Roots of Faith

This week’s Torah portion is called Mishpatim.  The name is the plural form of the Hebrew word Mishpat, which means justice. 

Read the notes and then listen to the podcast.

This Sabbath, being the last Sabbath before the beginning of the Hebrew month of Adar, is also known as Sabbath Shekalim. It commemorates the ancient Temple tax of a half-shekel.

Texts for the special Torah portion are Exodus 30:11-16 and II Kings 11:17-12:17 (cf. II Chronicles 24:4-14).

In this lesson, Ross will talk about the ancient Temple Tax, a tax that Jesus of Nazareth paid (Matthew 17:24-27) though he suggests that the “children” are free from this taxation.

Ross shows that the original command to pay the tax seems to suggest that this was meant to be a once in a lifetime tax based upon the reading of the Torah (see also Exodus 38:25-26) and this interpretation is also found in the DSS in 4Q159 “Ordinances or Commentaries on Biblical Law” - a point first discussed by the scholar J. Allegro. Later, Jewish interpretation called for an annual tax perhaps based upon Nehemiah 10:32.

In the regular Torah reading, Ross teaches on the corpus of laws known as the Covenant Code (the laws found in Exodus 21-23). 

Beginning with the laws associated with slavery, Ross points out that the Bible does not prohibit slavery, but it does condemn mistreatment of servants. Slavery in its most crude form still exists on this planet.  These areas could benefit from the torah’s instructions for proper treatment of slaves. Ross shows that God instructs Israel to treat their servants righteously because they too were slaves.  “You know the heart of the stranger” says the LORD.  It comes down to “the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. (see Exodus 22:21 and 23:9)

Ross speaks about the meaning of justice and even “judging righteous judgment” - Deuteronomy 16:18.  He covers the meaning of Luke 6:27-38 in this context.

Ross shows that “an eye for an eye” is truly about making judgment fit the crime and may not have been to be taken literally. Within this topic he also covers the false idea that the “Old Testament” teaches the hatred of enemies.  The Hebrew bible is shown to also teach love of enemies (see for example Proverbs 25:21)

As in all of his classes, Ross seeks to show that the theology of Jesus and his earliest followers was founded and rooted in the writings of the Hebrew Bible.  He encourages his audience to adopt the faith of Jesus, for if “we abide in christ, we ought to walk even as Jesus did.”

Join us for this special Sabbath teaching - on Bringing Justice In.

 

 Mishpatim - Sabbath of the Shekel - Intro [31:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mishpatim - Reading [30:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mishpatim - Comments [24:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mishpatim - Questions [20:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download