For The Bereans

Matthew 16:13-17 records this exchange between Yeshua and His disciples:

When Yeshua came into the territory around Caesarea Philippi, he asked his talmidim , “Who are people saying the Son of Man is?” They said, “Well, some say Yochanan the Immerser, others Eliyahu, still others Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say I am?” Shim’on Kefa answered, “You are the Mashiach , the Son of the living God.” “Shim’on Bar-Yochanan,” Yeshua said to him, “how blessed you are! For no human being revealed this to you, no, it was my Father in heaven.

When Yeshua asked about His reputation among the people, the answers were varied. However, when He asked about His disciples’ perception of Him, only one answer is recorded: you are the Messiah.

I’m under the impression that many present day believers are unaware of the significance of this declaration–which, by the way, Yeshua emphatically affirmed. Why do I think this? In my, albeit limited, observation (1) present day believers don’t see themselves having a connection to the physical descendents of Israel; and (2) present day believers don’t see themselves having any relationship with Torah beyond it being a historical reference point. In fact, on the latter, many seem to believe Yeshua inaugurated the departure from Torah.

The irony in this is that (1) the Messiah is specifically Israel’s Messiah; and (2) any person who would turn followers from Torah specifically could not be the Messiah. Although the practical implications of the Messiah being Israel’s Messiah may be lost on some, I don’t think that fact itself would be called into question. On the other hand, the idea that turning from Torah categorically disqualifies a person from being Messiah is probably worth further consideration.

For that, I invite your attention to Deuteronomy 13:1-5:

“If a prophet or someone who gets messages while dreaming arises among you and he gives you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder comes about as he predicted when he said, ‘Let’s follow other gods, which you have not known; and let us serve them,’ you are not to listen to what that prophet or dreamer says. For ADONAI your God is testing you, in order to find out whether you really do love ADONAI your God with all your heart and being. You are to follow ADONAI your God, fear him, obey his mitzvot , listen to what he says, serve him and cling to him; and that prophet or dreamer is to be put to death; because he urged rebellion against ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from a life of slavery; in order to seduce you away from the path ADONAI your God ordered you to follow. This is how you are to rid your community of this wickedness.

Did you catch that? Even a prophet whose predicted sign or wonder comes to pass is to be rejected–in fact, killed– if he says let’s follow other gods.

Now, I already now what I would say to this: ‘Jesus was not asking people to follow other gods. He was showing people a better way to serve the same God.’

The problem with that argument is, if you’re telling people to do something contrary to what the LORD our GOD said do, you’re not teaching them to follow Him.

But, I might say, Jesus is God. Therefore, He can change His mind if He wants.

That argument has merit from an authority standpoint. However, it fails from an integrity standpoint. Think about it: if the LORD our GOD ends something He said was eternal, what confidence can we have in the next promise?

The good news we don’t have to ponder that. For the true and living eternal God has given us His true and living eternal Word. He has pardoned our failings through His true and living eternal Son. And, He empowers us by HIS true and living eternal Spirit.