Whole Life Discipleship 2.8.04
Rubel Shelly: Whole-Life Discipleship #2 (Matt.5:1-16): You have to remember that Rubel Shelly and John York have subscribed to the CORE GOSPEL. That makes the rest of the Bible FODDER with which you can take liberties. Furthermore, Rubel Shelly and John York claim that "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" meant that the people PARTNERED with God to "work out their scriptures." Now, that they have declared that CULTURE CHANGES we have to work out OUR new scriptures in PARTNERSHIP with God. Now, picture a mite and a wooly mammoth YOKED TOGETHER.By: Rubel Shelly begin by 'TAKING LIBERTIES' with history and will undoubtedly compare the miserable people under the PHARISEES to those who attend non-instrumental churches of Christ which they have fully compared to Pharisees and people who would fire bomb a restaurant.
Jesus inaugurated a new way of thinking about "righteousness." He was born to a culture that used the term constantly. The definition of the word -- both in the scholarly world of Torah experts and in the assumptions of the typical practicing Israelite -- was in terms of performance under clear stipulations.
Religious life focused on worship times at temple and synagogue in particular. One was "numbered among the righteous" who attended services regularly, contributed money to support the institution, and followed the rules handed down from generation to generation by priests on such issues as appropriate dress or respectable family life or kosher diet.
The people's congregation were QUARANTINED from the temple during the offering of animal sacrifices. These innocent animals were slaughtered because the Israelites REPUDIATED the BOOK OF THE COVENANT at Mount Sinai. They rose up to play in musical idolatry. After repudiating God as their king (and preacher) the kings and kingdom was given to take the people on into captivity "because of transgression."
The Qahal or synagogue or church in the wilderness excluded INSTRUMENTS and loud rejoicing because both created PANIC which was reserved for signalling marches or to turn the enemy into cowards.
Only mature adults attended the synagogue until much later. The Pharisees were paid because this was one of the LAWS they invented. Paul used a different word for different people when he said that OUR righteousness must exceed the HIRED PREACHERS AND PRAYERS who had CHANGED THE LAWS, "performed" rather than taught and had CONJURED up a salary. Undoubtedly like Rubel Shelly's LOCATED MISSIONARY.
People who passed muster on these points probably would not have said aloud that they were better than those who didn't but would have felt and spoken condescendingly of those who neglected them.
There wasn't a lot of joy among those people. In fact, some of the most disciplined and exemplary among them often looked rather sad and tended to be more feared than admired. They were pretty judgmental. What they didn't say could be read in their disapproving looks. When they did say something, it could be awfully harsh. Their religion seemed to fit more like a tight corset or dress shirt with a collar size an inch too small. Oh, it was dignified and formal; one might even say cold and methodical and uninviting. Onlookers often thought many of them were just going through the motions without a lot of heart engagement.
Sketches of Jewish Social Life by Alfred Edersheim1876
"The country-people stood or moved about, hawking the produce of field, orchard, and dairy; the foreign merchant or pedlar exposed his wares, recommending the newest fashions from Rome or Alexandria, the latest luxuries from the far East, or the art produce of the goldsmith and the modeller at Jerusalem, while among them moved the crowd, idle or busy, chattering, chaffing, good-humoured, and bandying witticisms.
Now they give way respectfully before a Pharisee; or their conversation is hushed by the weird appearance of an Essene or of some sectary--political or religious,--
while low, muttered curses attend the stealthy steps of the publican, whose restless eyes wander around to watch that nothing escape the close meshes of the tax-gatherer's net.
The burden laded on by the Jewis Clergy is defined as "spiritual anxiety created by religious ritual." It is connected to the idea of an ADDED TAX. Publicans still collect unlawful tithes and offerings to spend on their own version of Pharise religion.
Pharisees were honored as teachers but they sold out to Satan and 'WORKED OUT THEIR OWN SALVATION' by writing new laws to COLLECT more from the widow by PERFORMING rituals.
Paul outlawed the rituals of the Dionysiacs and Orphics in Rome. These rituals got so bad in Rome that they were outlawed: the music led to may outrages:
MUSIC in the Bible PLEASES THE CARNAL SENSES. It FEELS good because it creates a drug high. Music knows NO OTHER FUNCTION than to entertain the mind
PLEASE IS: Aresko (g700) ares'-Jo; prob. from 142 (through the idea of EXCITING EMOTIONS)
AIR (g142) awry; a prim. verb; to LIFT; by imp. to take up or AWAY; fig. to RAISE THE VOICE, KEEP IN SUSPENSE the MIND
On the contrary, Jesus calls us OUTSIDE THE CITY to meet in two or threes in the assembly or SYNAGOGUE where only Jesus Christ is the preacher:
Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Jesus didn't tell you to COME to a church which has used PROGRAMS and PERFORMANCE to make the assembly into a SLAVE LABOR CAMP: you are SLAVES OF THE WATCH TOWER where the watchmen are watching themselves and ENJOYING a trumpet quartet: until their brain kicks.
The Labor the NEW PHARISEES load is:
Phortizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to LOAD up.. figurative to OVERBURDEN with CEREMONIAL or SPIRITUAL ANXIETY.
And it is the TITHE or "law of giving" to pay for something for which Jesus Christ DIED. You tithe and you repudiate the SACRIFICE of Christ and when you MUSICATE you repudiate the WORD of Christ by the GIFT of Lucifer or Satan "the harp-playing and singing prostitute." If they take up a collection and tell you that it is THE LAW then the money is going to Pharisees:
Phoros (g5411) for'-os; from 5342; a load (as borne,) i.e. (fig.) a tax (prop. an individ. assessment on persons or property; whereas 5056 is usually a gen. toll on goods or travel): - tribute.
Jesus came to give REST which is the opposite of what we too often see as worship but it rarely gives us real satisfaction. The laded burden which fits Paul's idea and which Jesus died to remove is the Greek:
Anapauo (g373) an-up-ow'-o; from 303 and 3973; (reflex.) to REPOSE (lit. or fig. [be EXEMPT], remain); by imp. to REFRESH: - take EASE, refresh, (give, take) rest.
Pauo (g3973) pow'-o; a prim. verb ("pause"); to stop (trans. or intrans.), i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end: - cease, leave, refrain.
FORASMUCH then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (Holy Spirit, two-edged Sword): for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the FLESH to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, REVELLINGS, BANQUETINGS, and abominable idolatries: 1 Peter 4:3
This was the SPORT or PLAY at Mount Sinai which was MUSICAL IDOLATRY. For that crime God REMOVED the BOOK OF THE COVENANT and saddled them (and You) with THE BOOK OF THE LAW (tithing, priesthoods, musicians to mock). The Pharisees never stooped this low:
"In pagan traditions, musical instruments are invented by gods or demi-gods, such as titans. In the Bible, credit is assigned to antediluvian patriarchs, for example, the descendants of Cain in Genesis 4:21. There is no other biblical tradition about the invention of musical instruments." (Freedman, David Noel, Bible Review, Summer 1985, p. 51).
Alfred Edersheim shows what any seeker would know: that the Jewish Social life had great joy. Even the Pharisees who would not try to take you captive under WHOLE LIFE DISCIPLESHIP or force you to pay for mega-churches or temples, would NEVER do what modern theaters for holy entertainment will do with their UNLAWFUL burdens including FURTHER TAXES. We quote briefly:
We have been describing the arrangements and the appearance of towns and dwellings in Palestine. But it is not any of these outward things which gives a real picture of a Jewish home. Within, everything was quite peculiar. At the outset, the rite of circumcision separated the Jew from the nations around, and dedicated him to God. Private prayer, morning and evening, hallowed daily life, and family religions pervaded the home. Before every meal they washed and prayed: after it they "gave thanks." Besides, there were what may be designated as special family feasts.
The return of the Sabbath sanctified the week of labour. It was to be welcomed as a king, or with songs as a bridegroom; and each household observed it as a season of sacred rest and of joy.
True, Rabbinism made all this a matter of mere externalism, converting it into an unbearable burden, by endless injunctions of what constituted work and of that which was supposed to produce joy, thereby utterly changing its sacred character.
Still, the fundamental idea remained, like a broken pillar that shows where the palace had stood, and what had been its noble proportions. As the head of the house returned on the Sabbath-eve from the synagogue to his home,
he found it festively adorned, the Sabbath lamp brightly burning, and the table spread with the richest each household could afford.
But first he blessed each child with the blessing of Israel. And next evening, when the Sabbath light faded out, he made solemn "separation" between the hallowed day and the working week, and so commenced his labour once more in the name of the Lord.
Nor were the stranger, the poor, the widow, or the fatherless forgotten. How fully they were provided for, how each shared in what was to be considered not a burden but a privilege, and with what delicacy relief was administered--for all Israel were brethren, and fellow-citizens of their Jerusalem--those know best who have closely studied Jewish life, its ordinances and practices.
But this also is rather a sketch of religious than of family life. At the outset, we should here say, that even the Hebrew name for "woman," given her at her creation (Gen 2:23), marked a wife as the companion of her husband, and his equal ("Ishah," a woman, from "Ish," a man). But it is when we consider the relations between man and wife, children and parents, the young and the aged, that the vast difference between Judaism and heathenism so strikingly appears.
Even the relationship in which God presented Himself to His people, as their Father, would give peculiar strength and sacredness to the bond which connected earthly parents with their offspring. Here it should be borne in mind that, so to speak, the whole purpose of Israel as a nation, with a view to the appearance of the Messiah from among them,
made it to each household a matter of deepest interest that no light in Israel should be extinguished through want of succession.
Hence, such an expression as (Jer 22:10), "Weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more," was applied to those who died childless (Moed K. 27). Similarly, it was said that he who had no child was like one dead. Proverbial expressions in regard to the "parental relation" occur in Rabbinical writings, which in their higher application remind us that the New Testament writers were Jews. If, in the impassioned strain of happy assurance concerning our Christian safety, we are told (Rom 8:33), "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth," we may believe that St. Paul was familiar with a saying like this: "Shall a father bear witness against his son?" (Abod S. 3). The somewhat similar question, "Is there a father who hateth his own son?" may recall to our minds the comfort which the Epistle to the Hebrews ministers to those who are in suffering (Heb 12:7), "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?"
Next we will define the MODERN PHARISEES. Contrary to the big lie, a Pharisee is NOT someone who refused to sing and dance when perverted music is played.