Nothing Shall Be Impossible With God

Posted on 09/14/2017 by Messyanic

Many in the Virgin Birth Doctrinal claim camp understand the statement, nothing shall be impossible with God in Luke 1:37 is specifically pertaining to Mary and the child she will conceive.

But is Mary to whom the messenger was referring?

Read Genesis 18:10-14 in the Septuagint:

And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him. And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha.

And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old. And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old. Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10-14 Brenton)

Given what the author of Luke has already revealed concerning Elisabeth earlier in chapter 1, in conjunction with the messenger’s reference to her in verse 36, to whom do you think the messenger intended this statement, “nothing shall be impossible with God”, to pertain: Elisabeth or Mary?

Would a virgin espoused to a man receiving news of a future conception and birth be considered an impossibility?

Why then, do you think the messenger draws Mary’s attention to Elisabeth’s condition?

[- excerpt from The Birth of Jesus Christ – According to Luke and Acts: A Biblical Study Guide to be released in October 2017]

Posted in John the Baptist, Virgin Birth Doctrine | Leave a comment

Before Their Coming Together

Posted on 09/13/2017 by Messyanic

So many English translations insist the phrase “before their coming together” in Matthew 1:18 applies to that which comes after it, but the Greek text tells a different story.

The application of this phrase to the latter part of this verse is needed to prop up the Virgin Birth Doctrinal notion of Joseph not being the biological father of Jesus.

However, an honest look at the Greek text demonstrates this phrase applies to the former part of the verse. See for yourself: http://messyanic.com/before-their-coming-together.pdf

So what’s the big deal?

Why would the author point this detail out?

Doesn’t everyone get betrothed before their coming together?  Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, Precept Upon Precept, Virgin Birth Doctrine | Leave a comment

Free From the Calendar Debate

Posted on 07/10/2017 by Messyanic

I’m so glad to be free from the “calendar” debate!

Chasing after the sun, moon and stars to determine when to “appear before the LORD” is so last-year for me.

No offense is meant to those searching these things out now. Keep searching — don’t settle on doing what everyone else is doing just because everyone else is doing it. Be able to give a sound reason for why you do what you do.

I’ve shared some of my notes on my past calendar study for anyone who might be interested in comparing notes with me.

From time to time I go back and make revisions based on newer understanding, but they may not all be updated. So, please, continue to do your own homework on the matter.

Something Changed with Yeshua

It is my understanding that ever since Yeshua/Jesus came on the scene, the ceremonial calendar which was kept by the Levitical priesthood, meant for appointments with the Most High at the place where He placed His name, was taken away from the children of Israel — and anyone else who chose to enter covenant with them…for good reason.

As evidenced by the way so many behave, the “calendar” is used as a power mechanism by some to lord it over the laity, as well as being carried around as either a badge of honor or a heavy burden by others. 🙁

What can we learn from that system? <– That is the key.  Continue reading →

Posted in Appointed Times of YHVH, Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur, Day of Shouting - Yom Teruah, Encouragement / Advice, Feast of Tabernacles - Sukkot, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks - Shavuot, Jesus / Yeshua, Passover - Pesach, Sabbath Day - Shabbath, YHVH Elohim/God | Leave a comment

A Man In Whom The Spirit of God Is

Posted on 05/13/2017 by Messyanic

Several weeks ago when studying out the Holy Spirit in the Bible, I turned to the Old Testament to see what I could find. It seems to me that the Spirit of God is another way of saying Holy Spirit. Given that, this is what I found…

The Spirit of God Moved

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Gen 1:1-3 KJV)

This is the first mention of the Spirit of God.

A Man In Whom The Spirit of God Is

The next mention in the Old Testament is found in Genesis 41.

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. (Gen 41:37-40 KJV)

Joseph was identified as being a man in whom the Spirit of God is, being the most discreet and wise.

Discreet and Wise

The Hebrew word translated as “discreet” is “biyn” (H995) and means to discern, understand, consider, according to Brown-Driver-Briggs. And the word translated as “wise” is “chakam” (H2450), which comes from the verb that means to be wise.

I decided to do a quick search on these terms together to see who else is described as such, and this is what I found…  Continue reading →

Posted in 1-Day and Night, Holy Spirit, Jesus / Yeshua, YHVH Elohim/God | Leave a comment

The Birth of Jesus Christ Bible Study

Posted on 05/04/2017 by Messyanic

A Free Remote Round-Table Style Bible Study Class on:

“The Birth of Jesus Christ“

Starts at 8:00 PM EST each Thursday night starting May 11, 2017.
Classes are not in session presently; they will begin again in mid-October, 2017

I’ve put together Bible Study Guides for each person to download and work through independently over the course of the study, and I’ve secured a room through Zoom.us for us to meet each week to share what we’re learning.

Each week’s assignment will be made available the previous week. In order to participate in the following week’s round-table discussion each participant will be expected to complete that week’s assignment.

While I will be leading these meetings, the study is set up to encourage participation from all members.

Purpose of this Study

  • To learn what the Bible says, particularly as it relates to the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ and the virgin birth doctrinal claim.
    • Text being covered: Luke 1-4; Matthew 1-2; Isaiah 7-9

Purpose of this Class

  • To encourage you in the quest for Biblical knowledge and understanding.
  • To provide a safe forum for healthy discussion.
  • To share what you are learning with others.
  • To glean from others’ personal study and life experience.

Differing perspectives are welcome. Registration is required.

Please register in advance for these classes at Zoom.us.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Looking forward to meeting with those of you who desire to study the Bible with us!

EDIT 05/08/17 at 1:14 PM – Weekly attendance is not required, but it will be the only way to interact with one another and share what folks are learning on the subject for that week. (I will not be recording the sessions.) Of course, folks are welcome to interact with me on an individual basis anytime about any of the subject material as our schedules permit.

Certainly you can do the study guide on your own without attending all the sessions (or even if you can’t attend any of them), but I’d like those interested in the study to register for the class so I can keep track of who will have access to the study guide.

For now I want to limit the guide’s availability, with the expectation it may need to be revised as we go along based on feedback from the study participants. I hope to make it generally available online here later down the road.

My plan at this point is to make portions of the guide available on a roll-out basis. Those who don’t make the class but are registered will be kept up-to-date with each installment of the guide.

Posted in 6-Man and Woman, Encouragement / Advice, Jesus / Yeshua, John the Baptist, Virgin Birth Doctrine | Leave a comment

The Origin of Jesus Christ in Matthew

Posted on 04/12/2017 by Messyanic

Oftentimes people meld the accounts in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 to form the basis for the Virgin Birth Doctrine.

However, these accounts are speaking of two different episodes in time.

While the book of Matthew appears first in the Bible, the account given in Luke 1, which addresses a time before Mary conceives, precedes the account given in Matthew 1, which speaks of a time after Mary has conceived.

The Natural Origin

Matthew opens his book addressing the natural origin of the Messiah Yeshua, being the son of Abraham, by way of King David, through his father Joseph.

Then, the author gives an account of the visitation of the angel to Joseph, which takes place after Mary has conceived, but before she gives birth.

Although the Virgin Birth Debate tends to hone in on the idea that Mary “was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit” and that Joseph intended to send her away, I believe the first chapter of Matthew is telling a greater story.  Continue reading →

Posted in Israel, Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine | 2 Comments

Announcing the Virgin Birth in Luke 1

Posted on 03/22/2017 by Messyanic

lukeOftentimes people meld the accounts in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 to form the basis for the Virgin Birth Doctrine.

However, these accounts are speaking of two different episodes in time.

First Things First

Despite the fact that Matthew appears first in the New Testament, the first chapter of Luke describes events that happen prior to those described in the first chapter of Matthew.

Luke 1 lays out a visitation from the angel to the virgin Mary before she is pregnant. She is identified as being espoused to Joseph, and therefore attached to him. She is his woman, and he is her man.

Matthew 1 lays out a visitation from the angel to Joseph, the husband of Mary, after Mary is already pregnant.

Given these circumstances, I think it is necessary to consider these two accounts in chronological order.  Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, John the Baptist, Virgin Birth Doctrine, What About? verses | Leave a comment

For All Have Sinned

Posted on 03/13/2017 by Messyanic

There is a predominant teaching within Christianity that says we are all born into sin and our flesh is innately sinful. The crux of that teaching is based on texts found in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

bible-romans323The Romans Road

Many years ago, I was taught a “Plan for Salvation” called, The Romans Road. It was an evangelism tool to spread “the gospel message”: a series of various verses primarily from the book of Romans, strung together to formulate a “plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ”.

The underlying premise of this is that “we are all sinners by nature and choice”, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10), “wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

While I agree sin is a choice we make, does Genesis teach that we are all innately sinners?

Death is the Result of Sin, but Sin is a Choice We Make

Genesis establishes that the one man through whom sin entered the world was Adam, and the consequence of that sin was death. Adam and Eve were removed from their access to the Tree of Life, so death passed upon all men thereafter since all those who came after Adam were also denied access to that tree.

But does that mean all of mankind are considered sinful by nature? No.

Read my study on the matter of “Original Sin” from Genesis 2-4, along with a breakdown of the passages in Romans claiming “for all have sinned” to see what I think Paul was referring to in saying such.

The bottom line of my study is that the Bible demonstrates humans have the capacity to not sin, and that it is not a part of our DNA structure to sin. Rather, the propensity for mankind to choose to sin is clearly prevalent, not just within the uncircumcised population (aka “the world”) but also within the circumcised nation.

Check out my study here: For All Have Sinned

Posted in Walking in the Ways of the Creator | 2 Comments

Is the Son of Man the Son of a Man?

Posted on 03/06/2017 by Messyanic

father-and-son2In the New Testament, the reference “son of man” is attributed to Jesus over 75 times, but what does that mean?

The Greek word translated as “man” in that phrase is “anthropos” which means “a human being”, so this seems to mean “son of a human being”.

In the Old Testament Ezekiel is often referred to as “son of man”, and the Hebrew word for “man” in that phrase is “adam”, which means “man, mankind”, but is also the name of the first man made from the dust of the earth.

So, another way of phrasing this would be “son of adam”, or “son of mankind”.

As far as I am aware the Virgin Birth Doctrine does not argue against the human nature of Jesus. What it argues against is who his human father is.

Who is the Father of the Son of Man, Jesus?

The claim is that Joseph is not the physical father of Jesus, but rather it is supposed that he is the legal or adopted father of Jesus. This is despite the fact that he is never referred to as such in the New Testament.

But if that were the case, then who is Jesus’ physical father? He obviously came to be in the flesh, born of a woman, so who is his father?

Many, if not most, Virgin Birth advocates would claim Jesus has no physical father, but rather God miraculously prepared a body of flesh for Jesus, as he did with Adam, and placed that body in Mary’s womb to be born of her.

However, I see several flaws with this notion, the first being Jesus/Yeshua is called the son of man, why would he be called that if he really wasn’t the son of a man?  Continue reading →

Posted in 6-Man and Woman, Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine | Leave a comment

Why Send Mary Away?

Posted on 02/26/2017 by Messyanic

Why did Joseph think to send Mary away while she was with child?

pregnantNow the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 1:18-20 KJV)

Sadly, this passage is so pre-loaded with the Virgin Birth Doctrine it is difficult to see anything other than what we’ve been taught.

The mainstream thought goes something like this:

Mary was espoused to Joseph, but before they came together (either in matrimony or in marital relations), she was found with child of the Holy Ghost (meaning: God made her to be pregnant without Joseph’s seed).

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example (because she was pregnant out of wedlock with a child that did not come from Joseph), and (not wanting her to be accused of adultery) he was minded to put her away (meaning: divorce her) privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife (meaning: go ahead and marry her): for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost (meaning: it’s okay Joseph, the child she’s carrying is the Holy Spirit’s doing, and you’ve been tasked with providing for and protecting a child that’s not your own).

But that involves really outlandish assumptions given the fact that nowhere does it actually say that Joseph wasn’t the father.

On the contrary, it makes it very clear that:

  • Jesus/Yeshua is the son of David by way of Joseph (Matthew 1:16, Luke 3:23),
  • Joseph is of the house of David (Matthew 1:20, Luke 1:27, 2:4), and
  • Those who knew Jesus even remark, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” (Luke 4:22, John 1:45; 6:42).

The biggest known variable concerning the anticipated Messiah was that he be of the physical seed of David. And it has always been the case that sons are reckoned by their father in the Old Testament.

But all of this is overlooked in order to maintain this fabricated story.

Instead, it is rationalized that:

  • God formed a second Adam using David’s seed and placed him in Mary’s womb to be born, or
  • God formed a second Adam and placed him in Mary’s womb to be born and Mary must be of the house of David, therefore Jesus is reckoned to be the son of David through her, and
  • Joseph adopted Jesus as his son.

However, there’s nothing in the Bible to corroborate these rationalizations. They are just accepted as true.  Continue reading →

Posted in Jesus / Yeshua, Virgin Birth Doctrine | 4 Comments