The Torah Network

2 yrs

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 17

SERIES Q --- THE SAVIOUR

FATHER AND SON

TO DO AS THE FATHER DOES

From John 5:19-29

When the Jewish leaders criticized Yeshua for breaking their Shabbat Laws, here is what He told them about His authority:

[I do nothing alone. I do only what I have seen My Father do. What He does, I do. The Father loves Me and reveals His secrets to Me. He will show Me even greater things than you have seen, and you will be amazed. As the Father can restore life, so also I will raise some from the dead. The Father does not judge men, for He has given that right to Me. Thus, all will honour Me in the same way that they honour Him. Whoever withholds honour from Me also withholds honour from the Father who sent Me. Listen carefully to what I say, for whoever listens to My Words and believes in the Father Who sent Me has life that never ends. He will never face judgment for he has already gone from the darkness of death into the Light of life, listen to me carefully, for the time comes -- it is already here -- when the dead will listen to My voice calling, and those who heed it will live again. As the Father is Life itself, so He has caused Me also to be Life itself. He has given Me the authority to judge because I am the Son of Man. Do not be surprised at what I say, for the time comes, when in their graves the dead will hear My voice and they will come forth, the good, to a life that never ends, the evil, to the verdict of endless death.]

OTHERS WHO SPEAK FOR YHVH’S SON

From John 5:30-47

As Yeshua continued talking to the Jewish leaders, He told them of others who speak for Him:

[I do not judge without consulting My Father, for I do what He wants, not what I want. If I tell you about Myself, you will not believe Me. But there is another who tells about Me. You will hear the truth from John the Baptist, as you discovered when you sent messengers to him. I do not need a man’s assurance to guarantee My claim. But you need My Words so that you may be saved. John’s words were like bright lights, and you were richer because of him. But there is a stronger voice than John’s, speaking out for Me. The miracles that I do speak for Me and show that the Father has sent Me. The Father speaks for Me also, although you have never heard His voice, or seen His face. You do not listen to Him, for you do not believe in Me, whom He has sent. You search the Scriptures, for you believe they will point you to a life that never ends. Can’t you understand that they point to Me? But you will not come to Me so that I may give to you that endless life you seek. I do not wish to hear soft words of praise from you, for I know that you do not have the Love of YHVH in you. I come to you with the Father’s authority, but you do not welcome Me. Yet you do welcome those whom the Father has not sent, who have only themselves to offer. You hunger for praise from one another, but you do not seek the praise of YHVH. How can you hope to believe? It is not I who will accuse you before the Father, but Moses, in whose Laws you place your hope. If you truly believed Moses, you would truly believe Me, for he told you about Me. But since you cannot believe him, how then can you accept the words I speak?]

COMMENTARY

RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF YESHUA’ DAY

Visitors to the temple in Jerusalem during this time might well have met some of the important religious leaders there. Although they could not be easily identified by their dress, it was easy to tell who they were because they were treated with politeness and respect. But they were not always very well-mannered among themselves. There were three leading religious groups during Yeshua’ time, and they often quarrelled with each other. Yet, even though they could not agree on their beliefs about heaven or the resurrection of the dead, they did have one thing in common. They all were against Yeshua and wanted to stop the great crowds of people from coming to hear Him teach.

SADDUCEES

The Sadducees came only from among the aristocracy, the wealthy, the priests of the temple, from people of rank and importance. They believed that two of the most important things in the world were money and fame. Although the Sadducees served as priests, they did not object to being within sight of their Roman rulers’ palace. Holding positions of importance, they were satisfied with things just as they were. Since they wanted nothing to change in their lives, they were against Yeshua because He disturbed their security. The Sadducees were afraid He would stir up a rebellion by His preaching about a new kingdom.

PHARISEES

Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees accepted anyone who wanted to live according to religious Laws. Their goal was to be completely obedient to every rule and regulation, no matter how small. They were very proud of what they thought was their holiness. They looked down on anyone who did not follow the Laws as carefully as they did. While the Sadducees refused to follow the man-made interpretations of the Law that the scribes handed down, the Pharisees were careful to obey them. But the Pharisees did not obey YHVH’s Law or man’s regulations out of love or respect. They followed the rules as if they were a game that would win them admiration if they won. The Pharisees were against Yeshua because He called them hypocrites and was critical of their obedience to man-made Laws.

SCRIBES

The scribes were the men of learning who were honoured for their knowledge of the Law. It was their job to study the Law and to teach it to their pupils. Because they were experts in all of its details, they also acted as judges in the Jewish courts. They were called rabbis, a title of honour meaning {teacher.} But the scribes were not content merely to study the Law. They also created new rules that were much stricter and pettier than the Law that YHVH gave to Moses. They enforced their man-made rules as if they had been given by YHVH, and condemned as sinners everyone who did not follow them. They were against Yeshua because they thought He was a lawbreaker whose teachings encouraged people to ignore the rules they had handed down.

Comment

Discover Posts

Weekly Bible Reading For June 4-10: Beha'alotcha (In Your Going Up) - The Barking Fox