UNDER THE LAW
VS.
NOT UNWORTHY OF THE LAW
Brother Ephraim Hernandez
January 3rd, 2015
In this study I will attempt to show you how the original translation of passages in the book of Galatians can change the perception of scripture to the point of being twisted, as the Apostle Peter himself states when referring to Paul’s writings:
“As also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to understood, which they are unlearned and unstable wrest (twist), as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
2 Peter 3:16
Paul express in more than a few of his letters the idea of being “under the law,” this idea is foundational to Christian theology or rather Christian dogma. Having been wrongly interpreted this passage allows believers to think that the “Law of God i.e., Torah, is no longer necessary, old and/or only for the Jews, when it can be proven all throughout the scripture that it IS necessary for God’s people, Christian and Jew alike to know, understand and do.
I must make clear however that the Levitical Sacrificial system has ended as we are living in the dispensation of grace. However, that does not nullify the rest of the Torah. Yeshua's sacrifice on the cross did fulfill certain requirements such as the Holocaust and Sin sacrifices since Yeshua became those sacrifices himself, yet perfect. We no longer stone people like they did in Torah communities then because Yeshua gave us understanding when He said, "He that has no sin cast the first stone." Anyone who looks closely at His teaching will see that He set the bar higher, but did not do away with the Commandments, Statutes and Judgements of the LORD.
In the following example texts I show you how and why the interpretation of the word Hoop’o is the primary reason there is much division in the body of Messiah today.
Example Text 1:
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under (Strong’s #G5259) the law, but under grace.” (Emphasis mine)
Romans 6:14
The Strong’s number for this word or concept under is stated as follows:
Strong’s #G5259 (Hoop-o’) A primary preposition; under a place (beneath), (wither[underneath] or where[below] especially of inferior position or condition, i.e. dignity.
The equivalent English idiom being, beneath one’s dignity, or unworthy.
Here is a more accurate translation of the above passage:
“For sin shall not rule you; for you are not unworthy of the Torah (i.e., Covenant) but unworthy of grace.”
The whole chapter is speaking of deserting sin because we are dead to it through the sacrifice of Christ. If we desert sin, then we must then live through obedience unto righteousness, but what is righteousness according to the Law of God?
And if we are carfeul to obey all this law before YHVH our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness." (Emphasis mine)
Deuteronomy 6:25
Yeshua never said that he did away with the Law of God. In fact, he said quite the opposite:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law (Torah), or the prophets (Nevi'im): I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law (Torah), till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Emphasis mine)
Matthew 5:17-20 | KJV
What exactly did Yeshua fulfill, what requirement of the Father was He meeting?
The sacrifices for Trespass (Guilt offerings) and sacrifices for Sin.
So I ask, according to verse 18 of Matthew 5 above; has all been fulfilled? I think all would agree that, not all scripture has been fulfilled.
According to verse 19, are we to DO and TEACH the commandments of YHVH? Clearly! Does our Heavenly Father expect us to be righteous? Indeed, for it is He who said, “Be ye Holy for I am Holy.”
What other Covenant do we His people (whether grafted in or native born) have to obey except the covenants He established? He himself broke the power of death and the grave by sacrificing the blood of Yeshua to atone for the sins of mankind through the Torah principle of the kinsmen redeemer (Read Lev 25:23-25, 47-48). Thereby redeeming all mankind who believe in His Son and follows His example.
Example Text 2:
“But if ye be lead by the spirit you are not under (Strong’s #G5259) the law.”
Galatians 5:18
Proper translation:
“But if ye be lead by the spirit you are not unworthy (Strong’s # G5259) of the law.”
Replacement doctrine says that if we are “under the Law”. i.e., Torah, then we are accursed.”
According to Paul’s statement in the book of Galatians:
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law (Torah), to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for the "just shall live by faith." 12 Yet the law (Torah) is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."
Let us examine this statement. First, Paul says that anybody who does the works of the Torah are under a curse and he refers to Deuteronomy that clearly teaches:
"Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law (Torah), to do them." (Emphasis mine)
How does this scripture support Paul’s argument that anybody who is under the works of the Torah is under a curse? It doesn’t. "This verse actually refutes his argument. Saying that believers (you) are cursed if you do not continue in all things written in the book of the Torah, to do them" I say this three times for a reason. To do them is a phrase that clearly refers to actions i.e., works.
If a believer claims that he is not under the Law of God, then he is also not under the Law of Grace for the Torah is what gives definition and provision for the law of grace. In other words, without the Torah we would have no grace. For the New Covenant is a renewal and enactment of all previous covenants YHVH made with mankind starting with Israel. The covenants of promise and faith He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a.k.a., Israel, those covenants were the pretext for the Covenant Yah made on the mountain at Sinai with the Children of Israel. This same covenant He renewed at the Feast of Weeks a.k.a., Shavuot, Pentecost in the book of Acts. HalleluYaH!!!
This is why Yeshua states it clearly in Matthew 7:
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock..."
Matthew 7:22-24
Does this mean that Christians are under a curse? Indeed, it does.
“See, the days are coming, it is Yehovah who speaks when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel, but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of mine, so I had to show them who was Master. It is Yahuvah who speaks. No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive, it is Yehovah who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Torah, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people.”
When Yeshua was teaching us the principles of the Kingdom of Yah through parables, He was teaching us about righteousness, about right attitudes (as in the beatitudes). This was made clear when He asked what was the greatest commandment, He referred back to the original covenant:
Yeshua said unto him, "Thou shalt love the YHVH thy Eloheinu with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Matthew 22:34-36 | KJV - w/ Hebrew transliteration
His words reflect the Torah commands:
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד.
Hear, O Israel! YHVH is our God, YHVH is one. And you shall love YHVH will all your heart, all your soul and all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:4
וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ
“you shall love your neighbor as yourself,”
Leviticus 19:18
Loving your neighbor as yourself points us all the way back to the beginning, to the actions of Cain, the wicked brother that did not want to obey the instruction of YHVH (יְהוָה) by offering the appropriate sacrifice necessary for the safety of all humans after the fall.
The sacrificial system was established by YHVH when He had to slaughter innocent animals to atone or cover the original sin of Adam and Ahava. This practice was taught to the first humans as a necessary requirement to cleanse them from sin. It’s execution (no pun intended) was not just for the one’s own sins, but also to protect “your neighbor” or “your brother” and the community from incurring judgement from one’s sins. This was made clear when Cain after sinning refused to repent, sin entered in. Remember the principle:
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
What did Cain say to YHVH when questioned about his now dead brother Abel?
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Cain did not understand that YES, he was his brother’s keeper, and this is why the appropriate sacrifice had to be maintained until the “sent one,” would come, the lamb of Yah. Isaiah 53:10, John 1:29, 36, Romans 8:3, Hebrews 10.
THE TORAH IS NOT BONDAGE
Why are so many preachers teaching that the Torah is bondage, and that our Messiah came to do away with it? When Isaiah clearly states:
“It is YHVH’s will, for the sake of His integrity, to make His Torah great and glorious.”
Isaiah 42:21
In Matthew there is a passage where Yeshua is speaking of the tribulation (Matthew 24:20) and He states that we should pray that our flight be not in the winter or on the Sabbath. So, here Yeshua is speaking of the future, and yet according to many pastors and bible teachers the Law (Torah) is done away with. They surely does not mean the TEN WORDS or Commandments.
“Remember the Sabbath (Shabbat) to keep it holy, six days shalt thou do thy labor, and all they work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath (Shabbat) in it thou shalt not do any work.”
Exodus 20
Yeshua was speaking to His followers, thus showing the importance of keeping the Sabbath by instructing them to pray this way!
Even Paul states to the Romans:
“Do we then make void the Torah through faith? God forbid; Yeah, we establish the Torah.”
Romans 3:31
So, which translation makes more sense for those of you who know the Torah and keep it, as well as all of the proofs in the Prophets and the writings of King David, as well as those of the Apostles.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
vs.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not unworthy of the law, but unworthy of grace.”
The following story is a common-sense example to drive home the importance of knowing and observing the Torah of YaH. The greatest Law given to mankind, the rulings that reveal to mankind what exactly the Creator deems right and good, evil and wrong, clean and unclean, life and blessing or death and cursing, all are contained in His Torah.
A brother of the faith who is a lawyer once made the argument about a man who after having committed a crime was jailed and then sat before a judge (of man’s law). In determining the details of the case against the man, the judge decides to show the man mercy and dismiss the case and let him go free.
Does this mean that this man no longer has to keep the law? Since he has been shown mercy and grace he can just go about doing whatever he wants without worrying about ever having to be held to account to the laws of men?
Clearly NOT. How much more the Law of God?
We too have been condemned in the heavenly court we will all be judged out of the books, what books? The books of the Torah.
Revelation says:
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 20:12-14
Nobody can tell me that works do not matter. Sure, anyone who believes in Yeshua can be saved. The same one that said:
"Whoever believes and is baptized will bee saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Also said:
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness).
We are worthy of the Torah of Yah!!! We are unworthy of Grace, but praise be to our merciful and loving Creator that has made a way of reconciliation. Living by faith does not mean living without the Torah, living by faith means loving Yehovah through obedience to His Word. Yeshua was that Word as stated in the book of John, He obeyed His Fathers Commandments, He leads by example and so we must follow and do what He did.
"But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do."
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
You bet. To The KING!
A whole lot of Truth is in this post. I agree that the Torah is far from bondage. I see it more as "guard rails" that keep us out of danger. I loved the way you laid all this out & the Scripture reference.