The Calf-Path
by Sam Walter
Foss (1858-1911)
One day, through the primeval wood,
A calf walked home, as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail, as all calves do.
Since then three hundred years have fled,
And, I infer, the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.
The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bellwether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bellwethers always do.
And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made,
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ’twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed — do not laugh —
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.
This forest path became a lane,
That bent, and turned, and turned again.
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And traveled some three miles in one.
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.
The years passed on in swiftness fleet.
The road became a village street,
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare,
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.
Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed that zigzag calf about,
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They follow still his crooked way,
And lose one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.
A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.
They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf!
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.
------ o ------
There is a way which seems right to a
man, But its end is the way of death.
Every Church has its own set of doctrines, traditions, and
assumptions. It is impossible for all
Churches to be right. In fact, no two Churches agree on everything. While we
might like to believe that the Church, we attend is the correct one, factually,
it is no better or worse than hundreds other Churches. It may be offensive, but
true nevertheless, to assert that the Church is a human institution. That
doesn’t make it bad, or devoid of value. The synagogue was a human institution;
it served the needs of Judaism for many centuries, Jesus seems to have bad a
habit of attending, and also teaching in synagogues. A Church saves no one, Jesus is the only Saviour.
No matter what Church one attends, attendance doesn’t represent spirituality. The
important thing is being a child in the family of God. God does not consider
Church membership a factor in determining who should be saved; God looks at a
person’s heart. Whether house church, cathedral, or no group affiliation, the
principal is the same; our relationship with God is individual and personal. Whether
in St. Peter's Basilica, or gathered in the shade of a tree; in grandeur or
simplicity; the only thing God looks at is one’s heart. The trappings of
religion have no bearing being a child of God.
Ekklēsia – not Church:
Neither the word Church, nor anything the word permits, is
found in scripture. A modern Greek lexicon will suggest that “Church” is an acceptable
meaning for the Greek word ekklēsia; that is false! Ekklēsia, is made up of two words, ek and kaleō. The meaning of ek is out; the meaning of kaleō is, call. When Jesus
said “...upon this rock I will build My church
ekklēsia;” he was using a familiar
term from the ancient scriptures, a term that represented Israel. For a better
understanding of ekklēsia one can look at the Hebrew word it often translates:
qâhâl - (c) The word is
employed in various expressions to designate Israel, the people, and the nation
in various ways.
(i) Korah and representatives of
Israel's leadership refer to the assembly or congregation of Yahweh as all the
people, who are as holy as Moses (Num 16:3). The Lord's community opposed Moses
and Aaron at Kadesh and refer to themselves as the qehal yhwh
(Num 20:4) that has been misled by Moses and Aaron. The Lord's assembly is
reserved for some, and membership is forbidden to others (emasculated, married
improperly); the Amorite and Moabite may not enter, but Edomites and Egyptians
may (see Deut 23:1-8[2-91),
(ii) The term qehal
yhwh, assembly or congregation of Israel, refers to the people in
various situations: gathered before the tabernacle (Lev 16:17), before Moses to
hear his song (Deut 31:30), and before Joshua with the people standing before
Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim (Josh 8:33-35). In Exod 12:6 q'hal is
compounded with 'ëdã to designate the "gathered community of
Israel" (qehal adat yisra'el); cf. Num 14:5).
Its use continued into postexilic times ("a large crowd of Israelites ...
gathered" [Ezra 10:1]). The assembly of Yahweh stands for all Israel in 1
Chron 28:8.
(iii) The assembly of the people
is often related to specific and various occasions: when the ark was brought to
the temple of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:14), the whole assembly was blessed by Solomon
(cf. Ezra 10:8; Neh 5:7). The whole exilic assembly built booths and lived in
them to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Neh 8:17; cf. 2 Chron 30:13-20).
Job cries for help in the assembly (baqqahal; Job 30:28), possibly a
town council (or religious assembly?). The assembly (haqqahal) Israel at
Sinai (Deut 9:10) was a special group that received the Torah on a special day.
In a similar vein the gathered Israelites in the desert were recognized (Exod
16:3; Lev 16:33; Num 14:5; 16:47[17:12}; 20:12) as a special group who saw
Yahweh's wonders in the desert.
Jesus was not speaking of a religious institution when he
said, “I will build my ekklēsia.” He referred to his
kingdom, as distinct from the kingdom of Israel. By using the personal pronoun
Jesus acknowledged, that “an” ekklēsia already existed to which his would be superior.
Matthew wrote in a Jewish context. He chose the common Greek word ekklēsia to
record what Jesus said on that occasion. The Greek word ekklēsia is interpreted
as congregation in Heb 2:11, and assembly in reference to the riot in Ephesus.” Those who believe that
Jesus said he would build a “Church” are mistaken. There is no one Church, or
even the total collection of all Churches, that can compare to the Kingdom of
God.
A sample of translation being manipulated to support a false
assumption:
If another member of the church
sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If
the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if
you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every
word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three
witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to
the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church,
let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
(NRSV)
The words in bold print are not in the original text. This
passage is not addressing Church authority.
In this case the word ekklēsia refers to an authoritative Jewish
assembly, such as the elders of a town or city. This instruction includes
attitudes of Jewish exclusivity, foreign to the ekklēsia of Christ. The ekklēsia
of Jesus was to embrace all nations, and all people. The requirement for more
than a single witness comes from the Jewish law, “A single witness shall not rise up against a
man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the
evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.” Jesus gave a principle to
follow in everyday affairs; “If your brother or sister sins…”
This is the one who was in the congregation
in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount
Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to
pass on to you.
So then, some were shouting one thing and some
another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know
for what reason they had come together.
But if you want anything beyond this, it shall
be settled in the lawful assembly.
After saying this he dismissed the assembly.
I will proclaim your name to my brothers and
sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
The words
in bold print are translations of ekklēsia.
These are correct translations, whereas in the majority of cases in the New
Testament, ekklēsia is translated “church”. The intentional purpose of substituting
Church in place of assembly or congregation is to support human traditions.
------ o ------
The
impact and influence of Judaism on Christianity:
Most
Churches ignore the fact that the ekklēsia of Jesus was Jewish. It was
promised to Jews and began with Jews. Even after the gospel had been given to
the Gentiles, Jewish Christians continued to follow the dictates of the old
law.
The Messiah came at a time when
Judaism was fragmented. Concerning the state of Israel and Judaism, in an
interview, Matthias Henze said:
“Six events stand out for me:”
First, the monarchy came to an end. During the Second Temple
period, Israel was no longer ruled by kings, as it was during the First Temple
period. At the same time, prophecy also ended, as many prophets were closely
aligned with the monarchy.
Second, the second temple in Jerusalem never had the same
significance as the first temple, and it certainly never enjoyed the same
theological, unifying authority. To the contrary, more and more groups
distanced themselves from the Jerusalem temple, most famously, perhaps, the
group that left us the Dead Sea Scrolls: they preferred a life in the Judean
desert in self-imposed exile.
Third, the Second Temple period saw the emergence of the Diaspora
as a permanent reality in Judaism. In the Old Testament, the books of Esther
and Daniel are set in the Diaspora.
Fourth, and perhaps the most defining attribute of Second Temple
Judaism: its ever-increasing, internal divisions and the dramatic fragmentation
of Judaism into smaller groups. The first-century CE historian Josephus tells
us that there were three main groups: the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the
Essenes. We now know that there were many more than three groups. Initially,
the followers of Jesus formed one such early Jewish group. It wasn’t until
centuries later that Christianity clearly became a distinct religion.
Fifth, the word of God ceased to be
exclusively oral and increasingly became a written text. The writing down of
God’s message ultimately led to the emergence of the first biblical canons.
And sixth, the Second Temple period was a time of unprecedented
intellectual creativity, theological exploration, and literary productivity. A
wealth of new texts were written, only a few of which found their way into our
Bibles.
Henze goes on to say, “...the Judaism of Jesus is not the
religion in the Old Testament. In other words, the Old Testament cannot explain
the Judaism of Jesus. .... In order to
learn about the Judaism of Jesus, we need to turn to Jewish texts that are
closer in date to the time of Jesus. This is where texts such as First Enoch,
Jubilees, and Fourth Ezra become invaluable: they help us fill in the
chronological gap that exists between the Old and the New Testament and inform
us about the Judaism of Jesus.” These writings are not
recognized as canonical books, yet, much can be learned from such writing. For
instance, most of what is known about the time of Maccabean revolt is found
only in the first book of Maccabees. Henze added, “My point is that the rich
library of Second Temple Judaism helps us understand Jesus’ Judaism, the
Judaism that is assumed throughout the New Testament.”
In the first century of the Common
Era, Jesus of Nazareth lived as a Jew among Jews. He prayed in the synagogue,
observed Jewish laws (including the dietary laws), and probably wore the
fringes on his clothing (tzitziot in Hebrew) as required for Jewish men. His earliest followers did the same. Yet by the end of the fourth century, Jesus’s
followers had left the synagogue and established a new religion known as
Christianity.
The diversity of Judaism seems to
indicate that unified Messianic expectations simply did not exist within Second
Temple Judaism. .... Finally, the Messianic expectation was that he would come
soon, perhaps even in Apocalyptic glory. Statements of further specificity
would ignore the diversity of the Second Temple Judaism. However, it is clear
that the Jews of the Second Temple period were awaiting the coming of a figure
from God who would restore Israel.
Jewish tradition of the late, or
early post-Second Temple Period alludes to two redeemers, one suffering and the
second fulfilling the traditional messianic role, namely Mashiach ben Yosef,
and Mashiach ben David. In general, the term "Messiah" unqualified
refers to "Mashiach ben David" (Messiah, son of David).[16]
In the thirty years following the death of Jesus, the
movement bearing his name grew and spread throughout the known world. About ten
years after Pentecost Cornelius and his household were offered the rite of
baptism. That was the first time non-Jewish people were accepted by the Jewish
Christian community. Five years later Paul addressed the council at Jerusalem,
regarding Gentile believers. At that time, it was decided to send a letter to
the Gentiles allowing that they did not fall under the Law of Moses. James
speaking to the assembly said that a letter would be sent to the Gentiles
requiring that they should “abstain
only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has
been strangled and from blood.” In the late 50’s or early60’s
Paul returned to Jerusalem.
After he had greeted them, he began to
relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his
ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and
they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among
the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the
Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews
who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise
their children nor to walk according to the customs. "What,
then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.
The Christian body in Jerusalem was still as Jewish as it
had always been; keeping the law was as yet the focal point of their religion.
The difference between Christian Jews and other Jews was that they recognized
Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour.
Therefore do this that we tell you. We have
four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with
them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will
know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you,
but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law. But concerning
the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that they should
abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled
and from fornication.
The requirement of Paul was to demonstrate that he was a practicing
Jew; which he was. Significantly, the letter to the Gentiles drew a line
between what was expected of Jews and Gentiles. Whenever Paul went into a town,
he always went to the Jews first. In most cases there were synagogues where he
would speak to the Jews. In Philippi which was a Roman city there was no
synagogue; Paul and Silas “on
the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were
supposing that there would be a place of prayer.”
It is apparent that the first Jewish believers did not
remove themselves from their religious traditions or practices. The promises
made by God were to the Jewish nation. To Abraham God said, “In your seed all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed.” Herod asked the Jewish
leaders where the Messiah would be born, they referred to the prophet, “But as for you, Bethlehem
Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will
go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.” Israel was to be the recipient
of the new covenant:
The days are surely coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of
Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant
that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says
the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Israel was confirmed as the inheritor of the new covenant by
Peter speaking to Jews after the Pentecost:
You are the descendants of the prophets and of
the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, 'And in your
descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' When God
raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each
of you from your wicked ways.
The first believers were Jewish, they believed that Jesus
was the Messiah, the Son of God. The leaders of the Jews saw believers as a
sect of Judaism.
In Corinth Paul met, “a Jew
named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his
wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.” The nationality of Aquila and his wife
determined they had to leave Rome. Their belief in Jesus being the Messiah it
didn’t change their nationality. James writing to diaspora Jewish believers
said “Suppose a man comes into your synagogue...”(CJB) James as a Jew,
writing to Jews, used the word synagogue for their gathering. Acts chapter six
records a complaint by “the
Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews; their widows were being
overlooked in the daily serving of food.” The complaint is not what
is important here, what is important is that the very early believers continued
the practices of the Jewish synagogues. Jewish Christians remained religiously
and nationally Jewish. The acceptance of Jesus as Messiah, along with what that
meant, made the difference. They did not stop being Jews. James speaking to
Paul in Jerusalem circa 60 CE, spoke of thousands of zealous Jews being part of
the Jesus movement.
Not till later would God make it clear with the destruction
of the temple that the religion of Israel – Judaism, was over. Without the
temple there could be no sacrifices. There was no need for sacrifices since
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, once for all. God’s presence was seen to be in
the temple. According to Jeremiah God promised to put his law in our hearts.
Believers are temples of God, “Do
you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you?”
A precise time when Christians
were recognized as a separate group from Jews cannot be determined. The
Apocalypse makes a clear distinction between the Christians and the Jews (Rev.
2:9, 3:9). By the time of Tacitus and Suetonius in the early second century,
Roman writers drew the distinction. Whether the distinction was made during the
reign of Nero cannot be located.
By the time of Pliny in 112, Roman
officials as a distinct group of people considered Christians, separate from
Jewish communities.
------ o ------
The catastrophic end of time with the destruction of the
temple and the return of Jesus:
The destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem in 70 CE
is greatly underrated. There are
numerous irrelevant theories of what Jesus meant when answering the questions
posed by his disciples: “Tell
us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end
of the age?” Three questions, “When will the temple be destroyed?”, “What will be the sign of your
coming?”, and, “What
will be the sign of the end of the age?” Churches have concocted numerous
false theories around Jesus’ answer. Many theorists grab onto the “thousand years”
mentioned in Revelation 20 and misapply comments from Jesus’ response to his
disciples. The pericope containing Jesus reply to his disciples cannot be
broken up. It is one contiguous narrative.
Jesus referred to the prophecy of Daniel as a sign that the
end was near; “So when you see
the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the
prophet Daniel...” One doesn’t have to
understand the prophetic vision, “From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the
abomination that desolates is set up...” Jesus pointed to its
fulfillment. The end of sacrifices was the end of Israel’s religion. The destruction of the temple and Jerusalem
marked the end of the age. Immediately following the suffering of those days,
the sign of the Son of Man would appear in the sky. That appearance was the
return Jesus spoke of. It was the fulfillment of:
Christ, having been offered once to bear the
sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save
those who are eagerly waiting for him.
The end of the age was catastrophic! It was the culmination
of centuries of promises and prophecies. The impact of the end of the age was
second only to creation itself. It was a time like no other. Of suffering,
pain, and anxiety, Jesus said:
For at that time there will be great
suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no,
and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would
be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees:
You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you
escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets,
sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will
flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may
come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to
the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the
sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this
generation.
As to when the temple would be destroyed, when the end of
the age would be, and when the sign of Jesus return would appear, there was no
specific date given. Jesus did tell his disciples what to watch for:
So also, when you see all these things, you
know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this
generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Bertrand Russel scorns
Christians over what he sees as them not believing Jesus:
Jesus certainly thought
that His second coming would occur in clouds of glory before the death of all
the people who were living at that time. There are a great many texts that
prove that. He says, for instance: ‘Ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Israel, till the Son of Man be come.’ Then He says: ‘There are some standing
here which shall not taste death till the Son of Man comes into His kingdom’;
and there are a lot of places where it is quite clear that He believed that His
second coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living.
I agree with Russel’s logic. There is no doubt concerning
what Jesus told his disciples. At the close of his gospel, John records a
conversation between Jesus and Peter. Peter noticed John, he asked Jesus:
‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain
until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’ So the rumour spread in the community
that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would
not die, but, ‘If it
is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’ This is the disciple who is
testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony
is true.
We either believe Jesus, or we don’t. No amount of scripture
manipulation can change what Jesus said. The end of the age and all that
occurred at that time shows that it was a pivotal point in the history of the
world. No time like it before or after. God accomplished all he promised.
Israel was the medium through which God did all he said he would do. Jesus the
Messiah is, the subject of promise, the focus of prophecy, and the fulfillment
both.
or Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by
human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself,
now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer
himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after
year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer
again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has
appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of
himself.
------ o ------
The absolute supremacy of Jesus:
The theme of the book of Hebrews is, the supremacy of Jesus.
No other book of the Bible covers this topic in such detail. The book elevates
Jesus above angels, and establishes Jesus as superior to every essential aspect
of Israel’s religion. The introductory remarks point to the uniqueness and
divinity of Jesus the man.
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many
and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to
us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created
the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of
God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had
made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has
inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus up a mountain; there
his face shone like the sun, and his clothes were brilliantly white. Jesus was
joined by Moses and Elijah. Seeing them Peter suggested he would make three
dwellings, one for each, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Before he finished speaking
a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with
him I am well pleased; listen to him!” God made it clear that
people must listen to Jesus. Moses represented the Law, and Elijah, the
prophets. The book of Hebrews begins
with a similar focus; “Long
ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in
these last days he has spoken to us by a Son...” Toward the close of the
book the author used a race as a metaphor describing spiritual life, “...let us run with endurance the race
that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter
of faith...” Jesus when on earth, told his disciples not
to be like the pharisees and scribes:
...call no one your father on earth, for you have
one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called leaders, for one is your leader, Christ.
The disciples were to represent Jesus after he died. They
were not to be like the Pharisees, seeking prominence. The disciples in
representing Jesus, were to always keep in mind he was their mentor, guide, and
Saviour. Israel and its worship foreshadowed Jesus. Jesus was the reality; all
former sacrifices were temporary substitutes.
Hebrews reveals that the former ways were transitional; Jesus
is reality, in him we have:
·
A better hope
·
A better covenant
·
A more excellent ministry
·
Better promises
·
Better sacrifices
·
Better possession
·
A better city
·
A better resurrection[43]
·
Jesus is greater than
angels
·
Jesus is greater than Moses
·
We have a great high priest – Jesus
·
Jesus is the source of eternal salvation
The letter confirmed Jesus as the single source of
everything to do with man’s access to God, and entrance into his kingdom. The
entire religion of ancient Israel was replaced by, a relationship with God. Jesus
taught that he was the only way. The apostles preached that, “...there is salvation in no one else;
for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which
we must be saved.” There was a time when everything came together, the pivotal
point when the old was dismissed, and the new took over. The letter writer knew
that he was in a time of transition, and that very soon things would change.
When He said, "A new covenant,"
He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing
old is ready to disappear.[49]
In the last days of Israel, Jesus gave himself as the
ultimate sacrifice. At the end of the age, the temple was demolished, and the
holy City was destroyed. With the latter events yet pending, the author brings
his message to a climax:
You have not come to something
that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a
tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the
hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not
endure the order that was given, "If even an animal touches the mountain,
it shall be stoned to death." Indeed, so terrifying was the sight
that Moses said, "I tremble with fear.") But you have come to
Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in
festal gathering, and to the assembly of the
firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to
the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a
new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the
blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse the one who is
speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them
on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from
heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised,
"Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the
heaven." This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the
removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken
may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be
shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with
reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
It was not to a mountain belching fire and smoke, to an
assembly trembled with fear, or to a terrifying sight, that people are called. It was to:
Mount Zion
the city of God
the heavenly Jerusalem
to myriads of angels
to the assembly of the firstborn
to God the judge of all
to the spirits of the righteous made perfect
to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant
This is not a list of different
things; it is a description of the unshakable kingdom of God. As the writer led
his audience to their greatest hope – he concluded:
...since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot
be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship
with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
------ o ------
Innovations detract from Jesus:
The book of Hebrews specifically, including other scriptures,
recognize the supremacy of Jesus in every aspect. When Jesus told his disciples
he would build his ekklēsia, he said that “the gates of Hades”, most likely referring
to his death, would not prevent it. The ekklēsia of Jesus unlike the kingdom of Israel would never
fail. The “temple” of the new kingdom is nothing like the temple of Israel,
which was destroyed. The worship of God would not be tied to physical
structures of any type. Reflect on the conversation between Jesus and a woman
of Samaria:
‘Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but
you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is
coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in
Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for
salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when
the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit
and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is
spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’
The Samaritans believed that Mount Gerizim was the sacred place of worship,
the Jews believed that Mount Zion was the holy mountain. Jesus told the woman that
in just a very short time, location would have no validity in worship. Neither this
mountain, nor Jerusalem, will be a dedicated place of worship. Jesus continued,
“...true worshippers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth.” Jesus proclaimed that location would
have nothing whatsoever to do with worshipping God.
Considering the teaching of Jesus, and the books that
comprise the New Testament, it is difficult to see any relationship between
Church and the ekklēsia
Jesus said he would build. Why is it that people can’t accept the simple mode
of worship taught by Jesus? The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, signalling
the end of buildings or locations required for worship. Yet, there are Churches
still constructing ornate and costly buildings. The priesthood became redundant
with the destruction of the temple, even so, there are priests, bishops, committees,
and popes, managing Churches. The regulations of the Law were superseded by the
grace of Jesus, yet, in every Church there is a system of rules, doctrines, and
traditions to govern members. Smaller
less formal Churches are similar to the synagogue, which was the institution first
believers adopted. Churches are not the same as synagogues in every respect;
they were more open; any male could read or comment on scripture, whereas
Churches are more top-down organizations. Churches are businesses, with boards,
directors, income statements, and programs. The simplicity of worship in spirit
and truth, has been swamped by institutional requirements. Jesus built one ekklēsia; yet, according
to “The World Christian Encyclopedia, 2nd edition” there are 33,000 distinct
Christian denominations in the world. That’s an amazing number whether totally
accurate or not. It’s suggested that religion and politics are connected; if
that’s so, it’s no wonder that the world is in a mess, and the Church so
horribly fragmented. I don’t believe
that it is possible to treat politics and Church equally. There are some places
in which Church and politics have become so integrated its hard to find any
indication of spirituality in Church. We live in an era in which politics, for
some, determines which Church to attend. On the other hand, Church-going
politicians vote down aid to the poor. There is no way to do away with Church,
or to turn back time, and start over again as citizens of God’s kingdom. The
only hope there is, is for every believer, regardless of what Church
association they have, to worship in spirit. Individually we have to claim our
personal freedom to worship God in spirit. We must keep in mind that the
accoutrements of Churches are of human origin; whether buildings, icons,
programs, or special positions.
Why is there so much confusion about what Jesus said? “...true worshippers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth.” Jesus is superior to all human innovations.
He alone is head of the ekklēsia,
he alone is Saviour, he alone is the medium through which we become children of
God.
Don't be cheated by people who
make a show of acting humble and who worship angels. They brag about seeing
visions. But it is all nonsense, because their minds are filled with selfish
desires. They are no longer part of Christ, who is the head of the whole
body. Christ gives the body its strength, and he uses its joints and muscles to
hold it together, as it grows by the power of God. You died with Christ.
Now the forces of the universe don't have any power over you. Why do you live
as if you had to obey such rules as, "Don't handle this. Don't taste
that. Don't touch this."? After these things are used, they are no
longer good for anything. So why be bothered with the rules that humans have
made up? Obeying these rules may seem to be the smart thing to do. They
appear to make you love God more and to be very humble and to have control over
your body. But they don't really have any power over our desires.
Nobody; nothing at all, can
take the place of Jesus.
