here is that ALL of the Torah commandments are to be followed.\u00a0 But remember what was pointed out in Chapter 3 of this Blog, namely that not all of the so called 613 commandments apply to all.\u00a0 Some only apply to Kohen, some only to men, some only to women and some only in Israel, and the Temple, that presently does not exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HISTORY<\/u><\/strong> of the so called early church fathers and their Anti-Semitism<\/span> \u2013and other outrages:-\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0I am highlighting only a few prominent issues.\u00a0 Much more can be found on the internet.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note most of the ‘new believers were not Jews, and therefore came out of paganism, or like Justin Martyr was greatly influenced by the Greek culture that still dominated Israel; and he was a late convert:-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

115 CE[Common Era]  Bishop Ignatius<\/strong> \u2013 The Lord\u2019s  Day is now Sunday, is amongst his teachings, \u2013 he saw the church as a separate gathering from the synagogue. (*5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

140 CE Marcion<\/strong> :\u00a0 Misinterpreted Matt 5:17, 18 & 19 \u00a0and Yeshua’s statement: \u2018I did not come to destroy but to complete\u2026’\u00a0 and therefore Marcion implies the Torah does not apply. He maintains that the ‘Old Testament’ is a book of wrath, inferior to the NT book of love. His anti- Semitic Writings influenced the\u00a0 King James Bible. “Rejection of the Jewish writings had immediate consequences.\u00a0 It severed for instance , Christianity from its Jewish roots\u2026Jesus was also detached from his Jewish roots” [14.223]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

155 CE   Polycarp<\/strong>   –campaign<\/ins>e<\/span>d against Passover and promoted \u2018Easter\u2019 which of course was greatly influenced by pagan Babilonian Mythrash religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

130-160CE\u00a0\u00a0 Justin Martin<\/strong> appropriated the title of Israel for the Church and sowed the seeds for the Replacement Theology\u2019<\/em>s\u00a0 inception which maintains the blessings are meant for the Church and the curses for the Jews, and that the Church is the only living witness and one true faith.\u00a0 This pernicious and totally false belief and teaching still influences many churches!\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Justin Martin maintained that Jews murdered Yeshua (in stead of the Romans)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3rd<\/sup> CE   Origen<\/strong>  Introduced the term \u2018 legalism\u2019;  This term became synonymous with  Judaism in the minds of Christians – up till today!  Origen and Tertullian<\/strong> sayings  lead to the expressions \u2018 KK\u2019 \/ Kike \/ Christ Killer, said to Jews throughout centuries even up till the 20th<\/sup>!    Furthermore, he asked for Jews\u2019s homes and Synagogues to burn with fire;   and said Jews should be forbidden to go up to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3rd<\/sup> CE\u00a0\u00a0 Judeophobia, anti-semitism,\u00a0 anti-Torah spirit had manifested itself in Yeshua’s messianic\u00a0Hebraic ecclesia.\u00a0 [NOTE the term ‘church’ is a false translation and concept of the term ‘ecclesia’ (congregation) used in the writings of the 1st<\/sup>\u00a0 and 2nd<\/sup>, century.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jerome<\/strong> [347-420 CE ] author of the Latin Vulgate, and Augustine<\/strong> [354-430CE] called the Jews ‘accursed by God’.  Augustine is also remembered for his theories regarding original sin and the Trinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambrose <\/strong>[340-39 CE] bishop of Milan, Italy, praised the burning of a synagogue as an act pleasing to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

313CE   Emperor Constantine \u2013 and his pagan influence:   [<\/strong>see also the Ediks & councils here below]  To unify his empire, Constantine realised that by making the new Christian faith official will be to his advantage because  various nationalities being part of his Byzantine Empire. “With a sitting Emperor confessing Christianity, it was no longer a shame to be a Christian.  Now, being a Christian could even secure great material and social advantages such as political, military and social promotion.  As a result many heathens and pagans entered the Church.  Of course they brought their pagan influences with them. Because of the deepening spiritual vacuum of humble leadership<\/span> in the Church of the Western Roman Empire, the Church leaders were more than happy to pacify the heathens by allowing them to continue their pagan practices..” (my underlining) (*6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Constantine  called together church leaders and at the Edik of Milan<\/strong> in 313 CE which promulgated a Canon which stated inter alia Christianity teaches that the Holy Days have been done away with and are replaced by Christmas and  Easter.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“in a milestone de-Judaizing edict in March of A.D. 321, declared that ‘Sun-day,’ the birthday of Mithra, the pagan sun god whom he continued to embrace, was to be a day of rest throughout the Roman Empire\u2026.The Church Council of Laodicea <\/strong>circa A.D. 364 then carried this process of the de-Judaizing of Christianity to its inevitable conclusion by declaring that religious observances were to be conducted on Sunday, not Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0 ‘Christians must not<\/em> Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians.\u00a0 But if any shall be found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.’ (Canon XXIX” [15.178] (*6)\u00a0 Thus synagogues and teaching of the Torah were outlawed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

318 CE complaints were lodged against Arius<\/strong>, patriarch of Alexandria. He  denied Yeshua had equality with God<\/p>\n\n\n\n

325 CE Council of Nicea<\/u><\/strong>,  Nicene Creed:  declares Yeshua same substance as God, and therefore God.  Anyone that dared change the creed would be punished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

365 \/370CE  Catholic Council of Laodicea<\/strong>  calls Sabbath observers Judaizers\u2019 worthy of death<\/p>\n\n\n\n

381CE\u00a0 Emperor Theodosius<\/strong> :\u00a0 Council of Constantinople<\/strong>\u00a0 – doctrine of Trinity invented and accepted as Theology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n