I know I’ve said this before but it bears repeating.
The Book of Deuteronomy is all about Moses expounding on the laws first given at Sinai and showing how the spirit of the law was the key element for being able to properly carry out God’s holy instructions.
That is why the Book of Deuteronomy is so important and forms the bulk of liturgy in traditional Jewish worship.
And I should add this is precisely how we should view Yeshua’s Sermon on the Mount.
Yeshua was doing exactly the same thing that Moses is doing here in Deuteronomy.
He is placing an emphasis on the spirit of the law that Moses had spoken of in response to the mechanical system of rules and regulations that had become a heavy burden at the time.
Make no bones about it.
Both Moses’ and Yeshua’s teaching go right to the heart of and capture the essence of the Torah.
Onward.
Recall yesterday we learned that all of Israel-the men, women, children and foreigners-were to present themselves at the Temple on the 7th Year of Sukkot.
Well, this principle is further fleshed out in the New Testament.
“For in union with the Messiah,
you are all children of God
through this trusting faithfulness;
because as many of you as were
immersed into the Messiah
have clothed yourselves with the Messiah,
in whom there is neither Jew nor Gentile,
neither slave nor freeman,
neither male nor female;
for in union with the Messiah Yeshua,
you are all one.”
-Galatians 3:26-28
In these verses, Paul is referring to the principle established here in Deuteronomy Chapter 31 that all who are part of Israel including the women and children are to be given equal access to His Word.
The point being made is that all people regardless of gender, race or age are perfectly capable of understanding the Torah and carrying out the instructions that would apply to them.
Unfortunately, by Yeshua’s day, the religious authorities had done away with this principle.
When I visited the KOTEL (the Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem a couple of years ago, there was a barrier separating the men’s side from the women’s side.
And in many Synagogues today, more often than not you will find separate men’s and women’s sections.
I’ve heard that young girls are even given different study materials from the boys when they learn the Torah.
It’s pretty obvious that the idea of women being lesser and men being greater is firmly entrenched in Judaism but is this notion really Biblical?
Honestly, I don’t think so.
It was an idea the male-dominated Middle Eastern society certainly didn’t object to and an issue that Yeshua and Paul had to be sensitive to.
However, what does Scripture really have to say on the matter?
Simple, while the Bible defines different roles for each gender, each role is viewed as having equal importance and value.
Paul had a lot of experience concerning this issue because he was sent as an emissary to the gentiles spread throughout the Roman Empire and also had to deal with his fellow Jewish brethren.
In addition, the norms varied greatly depending on the culture.
Some cultures accepted women as teachers and priests and others were like hell no.
Some congregations wanted women to play a central role during worship, others wanted them to sit quietly in the back and keep their mouths shut during the whole service.
Honestly, some of these practices were ridiculously bigoted.
Paul’s advice to the Messianic community was to as much as possible try not to make a big deal out of it and if possible just try to operate within the cultural norms of those to whom the Gospel is being presented.
This seems to be good advice that I think we could use today.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Let a woman learn in peace, fully submitted;
but I do not permit a woman to teach a man
or exercise authority over him;
rather, she is to remain at peace.
For Adam was formed first, then Havah.
Also it was not Adam who was deceived,
but the woman who, on being deceived,
became involved in the transgression.
Nevertheless, the woman will be delivered
through childbearing, provided that she
continues trusting, loving and living a
holy life with modesty.”
-1 Timothy 2:11-15
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