Kollel BeMidbar

Kollel BeMidbar

First Thessalonians, chapters 1 & 2

We must always remember the warning of Peter when we start a new Pauline epistle – that false teachers distort Shaul’s words to make it appear he was teaching Torahlessness.

Second Peter 3:15  Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Sha’ul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;   II Pe 3:16  as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.   II Pe 3:17  You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the Torahless , you fall from your own steadfastness.   II Pe 3:18  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Adonai and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amein.

“Athesmos,” of course, is a greek word that means “lawless,” – to us, “Torahlessness.”

If Shaul had been teaching Torahlessness, that would make him a false prophet, according to Yeshua, as YHWH Incarnate, made quite clear – so we can be sure he did not.

Deu 13:1 If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder,   Deu 13:2  and the sign or the wonder come to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them;   Deu 13:3  you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for YHWH your Elohim proves you, to know whether you love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.   Deu 13:4  You shall walk after YHWH your Elohim, and fear him, and keep his mitzvot, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cleave to him.   Deu 13:5  That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against YHWH your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which YHWH your Elohim commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you.

That means there is an  interpretation of every one of Shaul’s teachings that is consistent with Torah, if we look at the texts from a Hebraic point of view and using clues from Hebrew language.  The early church father Jerome stated that all of Shaul’s authentic epistles had originally been written in Hebrew, and that must be our guide for proper understanding of Shaul’s teachings.  He was not a false prophet, he taught the Written Torah – much to the chagrin of the Pharisees and their Oral Law, and much to the chagrin of modern pastors and preachers who teach Torahlessness.

First Thessalonians, continued:

I Th 1:1 Sha’ul, Sila, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in Elohim the Father and Adonai Yeshua the Messiah: Grace to you and shalom from Elohim our Father and Adonai Yeshua the Messiah.

ITh 1:2  We always give thanks to Elohim for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers,

ITh 1:3  remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Adonai Yeshua the Messiah, before our Elohim and Father.

ITh 1:4  We know, brothers loved by Elohim, that you are chosen,

ITh 1:5  and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Ruach HaKodesh, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.

ITh 1:6  You became imitators of us, and of Adonai, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Ruach HaKodesh,

ITh 1:7  so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia.

1ITh 1:8  For from you the word of Adonai has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward Elohim has gone out; so that we need not to say anything.

ITh 1:9  For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to Elohim from idols, to serve a living and true Elohim,

ITh 1:10  and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead–Yeshua, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The Thessalonians were clearly for the most part gentile converts.  They had previously been pagan, and now had to go through an entire Torah Cycle of readings and learn the Torah.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain,

ITh 2:2  but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our Elohim to tell you the Good News of Elohim in much conflict.

ITh 2:3  For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception.

As compared to that of the Pharisees, who prowled the Greek lands attempting to enlarge their numbers and political influence, teaching the error of the Oral Law, the uncleanness of their traditions, and the deceptions of their precedents.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:4  But even as we have been approved by Elohim to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but Elohim, who tests our hearts.

ITh 2:5  For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (Elohim is witness),

ITh 2:6  nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as emissaries of Messiah.

Covetousness and glory-seeking were, however, hallmarks of the Pharisees methodology.  They excluded anyone who refused to adopt their oral law, causing divisions, and they praised and lauded those who adopted their false teachings (again causing jealousy among those who wanted to be accepted by all as part of the House of Israel).  They do the same to this day.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:7  But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

A mother loves her child not matter what its shortcomings.  The Pharisees however, demand strict adherence to their oral law or they drop people like a hot potato.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:8  Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of Elohim only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.

ITh 2:9  For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of Elohim.

As is mentioned more than once in the Pauline Epistles (for example, Second Corinthians chapter 11 and 12, and Galatians chapter 6), Shaul insisted that he and his immediate helpers have a “day job” that they did in each city where they traveled and taught on Shabbat.  They supported themselves with their own income the other six days of the week, and purposefully avoided being any sort of burden to their congregations.  This is an example modern-day teachers and preachers should certainly emulate.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:10  You are witnesses with Elohim, how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe.

ITh 2:11  As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children,

ITh 2:12  to the end that you should walk worthily of Elohim, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.

ITh 2:13  For this cause we also thank Elohim without ceasing, that, when you received from us the word of the message of Elohim, you accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of Elohim, which also works in you who believe.

ITh 2:14  For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of Elohim which are in Yehudah in Messiah Yeshua; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Judeans;

ITh 2:15  who killed both Adonai Yeshua and their own prophets, and drove us out, and didn’t please Elohim, and are contrary to all men;

ITh 2:16  forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

Recall, the leaders of Judea were Roman appointees. Rome had no wish for any sect of Judaism to spread, especially one in which people tended to give away wealth and not hoard it so it could be taxed.   Like in Islam today, in many provinces it became illegal to try and convince someone to change their religion.

Thessalonians, continued:

ITh 2:17  But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

ITh 2:18  because we wanted to come to you–indeed, I, Sha’ul, once and again–but Hasatan hindered us.

ITh 2:19  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Adonai Yeshua at his coming?

ITh 2:20  For you are our glory and our joy.

His coming at the Parousia (Yom Teruah) or the Resurrection of the Just (Yom Kippur), that is (whichever we qualify for).

Next week:  Parashat Naso.