I did a comic a while back showing that there are three types of categories of things in the Bible: Holy, Common, and Pagan (or unholy). I want to dive deeper into each category. This is on what is Common.

In my initial comic I compared things like driving as being common. However, when we look at verses such as Acts 10:14 (some translations say 'impure' or 'unholy' instead of common) we can see that Peter is calling something other than unclean animals as common.

We know from Leviticus 11 there is only clean and unclean. So, what is this common? This goes back to Acts 10 and what is happening in the vision, and the result of that vision.

In the vision it is stated that the sheet contained "all kinds of animals". Many look at this and say this was just the unclean animals due to Peter's response. If we consider the "all" to mean "all", then in the sheet there were also clean animals.

However, these clean animals were no longer being considered clean by the tradition at the time because they were co-mingling with unclean animals. So, even though God made lamb as clean to eat, if it was hanging around a pig, Peter wouldn't eat it, essentially acting like it is unclean.

This is where the interpretation and definition really play out in the chapter.

Acts 10:15 - A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call common.”

This isn't a declaration to make all animals now okay for food. This is saying if God says it is okay to eat this animal, it doesn't matter who it is hanging around with, it is still okay to eat.

Which is the message God was giving to Peter about people. It doesn't matter that the Gentiles were seen as unclean in the eyes of the Jews of the times. God didn't make people unclean, do not treat them as such.

Back to my initial assessment of common: I don't see the Bible really addressing things that aren't labeled as holy or pagan, such as driving. I don't think God ever felt that was something that was needed. There are things in our lives that everyone does, whether you are a believer or not: breathing, sleeping, driving a car (I know not everyone), etc...

But one thing those things do have in common, pun intended, is they aren't things used in religious worship practices.

https://thestraightandnarrow.cfw.me/comics/917

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WORD FOR TODAY “ why should you keep the commandments? “ : Luk 11:28 But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

WISDOM FOR TODAY: Pro 19:16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of conduct will die.

www.BGMCTV.org

Does sin exist? Then the Torah exists ??
https://afflicted4messiah.word....press.com/2025/03/23

"Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: even so do ye to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets."
Mt 7
According to this Scripture, what does Jesus say is the reason we should keep the golden rule?

PART 18 B

THE DEATH COUNCIL

{On this day} the chief Kohenim, Soferim and Zakenim of the people gathered together in the palace of the Kohen Gadol, who was called Chaiyafa. They consulted how they might be able to arrest Yeshua by covert means and kill Him. But they said, "Not on the Feast day. {It must be before} or else the people will riot." One of the twelve, by the name of Yehudah of Kir'yot, went to the chief Kohenim. "What are you willing to pay me, since I am willing to turn him over to you?" He asked. When they heard it they rejoiced and weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. Then from that time Yehudah sought an opportunity to turn Yeshua over to them.

THE PESACH OF YESHUA

Then came the time for Matzah, starting with Pesach, when the Passover lamb must be sacrificed. {This was 14 Abib/Nisan.} The disciples came to Yeshua and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare the Pesach Seder for you?" Yeshua instructed Kefa and Yochanan, "Go into Yerushalayim and look. A man will meet you there carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, 'the Rabbi says to you: My time is near. Where is the guest room, where I will eat the Pesach Seder with My disciples?' He will show you to a large furnished room upstairs. Prepare the Pesach Seder there." The two disciples went and found it exactly as He described and they prepared for the Pesach Seder. When it was evening Yeshua came and sat down to dinner with the twelve Shaliachim. "With desire I have wanted to eat this Pesach dinner with you before I suffer," He said to them. "For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is completed in the Kingdom of Elohim." Then He took the cup and blessed {saying, "Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam boray p'ri hagafen"}. Then He said, "Take this cup and share it with one another {in expectancy of My Kingdom.}" Yeshua knew that Abba had put all things under His power and that He had come from Elohim and was returning to Elohim. The Seder food was being served to everyone there. Suddenly, He got up from the dinner table, took off His tallit and wrapped a towel around His waist. Then, He poured water into a bowl and began to wash His disciples' feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. When He came to Shimon Kefa, Kefa said to Yeshua incredulously, "Adonai, are You going to wash my feet?" "You do not realize right now what I am doing, but later you will understand," answered Yeshua. "No," Kefa said, "You will never wash my feet!" Yeshua responded, "Unless I wash you, you will have no fellowship with Me." "Then, Adonai," said Kefa, "not only wash my feet, but my hands and my head as well!" "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet, since his body is clean." Yeshua explained. "And you are clean, though not every one of you." For Yeshua knew who was going to betray Him and that was why He said not every one of them was clean. When Yeshua had finished washing their feet, He put his clothes back on and returned to His place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" He asked them. "You call Me 'Great One' and 'Adonai' and this is correct, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Adonai and Great One, have washed your feet, you should also wash each other's feet. I have given you an example, that you should follow Me by doing what I do for you. I tell you, remember this: no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger more important than the one who sent him. Now that you know this, you will be blessed if you do it. But I am not referring to every one of you. I know those I have chosen. It is time for a necessary completion of this scripture: 'He who shares my food has raised his heel against me.' I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will trust that I am He. I tell you, remember this: whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me and whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent Me." After He said this, Yeshua was troubled in spirit and said, "I tell you, remember this: one of you is going to betray Me. Look around. The hand of the one who betrays Me is here at the table." His disciples stared at one another, not knowing which one of them He referred to. They became very sad and began to ask Yeshua one by one, "Is it I, Adonai?" The disciple whom {it was said} Yeshua loved was reclining next to Him. Shimon Kefa motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one of us he means." Leaning back, since the disciple was reclining {according to a section of the Seder tradition} towards Yeshua, he asked Him, "Adonai, who is it?" "It is the one who will dip in the {Seder} dish with me and I will give him a piece of matzah that has been dipped," He replied. "The Son of man departs, exactly as it has been written, but trouble will come on that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." Then Yehudah Kir'yot asked Him, "Is it me, Rabbi?" Then, dipping the piece of Matzah {as it is the tradition of the Seder, to twice dip the Matzah in the charoset [sweet fruits] and the maror [bitter herbs]}, Yeshua gave it to Yehudah Kir'yot, son of Shimon and said, "You have said so." As soon as Yehudah accepted the Matzah, the Adversary came into him. "What you are about to do, do it quickly," Yeshua told him. Yehudah left immediately. It was night time. Yet, no one at the Seder understood why Yeshua said this to him. Since Yehudah was in charge of the money, some thought Yeshua was telling him to buy what was needed for the appointed holy Feast or to give something to the poor. Then there arose an argument among them concerning which one of them should be considered the greatest. So Yeshua said, "The kings of the Gentiles govern over them and those who exercise authority over them are considered good workers. But for you, the one who is greatest among you, let him act as the younger of you and the one who is in charge should act as the person who serves. For who is greater, the one who sits at the dinner or the one who serves? Isn't it the one who sits at the dinner? However, among you, I am as the One who serves. You are the ones who have continued with Me through My tests. I appoint a Kingdom for you, as Avi has appointed to Me, so that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Yisrael.” Then while they were eating Yeshua took matzah and blessed {saying, "Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam ha’motzi matzah min ha'aretz"} and broke it and shared it with them, saying, "This is {and always has been the symbol of} My body, which is given for you. {When you do this every Pesach}, do it in remembrance of Me." After supper He took the cup and said, "This cup is the B'rit Chadasha through My blood, which is spilled for you and for many, for the removal of sins. For I tell you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until the Kingdom of Elohim comes. On that day I will drink it as new along with you in Avi's Kingdom." They sang a hymn {to close the Seder} and departed to the Mount of Olives.

DIALOGUE WITH KEFA

When He had left {the house} Yeshua said, "Now the Son of Man will be glorified and Elohim is glorified in Him. If Elohim is glorified in Him, then Elohim will also glorify Him in Himself; immediately glorifying Him. Little children, only a little while longer I will be with you. You will seek Me, but as I said to the Yehudim, where I go you cannot come. So now I leave you a new commandment; that is: 'you love one another. In the same way I have loved you, you also love one another.' By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. All of you will fall into a trap because of Me tonight. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd and the flock of sheep will be dispersed. However, after I am resurrected, I will go before you into the Galil." Shimon Kefa said to Him, "Adonai, where are You going?" "Where I am going you cannot follow right now, " Yeshua said, "but you will follow Me later." Kefa said, "Adonai, why can't I follow You now? I will give my life for You! Even if everyone falls away from You, I will never fall away!" "Will you give your life for Me?" asked Yeshua. "Shimon, Shimon, look here. The Adversary has desired you and wants to test you like wheat in a sifter. However, I have prayed for you, so your trust will not cease and when you do t'shuvah again, establish your brothers.” Kefa said, "Adonai, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death!" "Amen, amen!" Yeshua answered. "I tell you, the rooster will not crow three times before you have denied knowing me three times tonight." But Kefa was insistent, "Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You!" And all the Shaliachim spoke similarly. Yeshua said, "When I sent you out without bag of food and shoes, did you need anything?" They said, "Not a thing." "But now," He said, "He who has a bag let him take it and also food. He who has no sword let him sell his tallit and buy one. For I tell you, this which is written: 'He was counted among the transgressors,' must yet be accomplished in Me. Yet, the things concerning Me do have a finish." They said, "Adonai, look, here are two swords." Yeshua said, "Dayenu [It is enough]."

PART 18 A

YESHUA EXPLAINS THE END-TIMES

Yeshua left the Mikdash and was walking away {eastward out of the city} when His disciples came and called His attention to its structures, its magnificent stones and the sacrificial offerings. One of them said, "Rabbi, look at the workmanship of these stones and these buildings!" "Do you admire all these great buildings?" He asked. "I tell you to remember this! Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down." As Yeshua sat down on the Mount of Olives facing the Mikdash, Kefa, Ya'akov, Yochanan and Andrew privately asked Him. "Rabbi, tell us when will this happen {to the Mikdash} and also, what is the sign of Your coming and the completion of the age?" Yeshua explained to them, "Be careful that {you don't mislead or} are misled by no one. For many will come in My Name, declaring that I am the Moshiach, saying 'the time is at hand' and many will be deceived by that. Don't follow them. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Make sure you are not troubled by it, because these things need to happen, but it will not be the end yet. For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be famines and plagues and great earthquakes, with terror in various localities. Also, there will be great signs from the heavens. Yet all this is only the beginning of birth pangs. However, before these things they will bring you trouble, persecute and murder you, turning you over to councils and prisons and bringing you before kings and governors. You will be despised by all the Gentiles, even all mankind, because of My Name. Quiet your hearts, for you do not need to meditate beforehand how to respond. I will give you speech and wisdom. It will not be you who speaks, but Ruach HaKodesh. Also at that time, many will be scandalized and they will betray one another and detest one another. You will be betrayed by parents and brothers and relatives and friends and some of you will be put to death. It will all result in a testimony for you. Not a hair of your head will perish. With patience you will gain your souls. Many lying preachers will arise and mislead many. And, because of abundant opposition to Torah, the love of many will expire. But whoever will stay in it to the end, they will be saved. This Kingdom message will be transmitted into all the habitations of the earth as a testimony to the whole of the Gentiles and then the end will come. When you see the Abhorrence {which causes} Annihilation, spoken of by the Prophet Dani'el, stand in the Mikdash, then those who are in Yehudah should hurry into the mountains. Anyone on the roof should not come down to take anything out of his house. Nor should anyone in the field return home to get his clothes. More trouble will come to those that are pregnant and to those who are nursing their infants in those days! Therefore, pray that your hurried journey is not in the winter, nor on the Shabbat. Then there will be very much trouble, as there has not been since the beginning of the world to this time and never will be again. No one will survive unless those days are shortened, but on behalf of the chosen ones those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is Moshiach' or 'there He is' do not trust it. For there will arise false messiah's and lying preachers who will demonstrate great signs and wonders. They will be so marvellous that they would deceive even the chosen ones, if that were possible. Watch now, because I have told you before it happens. Therefore, if they say to you, 'Look here! He is in the desert,' do not go out there. Or, 'Look in these hiding places.' Do not trust it. For the same as the lightning comes out of the east and shines to the west, so it will be at the coming of the Son of man. For wherever the body is, the eagles will gather together there. Immediately following the tribulation of those days the sun will become dark and the moon will not reflect light. The asteroids will fall from the heavens and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in the heavens and all the tribes of the earth will groan {for Him}. They will see the Son of man coming down with the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory. He will send His messengers out with a great sound of the shofar [ram's horn] and they will gather together His chosen ones from one end of the sky to the other; from the four winds {from every direction of the compass}. Understand this parable concerning the fig tree. When its branch is still young and grows leaves, you know that summer is near. So in the same way, when you see all these things, know that {My coming} is near; right at the door. Amen! I tell you, the offspring {of Yisrael} will not pass away until all these things are completed. Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My Word will never pass away. However, no one knows the day and hour {of these events}. Not even the messengers of Heaven. Only My Father. Yet, like the days of Noach were, it will be that way also at the coming of the Son of man. Just as in the days that were before the flood when they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noach entered into the ark. They did not know {what was happening} until the flood came and took them all away. So, it will be that way at {the time of} the coming of the Son of man. Then two will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two will be working at the mill. One will be taken and the other left. Stay alert then, for you do not know what hour your Adonai is coming. But know this that if the householder had known what time the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, be ready, for the Son of man will come at a time when you do not expect it. Who then is that trustworthy and wise servant, whom Adonai has made ruler over His household, to give them food at the proper {Feast} season? Blessed is the servant whom Adonai will find doing that when He comes. Amen! I tell you; He will make him ruler over all his possessions. But if a corrupt servant says in his heart, 'Adonai delays His coming,' then begins to abuse his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken, Adonai will come in a day when that servant does not expect Him and in an hour when he is not alert. Then He will cut him to shreds and appoint him a portion with the two-faced and there will be weeping with teeth grinding. Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were smart and five were silly. The silly ones took their lamps, but took no extra oil with them. The smart ones took oil in containers along with their lamps. They all fell asleep and slept while waiting for the bridegroom. At midnight a shout went out, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!' Then all the virgins arose and prepared their lamps. The silly ones said to the smart ones, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have been extinguished.' The smart ones said, 'We cannot, because there will not be enough for us. You should go to those who sell and buy some for yourselves.' While they went to buy, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage. The door was shut behind them. Later, the other virgins came, saying, 'Adonai, Adonai, open the door for us.' Then He said, 'I tell you, I do not know you at all.' Stay alert then, for you do not know the day or the hour when the Son of man comes. It's like this: a man was travelling to a distant land. So, he called his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five funds, to another two and to another one. Each one received according to his particular ability. Then immediately he went on his journey. The servant who received the five funds went and traded with them and made another five funds. The servant who had two gained another two. But the one who had one went out and dug a whole and hid his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So, the servant who had received five funds came and brought another five funds saying, 'Adonai, you entrusted me with five funds. Look, I have gained five more funds.' His master said to him, 'Well done! You are a good and trustworthy servant! You have been trustworthy over a few things, so I will make you ruler over many things. Now come into your master's joy.' The one who had received two funds came and said, 'Adonai, you entrusted me with two funds. Look, I have gained another two funds.' His master said to him, 'Well done! You are a good and trustworthy servant! You have been trustworthy over a few things, so I will make you ruler over many things. Come into your master's joy.' Then the one who had received the one fund came and said, 'Adonai, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting what you have not sown and gathering what you have not stored. I was afraid and went and hid the fund in the ground and look! You have what is yours!' His master said to him, 'Corrupt and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest what I do not sow and gather what I have not stored. Therefore, you should have put my money in the bank and then at my coming I would have received my fund with interest. So then, take the fund from him and turn it over to the one who has ten funds. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will have abundance. However, the one having nothing will have what he has taken away. Now throw the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and teeth grinding. When the Son of man comes in His glory and all the holy messengers with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All nations will be gathered in front of Him and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you who are blessed by Avi, inherit the Kingdom that was being prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed Me. I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger and you took Me in. I was naked and you gave Me clothes. I was sick and you visited Me. I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will ask Him, 'Adonai, when did we see You hungry and fed You or thirsty and gave a drink to You? When did we see You as a stranger and took You in or naked and clothed You? When did we see You sick or in prison and came to You? The King will answer them, 'Amen! I tell you, since you have done it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have also done it to Me.' Then He will say to those on the left hand, 'You who are cursed, depart from Me now into eternal flames that have been prepared for the deceiver and his messengers. For I was hungry and you did not feed Me. I was thirsty and you did not give Me a drink. I was a stranger and you did not take Me in. I was naked and you did not give clothes to Me. I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they will also answer Him, 'Adonai, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not care for You?' He will say to them, 'Amen. I tell you, since you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' Then these people will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life." Everyday Yeshua taught in the Mikdash and many people came early each morning to hear Him there, but every evening He left and camped on the Mount of Olives.

PART 17 B

PAYING TAXES

Some P'rushim and Herodians were sent to Him to trap Him in His words. They said to Him, "Rabbi, we know You are right and affected by no one, for You are not impressed by the position of people, but You teach the way of Elohim that is not forgotten. Is it proper Torah then, to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay it or shall we not pay it?” Knowing their two-faced way He said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a coin to look at." They brought it and He asked them, "Whose image and writing is on it?” They answered, "Caesar's." "Then pay Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and pay Elohim the things that belong to Elohim." Yeshua said.

HYPOTHETICAL RESURRECTION QUESTION

They were amazed at Him. Then Tzaddikim came to Him, who says there is no resurrection. They asked Him, "Rabbi, Moshe wrote to us, 'If a man's brother dies and leaves his wife with no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers and the first took a wife and died without offspring. The second brother married her and died without offspring, also. The third brother did the same. All seven married her and had no children. Ultimately the woman died also. In the resurrection therefore, when they will rise, which one of the brothers will have her as his wife, for all seven had her as a wife?" Yeshua answered, "Are you not in error, because you do not know the scriptures or the power of Elohim? For when they rise from the dead they do not marry, nor are they given away in marriage, but they are like the messengers in Heaven {who have no sexual intercourse}. As concerning the dead, they will rise. Have you not read in the book of Moshe, how in the bush Elohim spoke to Him, saying, 'I am the Elohim of Avraham and the Elohim of Yitzhak and the Elohim of Ya'akov?' He is not the Elohim of the dead, but rather the Elohim of the living. Therefore, you are greatly in error."

THE PRIMARY COMMANDMENT

One of the Sopherim came up, hearing them reasoning together. Thinking that Yeshua had given a good answer to the Tzaddikim, he asked Him, "Which commandment is primary over all of them?” "This is the primary commandment," Yeshua said. "'Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. [Hear O Yisrael, YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is One]. And you shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' This is the primary commandment. The second in primacy is this, 'you shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There are no other commandments greater than these." The Sofer said, "Rabbi, you have remembered it correctly, for there is one Elohim and there is no one else except Him. And to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love your neighbour as yourself, is more than all whole offerings made by fire and sacrifices." When Yeshua recognized that he had answered discreetly, He said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of Elohim." Then after that, no one dared to ask Him anything.

DIVINE NATURE OF MOSHIACH

While He taught in the Mikdash Yeshua said, "How can the Soferim say that Moshiach is the son of David? For David himself said by Ruach HaKodesh, 'YHVH said to Adonai: Sit here at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.' David therefore himself calls him {his son} YHVH. How can He {Adonai} be his son?”

WOES AGAINST RELIGIOUS LEADERS

The common people {of Yehudah} listened gladly to Yeshua. So He said to them while teaching, "Beware of those Soferim who love to walk around in special clothing in order to receive greetings in the marketplaces and the seat of honour in the synagogues and the uppermost rooms at the appointed holy feasts; those who consume the houses of widows and make pretentious long prayers. Those who do this will receive a greater condemnation. The Soferim and the P'rushim sit in the place of Moshe. Therefore, all that they instruct {in the Torah} you should observe and perform it. But do not follow their ways. For example: they speak but do not act on it themselves. For they bind with heavy burdens which are difficult to carry and put them on men's shoulders, yet they will not help them carry it with one of their fingers. Because all of their works are done to be seen by people. They fashion large Tephillah [Torah bindings] and lengthen the Tzitzit of their tallits and love the uppermost rooms at appointed holy feasts and the places of honour in the synagogues and greetings in the markets and for people to call them, 'great one, great one.' Do not be called 'great one,' for One is your Great One, the Moshiach and you are all brothers. Call no man your Abba upon the Earth {in context of your Creator and Sovereign}, for One is your Abba, who is in Heaven. But the one who is greatest among you is your servant. Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted. {In this way Yeshua warned against using titles for the purpose of making one person more important than another.} Trouble will come on you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced. For against mankind, you lock up the Kingdom of Heaven. You do not go in, nor do you allow those in who want to enter. Trouble will come on you Soferim and P’rushim who are two-faced. For you consume the houses of widows and make long pretentious prayers. Therefore, you will receive the greater condemnation. Trouble will come on you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced. Because you travel over land and sea to make one convert and when he is made a convert, you make him two times greater a child of sheol than yourselves. Trouble will come on you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the Mikdash, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the Mikdash, he is a trespasser.' Foolishly blind! Because what is greater, the gold or the Mikdash which makes the gold holy? You say, 'Whoever will swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gift upon it, he is guilty.' Foolishly blind! For what is greater, the gift or the altar which makes the gift holy? Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it. And whoever swears by the Mikdash, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. The person who swears by Heaven, swears by the throne of Elohim and by Him who sits there. Trouble will come to you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced, for you pay tithe from your mint and dill, but you have omitted the more important parts of Torah: judgment, mercy and trust. You should have done this and not to leave the other undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. Trouble will come on you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced. Because you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but within, you are full of covetousness and over-indulgence. Blind P'rushim, clean the inside the cup and plate first, then the outside will become clean also. Trouble will come on you Soferim and P'rushim who are two-faced. For you are like whitewashed tombs, which are outwardly attractive, but within are full of dead bones and all uncleanness. In like manner you also appear to be righteous to people, but within you are fully two-faced and against the Torah. Two-faced Soferim and P'rushim! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the cemeteries of the righteous, then say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' So you witness to yourselves that you are the children of those who killed the prophets. Then fill up the measure of your fathers! Serpents, offspring of snakes! How can you escape the condemnation of sheol? Notice this! I {am the One who} sent to you the prophets and wise men and Soferim and some of them you killed and executed on a stake and some of them you flogged in your synagogues and persecuted from city to city. So, that upon you may come all the righteous bloodshed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Avel until the blood of Zacharyah son of Barachyah, whom you killed between the Mikdash and the altar. Amen! I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim! You kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you. How often I would have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under its wings, but you would not! Watch now, your house is being left to you desolate. For I tell you, 'You will not see me from now on until you shall say, "Baruch haba b'hashem Adonai [Blessed is He who comes in the Name of YHVH]."

WIDOW'S TWO COINS

Yeshua sat down close to the treasury and watched how the people threw their money into the treasury and many who were rich put in large amounts. A poor widow came and threw in two very small coins, which amount to less than a penny. Then Yeshua called His disciples together and said, "Amen! I tell you, that poor widow has put more in than all those who have thrown their money into the treasury. For all others contribute from their abundance, but she contributed all she had, yes all her livelihood, because of the need she had”.

GREEKS SEEKING YESHUA

Some Greeks were among those who came up to worship at the appointed holy feast. They came up to Philip, of Beit-Zaddai of the Galil and asked, "Sir, we would like to see Yeshua." Philip goes and tells Andrew, then Andrew and Philip tell Yeshua. Yeshua said, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Amen, amen! I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies it yields much fruit. The one who loves his life will lose it, but the one who despises his life in this world will keep it until eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me and where I am, there My servant will also be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honour him. Now My soul is troubled and what will I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour.' It is for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your Name." Then a voice from the heavens said, "I have been glorified and will be glorified again." The people that stood there and heard it said that it thundered. Others said, "A messenger (of Heaven) spoke to Him.” "This voice did not come for My sake, but for your sakes," Yeshua said. "Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be thrown out. If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Me." He said this to signify what kind of death He would die. The people asked, "We have heard in the Torah that Moshiach abides forever, so why do you say, 'The Son of man must be lifted up?' Who is the Son of man you speak about?" "Only a little while longer is the Light with you. Walk {in trust} while you have the Light or else darkness will come upon you. For the one who walks in darkness does not know where he goes. While you have Light, trust in the Light, so you may be the children of Light." Yeshua shouted, "The one who trusts in Me, does not trust in Me, but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me, sees Him who sent Me. I am here as the Light into the world, so that whoever trusts in Me will not dwell in darkness. And if any man shema My Words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, because I did not come to judge the world, but rather to save the world. The one who rejects Me and does not accept My Words has One who judges Him: the Word which I have spoken [from the beginning of time}, the same {perpetual Word} will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken from Myself, but the Father who sent Me gave Me a commandment of what I should say and what I should speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life. Whatever I speak, I speak as the Father has told Me." Though He had done so many miracles in front of them, many still did not trust in Him. Therefore, the scripture of the Prophet Yesha'yahu was fulfilled, which he spoke, "YHVH, who has trusted our report? To whom has the Arm of YHVH been revealed?" Therefore they could not believe, because Yesha'yahu also said, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so they could not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart and do t'shuvah, so I would heal them." Yesha'yahu said this when he saw His glory and spoke about Him. Despite this, many of the top leaders {of the Yehudim} trusted in Yeshua, but because of the P'rushim they did not confess it openly, for fear they would be put out of the synagogue. It seems they loved the praise of men more than the praise of Elohim. When Yeshua had finished all this teaching, He said unto His disciples, "You know that after two days is the appointed holy Feast of Pesach and the Son of man will be betrayed to be executed on a stake." Then Yeshua departed and hid Himself from them. {This closed the third day in Yerushalayim.}

PART 17 A

ENTRY INTO YERUSHALAYIM

When Yeshua came near Yerushalayim to Beit-Phagey, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, telling them to: "Go into the nearby village and as you are entering you will find a donkey and her colt tied there, which has never been sat on. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks you, 'Why did you untie them?' you are to tell them, 'Because YHVH needs them.'" This all was done so the scripture might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, "Tell the daughter of Tzyon, 'Look, your King comes to you humble and riding on a donkey and upon a colt, the foal of the donkey.'" The disciples went and found them just as Yeshua had described. As they were untying the animals, the owners of them asked, "Why do you untie them?" “YHVH needs them," they answered. So they brought the donkey and colt to Yeshua and put their tallits [prayer shawls] upon them. Then Yeshua sat on them. As He rode, a large crowd of people spread their tallits on the path and others cut branches from the trees and put them on the path. When Yeshua came near to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to celebrate and loudly praise Elohim for all the mighty works which they had seen. They cried out, "Hoshanna Ben David [Save us son of David]! Baruch Melech haba b'hashem Adonai [Blessed is the King who comes in the Name of YHVH]! Shalom b'shamayim v'kavod l'ha'Elyon [Peace in Heaven and glory to the Most High]”. Some of the P'rushim in the crowd said to Yeshua, "Rabbi, rebuke your disciples." "I tell you," He warned, "that if these kept quiet, the stones would immediately cry out." {This all happened on the 10th of Abib/Nisan, when Yisrael was commanded that each household was to take a lamb into their home in preparation for Pesach. Therefore, Yeshua came to Yerushalayim to be the received Lamb.} When He was very near; He beheld the city and wept over it, saying, "This is your day. If you had only known what would bring you peace! Now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come to you that your enemies will bring a siege against you and circle around you and hem you in on every side. They will pull you down to the ground and your children within you and they will not leave one of your stones stacked on another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." Yeshua entered into Yerushalayim and into the Mikdash [Holy Temple]. The entire city was excited, saying, "Who is this?" Many people answered, "This is the Prophet Yeshua, from Natzeret in the Galil." Yeshua looked around at everything. Afterward it was evening, so He went out to Beit-Ani again with the twelve. {This closed the first day in Yerushalayim.}

FIG TREE CURSED

The next day, as they returned from Beit-Ani, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree with leaves far away, He came to it seeking to find fruit on it. But when He arrived He found nothing but leaves, for it was not yet time for figs. "No one will eat fruit from you from now on, forever," Yeshua said, speaking to the tree and His disciples overheard it.

SECOND CLEANSING OF THE MIKDASH

After entering Yerushalayim, Yeshua went into the Mikdash and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the Mikdash. He turned over the tables of those who exchanged money along with the seats of those who sold doves. He would not allow any man to carry a vessel through the Mikdash. Then He began to teach them, "Isn't it written, 'My house will be called by all the nations the Beit Tephillah [House of Prayer]? But you have turned it into a den of thieves." The blind and the lame came to Yeshua in the Mikdash and He healed them. When some chief Kohenim and Soferim saw the wonderful things He did and the children crying in the Mikdash, "Hoshanna Ben David [Save us son of David]!" they were extremely displeased. They said to Him, "Do you hear what they are speaking?” "Yes," Yeshua answered. "Haven't you ever read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and infants You have perfected praise?'" These Soferim and chief Kohenim and other principle men of the city sought for a way to destroy Him. But, they could not figure out a way, because all the people were amazed at His teachings and crowded around Him and they feared Him. When evening came He left the city and went out to Beit-Ani again and lodged there. {This closed the second day in Yerushalayim.}

FIG TREE SHRIVELED

In the morning, as they walked the same path {to Yerushalayim}, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. Kefa remembering what He had done said, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away." "Trust in Elohim," Yeshua said. "Amen! I tell you, whoever will say to this mountain, 'Move from here and be thrown into the sea' and will not doubt in his heart, but will trust that those things he speaks will happen; he will have whatever he speaks. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you seek when you pray {in the way I have taught you to pray} trust that you will receive and you will receive. But when you stand praying, {you must} forgive if you have anything against anyone. Through this your Father in Heaven can forgive you your trespasses. However, if you do not forgive, your Father in Heaven will not forgive your trespasses."

YESHUA'S AUTHORITY CHALLENGED

They came to Yerushalayim again and as He was walking in the Mikdash, chief Kohanim, Soferim and Zakenim asked Him, "By what authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority?" "I will ask you one question first," Yeshua said. "Answer Me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The mikveh of Yochanan, was it from Heaven or from mankind? Answer me." They reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say 'from Heaven,' He will say, 'why then did you not trust him?' But if we say 'from mankind,' well, the people do not accept this." They feared the people, for all counted Yochanan was a surely a prophet. So they answered Yeshua, "We cannot tell." "Then neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." said Yeshua.

WARNINGS NOT TO REJECT HIM

He began to speak to them in parables. "A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go work in my vineyard today.' The son answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he did t'shuvah, then he went. The man came to the second son and said the same thing. The second son answered and said, 'I will go, adon,' but he didn't. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They answered, "The first one." Yeshua said to them, "Amen! I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes will go into the Kingdom of Elohim before you. For Yochanan came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not trust him. Yet, the tax collectors and the prostitutes trusted him. But when you saw {my miraculous deeds}, you did not do t'shuvah and afterward show your trust in him. A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it. He dug a place for the wine to flow and built a tower. He rented it out to farmers and then went into a far country. At the season he sent to the farmers a servant, in order to receive the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers. But the farmers arrested him and beat him up, then sent him away without anything. So again the owner sent them another servant. The farmers threw stones at him and wounded him in the head, then sent him away in shame. Again the owner sent a servant and they killed him. Again and again he sent them, but they beat up some and killed some. The owner had one son, his well beloved, so he sent him as the last resort to them, thinking, 'They will reverence my son.' But the farmers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and then the inheritance will be ours.' They took him and killed him, then threw him out of the vineyard. Therefore, what will the adon of that vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and will give the vineyard to others. Have you never read this scripture? 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is performed by YHVH and it is wonderful in our eyes?'" Then they sought to arrest Yeshua, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. But, they feared the people, so they left Him.

PART 16 B

PARABLE ON AGREEMENT OF WAGES

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a set amount for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. So he told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard and I will pay you whatever is right.' Then they went to work. The landowner went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each were paid the set amount. When those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also was paid the set amount. When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said 'and you have made them equal to us who have carried the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' The landowner answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for the set amount? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Are you envious because I am being generous?' So the last will be first and the first will be last."

YESHUA FORETELLS EXECUTION

Yeshua continued going up to Yerushalayim. He took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Yerushalayim and everything that the prophets wrote about happening to Me will happen. The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief Kohanim and Soferim. They will condemn Him to die, but will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, shamed, spit on, flogged and executed. Yet, after the third day He will be raised to life!" But they did not fully comprehend any of the things He said. They were amazed and afraid, because the meaning was hidden from them.

AMBITION OF YA'AKOV AND YOCHANAN

Then the mother of Zavdai's sons came to Yeshua with her sons {Ya'akov and Yochanan} and, kneeling down, asked Him a favour. "What is it you want?" He asked. She said, "Grant to me that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your Kingdom." "You don't know what you are asking," Yeshua said turning to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink? Or be immersed in the mikveh I am immersed in?" "We can," they answered. Yeshua said to them, "You will surely drink from My cup, but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to give. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by Avi." When the ten {other Shaliachim} heard about this, they were infuriated with the two brothers. So, Yeshua called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles govern over them and their high officials exercise authority over them. That will not be the situation with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be your slave; in the same way as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to offer up His life as a ransom for many."

BLIND MEN NEAR YERICO

As Yeshua and His disciples were coming to Yericho, a large crowd followed Him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside and when they heard that Yeshua was going by, they shouted, "Adonai, Son of David, have mercy on us!" The crowd rebuffed them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, "Adonai, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Yeshua stopped and called them. "What do you want Me to do for you?" He asked. "Adonai," they answered, "we want our sight." Yeshua had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately their sight was healed and they followed Him.

VISIT TO ZAKKAI'S HOUSE

They entered and passed through Yericho. There was a man there named Zakkai, who was the head of the tax collectors and rich. He sought to see Yeshua and who He was and couldn't because there was a crowd and he was short in height. So Zakkai ran in front and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Yeshua, because He was headed that way. When Yeshua came to the place, He looked up and saw Zakkai and said to him, "Zakkai, hurry down from there, because today I must lodge at your house." Zakkai hurried down and joyfully accepted Him. When they saw it many murmured, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." {At dinner} Zakkai stood and said to Adonai, "Look Adonai! Half of my goods I will give to the poor and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I will restore it four times over." Yeshua said to him, "This day Salvation [Yeshua] has come to this house, since Zakkai also is a son of Avraham. For the Son of man has come to seek out and save those which were lost."

PARABLE OF TEN FUNDS

Yeshua then spoke this parable, because He was nearing Yerushalayim and because they thought that the Kingdom of Elohim would soon appear. "A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom to himself and then return. He called his ten servants, then handed them ten funds and said, 'Be busy trading until I come back.' But his citizens hated him and sent out a message after he left which said, 'We will not have this one to rule over us.' When the nobleman returned after having received the kingdom, he commanded the ten servants to whom he had given the funds to be brought to him, so he could find out how much every man had gained by trading. The first came and said, 'Adonai, your fund has increased ten times.' So the nobleman said to him, 'Well done good servant! Because you have been trustworthy in very little, take your authority over ten cities.' The second servant came and said, 'Adonai, your fund has increased five times.' In the same way the nobleman said, 'You take charge over five cities.' Then another one came and said, 'Adonai, look. I have your fund for you which I have kept secure in this cloth. I feared you because you are a man to be feared. You take what you did not lay down and harvest what you did not sow.' The nobleman said, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a man to be feared, taking what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not sow. Why didn't you give my fund to the bank, so that at my coming I could have required my own with along with interest?' So the nobleman said to those standing by, 'Take the fund from him and give it to the servant who has ten times the amount. For I tell you, that everyone who has will be given more and the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him. And, those enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, bring them here and execute them in front of me." When he had spoken this Yeshua continued to travel, ascending up to Yerushalayim.

YESHUA ANOINTED AS PESACH LAMB

The observance of the holy feast of Pesach was near and many went from the country up to Yerushalayim before Pesach, to purify themselves. Many sought for Yeshua and spoke among themselves, as they stood in the Mikdash, "What do you think? Will He come to the feast or not?” Both the chief Kohanim and some P'rushim had given an instruction, that anyone knowing where Yeshua was should declare it, so that they could arrest Him. Six days before Pesach Yeshua came again to Beit-Ani, to the house of Eliezer Ben Shimon the leper, who had been dead and then raised from the dead by Yeshua. There they made Him a supper and Marta served. Eliezer was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Miryam took an alabaster container of ointment, a very expensive perfume and anointed the head and the feet of Yeshua. She wiped His feet with her hair and the house was filled with the aroma of the ointment. One of Yeshua's disciples, Yehudah Kir'yot Ben Shimon, who would betray Him, asked, "Why wasn't this ointment sold for three hundred coins and given to the poor?" He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and carried the treasury bag and he was responsible for what was in it. Other disciples also complained against her. "Let her alone and do not worry her," Yeshua instructed. "She reserved this for the time of My burial. Because the poor will always be with you and you can do good to them whenever you want, but you do not always have Me here. She has done what she could and I tell you, wherever good news is proclaimed throughout the world, what she has done will be spoken as a memorial to her." Many of the Yehudim found out Yeshua was there and came, not to see Yeshua only, but also to see Eliezer, whom He had raised from the dead. The chief Kohanim consulted on how they could execute Eliezer also. Because of him many of the Yehudim did not follow the leaders, but trusted in Yeshua instead.