Do we know how Yeshua lived his life?

[Rainrider]

Mat 4:12When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
Mat 4:13He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Mat 4:14This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
Luke 4:14-16 Mark 1: 14-15

Mat 4:15"In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,

Why point out that many gentiles lived in the place Yeshua had went? We think the idea was to make sure the readers understand that Yeshua was not putting one person above the other. Though He had came for the Jew first, as we will see later, He also came for the whole world. One may also understand this due to the following passages.

Mat 4:16the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined."
Mat 4:17From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

When one thinks of what darkness may mean in this passage, we must think about it as an overall intention. In other words, what does darkness stand for through out all scripture? Most understand it to speak of sin, and others may say it is speaking of Satan. Though both hold some truth, the idea of it speaking to sin is more predominate. So we will look at it in this manner.
Knowing that a gentile is called unclean by the Jewish people of that time, and that talking with one for any reason other than business is grounds to stone you, we may ask why did Yeshua do this. The idea that Yeshua did so only out of obligation to scripture is a bit off base. Had that been His only reason, then Love would have nothing to do with it.

Luk 4:15He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
Luk 4:16When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.
Luk 4:17The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
Luk 4:18"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
Luk 4:19and that the time of the LORD's favor has come
Is. 61;1-2

For any that don't understand the reading of Torah, and what is called the half Torah. Every year the reading of Torah is done. Yes the full Torah is read every year. It was expanded to include what is called the Half Torah after the Babylonian exile. Our understanding of this is that when in Babylonia Israel was not permitted to read the Torah, or even one in their possession. So they turned to the Prophets to fulfill this part of their faith, and it just seemed to stick. So today we have them reading both.
Now before any one gets on their high horse and try's to say they don't read this or that. There is a lot more than you know that isn't read. Not because it has anything to do with Yeshua, they simply stay with the parts of prophecy that help to explain the Torah reading for that week. If you look it up, you will find that Yeshua went outside of the norm with His reading.

Luk 4:20He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently.

Some say they were looking at Him to explain the passage, others say they were trying to figure out why He went outside of the norm, and read a passage never read on Shabbat. You are free to think as you wish on that, we however follow the later of the 2. If you have ever stood before a group of people to speak on a topic, and then talked on a topic that had little to do the topic at hand, I am sure you know the look.

Luk 4:21Then he began to speak to them. "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day!"
Luk 4:22Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. "How can this be?" they asked. "Isn't this Joseph's son?"
Luk 4:23Then he said, "You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: 'Physician, heal yourself'—meaning, 'Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.'
Luk 4:24But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

Oddly, this stands true even today. No I am not a prophet, I am just a man, willing to follow the lead of my Lord. If HaShem made it clear I was to go to the gates of hell and teach His word, any idea where you would find me? Yet as we know prophecy is truth, it may still stand to be fulfilled, or it may have been fulfilled in the past. Doesn't matter, it is truth, and as we will see in the next chapter every one will be fulfilled in it's time.
I say all that as it has been clear many times in life, that truth isn't what people really want. So what makes us so sure of this?
When a person wishes to use scripture to negate scripture, it shows they only want their idea of truth. Having walked that paith my self, I understand the need to stay with what we know. It's simple, and already ingrained in ones mind. However as one that has also moved past that in a life long search for THE TRUTH, I see no reason to return to what I now see as not following the truth the Word places before us.
We will be back, and we will be moving to the next chapter.

 

[homwardbound]

Mat 4:12When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
Mat 4:13He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Mat 4:14This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
Luke 4:14-16 Mark 1: 14-15

Mat 4:15"In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,

Why point out that many gentiles lived in the place Yeshua had went? We think the idea was to make sure the readers understand that Yeshua was not putting one person above the other. Though He had came for the Jew first, as we will see later, He also came for the whole world. One may also understand this due to the following passages.

Mat 4:16the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined."
Mat 4:17From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

When one thinks of what darkness may mean in this passage, we must think about it as an overall intention. In other words, what does darkness stand for through out all scripture? Most understand it to speak of sin, and others may say it is speaking of Satan. Though both hold some truth, the idea of it speaking to sin is more predominate. So we will look at it in this manner.
Knowing that a gentile is called unclean by the Jewish people of that time, and that talking with one for any reason other than business is grounds to stone you, we may ask why did Yeshua do this. The idea that Yeshua did so only out of obligation to scripture is a bit off base. Had that been His only reason, then Love would have nothing to do with it.

Luk 4:15He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
Luk 4:16When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.
Luk 4:17The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
Luk 4:18"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
Luk 4:19and that the time of the LORD's favor has come
Is. 61;1-2

For any that don't understand the reading of Torah, and what is called the half Torah. Every year the reading of Torah is done. Yes the full Torah is read every year. It was expanded to include what is called the Half Torah after the Babylonian exile. Our understanding of this is that when in Babylonia Israel was not permitted to read the Torah, or even one in their possession. So they turned to the Prophets to fulfill this part of their faith, and it just seemed to stick. So today we have them reading both.
Now before any one gets on their high horse and try's to say they don't read this or that. There is a lot more than you know that isn't read. Not because it has anything to do with Yeshua, they simply stay with the parts of prophecy that help to explain the Torah reading for that week. If you look it up, you will find that Yeshua went outside of the norm with His reading.

Luk 4:20He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently.

Some say they were looking at Him to explain the passage, others say they were trying to figure out why He went outside of the norm, and read a passage never read on Shabbat. You are free to think as you wish on that, we however follow the later of the 2. If you have ever stood before a group of people to speak on a topic, and then talked on a topic that had little to do the topic at hand, I am sure you know the look.

Luk 4:21Then he began to speak to them. "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day!"
Luk 4:22Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. "How can this be?" they asked. "Isn't this Joseph's son?"
Luk 4:23Then he said, "You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: 'Physician, heal yourself'—meaning, 'Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.'
Luk 4:24But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

Oddly, this stands true even today. No I am not a prophet, I am just a man, willing to follow the lead of my Lord. If HaShem made it clear I was to go to the gates of hell and teach His word, any idea where you would find me? Yet as we know prophecy is truth, it may still stand to be fulfilled, or it may have been fulfilled in the past. Doesn't matter, it is truth, and as we will see in the next chapter every one will be fulfilled in it's time.
I say all that as it has been clear many times in life, that truth isn't what people really want. So what makes us so sure of this?
When a person wishes to use scripture to negate scripture, it shows they only want their idea of truth. Having walked that paith my self, I understand the need to stay with what we know. It's simple, and already ingrained in ones mind. However as one that has also moved past that in a life long search for THE TRUTH, I see no reason to return to what I now see as not following the truth the Word places before us.
We will be back, and we will be moving to the next chapter.

God simply just loves us all, the tis the truth from God, Hashem for me, thanks as we each continue to mature in the love and mercy given us

 

[Rainrider]

Mat 5:1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,
Luke 6:16 John 6:3

Mat 5:2and he began to teach them.

This is where things become somewhat interesting. As here we find that Yeshua is giving a fuller understanding of Torah. In other words He is trying to help us better understand the Laws. Though many times in life we forget about this, and some wish to undermine the teachings found here. More on that as we move on.

Mat 5:3"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
Luke 6:20
Though we do find a little different wording in Luke, the meaning is the same. People that are poor, understand what means to have HaShem meet your every need. With this understanding also comes a prayer life that most rich never dream of having. They rely on their money, hoard it, and show it off in their cars, homes and so on.
I do ask that you keep that last part in mind, as it will come up again.

Mat 5:4God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
I can't say how many people have lived this out in their lives, however having seen this in the life of many people, it is clear that had they not turned to HaShem, they would have been lost. Losing a loved one is never easy. However we have the promise of comfort from HaShem, this comes in the form of His Spirit. What many call the Holy Spirit. He uses His spirit with in us to lift us up. So if you ever loss a loved one, turn to Him, you won't be left without purpose.

Mat 5:5God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
Speaking just for myself, This sounds like something from an old movie. However to inherit the earth may just be what some want. As a humble person once said of them self, "If the earth is to be mine, then I can make the changes I wish. To some this may not sound so humble. Yet if we look at it from their ideas, and understanding, we may find their will follows that of HaShem. So they are not talking of making the earth in a fashion that suits their wants, rather speaking of making the earth into what it was truly meant to be. So when we see, or hear a person make a statement that sounds boastful, slow down and hear them out. You might end up shocked by their intent.
One last note on this, when people wish to say Israel has been replaced by the church, they become prideful, and boastful. If not for their selves, then for their church. It can manifest in ways they may not even understand. Like wishing to remove Israel from any hope of salvation. Many churches do this, and don't even understand just how wrong they are.

Mat 5:6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
Have we ever thought about the people in this world that have been sentenced to life? Most never give a thought at all. If asked they may say, "Why worry about it, they got what they had coming." In some cases that may be true, however in the world today, anything they can tag as a felony come with a life sentence. They become unhirable in most places, lose their right to vote, and in a way they lose every right others enjoy. Even if they were only given 90 days, they lose their rights for the rest of their life. That isn't justice.

Mat 5:7God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
In a world where mercy has little place, if any, it is odd to find a person that is willing to over look any debt. Be that person, and extend true mercy when you can. Remember this, it will come back around.

Mat 5:8God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
It would be hard to say if a person has a pure heart. We simply can't see the intent behind their actions or words. We can however look into our own hearts and see if we are. Trust me when I say, their people that would say I am not in this category. So be it, after all my Judge hasn't passed that judgement, so I will wait on Him. Until then I pray we will all look to Yeshua to show us the right path for our lives.

Mat 5:9God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
Working for peace, comes in many forms. Keeping a thread peaceful, bring peace to the world, or even steeping to end a debate that holds little constructive purpose. So from this we should also think about how we may bring discourse into a topic, conversation, or life of others. That isn't how we are to act, although at times to bring peace, we must first go to war.

Mat 5:10God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
I once said it makes me feel good when people wish to persecute me for my teachings. That is true, as it shows I am on the right path. Yet in life, we may find we are mocked for pointing out that a cashier gave us to much in change, or standing up when we see others being wrongly accused. If you ever have a chance to do whats right, even when it is harder than just walking away, we must do whats right.

Mat 5:11"God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
If we look around the world today, it becomes clear we are in the end times. Governments, people, and groups go out of their way to silence the Word. They call it hate speech, claim it insights violence, and so on. Not just that, many churches will do their best to stop anyone from teaching truth to their followers. Yes a person can become a follower of a church, and forget they are to follow the Teachings of Yeshua.
This seems a good place to stop, it will give time for the ones that wish to try and show me I am wrong to step up. Although I am sure they won't. It will also give time for some think about what has been placed before them, and contiplate how it reflects on their own faith. Stick around though, as we will soon ope the door to the one topic that most are so willing to do their best to negate.

 

[Rainrider]

Mat 5:13"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
As we all know salt has many uses. It can bring out the flavor of other spices, and preserve almost almost anything. As followers, we are to preserve the truth, and bring a little flavor to the world around us. When we fail to hold pn to truth, we lose our usefulness to HaShem.

Mat 5:14"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
Mat 5:15No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
Like Yeshua, when we turn our lives over to Him, His light fills us, and others should see there is something a bit different about us. We become the light, and in us others see what they have been missing. It is in our living by the Word, and not seeking a way out of doing this, that others can find true hope. Does this mean I am saying follow the law? No, however the Word is clear on the topic, if one wishes to over look this, I have no power to stop them. We can simply point out the truth of what the Word tells us, it is up you to decide if you will walk in the light or not.

Mat 5:16In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Are we to boast of the good things we do? No, rather if we do a good dead, like say helping someone in need, that gets out. It can become somewhat embarrassing at time. People may try to turn it into a chance to pill praise on you, and hold you up as some kind of hero.
I personal am not comfortable with that. Give glory where it is due. Do your best to direct any praise to HaShem. After all, He put you in place to help the other person, He placed it on your heart to do so, and most of all, it is His lpove in use that made all of it possible.

Mat 5:17"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.
Mat 5:18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
Luke 16:17,
As one looks to the 2 passages given, we find that in both the Law is said to out last both Heaven and earth. Not in those words mind you. However the idea is that the Law/Torah will not change in the lest. They are eternal by some teachings. Yet for some sad reason many simply with to remove the Law, and yet up hold it when it seems to fit their ideas. The best way to test if the law is valid today is answer one simple question. "Is there sin in the world today, and must we seek forgiveness for said sin?" If you answered yes, then by your answer you show the law is valid. If not, then the Word has leaded us to believe something that isn't true at all. If one reads 1John 3:4 they find the Biblical definition of sin. As stated there, sin is any violation of HaShem's laws. If the law is not in place then their is no sin held against us, as their is law to violate.

Mat 5:19So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now comes the comment of, See I can get into heaven without the law. Some have even said, "If I get in as a street sweeper, I still got in, so whats the big deal." For thouse that have a heart for the worldly things, and a drive for the actions of the flesh, there is nothing that can change their hearts. For them, let us all pray that they will find it in their own minds to seek out a better way.

 

[Rainrider]

I was asked by one in our group, Why do you say you wish to move faster, then don't post for days?" The answer is rather simple. I have good days and bad. There are days when I can sit for hours to get a post out, and days when I simply can't.

 

[Bruce_Leiter]

I find it sad that I listed this 3 days ago and it has not been posted. Well things do get over looked, so let try once more.
In this study I do ask that we keep to the life of Yeshua, how He lived His life, what religion He followed, and what His study/teaching tools were. After all if we fail to understand this, how can we say follow His example?
The Word is clear on one thing,

Hos 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

As I have seen in every post I opened, there are some that simply wish to make sure they are heard, and any one that stands in opposition of their thinking must be talked over, belittled, and or forced out. Anything to stop their understanding from getting out. However, they have little to say about how Yeshua lived His life, or what His guiding principles were.
If this thread is approved, we will examine the Life of Yeshua, and seek to find how He walked in His life. From His teachings, and His teaching alone we can learn more than one may think. I know that what I ask now will be over looked, ignored, or otherwise pushed aside. Still I must ask. If you wish to try and derail this study, please don't post. Keep in mind we are looking the life of Yeshua, NOT PAUL. Thank you for your understanding in this simple request.

Following Jesus' example is impossible on our own strength. That's what it sounds like you're trying to do. That's the theologically-liberal way of approaching the Bible that I experienced in the church, while I was growing up.

We need to balance Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection with Paul's teachings about the meaning of those events that Jesus went through to rescue us from our perilous, spiritual death to eternal life in his strength with the forgiveness of our sins.

However, it is only in the divine power released by Jesus' resurrection that we can live for and under the progress of his life flowing within us. I am very interested in your response. Can we have a dialogue?

 

[Rainrider]

Following Jesus' example is impossible on our own strength. That's what it sounds like you're trying to do. That's the theologically-liberal way of approaching the Bible that I experienced in the church, while I was growing up.

We need to balance Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection with Paul's teachings about the meaning of those events that Jesus went through to rescue us from our perilous, spiritual death to eternal life in his strength with the forgiveness of our sins.

However, it is only in the divine power released by Jesus' resurrection that we can live for and under the progress of his life flowing within us. I am very interested in your response. Can we have a dialogue?

I would never say that we have the power to live a sin free life. Even with the Spirit living with in us, we still come up short. I have said this many times in this forum, and may repeat it many more. This is why we should be thankful for the grace and love of HaShem. He is true to His word, and willing to forgive us.
I do agree that we need the whole of scripture, however, I disagree with the idea that Paul has to authority to over ride the teachings of Yeshua. This is why I have said I will not entertain Paul in this thread.

 

[Rainrider]

Mat 5:20"But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
So what is it about the righteousness of those named here that makes it so wrong? As we will see this many times in a study of the teachings of Yeshua, we should at lest have some understanding of it. As we can see there is a hint in this passage. That hint comes in the words religious law. You see many people seem to think that there is only one form of law, that being one judgement. However the Torah is a book a judgement. It tells us how we should treat others, and how we should conduct ourselves in our relationship with HaShem. That is Biblical law, and as we will see Yeshua tells us it isn't a burden.
Religious law on the other hand is a set of laws set by the Jewish leaders in response to the Babylonian exile. Though it does hold some elements of Torah, once understood we see a lot is added. Now before anyone tries to make this into something it isn't, keep this in mind. They were doing their best to reinforce the Torah, in an effort to keep from being being removed again. As we should know, they removed from the land due to their not giving the land it's rest every 7 years. Knowing that to violate Torah can lead to their removal again, they did what they seen as right. So lets not put anything on them that isn't theirs. As we move on we will see time and again when Yeshua sets the record straight. He will also give us a clear understanding of Torah if we listen.

Mat 5:21"You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.
Mat 5:22But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
Mat 5:23"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
Mat 5:24leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. If you will not, in 23 it doesn't say if you have something against someone, rather if someone has something against you. One may think, "How am I responsible for the thoughts of another?" To answer that think about this. If your upset with one, more times than not it due to something they did. So in truth we are responsible for their anger, or mistrust, making it our job to set things right, or at lest try. Once we have done all we know to, it is then on them. After all if I come to you and say, Sorry I did what ever it was, and I make a peace offering with you, and you tell me to get lost and never return. I did my best, and it is now on them to make right that wrong.
This is a point we have debated many times, just to see if have it right or wrong. Don't get me wrong, we may never be 100% on this. So please, take the time to think it over.

Mat 5:25"When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison.
Mat 5:26And if that happens, you surely won't be free again until you have paid the last penny.
Though we know that suing others isn't the right way to do things, at times it is the only way to set the record straight. As noted above, we are to do everything we can to make sure our dealings with others is on the up and up. If we always deal fairly with others, their will be no hard feelings to deal with later. However, also as noted above, if can set things right without a judge, we save a lot of time, and most likely a lot of hard earned cash. Ever hear the saying, "lawsuits only make the attorney richer". Though it sad, it is true.

Mat 5:27"You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.'
Mat 5:28But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Some see this for what it tells us, however to explain the reasoning behind it is a bit harder for some. So lets try to place this in perspective. Ever had a relationship where the other shows an interest in another? Think about how that made you feel, it hurts to find out that your loved one finds another person more interesting than they do you. In some cases, it can lead to divorce. Oddly that same kind of pain is found when the one you love goes out with another. I may not be explaining this as clearly as it is in my head, so over look that please. However the image does fit, and should help you see what is being said here.
Also, if we let our minds go down that road, we open ourselves to influences that as a true follower we should be free from. Yeshua doesn't give a lustful heart, so we know that thoughts of this nature are not from Him.

Mat 5:29So if your eye—even your good eye —causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Never take this as literal. You see to mutilate ones self is a violation of Torah. However, we should consider that if we have something wrong in our lives, it must be dealt with, to make us better. To try and make this a bit more clear, if you look at another with lust, your eyes, i.e. looking bring that sin about. So what can we do? Start with prayer, then to remove your eye, simply stop looking. Odd you say. In all truth it the looking that brought that sin into your life. So if we stop looking, we remove it from sight. This is much the same as putting out your own eye, because you are blinding yourself to the thing that brought that sin.