The Greatest Teacher Part One

[samuel7771]

The Greatest Teacher Part 1

Study ~ Part One by Reuven ben Gershom

When we consider who our blessed Saviour really is, it will become more and more understandable that Messiah Yahushua was and will always be the greatest “Moreh,” being Hebrew for Teacher the earth has ever known!

For let us be honest, the blessed Scriptures clearly states that our Saviour is from all eternity; for … “In the beginning was the Word,” thus “The Word” as Yochanan - John states was “with Elohim” and New Covenant continues to say that “the Word,” became flesh and that He, the “Messiah was the Passover sacrificed for us!”

Therefore, let us read what Yochanan - John in Chapter 1, verses 1 to 4 with great joy and praise to (YHVH) YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, for these verses very clearly speaks of He Who was with our Creator from “the Beginning!”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim and the Word was Elohim. He was in the beginning with Elohim. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Yochanan - John 1:1-4.

Thus not only are we told that “the Word was (is) Elohim,” but also “all things were made through Him” He was therefore also the Creator, as well as the life giver and “in Him” - “was the light of men.”

Sadly, so many just do not comprehend the greatness and the power that is contained in these four verses, thus it is no wonder that our blessed Saviour Who is from all Eternity, when He came to us and He was on the earth He was indeed the Greatest Teacher in all History!

So often we simply just do not realize how privileged the world has been, and at large these days mankind has simply walked away from the greatest event the earth has ever experienced and that was the arrival of He who is “the Word (who) was Elohim”! And the faithful in Messiah Yahushua will know how He in love gave His life in order that our sin would be forgiven! And all a sinner has to do, is believe in YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, the Father and our Saviour Yahushua the “Messiah, the Passover Lamb Sacrificed for us”, then repent of our sins and continue to walk in His ways, following His commandments and live His will! Thus this means we must believe, repent and uphold His Commandments, for remember that the 10 Commandments have never been done away with and they are clearly revealed and confirmed in the New Covenant and Yahushua clearly taught they had to be upheld! Of course we must never uphold a law for salvation sake, no that would be very wrong and makes keeping the law distasteful, for it is our faith in Messiah and following His ways where salvation lies! However, Yahushua did clearly teach us to uphold the “My Commandments” that includes the Seventh Day Sabbath being the 4th.Commandment of the 10, and we will be doing something that is pleasing our Saviour and thus our Heavenly Father! Always remember what our Saviour said;

“If you love Me, keep My Commandments.” Yochanan - John 14:15.

Yahushua the Great “Moreh”:
However, there was something very special about Yahushua for He was not just a man, he was the High Priest directly appointed by YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, and He taught not just in the Temple and around Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and even in Samaria, for our beloved Saviour was indeed a genuine “Moreh,” a true and a good “Teacher.”

And of course it is true that Yahushua was the greatest Moreh who ever lived, but He was so much more than that. He was One with the Father and all His teachings were truth. Our Messiah and beloved Saviour certainly gave us all countless wonderful and blessed teachings and at times He would use a story or a parable. Frequently there were those who had questions regarding what Yahushua had said on many topics and even to this day there are still many who have the very same questions and I pray that in this study I will be able to cover many of these!

Beloved, I will cover the majority of these questions under a number of different headings and I pray that they will provide answers to all these vital questions covering topics such as; “What did He teach about YHVH?” - “What did He think about Himself?” - “What did He mean when He spoke about the Kingdom? - “What was the meaning of His death?” - “What did He say about the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit)?” - “How did He describe mankind and their requirements? - “Did He teach anything about the end of the world?” and “What were the main features of His moral teaching?”

As you will see below and on Study Two, I will cover all these questions under a number of different headings and I pray that they will provide the answers you may be seeking.

Teachings About YHVH:
If we read the prophecies about the Coming Messiah in the Tanach, Hebrew for the Old Covenant, we will at once recognize that the teachings regarding YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, and the Messiah, that there is a clear parallel with what our Saviour taught in the Brit Chadashah, the New Covenant!

There is certainly no support in the teachings of our blessed Saviour in any shape or form that Elohim is not interested in His Creation or for that matter in the world that He had made. Messiah Yahushua so clearly taught us that YHVH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, is the Creator Who cared lovingly for His creation and watched over every small creature just like a sparrow;

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.” Mattityahu - Matthew 10:29.

Yahushua also reminds us that He in fact is YaHVaH, great is His Sanctified Name, and that He is intimately concerned with all of our lives. One of the most characteristic titles Yahushua used for YHVH was Father. We should understand that this title was not new, for “Father” was used in the Old Covenant, where YHVH is always considered to be the Father to His people, “the Children of Israel.”

“And Elohim remembered His covenant with Avraham, with Yitzchak - Isaac, and with Ya’akov - Jacob. And Elohim looked upon the Children of Israel, and Elohim acknowledged them.” Shemos - Exodus 2:24-25.

“I will send you (Moshe - Moses) to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the Children of Israel out of Egypt.” Shemos – Exodus 3:10.

“Thus says the YHVH Elohim: ‘On that day My people Israel shall dwell safely.’” Yehechel - Ezekiel 38:14.

If we carefully look at this relationship of Elohim’s Fatherhood, we will find that it was Fatherly, but it was also based, if we look at the whole context of the Scriptures, of a nationally based relationship. Although there is no doubt at all that we must never ever forget the beauty of linage, for it began with Adam, Seth, Enosh, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Avram, who became Avraham, Yitzchak – Isaac, Ya’akov – Jacob to the days of Moshe - Moses and Yahushua - Joshua, etc! And what is so amazing that there is so much to be learned from linage and we should in truth study far more from the lives of all these and other individuals from the blessed Scriptures, both Old and New Covenants!

I always find it such a wonderful blessing, for there is always a wonderful meaning in the name of the people of Elohim, for names in the Word have wonderful meanings and here are just several examples; “Yisroel - Israel” - “who prevails with Elohim,” being a title given to Ya’akov - Jacob after he had wrestled with an angel. “Avraham - Abraham” - “Father of many.” “Yirmyahu - Jeremiah” - “Appointed of Elohim.” “Yoel - Joel” - “YHVH is Elohim.” And finally the most important of all the Name of He in the Old Covenant who we know today as just “Joshua” but is in Hebrew the very same as our blessed “Messiah, our Passover was sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7) “Yahushua” - “YHVH saves” and we already know who Yahushua is, for He is the Word who as the Word states was from … “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim and the Word was Elohim” Yochanan - John 1: 1-2.

In addition to Names, words also have on occasions very special meanings and I would like to give you just an example, for the Word is jam-packed with Treasures, if you only know how to look for them, but it does take a great deal of prayer and desire to live in His will and using the right tools such as concordances. Although I and my dear brother who has served with me in this Ministry since 1983 both know Hebrew and Greek, thus there is an advantage. But that does not make us any better than anyone else, for I always believe that the simple faith of a child is great!

But I will turn back to those evil and perilous days when a new Pharaoh came to be who knew not Yoseph - Josef and the Hebrews were in slavery and their numbers had grown and the Pharaoh began to fear that they could fight them. Thus in order to stop their growth Pharaoh decided to kill all of the male babies as soon as they were born. Let us turn to the Word and read the facts!

“And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a papyrus basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it, and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.” Shemos - Exodus 2:3.

When Yochebed of the House of Levi gave birth she hid her baby boy well for three months in her private chamber, whilst those evil soldiers were going about outside taking Hebrew baby boys and drowning them in the Nile River, which was of course to their revered god “Hapi”, the god of flowing water, which was the lifeline for the land of Egypt!

But then came the time for Yochebed a faithful woman in Elohim to take her son to the Nile and make a basket of bulrushes and place her beloved child in the river, hidden in the bulrushes and trusting YHVH Elohim for her child! There is a very special word in Shemos - Exodus 2:3 and it is “basket.” Now we could ask our selves, well what can possibly be so special about basket, you are really heading into fantasyland now, “But wait there is more!”

The treasure can only be found in the original Hebrew Scripture and sadly, like so many things it is completely lost in every translation! But in the Hebrew a very rare word is used and it is used here and once earlier. For let us read the part of the child being placed in the river again, but with some additional Hebrew words added.

“But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a papyrus basket (Heb: “Te’bat”) and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it, and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile.” Shemos - Exodus 2:3.

Now what is so special about a “basket”? First of all the Hebrew word “Te’vat” is a very rare word in the entire Hebrew Scriptures and it has another meaning, for it appears in this verse and then just one other time and that is in Bereshis - Genesis 6:14. The point is that this basket had great and a powerful meaning and Yochebed knew precisely what she was doing, for she was a prayerful and a faithful servant of YHVH Elohim and because there were still a good number of faithful Israelites, just like her and her family, that 80 years later that her own son would be chosen by YHVH Elohim, blessed be He, to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt by the powerful hand of Elohim!

But back to that word “Te’vat” and its full understanding as we turn to Bereshis - Genesis 6:14.

“Make for yourself an ark (Heb: “Te’vat”) of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.”

Here we see the only other time in the entire Word of Elohim that the word Te’bat is used and it actually means an Ark that will transport its load safely from all it enemies and it will not come to any harm, for its contents is protected by YHVH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified name!

Beloved, can you see the mighty relevance between the two instances, for dear Yochebed knew that Elohim would keep her son safe, and soon Miriam, the sister of the baby who would be named Moshe - Moses meaning “son” or drawn out” would arrange for Yochebed to nurse him. Thus, see how Elohim takes care of His people, for He is a Father who loves us and if we will only live wholeheartedly in His will and do His Commandments then we have a great deal to look forward to! But remember that the Scriptures are filled with treasure and Yahushua only ever taught from the Tanach for that was the only Scriptures available for His time on earth and the next 100 years or so!

During the time of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Hierarchy taught the ideology that the Name of YHVH was so Holy and had to be greatly Sanctified and His Name was no longer permitted to be used and a substitute was to be used, such as “Adonai” meaning “Lord.” Thus in this way Elohim somehow became further removed from human affairs and from individuals. The Pharisees and Sadducees also made it clear that there had to be mediators between Elohim and people, which were usually them or priests in towns or rabbis. This exalted notion of our Heavenly Father contradicted the idea of Elohim being a personal, loving Father. And this is why Yahushua’s teachings on the personal Fatherhood of YHVH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, were so very special. Although regardless of those unrighteous Pharisees, there were many faithful Hebrews who continued to pray to YHVH Elohim and also approached Him as “Our Father” in personal circles and when amongst those who were like them in faith! For YHVH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, was still considered as being Israel’s Heavenly and loving Father!

And this truth can also be seen in the Father-Son relationship that becomes particularly clear in Yochanan - John’s Gospel, where Yahushua the Son is seen to be in close communion with Elohim as being the Father. This comes out strongly in Yahushua’s prayer in Yochanan - John 17 and in the frequent assertions that the Father sent the Son, in order that the Son would do the will of the Father. Thus it is this strong relationship between YHVH Elohim and Yahushua in terms of Fatherhood and Son that led Yahushua to teach people to approach YaHVaH in the same way.

The prayer that is incorrectly named, “the Lord’s Prayer,” but is in fact the prayer that Yahushua gave us to pray! This prayer at its very first words makes it clear through the words we speak, that we approach “Our Father” and that comes before “Hallowed be Your Name.” Yahushua never taught us to approach our Heavenly Father with terror. He wants us to come to Him as a respectful child would come to a loving Father. Yahushua addressed Elohim as “Abba” “Father” and taught His disciples to approach Elohim similarly but with a distinction. Yahushua spoke of “My Father and your Father” when He appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection (Yochanan - John 20:17), but He did not say “our Father.” His Son ship was unique, for He claimed that He and the Father were one (Yochanan - John 10:30). In the Sermon on the Mount, Yahushua assured His followers that their heavenly Father knew about their needs (Mattityahu - Matthew 6:32 & Lukas - Luke 12:30). We should present our needs to YaHVaH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, to demonstrate our dependence on Him.

Teachings About our Saviour:

What Yahushua said about Himself is of great importance, for this is what the Apostles and the early faithful so clearly taught regarding Him. If we know the blessed Scriptures, we will know that Yahushua used certain titles to describe Himself, and faithful would use them over the years.

1 – The Son Of Man:
“Therefore the Son of Man is also Master of the Sabbath.” Markus - Mark 2:28.

The most widely used Tile for Messiah Yahushua is the “Son of Man.” Sometimes Yahushua would relate this directly to His public ministry, for we read some twelve verses earlier when Yahushua also said;

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” Markus - Mark 2:10.

At other times His teachings would deal with His sufferings, like the time when Messiah Yahushua said that the Son of Man would have to suffer many things;

“And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and that after three days will rise again.” Markus - Mark 8:31.

When we look at the Gospel of Mattityahu - Matthew we will see that instead of “Son of Man” he seems to feel that Yahushua used a different terminology, but as we know, the Apostles wrote the Gospels from memory a long time after the actual events, thus the differences. Whereas the Books of the Tanach, the Old Covenant were written at the time the events or prophecies occurred, by the prophets or their personal scribes. Thus we know with great assurance that the Old Covenant is completely accurate, but sadly the New Covenant does have many inaccuracies due to very poor translations and interference by the early pagan Roman church, yet, be assured within it there is absolute truth, for our Heavenly Father would never allow Satan to have victory - HalleluYah!

“From that time Yahushua began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised the third day.” Mattityahu - Matthew 16:21.

At other times, the reference is to the future appearance of the Son of Man, for our blessed Saviour declared to the high priest that He would see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of YHVH and coming on the clouds of heaven (Markus - Mark 14:62). We could ask, what did our Messiah mean by that particular title and why did He use it?

The title “Son of Man” occurs in Psalm 8:4, where it refers to man or humans. The expression is also used many times in Ezekiel to address the prophet, but here also it means man.

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him with glory and honour.” Tehillim - Psalm 8:3-5.

A rather different use occurs in Daniel 7:13, where one who is like the Son of Man comes with the clouds before the Ancient of Days, thus we know that He “Who is the Word, who was “from the beginning,” and “is Elohim” (Yochanan - John 1:1-4) is indeed YHVH Elohim Himself, the Word Who became flesh, the Son of Man!

“I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting Dominion that shall not pass away, and His Kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14.

There is a strong similarity between this passage and the words of Yahushua in Mark 14:62. But an important difference is that whereas Son of Man becomes a title in Mark, it is not so in Daniel. In Hebraic literature it tends to represent a pre-existent being that will come to judge and overthrow the enemies of Elohim, whereas Messiah Yahushua uses the title “Son of Man” as being somewhat unique. The Son of Man sayings are distributed throughout the four Gospels and there are no significant differences in their uses. Yahushua used this title, but the early Faithful in Him never used it, for they only used terminology such as in Hebrew “HaMashiach,” which means “the Messiah.”

Other Terminologies:

Of course the word church did not come into existence until very much latter, for the vast majority of believers were Hebrews, or Judeans, which Gentiles preferred at a later date to call *“the Jews.” However as new believers from other lands came into the fold, many joined not Synagogues for they did not come into existence until much later, for this is a word also coined from the Greek, but they met in a place called “Beit Ha Knesset” or a “House of Assembly.” that were now controlled by believers, or in family homes and as they grew in larger public places and as Greek became more and more used, the term Ekklesia was used, which simply means a “Place of Assembly”

*“The Jews” – It is rather tragic that in parts of the Gospels the translators have really gone to town, and because back in those very early days and the ultimate hatred for all Jews, and Yes, Our bellowed Messiah was a Hebrew, as well all the Apostles, and countless thousand’s of the first believers were Judeans and Israelites, but nevertheless, these so-called “christians” had to translate the word “Judeans”, but instead they would insert “the Jews.”

“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.” Acts 17:10.

What a strange thing to write for a Hebrew, for this is one who was a Pharisee writing who had a miraculous conversion whilst travelling to Damascus, Shaul – Paul, thus he an Hebrew, thus why would he even write – “went into the synagogue of the Jews.” Excuse me, what other kind was there? If I walked up to a Hebrew and said can you show me to a synagogue of the Jews, he will think that I am a mental case, for I am also of Hebraic background, and we would never say such a thing! Also, there is that constant “THE” Jews, which sound more like an accusation, for in the actual Greek it just had Judeans!

Back to our subject of the Son of Man: In fact, only in Acts 7:56 does the title appear in its fullness, but in this case it was uttered by Stefanos – Stephen during his time of suffering and stoning of which a certain Pharisee played a part, whose name Shaul of Tarsus.

“But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the Glory of Elohim and Yahushua standing at the right hand of Elohim; And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens having been opened up, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of Elohim.’” Acts 7:55-56.

Beloved, it is very clear that this terminology had a very special meaning for Yahushua, one that it could never had for any one else! Thus we know for certain that He was referring to Himself and not to someone else, as this study about the Son of Man reveals, although further study could be undertaken.

If we really think about it, we will realise that the obvious reason that Yahushua used the title “Son of Man” was because He wanted to avoid a term like Mashiach, which at that time would have carried far too many political overtones. But we could also ask; “What did Son of Man mean to Yahushua?” The statement itself is rich with the feeling of humanity, possibly referring to Daniel’s “Son of Man” and perhaps He felt there was a touch of the suffering servant as per Yeshayahu - Isaiah chapter 53. However, I believe that Yahushua would have seen it more in terms of His mission in a manner that His hearers could not fully appreciate. It is also likely that the early Faithful preferred Mashiach because this title carried the meaning of a Royal deliverer. We understand that after the death and resurrection, and Yahushua returning to be with His Father, there would be no further fear of any political misunderstanding and from that time, He would be known as Yahushua HaMashiach - the Messiah, Ha = the!

The Mashiach:
The term “HaMashiach,” does not belong strictly to the teachings of Yahushua, since our beloved Saviour never used it. However, He accepted this title in Shime’on - Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi. All the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) record the confession “You are HaMashiach,”

“He (Yahushua) said to them, ‘but who do you say that I am?’ Shime’on - Peter answered and said; ‘You are HaMashiach (the Messiah), the Son of the living Elohim.’” Mattityahu - Matthew 16:15-16.

We note that Mattityahu - Matthew adds a significant comment by Yahushua for He notes that YHVH Himself, “My Father Who is in heaven,” gave Peter this insight (Mattityahu - Matthew 16:17). Yahushua certainly accepted the confession and regarded it as a revelation. He also did not refute being the Mashiach in His answer to the high priest’s question “Are you the Mashiach?” (Markus - Mark 14:61). In Yochanan - John’s Gospel, Andreas - Andrew tells Shime’on - Peter that he had found the Mashiach (Yochanan - John 1:41); the woman at Samaria also talks to Yahushua and He reveals that He is the Mashiach (Ibid: 4:25-26). There was a widespread expectation among the Hebrews that a deliverer would come to overthrow their political enemies, the Romans. There were various ideas about his origin (a military leader or a heavenly warrior) and his methods. The Zealots believed that deliverance could come only through armed revolution. No wonder Yahushua knew not to broadcast Him as being THE Mashiach!

SON of Elohim:
However, as we well know there is another title that occurs in the Word, and this is the “Son of Elohim” a title that occurs mainly in Yochanan - John’s Gospel.

“And truly Yahushua did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Yahushua is the Mashiach, the Son of Elohim, and that believing you may have life in His Name.” Yochanan - John 20:30-31.

“The beginning of the gospel about Yahushua the Messiah, the Son of Elohim.” Markus - Mark 1:1

As you will have seen both Markus - Mark and Yochanan - John regarded Yahushua in this vain and there are certainly other passages where our beloved Saviour is linked with the Son of YHVH and Yahushua does not reject the title (see Matthew 16:16). If we read the teachings of Yahushua, there is one passage where the special relationship Yahushua had with YHVH as Son becomes very clear; namely in, 11:27 (also Luke 10:22, a parallel passage);

“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Here Yahushua implies that He is the Son of the Father and many similar passages in Yochanan - John’s Gospel even more explicit. The Son is unquestionably pre-existent; living before time began as we learned at the very beginning of this study! Yahushua knows He came from the Father and would return to the Father. Yahushua regarded Himself as the Divine one, for He was indeed fully YHVH. However, Yochanan - John portrays Yahushua most clearly in His earthly nature as well; for Yahushua was also fully human. Nowhere in the teachings of Yahushua did He explain how YHVH could become man, but He assumed this as a fact. As YHVH’s Son, He taught with the absolute authority of YHVH Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name!