Talmidim BeMidbar

Talmidim BeMidbar

Acts 5:1-7:19

In the last parashat, the NT was discussing how the Believers sold their excess possessions (following Yeshua’s admonition not to hoard wealth for the future) and gave freely to the talmidim so that the poor could be properly provided for.

Act 5:1 But a certain man named Chananyah, with Shappirah, his wife, sold a possession,

Act 5:2  and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the emissaries’ feet.

Act 5:3  But Kefa said, “Chananyah, why has Hasatan filled your heart to lie to the Ruach HaKodesh, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Act 5:4  While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to Elohim.”

They had no obligation to give ALL the proceeds of the sale to the talmidim.  The problem here was that Chananyah and his wife made a vow to Elohim to do so but  then didn’t keep it – they vowed to give the price of what they sold, but they changed their mind and then lied about it.  They could not just say “we changed our mind,” because a vow is a vow.   Aside from the lie itself, failing to fulfill the vow is a direct violation of Torah.

Num 30:1  Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of the children of Yisra’el, saying, This is the thing which YHWH has commanded.   Num 30:2 When a man vows a vow to YHWH, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Acts, continued.

Act 5:5  Chananyah, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.

Act 5:6  The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

Act 5:7  About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

Act 5:8  Kefa answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

Act 5:9  But Kefa asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of Adonai? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

Act 5:10  She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

A woman who participates in a vow is bound by that vow as long as her husband approves who heard her.

Num 30:6  If she be [married] to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul,   Num 30:7  and her husband hear it, and hold his shalom at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand.   Num 30:8  But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and YHWH will forgive her.   Num 30:9  But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, [even] everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.   Num 30:10  If she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,   Num 30:11  and her husband heard it, and held his shalom at her, and didn’t disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand.   Num 30:12  But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and YHWH will forgive her.   Num 30:13  Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.   Num 30:14  But if her husband altogether hold his shalom at her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds, which are on her: he has established them, because he held his shalom at her in the day that he heard them.    Num 30:15  But if he shall make them null and void after that he has heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity.   Num 30:16  These are the statutes, which YHWH commanded Moshe, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.

That’s why Keifa asked her all over again, when no such questioning was necessary for her husband.  The Ruach HaKodesh had informed Keifa of their lie, but after the death of her husband she was now responsible for her own sins, rather than her husband being responsible for her – as we have discussed previously.  She could have told the truth at this point and not been held responsible for what happened while her husband was in authority over her, but she chose not to.

Acts, continued:

Act 5:11  Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.

Act 5:12  By the hands of the emissaries many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Shlomo’s porch.

That is, in the Temple – where no uncircumcised men could be.

Acts, continued:

Act 5:13  None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.

They were too afraid of the politically appointed leaders.  This doesn’t mean they didn’t become Believers, necessarily.

Acts, continued:

Act 5:14  More believers were added to Adonai, multitudes of both men and women.

Act 5:15  They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Kefa came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.

Act 5:16  Multitudes also came together from the cities around Yerushalayim, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.

Act 5:17  But the Kohen Gadol rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Tzedukim), and they were filled with jealousy,

Act 5:18  and laid hands on the emissaries, and put them in public custody.

Act 5:19  But an angel of Adonai opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said,

Act 5:20  “Go stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Act 5:21  When they heard this, they entered into the Temple about daybreak, and taught. But the Kohen Gadol came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the sanhedrin of the children of Yisra’el, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Act 5:22  But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

Act 5:23  “We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

Act 5:24  Now when the Kohen Gadol, the captain of the temple, and the chief Kohanim heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

Act 5:25  One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”

Act 5:26  Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

It must have been a very large crowd.

Acts, continued:

Act 5:27  When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The Kohen Gadol questioned them,

Act 5:28  saying, “Didn’t we strictly charge you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Yerushalayim with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

Act 5:29  But Kefa and the emissaries answered, “We must obey Elohim rather than men.

Act 5:30  Elohim of our fathers raised up Yeshua, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

Act 5:31  Elohim exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Yisra’el, and remission of sins.

Act 5:32  We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Ruach HaKodesh, whom Elohim has given to those who obey him.”

Notice the criteria here is obedience, not just a “belief” in your head.  Elohim will not waste spiritual gifts on people who will not intend to obey Him (here intention is the important thing – Elohim doesn’t necessarily penalize innocent people because of what their teachers taught them, at least not at first.  But like the Levitical passages requiring an offering as soon as one finds out one has inadvertently sinned, one becomes guilty as soon as one hears the truth.  Those reading this blog, for example, now have no excuse for disobeying Torah).

Acts, continued:

Act 5:33  But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them.

Act 5:34  But one stood up in the council, a Parush named Gamli’el, a teacher of the Torah, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the emissaries out for a little while.

Act 5:35  He said to them, “You men of Yisra’el, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

Act 5:36  For before these days Todah rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.

Act 5:37  After this man, Yehudah of the Galil rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

Act 5:38  Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

Act 5:39 But if it is of Elohim, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against Elohim!”

Elohim’s plans always stand.   That doesn’t necessarily mean things will always be easy or go unchallenged when we try and do Elohim’s will, but it does mean that if it is truly His will, a way will be made.

Acts, continued:

Act 5:40  They agreed with him. Summoning the emissaries, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Yeshua, and let them go.

Act 5:41  They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Yeshua’s name.

Act 5:42  Every day, in the Temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Yeshua, the Messiah.

And, of course, to enter the Temple the men had to all be circumcized.

Acts, continued:

Act 6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the talmidim was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

Act 6:2  The twelve summoned the multitude of the talmidim and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of Elohim and serve tables.

Act 6:3  Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Ruach HaKodesh and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Act 6:4  But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

Act 6:5  These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;

A gentile convert, who would have had to be circumcised in order to have entered the Temple for prayer and worship with the rest of the congregation.

Acts, continued:

Act 6:6  whom they set before the emissaries. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

In a manner similar to laying hands on the head of a sacrifice to transfer guilt for the offering, this laying on of hands transfers spiritual gifts and the Ruach HaKodesh and was also used during ordination of offices.

Acts, continued:

Act 6:7  The word of Elohim increased and the number of the talmidim multiplied in Yerushalayim exceedingly. A great company of the Kohanim were obedient to the faith.

The hereditary priesthood – descendants of Aharon. Many of these had been displaced from their rightful Temple duties by the Roman government, who put in its own appointees.   Similarly, the Rabbis usurped the teaching duties of the hereditary priests.  However, believing Kohanim will be serving in the Temple during the Millennial Kingdom, as we saw in the Ezekiel passage referenced in the haftarah portion commentary.

Acts, continued:

Act 6:8  Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Act 6:9  But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines,” and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

Act 6:10  They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Act 6:11  Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moshe and Elohim.”

Act 6:12  They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council,

Act 6:13  and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the Torah.

Act 6:14  For we have heard him say that this Yeshua of Natzeret will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moshe delivered to us.”

Act 6:15  All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.

A false witness, by definition, is one who is lying or wrong.  So it is clearly false for those in this day and age to claim that the talmidim were teaching anyone to change or ignore the Torah as taught by Moshe.  At all times they upheld the teachings of the written Torah.  What they taught against was forcing people to adopt the takanot and ma’asim of the Pharisees, which we know as the Talmud or Oral Law of ultra-orthodox Judaism.  Then as now, the followers of the Oral Law tried to pass it off as real Torah to their students.

Acts, continued:

Act 7:1 The Kohen Gadol said, “Are these things so?”

Act 7:2  He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The El of glory appeared to our father Avraham, when he was in Aram-Naharayim, before he lived in Charan,

Act 7:3  and said to him, ‘Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’

Act 7:4  Then he came out of the land of the Kasdim, and lived in Charan. From there, when his father was dead, Elohim moved him into this land, where you are now living.

Act 7:5  He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he still had no child.

Act 7:6  Elohim spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.

Act 7:7  ‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said Elohim, ‘and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.’

Act 7:8  He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Avraham became the father of Yitzchak, and circumcised him the eighth day. Yitzchak became the father of Ya`akov, and Ya`akov became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

Stephen is making his case, that he didn’t teach against Torah.

Acts, continued:

Act 7:9  “The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Yosef, sold him into Egypt. Elohim was with him,

Act 7:10  and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Par`oh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Act 7:11  Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Kena`an, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.

Act 7:12  But when Ya`akov heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.

Act 7:13  On the second time Yosef was made known to his brothers, and Yosef’s race was revealed to Par`oh.

Act 7:14  Yosef sent, and summoned Ya`akov, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.

Act 7:15  Ya`akov went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,

Act 7:16  and they were brought back to Shekhem, and laid in the tomb that Avraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Chamor of Shekhem.

Act 7:17  “But as the time of the promise came close which Elohim had sworn to Avraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Act 7:18  until there arose a different king, who didn’t know Yosef.

Act 7:19  The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.

This is referring to Pharoah’s commandment to throw male babies into the Nile.  The Hebrews never practiced exposure (taking babies out to the wilderness and abandoning them there to die, usually female babies) – but the Greeks in the audience hearing this example would have been familiar with the practice as it was widely used in the Hellenist world.

Next:  Epistle BeMidbar.