The Messiah and Salvation

The Messiah and Salvation
Part 1
A Redeemer Like Moses
By
James Scott Trimm

The Torah says:

18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like unto you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he
shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My Name, I will
require it of him.
(Deut. 18:18-19 HRV)

The Thirteenth Century Rabbinic commentator Ralbag (Rabbi Levi ben Gershon) writes concerning this passage:

A prophet from the midst of you.- In fact the Messiah is such a Prophet as it is stated in the Midrash [Tanhuma] on the verse "Behold my Servant shall prosper" [Is. 52:13]... Moses by the miracles which he wrought brought a single nation to worship Elohim, but the Messiah will draw all peoples to the worship of Elohim.
(Ralbag on Duet. 18:18)

The Midrash Tanhuma (cited above) says:

It is written, Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, He shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high (Isaiah 52:13).
It means, He shall be more exalted than Abraham of whom it is written, 'I lift up my hand' (Genesis 14:22). He shall be
more extolled than Moses of whom it is said, 'As a nursing father beareth the nursing child' (Numbers 11:12). 'And shall be very high'—that is, Messiah shall be higher than the ministering angels.
(Midrash Tanhuma Is. 52:13)

Maimonides, in a letter to a Yemenite community, denounces a man claiming to be the Messiah saying:

The Messiah will be a very great Prophet, greater than all the Prophets with the exception of Moses our teacher…His
status will be higher than that of the Prophets and more honorable, Moses alone excepted. The Creator, blessed be He, will single him out with features wherewith He had not singled out Moses; for it is said with references to him, “And
his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after
the hearing of his ears.” (Isaiah 11:3)

The Dead Sea Scroll document 4Q175 also speaks of a Messianic Figure (clearly the Messiah) and applies Deut. 18:18-19 indicating that the Prophet “like Moses” was understood clearly as referring to the Messiah as far back as the Hasmoean period.

Now in Deut. 18:19 the Torah says of those who do not give heed to this Messiah “I [Elohim] will require it of him.”

What does this mean?

The Targum Onkelos to this phrase is even stronger saying “My Word shall take vengeance upon him” and similarly the Greek Septuagint translator rendered the phrase “I shall take vengeance upon him.”.  Certainly the Torah not only
foretells the coming of Messiah, it requires every Torah Observant Jew to accept and follow this Messiah.

Another exposition of the text, ' My beloved is like a gazelle ‘: Israel, explained R. Isaac, said to the Holy One,
blessed be He: ' Sovereign of the Universe! Thou hast told us that Thou wilt come to us first.’ ' My beloved is like a
gazelle ‘; as the gazelle appears and then disappears, so the first redeemer appeared and then disappeared. R. Berekiah in the name of R. Levi said: Like the first redeemer so will the final redeemer be. The first redeemer was Moses, who appeared to them and then disappeared. For how long did he disappear from their sight? R. Tanhuma said: Three months; accordingly it is written, And they met Moses and Aaron, etc. (ib. V, 20).2 The final redeemer will also appear to them and then disappear.
(Midrash Rabbah Bamidbar 11:2)

Clearly here the two redeemers are Moses and the prophet like Moses, the Messiah.

But why is it that we are required by the Torah to accept the Messiah?

We read in Exodus:

13 And Moshe said unto the people, Fear you not. Stand still, and see the salvation of YHWH, which He will work for you today! For whereas you have seen the Egyptians today, you shall see them again, no more, forever.
14 YHWH will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.
(Ex. 14:13-14 HRV)

Therefore we have a picture of the “salvation of YHWH” in Exodus 14:19-29

19 And the angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Yisra’el, removed, and went behind them. And the pillar of cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them.
20 And it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Yisra’el. And there was the cloud and the darkness here, yet gave it light by night there: and the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moshe stretched out his hand over the sea. And YHWH caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Yisra’el went into the midst of the sea upon the dry earth, and the waters were a wall unto them
on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea; all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and
his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass in the morning watch, that YHWH looked forth upon the host of the Egyptians, through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians.
25 And He took off their chariot wheels, and made them to drive heavily, so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from
the face of Yisra’el, for YHWH fights for them against the Egyptians.
26 And YHWH said unto Moshe: Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians; upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moshe stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared. And the Egyptians fled against it, and YHWH overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even all the host of Pharaoh that went in after
them into the sea: there remained not so much as one of them.
29 But the children of Yisra’el walked upon dry land, in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on
their right hand, and on their left.
(Ex. 14:19-29 HRV)

The first century Jewish writer Philo comments on this passage saying:

(2.265) Again, when you see, amid the wars and disasters of life, the merciful hand of God and his favourable power held over you and standing in defence of you, be silent yourself; for that champion stands in no need of any assistance. And there are proofs of this fact recorded in the sacred writings; such, for instance, as the verse, "The Lord will fight for us, and ye shall be Silent." (Ex 14:14.)
(2.266) And if you see the genuine offspring and the firstborn of Egypt destroyed, namely desire, and pleasures, and
pain, and fear, and iniquity, and mirth, and intemperance, and all the other qualities which are similar and akin to
these, then marvel and be silent, dreading the terrible power of God;
(Philo; Dreams Book 2; 40; 265-266)

So Philo sees an allegory here where the “Egyptians” represent “desire, and pleasures, and pain, and fear, and iniquity,
and mirth, and intemperance, and all the other qualities which are similar and akin to these.” In other words Philo sees
the Egyptians as representing the sin-nature which the Rabbis call the Yetzer Ra, the Evil inclination.

The first redeemer (Moses) delivered us from the Egyptians, but the second redeemer (the Messiah) would deliver us from the Evil Inclination.

Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman) (1194-1270 C.E.) wrote one of the most authoritative Torah commentaries in Rabbinic Judaism.   He says on this topic:

And YHWH your Elohim will circumcise your heart (Deut. 30:6)  It is this which the Rabbis have said, "If someone comes to purify himself, they assist him" [from on High]. The verse assures you that you will return to Him with all your
heart and He will help you.

This following subject is very apparent from Scripture: Since the time of Creation, man has had the power to do as he
pleased, to be righteous or wicked. This [grant of free will] applies likewise to the entire Torah period, so that
people can gain merit upon choosing the good and punishment for preferring evil. But in the days of the Messiah, the
choice of their [genuine] good will be natural; the heart will not desire the improper and it will have no craving
whatever for it. This is the "circumcision" mentioned here, for lust and desire are the "foreskin" of the heart, and
circumcision of the heart means that it will not covet or desire evil.

Man will return at that time to what he was before the sin of Adam, when by his nature he did what should properly be
done, and there were no conflicting desires in his will, as I have explained in Seder Bereshit.

It is this which Scripture states in [the Book of] Jeremiah 31:30], Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers ..etc. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Eternal, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it.

This is a reference to the annulment of the evil instinct and to the natural performance by the heart of its proper
function. Therefore Jeremiah said further, and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My People; and they shall teach
no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: 'Know YHWH; 'for they shall all know Me, from the
least of them to the greatest of them

Now, it is known that the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth and it is necessary to instruct them, but at
that time it will not be necessary to instruct them [to avoid evil] for their evil instinct will then be completely
abolished. And so it is declared by Ezekiel, A new heart will I also give you, and a new spirit will I put within you;
and I will cause you to walk in My statutes . (Ezekiel 36:26)

The new heart alludes to man's nature, and the [new] spirit to the desire and will. It is this which our Rabbis have
said : "And the years draw nigh, when you shall say: I have no pleasure in them; these are the days of the Messiah, as they will offer opportunity neither for merit nor for guilt," for in the days of the Messiah there will be no [evil]
desire in man but he will naturally perform the proper deeds and therefore there will be neither merit nor guilt in
them, for merit and guilt are dependent upon desire.
(Ramban on Deut. 29:6)

(To be Continued)

The Messiah and Salvation
Part 2
The Process of Salvation
By
James Scott Trimm

The Scriptures actually teach that salvation is a process which we "work out" (Phil. 2:12) with two primary phases. The first of these phases takes place now, but the second phase does not take place until the resurrection.

In the book of Romans, Paul lays out the two phases of salvation as follows:

But Elohim commends his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath through him.
For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to Elohim by the death of his Son,
much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
(Rom. 5:8-10)

The first phase of salvation is "justification" or "reconciliation".  This is the present phase of Salvation, as Paul writes elsewhere:

(For he said, I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succored you:
behold, now is the accepted time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.)
(2Cor. 6:2)

Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Messiah Yeshua before the world began,
(2Tim. 1:9)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Ruach HaKodesh;
(Titus 3:5)

The second stage of salvation comes in the future, as the Scriptures state repeatedly:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of YHWH shall be saved.
(Rom. 10:13)

So Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(Heb. 9:28)

Are they not all ministering spirits,
sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation?
(Heb. 1:14)

So how does this two phase process work?

How often are we asked "are you saved"? or who often do we hear of "the plan of salvation" yet the amazing truth is that the vast majority of people who ask us if we are "saved" or approach us with a "plan of salvation" even know what salvation is or how to get "saved".  This booklet will explain to you, from the Scriptures themselves, what salvation really is and how you can be "saved".

When someone asks "are you saved"? the natural question is "saved from what?" "Saved" is a verb that begs for a direct object. Yet many who ask you "are you saved" cannot actually tell you what they mean. What do you need to be saved from? The Scriptures, however, give us a clear answer to this question. At the time of Messiah's birth, his mother Miriam (Mary), following instructions from YHWH, names Messiah "Yeshua" (the Hebrew word for "salvation"). Matthew writes of this event:

And behold she will bear a son, and you will call his name
Yeshua; for he will save his people from all their sins.
(Matt. 1:21)

Here is the answer to our question. Messiah came to save us from all of our sins. Thus Yochanan (John) spoke of Messiah saying:

And on the day that followed, Yochanan saw Yeshua, who was walking
toward him, and said, Behold, the lamb of Eloah who takes away the sin
of the world.
(Jn. 1:29)

Messiah came to save us from our sins, to take away the sins of the world. That is what "Salvation" is and what we need to be "saved" from. Moreove this is not a "New Testament" idea, this is an idea drawn right out of the Tanak ("Old Testament"):

Behold, YHWH's hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save, neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear;
But your iniquities have separated between you and
your Elohim, and your sins have hid His face from
you, that he will not hear.
(Isaiah 59:1-2)

Man needs to be saved from sin.

Now lets take a moment to examine these words "save" and "salvation".  These English words have a lot of baggage attached to them, a lot of theology that has been read into them over the last few centuries, instead of reading theology out of the words. As a result, it can be helpful to translate this same Hebrew word "YESHUA" with other English words that convey its meaning. Other words are "deliver/deliverance" or "rescue". There are two Aramaic words that are used for "salvation" in the Aramaic "New Testament", one of these is CHAI meaning "life, to vivify" and the other is P'RAK which comes from a root meaning "to separate" and invokes the image of one being "rescued" by being "separated" from a threat. In this case we need to be separated from "sin".

Now that we know that "sin" is what Messiah came to deliver (save) us from, we must understand just what "sin" is. Simply put, sin is falling short of observing tht Torah. As the Tanak says:

And if any one sin, and do any of the things which YHWH has commanded
not to be done, though he know it not, yet is he guilty, and shall
bear his iniquity.
(Lev. 5:17)

But Yahu took no heed to walk in the Torah of YHWH, the Elohim of
Yisra'el, with all his heart; he departed not from the sins of
Yarov'am, with which he made Yisra'el to sin.
(2Kings 10:31)

With my whole heart have I sought You; O let me not err from Your
commandments.
Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
(Ps. 119:10-11)

Perhaps the clearest definition of "sin" is given in the "New Testament" itself:

Whoever commits sin transgresses also the Torah,
for sin is the transgression of the Torah.
(1Jn. 3:4)

So simply put, "sin" may be defined as "transgression of the Torah".  Messiah, then, came to rescue (save) us from transgression of the Torah (Mt. 1:21) and to "take away Torah transgression" (Jn. 1:29).

This is exactly what Scriptural "salvation" is all about, don't trust a thing that I say, look these Scriptures up for yourself! Elohim wants to rescue you from transgressing the Torah by taking away Torah transgression!

But there us a serious problem in being rescued from Torah transgression. The problem is that sin is bred into us. As the Psalmist writes:

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
(Ps. 51:5)

While in Christian culture, a baby is viewed as the picture of innocence, in Jewish (and Scriptural) understanding a baby is the picture of evil. Now you may be culturally shocked at this concept, but allow me to explain. A baby is born only caring about itself and its own needs, it does not have the capacity to care about others.  This is the very definition of evil. Ever since the fall of Adam, we have been born with this sinful nature, as Paul writes:

12: 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:
13: (For until the Torah sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed
when there is no law.
14: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moshe, even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is
the figure of him that was to come.
15: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through
the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of Elohim, and
the gift by grace, which is by one man, Yeshua the Messiah, has
abounded unto many.
16: And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many
offences unto justification.
17: For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Yeshua the Messiah.)
18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came
upon all men unto justification of life.
19: For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20: Moreover the Torah entered, that the offence might abound. But
where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21: That as sin has reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Rom. 5:12-21)

This inclination to do evil is called the Yetzer Ra (evil inclination). The inclination to do good (Yetzer Tov), by contrast, develops in time as one grows older. The result is that there are two natures within man, each struggling for control. Paul writes:

14 For we know that the Torah is of the spirit,
but I am of the flesh and I am sold to sin.
22 For I rejoice in the Torah of Eloah in the inward son of man.
(Romans 7:14, 22 HRV)

Because of this, we are not weary, for even if our
outer man is corrupted, yet that which [is] inside
is renewed day by day.
(2Cor. 4:16 HRV)

for the flesh desires a thing which is opposed to
the Spirit and the Spirit desires a thing that is
opposed to the flesh and the two of these are
opposed to each other, that you do not do the thing
which you desire.
(Gal. 5:17 HRV)

The process of salvation begins with justification, but since "salvation" ultimately is the doing away with the sin nature, the second phase of salvation involves the death of Yetzer Ra ("inclination to do evil"). When we die, our Yetzer Ra will die with us, but in the resurrection only our Yetzer Tov will be resurrected with us. Through the death and resurrection of Messiah, we die and are resurrected with him. Through our covenant relationship with Messiah, we are his joint heirs. Thus when our Yetzer Ra dies and only our Yetzer Tov is resurrected, Messiah will have truly rescued us
from sin and we shall experience the final phase of salvation: inheritance.

Rom. 7:1-7 taken from my translation from the Aramaic:

1. Or do you not know, my brothers, (for I speak to
learned ones of the Torah), that the Torah has
authority over a man as long as he is alive,
2. As a woman who is bound by the Torah to her
husband as long as he is alive. But if her husband
dies, she is freed by the Torah from her husband.
3. And if while her husband is alive she has intercourse with
another man, she becomes an adulteress. But if her husband
dies, she is freed by the Torah; and she is not an adulteress if
she marries another.

Paul takes an illustration from Jewish Law. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive. She cannot marry another as long as he lives (unless he divorces her; she has no right to divorce) until her death.

4. And now, my brothers, you also are dead to the Torah in the body
of the Messiah that you might be [married] to another who arose from
the place of the dead, that you might bear fruit to Eloah.

As far as the Torah is concerned we die with Messiah and are freed from our former husband (sin) thus allowing us to be brides to Messiah.

5. For while we were in the flesh, the passions of sins that are in
the Torah were working in our members, so that we would bear fruit
unto death.
6. But now we are brought to an end by the Torah, and we are dead to
that which was holding us, that we should serve from now on in the
renewal of the spirit and not in the oldness of the writing.

The Torah allows us to be brides either to YHWH or to sin. When we are freed from sin we can become brides to Messiah,

7. What therefore are we saying? Is the Torah sin? Absolutely not!
But I did not learn sin except by the hand of the Torah. For I had
not known covetousness except that the Torah said, Do not covet.

Paul is concerned that his reader might misunderstand him and think that the Torah is sin and that therefore misunderstand his illustration as teaching that our previous bridegroom was the Torah which we are freed from in order to be bound to Messiah. Absolutely not! Paul says. Sin was our first love and former husband from whom the Torah frees us, but THE TORAH IS NOT SIN (it simply recognizes that we are married either to sin or Messiah) and since the TORAH IS
NOT SIN then the Torah is NOT our former husband and we are NOT freed from Torah to be joined to Messiah. In fact the Torah is the instrument that allows us to be married to the Messiah. Without the Torah there is no marriage at all.

Salvation is a process. We receive justification and reconciliation now, but the completion of the process will ultimately involve our death and resurrection, only then will our salvation be complete.

Don't believe me, believe your Scriptures… Believe Elohim!


(To Be Continued)

The Messiah and Salvation
Part 3
Our Inheritance
By
James Scott Trimm

Salvation comes by faith through grace alone and is not earned by Torah observance. Paul writes in Romans:

What then are we saying concerning Avraham
the patriarch that he obtained [righteousness]
by the flesh?
For if Avraham by works was justified, he had
boasting, but not toward Eloah.
For what does the scripture say? Avraham trusted
Eloah and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.
Now to him who labors, his reward is not reckoned
to him as of favor, but as that which is owed to him.
But to him who does not labor, but believes only
in him who justifies sinners, his trust is reckoned
to him for righteousness.
(Rom. 4:1-5 HRV)

Paul’s proof text here is Genesis 15:6. The Targum to this verse reads:

And Avraham trusted in the Word of YHWH,
and He counted it to him as righteousness.
(Gen. 15:6 – Targum Onkelos)

Paul also writes:

For the wages of sin is death and the gift of Eloah
is life eternal by our Adon Yeshua the Messiah.
(Rom. 6:23 HRV)

This entire section of Romans (Romans 1-6) is an example of the sixth rule of Hillel. Understanding this rule andf how Paul uses it here will help us understand Romans 1-6:

The Sixth Rule of Hillel is Kayotze bo mimekom akhar (analogy made from another passage) This rule means that two passages may seem to conflict until a third resolves the apparant conflict.

In Romans 1-6 Paul shows that the following Tanak passages SEEM to conflict:

The just shall live by faith
Rom. 1:17 = Hab. 2:4)

with

There is none righteous, no, not one...
(Rom. 3:10 = Ps. 14:1-3= Ps. 53:1-3; Eccl. 7:20)

and:

[Elohim] will render to each one according to his deeds.
(Rom. 2:6 = Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12)

with

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
Blessed is the man whom YHWH
shall not impute sin.
(Rom. 4:7-8 = Ps. 32:1-2)

Paul resolves the apparant conflict by citing Gen. 15:6 (in Rom. 4:3, 22):

Abraham believed Elohim,
and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Thus Paul resloves the apparant conflict by showing that under certain circumstances, belief/faith/trust (same word in Hebrew) can act as a substitute for righteousness/being just (same word in Hebrew).

In Ephesians Paul writes:

For by his favor we were saved by faith,
and this was not of yourselves, but is the gift of Eloah,
not of works, lest a man should boast.
For we are his own creation, who was created in
Yeshua the Messiah for good works, those,
which beforehand Eloah had prepared that we
should walk in them.
(Eph. 2:8-10 HRV)

And in Romans 10:4-13 Paul writes:

For the Messiah is the goal of the Torah,
for righteousness to all who believe.
For Moses thus wrote of the righteousness
that is by the Torah that he who does these
will live by them. And the righteousness
that is by trust, [he] thus says: Do not say
in your heart: who has ascended to heaven
and brought down the Messiah?
And who has descended to the depth of She'ol
and brought up the Messiah from among the dead?
But what does it say? The answer is near to you,
to your mouth and to your heart, which is the
word of trust that we proclaim. And if you
confess with your mouth our Adon Yeshua,
and you believe in your heart that Eloah
raised him from the dead, you will have life.
For the heart that believes in him is made
righteousness, and the mouth that confesses
him has life. For the scripture has said that
anyone who believes in him will not be humiliated.
And in this it does not discriminate, either against
Jews or against Aramaeans, for YHWH of all
of them is one who is rich with all who call on him.
For all who will call on the name of YHWH have life.
(Rom. 10:4-13 HRV)


Our Inheritance

In his writings Paul treats the subject of inheritance in detail, Paul had been commissioned to teach on the topic of inheritance (Acts 26:12-18).

Paul's topic in Hebrews is the Blood Covenant and Inheritance. He shows that the Messiah was "made heir of all things" (1:2, 4) and the "firstborn" (1:6;12:23) (an inheritance term, see note to 12:23). He shows that the oath which made Abraham's seed the chosen people was a covenant (6:13-14), and that the oath which makes the Messiah a priest after the order of Melchizadek (7:20-22) is the New Covenant (Heb. 7:22; 8:6-13). He also shows that this is a blood covenant sealed with the Messiah's blood (Heb. 8 & 9). Paul argues that because of this covenant relationship, we have an inheritance (9:11-22). Since we are blood covenants with the Messiah who is heir of all things (i.e. the Kingdom (1:13; 2:5-9) we inherit with him (1:14; 2:10-18; 9:11-22; 12:23). To Paul this inheritance is the "rest" of Ps. 95:7-11 (Heb. 4:9). A rest which has not yet been entered (4:9-10), an inheritance covenant promise like that of the Abrahamic Covenant (6:13-20) but with its promise yet to be received (11:39-40).

how much more by that which our Messiah
who offered himself to Elohim through the
Ruach HaKodesh without any blame, purify
our persons from dead works to life.
And because of this word he is made mediator
of a renewed covenant between Him and us,
which is not another, made through blood with
the redemption of the servants which are under
the first covenant which might receive the promise
which is of eternal inheritance.
(Heb. 9:14-15 HRV)

Paul's subject is inheritance (9:15). He does not here refer to the Hellenistic idea of a "last will and testament" as it is commonly misunderstood to be. By Jewish law, the firstborn so inherits a double portion and the other sons inherit otherwise equal portions. This occurs regardless of what one writes in a "last will and testament." The idea of a "will" in this sense is completely foreign to Jewish law. However Paul's topic is that of a blood covenant by which one becomes an heir. When the covenantor dies his covenantor inherits because covenantors have heir-ship rights. For this reason David was the legitimate heir to Saul's throne, by way of his covenant with Jonathan (1Sam. chapters 18-20). When the son of the King died, David had an inheritance.

(To be Continued)

The Messiah and Salvation
Part 4
Our Sin Offering
By
James Scott Trimm

There are passages in the Tanak which on the surface seem to imply that the blood of the animal sacrifices brought atonement (Lev. 1:4; 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:6, 10, 13, 16 18; 6:7; 7:7 etc.).

Paul says that this could never be:

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats
to atone for sins and iniquities.
(Heb. 10:4 HRV)

The reason is that the offerings were symbolic of offerings being made by the heavenly high priest in the heavenly (original) tabernacle:

but the Messiah having become Cohen Gadol
of the good things which come through the Tabernacle
which is greater and better in maturity than the first
which is not made by hands and is not of this creation
Also not by the blood of goats and bulls but once he
entered into the set-apart place with the blood of
himself and having secured for us eternal redemption
and if the blood of heifers and goats and also the ashes
of the red heifer which the cohen sprinkles on the
sinners purifies the bodies, how much more by that
which our Messiah who offered himself to Elohim
through the Ruach HaKodesh without any blame,
purify our persons from dead works to life.
(Heb. 9:11-14 HRV)

The reason for this symbolism is the symbolic connection between the “nefesh” and blood:

The Torah says:

For the life of the flesh is in the blood;
and I have given it to you upon the altar to make
atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that
makes atonement by reason of the life.
(Lev. 17:11 HRV)

The Talmud echos this concept:

Does the laying on of the hand make atonement for one?
Does not atonement come through the blood, as it is said:
For it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life!
(b.Yoma 5a)

And similarely Paul says in Hebrews:

and almost all things are purified by blood
according to the commandments of the
Torah and without shedding of blood there
is no place for atonement.
(Heb. 9:22 HRV)

The animal sacrifices were a shadow and type pointing forward to the death of Messiah, and they continued afterward as a remembrance lookoing back at the death of Messiah:

Because of which the Torah is like a shadow
of the good things of times to come and is not
the substance of good things in themselves.
Behold forever the offerings are not able to
bring to completion each year forever from
another kind. And if it is thus they would
have ceased to be offered. According to which
there would not be established any more a
conscience of sins for the offerers for they were purged.
(Heb. 10:1-2 HRV)

In another passage Paul says that since Messiah is our Passover, is all the more reason to keep the feast:

Purge from you the old leaven,
that you might be a new lump as you are unleavened.
For our Pesach is the Messiah, who was slain instead of us.
(1Cor. 5:7 HRV)

Paul himself continued to make the sacrificial offerings (Acts 21:17-26 with Num. 6:13-21; Acts 24:17-18). The offerings will be made in the Tribulation Temple, and it appears to be the anti-Messiah who will opposes them and puts an end to them (Dan. 9:27). The sacrificial offerings will also continue in the Millennial Temple (Ezek. 43:13-27; 44:11; 45:18-25; 46:1-15; 46:19-24).

The sacrificial offerings are not made at this time, because they can only be made at the Temple in Jerusalem, and no Temple stands there today. Some have argued that this in itself supports a claim that “Jesus” did away with the offerings, since Elohim allowed the Temple to be destroyed. However the Temple was also destroyed by Babylon in 600 B.C.E., and no Temple stood from that time until the Second Temple was built in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.


The Messiah as the PARAKLITA

Philo also describes the Word (Logos) not only as the “Son” of the “Father” but as a PARACLETE who is “perfect in all virtue” and procures “forgiveness of sins” as well as a “supply of unlimited blessings”:

…the twelve stones arranged on the breast in four rows of three stones each, namely the logeum, being also an emblem of that reason (Logos, Word) which holds together and regulates the universe. For it was indispensable that the man who was consecrated to the Father of the world, should have as a paraclete, his son, the being most perfect in all virtue, to procure forgiveness of sins, and a supply of unlimited blessings;
(Life of Moses II, 133-134)

This Greek word (paraclete) is also a Hebrew and Aramaic word also appears in the Mishna:

He who does even a single religious duty
gets himself a good advocate (or comforter Hebrew: paraklita)
he who does even a single transgression
gets himself a prosecutor.
(m.Avot 4:11a)

And in the Talmud it is used to refer to the sin offering::

R. Simeon said: For what purpose does a sin-offering come? —
[You ask,] ‘for what purpose does a sin-offering come?’
Surely in order to make atonement! —
Rather, [the question is:]
Why does it come before the burnt-offering?
[Because it is] like an intercessor (paraklita) who enters
[to appease the King]: When the intercessor (paraklita)
has appeased [him], the gift follows.
(b.Zev. 7b)

The Jewish Dictionary states:

…The sin offering is like the parclete (paraklita) before God,
it interceded for man and is followed by another…
a thank offering for the pardon obtained…
the two daily burnt offerings are called ‘the two parcletes’…
Jewish Dictionary pp. 514-515

Now Yochanan, who identifies the Messiah as the Word (logos) in Jn. 1:1-3, 14 and Rev. 19:13 also says of Messiah:

1 My sons, I write these [things] to you, that you do not sin: and if someone should sin, we have an advocate (paraklita) with the Father, Yeshua the Messiah, the just [One].
2 For He is the propitiation for our sins, and not on behalf of ours only, but also on behalf of [the sins of] the whole world.
(1st Yochanan (John) 2:1)

It is no surprise that the Targums tell us that the Word (Aramaic: Memra) is the source of our salvation. Jacob called upon the Word for his salvation:

Our father Jacob said: "My soul does not wait for salvation such as that wrought by Gideon, the son of Joash, for that was but temporal; neither for a salvation like that of Samson, which was only transitory; but for that salvation which You have promised to come, through Your Word unto Your people, the children of Israel; for your salvation my soul hopes."
(Targum Jonathan Gen. 49:18)

That the Word of YHWH is the savior is expressed elsewhere in the Targums:

But Israel shall be saved by the Word of YHWH with an everlasting
salvation… By the Word of YHWH shall all the seed of Israel be justified…
(Targum Jonathan Is. 45:17, 25)

But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Word of YHWH, their Elohim.
(Targum Jonathan Hosea 1:7)

It was, according to Targum Onkelos, this Word of YHWH that Abraham trusted in, by which he was justified:

And Abraham trusted in the Word [Memra] of YHWH, and He counted it to him for righteousness.
(Targum Onkelos Gen. 15:6)

Philo believed “Word” (Logos) and the Messiah to be one and the same:

"The head of all things is the eternal Word (Logos) of the eternal God, under which, as if it were his feet or other limbs, is placed the whole world, over which He passes and firmly stands. Now it is not because Messiah is Lord that He passes and sits over the whole world, for His seat with His Father and God but because for its perfect fullness the world is in need of the care and superintendence of the best ordered dispensation, and for its own complete piety, of the Divine Word (Logos), just as living creatures (need) a head, without which it is impossible to live."
(Q&A on Exodus, II, 117)

Likewise we read in the Zohar:

In the Garden of Eden there is a hall that is called the "hall of the afflicted." Now it is into this hall that the Messiah goes and summons all the afflictions and pains and sufferings of Israel to come upon him. And so they all come upon him. And had he not eased the children of Israel of their sorrows, and taken their burden upon himself, there would be none who could endure the suffering of Israel in the penalty of neglecting the Torah. Thus it is written: "Surely our diseases he did bear and our pains he carried." (Is. 53:5) As long as the children of Israel dwelt in the Holy Land, they averted all afflictions and sufferings from the world by the service of the sanctuary and by sacrifice. But now it is the Messiah who is averting them from the habitants of the world,
(Zohar 2:212a.)

The Midrash says:

Their sins will be upon you like a yoke of iron.
They will choke your spirit. Because of their sins,
Your toungue will cleave to the roof of your mouth.
Do you accept this? If not, I will remove the decree from you.
The Messiah replies: "Master of the worlds, how long will this last?

God replies: "Ephraim, my true Messiah, ever since the six days of creation you have taken this ordeal upon yourself. At this moment, your pain is my pain"

Messiah replies: "Master of the worlds, I accept this with gladness in my soul, and joy in my heart, so that not a single one of the House of Israel should perish. Not only for those alive, but also the dead. It is enough that the servant be like the Master.
(Midresh Pesqita Rabbah 36)


The Essene priestly Messiah corresponded to the Rabbinic Messiah ben Ephraim. The Priestly Messiah was also a redeemer:

…Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the
captives" (Isa. 61;1) (...) just as (...) and from
the inheritance of Melchizedek, for (... Melchizedek) ,
who will return them to what is rightfully theirs.
He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby
releasing them from the debt of all their sins…
Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow …,
when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light,
and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek….
The visitation is the Day of Salvation that He has
decreed through Isaiah the prophet concerning
all the captives, inasmuch as Scripture says, "How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the
messenger who announces peace, who brings
good news, who announces salvation, who says to
Zion "Your divine being reigns"." (Isa. 52;7)
This scriptures interpretation : "the mountains"
are the prophets, they who were sent to proclaim
God's truth and to prophesy to all Israel. "The
messengers" is the Messiah of the spirit, of whom
Daniel spoke; "After the sixty-two weeks, Messiah
shall be cut off" (Dan. 9;26) The "messenger who
brings good news, who announces Salvation"
is the one of whom it is written; "to proclaim the
year of the LORD`s favor, the day of the vengeance
of our God; to comfort all who mourn" (Isa. 61;2)
(extracts from 11Q13)