W8
We are to obey the Mitzvot of Adonai and Yeshua.
Category: The Word and Will of God & Messiah
Type: Positive
Form: -
Source dataset: Old Testament
Uniqueness: Not unique
Classical commandment: No
New Covenant Literal Application
Applies to Person Categories: Everyone
Literal Application: mandated
More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application
The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.
It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.
This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.
Detailed codes: GFm - Gentile female, mandated | GMm - Gentile male, mandated | JFm - Jewish female, mandated | JMm - Jewish male, mandated | KFm - K'rovat Yisrael female, mandated | KMm - K'rov Yisrael male, mandated
Bible references
Key NT Scriptures
- John 14:15
Key OT Scriptures
-
Deuteronomy 6:17
Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent
Commentary
Rabbi Michael Rudolph
Christian theologians have often misinterpreted (and sometimes mistranslated) the Shaliach Paul's writings to be saying that the mitzvot (commandments of the Torah ) - the laws - the statutes, ordinances, and judgments given at Mt. Sinai - were rendered uselessly obsolete by Yeshua. Those who hold that view teach that God's law has been replaced by His grace, so that if we love God and one another, none of the specifics of the "Mosaic Law" matter anymore. 1 Such views are in direct contradiction of Yeshua's words in Matthew 5:19 , which says: So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Also problematic, is the mistranslation (of verse 17 of many Bible versions) of the Greek word , that is commonly but incorrectly rendered "fulfill": Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (NKJ) The word in this context that should actually be translated "fill" (the CJB translates it "complete"), and these numerous mistranslations have fueled antinomians to teach that no part of God's Law given at Mount Sinai is to be obeyed today because Yeshua fulfilled it in Himself. 2 There is another Scripture whose misunderstanding has caused no little amount of controversy, and that is Matthew 19:17 , in which Yeshua tells a man: But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvot. Yeshua seems to be saying that salvation comes from a legalistic observance of the law, whereas we know from Galatians 2:16 (as well as other Scriptures) that: ... a person is not declared righteous by God on the ground of his legalistic observance of Torah commands, but through the Messiah Yeshua's trusting faithfulness. The answer to this seeming contradiction is, of course, that Deuteronomy 18:15-19 of the Mosaic Torah prophesies the coming of Messiah Yeshua, and commands us to listen to Him and obey Him, as he will be speaking in God's Name. So, to obey the Torah , is also to receive and obey the mitzvot of Yeshua. A final word: This Mitzvah (and this entire book) rests on my (and Daniel Juster's) belief in the continued efficacy of all the Scriptures of the Torah ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ), recognizing that we have to be led by the Ruach Hakodesh for their application in this New Covenant age. 3 1. Scriptures often cited to support this view include Romans 6:14 and 2 Corinthians 12:9 . 2. Not all of the Scriptures and mitzvot given centuries ago and referenced herein can (or should) be applied literally in todays world 3. Ibid.
Classical commentators
Remarkably, none of the classical commentators include obeying God's Commandments as one of their 613 Mitzvot . One might speculate that the reason for the omission is that the very existence of God's Mitzvot makes our need to obey them self-evident, but then why did God command our obedience so many times? The only mitzvot that touch on obeying God are Maimonides' mitzvah #RP172, and HaChinuch's corresponding mitzvah #C516. In those mitzvot , they interpret Deuteronomy 18:15-19 as our needing to listen to and obey all of God's prophets even if they instruct us to temporarily do the opposite of a commandment of Scripture. Of course I do not agree with that interpretation, and instead believe that the Scripture prophetically refers to only one prophet - Yeshua - who had yet to come at the time that the Commandment was given, but who has since come. Meir does not have a corresponding mitzvah to #RP172 and #C516.
Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2
Source and License
Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.
License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0
Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.
Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2
Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2