Discovering The Jewish Jesus

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: People believe that in the New Testament we find a God of grace revealed, but in the Old Testament we find a harsh lawgiver revealed that mercilessly punished people for their sin.

Baruch Hashem, bless the name of the Lord. Beloved ones, I am continuing a series today that I’m calling "How Jesus Completes Biblical Judaism." So this is now several episodes into the series that really is foundational teaching that will help you to understand how the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, fit together as a whole like a hand in a glove.

I’m not going to go back and review everything I covered, but I want to say that the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, the Old and the New Testaments, are identical in what they reveal to us about God’s nature. They first of all show us that above all else God is holy, He’s separate, utterly unique, different from everything else. He is eternity, He’s uncreated life, there’s nothing comparable to God. Secondly, I showed that both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament speak of this holy God as being compassionate above all else.

We looked at Exodus chapter 33 and 34 where Moses prayed to the Lord. He said, "Show me Your glory, show me who You are." And God said, "Moses, you can’t see My face and live. But I want you to go over in the cleft of that rock, I want you to call upon My name, Yahweh." And He said, "Moses, when you call upon Me, I’m going to descend and meet you. I’m going to make all My goodness..." Notice the Lord said, "I’m going to make all My goodness..." His goodness is His glory.

Remember the Lord said to Moses, "I’m going to show you My glory, Moses. I’m going to make all My goodness pass before you." And I just think it’s really neat to understand that God’s glory is a revelation of His goodness. So Moses does what the Lord says, he goes in the cleft of the rock, he calls upon the name once again of the Lord. And as he does, Yahweh descends, meets him there, and begins to proclaim His name over Moses and then reveals into Moses who He is.

So Moses, when he receives this revelation in Exodus 34 now, he calls upon God, "Show me Your glory" in Exodus 33, and then God says, "Okay, I’m going to show you My glory. Go in the cleft of the rock," and that happens in Exodus 34. God comes to him and meets him there while he calls upon the name of the Lord. Now, the Lord comes to him and He begins to reveal to Moses His glory and His goodness. And here’s what we read in Exodus 34:6.

"Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, 'Yahweh, Yahweh God.'" Remember, Yahweh is God’s memorial name forever, but it’s translated in the Hebrew Scriptures as the Lord and Jewish people will simply say Adonai because they feel it’s too holy to even speak. The Lord comes, the Lord God, the Lord God, and then God reveals Himself. Who am I? The first thing God says is "Compassionate and gracious."

Now, why am I making such a big deal out of this? Because people believe that in the New Testament we find a God of grace revealed, but in the Old Testament we don’t see a God of grace revealed, we find a harsh lawgiver revealed. We find the moral lawgiver revealed that mercilessly punished people for their sin. But the reality, church, is that both the Old and New Testaments reveal that God is first of all holy and that the attribute that first proceeds from His holiness is His grace and compassion.

You see, the Old and New Testaments show us that God is the same. He’s not one God in the Old Testament and then a different God in the New Testament. He doesn’t switch from being a harsh lawgiver in the Old Testament with a frown on His face, this stern God, and then suddenly puts on a happy hat in the New Testament. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Let’s continue reading this most profound revelation of who God is in the entire Hebrew Bible in Exodus 34:6 and 7 as God reveals Himself to Moses, the one the Hebrew people refer to in referring to Moses as the prophet that God spoke to face to face. In other words, the Lord said to Moses, "When I speak to a prophet," the Lord said, "I speak to the prophet in a vision or a dream, but not so with Moses," the Lord said. "With him I speak as a man speaketh to his friend, face to face."

In Judaism, Moses is referred to as the face to face prophet. Moses calls upon the Lord, the Lord comes. The Lord, the Lord God. He’s speaking into Moses. Moses is receiving revelation. He’s full of revelatory light. He knows, he’s not just hearing the words, he understands the depth of what the word means by the Spirit. "The Lord, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth."

We see the same God revealed in the New Testament. Remember Jesus said, "If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father." There’s no difference. Continuing in Exodus 34 verse 7, God says to Moses, "I’m the one who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin." Doesn’t this sound like the God we see revealed in the New Testament? The God that forgives. Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more" to the woman that was caught in adultery.

As Yeshua hung on the cross, what did He say? "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." So everything we’ve read so far in regards to who God is in this most profound revelation in the Hebrew Bible of who God is is totally consistent, church, with who we see God revealed as in the Brit Hadashah, the New Testament. Let’s continue on. "Who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin."

Now listen to this: "Yet He will by no means leave the guilty go unpunished, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generation." Moses made haste to bow low and worship. So as stated, the first part of these two verses is really easy for Christians to digest, that the Lord of Israel is compassionate and gracious, full of lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.

But yet when we come to the last portion here, we read something that causes some to stumble. And we read there once again, verse 7: "Yet He will by no means leave the guilty go unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers again on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generation." Is that part consistent with the New Testament? Beloved one, yes it is. Jesus came and He forgives sin, but He also said this.

He said, "Unless you believe that I am He," meaning the Messiah and the Savior of the world, "you will die in your sins." Once again Jesus is saying, "I’ve come to forgive, but if you don’t repent, you’re going to die in your sin." And Jesus said that the penalty for that was eternal separation from God in the outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those that would not repent and enter into the forgiveness that Yahweh, that God provided, would be judged for their sin.

And that the wrath of God would fall upon them. So what the Lord is saying here in the Torah is He’s full of compassion and grace, He forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. But for people that won’t repent, the same thing that Jesus said, they’ll die in their sin and they’ll be judged accordingly. The Old and New Testaments, beloved, are completely consistent in what they teach us about God’s nature.

Some may be wondering about the last part of this verse, that the Lord visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation. This is just a spiritual trajectory. In other words, if I am living as a father as an alcoholic or a woman-abuser or whatever it is, the spirits that are on me are going to be passed on to my children, and then my children that potentially repeat the pattern, that same thing gets passed on to the grandchildren.

Dustin Roberts: You’re listening to "Discovering The Jewish Jesus" with Rabbi Schneider, and he’ll be right back. I want to share with you that in the rush of everyday life, sometimes it’s a challenge to connect with God. That’s why Rabbi Schneider launched a one-minute audio devotional that’s here to help you. You can start each morning with a powerful message, and I believe it’ll give you spiritual insight and strength for your day ahead. Just search for "A Minute with Rabbi" on your favorite podcasting platform or visit DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com.

All around the world people are searching for truth and hope. That’s why Rabbi has traveled to places like Haiti, Nigeria, and beyond sharing the Gospel and strengthening believers everywhere. Through powerful outreach events lives are being transformed, but we can’t do this without your prayers and without your financial support. So pray and donate today at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com. And now here’s Rabbi Schneider.

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: In addition to the confusion because people read the Old Testament, they see how God judged sin, and they get confused by it all. They don’t see the big picture, they get lost in the forest amidst all the trees. Additionally compounding the misunderstanding of who God is and the consistency of His nature between the Old and the New Testaments, compounding the confusion is the anti-Semitic theology that has been in the church for almost 2,000 years.

Stay with me. I’m going to take you to a really excellent example of what I’m sharing. I’m going to the King James Version now of the Gospel of John chapter 1, verse 16 and 17. King James Version, written in the 1600s, chapter 1, verse 16 and 17. Now I’m not picking on the King James Version, I’m not picking on any version. I’m just making a point to help you understand the anti-Semitic mindset that was in the church.

And how because of anti-Semitism the church began to see the Old Testament as something old, something that we don’t want anymore, something that we don’t need anymore, something that’s relegated to the past. Hear what the King James Version says when they translated from the earliest manuscripts John 1:16 and 17: "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

Listen again. Here we go. "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." How many graces there? Two graces. "Of his fullness we’ve all received and grace," first grace, "for grace." They had one grace, now was given a second grace. Listen again, I want you to catch it. "Of his fullness we’ve all received and grace for grace." One grace on top of another grace. You had grace, now I’m giving you for that grace another grace.

Listen to the next verse: "For the law was given by Moses, but..." Catch that word "but." "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Now if you have a King James Version that you’re using right now, you’ll notice that the word "but" is there, but it’s in italics. Why is the word "but" in italics? The reason is, beloved ones, is that the translators are showing that we don’t have this word "but" in the manuscripts that we’re translating from.

The earliest manuscripts available. We’re adding it. And to show you that we’re adding this word that they thought to help us understand it, they needed to add it, because we’re adding this word we need to italicize it. But I want you to think with me for a second. They added the word "but." What does the word "but" mean? How is the word "but" used in conversation? How is the word "but" used in a sentence?

The word "but" is used to set up a contrast. It’s used to set up an opposition. In other words, if you’re employed somewhere and your boss calls you into the office, and the door closes, and the boss says to you, "You did a really good job on that assignment, but..." As soon as he uses the word "but," you know he’s about to tell you something totally different. He’s not going to compliment you again. He’s setting up a contrast.

If somebody says to you, "I really like the dress that you’re wearing, but..." they’re about to tell you another part of your clothes that doesn’t look too good. "But" sets up two opposites. "Of his fullness we’ve all received and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Notice what’s happening here. The translators are setting up opposites between the law that was given by Moses and the grace and truth that came through Jesus.

As if the law that was given by Moses is opposite or different than the grace that was revealed from Jesus. Permit me to read it one last time. I really want you to get the point. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus." As if grace and truth were not in the Hebrew Bible. As if the Old Testament was all about law, but grace and real truth came in the New Testament. The point is the translators completely mixed it up.

When we go back to verse 16 notice there was already a grace. "Of his fullness have all we received." Listen now: "And grace for grace." Two graces. In other words, the law itself was an expression of God’s grace. It was already grace. But then the greater grace came when Jesus was sent. This is why the author of Hebrews says this: "In times past the Lord spoke to us through the prophets and the fathers. He spoke to the fathers through the prophets in many portions and in many ways."

"But in these last days He’s spoken to us through His Son through whom He created the world and who was the exact representation of His likeness." In other words, there was truth that came in the Hebrew Bible. There was grace that came in the Hebrew Bible, but the fullness wasn’t revealed until Yeshua came. Not opposites, just a progressive revelation. The revelation of God’s grace kept on getting fuller and wider and deeper as time unfolded and culminated, beloved ones, with the person of Yeshua.

Before we close today, I want to take you to the book of Deuteronomy in the Torah. I’m going here to chapter number 4, verse 7 and 8 just to illustrate for you, beloved ones, that the law itself, let me say it again, that the law itself is an extension of God’s grace. Hear what we read: "For what great a nation," the Lord is saying to Israel, "is there that has a God so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?"

"Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?" Why was the law great? We have to understand that Israel lived in a barbaric world. There was no justice, there was no law, there was no moral code so to speak in the nations of the world. If somebody stole a man’s goat, that man may retaliate by going and killing the man that stole his goat as well as his wife and his children and then burning the house down.

God was calling His people up and out of a barbaric world to live at a just standard, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Now Jesus came and He said, "You have heard it said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you..." When Jesus said that, He wasn’t nullifying the law. He was just calling God’s people up to an even higher standard. He was saying, "Listen, if someone does you wrong, turn the other cheek. Bless your enemies."

He was bringing the law to its fullest extent. He was calling up Israel to an even higher level. You see, beloved, the God of Israel has made Himself more and more fully known through time. It culminated in the revelation of His Son who is still being revealed to you and I personally every single day. I hope that this series is helping you understand how the Old and New Testaments, the Tanakh and the Brit Hadashah, fit together like a hand in a glove.

Abba wants us to understand truth and He wants it to be simple. I hope, beloved, that I’m making it more simple for you. I love you and shalom. I’ve always liked a very simple approach to ministry in both my preaching and, beloved ones, in helping God’s people understand why it’s important to support ministry with our finances. I’m reading a very simple portion of Scripture I’ve referred to before, but I love it because it’s so simple and so authentic.

Listen to what John says in the book of 3 John, verse 7 and 8, speaking of those that are sent out to preach the Gospel. He says this: "For they went out for the sake of the Name." And then he continues in the 8th verse by saying this: "Therefore we ought to support such men so that we may be fellow workers with the truth." You see, not everybody’s called to do what I do. Not everyone’s called to travel to Africa, Israel, etc.

But you can have a part in the lives that are being changed through my ministry, beloved, by supporting this ministry. I want to ask you, if you believe in the word that I’m preaching, if you believe in me, if you believe that there’s authentic fruit and if you’re being helped, I want to ask you to support this ministry financially. You’re going to be blessed and have a reward for the lives that are being saved and changed.

Dustin Roberts: Amen. And if God is calling you to give to "Discovering The Jewish Jesus," a gift of any amount, please give us a call right now. You can reach us at 800-777-7835. You can also become a monthly partner online by visiting our website. You’ll find us at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com. Just as our bodies need food each and every day, our soul needs to be nourished by God’s word. The Bible says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.

So we’ve created "Seeds of Revelation" where we bring you a dose of nourishment each and every week. Each Friday Rabbi Schneider shows us another treasure from the Bible and gives us fresh insight. So don’t let another week pass by without subscribing to this amazing devotional. You’ll find more information about this weekly email online at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com. Just click on the resources tab and then stay connected.

Then once again to give and to support this ministry, please send your gift in the mail to us at Discovering The Jewish Jesus, P.O. Box 777, Blissfield, Michigan 49228. I also want you to know you can text to give. It’s actually one of the easiest ways to give. Just text the keyword GIVE to the phone number 88777. That’s the keyword GIVE to the phone number 88777. Now here’s Rabbi to wrap up with God’s special blessing.

Rabbi K.A. Schneider: In the book of Numbers chapter 6, we find a personal blessing from God our Father. This blessing should touch our hearts because it’s so personal. Father God wants to intimately bless you. So receive His blessing into your life today with gladness and an open heart.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with His countenance and the Lord give you, beloved ones, His peace. God bless you and shalom.

Dustin Roberts: This program is produced and sponsored by "Discovering The Jewish Jesus" and I’m your host Dustin Roberts. Make sure to come back next week when Rabbi Schneider reveals election from the Scriptures. That’s Monday on "Discovering The Jewish Jesus."