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Study on Galatians

Part 1

1. Introduction
2. Background

2.1 Paul. Opposing or harmonising?
2.2 Old and New Testament and the Scriptures
2.3 Date and Timeline
2.4 The main issue of discussion in Galatians

3. Gal 1:1-5

3.1 The reason for the letter to the Galatians
3.2 Greek Salvation
3.3 Jewish Salvation according to the Pharisees

i) What do Jews believe today regarding salvation?

3.4 True Salvation according to Gospel

i) What is the True Gospel?
ii) What is Salvation?
iii) The True Gospel and the Revelation of the Messiah
iv) The True Gospel and the Work of the Messiah

a) How was the sins forgiven, before the coming of Yeshua?

• The Temple moved
• The Sacrificial lamb moved
• The Sign of the Covenant moved

b) Who did Israel follow before the coming of Yeshua?

4. Gal 1:6-11
5. Gal 1:12-24

5.1 Paul’s Conversion
5.2 Paul’s Background and Education

i) Pharisaic Teachings
ii) What did Y’shua say about the Pharisaic teachings?
iii) Man made Laws
iv) Why was Oral Tradition or Oral Laws invented?
v) The Dangers of Oral Tradition

1. Introduction

This study is to deal with the book of Galatians, to understand some concepts that are contradictory in the Bible. The aim of this study is to understand the book of Galatians in harmony with the rest of Scripture, to iron out misconceptions and conflict with other Scripture and to read Galatians in relation with Acts to get the story behind the story. Often, one of the first things a nominal Christian will say when you tell them the law has not been abolished is: "you need to read the book of Galatians!" In spite of the multitude of scriptures in the "New Testament" which demonstrate we should keep Yahweh's Commandments, understand Paul's letter to Galatians to state otherwise.

The book of Galatians is used to formulate doctrine that stand in isolation of the whole New Testament and the rest of the Scriptures. It forms the basis for interpreting other New Testament books like Romans, Corinthians est. and if you have put on your Galatians glasses you tend to “miss” the things Paul said about the Law in his other letters and contradict some verses. Having this point of view, you make Paul out to be a man who does not have one opinion; who said different things to different groups, to win everybody’s favour. This is not the true character of a believer and surely not the true reflection of Paul’s character and should be rectified with proper in context interpretation.

The Hebrew word for “bondage” that is a dept that cannot be paid, is the word “galuta”. This is also the same word as was used to describe the ten tribes that was taken into captivity (galuta) in 722 BC by the Assyrians. The Galatians were a mixed nation who consisted of these “galuta” lost tribes and pagans with whom they mixed and learned their ways. Those lost tribes (not only in Galatia), lost their inheritance, and were put into the bondage (galuta) of ignorance, sin, idolatry and separation from YHVH and His ways. This sets the stage and confirms the “Mystery of the Gospel” that were proclaimed by Paul and misunderstood by the churches for many years.

2. Background

2.1 Paul, opposing or harmonising?

Many misunderstand the writings of Paul in his letter to the Galatians. This misunderstanding has created doctrines that contradict teachings of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus the Christ) that Torah is still to be taught and followed:

Matt 5:17-19
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Wrongly interpreting Galatians, even contradicts things he wrote in his other letters:

1Ti_1:8
And we know that the Torah is good if one uses it legitimately,



Rom_3:31
Do we then nullify the Torah through the belief? Let it not be! On the contrary, we establish the Torah.1 Footnote: 1See Rom_7:12.



Rom_7:12
So that the Torah truly is set-apart, and the command set-apart, and righteous, and good.



Rom_7:22
For I delight in the Torah of Elohim1 according to the inward man, Footnote: 1 Psa_119:16.



Act 24:14
“And this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the Elohim of my fathers, believing all that has been written in the Torah and in the Prophets,

Pitting Paul against Messiah will show harmony if you consider the following:

1. Their teachings do not contradict when understood in the contextual, cultural and historical setting,
2. If the did contradict, Messiah, who is the living Torah and the Elohim himself, would always be correct, and Paul would have been a false teacher.

2.2 Old and New Testaments and the Scriptures.

First we must understand that the scriptures Paul refers to are the Tanakh (Christians tend to call it the Old Testament, Messianics prefer the First Covenant), and not the New Testament, (Messianics refer to it as the Apostolic Writings or the B’rit Chadasha), had not been written at this time. We must also understand, that the only Gospel they had in Galatia, would be either a letter, or word of mouth from a believer or Emissary (Apostle), such as Paul.


2.3 Date and Timeline

Galatia was a region in Turkey, roughly where modern Ankara is. It was settled in 325 BCE\BC by Gauls. The predominate ethnic background was mixed Gaul & Greek and there was a Jewish presence in Galatia. If then, this theory be adopted, it means that Paul and Barnabas on their first tour preached in the cities of southern Galatia, and on their return trip organized the converts into church groups (Acts 14:21-23), closing their mission about A.D. 48. After their return to Antioch, Peter paid a visit to the city, and openly fellowshipped with the Gentile converts. He had not been there long before some men came down from Jerusalem who professed to follow the strict observance of the law that James practiced, and who argued that unless the converts were circumcised, they could not be saved (Acts 15:1).


Paul therefore on the eve of the council wrote this letter to the Galatians churches, in order to settle for them by correspondence the question which he expected to debate in the coming assembly in Jerusalem. This conclusion is confirmed somewhat by a comparison of Peter's speech in Acts 15:7-11 with the structure of Galatians as a whole. His emphasis on his personal calling and experience, on theological argumentation, and on the practical development of grace parallels the general outline of Galatians and also reflects Paul's conversation with him as reported in Galatians 2. If Galatians can be fitted into this situation, it was written from Antioch, just prior to the council in A.D. 48 or 49.


The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) consisted of the pillars, James and Peter, with James, the brother of Yeshua, who was the head of the Council. Paul was referred to as a “ringleader” of the Nazarene sect, (Acts 24:5). You can say that Paul was like a Captain where James was the General. Peter looked after the Jewish converts while Paul looked after the Gentile converts. With this foundational background, let’s start with the first chapter of Galatians.
The following diagram will give a fairly satisfactory perspective of the chronology involved.




CHART OF EARLY PAULINE CHRONOLOGY

Event	Reference	Time
Resurrection: Pentecost	Acts 1:3,5; 2:1	A.D. 32
Salvation of Paul	Acts 9:1-18	A.D. 33
Visit to Arabia	Gal. 1:17	A.D. 33
Return to Damascus
First Visit to Jerusalem	Gal. 1:18	A.D. 38
Interview with Cephas
Spent fifteen days in city
Departure to Syria and Cilicia	Gal. 1:21
Early ministry in Antioch
Second visit to Jerusalem	Gal. 2:1-10	A.D. 49
Accompanied by Barnabas & Titus
Motivated by revelation
Private interview
Complaint about false brethren
Agree with James, Cephas & John
First Missionary Journey
Return to Antioch Gal. 2:11
Visit of Cephas
Controversy
Writing of Galatians
Council of Jerusalem	Acts 15:1-35	AD. 49/51
Paul executed		AD. 62

Paul's Missionary Journeys

2.4 The main issue of discussion in Galatians.

The real question in the book of Galatians isn't whether or not we should keep the Torah. The real question is this: What is the "true good news" that Yeshua wants us to proclaim? Does the true "good news" mean that we receive salvation after we have been circumcised and kept the law? Does the true "good news" proclaim salvation through abolishing the law so that our sins are taken away? Or does the true “good news” simply proclaim that we can receive forgiveness for transgressing that law if we repent and believe in Yeshua...nothing added? This teaching of salvation through Yeshua and circumcision clearly violates the teachings in Acts 15, as laid down by the Jerusalem Elders John, Peter, and James. The main issue in the Book of Galatians revolves around the Sign of the Covenant, but we will discuss this later on in detail.

3. Galatians 1:1-5

Paul starts of by introducing the letter and he mentioned the purpose of the Gospel in verse 4:

Gal 1:4
who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father,

Paul said that Yeshua gave His life so that we could be delivered from this evil world. He did not say that Yeshua died so that we can be delivered from God’s evil Law. The purpose of the letter is in context of salvation from this evil world. Evil world is always connected to sin and fleshly desires that cause men to be separated from YHVH because He is Holy and sin cannot exist before him.

3.1 The reason for the letter to the Galatians

There were disputes because of influences of Jewish believers that confused the people and by bringing “another gospel”. The Gospel or Good News is the message of Salvation. This issue had to be resolved and the foundation of Salvation had to be laid in order to clear up the confusion and disputes. The reason for this letter was to clarify the “Gospel” and what true “Salvation” is. We will now look at how the Greeks (modern world at that time) believed they are saved and how the Pharisees believed you are saved, and what James, Paul, Peter and John said regarding the “Gospel” and “Salvation”.


3.2 Greek Salvation: (by Brad Scott)

The whole idea of salvation to the Greek mind is wrapped up in the state or eternal status of the soul. As we have discussed before, in Greek dualistic thinking, only the soul or the domain of the nous or mind is 'godly', or can be godly. Salvation is right thinking and creedal in it's nature. To 'believe' is to know the right things. This knowledge comes only from the gods. Many even believed that there would be 'doorkeepers' at the gates of the heavens and that secret codes would have to be declared before entrance. They believe that salvation is a place you go to and to arrive there your mind must be filled with the knowledge of the gods. To be 'saved' in Greek thought is to be released from this evil world. Salvation is a matter of creeds and correct knowledge about the gods.



In Gnostic thought, the concept of 'keys' are mentioned quit liberally. Scriptural terms such as, 'believe', to 'know' or 'knowledge', 'word' or 'words', 'keys' and 'gates', 'confess' and 'faith', are all tied in with this esoteric knowledge given by the gods. These terms were easily transferred to New Testament teaching. When Yeshua said "I am the door... I am the good shepherd... I am the light of the world... I am the way, the truth, and the life...", these were understood to speak of the logos or the nous come down from heaven to distribute this knowledge or gnosis. He came to bring the 'keys' of salvation. Let me remind you that in Greek thought the logos was the collective mind or nous of the gods. In order for the soul to be destined for heaven one must 'believe' certain propositions about the logos.

The early 'church' remained very 'Hebrew' for the first two centuries and this is why there is no record of 'creeds' being established. The creeds came later when gentiles dominated the church and the 'Jewish believers' (Hebrew minded) have been chased away by the Jews (Parasitical minded) and the Christians (Greek minded). – Brad Scott, Wildbranch


3.3 Jewish Salvation according to the Pharisees:

There were some Jews who came to faith in Yeshua but were still rooted in the Pharisaic doctrine and taught that; you will only be saved by becoming circumcised because circumcision was a commandment that allows a gentile to come into Israel (Kingdom). These gentiles were then called proselytes and they had the scars in their flesh to prove that they were “saved”. Yeshua is the One who allows gentiles to come into the Kingdom (Israel), and He bore the scars in His flesh so that you, through faith in His “scars” (death), can become part of the Kingdom. You are then called a son of YHVH and Bondservant of YHVH through Yeshua. They taught circumcision as a MUST that must be added to their faith in Yeshua in order to be sons of Abraham and sons of YHVH. (Acts 15:1).



This “gospel” is not true because it was proven by His Spirit that gentiles received His Spirit by the hearing of the Gospel and YHVH proved to the Jewish believers that He accepted them. The Spirit is now the sign in your life that you are truly His. They did not line up to be circumcised and then they received the Spirit, they believed and then they received the Spirit. The issue about circumcision, Paul later on refers to as ” the works of the law”. (Rom 3:27-30 )Circumcision is a work and the sign in the flesh that proved that you were part of Israel, and it was the sign of the Covenant before Yeshua. We will look at the sign of the Covenant in more detail in the next section.

i ) What do Jews believe today regarding salvation?

Judaism does not believe that man, by his nature, is evil or sinful and therefore has no need to be “saved” from an eternal damnation. In fact, most Jews today do not believe in a place of eternal punishment or a literal hell. The Hebrew root word for “sin” is chayt, which literally means to “miss the mark.” It is a term commonly used in archery, of one who “misses the mark” of the bulls eye. When a Jew misses the mark, and occasionally falls into the sin of failing to fulfil the laws of God, the belief is that one can obtain forgiveness through prayer, repentance and doing good deeds.

For the Jews, they should know that Yeshua the Messiah has come as High Priest, and through His once-for-all sacrifice for sin offers complete atonement to all people. For there is “no distinction” between Jew and gentile. (Romans 10:12) Yes, the Jews are God’s chosen people, (Deuteronomy 7:6-8), and through them come the Jewish Messiah to bless all the nations of the earth. And it is only through Yeshua that Jews can find YHVH’s complete atonement and forgiveness. Without Him, they are lost.


3.4 True Salvation according to Gospel:

i) What is the True Gospel?

Isa 61:1-11
The Spirit of the Master YHVH is on Me; because YHVH has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the meek (humble); He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) to preach the acceptable year of YHVH and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; (3) to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the mantle of praise for the spirit of heaviness; so that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of YHVH, that He might be glorified. (4) And they will build the old wastes, they will raise up the ruins of former times. And they will repair the waste cities, the ruins of many generations. (5) And strangers (Gentile shepherds) will stand and feed your flocks (people), and the sons of the stranger will be your plowmen and your vinedressers. (6) But you will be named the priests of YHVH; it will be said of you, Ministers of our God; you will eat the riches of the nations (Gentiles coming in), and you will revel in their glory. (7) For your shame you will have double; and for disgrace they will rejoice in their portion; therefore in their own land they will possess double; everlasting joy will be theirs. (8) For I YHVH love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. (9) And their seed will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed YHVH has blessed (Gentiles coming in). (10) I will greatly rejoice in YHVH, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation, He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (11) For as the earth comes out with its bud, and as the garden causes that which is sown to grow; so the Master YHVH will cause righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations.

There are two main topics seen in the definition of the “Gospel” or “Good News”:

1. The restoration of Israel (Jews).
2. The bringing in of the Gentiles into Israel.

The theme is Salvation/Restoration as seen in verses 3 to 5, 6 to 7, and Salvation/Redemption of the Gentiles is seen in verses 5 to 9. Then there are general blessing for both groups as stated in verses 1 to 2, 10 and 11.This shows YHVH’s mercy and kindness towards Israel and the Gentiles, to make a eternal covenant with all of them and to give them robes of salvation and robes of righteousness to clothe them as the Bride, to stand before Him, the Bridegroom. This eternal plan of YHVH is the “good news” for all nations and not just Israel and the Jews. This is the Gospel as prophesied by Isaiah and quoted by Yeshua. This theme is also noted at the first miracle that Yeshua did at the Marriage festival where He multiplied the joy (wine) for all the people.

ii) What is Salvation?

Yeshua means “Salvation”. Salvation actually means “rescue” or “deliverance”. This concept in found in Num 27:15, where salvation is described in context of sheep and their Shepherd.

Num 27:16-17
Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, (17) Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

We are like the sheep that needs a Shepherd have the following attributes:

• Sheep will never survive in the wild on their own.
• Sheep have no survival instincts, that is to run, and normally in the wrong direction.
• Sheep can get lost and wander away.
• Sheep are very stubborn.
• You cannot train a sheep.

Salvation is not a location, it is not heaven, it is the Saviour, the Shepherd Who will rescue you. If you follow the Shepherd, you will be in safety and will be rescued from all danger. That is why He is our Salvation and you HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM.

The Greek mind thinks that salvation is something that happens to you and a place where you will go if your mind is renewed with the secret knowledge. True Salvation is based upon the foundation that was laid in the Torah and this is seen in the lives of people like Moses and David. Moses and David were the shepherds of those days who led the people unto salvation (Promise Land and Jerusalem). Yeshua is our Salvation and the Great Shepherd Who fulfilled Scripture and the Prophets, and He leads us into the Promise Land, the New Jerusalem. The true Gospel is how we can enter into His New Life and receive His Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), so that we may follow Him (Spirit/Shepherd) into His Kingdom, and become His Bride and fulfil His eternal Plan. The true Gospel and Salvation can broken up into two main areas; i) The revelation of Who the Messiah is, and ii) what the work of the Messiah is. In order to have complete faith in Him we have to understand these two concepts, Who He is and what He did and from this we will find out what we must believe or do to be saved.

i) The True Gospel & the Revelation of the Messiah

If you believe in the wrong Messiah, you will not be saved because he will not be appointed by YHVH to be your saviour. The first thing we must believe to be save is to recognise Yeshua as the Messiah and Son of YHVH. We are then saved through faith in Yeshua as the Messiah. When He fulfilled Scripture, He made Himself known to Israel that He is the One spoken of so that they might believe in Him and accept His redemptive work. The Messiah came to do all the “work” that is needed for man to be reconciled back to YHVH.

Dan 9:26
And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.

Yeshua did exactly this, He was cut off and died for our sins and the Temple was destroyed 70 AD and the ruins are there today and there is war. This verse proves that Yeshua is the Messiah. There are many other verses, but is a topic on it’s own, and I will not go into more detail.

ii) The True Gospel & the Work of the Messiah

The work of the Messiah was first of all to be the Shepherd Who laid down His life for His sheep. He is known as the Sacrifice Who’s blood atoned for our sins. Secondly, the work of the Messiah is to be our Shepherd Who leads us into His Kingdom. He leads us through His Voice. His Voice is “heard” through His Spirit and His Word.

Joh 10:11
I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Isa 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and YHVH has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Heb 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Master Yeshua from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant) (21) make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Yeshua our Messiah, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Eze 34:11-1, 14-152
For so says the Master YHVH: Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. (12) As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. (14) I will feed them in a good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. (15) I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Master YHVH.

So if I say I believe in Yeshua, you must first believe that He is the Messiah, the Son of YHVH. For you to fully comprehend what your faith in Him means, you have to understand what the Messiah came to do for us. To identify Him is only the first part of your faith in Him. You have to know what He did and actively believe and react on that, and then you can truly accept and understand your Salvation.

Yeshua is our Messiah Who came, and He did two main things:

a) He is the Sacrifice and through His blood there is forgives of our sins. In other words, He brought reconciliation back to YHVH the Father.
b) He is the Shepherd and we must listen to His Voice and follow Him. To see what the Messiah did for us, we have to look at what existed before His First Coming; a) how Israel received forgiveness of their sins, and b) who the shepherds were that they followed into the Promised Land.

a) How was the sins forgiven before the coming of Yeshua?

The Book of Leviticus (17:11), the third Book of the Torah, clearly gives the prescription for forgiveness. “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 for the soul.” The Temple sacrifice was always the centrepiece for Israel’s atonement. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Levitical High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. Through this yearly act, atonement was made for the sins of all Israel. Since there is no Temple since 70AD, Yeshua is the Sacrifice for us that atone for our sin, for those who believe it and accept it.

Heb 9:19-28
For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the Torah, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, (20) saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined to you." (21) And likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. (22) And almost all things are by the Torah purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission. (23) Therefore it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than these. (24) For Messiah has not entered into the Holy of Holies made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (25) Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, even as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of others (26) (for then He must have suffered often since the foundation of the world), but now once in the end of the world He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (27) And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment, (28) so Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many. And to those who look for Him He shall appear the second time without sin to salvation.

This Sacrifice was performed within the time of the Festival called, “the Day of Atonement, and it is a foreshadow of the work of the Messiah and gave us the detail and depth of His work and its meaning. If we decide to take away the “Old Testament” and discard the Festivals, we will not understand the basis of our salvation, and miss out on the purpose and meaning of the Festivals. The Festivals are there to remind us of what He did for us, forever! The Festivals are designed by YHVH to show us the Work of the Messiah. The number four means Work of the Messiah. YHVH created the Sun, moon and stars on the forth day to be as signs and seasons, or in Hebrew “mo-ed”, which is the root word for Festivals. There may not be any sacrifices outside of the Temple in Jerusalem according to the Torah, and since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, everybody had to accept Yeshua as the Sacrifice for atonement of sin. The “system” for forgiveness moved from the physical to the spiritual in Yeshua.

• The Temple Moved

YHVH did not do away with the Torah or it’s wisdom, and He surely did not take away the “Temple”. The Temple moved from a physical Temple in Jerusalem, to a spiritual Temple, inside our bodies. Together we are the Temple of YHVH where the His presence dwells.

• The Sacrificial lamb moved

He did not take away the sacrificial system, but the sacrifice moved from an animal to Yeshua, the Lamb of YHVH. If you think the Sacrificial System is no more, you are mistakenly discarding the System that allows for the blood and forgiveness of sin through Yeshua. The System has to exist for the Sacrifice of Yeshua to be valid. This is confirmed in the Prophets where the sacrificial system will be reinstated (restored) after the Second Coming of Yeshua, from the spiritual back to the physical. Read: “Do you believe the Prophets” The kind of sacrifices that will be reinstated will not be covered in this study and will be done later. The main point is that Yeshua is the Sacrifice of YHVH Who’s Blood atones for all those who accept Him, and believe that He is the Messiah spoken of in the Prophets.

• The Sign of the Covenant moved

There are two instructions in the Torah regarding Circumcision; the one for Hebrews to circumcise their children on the eighth day and then there is the Instruction gentiles who want to come into Israel. Circumcision is the sign of the Covenant, according to the Torah. The whole issue in Galatians was because of this issue; what is the sign of the Covenant after the crucifixion of Yeshua? The sign of the Covenant moved from the physical to the spiritual and is done by the Spirit where He circumcises your heart.

If you are a gentile who wants to come into Israel, you need to receive the sign of the Covenant in order to take part in YHVH’s things and live in His ways. YHVH confirmed this sign where He gave the Gentiles His Spirit (sign of the Covenant), to show the Jews that He accepted them as part of Israel. A Gentile was only circumcised once in order to come into Israel; there is no other commandment in the Torah that ask for a second sign. If you as a gentile who received Yeshua as your Saviour, you have the sign of the Covenant in His flesh and He gave you His Spirit as a sign of the Covenant to you, so that you and others can know that He has received you into his Kingdom. If you want to receive circumcision in the flesh, you are saying that His sign of His Covenant is not enough and want to see it in your flesh.

There is only one sign of His Covenant and even the Jews have to have the Spirit in order to be accepted by YHVH. There is no Commandment in Torah that said that Jews have to have the Spirit in order to be accepted by the Father, and this proves that the sign moved, because they are now also obligated to have the Sprit. If you as believing Gentile who have received the Spirit wants to be circumcised, you must understand that it is not the sign of the Covenant any more and it is not required in Torah for a proselyte (believing gentile) to be circumcised twice and thus not an act of obedience. There is nothing wrong with circumcision but it is no longer the sign of the Covenant, YHVH and the Council in Jerusalem and Paul confirmed this. The Spirit is the One who does the circumcision of the heart Who is the sign in you, that proves that you are part of the greater Israel and Kingdom of YHVH.

Rom 8:16
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim,

There is only one way to the Father, and that is through His Son, Yeshua the Messiah. There is only one way to receive His New Life, and that is through His Spirit. If you have not received His Life (Spirit) you do not have the Shepherd and do not have the hope of salvation.

Rom 8:14-15
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (15) For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!


Eph 2:8-10
For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves (work in the flesh), it is the gift of God, (9) not of works (circumcision), lest anyone should boast (in his flesh). (10) For we are His workmanship (circumcised in the heart by His Spirit), created in Messiah Yeshua to good works (Torah), which God has before ordained that we should walk in them (as His Children).

What now about other Instructions like the Festivals, Kosher est. described in the Torah. Did they “move” like the “sign” of the Covenant moved? No, they are still in tact because the Instructions given by YHVH to man, is not to get you into the Kingdom, but it tis there for those who are part of the Kingdom already, to live a Set Apart life, and to protect them from going astray after they received their Shepherd. It is there for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, as taught by Paul in his letter to Timothy.

2Ti 3:16-17
All Scripture (TaNaK) is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.

The Jews did not understand that Yeshua was the “goal” of the Torah (Rom 10:4), because they have misinterpreted 300+ prophecies about Him in the Tanakh. Similarly, if the Gentiles did not put away their “pagan ways”, which are unacceptable to YHVH, He will continue to condemn them. The “good news” cannot save the Gentiles unless they put away their sinful practices! This is why we need the water of the Word to wash us clean from all iniquity.

Rom 8:11-14
But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Messiah from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you. (12) Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (13) For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. .

b) Who did Israel follow before the coming of Yeshua?

The people of Israel followed the Prophet like Moses and later on a King like David, both of them were filled with the Spirit of YHVH:

Isa 63:11-13
Then He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people, “Where is He who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Set-apart Spirit within him, (12) who led them by the right hand of Moses, with His comely arm, dividing the water before them to make for Himself an everlasting Name, (13) who led them through the deep? Like a horse in the wilderness they did not stumble.”

Eze 37:24
And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

These two people in the past foretold the First Coming and the Second Coming of Yeshua where He first came like Moses, a Shepherd and a Prophet. On His Second Coming He would come as the Shepherd and the King, like David. Now we have the One Who is like Moses and like David, Yeshua the Great Shepherd, Prophet and King, Who leads us by His Voice, and we are His sheep who follows Him.

Joh 10:27-30
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and my Father are one.

Gen 22:18
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Moses and David led the people like shepherds, but in different places. Moses led the people in the wilderness, and this is a picture of us being led by Yeshua through this life. David led the people like a shepherd in the City of Jerusalem; Yeshua will lead us and be our king in the New Jerusalem. Both Moses and David had the sacrificial system to atone for sins and to receive forgiveness from YHVH. Yeshua is our Sacrifice through Whom we receive forgiveness form the Father.

Was Moses or David saviours in relation to their function as shepherds? Not in the same way as Yeshua, but their lives and functions, foreshadowed the One Who came and is to come, and Who will function as both of them and as the eternal Sacrifice, our Saviour. Moses and David did lead the people through the Wilderness and in the Promised Land, and in that sense, they “saved” the people, but YHVH actually saved the people through them. They are only mere men and not in the same manner a God like Yeshua, and only foretold His coming, just like the animal sacrifices foretold the Greater Godly Sacrifice Yeshua. Moses and David and the animal sacrifices were in the natural. Yeshua came as God as the Supernatural Shepherd, Prophet and King and Sacrifice.

If we follow Yeshua, we are His sheep and He is our Saviour, and He will lead us in safety into the New Jerusalem. He first leads us through the Wilderness (Moses), through this life and then after His Second Coming, He will lead us like a King (David), in the New Kingdom forever. YHVH gave Moses His Instructions as captured in the Torah and they needed this to survive through the Wilderness. We are all currently in the Wilderness (life) and therefore need His Commandments to be protected.

The Torah is the Water you need in the desert and His Spirit is the living water we need to survive and the Voice we need to follow for direction through this life. His Torah and His Spirit are synonym and confirm each other all the time. If you listen to His Voice (Spirit & Torah), you are His Sheep living a Set-apart life as a redeemed person. The Torah is not for salvation but to keep you alive in the wilderness. You must receive reconciliation through Yeshua’s blood, then His new Life through His Spirit and then you will understand and follow His Commandments, through the help of His Spirit, because you love Him.

Joh_14:15-17
“If you love Me, you shall guard My Commands.1 Footnote: 1See Exo_20:6, 1Jn_5:2-3, 2Jn_1:6. (16) “And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Helper, to stay with you forever – (17) the Spirit of the Truth,

4. Galatians 1: 6-11

Gal 1:6-9
I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Messiah, to another gospel, (7) which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Messiah. (8) But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed. (9) As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.

The Gospel is the good news regarding salvation through faith in Yeshua as the Messiah, and through His Blood you can receive forgiveness of sin and enter into the Kingdom of YHVH. Paul had preached this Gospel to the Gentiles and this is known as the “mystery of the Gospel”. Paul was furious about this “other Gospel” and spoke a curse over those who bring another Way of Salvation. He repeated himself to emphasise this point.

Gal 1:10-11
For now do I persuade (have confidence in) men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Messiah. (11) And, brothers, I make known to you the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not according to man (tradition).

Paul emphasised the fact that the Gospel (good news regarding Salvation) came from YHVH and it is not according to man’s teachings. As he said in his other letters; that the death of Messiah is foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews. The Greeks have their believes regarding salvation and the Jews (Pharisees) had their views on salvation. There were people who infiltrated into the believers in Galatia who taught another means of salvation that did not put the emphasis on Yeshua as the Way to YHVH.

5. Galatians 1:12-24

4.1 Paul’s Conversion

Gal 1:12
For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it except by a revelation of Yeshua the Messiah. Paul had an encounter with Yeshua on the road to Damascus where he saw the light and Yeshua revealed Him self to Paul as the Messiah, as prophesied in Scripture.

4.2 Paul’s Background and Education

Gal 1:14
And I progressed in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my race, being much more a zealot of the traditions of my fathers.

Paul told them that he was brought up in Judaism and progressed in his studies above his fellow scholars and was very zealous of the teachings and traditions of the “fathers”. These fathers were Pharisees and Paul sat under the teaching of Gamaliel, one of the greatest teachers of that time.

Act 23:6
But when Paul saw that the one part were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the sanhedrin, Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead.

Act 22:3
I am truly a man, a Jew born in Tarsus in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the exactness of the Law of the fathers, being a zealous one of God, as you all are today.

Paul knew what they taught and he knew what they taught was not right, but this does not prove that the Torah is not right, but the “law of the fathers” or Oral law and traditions.


i) Pharisaic Teachings

To become a Pharisee, you have to be from a direct line from the original Pharisaic line to be a Pharisee today. They are called Orthodox Jewish Rabbis and they uphold the Oral Traditions as brought down throughout their generations. Their teachings (takanot – man made laws, traditions of the elders) are based upon five basic principals:

1. Pharisees believe in two Torah's; the written Torah (first five books of the Scripture) and the oral Torah (given orally to Moses to Joshua ...notes or commentary or interpretation of the Torah). They believe the written Torah cannot be understood without the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah has been written down and consists of four volumes. The first is the Mishnah - 200 CE, 2nd one is written down is The Jerusalem Talmud - 350 CE written in Tiberius and the third one is the Babylonian Talmud 500 CE, then lastly the D'rash 900 CE. They are called Jewish Orthodox Rabbis today.
2. The absolute authority of the Pharisees. Even if they say left is right and right is left, you must obey them. You do not have to believe him but must obey him. Deut 30:12, Torah not in heaven, that's why they say that they have authority above God concerning the Torah. In context it means that the Torah is not to difficult for us to do. But they have absolute authority over the Torah and not God (they say). Matt 23 - "...do what they say you to do..." Did Y'shua command the people to obey them?
3. M'drash interpretation, ignores context of scripture. They say Scripture is a divine code and only they have the tools on how to interpret Scripture. They also say that majority rules, the opinion of many say that they are right. Ancient Israelites learned Torah by hearing it. Deut 31:12-13. Torah read out loud every seven years so that they could learn it and do it. This is the way God intended it to be understood. Always read scripture within context. To produce a Torah scroll you have to slaughter a whole flock of sheep, produced barrels and barrels of ink and get a Scribe for at least one year to write it down for you. That is why they have to hear it every seven years because it was impossible for everyone to own a Torah.
4. Sanctified Tradition. Customs becomes law when it is done and sanctified by the people over time. For example; wearing the head covering - kipa, sanctified over the last 800 years. You may not walk four cubits (steps) without a head covering. You may also not pray with an uncovered head - tallit. Closing the Shabbat ceremony - Havdalah. Lighting the candles at Shabbat meal. We may not add to the Torah and may not take away from the Torah. Deut 4:2, Deut 12:32, Prove 30:6.
5. Takanot- commandments of man. Similar to the previous point but these are derived from the Torah. God Commanded us to do the Commandments...(adding)...and commanding us to wash our hands. Deut 17 talks about lower judges to go to the High Priest of the Temple to help with cases that they could not solve. It does not say to go to the Pharisees. Matt 15:2-3. They transgress YHVH's Command by adding to the Torah making it of none effect, and missing the point. Matt 15:6. Sabbath with added traditions amounts to about 1800 laws for only the Sabbath. It is suppose to be a pleasure to keep the Sabbath not a burden through added traditions. Is 29:13

ii) What did Y’shua say about the Pharisaic teachings?

Mat 23:13-14
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men. For you neither go in, nor do you allow those entering to go in. (14) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and pray at length as a pretense. Therefore you shall receive the greater condemnation.

Y'shua called the Pharisees hypocrites who shut up the Kingdom against men and make it difficult for people to enter in. They made it difficult through their Oral traditions and man made laws.


iii) Man made Laws

To follow Oral Traditions is dangerous because you break the Commandment that says that you should not add to the Torah.

Deu 4:2
You shall not add to the Word which I command you, neither shall you take away from it, so that you may keep the commands of YHVH your Elohim which I command you.

Rev 22:18
For I testify together to everyone who hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been written in this Book.

The last verse is applicable to the Book of Revelation but I’m sure YHVH feels the same way about the rest of His Word and His Commandments.

Mat 15:8-9
"This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (9) But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

If you follow the commandments of men you are worshipping man and not YHVH.


iv) Why was Oral Tradition or Oral Laws invented?

“The Oral Law is a legal commentary on the Torah, explaining how its commandments are to be carried out. Common sense suggests that some sort of oral tradition was always needed to accompany the Written Law, because the Torah alone, even with its 613 commandments, is an insufficient guide to Jewish life”.

Its intention is good and noble and would like to “protect” people from breaking the Torah. They wanted to be safe rather than sorry and added a lot of laws that YHVH did not command.


v) The dangers of Oral Traditions

The result in trying to obey, for example, the 1800 laws regarding the Sabbath, will cause you to make a career of following Sabbath and at the end of the day it has become a burden rather than a delight, as YHVH intended it, and you miss the point. The other problem with man-made-laws is that they are burdensome and keep you busy with its detail and you do not spend time in YHVH’s Word. Take the Sabbath again as an example; if I try to follow the 1800 laws, I must be mindful of them all the time in order not to break one of them. The purpose of the Sabbath is to speak YHVH’s words and spend time in His Word. These Oral laws will consume all your time and will take you away from YHVH and the purpose of the Sabbath, and you will break the Sabbath anyway.

If your “detail”, “helpful”, “traditions” keep you 100% on track to obey one of YHVH’s Commandments, you are missing the point because you are more busy with all the detail of the “man made laws”, and you will miss out on the one Law YHVH wants you to use, to remind you of Him. Zoom out and find out the purpose of the law first, then mediate on it while you obey it the best you can so that you may find YHVH therein. Do everything unto YHVH and to become more acquainted with Him.

We have a relationship with YHVH and the things He gave us to follow are either to protect us or are there to remind us of Him. If you obey a law with the wrong motive, it will lead to the death of your relationship with Him and He should always be the focus. Ask yourself the question; what are the fruits of me obeying a specific law? If the fruits are bad and hurt relationships with fellow believers, you are missing the point and should re evaluate your motives. Man-made laws WILL NOT have good fruit and WILL DAMAGE your relationship with Him because it is not of Him.

Anything that is not written in the Torah, we are not obligated to keep even if some people do things in their personal life through their interpretation, it still in no obligation for others to follow them. There are a lot of “grey” areas in Scripture where YHVH wants each one of us to consult Him in the way He wants us to follow it. This is normally the points for disputes and YHVH have put them there so that we can learn to walk in love towards each other regarding our differences.


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