Do I have your attention? LOL!
I hate some of the modern slang. But, if you haven’t figured it out, it’s a phonetic device, encouraging the reader to “obey”.
I have posted many, many times how Kefa [Peter] warned that even in his day people were twisting the words of Sha’ul [Paul], to their destruction, and he called them “without/outside of Torah”. Yet, so many today ignore the very plain meaning of his admonition, and the many other warnings the Brit Khadashah [NT] scriptures give the reader concerning ignoring the Mitzvot of Elohim [Commandments of G-d]. Kefa warned that they twist Sha’ul’s words, “Like they do the OTHER scriptures,” presumably to include the gospels, which had undoubtedly already been written. People say that the Mitzvot that Yeshua taught were just love G-d and people, and that He turned on the Torah, destroyed/obliterated it, and taught the Jews to forget it. They do not realize that NO JEW, including all of the Shlikhim [Apostles], would have accepted Him as their Messiah had He done such a work of blasphemy. The blasphemy the Jewish leaders accused Yeshua of was NOT turning away from Torah, but declaring Himself to be equal with G-d, which He is. They just didn’t believe that. But had Yeshua come to dismiss the Torah, NOT ONE PERSON in Yisra’el would have called Him Messiah or put their trust in Him.
Surely most believers in Yeshua understand that every person who wrote the scriptures was Jewish? Surely most believers understand that every Shali’akh [Apostle] was a Jewish Torah keeper? Surely they understand the Ru’akh [Spirit] was given first to them, and then to 3,000 JEWISH people [Ma’asei / Acts 2], who were keeping Torah by virtue of being in Yerushalayim for the feast of Shavu’ot [what most know as ‘Pentecost’, which was one of the commanded Sabbaths of G-d ]. And even more surely, most believers understand that the ‘scriptures’ mentioned in the Brit Khadashah [NT], are and can ONLY be the scriptures of the Tanakh [OT]?
So, with all that in mind, I ask my new readers to take a serious look at the following, very simple verse, and ‘see’ that Sha’ul [Paul] taught the Mitzvot [commandments], as did Yeshua, and that these were not limited to two ‘new’ commands, but were those written in HaDavar [The Word], which is today called the Tanakh [OT], as, at the time Sha’ul wrote this letter, those were the only ‘scriptures’ that existed, and HaDavar was, at that time, exclusively the Torah, Nevi’im, and K’tuvim [Law, Prophets, and Writings, ie, Tanakh/OT].
“Now we command you, my brethren, in the Name of Adoneinu Yeshua HaMashi’akh, to shun every brother who leads an evil life and not in accord with The Mitzvot which he received from us.”
In your greek-derived bibles, the word there is ‘customs,’ from the greek ‘paradosis.’ But, that greek word actually means “Jewish customs.” Is it at all possible then that greek translators were trying to inch away from the Mitzvot even then? Remember Kefa’s warning [ 2 Peter 3:14-19 ] . Possibly. But, they may have had a stronger, Jewish understanding of the word ‘paradosis’ than more modern translators are willing to admit. The best sources tell us this word is a term used exclusively for Jewish customs, but, true Jewish customs that the Shlikhim taught were derived from and supported the Torah. The Aramaic Peshitta texts precede the greek, and are the source of the greek texts, and this verse helps to prove that. The Aramaic word there is פּוּקדָּנֵא , pukdaneh, which is the Aramaic word for מִּצְווֹת , “Mitzvot”, the Hebrew word for ‘commandments’. So, Sha’ul, here, is commanding his readers [ancient readers, as most modern readers abhor any commandment], to obey the Mitzvot, and to shun brothers who do not, but choose to live an evil life. Sin is breaking Torah [ 1 Jo 3:4], so an evil life is one that goes against Torah. I suppose one chooses the ‘degree’ of evil he wishes to practice, or to shun. But, clearly, Sha’ul is teaching his readers to follow HaDavar, as written in the Tanakh. The proof? A previous verse:
“Henceforth, my brethren, stand firmly established and be strong in The Mitzvot, which you have been taught, either in HaDavar, or in our letters.”
Yes, again, the greek and subsequent translators twisted/monkeyed with this verse: first, they change pukdaneh to paradosis instead of “entole,” the actual greek word for ‘commandments.’ This word is The Mitzvot, the commandments of G-d the creator; then, they twist again when “either in word or our letters” they write. In the Aramaic, however, it reads, “baMilta”, which is most accurately rendered, “in The Word“. HaDavar. Which is a Biblical and Jewish name for the Torah, and eventually for the Torah Teacher, Yeshua.
“…which are written in this Sefer HaTorah [book of the Torah]; if you turn unto יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul. For this Mitzvah which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?” But HaDavar is very nigh unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.” D’varim [Deut] 30:10-14
HaDavar became a body, which is Yeshua HaMashi’akh in the flesh. The TORAH became flesh….
Again, how much of G-d’s word do YOU choose to obey? What pastors tell you, or what is actually written BY G-d Himself? You decide.
“And if it seems evil unto you to serve יהוה , choose you this day whom you will serve….. as for me and my house, we will serve יהוה .”