The
answer to the “Son of God” question
is the key to understanding the conflict that divided the Jewish followers of
the Real Yeshua and the mixed group of followers of Paul called “Christians.” The importance of knowing “when” Yeshua became the “Son of God” is not understood by Christians
today. But, I have no doubt that it was at the heart of many debates between
the followers of Yeshua and those of Paul well into the second century. Why is
this still so important?
The validity of Paul’s apostleship, his gospel and
many of the salvation messages
taught by Christian institutions today are linked to
it.
In
order to accurately understand the verses that provide the answer to this
important question we must have a quick vocabulary lesson. The first vocabulary
word is “gospel.” When we read the
word “gospel” in English
translations, it isn’t a reference to a book like those we call “Gospels” in the New Testament today. The
Jewish audience would have understood it to mean something like “good tidings” or “good news” – “a proclamation that
came from Yahweh.” This is clearly seen in the words of Isaiah (61:1a):
“The Spirit of the Master Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me
to proclaim good tidings to the poor . . .”
The
“gospel” in this verse is described
as “good tiding to the poor.” If you
want to read more about that “gospel,” read Isaiah 56 through 61.
Yeshua
quoted this verse when he stood before the members of his home synagogue in
Nazareth and announced that he was the “Anointed One” prophesied by Isaiah. Three
very important clues about Yeshua and his movement are revealed in the quote
and his Jewish audience would have wanted to know the answers to the following
questions:
(1) When
did the spirit of Yahweh come upon Yeshua?
(2) When
did Yahweh anoint Yeshua?
(3) What
good tidings did Yahweh give Yeshua to proclaim?
The
next vocabulary terms are “Anointed One”
and “Son of God.” Their meanings are
found in
Psalm
2 and 2 Samuel 7. In Psalm 2:2 we read:
“The kings of the earth set themselves, and
the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh and against His Anointed
One.” (Psalm 2:2)
“Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of
Zion.
I will declare the decree:
Yahweh has said to me, `You are My Son, today
I have begotten you.’” (Psalm 2:6-7)
The
“Anointed One” and “My (Yahweh’s) Son” are titles of the “King of Israel.” The above Psalm was part
of the coronation ceremony ancient Israel. In order to fully understand the
meaning of “Son of God” we must also be aware of Yahweh’s covenant with King
David. It is found in 2 Samuel 7:12-14:
“When your (David) days are fulfilled and you
rest with your fathers, I (Yahweh) will set up your seed after you, who will
come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house
for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be
his Father, and he shall be My son.”
Now,
let’s put all the pieces and vocabulary terms together so we better understand
them and their relationship to each other before we continue:
(1) The “Anointed One” is the “King of Israel.”
(2) The “Anointed One” is the “Son of Yahweh.”
(3) The “Son of Yahweh” is a “descendant of King
David” and part of David’s Covenant with
Yahweh.
(4) He became the “Anointed One,” “King of
Israel” and “Son of Yahweh” at the coronation ceremony.
Now
let’s turn to the New Testament Gospels
and discover when Yeshua became “Son of God
(Yahweh).” I will begin with Matthew
3:16-17 and underline the vocabulary terms discussed above:
“When he had been baptized, Yeshua came up
immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him.
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, `This is My beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased.’”
In Matthew
Yeshua became the “Son of God” at his
“baptism.” Next, let’s see what Mark (1:9-11) says:
“It came to pass in those days that Yeshua
came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately,
coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit
descending upon him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, `You are
My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”
In Mark
Yeshua became the “Son of God” at his
“baptism.” Next, let’s see what Luke (3:21-22) says:
“When all the people were baptized, it came
to pass that Yeshua also was baptized; and while he prayed, the heaven was
opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon
him, and a voice came from heaven which said, `You are My beloved Son;
in you I am well pleased.’”
In Luke
Yeshua became the “Son of God” at his
“baptism.” Next, let’s see what John (1:32-34) says”
“And John bore witness, saying, `I saw the
Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained upon him.
I did not know him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon
whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, this is he who
baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is
the Son of God.’”
In Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John Yeshua
became the “Son of God” at his “baptism,” which means he also became the
“Anointed One” at the same time. You
may remember from earlier articles that English translators translated “Anointed One” as “Christ.” So, at his baptism he became the “Christ.” So what would the Jewish audience of Yeshua have thought
when he was called “Yeshua the Anointed One?” It would be something like this –
Yeshua the Anointed One, Son of David,
Son of Yahweh and King of Israel!
Now let’s see what Paul says about when
Yeshua became the “Son of God.” We
find his view recorded in Romans
(1:1-4):
“Paul, a bondservant of Yeshua the Anointed
One, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of
God which He promised before through His
prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Yeshua the Anointed One our
Master, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of
holiness by the resurrection from the dead.”
Paul specifically points out that Yeshua
was a “descendant of David.” But, for
Paul, Yeshua became the “Son of God”
“by the resurrection from the dead,”
not at his “baptism.” What are the
implications of Paul’s view?
(1)
Everything Yeshua taught and did before
the resurrection was done before he became the “Son of God” and the “Anointed
One”(Christ).
(2) Paul is the only apostle called after
Yeshua became the “Son of God.”
(3) Paul’s gospel is the only gospel
given by Yeshua the “Son of God.”
The differences between the Real
Yeshua’s gospel and Paul’s gospel are reflected in how members of their
movements understood their roles and taught “the way of salvation.”
Yeshua’s gospel was about creating a kingdom of
people who were actively engaged in doing acts of TZEDAQAH (righteousness) and
MISHPAT (justice). In Matthew 25, Yeshua’s message reflects this very clearly.
Those who did TZEDAQAH (the work of the Creator in making the world whole) –
fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, took strangers
into their homes, visited the sick, etc., entered into eternal life.
Paul’s gospel
requires people to “BELIEVE” what it says. It does not require people
to do anything for anyone else – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the
`Anointed One,’ for “it (Paul’s gospel) is the power of God to salvation” for
everyone who BELIEVES.” (Romans 1:16).
Yeshua’s gospel
was about makings lives better, repairing them and making them whole.
Paul’s gospel was about “believing an
exclusive revelation that God only revealed to him.” Paul
said he had been called “from his
mother’s womb to proclaim it.” He said that no other apostle, even the
existing head of the Yeshua Movement, Yeshua’s brother named Jacob (James), was
let in on it.
Here
are some final points about Yeshua’s gospel.
(1) It
doesn’t require anyone to believe in anyone or about anything.
(2) It
doesn’t require anyone to convert to Judaism or Christianity.
(3) It
doesn’t restrict the good things being done to Christians only.
I want to leave you with two very
important questions in closing:
(1)
What would happen if the 70% of the American population that identifies
themselves as “Christians” did “Yeshua’s Gospel” instead of believed
“Paul’s gospel”?
(2) What if the
churches of the over two billion Christians on the earth today became centers
committed to doing and teaching “Yeshua’s Gospel” instead of trying to persuade people to believe
one of many and differing creeds and official doctrines?
I
created a TOV Team called “Christians
for TOV.” It is a way for Christians, past Christians, people with
Christian or Biblical Heritages to interact with others and create
relationships; learn how to use the TOV Values upon which Yeshua built his
message and movement; and when you do, your
life, the lives of those around you, and many others will be better, happier,
healthier, safer and whole.
Why is it so important for Christians to understand that the Real Yeshua taught "actions" not "beliefs"? Remember the face and the statistics below:
Hitler came to power in a democratic nation with
a 94% Christian population. If they had understood Yeshua’s TOV gospel, things would have been
different. The importance of increasing
the number of Christians for TOV in America today must not be overlooked!
Christians for TOV is a new option for Christians that value the teachings of the Real Yeshua more than the doctrines of religions. Make sure you visit our new webpage by clicking here.
Shalom
Jim Myers
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