The Chronological Gospels
The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
The Annotated Gospels Reconstructed in Chronological Order
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, and The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah
Ebook Edition
ISBN-13: 978-0-9895281-6-0
Copyright and Acknowledgements
The Chronological Gospels
The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
Copyright © 2013 by Michael John Rood
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Limited Leather Cover Manuscript Edition (200): September 2012/Tishri 6012
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All characters appearing in this work are real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living and dead, is purely based on truth. The Scripture in this book is the true, inspired Word of the Creator. In order to protect the accuracy of the content, names and identifying details have not been gentilized. Author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for not heeding the instructions of the Almighty contained herein.
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Preface
The Chronological Gospels
The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
The Annotated Gospels Reconstructed in Chronological Order
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, and The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah
Reconstructed and Annotated
by Michael John Rood
The four Gospel authors detail the five-fold ministry of the Messiah – that of the King, the Servant, the Son of Man, the Son of God, and the Almighty Judge – each writer telling the story from his individually inspired perspective. Some of the events appear in more than one Gospel account; others appear only once; but it is the combined details of all the Gospel records that accurately represent the life and ministry of Yeshua of Nazareth (the Prophet of whom Moses prophesied) the promised Messiah. In The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah, each of the first four Gospel portraits is superimposed over one another by precisely synchronizing them with the one miracle recorded by all four Gospel authors – the feeding of the five thousand. This one common event allows us to lock all four Gospel accounts into a singular moment in time that occurred in the middle of Yeshua’s ministry, making it possible to chronologically align the events preceding and succeeding this propitious miracle.
Every event recorded during Yeshua’s ministry is captured within the precise framework of Yeshua going up to each of the Feasts of the LORD (Leviticus 23) and either fulfilling the prophetic shadow pictures embedded within them or interpreting their future fulfillment (Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 10:1). Each of these Feasts was reckoned according to the Creator’s lunar calendar, which was still in use for more than 288 years after the destruction of the Temple and can now be accurately reverse-calculated and synchronized with the Julian calendar system instituted more than forty years before the birth of Yeshua. Until the restoration of the Creator’s original calendar was accomplished with the indispensable help of Sir Isaac Newton, the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA), Robert Scott Wadsworth, the Israeli New Moon Society, and Nehemia Gordon with the Israel Aviv Search Team, we were unable to piece together the Divine masterpiece that Heaven had been baiting us to discover. Knowledge has indeed “increased,” and men are now “running to and fro” at speeds measured in nanoseconds (Daniel 12:4). We can finally understand the things that were deliberately “sealed up” until the last days. Now the “leaven-free” Gospel of the Kingdom that Yeshua and his disciples taught can be understood with clarity and preached throughout the world with integrity.
After forty years of labor, including three decades of restoring the Ancient Biblical Hebrew Calendar, together with the experiences that accompany years of living in Jerusalem and the Galilee, I now present the inspired Gospel records in chronological order to advance you in your lifetime quest for truth.
The publication of
The Chronological Gospels
The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
Would not be possible if not for the indispensable help of
Judith Barbara Rood
Leigh Rood Fransen
Chaim H Goldman
Sara Rood Smith
Demerey Moore
Phillip J Bacon
Linda D Bacon
Richard Fike
James R Louis
Roberto Umana
Nehemia Gordon
Verna Beth Rood
Bonnie Lynn Harvey
Robert Scott Wadsworth
Constance Anne Elizabeth Tobias
and all those who gathered in our home in the Galilee every Sabbath for five months as Jewish believers scrutinized every line of The Chronological Gospels – The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from
the Corrected King James Version (CKJV)
Copyright © Michael John Rood
Aviv 1, 6001 – March 26, 2001
All rights reserved, Aviv Moon Publishing.
No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or altered in any way without the expressed written authorization from the publisher.
All rights reserved in accordance with U.S. and International Copyright laws.
Introduction
The Chronological Gospels
The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah
The Annotated Gospels Reconstructed in Chronological Order
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts of the Apostles, and The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah
The modern Christian world has grown up with a Greek perception of the personality commonly known as “Jesus Christ.” In contrast to this inherited perspective, The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah introduces the life and ministry of Yeshua of Nazareth – an Israelite from the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of King David. In this annotated chronological adaptation of the Gospel records, we will attempt to remove the blinders of religious tradition so that the true Gospel of the Kingdom, which Yeshua proclaimed, can be understood with clarity and followed with integrity. The Chronological Gospels presents the events in the life of Yeshua through the eyes of those who were legitimate witnesses of his scathing judgments of the religious system of his day and his illuminating teachings that point the way to the narrow gate. For the first time in the long history of the transmission of the Holy Writ, you will witness the events of Yeshua’s life and ministry in chronological order, in cultural context, and with historical accuracy. When every word of the ancient Gospel records is constrained in the vise of linear chronology, one can see every detail of the Divine screenplay unfold.
Each of the Gospel authors records a different facet of the life and ministry of Yeshua. However, no single Gospel account paints the entirety of the picture, and many a shallow tale spun around the details of a single Gospel storyline has turned the ministry of the Messiah into a one-dimensional caricature. In order to present a “Jesus” more compatible with western gentile sensitivities, Yeshua has been wrongly stripped of his Jewishness and wrested out of the context of the Creator’s eternal covenant with Israel. The Gospels and Renewed Covenant writings are commonly interpreted as though they are only loosely associated with the messianic expectations detailed by Moses and the Prophets. The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah invites the reader to leave behind inherited perspectives of the Scriptures, two thousand years removed from the land and culture of Israel, and take a fresh look at the Gospels from a Jewish or, even more accurately, a Hebraic perspective. This unique presentation of the life and ministry of the Messiah takes the reader to the villages along the shores of the Kinneret in the Galilee, through the pagan Roman cities of the Decapolis, and into the streets of Jerusalem during the celebrations of the Feasts of the LORD. The Gospels are restored to their historical context and reconnected to the messianic promise that Moses declared at Mount Sinai – that the Almighty would send The Prophet whom we must hear and obey (Deuteronomy 18:15).
It is impossible to understand the Gospel of the Kingdom that Yeshua and his disciples taught throughout the Galilee or to comprehend the significance of the conflict between Yeshua and the religious leaders of Israel without a fundamental understanding of both the instructions in the Torah (the commandments given directly by the Almighty to Moses) and the man-made laws of first century Judaism as they were being developed by the Pharisee-ruled Sanhedrin. It is likewise impossible to establish the order of events in Yeshua’s ministry without an accurate understanding of both the Feasts of the LORD and the Creator’s celestial calendar. In our chronological journey through the Gospels, we will discover that each one of the Creator’s Feasts is embedded with detailed prophetic shadow pictures that the Messiah must fulfill. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John detail how the Messiah fulfilled the Spring Feasts of the LORD as the Suffering Servant – the picture of the substitutionary Lamb of God – the acceptable sin offering. Without a knowledge of the Spring Feasts of the LORD, the first four Gospels remain shallow and confusing; and without a knowledge of the Fall Feasts of the LORD, the fifth Gospel, the book of The Revelation, will remain to the Western mind an indecipherable time-warp continuum. What has eluded the gentile Christian world is the basic recognition that the book of The Revelation details how the Messiah will fulfill the Fall Feasts of the LORD as the Almighty Judge, who rules the earth with absolute justice.
The Gospels record that exactly seventy weeks – four hundred and ninety days – transpired from the day that Yeshua was baptized in water until the day he fulfilled his initial mission by baptizing his disciples with the Holy Spirit, a direct fulfillment of one of the three layers of the cryptic prophecy that the angel Gavriel declared to Daniel. Nearly three centuries after the death of the eyewitnesses, Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea, fabricated a unique three-and-one-half-year ministry that utterly destroyed any possibility of understanding the chronology of Yeshua’s ministry. Unfortunately, Eusebian eschatology made it impossible to accurately determine the years of his birth and resurrection. We have therefore inherited unsolvable textual problems and faith-shaking contradictions that we are obligated to swallow in faith. This scripturally unsupportable position has been unwittingly passed down through Catholicism and Protestantism alike, with scarcely but a rare scholar seriously considering its devious derivation or weighing the critical consequences.
Yeshua had exactly seventy weeks to fulfill his mission, and it had to be accomplished in the rare year that would allow him to prophetically fulfill Pesach (Passover) and the Bikkurim (Firstfruits offering) within the restrictive time parameters of Jonah’s prophetic code. Yeshua proclaimed that there would be one sign, and only one sign, of his authenticity – the sign of the prophet Jonah: three days and three nights in the grave and raised on the third day (Matthew 12:38-40). Even though the sign of the prophet Jonah was the one and only sign that Yeshua said would verify his authority to blatantly disregard and overturn rabbinic law (John 2:18), it is a sign that has been ignored by the vast majority of Western Bible scholarship and invalidated by both rabbinic and Western theology. If we cannot calculate one sign correctly by accurately counting three days and three nights, then reason follows that we will not be able to understand even the simplest of the prophetic details elucidated in the Gospels.
The publishing of The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah is the result of a quest that has enlisted the hearts and minds of innumerable scriptural adventurers who have attempted to unravel the mysteries of the chronology buried in the pages of the Hebrew Scriptures. Sir Isaac Newton, recognized by many of his modern-day counterparts as the greatest scientist who ever lived, spent the last years of his life attempting to decipher the prophecies of Daniel, only to go to the grave with questions that science would not be able to answer for nearly three hundred years. Apparent contradictions in the English versions of the Scriptures also needed to be solved by finding more ancient texts in the languages in which they were recorded two millennia ago. Some of these lost texts were vaulted away in covert archives until long after my forty-year foray into this adventure was first undertaken. Traditions, which shape perceptions, must also be stripped from the canvas upon which the original Gospel authors painted the true picture of the Messiah. This is true not only for Jews, but also for gentile Christians. Theology, the science of understanding and explaining the nature of the Infinite God, is the hand-ground lens through which we view the Scriptures until we are freed from the bondage of man-made religion. We must be free to question everything we think we understand if we are to find the narrow path that Messiah maintained most of his purported followers would tragically miss (Matthew 7:14).
Yeshua shook his disciples with the terrifying pronouncement that most of those who will stand before him on Judgment Day – those who were confident that they had done the right things, thought the correct theology, and even insisted that they were filled with and manifested the power of the Holy Spirit – most of the very people who proclaimed the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth will be told: “Depart from me! I never knew you!” This scenario should cause all those who consider themselves to be “in the faith” to swallow hard and reconsider the Gospel of the Kingdom that Yeshua taught (Matthew 7:21-23).
The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah presents an opportunity to read the Gospels and the teachings of Yeshua in the order in which they transpired and in a fresh Hebraic context, returning life and passion to the words on the page. The Chronological Gospels solves many of the problems that stem from Western gentile misunderstandings of the language, land, and culture of the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. This is the paradigm shift for which you have been waiting an entire lifetime.
Before turning to the first page of The Chronological Gospels, there is one problem that must be addressed: most of the Christian world has grown up with the concept that Yeshua’s ministry was three-and-one-half years in duration. However, no scholar has ever been able to prove this hypothesis, and, in fact, the plain text of the Gospel narrative proves that a three-and-one-half-year ministry is a mathematical impossibility. The three-and-one-half-year ministry construct is the theological invention of an age-old religious system that offers no proof for that which it demands its adherents blindly accept. Furthermore, this eschatological creation has tragically destroyed the Gospel chronology and heavily veiled the Gospel of the Kingdom that Yeshua taught.
It was Eusebius who first proposed a three-and-one-half-year ministry, three hundred years after the resurrection of Yeshua. Every church “father” and historian for the first three centuries either clearly stated, or never contradicted, that Yeshua’s ministry was “about one year.” Eusebius proposed his undocumented assertion as a fulfillment of Daniel’s 70 week prophecy, and now, after 1600 years, his eschatological adherents continue to voice his unprovable invention with unwavering conviction. His assumptions destroyed any chance of understanding the prophecy of Daniel that he was purportedly solving. Furthermore, Eusebius’ followers have been left with unsolvable contradictions if his inventions are maintained.
The aforementioned position formed a significant problem in the Gospel record. The account of the feeding of the five thousand on a hillside near the Sea of Galilee is recorded in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, and the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. This is the only miracle that is recorded in every one of the four Gospels. This event provides a synchronizing marker – a quadruple account of a single moment in time – that allows us to chronologically harmonize the Gospel records with absolute precision.
• In all four Gospels, the feeding of the five thousand takes place at the end of the summer when the twelve apostles return from their paired assignments throughout the villages of the Galilee (Matthew 10:1-14:12, Mark 6:7-6:31, Luke 9:1-9:10a, John 6:1).
• The sixth chapter of John records that the feeding of the five thousand took place two days before Yeshua taught in the synagogue at Capernaum on the Sabbath day. On that Sabbath, Yeshua’s exposition was on the subject of the Last Day and the Resurrection, the perpetual theme of Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), which begins when the first sliver of the seventh new moon of the year is sighted.
(The first sliver of the seventh new moon appeared 4.46% illuminated, 15.34 degrees above the horizon just after sunset on Saturday, September 20, 27 CE at the end of the Sabbath – the very day that Yeshua taught in the synagogue at Capernaum. At sunset, the new moon appeared, and the trumpets were blown throughout the land of Israel to herald the Day of Trumpets. See event <108> for astronomical details.)
• The seventh chapter of John opens with Yeshua making plans to go up to the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles), which begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, exactly two weeks after the Day of Trumpets.
• According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the feeding of the five thousand occurred thirteen days before the “Mount of Transfiguration” incident, which transpired on the tenth day of the seventh month, Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the most holy day of the year (Matthew 14:22-17:9, Mark 6:45-9:10, Luke 9:17-36). John is the only author who does not record this event.
Hence, every Gospel record confirms that the feeding of the five thousand took place at the end of the summer, exactly eighteen days before the Feast of Sukkot.
However, a fatal error has been introduced into an otherwise flawless mathematical system. In the fourth verse of John chapter six, eight words were inserted into later copies of the Greek text in order to artificially lengthen the ministry of Yeshua. It is the pinnacle of intrigue that these eight words were appended to the very section of Scripture that guaranteed that the forgery would eventually be exposed. And it was revealed by the one miraculous event recorded by all four Gospel authors: the feeding of the five thousand. In modern versions of the Gospel of John we read these eight infamous words (ten words in English):
“And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.” (John 6:4 KJV)
Notice that the King James translators did not deem Passover, a proper noun, worthy of capitalization. While the Greek version of John’s Gospel refers to Passover as “a feast of the Jews,” the Hebrew Scriptures declare that Passover is one of the Feasts of the LORD, which all Israelites were commanded to keep forever (Leviticus 23:14). Paul further proclaimed the Feasts of the LORD to be prophetic shadows of good things to come (Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 10:1). However, the inserted words have much bigger problems than grammar or name. Let us examine whether or not it is even possible to insert a Passover at this juncture.
Passover occurs in the spring, on the fourteenth day of the first month (the month of the aviv barley, Exodus 23:15). The eating of the Passover lamb also begins the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, before which all leavened bread must be destroyed. Leavened bread must not be found in any part of the land of Israel until after the Feast is concluded (Exodus 12:19). This is also one of the three yearly pilgrim Feasts for which all male Israelites are commanded to go up to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). One must examine the Scriptures to find out whether or not leaven has been excluded, or travels to Jerusalem have been undertaken, during this time period.
The Gospel narratives clearly show us that Yeshua did not go up to Jerusalem for the “passover” referred to in the modern versions of John 6:4. Instead of keeping a Feast in Jerusalem, Yeshua assembled thousands of Israelites on a hillside in the Galilee and fed them with leavened barley loaves (John 6:9), which would have been a blatant violation of Torah if this were truly the time of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Two days later, Yeshua taught another large assembly in the Capernaum synagogue who also did not go up to “passover” in Jerusalem. Instead of delivering a message relevant to Passover on that Sabbath, he taught them about the prophetic significance of the Day of Trumpets (John 6:28-59). That year, Yom Teruah (the Day of Trumpets) coincided with the close of the Sabbath at the end of the sixth month (see Calendar appendix; 7th month 4027). Yeshua was expounding on the prophetic significance of the Feast of Trumpets that would commence at sunset on that very day. Three days after his Sabbath teaching in Capernaum, Yeshua assembled another group of nearly four thousand men and fed them with another Divinely multiplied store of leavened barley loaves (Matthew 15:32-39, Mark 8:1-9). On this occasion, a group of Pharisees from Jerusalem had arrived in the Galilee to confront Yeshua and his followers on the issue of breaking the rabbinic takanot (man-made laws) that concerned their ceremony of hand washing before eating bread. In this incident, even the ultra-orthodox Pharisees showed no concern about keeping a Feast in Jerusalem, but were themselves in the Galilee during this phantom “passover” to investigate the reports that Yeshua was teaching his disciples to disobey the invented rules and religious regulations of the rabbis.
During the following two weeks, Yeshua began his journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs exactly six months before Passover (John 7:2-10). Every Gospel author clearly shows that he never did go up to Jerusalem for the phantom passover indicated in John 6:4. Furthermore, if Passover really did occur in the sixth chapter of John, and if Yeshua went up to the Feast of Tabernacles at the beginning of the seventh chapter of John, what did Yeshua do for the six months leading up to the “passover” of John 6:4 and for the other six months leading back to the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7:1? Does it make sense that all four Gospel records are suddenly dead silent for an entire year? NO! The sixth chapter phantom “passover” is a nonsensical theological forgery.
Those conversant in the Divine requirements concerning the Feasts know that either something is seriously wrong with the eight words of John 6:4 – “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh” – or there is something gravely wrong with Yeshua.
• If the eight words of John 6:4 were not added by forgers, then Yeshua was in direct violation of the Torah – the very commandments he swore he did not come to destroy or change (Matthew 5:17-20).
• If the eight words of John 6:4 were not added by forgers, then John has recorded prima facie evidence that Yeshua cannot be the Messiah since he deliberately disobeyed the Torah and did not fulfill its mandatory commandments (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, 13:1-5, 18:15-22).
• If the eight words of John 6:4 were not added by forgers, then every Gospel account of the week-by-week ministry of Yeshua stops abruptly and is dead silent for an entire year – except for the phantom “passover” and the iniquitous “feast of leavened bread” supposedly celebrated in the Galilee.
The addition of those eight words to the later texts of John’s Gospel artificially extended the ministry of Yeshua to build a foundation for replacement theology and preterist eschatology. In brief, replacement theology is the concept that Jesus started a new religion that mysteriously replaced the eternal covenants with Israel. Preterist eschatology goes on from there to teach that all Scripture and prophecy (including The Revelation) were fulfilled by 70 CE, opening the door for “the vicar of Christ” to rule from his millennial throne in Rome. To support this position, it was necessary to artificially fulfill all seventy sevens of Daniel’s messianic prophecy, and it would take exactly seven more years after Yeshua’s ministry began to make this invented replacement Christology work. So a three-and-one-half-year ministry of Messiah was invented by Eusebius, and an additional three-and-one-half-year period was inserted-by-interpretation from the book of The Acts to give Eusebian dogmas theological credence. The support for this doctrine, however brilliant, was manufactured out of the thin air of fourth century Constantinian theology.
Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, and Lactantius, early “church fathers” of the second and third centuries, as well as Filastrius, Gaudentius, Evagrius, Orosius, Ephraem and a half dozen other theologians cited by the Catholic Encyclopedia under “Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ,”{1} all concurred that the Messiah’s ministry lasted about one year. It was Eusebius, in the fourth century, who first expressed the notion in Demonstratio Evangelistica VIII, 106.8, that Messiah’s ministry was “three years and a half, which is half of a week” – in obvious reference to the ninth chapter of Daniel. Eusebius claimed to have deduced this from John’s Gospel without ever providing proof for such a claim. In fact, he contradicted over three hundred years of undisputed testimony from the eyewitnesses, their disciples, and the two hundred years of historians that followed them. Eusebius’ assertion was based on nothing more than his own interpretation of Daniel’s seventy week prophecy, a prophecy that even Isaac Newton was unable to accurately decipher. Rome’s indisputable authority was the sole basis for demanded obedience to this heretical Eusebian eschatological dogma – and yet the Catholic Encyclopedia clearly acknowledges that Eusebius was the sole progenitor of this pedantic pontification. One can determine anything one wants when all percipient witnesses died hundreds of years earlier, and when all Scripture is sequestered from the general population. Unfortunately, time hardens groundless dogma into tradition, which trumps truth in all too many instances.
{1} Catholic Encyclopedia: Chronology of the Life of Jesus Christ, Relative Chronology, The public life of Jesus: its duration; newadvent.org/cathen/08377a.htm
The first Passover of Yeshua’s ministry is recorded in the second chapter of the Gospel of John, while his last Passover begins in John chapter twelve. From the testimony of these second and third century scholars, it is obvious that the early texts of John’s Gospel, the only texts to which these men had access, could not have included the additional third “passover” of John 6:4. It is inconceivable that these scholars could have missed the simple mathematical fact that it would have taken well over two years to span three Passovers. These early historians were reading the original texts – long before the post-Eusebian forgery was added. They all concurred that the ministry of Yeshua was about one year. There was not one dissenting opinion voiced in the ranks of Christendom during the first three centuries. This simply means that no one even considered then what modern Eusebian theologians insist today – that Yeshua’s ministry was longer than about one year. Furthermore, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record just one year in the ministry of Yeshua; it is absolutely impossible to squeeze out more if one understands the Feasts! The resolution of this problem is obvious, and the internal evidence conclusive: the first century texts to which the early church scholars had access could not possibly have contained the eight words of John 6:4.
A second fatal error was interpreted into John’s Gospel with the same maleficent motive – to artificially lengthen Messiah’s ministry by adding another year of dead silence into the Gospel testimony. Yet another fictitious Passover was interpreted into the text where it clearly does not exist. This was done in John chapter five.
John is the only Gospel author who records the first Passover of Yeshua’s adult ministry during which Yeshua met Nicodemus (John 2:13-3:21). Yeshua stayed in the Jerusalem area until the Pharisees got wind of his increasing popularity and then traveled north to spend two days with the Samaritans (John 3:22-4:42). Yeshua then continued on to Cana, where he performed his “second miracle after leaving Judaea” by healing the nobleman’s son from afar (John 4:43-54). Then he immediately returned to Jerusalem for another “feast of the Jews” (John 5:1-47) and then directly returned to the Galilee (John 6:1), at which time the day-to-day records of Matthew, Mark and Luke commence. The Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) occurs seven weeks after Passover and perfectly fits the unnamed Feast recorded in John 5:1-47. Yet Eusebian replacement theologians resolutely insist that the Feast of John chapter five must be another Passover – an entire year after the Passover of John chapters two and three! If the Feast referred to in John chapter five is truly Passover, then only a few quick baptisms, a two-day ministry among the Samaritans, and the healing of one young man take place during that entire year. That is ludicrous! The Feast spoken of in John chapter five is, without a doubt, not Passover. It is unmistakably the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost). The healing of the man who was lame for thirty-eight years occurred on the seventh Sabbath of the counting of the omer in the presence of a multitude gathered to celebrate the Feast of Weeks (or Sevens) the following day on the Temple Mount. At this time Yeshua was informed that Yochanan had been put in prison by Herod, whereupon he immediately left Jerusalem to spend the entire summer in the Galilee. He was apprised of Yochanan’s execution at the end of the summer just before he fed the five thousand – three days before the Feast of Trumpets.
By illegitimately interpreting the John 5:1-47 “feast of the Jews” as another Passover, it will be another wasted year before the four fishermen finally leave their family business and join Yeshua. Matthew will also keep his job at the Roman toll booth for another year before he begins chronicling the ministry of Messiah. There is apparently nothing Yeshua is doing that is worth recording – and no one is following him! This was the tortuous method employed by replacement theologians to invent a three-and-one-half-year ministry – by interpreting the Feast of Shavuot in John 5:1-47 as a Feast of Passover an entire year later. However, since all the original witnesses had been dead for at least 250 years, and it was illegal for the laity to have the Scriptures in their own hands, no one could challenge the orthodox religion of the state. It would be another 1600 years before we would rediscover the manuscript that would expose the forgery forced upon us by the edge of the Roman sword.
The forged “passover” statement of John 6:4 introduces “another jesus,” as Paul coined the phrase: a religious renegade who starts a new cult in the Galilee by deliberately violating the Almighty’s Divine instructions to Moses and teaching others to do the same (Matthew 5:20). The “jesus” who was introduced with the eight words of John 6:4 is not the Messiah who came to fulfill the Torah, but rather an invented false messiah – a Hellenized christ who built the house of replacement theology and treated the commandments with disdain. This “another jesus” is definitely not the Messiah we were instructed to expect, but rather one of the false prophets we were warned to reject! Moses told us clearly and repeatedly that no one is ever allowed to add to, or to subtract one single commandment from, the Torah (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32). Moses also cautioned us that if a prophet were to perform signs and wonders – yet teach us to disregard that which the Creator had already instructed us at Mount Sinai – we were not to heed him. We were forewarned that the Almighty would supernaturally empower false prophets in order to determine whether Israel would keep his commandments – as we promised we would – or follow the deceiving performers of miracles who preach a perverted redefinition of law and grace (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18:15-22). This “another jesus” is not Yeshua of Nazareth, but an invented entity that only exists in the fertile imaginations of modern day religionists and the adherents to Eusebian eschatology.
Fatal Systematic Theology
Every week of Yeshua’s seventy week ministry can be accounted for in the records of the four Gospel authors. Yet Eusebius invented a three-and-one-half year ministry because it was essential to his theology, and it all fit into the hand of Rome’s dominion theology as well. In order for Rome to control the world stage, it was advantageous to have the last seven years of Daniel’s seventy-sevens prophecy be completely fulfilled so that they could discard the entirety of the prophetic Scriptures as mere history. Once all Scripture was fulfilled, the Torah and Prophets could be ignored, and the “vicar of Christ” could reign from his millennial throne in Rome. But to do this, Eusebius and his successors had to find another seven years to fulfill the precise prophetic equation.
24Seventy sevens are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city: to restrain the transgression, and to complete the sin offering, and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to authenticate the vision and the Prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy. (Daniel 9:24 CKJV)
It was exactly sixty-nine sevens of years (483 years) from the time that Artaxerxes gave the command to “go forth and build Jerusalem” (Ezra 7, Aviv 1, 457 BCE) until the day that Yochanan ben Zecharyah announced, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (KJV John 1:29, Aviv 1, 27 CE). That left seven years, or the final week, yet outstanding. To find another seven years after this point, agents of Rome invented a three-and-one-half year ministry by forging one phantom “passover” into John chapter six, interpreting another fictitious Passover into John chapter five, and then wresting the remaining three-and-one-half years from the book of the Acts. This contrived fulfillment of Daniel’s seventy-sevens prophecy was extrapolated as being the final fulfillment of all the Torah and the Prophets. Thus, they decreed that the everlasting covenant with Israel was now nullified, and the Creator’s eternal Torah – that Yeshua swore that he had not come to destroy – was demolished and replaced by the ever changing edicts of a new religious system that was headed by he who proclaims himself “Almighty God upon earth.”
The theological “proofs” for this new doctrine were deduced from the incident of Peter being sent to the house of a Roman centurion, Cornelius, which they incorrectly assert to have occurred three-and-one-half years after the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit on Shavuot (Pentecost). This incident (Acts chapter ten), in which Peter was instructed to “call no man unclean,” was twisted to teach that the Spirit nullified the Torah by commanding Peter to eat vermin off a filthy sheet. Alleging that the Creator had suddenly revoked His eternal Torah three-and-one-half years into the book of Acts, it could now be taught that the Almighty also rejected Israel at the same time and turned the “church” over to Roman gentiles at Caesarea (Acts 10:1-11:18). With the last seven years of Daniel’s seventy-sevens prophecy now allegedly fulfilled, the light of the eternal Torah extinguished, and the everlasting covenant with Israel nullified, the foundations of replacement theology were securely anchored in sinking sand.
Thirty-three years after the church was supposedly turned over to the Roman soldiers at Caesarea, the Roman General Titus, himself soon to be Caesar, conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. That destruction was eventually interpreted as the fulfillment of the book of The Revelation and was heralded as proof that the Almighty had forsaken his covenant with Israel. So now, with the Torah nullified and all New Testament prophecies fulfilled, Rome had its theological foundation for “another jesus” – “the vicar of Christ” – to rule with an iron rod from his millennial throne in Rome (Revelation 19:15, 20:4). Thus the kingdom of dispensational replacement theology was born – and the eight infamous words, insidiously inserted into the Gospel of John, provided the mathematical authority for their arrogant systematic theology.
Those eight infamous words not only destroyed the chronology of the Gospels, but also buried any possibility of understanding the full significance of Daniel’s cryptic prophecy. Older, authentic texts were expunged in order to hide this act of sedition, but they could not eradicate them all. The Almighty watches over his Word. Greek Manuscript #472, an 11th century manuscript that was originally housed in Constantinople, may be the last of a line of manuscripts that maintained the accurate rendering of John 6:3-5. In order to protect what remains of this ancient, mutilated, miniscule text, the manuscript is under lock and key in the Lambeth Palace Library in London. The text reads:
anhlqende eij to oroj Ihsouj kai ekei ekaqhto meta twnmaqhtwn autou eparaj oun ‘o Ihsouj touj ofqalmouj kaiqeasamenoj ‘oti poluj oxloj erxetai proj auton legei proj filppon poqen agorasomen artoj ‘ina qagwsin outoi
and went up into the mountain Iesous and there sat with the disciples his having lifted up then Iesous eyes and having seen a great crowd is coming to him he says to Philip whence shall we buy loaves that may eat these (word by word English translation).
3And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.(4) 5When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (KJV)
The eight words: hn de egguj to pasxa n eortn twn ioudaiwn (and the passover, a feast of the Jews was nigh) are completely missing from this ancient manuscript.{2}
Verse and chapter markings are nonexistent in the ancient Greek texts, as is punctuation, but the following statement can only be made by using these modern conveniences: the entirety of verse four (“and the passover, a feast of the Jews was nigh”) is nonexistent in the Lambeth Palace manuscript. The last words of verse three “twnmaqhtwn autou” (the disciples his) is followed by the first word in verse five “eparaj” (having lifted up). The wording found in the modern Greek texts, “hn de egguj to pasxa n eortn twn ioudaiwn” (and the passover, a feast of the Jews was nigh) simply does not exist in the ancient Lambeth Palace manuscript. Those eight words were not expunged from the text, but rather, just as with all the first and second century texts, those eight words were never added.
You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH (the LORD) our Elohim (God) which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)
For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any man shall add unto these things, YHVH (the LORD) shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, YHVH (the LORD) shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19)
Now we may understand why Dr. Frederick H. A. Scrivener, one of the most respected New Testament Greek scholars in history, heralded manuscript #472 as the most important miniscule text guarded within the fortress walls of Lambeth Palace.{3} We at last can see the same text that the early Christian historians were reading when they stated, without dissent, that Yeshua’s ministry was “about one year” in duration. Now, after 1600 years of enforced acquiescence to deception, the Christian world continues to drone the indefensible “three-and-one-half-year” fabrication of Eusebius, while insisting that no one is capable of making even the simplest of calendrical calculations to find the year of Messiah’s birth or the day of his resurrection. The monumental testimony of this ancient manuscript #472 secured by Heaven for its revealing in the last days, is now presented in The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah.
{2} Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition, (1979). Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. p.263
{3} Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, vol. 1 (4th ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 249.
Illustrated Discontinuity
Artificially lengthening Yeshua’s ministry to three-and-one-half years
The Gospel records document Yeshua going up to Jerusalem for each one of the required Feasts of the LORD and fulfilling his mission in exactly 70 weeks (490 days). Eusebius invented a three-and-one-half year ministry in an attempt to support a past fulfillment of the seventy-sevens prophecy of Daniel to reinforce his preterist eschatology. This fabrication, which employed the forgery of texts and absurd interpretations, destroyed the chronological continuity of the Gospels and produced contradictions in secular historical records as well. The first chart illustrates the day-to-day continuity of the plain text of the Gospel records, as they are understood according to the ancient Hebrew calendar and the precise timing of the Feasts of the LORD. The second chart demonstrates the result of artificially lengthening Yeshua’s ministry to three-and-one-half years. This chart clearly illustrates how every Gospel author would have had to cease their day-by-day records at the same moment in time, and remain silent for two separate years. The proposed coincidence that none of the authors found one single thing to comment on for two entire years is biographical nonsense beyond belief. The third chart synchronizes the two illustrations in a month-to-month comparison. Nothing but absurd contradictions are left in the wake of Eusebius’ unprovable three-and-one-half year ministry conjecture. Supposed “proofs” for his unique theory were provided by these two Biblically and logically untenable inventions:
1. The Feast of Shavuot in John chapter five (which occurred seven weeks after the Passover of John chapter three) was illegitimately reinterpreted as another Passover occurring an entire year later. During this fictional year, not one single event was recorded by any of the four Gospel authors, and the four fishermen, after accompanying Yeshua to the Feast of Passover, returned to the Galilee and continued their nightly fishing routine for another uneventful year before being called into service.
2. A Passover that Yeshua never attends, despite the Torah requirement to do so, was forged into later texts of John chapter six. It was apparently during this unattended Feast of Unleavened Bread that Yeshua fed more than 9,000 people with leavened barley loaves. This forgery produced another year of dead silence from the four Gospel authors, yet still comes up woefully short of Eusebius’ proposed three-and-one-half year ministry. It is noteworthy that a generation earlier, Tertullian proposed an eleven-year ministry of Jesus, which was also based entirely on unsupported conjecture and a wild imagination.
The charts are available for viewing in high resolution on the Chronological Gospels website: www.TheChronologicalGospels.com
This illustration is a simplified version of the detailed timeline sampled at the back of this volume. The four Gospel authors present a unified and authentic record of the ministry of Yeshua. Seventy weeks transpire from his baptism in water until he baptizes with the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the second, and until now hidden, layer of Daniel’s seventy shevuim (weeks) prophecy.
This illustration demonstrates the precisely synchronized gaps and unexplainable cessations in the day-to-day records of the Gospel authors in order to accommodate the Eusebian three-and-one-half year ministry heresy.
This illustration showcases the two charts in a month-to-month comparison. Absurd contradictions and biographical nonsense are left in the wake of Eusebius’ unprovable three-and-one-half year ministry conjecture.
Daniel’s Seventy Sevens Messianic Prophecy
The timing and duration of Yeshua’s ministry is a direct fulfillment of the second of three layers of Daniel’s seventy shavuim (sevens) prophecy. Understanding that Yeshua fulfilled his role as the Passover lamb in exactly seventy weeks is prerequisite to understanding the other two layers of Daniel’s prophecy, which must and will be fulfilled before the Messiah returns.
21While I (Daniel) was speaking in prayer and growing weary with fatigue, about the time of the evening oblation I saw a vision that began with the man Gavriel, who touched me 22and spoke with me, saying, “O Daniel, I have been sent to give you wisdom and understanding. 23At the beginning of your supplications I received word that I was to come to you and proclaim that you are greatly beloved. Therefore, understand this communication and vision: 24Seventy sevens are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city: to bring an end to the rebellion, and to complete the sin offering, and to atone for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to authenticate the vision and the Prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince there shall be seven sevens, and sixty two sevens. (The Temple courtyard and the city wall shall be built again in troubled times.) 26And after sixty two sevens shall Messiah be cut off – but not for himself. Then the people (of the prince that shall come) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will come like a flood, and at the end of the battle horrors are decreed. 27But he [Messiah the Prince] shall confirm the covenant with many for one seven. And in the midst of the seven he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and because of the overspreading abominations he [the prince that shall come] shall make it desolate until the end. Then that which is decreed shall be poured out upon the desolators.” (Daniel 9:21- 27 CKJV)
Seventy-sevens, seven-sevens, sixty-two-sevens, after sixty-two-sevens, one-seven, in-the-midst-of-seven – the angel Gavriel gave Daniel a prophetic code which was so mathematically complex, it could not be deciphered until the generation in which “knowledge is increased and men run to and fro,” as the angel phrased it (Daniel 12:4). By the first decade of the 21st century, the composite knowledge base of humankind had doubled in just one year, and men were actually running to and fro at speeds measured in nanoseconds. The scientific knowledge gleaned from NASA’s space program has allowed mankind to calculate the celestial and historic events of antiquity to within one-millionth of a day. We can now decipher the Creator’s celestial and terrestrial time clock with heretofore-incalculable accuracy. Astrophysics finally allows us to understand that which was penned thousands of years ago in Genesis 1:14, that the Creator put the heavenly bodies in their courses to determine the passage of days and years, for signs in the heavens, and to set the moedim, i.e. the appointed times of our Creator, also called the Feasts of the LORD.
The modern Jewish calendar, invented in 359 CE by Hillel II, was based on mathematical astronomy rather than on the original method of observed astronomy combined with agricultural considerations in the land of Israel. The last act of the Sanhedrin, which had been exiled to the city of Tiberius, was to change the Creator’s reckoning of time and the eternal laws that govern when we are to keep the Feasts of the LORD (Daniel 7:25). At that time, the hands were broken from the face of the Creator’s clock, and a calculated calendar of convenience was offered in its place. Initially the calculated calendar allowed the Jews in the Diaspora to celebrate the Feasts in unison around the globe, but subsequently, both the Creator’s original reckoning of time and the accuracy of the prophetic shadow pictures of good things to come that are embedded in the Feasts of the LORD, were lost to antiquity. The calendar that was in use during the time of Yeshua, as well as the Gospel chronology, became shrouded in the mists of forgotten time. The restoration of the Creator’s original calendar in the land of Israel during the past two decades has proven to be the lost master key that has unlocked the chronological mysteries in the Gospels. With unimagined clarity, we can now decipher significant events in the life and ministry of Yeshua, as well as contemplate the ramifications of each compelling layer of Daniel’s seventy sevens prophecy.
The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah will uncover the prophetic realities that were buried in antiquity, yet are being revealed in the last days as promised to Daniel while he languished in exile. The second layer of Daniel’s prophecy, the seventy week ministry of Messiah, has now been revealed in the chronology of the first four Gospel records, beckoning us to explore the third layer now knocking at our door. This final layer will be fulfilled in the fifth Gospel, the book of the Revelation of Yeshua Messiah.
The Gospel of the Kingdom Declared
Just two days before his execution, Yeshua instructed his disciples, “This Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness” (Matthew 24:14). He was referring to the same “gospel” or “good news” that he and his disciples were preaching throughout the Galilee long before the disciples understood anything about Yeshua’s death or resurrection. Yes, this was the “good news” that Heaven confirmed with signs, miracles, and wonders – nine months before his passion. Yeshua and his disciples taught the Gospel of the Kingdom in both word and deed, inflaming the wrath of two religious systems: that of the Prushim (Pharisees) and that of the priesthood of the Zadokim (Sadducees). Yet, this “good news” remains relatively unknown and unsung among those who profess to be his followers today.
To understand the Gospel records and the good news Yeshua taught his disciples, it is imperative that we understand the foundational principles of the Torah Moses delivered to us at Mount Sinai, as well as the developing first century religious systems of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. With this basic understanding, the Gospel record will come alive as we see Yeshua deliberately violating the rules of man-made religion while clarifying, illustrating, and reinforcing the everlasting instructions in the Torah.
Before discussing the various sects of Judaism that dominated the religious landscape of Israel in the days of Yeshua, one must first dig back to the foundation of the Torah, which had been deliberately buried by the vanguards of Pharisaic Judaism. To this day, this foundational principle of the Scriptures remains completely obscured from the myopic vision of the gentile Christian world. But without this foundation, the Gospel of the Kingdom will never be understood, and Yeshua’s proclamation that he did not come to do away with the Torah will remain the most ignored prophetic utterance in the history of Christendom. The foundational commandment of the Torah we received at Mount Sinai is a stern warning from the Almighty against adding our own rules, negating the commandments he gave us through Moses, or tampering with his Word.
You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHVH your Elohim which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)
So serious is this instruction that the Almighty repeats himself in the next breath in Deuteronomy 12:32. Once one adds to the revelation or subtracts from the commandments of the Almighty, we no longer have the commandments of our Creator, but rather, we have a man-made religious system that promises what it cannot deliver. It is a broken cistern that can hold no water. That system is, in reality, a different kingdom altogether. It is often referred to in the prophetic Scriptures as “Babylon.” Its citizens are the populace of an alternate universe that will never see the true Kingdom of Heaven. Yeshua is the King of the true Kingdom, and he came to lay down the rules of his Kingdom and establish the criteria by which we will either enter or be denied access. His rules are uncomfortably absent from almost every denomination practicing religion in today’s burgeoning marketplace of spiritual options.
Moses instructed us to beware of those who do signs, miracles, and wonders and yet add to or subtract from the Torah. Moses warned that the Almighty would empower such false prophets as a test to see whether we would keep his commandments or follow men who deceive by the manifestation of supernatural power and lead the naive into their own kingdoms.
Prushim
The word Prushim (Pharisees) means separated ones. In their desire to live a holy life, the Prushim devised a system whereby they would keep themselves uncontaminated by the world and separated from the corruption that had developed among both the priesthood and the uneducated masses. While a desire to remain uncontaminated from the world is a noble goal, the vehicle they used was to invent their own rules. Doing such, as we have discussed, is not noble. Consider the following example: Phariseeism demands that one would only eat food in a state of ritual purity.
When a person brings a sacrifice to the Temple, whether it be meat on the hoof or meal in a container, he must enter the sacrificial courtyard in a state of purity that is prescribed in the Torah. One does not enter the presence of the Holy One presumptuously. That state of purity includes the confession of sins, a mikveh (complete immersion in running water), and a change of garments. Only then may a person enter the sanctuary and present a sacrifice without blemish – an acceptable sacrifice to the Almighty. When an animal is presented to the Most High, a portion of the meat and all of the fat belongs to him alone, a portion belongs to the priests, and another portion is eaten by the one who brought the sacrifice. That sacrificial offering is referred to as “sanctified meat.” Conversely, when a person simply wants to eat a meal of lamb from his flock or from the market, the animal can be blemished and can be eaten in the gates of one’s own city. It is not a sacrifice – it is just a meal. There are very few Torah regulations that pertain to daily food.
In their striving for righteousness, the Prushim developed a system by which they would not eat any food unless they were in a self-defined state of ritual purity. To effect this invented system of holiness, they made hundreds of rules concerning what prayers were to be said over particular kinds of foods or combinations of foods; what plates were to be used for particular kinds of foods; how one was to wash and sanctify certain kinds of vessels; and whether certain types of ovens and utensils could contract ritual impurity, and if they did, how to purify them. All this they did in order to eat unsanctified meat – or common food – in the state of ritual purity. This entire concept is an invention of the Pharisees; not one word of such sanctifying antics is even suggested in the written Torah.
In his first documented miracle, Yeshua defiled the invented sanctity of the stone purification pots at a Pharisee wedding in Cana. By Pharisee law, these ceremonial pots were reserved for water only – and water that had the slightest hint of the flavor of wine was ceremonially unclean. Yeshua turned that water into the most delightful wine in the Yezra’el (Jezreel) Valley and then told the servants to give it to the head rabbi! As in all of his repeated, deliberate violations of Pharisaic law throughout his ministry, the endorsement of his authority to castigate the religious leaders and nullify their takanot (man-made rules) came in the form of a miracle from Heaven.
The Prushim enacted over 500 laws governing the keeping of the Sabbath day, including what constituted forbidden work, how far one may walk on the Sabbath, and what one must do before the Sabbath in order to carry anything on the Sabbath. Yeshua not only broke many of those rules deliberately, such as violating the prohibition of putting saliva on one’s eyes on the Sabbath (Talmud, Shabbat 108b:19-25), but he commanded those that he healed on the Sabbath to break other Pharisaic laws. This included his command to the lame man he healed to break the law of the eruv by carrying his mat on the Sabbath – an act that any observant Pharisee could do that day with complete immunity because they could have taken the required steps the previous afternoon that would have allowed such action on the Sabbath (Talmud Mas. Shabbat 6a). By the first century, the Pharisaic religious system had been growing for over 300 years and was fast becoming the largest religious sect in the land of Israel. In Yeshua’s day the Pharisees controlled the Sanhedrin, but the Zadokim (Sadducees) still conducted the Temple service with what remained of the dwindling Levitical priesthood.
The Prushim claim to sit in the “Seat of Moses” and that every new commandment they sanctify has the same authority as the commandments Moses received from the hand of the Almighty. Every synagogue had a “Seat of Moses” upon which the elders sat to pronounce new commandments they invented at will. Their sanctified commandments are, in their parlance, takanot, which are legally defined as “laws enacted by the rabbis which change or negate Torah law” (Encyclopedia Judaica - takanot). In fact, the Prushim claim that when they make takanot, even the Almighty must obey their verdict. They claim that Moses actually gave them an oral torah, which gives them supremacy over the written Torah, and that without the esoteric revelation transmitted through the oral torah, no one can properly understand the written Torah given at Mount Sinai. And who were the keepers of the oral torah? The Pharisees, of course.
The word takanot usually appears in the English versions of the Gospels as the word “traditions,” but that translation misses the point by a mile. Takanot are not traditions like the American Thanksgiving Day menu of turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Rather, takanot are the illegal usurpations of the everlasting commandments of the Kingdom of Heaven given to us at Mount Sinai. Takanot replace the written Torah with the ever-changing rules and regulations of man-made religion. Yeshua emphatically warned his followers to be wary of “the leaven of the Pharisees,” which he defined as their <hghn> nahagah or illegitimately imposed rules.{4} Likewise, the religious imposition of man-made rules has now leavened virtually every sect of modern Christianity. The everlasting commandments that Yeshua preached, lived, and endorsed have systematically been replaced by the rules of denominational kingdoms that have no more authority than the takanot of the Prushim and the Zadokim.
Another principle of the Prushim is the claim that their rules form a secondary fence around the Torah designed to keep people from breaking the Torah. They purport that, if one does not break the takanot of the Prushim, one will not even come close to breaking the Torah. While that sounds very sincere, sincerity and truth are seldom bedfellows in the world of religion. The Torah is indeed described as a protective fence around the people. Everyone is supposed to be obediently inside the fence and kept in the presence of the Almighty. However, the fence itself tells us that no one is ever authorized to add to or subtract from the commandments! In other words, no one is allowed to break down any portion of the fence or build another fence. In reality, instead of protecting the sanctity of the Torah, the Prushim deliberately broke down a portion of the fence that forbade men from adding commandments. They then made a completely separate corral into which the sheeple could be systematically herded and fleeced at will.
{4} Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, George Howard, Mercer University Press, p. 78, Matthew 16:12
Zadokim
The Zadokim (Sadducees) were the priesthood who adopted their name from the sons of Zadok, a righteous lineage of priests who served in the Temple before the Babylonian captivity (I Chronicles 24). After the Maccabean revolt (detailed in Maccabees I and II, 1611 KJV), the priesthood was adulterated by political appointees, which, at the time of Rome’s occupation, resulted in high priests who were not even from the family of Aaron or the tribe of Levi. Some Zadokim did not even believe in the resurrection, which led to an eat, drink, and be merry philosophy, which led further to using religion to abuse people and to rob widows of their earthly possessions (Matthew 22:23-29; 23:14).
Just before the Temple was destroyed by Rome in 68 CE (accurate Jewish reckoning), the Prushim made a deal with General Titus, and they were allowed to leave Jerusalem and establish an academy at Yavneh. However, the majority of the remaining priests and Levites were slaughtered in the ensuing battle that left a million dead bodies to bloat in the streets of Jerusalem. With so few remaining alive, the influence of the Zadokim steadily declined. The Essenes, another influential sect hiding out in the Dead Sea Valley, were also exterminated by the Roman military beast. A generation later, when the blood-letting of the 135 CE Bar Kochva revolt against Rome had ended, the Prushim were the only ones left to define modern Judaism for everyone except for the few obedient followers of the Nazarene (ha Notzrim). The Notzrim continued to keep the Sabbath, the Feasts, and the faith until Rome herded her subjects into her new “universal” religion under the direction of the self-appointed Pontifex Maximus, Constantine “the great.” Since that time the true Gospel of the Kingdom has largely gone unsung. This generation has now inherited the Divine commission we first received at Sinai – to be his kingdom of priests and prophets to the entire world (Exodus 19:5-6; Revelation 1:5-6).
As you read Yeshua’s words and watch him live the Gospel of the Kingdom in these pages, you will understand the religious bondage from which he set us free. We are now at liberty to love our Heavenly Father, keep his commandments, and learn to walk by the Spirit so that we can fulfill his plan for the ages. You will watch the Divine drama unfold as Yeshua attacks the illegitimate religious system of the Prushim and Zadokim and incurs the wrath of the god of this age, who will eventually provoke the religious leaders to crucify the Lord of Glory. In so doing, hasatan will illegally shed the innocent blood of Yeshua, which will legally allow the innocent one to buy back all who call on his name.
The Seat of Moses
from which Pharisees declare takanot – laws which change or negate Biblical Law.
Corazin synagogue ruins, Lower Galilee, Israel
The Five Gospels and the Five-Fold Ministry of Messiah
as the Netzer and Tzemach – the BRANCH
Five times in the writings of the Hebrew prophets the Messiah is referred to as the Tzemach. The King James translators rendered the word tzemach into English as BRANCH – often in all capital letters. Both they and the Jewish sages recognized the Messianic reference in each case where the prophets of Israel used the word tzemach. Each of the five usages of tzemach describes a mission or prophetic role that the Messiah must fulfill. Each of the five occurrences of tzemach details a particular quality or perspective of the life and ministry of the Messiah. The fulfillment of each of these five characteristics is detailed in the five Gospel accounts, just as it was foretold by the prophets.
The first four Gospels detail the fulfillment of each facet of Messiah’s ministry as the Suffering Servant, a scarlet thread that runs through the Torah, the Prophets, and other Scriptures (Luke 24:46; Acts 26:23). This is the prophetic shadow picture of Messiah that is embedded in the Spring Feasts of the LORD: a male lamb provided as the substitute offering for Abraham’s son Isaac, just as the Passover lamb was provided as the substitute for the firstborn sons of Israel.
The fifth Gospel, The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah (The Revelation of Jesus Christ – KJV), details the future fulfillment of the Fall Feasts of the LORD and proclaims the Messiah’s role as the Righteous Judge and Conquering King. Yes, the book of The Revelation is the fifth Gospel: good news for those who love the appearing of our Messiah, bad news for the tyrannical kings and rulers of the world, as well as the pew-warmers who live as though the Scriptures are a fairytale (Psalm 2).
One of the most profound prophecies Yeshua fulfilled, indicating both his Davidic genealogy and kingly role, is found in the Gospel of Matthew, which proclaims the Branch as a Righteous King.
And he (Yeshua) came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets; He shall be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23 KJV)
As hard as one may try, no one will ever find a reference in the Prophets where the Messiah is to be called a Nazarene. It is often assumed that this must refer to the Messiah entering into a “nazarite vow” (Numbers 6:1-21), the same vow into which Samson was born (Judges 13:5-7). Not so. Yeshua clearly and admittedly broke the scriptural strictures of the nazarite vow several times (Matthew 11:19). Furthermore, nowhere in the writings of the prophets is it indicated that the Messiah would be either a Nazarene or one obligated to a nazarite vow. However, scripture does not leave us in confusion, for several prophets declared that the Messiah would be a tzemach, and Isaiah prophesied that the Tzemach would be a particular type of branch.
1And there shall come forth a rod (khoter – living shoot) out of the stem (geza – cut down tree stump) of Jesse, and a Branch (netzer – a specific type of branch) shall grow out of his roots (shorashim)… 10And in that day there shall be a root (shoresh) of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign to the people; to the root shall the gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:1, 10)
Isaiah added astonishing details to the picture of the Messiah as the Tzemach – the Branch. He prophesied that the Tzemach would be a very particular type of branch – a netzer. The science of horticulture distinguishes many types of branches or offshoots from a tree, which are designated by various Latin and English terms. The same is true in the Hebrew language. The word netzer indicates a shoot from an olive tree that grows out of its original root system but springs up at a later time and somewhat distant from the trunk. The tree may have already been cut down because of its inability to bear fruit. The branch that shoots forth out of the root of the stump of the family tree of Jesse (King David’s father) will spring forth as a netzer.
A netzer has absolutely nothing to do with a “nazarite vow.” The Hebrew words nazir and netzer are unrelated – they just appear similar in English. The prophets tell us that the Messiah, the son of David, will be a Tzemach (a Branch) out of the trunk of David, but Isaiah is the prophet who tells us something very specific about that tzemach – he will be a netzer.
The village of Natzeret in northern Israel, known in English as Nazareth, takes its name from the root word netzer. Descendants of King David originally established this village. Miriam (Mary), the daughter of Yoseph ben Yaakov of the bloodline of King David through his son Solomon, and Miriam’s husband Yoseph ben Eli of the bloodline of King David through another son, Nathan, both grew up in Natzeret among near and distant relatives and a few Levites (see event <11>). The inhabitants of Natzeret most likely settled in the area during the Greek occupation of Israel when many Judeans fled into the Galilee region to escape persecution during the cruel reign of Antiochus Epiphanies (detailed in Maccabees I and II, 1611 KJV). The residents of Natzeret knew their family history and named their village in recognition of the fact that they were a “shoot” out of the root of the tree of Jesse – springing up at a distant place and a later time – a village of netzerim. Now it makes perfect sense for these netzerim to travel back to their ancestral home of Beit Lechem to legally register their support for naming Octavius Augustus the “Father of the Roman Empire” in the twenty-fifth year of his reign as Caesar (see event <13>).
No one Gospel writer tells the complete story of the life and ministry of the Messiah. None of them was attempting to tell the entire story. John admits that if the whole of the story were written, the world could not contain the scroll – but these things are written that we might assuredly know that Yeshua of Natzeret is The Prophet of whom Moses spoke and The Messiah of whom the prophets prophesied. It is only by putting the Prophets and the Gospels together that we see Yeshua as the Tzemach, the Netzer, the Messiah, the King, the Servant, the Son of Man, the only begotten Son of God, and the Almighty Judge.
MATTHEW
The Tzemach – The King
The Gospel of Matthew introduces the Messiah as the King from Heaven as he lays down the rules of the Kingdom over which he will reign forever. Matthew’s record begins by establishing Yeshua’s lineage from King David through his only earthly parent, Miriam, the daughter of Yoseph ben Yaakov – all direct descendants of David through Solomon. The record of the Babylonian astronomers delivering a royal treasure to the young king sets the stage.
Jeremiah prophesied that the Messiah, the Tzemach, would be a King out of the lineage of David.
...I will raise unto David a righteous BRANCH [Tzemach], a King shall reign and prosper, and he shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5)
The Gospel of Matthew is written in narrative form rather than chronological sequence.
MARK
The Tzemach – The Servant
The Gospel of Mark introduces the Messiah as a servant. No lineage. No fanfare. He is just doing the mission that he was sent to accomplish. Immediately, straightway, and forthwith are the words Mark chooses to typify Yeshua’s actions. There is no grass growing under his feet. He has exactly seventy weeks – 490 days – to complete his mission, or all is lost.
Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah, the Tzemach, would be the servant of the Most High.
…Behold, I will bring forth my servant The BRANCH [Tzemach]. (Zechariah 3:8)
The Gospel of Mark is written in chronological sequence.
LUKE
The Tzemach – The Son of Man
The Gospel of Luke introduces the Messiah as our example – the Son of Man, who demonstrates how to live the rules of the Kingdom. Luke’s record begins by establishing that both Zecharyah and Elisheva were blameless before the Almighty in their compliance with all the commandments in the Torah – including the additional statutes applicable only to the priesthood. Yeshua’s supposed lineage (Luke 3:23) through his stepfather Yoseph ben Eli, a direct descendant of David through Nathan, denotes the shadow of illegitimacy under which the Messiah lived. It was supposed that he was the child of Yoseph, conceived out of wedlock. Though he appeared to be just a man among men – yet “he shall build the Temple of the LORD.”
Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah, the Tzemach, would be not only a man – he would be The Man.
…Behold The Man whose name is The BRANCH [Tzemach]. He shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the Temple of the LORD. (Zechariah 6:12)
The Gospel of Luke is written in chronological sequence and punctuated (as is the book of Acts) by summary statements.
JOHN
The Tzemach – The Son of GOD
The Gospel of John introduces the Messiah as the incarnation of the eternal Word by whom, through whom, and for whom all things in the physical universe were created. That Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among us as The Prophet of whom Moses prophesied. John introduces Yeshua with the testimony of Yochanan ben Zecharyah, who declared to an entourage of Levites and priests that when he mikveh-ed (baptized) Yeshua he saw the messianic sign that had been revealed to him by the Spirit. The day following Yochanan’s testimony, he saw Yeshua when he returned from his forty-day wilderness experience. Yochanan did not herald him as the Son of God as he heard from heaven, but as the Lamb of God – the sacrifice without blemish who would atone for the sins of the world.
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah, the Tzemach, would be the one who would purge the blood and wash away the filth of his people by the blood of the innocent lamb – the sinless Son of the Most High.
In that day shall The BRANCH [Tzemach] of the LORD be beautiful and glorious… 4The Lord shall wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall purge the blood from the midst of Jerusalem… (Isaiah 4:2, 4)
The Gospel of John is written in precise chronological sequence, detailing the Messiah going up to Jerusalem to each one of the required pilgrim Feasts. Each of these events can be precisely documented to the very day of their occurrence on both the Julian Astronomical Decimal Calendar (the time clock of astrophysics) and the Astronomically and Agriculturally Corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar (in short, the Creator’s Calendar). The Julian calendar’s accuracy in determining the exact day of the week during the first century is better than one millionth of a day, while the Creator’s Calendar, based on the illumination of the new moon as seen from Jerusalem, can now be mathematically calculated back into the first century with far more precision than can actually be detected by the human eye. The synchronization of these two ancient calendar systems now uncovers breathtaking detail – hidden for millennia – from the Gospel records.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke primarily detail the events between the Feasts of the LORD, while the Gospel of John shows the Messiah “going up” to each of the Feasts in Jerusalem.
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
The Seventy Week Mission Accomplished
The seventy week ministry of Messiah is not fulfilled until Yeshua “baptizes” his followers with the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Shavuot. In the book of The Acts of the Apostles, Luke shows us the life and death struggle that took place as the followers of Yeshua learned to walk by the Spirit – the hard way. After being clearly instructed to wait in Jerusalem for “the promise of the Father,” the disciples grew impatient in the ten days leading up to the Feast of Shavuot and decided to choose a successor to Judas. Praying, yet receiving no guidance from heaven, they decided to take a vote – and they chose a replacement of whom we never hear again. In the book of The Acts we see demonic possession, disobedience, deception, and death – but we also witness miracles, deliverance, and victory. This is what life looks like with the Spirit of the resurrected Messiah dwelling in believers. The book of the Acts is still being written today by heavenly scribes who are urging us to fully engage in the glorious battle for the Kingdom.
THE REVELATION OF YESHUA MESSIAH
The Tzemach – The Coming Judge
The Gospel of the Revelation is written in precise chronological sequence with several parenthetical sections illustrating cause and effect. The Revelation chronology begins with seven letters to the seven Messianic assemblies in Asia Minor. John then details the events that transpire as Yeshua rips seven seals from a scroll of eternal significance – and specific events play out across the stage of planet Earth at the stripping of each seal. When the seventh seal is loosed, seven angels blowing seven trumpets are introduced. Six angels blow their trumpets in succession and then seven thunders follow. When the seven thunders are accomplished, the seventh (and last) trumpet finally sounds (on Yom Teruah), and the saints are miraculously “saved from the wrath to come” and gathered to the sea of fire and glass. After that, seven angels pour out the contents of seven bowls full of the smoking wrath of the Almighty onto the inhabitants of the earth who have been left behind. When the wrath is concluded (on Yom Kippur), the bride dresses for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. After the seven-day wedding feast (Sukkot), Yeshua returns to earth (on Shemini Atzeret) to rule with the Torah and a rod of iron.
Jeremiah prophesied that the Messiah, the Tzemach, would be the Judge out of the lineage of David and would execute judgment and pure righteousness throughout the entire earth.
I will cause The BRANCH [Tzemach] of righteousness to shoot forth from David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in all the earth. (Jeremiah 33:15)
The Gospel record closes with The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah, which reveals how the Messiah will fulfill the Fall Feasts of the LORD. At the end of this journey through The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah we will clearly understand why we were commanded to keep the Feasts of the LORD, the prophetic shadow pictures of good things to come, forever. Come, enjoy the Feast!
The Corrected King James Version (CKJV)
In 1604, King James of England authorized the translation of the Scriptures into English. Over eighty percent of the King James Version was taken directly from William Tyndale’s heretofore illegal translation. The King James translators acknowledged in their dedication, “We never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation...but to make a good one better.” They compared Tyndale’s work with the Textus Receptus, a Greek hybrid text compiled by Robert Stephens (also known as Robert Estienne or Robertus Stephanus) from manuscripts and fragments available to his team of researchers in 1550 and published as Novum Testamentum - Textus Stephanici - 1550. The translators also consulted the Latin Vulgate but Hebrew texts of the Gospel of Matthew were all thought to have been expunged during the persecution of Diocletian, and were not a part of New Testament scholarship until recently. Twenty-eight copies of authentic primitive Hebrew texts of Matthew’s Gospel have now been discovered in the archives of Jewish scribes, as well as in the Vatican library, and are now a part of the Corrected King James Version. These ancient Hebrew manuscripts have become an invaluable asset in reconstructing the Gospel of the Kingdom from the original language and in the cultural context of Yeshua’s day. This family of manuscripts are herein referred to in the singular form Ancient Hebrew Matthew and designated in the text as [AHM].
In 1611 the scholars completed their translations and then published their first vernacular version. That Bible became known as the “Authorized Version,” acknowledging its commission by King James of England. Less than perfect, as any translation invariably is, the 1611 version has been repeatedly revised and corrected since its original publication. As the English language developed and spelling was standardized, archaic forms and words were changed to provide a more comprehensible text for the general public. Although British law prohibited the exclusion of any of the books from the original 1611 King James Version, the American and British Bible Societies removed several books from their 1880 edition and from all subsequent publications. Once these inter-testamental historic books were removed, modern readers were bereft of essential contextual information necessary for a fully informed interpretation of the Gospels. Today, the Feast of Hanukkah (John 8:12 - 10:39) that Yeshua kept in Jerusalem in spite of the Pharisee’s threats to kill him, is an enigma to the modern Christian church.
The Chronological Gospels: The Life and Seventy Week Ministry of the Messiah utilizes every verse in the Gospel record from the Corrected King James Version (CKJV) and is assembled in chronological order. The CKJV, appearing for the first time in this publication, is the author’s modernized version of the KJV. The CKJV follows in the tradition of several post-1611 KJV revisions by further updating archaic English forms, re-introducing valuable ancient Hebrew forms, and correcting and standardizing Hebrew name pronunciations. In later editions of the KJV, when words that did not appear in the original text were added for clarity, they were italicized by the translators. The CKJV maintains this same protocol but also brackets [ ] added explanatory phrases where footnotes would be cumbersome to the reader. The CKJV is a critical, dynamic translation that attempts to capture the meaning of the original phraseology and return life and emotion to constructions that were entombed within Elizabethan English. The CKJV updates the language of the KJV without dumbing-down the text. Proper names are added in italics when relative pronouns call for clarity, and, most importantly, the CKJV utilizes Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts that were unavailable at the time of the original King James translation. The holy four-letter name (Tetragrammaton) of the Almighty, YHVH, was removed from the English versions of the Hebrew Scriptures because of Pharisaic takanot which forbade its use except under very strictly defined circumstances.{5} Unfettered from the restrictive rules of Phariseeism, the Name is restored to the CKJV in its Hebrew form, YHVH. This allows the reader to pronounce the Name according to personal conscience and in accordance with the Divine commandment that his Name should be both called upon and made known throughout all the earth (Jeremiah 16:21; Joel 2:32).
{5} Talmud: Tamid 33b; Sabbath 115b; Sabbath 120b; Sabbath 61b; Yoma 69b
It is the position of the CKJV editors that the original autographs were without error or contradiction. When apparent inaccuracies occur in any translation, they are usually due to a misunderstanding of the language and culture of ancient Israel. They may also be due to translation inaccuracies, which are an inevitable part of any translation attempt. Occasionally, they are due to errors in the transmission of the original text – some by accidental omission and others by deliberate commission.
Every serious student of the Scriptures recognizes that problems exist in the various English translations. The Almighty did not shout the commandments from Mount Sinai in the Greek language, nor did Moses record them in Shakespearean English. Consulting earlier texts has proven critical in correcting conflicts found in many of the English translations. The CKJV is a critical translation that will answer many of the questions that have plagued the Western reader of the Scriptures for centuries. This work endeavors to illuminate the Living Word, Yeshua the Messiah, in the heart and mind.
Version Notes:
• Italics: The KJV protocol of italics to indicate “text added by the translators for clarification” is maintained. Explanatory phrases are enclosed in brackets [ ] where footnotes would be a distraction from the text.
• Inclusion of the Holy Name: The most obvious departure from King James’ authorized version is the restoration of the proper name of the Almighty to its first-century Hebrew form YHVH. The Name of the Elohim (God) of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov was revealed to mankind and recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures (Exodus 3:15). The Holy Name YHVH appears at least 6,828 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, but the Name is usually camouflaged behind the capitalized forms “LORD” and “GOD” in the English versions of the Bible. Both “lord” and “god” are nondescript titles commonly used to designate the pagan deities of many different cultures. The Pharisee rabbis restricted the use of the proper name YHVH early in the second century CE. As a result, the pronunciation of the Name of the Almighty was deliberately hidden by the rabbis, and was purportedly lost to antiquity. Yet, Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) prophesied that the Holy Name of the Almighty would be restored in the last days, and that even the gentiles would call upon that name – much to the chagrin of the religious leaders, who still to this day forbid its proper use (Jeremiah 16:1-21).
• Flavius Josephus, a priest, Pharisee, historian, and military commander of the Jews in their last stand against the Roman legions in the first century, reported in The Jewish Wars 5:5.7 that the High Priest had “four vowels” engraved on the gold plate worn on his turban. y (Yod), h (Hey), w (Vav), and oa (Aleph) are the four consonantal vowels in the Hebrew alphabet. Each can be pronounced as either a consonant or a vowel. If Josephus relayed the Name correctly (albeit cryptically), the four letters on the priest’s turban – h w h y – are all pronounced as vowels with an open mouth. These are the same vowel sounds that occur in the Greek language – I (Iota), a (Alpha), o (Omicron), u (Upsilon), e (Epsilon)iaoue – in English – “i-a-oo-e.” Hence, the English pronunciation i ah oo eh, commonly spelled Yahweh – recognizing that the “y” and “h” are not pronounced as hard consonants. A strict honoring of the input of Josephus might produce a vocalization of the Holy Name as a string of vowels, similar to ‘ee-ah-oo-eh,’ yet three of these vowels in the Holy Name have alternate pronunciations, so that vocalization is not certain.
An alternative pronunciation, with perhaps a more secure foundation, is the fact of the relatively recent discovery of the Name with what appears to be the original vowel pointings. The rabbis forbade the pronunciation of the Name at the time that the Romans punished its articulation with death. They did, however, transmit the pronunciation of the Name to their students – in secret – once every seven years (Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 71a). In the two oldest surviving vocalized texts of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex, the Name is written as four consonants and two vowels. The third vowel, without which the Name is unpronounceable, is strangely absent. Yet, in these same ancient manuscripts, there are a few places where the scribes, who heard the Name pronounced every seven years, probably accidentally (or subconsciously) inserted the middle vowel. That missing middle vowel was a long “o” sound in English. According to scholars at Hebrew University, the four-consonant Name, with all three vowels supplied from the ancient vocalized Hebrew sources, should be pronounced Y(e)HoVah – with the accent on the last syllable.
To further substantiate this finding, many compound Hebrew names include the Name within them. When hy or why occurs at the beginning of a name, it is pronounced as Y(e)H(o). The vowels are indicated in the ancient vocalized manuscripts. On the other hand, when the Name appears at the end of a name, it is pronounced either Yah(u) (why) or the shorter, poetic form, Yah (hy) (Psalm 68:4).
Yeho-shua (Joshua [Jesus]) = why saves = Yesha-Yahu (Isaiah)
Yeho-tzadak (Josedech) = why is righteous = Tzedek-Yahu (Zedekiah)
Yeho-natan (Jonathan) = why gives = Natan-Yahu (Natanyahu)
Yeho-achaz (Jehoihaz) = why takes hold = Achaz-Yahu (Ahaziah)
Yeho- chanan (Johanan [John]) = why is gracious = Chanan-Yahu (Hananiah)
As the Hebrew language developed through the centuries, the vav (w), which formed the oo sound at the end of a name, was commonly dropped to form the shorter construct. This is illustrated in the above names. Yeshayahu was shortened to Yeshayah (Isa-iah). Netan-yahu was shortened to Natanyah, etc. The most important among these names is Yehoshua (Joshua 1:1), which was shortened to Yeshua (Zechariah 3:1). Yeshua was transposed into Greek characters as Ihsouj (Iesous) and into late English as Jesus (with the letter “J” properly pronounced as “Y” – as in the European spelling of “Jugoslavia”). The transposition of Yehoshua to Yeshua is easily traceable in the Hebrew Scriptures. Likewise, the name Joshua was transposed to Jesus in English. This fact is obvious in the King James Version of Hebrews 4:8 where the name of Joshua (the son of Nun) was translated as Jesus, which is understandable because they are the very same name in Hebrew.
The CKJV utilizes the first century Hebrew form of Yehoshua – Yeshua – when referring to the Messiah. This is the name that the angel Gavriel instructed both his mother and step-father to call him, and Yeshua < [wvy – YeHo(VaH) Saves > is the very name that the angel Gavriel instructed Miriam and Yoseph to name the child, as recorded in the ancient Hebrew text of Matthew’s Gospel [AHM].
The two most common positions on the pronunciation of the hallowed Name of our Heavenly Father are: the “four-vowel name,” derived from a cryptic clue left by Josephus, and “the vowel-vocalized consonants” inadvertently preserved by Jewish scribes. One day we will hear the name of YHVH pronounced on the lips of the Messiah himself. Until then, the pronunciation is left to the reader’s discretion. One thing is certain: no particular pronunciation can be proven in a court of law, and only the chronically overbearing have the luxury of being dogmatic. Regardless of one’s preferred pronunciation, the reason YHVH brought us out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand was so that the entire world would know his name is YHVH. Yeshua stated emphatically that we would not see him again until we say, “Baruch haba b’shem YHVH” – “Blessed is he who comes in the name of YHVH.”
• Divine Titles: The indistinct Greek title “Theos,” which is translated into English as “God,” is used without discrimination in the KJV New Testament for both the Hebrew title Elohim and the proper name YHVH. The CKJV restores the proper name YHVH where probable, employs the titles of respect the Almighty and the Holy One where appropriate, and supplies the Hebrew term Elohim when uncertain.
• Titles of Respect: Sir, master, and sometimes the Hebrew adoni (my master) replaces the British term lord, which traditionally refers to a feudal landowner.
• Spelling: The spelling of names is standardized to reflect their Hebrew roots and pronunciations, as well as to facilitate identification in the English texts of the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.
• Proper Nouns: Sabbath, Passover, and all proper Hebrew names that were marginalized in the KJV by the use of the lower case are all restored to the upper case deserving of proper nouns.
• Bold Text: The author utilizes bold text to bring emphasis to particular words or phrases. Bold ALL CAPS is used in place of the ancient method of repeating words twice or more to indicate intensity.
• The Feasts of the LORD: The proper names of the Feasts of YHVH are restored where they were replaced with the minimalizing expression “a feast of the Jews.”
• Pagan Names: Paganized names found in the KJV (i.e., Elizeus, meaning “my elohim [god] is Zeus”) are changed back to their original Hebrew names (i.e. Elisha, which means “Elohim is my Salvation”).
• Hebrew Names: Names are changed back to the Hebrew forms commonly used in the first century. For example, John the Baptist is changed back to Yochanan ben Zecharyah haCohen. “John” is an English name and “baptist” is an English transliteration of a Greek word and concept unfamiliar to first century Israel. Yochanan was the son (ben) of Zecharyah the priest (cohen), and he was performing the mikveh (baptism), a meaningful, familiar, and repeated scriptural practice of repentance and renewal.
• Replacement of Common Consonants: The letter “J” is expunged from names in the CKJV, as there is no modern “J” sound in the Hebrew tongue. The archaic and European pronunciation of “J” as “Y” (as in Jugoslavia) may be unfamiliar to Western readers of modern English but is still common throughout Europe today. The letter “J” was introduced into the English alphabet in the early 17th century and was placed directly after the letter “I” as it was a close consonantal variation on that vowel. It was then, and still is, properly pronounced as a consonantal “Y” as in the color “Yellow” (Jellow). Every name that begins with the letter “J” in any Biblical text should be pronounced as a consonantal “Y.”
• Forms of Holy Spirit: The Greek words <pnuema ‘agion – pneuma hagion> are from Hebrew <vdq hwr – ruach kodesh> which translate as holy spirit. In this work, the term ruach kodesh (roo-akh khodesh) is utilized by the author’s preference.
• Forms of Judah: Judaea is transliterated back into Hebrew as Yehudaea, Jew as Yehudi, Jews as Yehudim, and Judah as Yehudah. Judas (again, Yehudah) is transliterated stylistically as Yehudas to make the betrayer of Yeshua more easily identifiable for the English reader.
• Forms of the Adversary: The words “Satan” and “the devil” in the KJV are replaced in the CKJV by the Hebrew word hasatan when it refers to the character “the satan – the adversary,” and the term “demon” is used when referring to evil, afflicting spirits.
• Modernized English: The archaic English active case suffix “–eth” (receiveth, knocketh, seeketh, etc.) is replaced with the modern English equivalent (receives, knocks, seeks, etc.).
• Extraneous Conjunctions: Conjunctions and conjunctive phrases (and, then, and it came to pass, etc.) that are extraneous and confusing to the chronological flow have been expunged from the text to avoid an inaccurate perception of the passage of time within the event calendar itself. Every word of the original text has been arranged chronologically, and each author’s autography is contained within the specific event. All passage of time has been taken into account in the chronology, and the narrative flow has been preserved.
• Divine and Secular Dating: The terms BCE and CE are used in this work, not because they describe the Common Era but because of their accuracy in drawing attention to the Common Error in conventional chronology. Yeshua was not born in the year -1, +1, or the nonexistent year 0, therefore all dates reckoned by BCE and CE are for convenience rather than acknowledging any point of accuracy. All secular dates are expressed in the Julian calendar mode, which is the official time clock of astrophysics in antiquity and was in use more than forty years before the birth of Yeshua. Calendar dates calculated From Creation are expressed as FC. All Biblical calendar dates are determined by the Astronomically and Agriculturally Corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar with lunar illumination percentages calculated by the computations of NASA as interpreted by Biblical Astronomer Robert Scott Wadsworth. The beginning of the yearly calendar is determined in the land of Israel according to the historic parameters documented by the International Aviv Search Team under the supervision of Hebrew University Karaite scholar Nehemia Gordon.
I. The Origin, Birth, and Childhood of Yeshua and Yochanan (John)
< 1 > Introduction and Background
Yeshua Messiah and Yochanan ben Zecharyah
The Gospel of John takes us back to the beginning of beginnings before the physical universe was spoken into existence – the ultimate genealogy of Yeshua Messiah.
The Gospel of Luke documents – in chronological order – the beginnings and the earthly ministries of both Yeshua as the Son of Man and Yochanan ben Zecharyah as the prophet who comes in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to prepare the way of YHVH. Luke continues his chronological record of Yeshua’s ministry in “The Acts of the Apostles,” which details the events leading up to the conclusion of Yeshua’s seventy-week ministry, which culminated on the final event of the Spring Feasts of YHVH – Shavuot (Pentecost).
[The Gospel of Mark commences with “the beginning of the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah” in his role as a servant – no genealogical background is needed to serve. Mark confirms Luke’s chronological order.]
The Gospel of Matthew begins by detailing the genealogical credentials of the Messiah as the King from Heaven through Miriam, his only earthly parent, and a direct descendant of the royal lineage of King David through Solomon. Matthew does not record events in chronological sequence, but paints the picture of the King who lays down the rules of his everlasting Kingdom with broad, sweeping strokes. Matthew’s detailed account begins soon after he joins the company of disciples in the late spring.
Matthew 1:1 — Mark — Luke 1:1-4 — John 1:1-18
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with YHVH, and the Word was YHVH. 2The same Word was in the beginning with YHVH. 3All things were made by him, and there was nothing made without him. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The Light shone into the darkness, but the darkness could not overcome the Light.
6There was a man sent from YHVH whose name was Yochanan ben Zecharyah. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not the Light, but bore witness to the Light, 9 the true Light, which enlightens every man who comes into the world. 10He made the world and he came into the world, but the world did not know him. 11He came unto his own people, but they did not receive him. 12But as many as believed in him and received him, to them he granted the authority to become sons of YHVH, 13who were begotten, not according to bloodline, nor according to the desire of the flesh, nor according to the determination of man, but according to the will of YHVH alone. 14The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. We witnessed his judgment, as the judgment of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15Yochanan bore witness of him, and proclaimed: “This is he of whom I spoke, ‘He that comes after me is greater than I am, for he was before me.’” 16From his magnificent majesty we have all received grace upon grace. 17The Torah was given by grace through Moshe (Moses), the reality and grace came through Yeshua Messiah. 18No man has ever seen the Almighty, yet the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known.
Luke 1:1 Honored and beloved of YHVH [theophilus], seeing that many have endeavored to record a narrative of the things which are with certainty believed among his disciples, 2and even as they set their hand to the task (which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word) 3it also seemed good to me, having an accurate understanding, to document these things in chronological order from the very beginning. 4This I have done so that you might become thoroughly acquainted and absolutely certain about the things in which you have been instructed.
Matthew 1:1 This is the scroll of the genealogy of Yeshua Messiah, the son of David, the son of Avraham.
< Note 1 > Relevance of the Creator’s Calendar
The Gospel narrative and the timing of the Feasts of YHVH
The Chronological Gospels begin their narrative with the Gospel of Luke, which details the events surrounding the birth of Yochanan, the son of the elderly priest Zecharyah and his wife Elisheva, both from the lineage of Aaron. In order to understand the chronological information given in the book of Luke, we must understand the Creator’s reckoning of time that frames the Temple service, the order of the priestly courses in the Temple service, and how they both relate to the Feasts of the LORD.
The Creator’s reckoning of time, as indicated in the Scriptures, determines each day by our observance of the solar cycle. The reckoning of the new day begins at sunset (Gen 1:5 “The evening and the morning were the first day”). Israelite culture, since time immemorial, has likewise borne witness to the fact that the first day of the new week begins at sunset at the end of the Sabbath (the seventh day). Those cultures which have attempted to deliberately divorce themselves from the Creator’s reckoning of time by creating some other calendar (such as the 10 day “week” of the French humanist revolution) have all returned to that which was initiated in the beginning. Though it is impossible to prove that the seven day week has remained in unbroken sequence since creation, or even Mount Sinai, the Sabbath that Yeshua and the nation of Israel kept has remained in an unbroken sequence long before the first century CE. The accuracy of this fact is beyond dispute as the Julian calendar of the 1st century BCE is still the time clock of astrophysics and is accurate to better than one millionth of a day. Furthermore, if the king from heaven found no need to correct the weekly Sabbath while he was on earth, but kept it with inviolability, it would be the acme of arrogance to correct him.
The reckoning of the month is governed by our observance of the lunar cycle. The new month begins when the first sliver of the new moon is sighted in the land of Israel. The biblical definition of “new moon” differs from the modern astronomical term which pinpoints the instant that the earth, moon, and sun are all in alignment, or conjunction – a mathematical moment in time that cannot be observed from earth, only calculated. The biblical definition of new moon comes from the Hebrew word khodesh, which literally means “renewed.” Khodesh refers to the light of the moon being renewed after a period of darkness. The moon is always 50% illuminated from space, unless it is eclipsed by the shadow of the earth passing between the sun and the moon, but from our vantage point on earth, the illumination of the moon is observed in a continuous cycle. That cycle is approximately 29.530587 days from one mathematical conjunction to the next. This basically means that each lunar month, from the sighting of the first sliver of one new moon to the next, will be either 29 or 30 days. If the moon is not sighted at the end of the 29th day it is, by default, a full 30-day month. The sighting of the renewed moon, however, is an atmospheric event rather than an astronomical event. Shepherds and priests alike had to be able to determine the day of the month without consulting NASA or a Babylonian astrolabe. The biblical new moon and the new month (both English terms are one word and one concept in the Hebrew language) are based on the observation of celestial bodies rather than mathematical calculations.
The great breakthrough in astrophysics in the past two decades is that we can choose a precise terrestrial coordinate and run the celestial time clock back to any moment in time and determine how much of the moon was illuminated from that location. NASA’s claimed accuracy for lunar illumination is better than one-ten-thousandth of a percent – far beyond the distinguishing capability of the human eye. This means that we can pinpoint the day upon which each one of the Feasts of the LORD occurred during the life and ministry of Yeshua. We can determine, with heretofore unimagined precision, the very day that Yeshua healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the Sabbath day that he taught in the Capernaum synagogue on the Last Day and the Resurrection, the Sabbath day that he healed the man born blind at the feast of Hanukkah, the day of his death and the day of his resurrection three days and three nights later. What we had to acknowledge as guesswork nearly forty years ago when embarking on this adventure of deciphering the chronological events of the Gospels, we can now calculate with exactitude. The only element that we cannot determine with absolute certainty are the seasonal atmospheric conditions that could obscure an otherwise observable moon – but that can only rarely put us off by a single day, and that would be corrected at the beginning of the next month.
It is worthy of note that the science of astronomy still uses the Julian calendar in determining ancient celestial events – the same calendar that was used throughout the Roman Empire in the days of Yeshua. Most historic events in ancient times were marked by their relation to the position of heavenly bodies. We can now roll back the celestial clock and decode these dates with precision. The Julian calendar, initiated on January 1, 45 BCE, has now been accurately synchronized with the Creator’s astronomical calendar to within one-ten-thousandth of a second for times in antiquity – and both calendars were in use in Israel when Yeshua walked the Roman roads that still crisscross the Galilee today. NASA’s claimed accuracy is better than one-ten-millionth of a day for the 6,000-year duration that man has been on the planet, and these are the calculations used throughout this work. All secular dates in this work are expressed in the Julian calendar mode and are cross-referenced with the Creator’s calendar.
The reckoning of the new year is governed by our observance of the lunar and agricultural cycles in the land of Israel. The new year begins when the first sliver of the renewed moon coincides with the time that the barley crop reaches the stage of maturity referred to as aviv. This is why the Hebrew Scriptures refer to the first month of the year as “the month of the aviv” (the definite article the is in every extant Hebrew text). In the month in which the barley is aviv, we must keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at which time we are required to make an offering of the Firstfruits of the barley harvest (Exodus 12:2; 34:18). Until the barley reaches the stage of aviv, we cannot declare the first month of the year. An “additional month” is occasionally added to the end of the calendar year to allow more time for the barley to ripen so that it can be ready to offer in the Temple on Yom haBikkurim (Day of Firstfruits) during the Feast of Unleavened bread. This is the very reason that our Creator commanded us to “observe (shomer – guard and protect) the month of the aviv” (Deuteronomy 16:1) just as we were commanded to shomer the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:12).
Though the pagan solar calendar and the biblical lunar calendar vary in the amount of days in the year, both have a reckoning of their new year each spring; hence, one thousand years on the solar calendar is equal to one thousand years on the Creator’s lunar calendar – those years simply begin at a different time each year. There have been many well meaning, yet erroneous calculations performed by using fractional adjustments between the 365 ¼ day solar year and a 360 day biblical year. However, a 360 day year never occurs on the Creator’s calendar. Furthermore, prophecy students will do well to recognize that there are never 42 months in a three-and-one-half-year period nor are there only 1,260 days in forty two months. In that period of time there will always be at least one Adar Bet – a “thirteenth month” to allow for the solar and lunar calendars to stay synchronized, and this additional month is determined each spring by the state of the barley crop in Israel. A 360 day year is a linguistic device that accurately states the passage of time to those who know how to determine each day, week, month, year, Sabbath year, and Jubilee year. The Creator instructed us to watch the heavens – and the earth – to determine his times and his seasons. It can not, was not, and never will be a simple mathematical calculation by which the Almighty runs the universe – we must rely on him to fulfill his prophetic calendar and adjust his Divine time clock.
Now that the understanding of the agricultural term aviv has been restored in the land of Israel during the past two decades, we can calculate the parameters for the aviv in antiquity according to its relationship to a mathematical moment in the solar cycle now referred to as the vernal equinox. Even though the Babylonian solar concepts of equinox and solstice are not in Scripture, we do understand that barley is a phototropic spring crop that ripens according to the amount of sunlight that it receives. From years of scientific analysis in the Land of Israel, we can now say that if the new moon at the end of the twelfth month occurs so many days before the equinox, the barley will never be aviv. We can also say that if the new moon at the end of the twelfth month occurs so many days after the equinox, the barley will always be aviv. We can also say with confidence that if the new moon at the end of the twelfth month appears between certain dates, we are absolutely certain that we will not be able to tell in advance whether the barley will be aviv or not. Reality has repeatedly proven us wrong in our speculative yearly forecasts concerning the aviv. That is why the Creator tells us to watch his signs in the heavens and on the earth before we make concrete plans for the future – and that is why our yearly Astronomically and Agriculturally Corrected Biblical Hebrew Calendar never goes to press before the new moon of the aviv barley in the Land of Israel. For a more thorough understanding of the restoration of the Creators Calendar in the land of Israel over the last 20 years, see the Resource list at the back of the volume.
< 2 > Zecharyah serves in the Temple according to the course of Aviyah
[Biblical Hebrew Calendar: 7th Day of the 3rd Month, 3997 FC (From Creation) – Saturday, June 2, 4 BCE]
The chronology in the Gospel of Luke begins with the Temple service of Zecharyah, a cohen of the course of Aviyah, which was the eighth of the twenty-four courses (I Chronicles 24:7-18).
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:5-7 — John
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Yehudaea, a particular cohen{1} named Zecharyah,{2} of the course of Aviyah{3}. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheva{4}. 6They were both righteous and walked blamelessly{1} in all the commandments and ordinances of YHVH.{2} 7Yet, they had no children and Elisheva was barren and they both were well advanced in years.{1}
{Lk 1:5.1} All of the members of the tribe of Levi were dedicated for Temple service, but only the family of Aaron served as cohenim (priests) in the administration of Temple offerings, and they alone were allowed admittance into the Holy Place. The Cohen haGadol (the High Priest) was the sole member of the family of Aaron who was allowed access into the Holy of Holies.
{Lk 1:5.2} The name of the Creator (YHVH) or his title (Elohim) is commonly used in their abbreviated form to make up many Hebrew names. Anglicized names ending in “iah,” such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah end with “ why” (yahu) and are more properly rendered Yeshayahu, Yirmeyahu, and Zecharyahu. It was common in the Second Temple period and in modern Hebrew to drop the last consonantal vowel “ w” (“oo” as in mood) and pronounce the end of the name as “yah,” i.e. Zecharyah.
{Lk 1:5.3} At the time of King David, the Levitical priests of the family of Aaron were divided into twenty-four courses or service divisions (I Chronicles 24:1-18). Each course served for one week, twice each year. The service courses commenced at the beginning of the Sabbath and concluded at the end of the following Sabbath, so that at least two courses were serving every Sabbath. During the three annual Feasts, which required the attendance of all adult Israelite males, all cohenim served concurrently. After the Maccabean revolt, all cohenim served during Hanukkah – the eight-day Feast of Dedication. The first course (Yehoyariv) began their service on the first Sabbath of the year in the month of the aviv. The eighth course (Aviyah) began on the seventh Sabbath day from the Firstfruits offering, which was also the forty-ninth day of the counting of the omer. The following morning, the high day of the Feast of Shavuot, the course of Aviyah was responsible for the Temple service. This is the day Zecharyah was selected to offer incense on the golden altar in the Holy Place.
{Lk 1:5.4} KJV: Elizabeth
{Lk 1:6.1} By the traditional count of the rabbis, there are 613 commandments in the Torah. Of those commandments, only a few are applicable to children, some only to women and not to men, some only to men and not to women, some only to Levites among the men, and some only pertain to cohenim serving in the Temple during specific feasts. The commandments and ordinances that directly applied to Zecharyah and Elisheva were much more specific and numerous than the commandments that applied to the average Israelite, yet in all of these commandments they were absolutely blameless. The concept that the commandments of YHVH are grievous and impossible to be obeyed is a gentile invention. The belief that keeping all of the instructions in the Torah would make a person righteous is also a gentile invention. Shaul (Paul) instructed the believers in Galatia who became deluded by the idea that a person could earn righteousness by obedience to rules: “We who are raised Jewish (and not as pagan gentiles) know that a man is not justified by works of law, but only by faith in Yeshua Messiah” (Galatians 2:15-16). As it is written, “Avraham believed YHVH, and it was reckoned as righteousness unto him” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).
{Lk 1:6.2} The Name of the Elohim (God) of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov was revealed to mankind and recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures (Exodus 3:15). The Holy Name YHVH appears at least 6,823 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, but was commonly camouflaged behind the capitalized forms “LORD” and “GOD” in the English versions of the Bible. Both “lord” and “god” are nondescript titles that are also used to designate the pagan deities of many cultures. The Pharisee rabbis restricted the use of the proper name YHVH as early as the second century BCE and forbade its use after the second century CE. As a result, the name of the Almighty fell into disuse and finally obscurity to where the correct pronunciation was lost to antiquity. Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) prophesied that the Holy Name of the Almighty would be restored in the last days, and that even the gentiles would call upon that name – to the chagrin of the religious leaders who still forbid its proper use (Jeremiah 16: 1-21). See Version Notes, page 22 for details on pronunciation.
{Lk 1:7.1} The Torah promises a fruitful womb to those who are obedient to the commandments of the Almighty (Deuteronomy 7:14). Zecharyah and Elisheva appeared to be faithful, but to their friends and family her barrenness revealed displeasure on the part of the One who sees all. Though their hope for an heir was disappointed, neither held any enmity in their hearts against the Almighty, nor toward their lot in life as servants of the congregation of Israel. They remained faithful all the days of their lives.
< 3 > Gavriel’s announcement to Zecharyah
Elisheva, the “barren one” will have a son
[8th Day of the 3rd Month, 3997 FC; Sunday, June 3, 4 BCE]
The announcement is made while Zechariah is serving in the Temple at Shavuot (Pentecost).
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:8-22 — John
Luke 1:8 Now, it came to pass while Zecharyah executed the cohen’s duties before YHVH in the order of his course,{1} 9according to the instructions concerning the responsibilities of the cohenim, the ballot fell upon Zecharyah to burn incense in the Temple of YHVH.{1} 10At that time, the entire multitude [assembled on the Temple Mount for the Feast of Shavuot] was praying in the outer court at the time of the incense offering. 11While they prayed, Zecharyah saw the angel of YHVH standing on the right side of the golden altar of incense. 12When Zecharyah saw him, he was terrified, and overcome with dread. 13But the angel said, “Fear not Zecharyah! Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Yochanan.{1} 14You will have great joy, and many will be exceedingly glad on account of his birth, 15for he will be great in the eyes of YHVH. He shall not drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit) from his mother’s womb. 16He shall turn many of the children of Israel to YHVH their Elohim. 17He shall go before YHVH in the spirit and power of Eliyahu{1} to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. He shall cause the disobedient to understand righteousness and make ready a people prepared for YHVH.”
18Zecharyah answered the angel, “How shall I father this son?{1} I am an old man, and my wife is far past her childbearing years!” 19The angel replied, “I am Gavriel. I stand in the presence of the Almighty, and I was sent to speak unto you and announce these glad tidings. 20But because you did not believe my words which shall certainly be fulfilled in their appointed time, behold, you will be deaf and unable to speak{1} until the day these things come to pass.”
21Now, the people were amazed that Zecharyah delayed so long in the Temple, 22and when he came out [to pronounce the Aaronic blessing], he could not speak. The multitude recognized that he might have seen a vision in the Temple because he motioned to them, yet he remained speechless.
{Lk 1:8.1} Each year, Zecharyah began his first tour of duty on the Sabbath preceding the High day of Shavuot. He then reported for duty six months later; just before the Feast of Hanukkah. Only on the High Sabbath of the Feast of Shavuot does the order of Aviyah have the responsibility to minister in the Temple when there is “a multitude present at the time of the incense offering.” This detail allows us to pinpoint the moment that Gavriel announced the upcoming birth of “the prophet who comes in the spirit and power of Eliyahu.” This theme repeats throughout the Gospels: The Almighty acts to fulfill His promises and His Feasts at His “appointed times.” [An alternate method for reckoning the priesthood courses was uncovered in the Dead Sea scrolls of the Essenes. This method, detailed by Eugene Faulstich in Bible Chronology and the Scientific Method, also calculates that the order of Aviyah was serving in the Temple during the Feast of Shavuot in this same year.]
{Lk 1:9.1} The honor of burning incense on the golden altar and pronouncing the Aaronic blessing over the congregation of Israel was bestowed just once in the lifetime of a cohen*. Once the lot was cast and the responsibility was fulfilled, that particular priest was no longer eligible for selection. Zecharyah was an elderly cohen who had not yet had the honor of fulfilling this priestly duty. When it appeared as though his ministry and life were almost over, Zecharyah and his wife finally received the highest calling of any cohen since the time of Moses – a messenger from the throne room of heaven announced that he and his wife would bring forth the prophet who would herald the coming of the Messiah. [*Incense of the Ketoreth: Temple Treasures Institute, Jerusalem]
{Lk 1:13.1} “Yochanan” means Yah is Merciful but is rendered in KJV as “John.” Anglicized names beginning with “J” are always to be pronounced as “Y” as there is no “J” sound in Hebrew. The original English pronunciation of the letter “J” is as a hard “Y.”
{Lk 1:17.1} “Eliyahu – YHVH is Elohim” – KJV: Elijah
{Lk 1:18.1} “How shall I know this?” (KJV) The term know <ginwskw> ginosko – Greek, <[dy> yada – Hebrew, is an idiom for sexual intimacy (Gen 4:1, 4:17, 19:8, 38:16, Matt 1:25) similar to the modern English idiom “sleep with.”
{Lk 1:20.1} The phrase dumb and not able to speak (KJV) is redundant and ignores the context. The Aramaic text reads khresh – meaning “blunted in the senses,” and can mean “deaf, dumb, blind, or lame.” From the remote context it is clear that Zecharyah was struck both deaf and dumb by the angel in response to his plea for help, “How shall I know this? I am old and my wife well stricken in years” (KJV). Zecharyah apparently had difficulty believing the words of the angel, so he asked for assistance. The last thing he heard was the promise of the angel, and the last thing he uttered was a cry for help in believing those words. For the next nine months, he could neither hear nor speak. At the circumcision of the child, “they made signs to Zecharyah,” asking him what he would name his son (v:62). They would not have needed to “make signs” if he could have heard them speak; they would have simply asked him to write the name of the child. Then Zecharyah “asked for a writing slate” (KJV). We know that he was unable to speak, so he obviously “asked” for the slate by motioning (v:63). As soon as he wrote the name “Yochanan” his mouth was opened and he prophesied.
< 4 > Zecharyah returns home
the morning after the final Shabbat service of his order is concluded
[15th Day of the 3rd month, 3997 FC; Sunday, June 10, 4 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:23 — John
Luke 1:23 And it came to pass, as soon as the days of Zecharyah’s Temple service were completed, he departed to his own house.
< 5 > Elisheva conceives a son
[4th Month, 3997 FC; July, 4 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:24-25 — John
Luke 1:24 After the days of Zecharyah’s Temple service, Elisheva conceived{1} and secluded herself for five months. 25Elisheva spoke, “This was YHVH’s plan for me! He prepared me for this very moment in which he at last looked down upon me and removed the shame and humiliation that I have suffered among my people.”
{Lk 1:24.1} Elisheva (and later Miriam) probably conceived about two weeks after the new moon. It has been observed in primitive cultures, where there is no artificial light or electromagnetic interference with the natural environment, women commonly ovulate at the time of the full moon.* Under these conditions, the timing of the conception of both Elisheva and Miriam would have facilitated the delivery of their sons on the High Sabbaths of the two primary Feasts of YHVH – Passover and Tabernacles – as prophetic shadow pictures of good things to come.
*Melatonin, menstruation, and the moon: Cohen, Sari ND, http://www.encognitive.com/node/12275
< 6 > Gavriel’s announcement to Miriam
Last day of Hanukkah – the Feast of Lights
[Shabbat, 2nd Day of the 10th Month, 3997 FC; Saturday December 22, 4 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:26-38 — John
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month of Elisheva’s pregnancy,{1} the angel Gavriel was sent from YHVH to a village in the Galilee named Natzeret,{2} 27to a virgin named Miriam{1} (a descendant of King David), who was betrothed to a man named Yoseph ben Eli (also a descendant of David). 28The angel came to Miriam and said, “Rejoice, highly favored one! YHVH is with you! Blessed are you among women!” 29When Miriam saw him, she was greatly troubled by his greeting and searched her mind as to the meaning of this salutation.
30And the angel said to her, “Miriam, fear not! You have found grace with the Almighty.{1} 31Now, listen very carefully; you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him YESHUA AHM[[wvy]. 32He shall be highly esteemed, and his title shall be ‘Son of the Highest.’ YHVH Elohim shall give unto him the throne of his father David, 33and he shall reign over the house of Yaakov forever – and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
34Miriam asked the angel, “How can this be? I have never been intimate{1} with a man.” 35The angel replied, “The Ruach Kodesh{1} will descend upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you.{2} Therefore, the holy one who will be born of you shall be called ‘the Son of Elohim.’ 36Listen carefully. Your cousin Elisheva, who was called ‘the barren one,’{1} has conceived a son in her old age. She is now in the sixth month of her pregnancy. 37With the Almighty, nothing is impossible.” 38Miriam said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of YHVH; let it be done according to your word.” The angel then departed.
{Lk 1:26.1} This is the sixth month of Elisheva’s pregnancy (the tenth month, about December – January) not the sixth month of the year (approximately August – September). Verse 24 states that Elisheva “secluded herself for five months – and in the sixth month…” In verse 36 the angel told Miriam that this was “the sixth month with Elisheva,” not “the sixth month of the year.” Some have attempted to construe an alternate chronology by insisting that this is the sixth month of the year – a mathematical impossibility according to the order of the priesthood courses. Verse 56 reports that Miriam stayed with Elisheva “about three months,” leaving just before Elisheva delivered at the beginning of Passover.
{Lk 1:26.2} “Natzeret is rendered in the KJV as Nazareth. Miriam is from the village of “Natzeret,” which is derived from “netzer,” a word describing a shoot that grows out of the root system of an olive tree, but springs up at a later time and somewhat distant from the original trunk. The village of Natzeret was settled by descendants of King David who probably moved from the Beit Lechem area during the Greek occupation of Judaea. They named their village after the recognition that they were a “shoot” springing forth from the original root of the tree of Jesse, but at a distant place and time. Elisheva, Miriam’s cousin, still lived near the ancestral village of Beit Lechem (See Matthew 2:23).
{Lk 1:27.1} “Miriam” is rendered in the KJV as “Mary.” Miriam’s lineage through her father Yoseph ben Yaakov through the kingly line of David is detailed in Matthew 1:1-17. The lineage of Miriam’s husband Yoseph ben Eli through David’s son Nathan, is detailed in Luke 3:23-38.
{Lk 1:30.1} The title “God” in the KJV New Testament is a translation of the Greek word theos, which is a nondescript title commonly used of pagan deities. The honorably singular title “the Almighty” is the editor’s title of choice to render references to the Holy One when the name YHVH or the title “Elohim” is not clearly implied by the text.
{Lk 1:34.1} “I know not a man.” (KJV) The term “know” is a Hebrew idiom for sexual intimacy (Gen 4:1, 4:17, 19:8, 38:16, Luke 1:18).
{Lk 1:35.1} The Hebrew phrase “ruach hakodesh” literally translates into English as “holy the spirit.” In Greek this became “hay pneuma hagion.” Whereas KJV renders ruach and subsequently pneuma as Ghost (which historically is used of disembodied evil spirits), in this work “the Ruach Kodesh” and alternately “the Holy Spirit” is utilized by the author’s preference.
{Lk 1:35.2} The figure of speech employed euphemistically expresses that the male seed that begets her child will be created in her by the Almighty through a supernatural act using natural law. Woman was created in such a way as to never pass her blood to her offspring. The nutrients from the mother’s blood pass through the placenta and are picked up by the blood of the child, but the blood never crosses the placental barrier. Yeshua’s blood, from his father’s seed, was without contamination.
{Lk 1:36.1} Elisheva was called “barren” by the community. This was a harsh judgment on her life and on the ministry of her husband; however, just as with Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah, the Almighty had a plan to vindicate his faithful handmaiden.
< 7 > Miriam hastily departs to see “The Sign”
Miriam stays for nearly three months and returns home in the month of the aviv
[~1st Week, 10th Month, 3997 FC; December, 4 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:39-56 — John
Luke 1:39 In those days, Miriam arose and departed with haste into a village in the hill country of Yehudaea. 40And it came to pass, that as Miriam entered the house of Zecharyah and saluted Elisheva, 41at the moment that Elisheva heard the greeting of Miriam, the babe leaped in her womb. Elisheva overflowed with the Ruach Kodesh 42and cried out, “You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43But why am I so favored that the mother of Adonai comes to visit me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who believed the things which were told to her from YHVH, for they shall surely be fulfilled.”
46Miriam cried out, “My soul glorifies YHVH! 47My spirit rejoices in YHVH my Deliverer! 48He has considered his lowly handmaiden, and from this day forward, all generations shall call me blessed. 49The Mighty One has accomplished magnificent things in me. Holy is his name YHVH. 50His mercy is upon those who reverence and obey him from generation to generation. 51He has shown the strength of his arm and has scattered those who are proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. 53He has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty. 54In remembrance of his mercy, he has helped his servant Israel, 55just as he promised to our fathers, to Avraham and to his seed forever.”
56And Miriam abode with Elisheva nearly three months, and then returned to her father’s house in Natzeret.
< 8 > The birth of the son of Zecharyah and Elisheva
on the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
[15th Day of the 1st Month (month of the aviv barley), 3998 FC; March 31, 3 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:57-58 — John
Luke 1:57 Now Elisheva’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.{1} 58Her neighbors and relatives heard how YHVH had shown great mercy to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
{Lk 1:57.1} From the time that the Prophet Malachi (4:5-6) declared that Eliyahu must come before the great and dreadful Day of YHVH, Jewish families have been setting a place of honor for him at the Passover table. Each year during the Passover Seder, a child opens the door to see if Eliyahu has come to join them. After a few moments he returns to the table with the news that their expectation has been temporarily disappointed. In some orthodox traditions, an elder takes wine from Eliyahu’s cup and sprinkles it onto Eliyahu’s plate while awaiting the child’s return. When the child comes to the table with the news, the elder announces, while pointing to the soiled plate, “Eliyahu came, but we were asleep!” Yochanan ben Zecharyah (John the Baptist) – the cohen of the lineage of Aaron – the prophet who was to come in the spirit and power of Eliyahu – was born on the very night that the Israelites had been setting a place for him at the Passover table. Most of Israel was truly sleeping at that time. In the future, however, another Eliyahu will come as one of the two witnesses during the Day of YHVH, spoken of by the prophet Yochanan in the book of the Revelation.
< 9 > The brit milah of Yochanan
The circumcision and naming of Yochanan ben Zecharyah haCohen (the priest)
[22nd Day of the 1st Month, 3998 FC; Monday, April 8, 3 BCE]
Order of verses are altered to insert Zecharyah’s prophecy chronologically
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:59-64, 67-79, 65-66 — John
Luke 1:59 And it came to pass on the eighth day after his birth that they came to circumcise the child. When they called him Zecharyah, after the name of his father, 60his mother said, “No! He shall be called Yochanan.” 61But they said to her, “None of your relatives are called by that name.” 62So they made signs to Zecharyah, asking him what he would name his son. 63He motioned for the writing slate, and wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” All the people marveled 64when Zecharyah’s mouth was immediately opened and he spoke [for the first time in over nine months] and praised YHVH, 67and overflowing with the Ruach Kodesh, Zecharyah prophesied:
68“Blessed be YHVH Elohim of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69and has raised up for us a horn of salvation from the house of his servant David. 70As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginning of the age, 71that we shall be saved from our enemies and rescued from the hand of all those that hate us. 72He has performed the mercy he promised to our fathers and has remembered his holy covenant; 73the oath which he swore to our father Avraham 74that he would grant us deliverance out of the hand of our enemies. That we might serve him without fear, 75and stand before him in holiness and live in righteousness all the days of our lives.”
76“And you, little child, you will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of YHVH to prepare his way. 77You will give the knowledge of salvation to his people through the forgiveness of their sins, 78through the tender mercy of our Elohim whereby the rising sun{1} from heaven has visited us 79to give light to those who sit in the darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
65Now when these things were enthusiastically reported throughout all the hill country of Yehudaea, a great reverence and respect came upon all who dwelt there. 66Those who heard these words pondered them in their hearts and said, “What will become of this little child?” And the hand of YHVH was with him.
{Lk 1:78.1} The “dayspring” (KJV) is figurative of the “rising sun,” and is also referred to as the “Day Star,” or literally, “the Sun.” The prophet Malachi stated, “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2). The word “wings” is k’nafaim in Hebrew: the vertical appendages are the tzit-tzit on the four corners of the tallit, the woven, one-piece garment worn over the Haluq (Numbers 15:38-41). The rabbinic sages (learned elders of Israel) agreed that “the Sun of Righteousness” referred to the Messiah, and just as the sun was created on the fourth day, it was fervently expected that the Messiah would also appear on the fourth day – or in the fourth millennium. In retrospect, we see the realization of this Messianic prophecy and the accuracy of the sage’s expectation. Yeshua was born at the end of the fourth millennium – in the year 3998 from creation – two and a half years before the beginning of the fifth millennium. The rabbis, however, having rejected the true Messiah who actually did heal all those who took hold of the wings of his tallit, instead posthumously awarded the Messianic title to King Hezekiah, who was also born in the fourth millennium [Talmud Sanhedrin 94a].
< 10 > Summary: Yochanan ben Zecharyah’s first twenty-seven years
Hunted by Herod, orphaned in the wilderness, led by the Ruach Kodesh
Luke’s first summary statement
Matthew — Mark — Luke 1:80 — John
Luke 1:80 The little boy grew and was made strong in the Spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the day he was presented to Israel.
< 11 > The Genealogy of Yeshua
From the royal line of King David through Miriam’s father Yoseph ben Yaakov
The genealogy of Yeshua through his only earthly parent Miriam is detailed in Matthew’s account of the origin of the “king from heaven.” The Messiah must be from the lineage of King David (Jeremiah 23:5). Though translations derived from the Greek text of Matthew confuse the genealogy, the Ancient Hebrew text of Matthew’s Gospel, from which the Aramaic and, later, the Greek were translated, clearly details Miriam’s lineage through her father Yoseph ben Yaakov through the kingly line of David through Solomon. Luke’s Gospel, on the other hand, details the lineage of Miriam’s husband Yoseph ben Eli through David’s son Nathan. Luke’s lineage is inserted directly after Matthew’s genealogy for comparison. It is clear that the Yoseph ben Yaakov mentioned in Matthew 1:16 and the Yoseph ben Eli cited in Luke 3:23 (which is the Yoseph who is Miriam’s husband in Matthew 1:19) are two different men with two distinct genealogical lines back to David – yet they both bear a very common Israelite name. A woman marrying a man with the same first name as her father is very common in every culture – this led a careless translator into profound error.
Matthew 1:1-17 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 1:1 This is the scroll of the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Avraham. 2Avraham begat Yitzhak; and Yitzhak begat Yaakov; and Yaakov begat Yehudah and his brothers; 3and Yehudah begat Peretz (and Zerach of Tamar); and Peretz begat Chetzron; and Chetzron begat Ram; 4and Ram begat Aminadav; and Aminadav begat Nachshon; and Nachshon begat Salmon; 5and Salmon begat Boaz (of Rachav); and Boaz begat Oved (of Ruth); and Oved begat Yishai; 6and Yishai begat David the king.
David the king begat Shlomo (of Batsheva, the former wife of Uriyah); 7and Shlomo begat Rechavam; and Rechavam begat Aviyah; and Aviyah begat Asa; 8and Asa begat Yahushafat; and Yahushafat begat Yoram; and Yoram begat Uziyahu; 9and Uziyahu begat Yotam; and Yotam begat Ahchaz; and Ahchaz begat Hezkiyahu; 10and Hezkiyahu begat Manashe; and Manashe begat Amon; and Amon begat Yoshiyahu; 11and Yoshiyahu begat Yechan’yahu and his brothers about the time they were being exiled to Babylon.
12After they were exiled to Babylon, Yechan’yahu begat Sh’altiel; and Sh’altiel begat Zerubavel; 13and Zerubavel begat Avihud; and Avihud begat El’yakim; and El’yakim begat Azur; 14and Azur begat Tzadok; and Tzadok begat Yachin; and Yachin begat Elihud; 15and Elihud begat El’ezar; and El’ezar begat Matan; and Matan begat Yaakov; 16and Yaakov begat Yoseph, the {AHM}father{1} of Miriam, of whom was born Yeshua, who is called Messiah.
17So all the generations from Avraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the exile into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the exile into Babylon unto Messiah are fourteen generations.
{Mt 1:16.1} {AHM}father – The Peshitta Aramaic texts of Matthew 1:16 (which was translated from a latter Greek text) indicates that Miriam’s gevra (mighty man) was named Yoseph, and Matthew 1:19 specifies that Miriam’s ba’ala (husband) was also named Yoseph. Yoseph is a very common name in Israel. Miriam’s husband Yoseph had three grandfathers with the same name. This undoubtedly led the translators to make “a mistake of familiarity,” thinking that the two “Yosephs” of verses 16 and 19 were one and the same. The Greek translators chose to render both Aramaic words gevra and ba’ala as the Greek word aner, which simply means “a person of full age.” The English translators then chose to translate the singular Greek word aner as “husband.” This created a fatal mathematical error in the Greek and English texts, because it left only thirteen generations “from the carrying away into Babylon until Messiah,” while the text itself states that there are fourteen generations listed. In Aramaic, gevra technically means “mighty man” and is commonly used to refer to the elder patriarch of the family, but it can refer to the “husband” if he is the oldest male of the household. Both the immediate and greater context of Matthew 1:16 demand that gevra be translated as “Yoseph, the father of Miriam” for the following reasons:
• The genealogy of Miriam’s husband Yoseph ben Eli, Yeshua’s supposed father, is clearly stated and detailed by Luke.
• Yoseph ben Eli’s ancestors in Luke’s genealogy, though they are descendants of David, are not heir to David’s throne but are descendants of Nathan.
• Miriam’s husband, Yoseph ben Eli, is not related to Yeshua except as a distant Davidic relative of his mother; Yoseph is only Yeshua’s stepfather and legal guardian.
• Miriam is Yeshua’s only earthly parent and, as such, must be a direct descendant of the royal line of King David.
• The Gospel of Matthew, which depicts Messiah as the King, documents Yeshua’s genealogical claim to the throne of David, whereas the Gospel of Luke, which depicts Messiah as the “Son of Man,” records his supposed lineage as Yoseph ben Eli’s supposed illegitimate son.
• When Yoseph ben Yaakov is accurately identified as Miriam’s father in Matthew 1:16, it puts Miriam in the thirteenth generation from the Babylonian captivity. This puts her son Yeshua in the fourteenth generation. The Greek text reports that Yeshua is the fourteenth generation, but it did not correctly identify Yoseph ben Yaakov as the father (as opposed to the husband) of Miriam. Even a novice can readily see that the Greek genealogy of Yeshua (and all subsequent translations) are in obvious error because they do not add up to fourteen generations.
There is only one ancient Biblical source that maintains the correct lineage of Yeshua, through his mother, to King David – and that is the ancient Hebrew Matthew that has been preserved in Jewish archives. As of Yom Kippur, 2012, twenty-eight separate manuscripts of ancient original language Hebrew Matthew have been discovered, fourteen of them by Karaite scholar Nehemia Gordon who discovered the two texts cited below. In two of the oldest manuscripts of the Ancient Hebrew Matthew copied into the appendix of Shem Tov Ibn Shaprut’s “Even Bochan” we have the accurate lineage of Yeshua that shows his direct ancestral path to the throne of David – “Yoseph avi Miriam” – Yoseph the father of Miriam of whom was born Yeshua. The words, “yoseph avi miriam” are highlighted in these two manuscript photographs.
Two of the most ancient Hebrew texts of Matthew’s Gospel accurately maintaining the royal lineage of Yeshua: “Yoseph avi Miriam”
Pantaenus, Clement of Alexandria, Cyril, Epiphanius, Eusebius, Irenaeus, Origen, and Jerome, early church historians of the second to fourth centuries, all concurred with the statement of Papias, Yochanan’s disciple, that “Matthew wrote his Gospel in the Hebrew language and several did their best to translate it” (Ecclesiastical History 3:39 – Eusebius). It is apparent that the Greek version of the book of Matthew was not translated from the Hebrew original but from secondary Aramaic manuscripts, because words and phrases in Aramaic, rather than Hebrew, remain intact within the body of the Greek text. Greek quotations from the Tanach that appear in Matthew are not derived from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, but are evident translations or paraphrases from the Aramaic version of Matthew’s Gospel. Conversely, the ancient Hebrew text of Matthew’s Gospel contains verbatim quotes from the Hebrew Tanach, and most of the indecipherable constructions in the Greek text are simple Hebrew figures of speech that could not be accurately reflected by the Greek language or culture.
It must be noted that not every generation is listed in Matthew’s genealogy – but all those that are listed are numbered. The genealogical line is intact, even though the names of three successive kings are missing from the listing. This can be easily verified by comparing Matthew’s list with the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. The three kings were deliberately omitted from the record so that each of the three sections would add up to fourteen. Matthew’s numeration is designed to build a Masorah – a mathematical fence around the genealogy of the Messiah to protect it for future generations. This device is also used in the Tanakh. In Zechariah 1:1 Zecharyah is listed as the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, but in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14, Zecharyah is listed as the son of Iddo, completely omitting the generation of his father, Berechiah.
< INSERT 1> The genealogy of Miriam’s husband
The genealogy of Yoseph ben Eli, Miriam’s husband and Yeshua’s stepfather, through David’s son Nathan, is inserted into the Chronological Gospels at this point for side-by-side comparison with the genealogy of Miriam’s father, Yoseph ben Yaakov. It is repeated in its original location after the mikveh of Yeshua when a Bat Kol (a voice from heaven) witnessed that he was the Son of Elohim, and not the illegitimate child of Yoseph ben Eli (Miriam’s husband) as was supposed by the general public.
Matthew — Mark — Luke 3:23-38 — John
Luke 3:23 Yeshua commenced his ministry, having not yet reached his thirtieth year of age, being, as was generally supposed, the son of Yoseph, who was the son of Eli, 24who was the son of Mattat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Malki, who was the son of Yanah, who was the son of Yoseph, 25who was the son of Mattityahu, who was the son of Amotz, who was the son of Nachum, who was the son of Chesli, who was the son of Nagai, 26who was the son of Machat, who was the son of Mattityahu, who was the son of Shimei, who was the son of Yoseph, who was the son of Yodah, 27who was the son of Yochanan, who was the son of Reisha, who was the son of Zerubavel, who was the son of Shaltiel, who was the son of Neri, 28who was the son of Malchi, who was the son of Ahdi, who was the son of Kosam, who was the son of Elimodan, who was the son of Ehr, 29who was the son of Yeshua, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Yorim, who was the son of Mattat, who was the son of Levi, 30who was the son of Shimon, who was the son of Yehudah, who was the son of Yoseph, who was the son of Yonam, who was the son of Eliyakim, 31who was the son of Malah, who was the son of Manah, who was the son of Matata, who was the son of Natan, who was the son of David, 32who was the son of Yishai, who was the son of Oved, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Nachshon, 33who was the son of Aminadav, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Chetzron, who was the son of Peretz, who was the son of Yehudah, 34who was the son of Yaakov, who was the son of Yitzhak, who was the son of Avraham, who was the son of Terach, who was the son of Nachor, 35who was the son of S’rug, who was the son of Ra’u, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Ehver, who was the son of Shelach, 36who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arpachshad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noach, who was the son of Lemech, 37who was the son of Metushelach, who was the son of Chanoch, who was the son of Yered, who was the son of Mahalal’el, who was the son of Cainan, 38who was the son of Enosh, who was the son of Shet, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of Elohim.
< 12 > The marriage of Yoseph ben Eli & Miriam bat Yoseph
Legally finalized but not consummated until after Yeshua is born
[Spring - 3998 FC; 3 BCE]
Matthew 1:18-25a — Mark — Luken — John
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Yeshua transpired in the following manner: At the time that his mother Miriam was espoused to Yoseph ben Eli, but before they came together in marriage, it became obvious that she was with child (but by the Ruach Kodesh). 19Then Yoseph, her husband, being a righteous man yet not willing to make her a public example, was considering how to divorce her privately. 20But while he considered these things, the angel of YHVH appeared unto him in a dream, saying, “Yoseph, son of David, do not fear to take Miriam as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Ruach Kodesh. 21She will bear a son, and you will name him Yeshua, because yoshia [he will save]{1} his people from their sins. 22Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by YHVH through the prophet Yeshayahu,{1} 23“Behold, a virgin [almah – young maiden] will be with child and will bring forth a son, and they will call him by a name which declares that ‘Elohim is with us’ [Immanuel].”{1} 24Then Yoseph, being awakened from his sleep, did as he was commanded by the angel of YHVH, and he took Miriam as his wife, 25yet, he did not know her intimately until after she had brought forth her firstborn son…
{Mt 1:21.1} Hebrew: Yeshua (YHVH saves) yoshia (he will save). Yeshua yoshia is a typical Hebrew word pun found throughout the Ancient Hebrew Matthew, attesting to its Hebrew origin. Hebrew word puns only appear in Hebrew originals. Neither the Greek nor the Aramaic texts give us a reason why his name would be called Yeshua – clarifying the fact that neither Aramaic nor Greek was the language that was spoken by Gavriel nor written by Matthew.
{Mt 1:22.1} “Yeshayahu” is rendered in the KJV as “Isaiah.”
{Mt 1:23.1} Isaiah 7:14 This prophecy was originally fulfilled as the wife or “young maiden” of Yeshayahu conceived and delivered their child. In the subsequent fulfillment, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, the almah was actually a virgin, or maiden who had never known a man intimately. A conception and birth of this miraculous magnitude was foreshadowed in Sarah’s conception of Yitzhak – and the angel’s statement to Miriam that “nothing is impossible with YHVH.” Three hundred years after the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled, and three hundred years before Matthew wrote his record, the Septuagint translated the almah of Isaiah 7:14 as parthenos (chaste – virgin). Parthenos is the same word used by later Greek translators to render the almah of the Hebrew Matthew.
< 13 > The decree of Caesar Augustus
[3 – 2 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:1-3 — John
Luke 2:1 It came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all subjects of the empire must be registered.{1} 2This enrollment was conducted when Cyrenius was serving as an administrative official in Syria.{1}
3To fulfill this obligation, everyone was required to register at their ancestral village.
{Lk 2:1.1} In the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Caesar Augustus (3 - 2 BCE), by the command of Rome, all subjects of the empire were required to register their support in naming the “Divine Emperor” Octavius Augustus the “Father of the Roman Empire” which was approved by the Roman Senate on February 5, 2 BCE.
Statue of Caesar Augustus in Rome that was sculpted in 2 B.C.E. upon the occasion of naming him “Patri Patriae”
Far more significantly, by the commandment of YHVH, all Israelite males are required to “go up” to the Feasts of YHVH three times a year. Yoseph registers with Rome in Bethlehem at his convenience when he takes his pregnant wife Miriam up to the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) as the two cities are only 5 miles apart.
{Lk 2:2.1} Cyrenius served two terms as an administrative official (governor) in Syria. The first time was to oversee this regional registration.
< Astronomical Observation >
First of seven conjunctions of “his star;” Chaldean astronomers observe “his star” in the east and prepare to travel west
I. Tzedek (Jupiter) comes into conjunction with Nogah (Venus) as it proceeds toward Melek (Regulus)
[19th Day of the 5th Month, 3998 FC; Thursday, August 1, 3 BCE]
< 14 > Astronomical observation: second conjunction
II. The “Great Sign” in heaven
Astronomers observe “his star” Tzedek (Jupiter) as it comes into conjunction with Melek (Regulus) between the feet of Ariyeh (the Lion)
[The Day of Trumpets; 1st Day of the 7th Month, 3998 FC; Thursday, September 12, 3 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John — Revelation 12:1-2
Revelation 12:1 There appeared a great sign in heaven: a woman{1} clothed with the sun, the new moon under her feet, and above her head a crown of twelve stars. 2Being great with child, she cried, agonizing in labor, about to give birth.
{Rev 12:1.1} Just after sunset on September 12, 3 BCE, while the sky was clothed with the last rays of the setting sun, the first sliver of the new moon (4% illuminated, 7 degrees above the horizon) appeared beneath the feet of the constellation of the woman Betulah (Hebrew), which means “virgin,” or Virgo (Latin). At that moment, in the constellation of Ariyeh (the Lion) above her head, the planet Tzedek (the Righteous) came into conjunction with the star Melek (the King) that is astronomically positioned between the front feet of the Lion. The sighting of the new moon that evening announced the Day of Trumpets, and the astronomical display in the constellation above the head of the woman heralded the upcoming birth of the Righteous King – the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Robert Scott Wadsworth, A Voice Crying in the Heavens). The “Great Sign” in heaven occurred as Miriam herself was about to give birth. Just fifteen days later, at the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, she brought forth “the man child who was to rule all nations.” On the first day, the high Sabbath of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Word was made flesh and “tabernacled” (dwelt – KJV) among us (John 1:14).
< 15 > Yoseph and Miriam “go up” to Jerusalem for the Feast of Sukkot
They also register for the Roman census in the nearby village of Beit Lechem
Both being netzerim of the house of David, Yoseph and Miriam are undoubtedly familiar with Micah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be born in their ancestral village Beit Lechem (Bethlehem).
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:4-6 — John
Luke 2:4 Because Yoseph was of the house and lineage of David, he left the village of Natzeret in the Galilee and went up to Beit Lechem, the village of David in Yehudaea, to register for the census, 5and he took his espoused wife Miriam, who was great with child. 6It came to pass that, while they were there, the time was fulfilled for her child to be delivered.
< 16 > The Word was made flesh and “tabernacled” among us
Yeshua is born in a sukkah on the High Sabbath of the Feast of Sukkot
[Sukkot - 15th Day of the 7th Month, 3998 FC; Thursday, September 26, 3 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:7-20 — John 1:14
John 1:14 The Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.
Luke 2:7 Because there was no room for them in the village inn, Miriam gave birth to her firstborn son in a sukkah.{1} She wrapped him in swaddling cloths{2} and laid him there. 8In the area there were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9The angel of YHVH approached them, and the glory of YHVH shone round about them, and the shepherds became extremely fearful. 10The angel said, “Do not fear! Listen to me! I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be for all people. 11Today, in the village of David, our Deliverer, the Messiah, is born. 12This shall be a sign to you: you shall find the babe, lying wrapped in swaddling cloths in a sukkah.” 13And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising the Almighty, and saying, 14“Glory to YHVH in heaven, and on earth; shalom and Divine favor upon men.”
15After the angels departed into heaven, the shepherds said, “Let us now go to Beit Lechem and see this thing which the Almighty has made known to us.” 16So they immediately departed, and found Miriam and Yoseph with the babe, who lay wrapped in swaddling cloths in a sukkah.{1} 17After they had witnessed this sign, they heralded abroad all those things which were told to them concerning the child. 18All that heard their report marveled at the things which were told to them by the shepherds. 19But Miriam deeply pondered all these things in her heart. 20The shepherds returned from the sukkah glorifying and praising YHVH for all the things that they had heard and seen, and it was just as it had been told to them by the angels.
{Lk 2:7.1} Primarily because the specific details of the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) are foreign to Western culture, the word “manger” has been inventively interpreted as everything from an animal stall to a pig feeding trough. However, during Sukkot all males from their thirteenth year and upward are required to build and live in temporary shelters – tabernacles or mangers (sukkot – Hb., phatne or skene – Gk.) – for seven days. The birth of Yeshua took place on the first day of the Feast of Sukkot. Miriam, being a pregnant woman, was not required to live in a sukkah during the Feast, but since the Bethlehem inn was filled, she brought forth her firstborn son in a sukkah. “The Word was made flesh and tabernacled (sukkah-ed) among us” (John 1:14) as an intermediate fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Genesis 33:17 (NIV) likewise records that “Yaakov made temporary shelters for his flocks; therefore, the name of the place was called Sukkot.”
{Lk 2:7.2} A child of the king and potential heir to the throne was salted and swaddled as part of the initial dedication of the child and in recognition of the parents’ responsibility to raise the child according to the straight path (Ezekiel 16:4). Soon after birth, the child was washed with salted water and bound in the swaddling cloths with all of his limbs made straight. The parents prayed over the child in a short ceremony of thanksgiving and dedication, vowing to raise the child in a straightforward and upright manner. Swaddling cloths were made from the priests’ garments that were no longer serviceable. This cloth was used for the wicks in the Temple menorah and for swaddling the sons of kings. There is little doubt that Elisheva, the wife of the cohen Zecharyah, would have coveted the opportunity to provide the swaddling cloths for this momentous event.
{Lk 2:16.1} The shepherds found the “newborn” <breqoj> brethos Messiah at the very time he was wrapped in these swaddling cloths and lying in a sukkah near Beit Lechem – literally “house of bread”. The astronomers from the East will arrive one year, two months, and six days after the birth of Yeshua, and they will find the “young child” <paidion - paidion> in the house (beit – Hb., oikia – Gk.) where the family is then residing.
< 17 > The brit milah of Yeshua
Yeshua is circumcised and named on the High Sabbath of the Last Great Day
[The Last Great Day – 22nd Day of the 7th Month, 3998 FC; Thursday, October 3, 3 BCE]
Matthew 1:25b — Mark — Luke 2:21 — John
Luke 2:21 When eight days were fulfilled, they circumcised the child and named him Yeshua, just as he was named by the angel before he was conceived.
Matthew 1:25b …and Yoseph named him Yeshua.
< 18 > Yeshua is “redeemed” in the Temple
Miriam is purified with the “poor man’s offering” on her fortieth day;
Shimon and Hannah prophesy at the time
Yeshua is presented for redemption
[24th Day of the 8th Month, 3998 FC; Monday, November 4, 3 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:22-38 — John
Luke 2:22 When the forty days of Miriam’s purification according to the Torah of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Yeshua to Yerushalayim to present him to YHVH. 24They offered a sacrifice for Miriam’s purification, according to the Torah of YHVH, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.{1}
25There was a man in Yerushalayim whose name was Shimon. He was righteous and devout, and he awaited the coming of the Comforter of Israel, and the Ruach Kodesh was upon him. 26It was revealed to him by the Ruach Kodesh that he would not see death before he had seen the Messiah of YHVH. 27It came to pass that Shimon came by the Spirit into the Temple when Miriam and Yoseph brought in the child Yeshua to redeem him according to the instructions of the Torah. 23As it is written in the Torah of YHVH, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called kadosh [holy] to YHVH.”{1} 28Then Shimon took him up in his arms and blessed the Almighty, saying, 29“YHVH, now let your servant depart in peace according to your word, 30for my eyes have seen your salvation [yeshua], 31which you have prepared before the face of all mankind. 32A light to illuminate the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
33Yoseph and Miriam marveled at those things which were spoken by Shimon. 34And Shimon also blessed them, and said to Miriam, “Listen carefully. This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for an ensign which shall be spoken against. 35Truth, a sword shall also pierce through your very soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
36There also came in a prophetess, Hannah, the daughter of Peniel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her only husband for seven years, 37and now widowed nearly eighty-four years. She never left the Temple, but served night and day with prayer and fasting. 38She came in at that very moment and also gave thanks unto YHVH, and spoke about Yeshua to all of those in Yerushalayim who anticipated the coming redemption.
{Lk 2:24.1} Leviticus 12:1-8 Miriam’s post-partum purification offering was presented to the priest at the gate before she was allowed to go into the Temple.
{Lk 2:23.1} Exodus 18:15-16 The redemption price for the firstborn was presented to the priest in the Temple. Verse 23 is inserted after verse 27, as it refers to the redemption of the child in the Temple rather than Miriam’s purification offering cited in verse 24.
< 19 > Summary: Torah commandments are fulfilled
Luke’s second summary statement
This statement summarizes the events surrounding Yeshua’s birth. After all the requirements of the Torah were fulfilled, they eventually returned to Natzeret, but not before their escape into Egypt, which occurs over a year later. Matthew documents the visit of the Chaldean astronomers, which was prompted by the astronomical signs in the heavens that announced the birth of the King of the Yehudim. Upon their return from Egypt they planned to return to Beit Lechem, but were diverted into the Galilee because of trouble with Herod’s son Archelaus. They returned to their hometown in the Galilee where Yeshua grew to manhood.
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:39 — John
Luke 2:39 And when they had performed all the requirements according to the Torah of YHVH, they returned to the Galilee to their own village, Natzeret.
<Astronomical observation>
Third conjunction
III. “His star” Tzedek - the Righteous (Jupiter) comes into conjunction with Melek (the King)
[11th Day of the 12th Month, 3998 FC; Monday, February 17, 2 BCE]
<Astronomical observation>
Fourth conjunction
IV. “His star” Tzedek - the Righteous (Jupiter) comes into conjunction with Melek (the King)
[3rd Day of the 2nd Month, 3999 FC; Thursday, May 8, 2 BCE]
<Astronomical observation>
Fifth conjunction
V. “His star” Tzedek - the Righteous (Jupiter) comes into conjunction with Nogah (Venus)
[14th Day of the 3rd Month, 3999 FC; Tuesday, June 17, 2 BCE]
<Astronomical observation>
Sixth conjunction
VI. “His star” Tzedek - the Righteous (Jupiter) comes into a mass conjunction with Kobab (Mercury), Nogah (Venus), and Ma’adim (Mars)
[26th Day of the 5th Month, 3999 FC; Wednesday, August 27, 2 BCE]
<Astronomical observation>
Seventh conjunction
VII. “His star” Tzedek - the Righteous (Jupiter) comes into conjunction with Nogah (Venus)
Astronomers soon leave Babylon in the east for Yerushalayim in the west
[13th Day of the 7th Month, 3999 FC; Monday, October 13, 2 BCE]
< 20 > Chaldean Astronomers arrive in Jerusalem
Astronomers meet with Herod, then rest on the Sabbath
[21st Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Friday, December 19, 2 BCE]
Matthew 2:1-8 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:1 After Yeshua was born in Beit Lechem of Yehudah, in the days of Herod the king, Chaldean astronomers{1} from the east{2} came to Yerushalayim, 2saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Yehudim? We have seen his star in the east and have come to pay homage to him.”
3When Herod the king heard these things, he and all Yerushalayim were troubled. 4He gathered all the leading cohenim{1} and sages of Israel together and demanded them to reveal where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said unto him, “In Beit Lechem of Yehudah – as it is written by the prophet, 6“And you Beit Lechem, in the land of Yehudaea, are not the least among the princes of Yehudah; for out of you shall come a governor who shall rule my people Yisrael.”{1}
7Herod privately called the astronomers and diligently inquired of them, “When did his star first appear?” 8Then he sent them to Beit Lechem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also come and render honor to him.”
{Mt 2:1.1} The timing of the astronomers’ arrival in Yerushalayim is based on their pre-dawn observation of “his star” standing directly over Beit Lechem on the morning of their leaving Yerushalayim [Astronomical Observation <21 >]. The Greek word magi is a common term for astronomers from the land of Chaldea. Daniel, Chananyah, Azaryah, and Misha’el were among the members of the royal family who were trained in the Torah and Hebrew astrophysics in Yerushalayim. As captives of Babylon, they were also trained in Chaldean mathematics, science, and astronomy. Daniel was the overseer of all the astronomers in Babylon for more than sixty years. He was made an extremely wealthy man three different times during his tenure as the satrap, or under-ruler, for three different kings, yet having been made a eunuch, he had no direct descendant to whom he could bequeath his wealth. Daniel was given very specific Divine revelation concerning the timing of the coming of the Messiah, some of which he made public, and some of which he was instructed to hide. Apparently, some of the information was for him alone to understand and act upon. When the Judeans were allowed to return to rebuild Yerushalayim in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes (457 BCE), most of the Jews stayed behind in Babylon (Mordechai and Hadassah [Esther] among the most famous). There is little doubt that many of the Jewish astronomers, secure in their prestigious positions, continued to flourish in Babylon. So what happened to Daniel’s treasure? Who originally left detailed instructions and financial provision for the journey of the astronomers? How did they know what signs to look for in the heavens that would announce the birth of the Messiah? Who set aside the treasure that was laid at the feet of the Messiah? And who directed the movement of the stars and planets so that the treasure would arrive on the very day that it would be needed for their flight into Egypt and their continued sustenance? Obviously, someone of wealth and power who had received Divine revelation and supernatural motivation prepared the provisions for the future King of Israel and financed the journey of the astronomers – and the Almighty directed both the heavenly bodies and Daniel in their courses.
{Mt 2:1.2} The Chaldean astronomers came from the east when they saw “his star” in the east, yet they traveled west to Yerushalayim. They were obviously not following a low-flying “Bethlehem Star”; rather, they were following instructions passed down to them by someone who understood “the signs in the heavens” that would announce the birth of the King of the Judeans. Without a rudimentary understanding of astronomy, the details recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures might appear ludicrous to the untrained reader, and historical events benchmarked on notable celestial conjunctions would have been indecipherable.
{Mt 2:4.1} Note: Although there was but one legitimate Cohen Gadol (High Priest), there were about twenty “chief priests,” who had major responsibilities governing the Temple service during the second Temple period.
{Mt 2:6.1} Micah 5:2
<Note 2> Zecharyah serves with all the cohenim during Hanukkah week
[22nd Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Saturday, December 20, 2 BCE]
All priests are on duty on the Sabbath preceding the Feast through the end of the Feast
(see events <2-3> for details on the course of Aviyah and Zecharyah’s service interval).
< 21 > Astronomical observation: Eighth conjunction
VIII. Astronomers see “his star in the rising” in their pre-dawn observations
[23rd Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Sunday, December 21, 2 BCE]
“His star” is positioned directly over Beit Lechem as viewed from Herod’s palace (modern Jaffa Gate) in Jerusalem - the astronomers leave immediately for Beit Lechem with great joy over this propitious celestial event.
Matthew 2:9-10 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:9 After they heard the king, they departed.{1} In the east they beheld the star which led them, and it came to the point in the heavens and fixed itself directly over Beit Lechem, where the young child was. 10And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
{Mt 2:9.1} More than a year after their first sighting of “his star” and the great sign in the heavens which announced the birth of “The Righteous King, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” the astronomers arrived at the city gates of Jerusalem a few days before Hanukkah with their lavishly appointed caravan. After their interview with Herod, the temporal king in Judaea, they would have rested on the Sabbath and then made their pre-dawn astronomical observations just before leaving for Beit Lechem on the first day of the week. To their amazement, “his star” was in retrograde motion and appeared to be fixed in the heavens directly over their destination. This final sign in the heavens – on the very morning of their arrival – was the source of exceeding great joy (Wadsworth, A Voice Crying in the Heavens).
< 22 > Astronomers present their gifts to the King
Immediately after presenting their gifts, the astronomers defy Herod and return to Babylon
[23rd Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Sunday, December 21, 2 BCE]
Matthew 2:11-12 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:11 When they came into the house and saw the young child with Miriam his mother, they bowed down before him. And when they opened their coffers, they presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.{1} 12But having been warned by the Almighty in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another route.{1}
{Mt 2:11.1} These are the three traditional gifts presented to royalty. The pure oils of frankincense and myrrh were more valuable than their weight in gold. Note that there are three types of gifts offered, not three astronomers. These men would not have been “wise men” but “fools” to journey through the wilderness without being escorted by a large, heavily armed caravan. There may have been a dozen or more Jewish astronomers who took part in this historic journey from Babylon to Yerushalayim, as well as many times more armed guards guaranteeing their safety.
{Mt 2:12.1} Beit Lechem is less than five miles (8 kilometers) from Herod’s palace in Yerushalayim. The astronomers would have arrived at the house within an hour of their departure. The dream that warned them of Herod’s treachery most likely occurred on the Sabbath. They defied Herod’s instructions to notify him of the child’s whereabouts and departed immediately for Babylon by the southern route, avoiding the commonly traveled route past the city gates of Yerushalayim.
< 23 > Yoseph, Miriam, and Yeshua flee to Egypt just before Hanukkah
[24th Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Monday, December 22, 2 BCE]
Matthew 2:13-15 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:13 After the astronomers departed, the angel of YHVH appeared to Yoseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. Stay there until I bring word because Herod is scheming to destroy the young child.” 14Yoseph arose and departed that night, taking the child and Miriam into Egypt{1} 15where they remained until the death of Herod. Thus it was fulfilled which was spoken by YHVH through the prophet Hoshea saying, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.”{1}
{Mt 2:14.1} The gifts of the astronomers would finance their journey and allow them to get resettled in the land after their flight to Egypt. Luke records that Yoseph and Miriam presented the poor man’s sacrifice when Yeshua was taken to the Temple on his fortieth day. This indicates that they were quite poor at the time and, obviously, not yet in possession of the treasure of the astronomers. These gifts may have also partially financed Yeshua’s ministry.
{Mt 2:15.1} Hoshea (11:1) was literally referring to Israel’s exodus from Egypt by figuratively referring to the nation of Israel as His “son.” As a prophetic utterance, Hoshea’s words were fulfilled when Yeshua, who was literally the Son of Elohim, was called out of Egypt by the angel Gavriel.
< 24 > Herod orders the “slaughter of the innocents” in and around Beit Lechem
Male children in a stated age range are executed at the order of Herod
[Hanukkah – 25th Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; Tuesday, December 23, 2 BCE]
Matthew 2:16-18 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:16 When Herod realized that he was deceived by the astronomers, he was filled with rage, and he ordered the execution of all children in Beit Lechem and the surrounding area, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.{1} 17This was the fulfillment of the word spoken by the prophet Yirmeyahu, 18“In Rama there was heard a voice of lamentation, weeping, and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they were no more.”{1}
{Mt 2:16.1} The phrase “from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men” gives us the parameters for both the signs in the heavens that the astronomers were witnessing and the time frame for the birth of the Messiah. The astronomers arrived in Yerushalayim about one year and four months after the first astronomical sign (August 1, 3 BCE) and one year, two months and six days after the birth of Yeshua (Tishri 15, 3998 – September 26, 3 BCE). Newborns, as well as children in their third year and older, were most likely exempt from the execution order. Given the meager size of the population around Beit Lechem, the relatively small number of children that would have fit the execution profile and the large number of people whom Herod and the Romans were accustomed to killing on a whim, it is doubtful that this slaughter of children would have warranted much notice outside of the immediate area.
{Mt 2:18.1} Both Yeshua and Yochanan were living in the hill country of Judaea in the vicinity of Beit Lechem just before Herod’s execution order was issued. They were both in their second year. Yeshua was born in quiet obscurity with only a handful of shepherds hearing the announcement by the angel. Yochanan, on the other hand, was born as a result of a miraculous announcement to an old priest serving in the Temple on the High Day of Shavuot. Zecharyah, his father, was struck deaf and dumb, and the multitude of the congregation of Israel were present to witness his malady. At the time of Yochanan’s circumcision, when Zecharyah’s mouth was opened, he cried out a prophecy concerning his son that was then “noised about throughout all the hill country of Judaea.” (Luke 1:65-79) In the political world of Yerushalayim, there was only one obvious candidate for the Messiah, Yochanan ben Zecharyah, the cohen – the miracle child of the fourth millennium. Herod would not be able to rest until the son of Zecharyah was dead.
Yochanan was filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb. The “little child” lived in the wilderness, eating the diet of a homeless nomad (kosher grasshoppers and honey), and was in seclusion until the day his ministry began (the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar – 26 CE). The details raise the question, “Why did he need to be led by the Spirit as a child, and where are his aged mother and father?” In Luke 11:51 and Matthew 23:35, Yeshua refers to a man named Zecharyah who was murdered between the altar and the Temple. The Greek translations of Matthew 23:35 presumptuously added the phrase “the son of Barachias,” while the ancient Hebrew Matthew text is identical to Luke’s account and does not equate this Zecharyah with the prophet of old. This particular Zecharyah was murdered in the Temple court. While it is possible that Yeshua is referring to the execution of the prophet in II Chronicles 24:20-21, it probably refers to the relatively recent execution of Yochanan’s father, Zecharyah the cohen, for which the Temple guard was directly responsible, according to the Protoevangelion of James (see <Note 3>).
< Note 3 > Herod commands the Temple guard to execute Zecharyah
[Feast of Hanukkah – 25th Day of the 9th Month, 3999 FC; December 23, 2 BCE]
Zecharyah is murdered while serving in the Temple during Hanukkah and Elisheva flees with their child, who remains secluded in the wilderness for the next twenty-seven years.
[[The Protoevangelion of James 16:3-16]]
The ancient extra-biblical volume The Protoevangelion of James (preserved in Latin, maintained in Rome, and justifiably suspect in some areas) records the execution of Zecharyah by the Temple guards under the authority of Herod. This also fits with events <142> and <174>. The following record from The Protoevangelion of James is offered for your consideration.
Protoevangelion 16:3 [[…Elisheva, hearing that her son Yochanan was about to be sought, took him and went up into the mountains, looking for a place to hide him, 4but there was no secret place to be found. 5Then she groaned within herself, and said, “O mountain of YHVH, receive the mother of this child,” 6for Elisheva could not climb up. 7Immediately the mountain was divided and received them, 8and there appeared to them an angel of YHVH to preserve them. 9But Herod made search after Yochanan, and sent servants to Zecharyah when he was ministering at the altar, and said unto him, “Where have you hidden your son?” 10He replied to them, “I am a minister of YHVH and I am serving at the altar. How should I know where my son is?” 11So the servants went back and told Herod everything.
Herod was incensed, and said, “Is not this son of his likely to become king of Israel?” 12He sent his servants once again to speak to Zecharyah, “Tell the truth! Where is your son? Do you realize that your life is in my hands?” 13So the servants went and told him all these things. 14But Zecharyah replied to them, “I am a witness for the Almighty, and if Herod sheds my blood, God will receive my soul, 15and you also will have shed innocent blood.” 16Nevertheless, Zecharyah was murdered between the altar and the entrance of the Temple.]]
<Astronomical observation: lunar eclipse>
IX. Josephus’ testimony: Herod executed two beloved rabbis on the lunar eclipse that shortly preceded Herod’s death
[12th Day of the 10th Month; 3999 FC; Friday, January 10, 1 BCE]
The lunar eclipse of January 10, 1 BCE is the only astronomical event in a ten-year period that fits with every biblical and Roman record and produces no contradictions. Chronologists and stargazers, both past and present, select lunar eclipses that may well fit their fanciful interpretations of the Bethlehem “star,” but every other eclipse of this decade produces irreconcilable problems with the biblical text and Roman historical records, and produces fatal mathematical errors.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John — Josephus
Antiquities XVII.149 [Herod executed] two of the most eloquent men among the Jews, and most celebrated interpreters of the Jewish laws, and men well beloved by the people because of the education of their youth; for all those who were studious of virtue frequented their lectures every day.
Antiquities XVII.167 Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt alive the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his other accomplices. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon.
< 25 > Herod dies and Yoseph is commanded to return to Israel
[Spring 4000 FC; 1 BCE]
Matthew 2:19-20 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:19 When Herod was dead,{1} the angel of YHVH appeared in a dream to Yoseph in Egypt, 20saying, “Rise up; take the young child and his mother and return to the land of Yisrael, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
{Mt 2:19.1} Josephus records the following historical information that allows us to pinpoint the year of Herod’s death, the timing of the slaughter of the infants in Beit Lechem, and the year Yeshua was born. Some secular historians, ignorant of the timing of the Feasts of YHVH during the second Temple period, date Herod’s death according to lunar eclipses that are mathematically and astronomically unsupportable.
1. Herod had two rabbis burned alive on the night of a lunar eclipse. (This event occurred on the night of January 10, 1 BCE, and was less than a month after the children of Beit Lechem had been executed.)
2. Soon after the rabbis were executed, Herod became ill and traveled to the hot baths at the Dead Sea.
3. Growing increasingly ill, Herod retired to Jericho.
4. While at Jericho, Herod received a letter from Caesar Augustus giving him the choice to either exile or execute Herod’s problematic son Antipater.
5. Herod changed his will, bequeathing the rule of Judaea to his son Archelaus.
6. Herod had Antipater executed, and five days later Herod died.
7. Archelaus held a lavish funeral and mourned Herod’s death for seven days.
8. Fearing a revolt, Archelaus slaughtered three thousand Pharisees on the Temple Mount and cancelled Passover that spring.
9. Archelaus was called to Rome to answer for his brash and destabilizing actions.
10. A rebellion resulted in Judaea, and the Caesar called General Varus out of Syria to quash the uprising.
According to the chronology available in the Scriptures, the Roman records, and the astronomical observations, we can determine the following chronology:
1. Herod’s death occurred after he had executed the children in Beit Lechem (you can’t kill anyone when you are dead).
2. Herod ordered the death of all children “two years and under according to the time that he diligently inquired of the magi” (Matthew 2:16), so…
3. The “great sign in the heavens” – “his star” – had to have appeared one to two years before the execution of the children in Beit Lechem, hence…
4. Yeshua had to have been born in the year 3-2 BCE – one to two years before Herod’s death…
5. The lunar eclipse of January 10, 1 BCE was the only lunar eclipse within a ten-year parameter that fits every biblical, Roman, and astronomical record. The eclipses that occurred several years before, which are used by those who want to support their favorite “Bethlehem star,” have Yeshua being born 6 to 7 BCE and beginning his ministry in 27 CE at 35 years rather than “nearing (but not having yet reached) 30 years of age” as precisely stipulated in Luke 3:23.
< Note 4 > Archelaus rules in his father’s place
After Herod’s death Archelaus slaughters 3,000 Pharisees and disrupts Passover
[1st Month (Month of the Aviv), 4000 FC; April, 1 BCE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John — Josephus
Antiquities XVII.217-218 Archelaus thought the whole situation impossible to salvage, except by checking the crowd’s impulse to such a thing. So he sent out his whole army, including the [Roman] cavalry, to prevent those who were camped around Jerusalem from aiding those who were in the Temple. Now the cavalry killed about 3000 men but the rest went up into the hills that lay nearby. So Archelaus proclaimed that all should return to their homes. Even those who were venturesome from lack of education left the feast [of Passover], giving it up in fear of greater harm.
< 26 > Yoseph, Miriam, and Yeshua return from Egypt
Intending to settle in Beit Lechem but finding trouble in Yehudaea, Yoseph returns to the village of Natzeret in the District of the Gentiles
[Spring 4000 FC; 1 BCE]
Matthew 2:19-23 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 2:19 When Herod was dead,{1} the angel of YHVH appeared in a dream to Yoseph in Egypt, 20saying, “Rise up; take the young child and his mother and return to the land of Yisrael, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21So Yoseph arose and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Yisrael, 22but when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Yehudaea in place of his father Herod, Yoseph was afraid to go there. He was also warned by the Almighty in a dream to go around Yehudaea and into the region of the gentiles,{1} 23so he went to live in the village of Natzeret. This fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a netzer.”{1}
{Mt 2:22.1} Isaiah 9:1-2 refers to “galilee of the nations” or the region of the gentiles, which would be an eyewitness of the great light of the Messiah.
{Mt 2:23.1} The prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah 11:1) prophesied that there would be “a branch that shoots forth out of the stump of the family tree of Jesse and out of its roots, a netzer will spring forth.” A netzer is a branch that grows out of the original root system but springs up at a later time and somewhat distant from the original trunk. The prophets tell us that the Messiah, the son of David, will be a tzemach (a branch) out of the trunk of David. But Isaiah tells us something very specific about that tzemach, in that he will be a netzer. The netzer will grow up out of the original root but will be removed in time and place from the original family tree of King David. The village of Natzeret in the Galilee (Gentile) region of Northern Israel was inhabited primarily by the family of David. Both Miriam, who was of the bloodline of King David through his son Solomon, and her husband Yoseph, who was of the bloodline of King David through his son Nathan, grew up in Natzeret among their distant relatives. The people of Natzeret most likely settled in the area during the Greek occupation of Israel. They named their village in recognition of their identity as a “shoot” springing forth from the original root of the tree of Jesse at a distant place and time. Both Miriam and Yoseph had relatives in Beit Lechem, which made it easy to live there after the birth of Yeshua until they had to flee to Egypt. Upon their return from Egypt, their intention was to return to Beit Lechem, but they were given Divine instructions to return to Natzeret.
< Note 5 > General Varus suppresses the Jewish revolt
[Summer - 4000 FC; 1 BCE]
Rome sends General Varus from Syria to quell the riots resulting from Archelaus’ Passover massacre. This occurred while Archelaus was in Rome to secure his father’s throne.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John — Josephus
Antiquities XVII.222 When Archelaus sailed off to Rome and Varus went to take care of Antioch, Sabinus advanced on Jerusalem and took the king’s possessions.
Antiquities XVII.295 But Varus sent part of his army around the countryside, seeking those to blame for the revolt. And when they were pointed out, he punished those who were guilty. There were also those he pardoned, but 2000 happened to be crucified because of this accusation.
< 27 > Summary: Yeshua Grows up in Natzeret
Luke’s third summary statement
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:40 — John
Luke 2:40 The child grew and was strengthened in spirit. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of YHVH was upon him.
< 28 > Yeshua “goes up” to Jerusalem for the Passover
Yeshua astonishes the Torah scholars gathered at Jerusalem for the Feast
[Passover: 15th – 21st Day of the 1st Month, 4010 FC; 10 CE]
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:41-51 — John
Luke 2:41 Every year Yeshua’s parents went up to Yerushalayim for the Passover. 42When he was twelve years old, they all went up to Yerushalayim according to the commandment.{1} 43When they had fulfilled the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, they returned home, but Yeshua tarried in Yerushalayim, and Yoseph and his mother did not realize it. 44They went a day’s journey, supposing that he was among the caravan before they began searching for him among their relatives and neighbors. 45When they could not find him, they immediately returned to Yerushalayim and began seeking him there.
46Finally, after three days of searching, they found him sitting in the Temple amongst the Torah sages, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone that heard him was astonished at his understanding and his answers. 48But when at last his parents found him, they were amazed, and his mother said, “Son, why have you dealt with us in this way? Look at us! Your father and I have searched for you with great anguish!” 49Yeshua replied, “How is it that you sought me?{1} Did it not occur to you that it behooved me to be in my father’s house?”{2} 50But they did not fully understand what he was telling them. 51Yeshua went down from Yerushalayim with them and returned to Natzeret and was obedient to them. His mother quietly kept all of these things in her heart.
{Lk 2:42.1} Deuteronomy 16:16
{Lk 2:49.1, 2} Yoseph and Miriam had traveled an entire day without even checking to see if Yeshua was with them. At the end of the day they panicked when they realized he was not in the caravan. They immediately returned to Yerushalayim and searched for him for the next three days and, no doubt, sleepless nights. When they found him in the Temple, they understandably lashed out at him, but he responded with a very simple question: HOW did you search for me? Their method of searching for him was the only thing that he questioned – not their right or responsibility to do so. They were the ones who had left him behind. Yeshua went to the Temple where he would be safe and cared for by the priests on duty. He had been in the Temple the entire time “in my Father’s house”{2} and had to wait four days for them to finally look for him there. Where did they look for him during those days? If it had occurred to them to look in the Temple as soon as they got back to Yerushalayim, they would have saved themselves a lot of grief. They were understandably upset and were not thinking clearly. (They probably did not have the T-shirt to prompt them: WWJD?) Verse 51 instructs us that Yeshua was neither belligerent nor disobedient. He returned with them to Natzeret and continued to be subject to them. The KJV translates evn toi/j tou/ patro,j mou dei/ einai, me – “I must be about my father’s business,” but there is no word business in the text. The NAS, NIV, and MRD all render it “I had to be in my father’s house” and supply the word house, which is consistent with the context.
< 29 > Summary: Yeshua matures into a young man in Natzeret
Luke’s fourth summary statement
Matthew — Mark — Luke 2:52 — John
Luke 2:52 And Yeshua increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with YHVH and man.
The incident at the Temple in Yerushalayim gives us all the information we need concerning Yeshua’s formative years. At the age of his bar mitzvah, his understanding of the Torah and the Prophets and his answers to the most difficult questions of Torah law utterly confounded the sages of his day. The Greek version relates that Yeshua’s understanding was existemi – “completely beyond the comprehension” of the Torah sages. Yeshua expounded the Scriptures in a manner that left them awestruck. There is nothing more that needs to be said until the day of his mikveh seventeen years later.
II. From the Mikveh (Shevat 4026) to Passover Preparations
Introduction to the Gospel of the Kingdom and the ministry of Messiah
The Gospel of Luke documents – in chronological order – the ministry of Yeshua as the son of man. After introducing the ministry of Yochanan ben Zecharyah and detailing Yeshua’s mikveh (baptism), forty-day fast, and temptation in the wilderness, Luke is silent for the next three months until Yeshua leaves Jerusalem after the Feast of Shavuot when he learns of Yochanan’s imprisonment. He returns to the Galilee, where he begins teaching in the Pharisee synagogues. Luke closes his Gospel at the ascension but continues his chronological record of Yeshua’s ministry in “The Acts of the Apostles.” There, Luke details the events leading up to the conclusion of Yeshua’s seventy-week ministry, which culminated on the final day of the Spring Feasts of YHVH – Shavuot (Pentecost), when he mikveh-ed (baptized) his disciples with the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel of Mark commences with “the beginning of the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah” in his role as the servant – no genealogical background is either provided by Mark or needed to serve. After a brief introduction of Yochanan, Mark summarizes the mikveh, fast, and temptation of Yeshua. He then picks up Yeshua’s ministry activities three months later when he begins teaching in the Galilee after Shavuot. Mark confirms Luke’s chronological order.
The Gospel of Matthew does not record events in exact chronological sequence, but it paints the overall picture of the King who lays down the rules of his everlasting Kingdom. He details the mikveh, forty-day fast, and the temptation in the wilderness, and then is silent until summarizing Yochanan’s imprisonment and Yeshua’s subsequent impact in the Galilee after the Feast of Shavuot. Matthew was present for the “sermon on the mount” and begins his detailed account soon after as he joins the company of disciples in the late spring.
The Gospel of John begins forty days after Yeshua’s mikveh, with Yochanan ben Zecharyah’s testimony to the Levites and cohenim. The following day, Yeshua came out of the wilderness and Yochanan announced Yeshua as “the Lamb of God” and the day-to-day record of his activities continues until the end of the Feast of Shavuot when Yeshua finds that Yochanan has been imprisoned. John’s record pauses as Matthew, Mark, and Luke pick up the narrative when Yeshua departs into the Galilee and begins teaching in the Pharisee synagogues. John will then join the other Gospel authors to record the one miracle that allows us to synchronize the entire Gospel chronology: the feeding of the five thousand at the end of the summer, two days before the Feast of Trumpets. John closes his record with the declaration, “Yeshua is the Messiah, the son of God.”
< 30 > Yochanan ben Zecharyah haCohen calls for the mikveh (baptism) of repentance on the banks of the Jordan river
[ Winter - 4026 FC; 15th year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar: 26 - 27 CE]
Matthew 3:1-12 — Mark 1:1-8 — Luke 3:1-18 — John
Matthew 3:1 In those days Yochanan ben Zecharyah came preaching in the wilderness of Yehudaea, 2saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” 3This is he that was spoken of by the prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah), saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of YHVH: make his paths straight.’” 4Yochanan had his garments of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey.{1} 5Then Yerushalayim, all Yehudaea, and all the kingdom around the Yarden went out to him 6and were mikveh-ed (immersed){1} by him in the Yarden, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Prushim (Pharisees) and Zadokim (Sadducees){1} come to his mikveh, he said to them, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come, you generation of vipers? 8Bring forth fruits indicative of repentance, 9and do not think to say within yourselves, ‘Avraham is our father!’ I say to you, that YHVH is able of these stones to raise up children to Avraham. 10The axe is now laid to the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be hewn down and cast into the fire. 11I indeed mikveh you in water AHM{in this day of} repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose. He will mikveh you with the fire of the Ruach Kodesh. 12His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will thoroughly purge his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his grain bin, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
{Mt 3:4.1} Yochanan did not live in civilized society. He ate the diet of a nomad in the wilderness of Judaea, where he lived, and was instructed by the Holy Spirit (with which he was filled “from his mother’s womb” Luke 1:15). Locusts (grasshoppers) are kosher and especially delicious when roasted over the fire and dipped in honey (Leviticus 11:20-23).
{Mt 3:6.1} The word “baptize” is a transliteration of the Greek word baptidzo, which is laden with pagan connotations. Yochanan was doing that with which every Israelite was familiar from birth, the “mikveh,” which literally means “running water” and was part of the ongoing practice of repentance, cleansing, and renewal. The mikveh is always complete immersion in running water and was most often done in private. The mikveh is unrelated to the pagan practice of baptism, which usually consists of sprinkling water upon the initiate by a priest. Even though the Temple and every synagogue in every community had a mikveh, Yochanan was calling for a public demonstration of repentance completely outside the religious systems of both the Zadokim priesthood, which conducted the Temple service, and the Prushim (Pharisee) synagogue system – both of which were operating outside of the commandments that Moses had delivered to Israel.
{Mt 3:7.1} Please read The Gospel of the Kingdom Declared in the Introduction, which details essential information concerning the Prushim and Zadokim.
Mark 1:1 This is the beginning of the Gospel of Yeshua Messiah, the Son of Elohim. 2As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which will prepare your way before you. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of YHVH; make his paths straight.’” 4Yochanan mikveh-ed in the wilderness and preached the mikveh of repentance for the remission of sins. 5All the land of Yehudaea and they of Yerushalayim went out to him, confessing their sins, and were mikveh-ed by him in the river Yarden. 6Yochanan was clothed with camel’s hair and with a girdle of leather about his loins. He ate locusts and wild honey, 7and preached, saying, “There comes one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8I mikveh you with water, but he shall mikveh you with the Ruach Kodesh.
Luke 3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,{1} Pontius Pilate was governor of Yehudaea,{2} and Herod was governor of Galilee, and his brother Philip was governor of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis,{3} and Lysanias was the governor of Abilene. 2Annas and Caiaphas were the High Priests.{1} At that time, the word of YHVH came unto Yochanan ben Zecharyah haCohen (the Cohen) in the wilderness, 3and he came into the country all around the Yarden, preaching the mikveh of repentance for the remission of sins. 4As it was written in the scroll of Yeshayahu the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of YHVH – make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of YHVH.’”
7Then Yochanan said to the multitude that came forth to be mikveh-ed of him, “You generation of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, and do not even start in your imagination to say, ‘Avraham is our father!’ I tell you, that YHVH is able of these stones to raise up children to Avraham. 9Now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree which does not bring forth good fruit will be hewn down and cast into the fire.” 10The people cried, “What shall we do?” 11He answered them, “He that has two coats, let him give to him that has none. He that has food, let him do likewise.” 12Publicans{1} also came to be mikveh-ed, and said to him, “Moreh (teacher), what shall we do?” 13He said to them, “Exact no more than that which is appointed you.”
14Soldiers also pleaded, “What shall we do?” He said to them, “Do violence to no man, do not make false accusations, and be content with your wages.”
15The people were expecting the Messiah, and everyone questioned in their hearts whether Yochanan was the Messiah or not. 16Yochanan said to them all, “I indeed mikveh you with water, but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose. He shall mikveh you with the Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and with fire. 17His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his grain bin, but the chaff he will incinerate with an unquenchable fire.” 18And many other things he preached in his exhortation to the people.
{Lk 3:1.1} Tiberius reigned with the aging Augustus as co-regent beginning in the year 12 CE, and as sole regent beginning in 14 CE His “fifteenth year” is reckoned from 12 CE.
{Lk 3:1.2} The first physical evidence of Pilate’s existence was rediscovered in 1961, when a block of black limestone was found in the Roman theatre at Caesarea Maritima, the capital of the province of Judaea, bearing a damaged stone dedication of a Tiberieum by Pilate. This dedication states that Pilate was [...]ECTVS IUDA[...] (usually read as praefectus iudaeae), that is, prefect/governor of Iudaea. The early governors of Iudaea were of prefect rank; the later were of procurator rank, beginning with Cuspius Fadus in 44 CE. The inscription is currently housed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, inventory number AE 1963 no. 104, dated to 26–37 CE. It was discovered in Caesarea (Israel) by a group led by Antonia Frova.
{Lk 3:1.3} Philip and his brother Herod both began ruling in 1 BCE at the death of his father, Herod the Great, making 27 CE the 28th year of their reigns.
The Birth and the Beginning of the Ministry of Yeshua the Messiah. View full image here.
• Yochanan ben Zecharyah began his ministry in late winter of 26-27 CE in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar who began reigning as co-regent with the ailing Augustus in 12 CE.
• 27 CE was the 28th year of the reigns of Herod in the Galilee and Philip in Ituraea after the passing of their father, Herod the Great, soon after the lunar eclipse of January 10, 1 BCE.
• 27 CE was the 46th year of the Temple’s reconstruction since Herod the Great began the project in 19 BCE.
• 27 CE was also the year that Yeshua, born in 3 BCE, was nearing – but had not reached his 30th year (see event <32>).
• February 16th 27 CE is the date that Yochanan mikveh-ed Yeshua in the Jordan River – beginning his 70 week ministry.
{Lk 3:2.1} Legally, there is only one Cohen Gadol (High Priest). Annas and Caiaphas were appointed by Rome, although neither of them met the qualifications for the position. Yochanan the son of Zecharyah, a cohen, was the divinely appointed High Priest who would announce the arrival of the Messiah.
{Lk 3:12.1} Publicans were tax collectors – public servants of the Roman government. Israelites who took jobs as public servants (bureaucrats under the Roman government) collected taxes and enforced the edicts of Rome on their fellow citizens. They often collected more than that which was required and kept the overage for their personal use. The Romans built toll roads throughout their empire and then charged their subjects to use them. The taxes collected were used to further enslave the people and break their national economies, and trade routes were altered to favor those who were serving the interests of the empire. Matthew, a Levite, was probably a toll collector on one of the many Roman roads connecting the villages and cities of the Galilee.
< 31 > Yeshua’s mikveh in the Yarden by Yochanan ben Zecharyah; Yeshua begins forty days and nights of fasting
[Shabbat, 20th Day of the 11th Month, 4026 FC; February 16, 27 CE]
Week 1 — Day 1
Matthew 3:13-17 — Mark 1:9-11 — Luke 3:21-22 — John
Matthew 3:13 Yeshua came from the Galilee to the Yarden to be mikveh-ed by Yochanan, 14but Yochanan forbid him, saying, “I need to be mikveh-ed by you, and you come to me?”{1} 15Yeshua answered him, “Let it to be so for now, for it is fitting that we fulfill this righteous act.” Then Yochanan submitted to him. 16When Yeshua was mikveh-ed, immediately upon coming up out of the water the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of YHVH descending like a dove and alighting upon him. 17A voice from heaven{1} spoke, “Behold, my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
{Mt 3:14.1} Even though it does not say this specifically, from Yochanan’s statement to Yeshua it can be reasonably surmised that it is at this time that Yeshua reveals himself to Yochanan as the one who Yochanan had been proclaiming as the One coming after him who will mikveh with the Holy Spirit. Yochanan, filled with the spirit from his mothers womb, understood the importance of being baptized with the Ruach Kodesh, and that Yeshua was the one who would do it – but the time was not yet. Seventy weeks, 490 days after this event, Yeshua baptizes his followers with the gift of the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Shavuot (Pentecosta – Gk.).
{Mt 3:17.1} bat kol (Hb.) literally means “daughter of a voice.” It is a term the Pharisees gave to a voice from Heaven. There are three times in the seventy-week ministry of Messiah where a bat kol endorses his ministry. These three incidents later induce the Pharisee rabbis to make a ruling “we do not listen to a voice from Heaven.” This principle is still taught to rabbinic students today and is illustrated in the trial of Rabbi Eliezar. The Talmud records the final ruling of the Pharisee court: “We pay no attention to a heavenly voice” (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Metsia 59b).
Mark 1:9 It came to pass in those days that Yeshua came from Natzeret of the Galilee and was mikveh-ed by Yochanan in the Yarden. 10Immediately upon coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descended upon him, 11and there came a voice from heaven, “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:21 Now it came to pass that when all the people were being mikveh-ed, Yeshua was also mikveh-ed. And while he was praying, the heavens opened, 22and the Ruach Kodesh descended upon him in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
< 32 > Genealogy of Yeshua’s stepfather Yoseph ben Eli
Yeshua had not yet reached his thirtieth year when he commenced his ministry in the spring of 27 CE (He was 28½ in Western reckoning)
Matthew — Mark — Luke 3:23-38 — John
Luke 3:23 And Yeshua, not yet thirty years of age, commenced his ministry.{1} He was considered to be the illegitimate{2} son of Yoseph, who was the son of Eli, 24who was the son of Mattat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Malki, who was the son of Yanah, who was the son of Yoseph, 25who was the son of Mattityahu, who was the son of Amotz, who was the son of Nachum, who was the son of Chesli, who was the son of Nagai, 26who was the son of Machat, who was the son of Mattityahu, who was the son of Shimei, who was the son of Yoseph, who was the son of Yodah, 27who was the son of Yochanan, who was the sonof Reisha, who was the son of Z’rubavel, who was the son of Sh’altiel, who was the son of Neri, 28who was the son of Malchi, who was the son of Ahdi, who was the son of Kosam, who was the son of El’m’dan, who was the son of Ehr, 29who was the son of Yeshua, who was the son of Eli’ezer, who was the son of Yorim, who was the son of Mattat, who was the son of Levi, 30who was the son of Shimon, who was the son of Yehudah, who was the son of Yoseph, who was the son of Yonam, who was the son of El’yakim, 31who was the son of Malah, who was the son of Manah, who was the son of Matata, who was the son of Natan, who was the son of David, 32who was the son of Yishai, who was the son of Oved, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Nachshon, 33who was the son of Aminadav, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Chetzron, who was the son of Peretz, who was the son of Yehudah, 34who was the son of Yaakov, who was the son of Yitzhak, who was the son of Avraham, who was the son of Terach, who was the son of Nachor, 35who was the son of S’rug, who was the son of Ra’u, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Ehver, who was the son of Shelach, 36who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arpach’shad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of No’ach, who was the son of Lemech, 37who was the son of Metushelach, who was the son of Chanoch, who was the son of Yered, who was the son of Mahalal’el, who was the son of Cainan, 38who was the son of Enosh, who was the son of Shet, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of Elohim.
{Lk 3:23.1} The KJV rendering: “Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,” resulted in critical chronological confusion. The English word “about” is generally considered to mean “in proximity” or “around,” which would be an accurate rendering of the Greek preposition peri, which is mathematically described as “a circle around a point” – the size of the circle being defined either by the author, or left to the discretion of the interpreter. Hence, English interpreters of the Bible have drawn a circle “about thirty years of age” as being anywhere from twenty-five to thirty-five years, depending upon their eschatological or chronological theology. However, the Greek word which was translated “about” is not peri but hosei, which means “nearing” or “not yet having reached the number or measure of time.” Hence, Yeshua had “not yet reached” thirty years of age. In the Eastern culture, when a child is born, it is his “first year,” whereas in the West, a child is not considered to have reached “one year” until his first annual birthday celebration. At the time of Yeshua’s mikveh (baptism), he was not yet (hosei) thirty; he was in the middle of the twenty-ninth year of his life – or, as he would be considered in Western gentile reckoning, twenty-eight and one half years old. It would be another eight months before he reached the age at which a Levitical priest began active service.
On the Day of Atonement, five days before he reached thirty years of age, he was installed as the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) after the order of the Melek Tzadek (Melchizedek – KJV). [Both Matthew 17:1 and Mark 9:2 report that his ordination as the Cohen Gadol followed the previously reported event: “after (meta) six days Yeshua took three of his disciples to a high mountain” where he changed before their eyes and shone with the brightness of the sun. Luke 9:28 records that the same incident occurred “about (hosei) eight days after” the preceding event. “After (meta) six days” is the seventh day, while “about (hosei – having not yet reached the point or number) eight days after” is also the seventh day. Both Greek constructions record the same event occurring at the same time by using two parallel Greek mathematical equations.
{Lk 3:23.2} The Pharisee leaders, in an attempt to shut his mouth, chided Yeshua, “We be not born of fornication” – directly implying that it was known throughout the local and religious community that Yeshua was conceived before Yoseph and Miriam were joined together in marriage (John 8:41). Miriam was over three months pregnant before their wedding, and it would have been impossible to keep this situation a secret in the small community of Natzeret, which may have had around 300 closely related members in the village. This was an open invitation for vicious goading by his adversaries.
< 33 > Yeshua led into the wilderness and fasts for forty days and nights
[20th Day of the 11th Month, 4026 FC; February 16, 27 CE through 29th Day of the 12th Month; March 27, 27 CE]
Week 1-6 — Day 1-40
Matthew 4:1-2 — Mark 1:12-13a — Luke 4:1-2 — John
Mark 1:12 Immediately after coming out of the Yarden, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness, 13and he was there in the wilderness forty days.
Matthew 4:1 Then Yeshua was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by hasatan. 2After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Luke 4:1 Yeshua, being full of the Ruach Kodesh, came up from the Yarden and was immediately led by the Spirit into the wilderness 2to be tempted by hasatan. In those forty days he ate nothing, and when they had ended, he was hungry.
< 34 > After fasting for forty days, Yeshua is tempted by hasatan
[30th Day of the 12th Month, 4026 FC; Friday March 28, 27 CE]
Week 6 — Day 41
Matthew 4:3-11 — Mark 1:13b — Luke 4:3-13 — John
Matthew 4:3 Then the tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of the Almighty, command that these stones be made bread.”{1} 4But Yeshua answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of YHVH.’” 5Then hasatan took him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of Elohim, cast yourself down, for it is written, ‘He shall give his angels charge concerning you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7Yeshua said to him again, “It is written, ‘You shall not put YHVH your Elohim through your tests.’” 8Again, hasatan took him up to an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9He said, “All these things will I give you, if you will bow down before me.” 10Then Yeshua said to him, “Get away satan, for it is written, ‘You shall bow down before YHVH your Elohim, and him only shall you serve.’” 11Then hasatan left him, and angels came and attended to him.
Mark 1:13b There he was tempted by hasatan, standing against that savage beast, and afterward angels attended him.
Luke 4:3 Hasatan said to Yeshua, “If you are the Son of the Almighty, command this stone to become bread.” 4Yeshua answered him, “It was said, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of YHVH.’” 5Hasatan took him up into a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6and said, “All this authority will I give you, and all the glory of these kingdoms, for all that has been delivered unto me – and to whomever I will, I give it.{1} 7Therefore, if you will bow down to me, all will be yours.” 8Yeshua answered and said to him, “Get behind me, satan, for it was said, ‘You shall bow down before YHVH your Elohim, and him only shall you serve.’” 9Hasatan then brought Yeshua to Yerushalayim and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of the Almighty, cast yourself down from here, 10for it is written, ‘He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you, 11and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.’” 12And Yeshua answered, “It was said,{1} ‘You shall not put YHVH your Elohim through your tests.{2} 13When hasatan concluded all his temptations, he left Yeshua for a season.
{Mt 4:3.1} Even though Yeshua could have turned the stones into bread, he had no revelation from Heaven to do so. He always did the Father’s will, and hasatan’s temptation did not constitute the Father’s will. Yeshua responded with: It is written!
{Lk 4:6.1} Adam was given authority over the earth and was commanded to subdue it and rule over it. In his disobedience, Adam transferred his dominion into the hand of hasatan, who now holds it until it is legally stripped from him. Shaul refers to hasatan as “the god of this age” (II Corinthians 4:4, …the god <qeoj> of this world <aion> (age) hath blinded the minds of those that do not believe…). Yeshua never challenged hasatan’s jurisdiction or authority – he simply refused the offer and followed YHVH’s plan to redeem the earth. This is depicted in Revelation 5:1-14, where the title deed to the earth is tragically sealed up. There appears to be no hope of redeeming it until the resurrected Lamb is introduced.
{Lk 4:12.1} This incident of the temptation of Messiah is recorded by Matthew with Yeshua responding to each challenge of hasatan with “It is written,” while the Greek version of Luke reports Yeshua’s words as “It was said.” Both Yeshua and Luke recognize that the commandments given to Moses at Mount Sinai and written in the scroll of the Torah came directly from the mouth of the Almighty.
{Lk 4:12.2} Deuteronomy 6:16
< 35 > Yochanan testifies to the cohenim and Levites sent by the Pharisees
[30th Day of the 12th Month, 4026 FC; Friday March 28, 27 CE]
Week 6 — Day 41
This event occurs on the same day that Yeshua was being tempted. The Gospel of John begins forty days after Yeshua’s mikveh with the testimony given by Yochanan ben Zecharyah to the Levites and cohenim who were sent by the Pharisees in Jerusalem. They questioned him to clarify whether he was claiming to be the Messiah, the Prophet of whom Moses spoke, or Elijah.
John was the only Gospel author who was also a disciple of Yochanan ben Zecharyah. John records the testimony given by Yochanan to the Levites and cohenim (priests) who were sent by the Pharisee-controlled Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. John then captures the very moment when Yeshua, on the following day, returns from his forty-day wilderness fast and Yochanan proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of YHVH, who takes away the sin of the world.” These two incidents are the first eyewitness accounts recorded by any of the Gospel authors.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 1:19-28
John 1:19 This is the record of Yochanan, when the Prushim{1} sent cohenim and Levites from Yerushalayim to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He confessed without hesitation, “I am not the Messiah.” 21Then they asked him, “Who are you then? Are you Eliyahu?”{1} And he said, “I am not.” Again they asked, “Are you The Prophet?”{2} He answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you – that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say of yourself?” 23He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of YHVH, as said by the prophet Yeshayahu.”{1} 24(Now, the cohenim and Levites from Jerusalem were sent by the Prushim-controlled Sanhedrin.) 25Then they asked him, “If you are not the Messiah, nor Eliyahu, nor The Prophet, why do you mikveh?” 26Yochanan answered, “I mikveh with water, but there stands one among you whom you do not know. 27Though he comes after me, he is preferred before me. Even his sandal latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” 28(These things were done in Beit Abarah{1} beyond the Yarden, where Yochanan was immersing.)
{Jn 1:19.1} Jews (KJV) – In the Gospel of John, the term “the Jews” is specifically used in reference to the Pharisee religious leaders, as well as to the Sanhedrin, the Pharisee-ruled legal body. The term is always used in a negative context because of Yeshua’s constant conflict with the invented rules and regulations of the Pharisees. It must be remembered, however, that all who were following Yeshua were Jews, that those who were being healed were Jews, and that Yeshua himself was a Jew. To the outside reader, the term “the Jews” has a tendency to foster an anti-Jewish sentiment, whereas in context, it is understood to show the separation between those who followed Moses and kept the commandments of the Almighty and those who developed a religious system of their own invention by utilizing some of the teachings of Moses but adding to and taking away from the written Torah at their own discretion. “Priests” and “Levites” were terms John always used. The term “the Jews” is used a total of 64 times in the Gospel of John. Where the King James Version of the Gospel of John uses the term “the Jews” to refer to the Pharisee leaders, the CKJV clarifies the religious affiliations and restores the proper terminology. John 1:24 states plainly that “the Jews” of verse 1 are the Pharisees of verse 24.
{Jn 1:21.1} Malachi 4:5 states that Elijah must come before the Day of YHVH. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of YHVH.” (KJV)
{Jn 1:21.2} When the cohenim and Levites asked Yochanan whether he was “The Prophet,” they were referring to the words of YHVH spoken through Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-18. Israel did not know whether “The Prophet” and “the Messiah” were one and the same person or two individuals. They were covering all possibilities.
{Jn 1:23.1} Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of YHVH, make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim.’”
{Jn 1:28.1} Meaning “house of the ford” – a place on the east bank of the Jordan where John was baptizing (John 1:28). Bethabarah (KJV) is the ancient ford of Jordan of which the men of Ephraim took possession (Judges 7:24). It was the great ford which still bears the name “Makhadhet Abarah” – “the ford of crossing over.” Beit Abarah is about 25 miles east of Nazareth, just south of where the Jordan exits the sea of Galilee (also known as the Kinneret and the sea of Tiverias). The name is brought from the Hebrew ‘abarah (cross over) from which comes the English word “Hebrew” in English.
< 36 > “The next day”
Yochanan sees Yeshua return from the wilderness and proclaims him as “the Lamb of YHVH”
[Shabbat, 1st Day of the month of the aviv barley, 4027 FC; Saturday March 29, 27 CE]
Week 6 — Day 42
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 1:29-34
John 1:29 The next day{1} Yochanan saw Yeshua coming out of the wilderness toward him, and cried out, “Behold the Lamb of YHVH, which takes away the sin of the world!{2} 30This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man which is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ 31I did not know his identity, but I came to mikveh with water so that he could be openly declared to Israel.” 32Yochanan bare record, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And though I did not know him, the Almighty, who sent me to mikveh with water, said to me, ‘Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which will mikveh with the Ruach Kodesh.’ 34And I saw this happen, and I bare record that this is the very Son of Elohim.”
{Jn 1:29.1} This is the day after Yochanan ben Zecharyah gave his record to the cohenim and Levites who were sent by the Pharisees in Jerusalem to question his authority. This is also the day after Yeshua overcame his temptation in the wilderness after his forty-day fast. This is the first day of the year when Yochanan gave his testimony that Yeshua fulfilled the one sign that Yochanan had been given by the Almighty − that the Ruach Kodesh descended on him in the form of a dove and remained on him. Aviv 1, 27 CE is exactly 483 years (69 x 7 years) from the commandment of Artaxeres to “go forth and build Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:1-22) which occurred in the seventh year of his reign, on Aviv 1, 457 BCE. According to Daniel’s prophecy, there remains the seventieth “7” to fulfill – which will commence at the Confirmation of the Covenant.
{Jn 1:29.2} As the ram in the thicket was the substitute for Abraham’s son Isaac, so the male lamb of the first year was the substitute for the nation of Israel at the time of the Passover. Both substitutionary sacrifices foreshadow the Son of the Almighty as the provision for all mankind. This proclamation is made on the first day of the month of the aviv barley, the first day of the new year, which also commenced “the acceptable year of YHVH” (Luke 4:19). Though many Eusebian defenders have attempted to recharacterize Yeshua as a three year old “red heifer” so they can maintain their three and a half year ministry heresy, we have yet to discover a single Greek text of John that says, “Behold the cow of God who takes away the sin of the world” or a single Hebrew text of Isaiah that proclaims “the acceptable three-and-a-half years of the LORD.” In fact, there has never been a three year old red heifer in the history of Israel. The Talmud and Mishna gives the most exhaustive description of the qualifications of the red heifer whose entire carcass, including her dung, was incinerated to ash for the waters of purification. Any qualifying red heifer less than two years old to even more than five years of age was deemed by the sages as valid (Mishna - Mas. Parah (cow) chapter one). The Hebrew Scriptures are completely silent on the age of the red heifer. The “Jesus as a three-year-old red female cow” doctrine, though increasingly common, can only be promulgated among the unlearned.
< 37 > “The next day after”
Yeshua is joined by Andrew, John, and Kefa
[2nd Day of the 1st Month (month of the aviv barley), 4027 FC; Sunday March 30, 27 CE]
Week 7 — Day 43
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 1:35-42
John 1:35 Again, the next day after,{1} Yochanan was standing with two of his disciples 36when he saw Yeshua approaching. He again proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of YHVH!” 37The two disciples heard him and immediately followed after Yeshua. 38When Yeshua saw them following, he turned to them and asked, “What do you want?” They said to him, “Rabbi{1} where do you dwell?” 39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day (for it was about the tenth hour). 40One of the two disciples of Yochanan who followed Yeshua was Andrew, Shimon’s brother. 41The first thing he did was locate his brother Shimon, “We have found the Messiah.{1} 42Then Andrew brought him to Yeshua. When Yeshua saw him, he said, “You are Shimon the son of Yonah. You shall be called Kefa”.{1}
{Jn 1:35.1} The next day after Yochanan proclaimed Yeshua as “the Lamb of YHVH,” he gave a second witness directly to his disciples.
{Jn 1:38.1} The disciples, cognizant of Yochanan’s declaration, would have addressed him with a title of respect. The title “Rabbi”, meaning “Great One,” was bestowed by the Prushim upon their sages, and would have been a safe and comfortable title by which to refer to Yeshua upon first meeting him. The Greek version of this record added a parenthetical phrase after the word rabbi “(which is to say, being interpreted, master)”, as it is rendered in the KJV. “master” is didaskalos in Greek. It is obvious that these Hebrew-speaking disciples would not have said, “Rabbi, which is being interpreted (in a language we don’t even speak) didaskalos.” They would have just said, “Rabbi, where do you dwell?” The term “rabbi” is not native to the Greek language and culture, but didaskalos is readily understood within the Greek nicolaitan social structure of ruling class and laity.
These Greek parenthetical expressions, used several times in the Gospel of John, are used to translate unfamiliar Hebrew cultural terms into the Greek language. This translation endeavor is even more pronounced in John 5:1, where the Feast of the LORD that is celebrated seven weeks after the Passover of John 3 is simply referred to as “a feast of the Jews.” The Feast spoken of is Shavuot – but the word “Shavuot” (meaning sevens or weeks) has no significance in the Greek culture or language – and certainly no prophetic significance. The Greeks simply referred to this very significant event in the history of the nation of Israel as “a feast of the Jews” for lack of cultural understanding and context.
{Jn 1:41.1} Again, the Greek version of this record added a parenthetical phrase after the word Messiah “(which is, being interpreted, the Christ).” This is another example of the Greek version of John taking a well known Hebrew term and adapting it to the Greek culture. Moshiach, technically meaning “anointed by the High Priest with sacred oil for service,” was adapted into the Greek as Christos, which is derived from crestes, which means “to smear with grease” – a useful procedure for preserving Grecian leather battle shields. The CKJV accurately replaces the Grecian concept with the English version of the original Hebrew concept “Messiah.”
{Jn 1:42.1} The name Kefa, in Aramaic, means “stone,” and would not need to be interpreted for Shimon. Aramaic was a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew, and in common use throughout Israel and the Middle East in the first century. Yeshua certainly would not have said, “You shall be called Kefa, which [in Greek] means, Rocky.” This parenthetical phrase in the Greek text is an explanation of the Aramaic word for the readers of the Greek version of the Gospel of John. The Hebrew word for “stone” is evan, which appears in the ancient Hebrew version of the Gospel of Matthew where Yeshua refers to Shimon, the brother of Andrew, as evan, a “stone.” We could use either Evan or Kefa to represent Shimon bar Yonah. We have chosen Kefa, as it is closer to Peter for the comfort of the Western reader. The Greek word for “stone” is “petros,” but it would be peculiar to call Shimon by a Greek name when Hebrew and Aramaic were the more common tongues of the day in the land of Israel.
< 38 > “The day following”
They travel up to the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Yeshua meets Philip and travels with him to Beit Saida
[3rd Day of the 1st Month, 4027 F.C; Monday March 31, 27 CE]
Week 7 — Day 44
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 1:43-51
John 1:43 The day following, Yeshua went into the Galilee and found Philip. He said to him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Beit Saida, the village of Andrew and Kefa. 45Philip then found Netanel (Nathaniel) and announced, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Torah and also the prophets did write – Yeshua of Natzeret, the son of Yoseph.”{1} 46Netanel quipped, “Can any good thing come out of Natzeret?” Philip said, “Come and see.”
47Yeshua saw Netanel approaching and said, “Behold, an Israelite in whom there is indeed no deceit!” 48Netanel said to him, “How do you know me?” Yeshua answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”{1} 49Netanel answered and said to him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of Elohim! You are the King of Israel!” 50Yeshua answered, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ you believe? You shall see even greater things than these. 51TRUTH,{1} I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of Elohim ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
{Jn 1:45.1} Though the friends of Netanel could have been speaking of the stepfather of Yeshua and could have been aware of the rumor of his “supposed” illegitimacy, Messiah ben Yoseph is recognized in rabbinic literature as the picture of the Messiah as “the suffering servant,” as opposed to Messiah ben David, the picture of the Messiah as “the reigning king.” Both pictures are a true representation of the prophesied Messiah, but at the time there was strong debate as to whether the Hebrew Scriptures were speaking of one person or two.
{Jn 1:48.1} This statement can refer to one of two things – either the revelation of a current event or the entire story of Netanel’s life. Yeshua is either declaring a Divine revelation by retelling a recent event that demonstrated Netanel’s absolute honesty in a particular situation, or Yeshua could have recounted Netanel’s entire life story from the time he was a young child playing under the fig tree. Either would verify Divine revelation to Netanel.
{Jn 1:51.1} The word TRUTH in bold caps is used instead of “verily, verily.” Repeating words in the written text of the Hebrew Scriptures denotes emphasis or volume. The individual word was not repeated twice; it was spoken once with great emphasis. In the age of modern typeface, we have opted for bold capitals to indicate intensity and volume. An example is when the living beings in the throne room of heaven shout “holy” so loudly that the framework of the universe shudders from the thunder of their voices. The volume and intensity of their shout is recorded in the scroll as the word “holy” written three times in succession (Isaiah 6:3). This linguistic device is also used in the ultimate cry of terror, Lord! that is recorded in Matthew 7:22-23.
< 39 > “The third day”
On Yom Shlishi, Yeshua defiles stone water pots at a Pharisee wedding in Cana by turning ceremonially impure water into wine
[3rd day of the week, 4th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Tuesday April 1, 27 CE]
Week 7 — Day 45
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 2:1-11
John 2:1 The third day{1} there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. The mother of Yeshua was there, 2and Yeshua and his disciples were also invited to the marriage. 3They ran out of wine, so the mother of Yeshua said to him, “They have no more wine!” 4Yeshua said to her, “My lady, why should this be a concern of mine? It is not yet my time [to provide wine for the wedding party].”{1} 5[After a brief discussion with her son], Miriam said to the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it!”
6Now, there were six water pots of stone set there which were to be used for a Pharisee purification ritual. Each pot held about two or three litres apiece.{1} 7Yeshua said to the servants, “Fill the water pots with water,” and they filled them up to the brim.{1} 8He then told them, “Now, draw out of the water pot and give it to the master of ceremonies.” This they also did.
9When the master of the feast tasted the water, which was turned into wine, he did not know where it came from (but the servants which drew the water knew). The master of the feast called the bridegroom 10and said, “At the beginning of the feast everyone sets forth the choicest wine, and after men have well drunk, then they bring out that which is inferior, but you have kept the most excellent wine until now.” 11This miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee is the first of many that Yeshua performed, which openly declared his righteous judgments. His disciples understood and believed in him.
{Jn 2:1.1} “The third day” is yom shlishi, the third day of the week. It takes nearly a day to get from Beit Saida to Cana, so they probably left early in the morning and arrived in time for the wedding festivities that evening. Yeshua was, no doubt, invited to the wedding months earlier – before he left his home in Natzeret for his mikveh in the Yarden.
{Jn 2:4.1} Yeshua’s mother is in a position of responsibility at this wedding, and the servants are at her command. When she informs Yeshua that they have run out of wine, he responds to her in respect of her official capacity (my lady – not “woman”) and then states, according to wedding custom, that he is ranked lower on the guest list and is, therefore, not among those who are expected to provide wine for the wedding party. The KJV sounds a bit disrespectful: “Woman, what have I to do with you? Mine hour is not yet come!”
{Jn 2:6.1} We are informed that this is an orthodox Pharisee wedding reception by the notation that the six stone waterpots are for “the purifying of the Jews” (KJV), which speaks of a water purification ritual invented by the Pharisees. These stone water-purification pots are never mentioned in the Torah, but they are meticulously detailed in the ancient Talmudic writings of the Pharisee sages. These hand-hewn stone waterpots held approximately 2 liters of liquid. Many of these ancient relics are preserved in the museums of Israel today, and their prescribed use by the Pharisees is well documented. (Modern interpretations of a “firkin” (KJV) incorrectly interpret the capacity of each stone vessel to be between 20 and 30 gallons. Even empty, the size and enormous weight of stone waterpots of this capacity would make them utterly impossible to utilize for their designed purpose.) John records that the wedding reception was filled with religious partygoers who apparently expected everyone else to provide the wine for their good time. After an undocumented discussion with her son, Miriam turns to the servants and tells them to do whatever he instructs them to do. Yeshua then directed them to violate the “holy” function of these stone waterpots – and it was kept a secret from the head rabbi, who was typically the master of ceremonies at Pharisee weddings. If the rabbi had known where the “best wine” had come from, he would have indignantly ended the party right then and there!
{Jn 2:7.1} The servants are literally following the instructions documented in the Talmud (Chillin 26b) as they fill the stone vessels to the brim.
< 40 > Yeshua, his family, and disciples travel to Kfar Nahum (Capernaum) and stay “not many days”
[5th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday April 2, 27 CE]
Week 7 — Day 46
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 2:12
John 2:12 After this, Yeshua went down to Kfar Nahum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. They remained there not many days.{1}
{Jn 2:12.1} Yeshua and his company “remained there not many days” because they needed to leave to go up to Jerusalem for the Passover. They would have left on the morning of the first day of the week (Sunday) in order to make it in time to prepare for the Feast, which was to start on the following Sabbath. They would have left for the lakeside village of Kfar Nahum early on the fourth day (Wednesday), stayed through the Sabbath, and left for Jerusalem early in the morning on the first day of the week (Sunday) to give them maximum traveling time.
< Note 6 > Shabbat at Kfar Nahum
[Shabbat, 8th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Saturday April 5, 27 CE]
Week 7 — Day 49
< 41 > Yeshua and company leave for Jerusalem and the Feast of Unleavened Bread
[9th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Sunday April 6, 27 CE]
Week 8 — Day 50
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 2:13
John 2:13 The Passover was at hand, and Yeshua went up to Yerushalayim.{1}
{Jn 2:13.1} The King James translators rendered this verse “And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” First, they did not capitalize Passover, a proper noun and one of the Feasts of YHVH. Second, the Greek text refers to this Feast as, “the Jews’ passover,” indicating that the Greek translation of John’s Gospel views the record from an outsider’s perspective rather than that of a native Israelite. Further illustrating the outsider’s viewpoint, the King James translators chose to render the proper noun “Sabbath” in lower case throughout this record, yet they capitalized the title “satan” according to their theological predisposition. In the CKJV version we attempt to restore an insider’s perspective, as the reader is assumed to be either a natural born or grafted-in Israelite – not a pagan gentile estranged from the covenant, without God, without hope (Ephesians 2:12).
III. Passover through Shavuot 4027 (Spring 27 CE)
< 42 > Yeshua arrives in Jerusalem for Passover
He removes “the leaven” from the Temple Mount and makes the first reference to the Jonah Code
[13th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Thursday April 10, 27 CE]
Week 8 — Day 54
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 2:14-22
John 2:14 [When Yeshua went into the Temple] he found those that sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the money changers were sitting on the Temple Mount.{1} 15He then made a whip of small cords and drove all the sheep and oxen out of the Temple, and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables. 16He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make my Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17And his disciples remembered that it was written, “The zeal of your house has eaten me up.”{1}
18Then the Pharisee leaders answered and said to him, “What Divine sign do you show to us, since you do these things against our authority? 19Yeshua answered and said to them, “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND IN THREE DAYS I WILL RAISE IT UP!”{1} 20Then said the Pharisee leaders, “This Temple has been under construction for forty-six years,{1} and you will raise it up in three days?” 21But Yeshua was speaking prophetically concerning the temple of his body. 22(After he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Yeshua had spoken.)
{Jn 2:14.1} The authorized marketplace for selling the sacrificial animals was along the western side of the Temple retaining wall, down below the Temple Mount proper. The Pharisee-controlled Sanhedrin gave the merchants authorization to sell their wares up on the Temple Mount (although not actually within the Temple courts), thereby securing for themselves a captive audience, and, no doubt, the exorbitant prices one would expect from such a prime location. Those who authorized the ascent of the merchants undoubtedly received a substantial monetary kickback.
{Jn 2:17.1} Psalm 69:9
{Jn 2:19.1} This is Yeshua’s first reference to what will become the most repeated prophecy in the Gospels and the only sign of his authenticity as The Prophet and The Messiah – the Jonah Code. (Matthew 12:40 event <81>, Mt 16:4 event <114>, Mt 26:61 event <184>, Mt 27:40 event <212>, Mt 27:63 event <224>; Mark 8:31 event <118>, Mk 14:58 event <184>, Mk 15:29 event <212>; Luke 11:49 event <142>; I Corinthians 15:4)
{Jn 2:20.1} Temple reconstruction under Herod began in 19 BCE. It is now the week of Passover, 27 of the Common Era, which is the forty-sixth year of the rebuilding of the Temple. This is the first Passover of Yeshua’s ministry and the fifty-fourth day after his mikveh.
< Note 7 > The Passover is sacrificed
Late afternoon of the 14th day (April 11) the Passover is sacrificed and put into the oven
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins at sundown
(which begins the fifteenth day, but still April 11 until midnight)
[14th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Friday April 11, 27 CE]
Week 8 — Day 55
< Note 8 > The Passover is eaten
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins at sundown
The High Sabbath falls on the weekly Sabbath
[Shabbat, 15th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Friday evening April 11, 27 CE]
Week 8 — Day 56
< 43 > Yeshua keeps the Feast in Yerushalayim
He speaks with Nicodemus after sunset, which is the Day of Firstfruits
Nicodemus becomes the Firstfruits among the Pharisee-ruled Sanhedrin
[16th Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Saturday evening April 12, 27 CE]
Week 9 — Day 57
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 2:23-3:21
John 2:23 While Yeshua was in Yerushalayim during the feast of Passover, many believed in him when they saw the miracles which he did. 24But Yeshua did not commit himself to them, because he knew all 25and did not need anyone to explain the motives of men, for he already knew what was in the heart of man.
John 3:1 Nicodemus, a leader of the Prushim and member of the Sanhedrin, 2came to Yeshua at night and confessed to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from YHVH{1} for no man can do these miracles that you do except the Holy One is with him.” 3Yeshua answered and said to him, “TRUTH, I say to you, except a man be born again, he will never see the kingdom of Elohim.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Obviously he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born again!” 5Yeshua answered, “TRUTH, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he will never enter the Kingdom of YHVH. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel because I tell you that you must be born again. 8The wind blows where it wills. You hear the sound of it, but cannot tell from where it comes or to where it goes. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
9Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Yeshua answered, “You are a ‘sage’ of Yisrael, and yet you do not understand these simple things? 11TRUTH, I say to you, We{1} speak of that which we have witnessed and bare testimony of that which we have seen, and yet you do not accept our testimony.{2} 12If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe me, how can you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? 13No man has ascended up to Heaven; however, the Son of Man is from Heaven and came down from Heaven. 14But just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 16For YHVH so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For YHVH did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be rescued from everlasting destruction. 18He that believes in the Son will not be condemned, but he that does not believe in him is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name{1} of the only begotten Son of YHVH.
19“And this is the condemnation – the light of the world has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. 20Everyone that does evil hates the light and refuses to come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he that walks in truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be revealed as works of YHVH’s righteousness.”
{Jn 3:2.1} After the Bar Kochva revolt of 135 CE, the Pharisees made stringent regulations forbidding anyone from pronouncing the name of the Almighty “as it is written,” YHVH. This takanot was initially enacted because Rome executed those who continued to speak and call on the name of the God of Israel. Eventually, the Pharisees declared that anyone who mentioned the name of the Almighty would have no part in the life to come – which is contrary to the Torah and nearly every page of Holy Writ. Nicodemus was not under any prohibition concerning the open pronunciation of the name during the first century. The holy name YHVH appears 6,828 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. Swearing in the name of YHVH was a required part of every solemn vow that the Israelites made, and at one time it was used in casual greetings exchanged in the streets (Ruth 2:4). Modern Pharisee tradition even goes to the extent of replacing the vowel “o” with a line when it appears between the “G” and “d” when writing the nondescript title “God” (i.e., G–d). This exercise serves as a continual reminder of their invented rule of never speaking the name YHVH.
{Jn 3:11.1} The “we” Yeshua cites in his conversation with Nicodemus refers to the witness of Yochanan ben Zecharyah, who gave his eyewitness testimony to the Levites and cohenim who were sent from the Pharisee Sanhedrin, of which Nicodemus is a respected member (John 1:19).
{Jn 3:11.2} When Yochanan declared, “And a voice came from heaven, which said, ‘Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased,” the Pharisees rejected his testimony and justified their rejection, citing the trial of Rabbi Eliezar. The Talmud records the final ruling of the Pharisee court: “We pay no attention to a heavenly voice” (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Metsia 59b).
{Jn 3:18.1} The terminology “in the name of” is a Hebrew figure of speech that embodies everything the person represents. The Almighty told Isaiah that he would have a son, and “shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), which means “Elohim is among us.” Isaiah was told, however, to name his son She’ar Yashuv (a remnant shall return) or Maher shalal hash baz (swift to the booty), both prophetically significant names. Even though the child was not named Immanuel, his very existence, all that he was and would be, is proof that the Almighty is with us. The prophecy that related directly to Isaiah’s son was also a prophetic utterance concerning the Son of YHVH, who would be born of a virgin. The angel said, “Behold, a young maiden shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), which Matthew records as yet another fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. In this latter fulfillment of the “Immanuel” prophecy, the angel told both Miriam and Yoseph to name the son of YHVH “Yeshua” (salvation), for “he will save” (yoshia) his people from their sins. The very essence of Yeshua’s existence was proof that the Almighty is among His people to redeem and rescue them from the utter destruction that ensued from Adam’s rebellion. Hence, to “not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of YHVH” is to reject the provision of YHVH for His people – the provision which had been devised and ordained before the foundation of the universe.
< Note 9 > The Feast of Unleavened Bread concludes with a High Sabbath
[21st Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Friday April 18, 27 CE]
Week 9 — Day 62
< 44 > Yeshua leaves Jerusalem after the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the weekly Sabbath
His disciples mikveh in rural Judaea while Yochanan mikvehs at Aenon of the Decapolis, bearing witness of Yeshua
[23rd Day of the 1st Month, 4027 FC; Sunday April 20, 27 CE]
Week 10-13
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 3:22-36
John 3:22 After these things Yeshua and his disciples left Yerushalayim, but stayed in the region of Yehudaea and mikveh-ed there.{1} 23Yochanan was also mikveh-ing in Aenon, near to Yerushalayim, because there was deep water there, and many were mikveh-ed. 24Before Yochanan was imprisoned, 25there arose a question between his disciples and the Pharisee leaders about the mikveh. 26The Prushim came to Yochanan and said, “Rabbi, he that was with you on the other side of the Yarden, to whom you bare witness, the majority of men are now going to him for the mikveh.”
27Yochanan answered, “A man receives only that which is given to him from Heaven. 28You yourselves heard my witness. I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I am sent before him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom rejoices greatly when he hears the voice of the bridegroom calling for his bride. This is how my greatest joy is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.
31He who came from Heaven is greater than all, but he who came from the earth is just earthly. I speak of the earth, but he who came from above is greater. 32He bears testimony of that which he has seen and heard, yet no man receives his testimony. 33Those who have received his testimony have fully endorsed him, declaring that his testimony of the Almighty is true. 34He whom YHVH has sent speaks the words of YHVH, and YHVH has given to him the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. 36He who believes the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son{1} shall never see life, but the wrath of YHVH awaits him.”
{Jn 3:22.1} Yeshua did not mikveh in water, but his disciples performed this act of sanctification as is stated in John 4:1-2. As was prophesied, Yochanan ben Zecharyah would mikveh with water, but Yeshua would mikveh with the Ruach Kodesh and with fire. Yeshua’s disciples continued to mikveh with water throughout the book of the Acts and up to the present day. Yeshua is the only one who can mikveh with the Ruach Kodesh. He leaves the “earthly” work to his earthbound disciples.
{Jn 3:36.1} Yochanan refers to “The Prophet” we must “shema” (hear and obey) and judgment awaits those who do not believe and obey his words (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).
< 45 > Yeshua travels north into the District of the Gentiles
Avoiding a premature confrontation with the Prushim, he leaves Judaea where his popularity is growing
Week 14
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 4:1-4
John 4:1 When Yeshua learned that the Prushim had heard he was making and mikveh-ing more disciples than Yochanan 2(though Yeshua himself did not mikveh, but his disciples did), 3he left Yehudaea and departed for the Galilee. 4His route required that he go through Samaria.
< 46 > Yeshua performs a miracle at the well near Sh’khem
Week 14
He reveals the entire life story of a gentile Samaritan woman and then reveals that he is the Messiah to a gentile. He stays with the believing gentiles for “two days.”
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 4:5-43
John 4:5 Yeshua came to the village of Sh’khem in Samaria near the parcel of ground that Yaakov gave to his son Yoseph, 6and Yaakov’s well was there. About the sixth hour, being weary from his journey, Yeshua sat by the well 8(while his disciples went into the village to buy food).
7A woman of Samaria came to draw water, and Yeshua said to her, “Give me a drink.” 9Then the Samaritan woman replied, “How is it that you, as a Yehudi, ask a woman of Samaria for a drink? The Yehudim have no dealings with the Samaritans.”{1} 10Yeshua answered her, “If you only understood what an incredible gift from Heaven this moment holds for you, and who it is that stands before you asking you for a drink, you would have, in return, asked a drink of me, and I would have given you the water of life.”
11The woman replied, “Sir, the well is deep, and you have nothing with which to draw, so where will you get this water? 12Are you greater than our father Yaakov, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, along with his children and flocks?” 13Yeshua answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14but everyone who drinks of the water that I shall give, shall never thirst. The water that I shall give shall be a well that springs up in him. That well of water is everlasting life.”
15The woman replied, “Sir, give me this water so that I will never thirst again or return to this well to draw.” 16Yeshua said to her, “Go, get your husband, and come back.” 17The woman answered, “I have no husband.” Yeshua said to her, “You have correctly answered, ‘I have no husband’ 18because you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband. In that you spoke the truth.”
19The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet! 20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, but the Yehudim say that Yerushalayim is the place where men should worship.”{1} 21Yeshua replied, “Madam, believe me, the day is coming when they will not worship the Father in this mountain or in Yerushalayim. 22You gentile Samaritans worship, but you do not know him who is to be worshipped. We Yehudim know whom we worship, for salvation comes from the Yehudim. 23But the hour has now come when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such worship. 24YHVH is Spirit, and they who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, and when he comes, he will make all things plain.” 26Yeshua answered her, “I, the one who is speaking to you at this very moment, am he.”
27Just then his disciples returned, and they marveled that he talked with the woman, yet no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” 28The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the village, and said to the men, 29“Come and see the man who told me everything that I ever did! Is this not the Messiah?” 30They immediately left the village and went to see Yeshua. 31During this time his disciples begged him, “Master, eat!” 32But he responded, “I have bread to eat of which you are completely unaware.” 33The disciples then said one to another, “Has any one brought him anything to eat?” 34Yeshua said to them, “My bread is to do the will of him that sent me and to accomplish his work. 35Would you not say that there are four months until the harvest? Look, I am telling you now, lift up your eyes and look upon the fields; they are already white and ready to harvest!{1} 36He that reaps will receive his wages, and will gather rewards for eternal life. There, both he that sows and he that reaps will rejoice together. 37This is the reality in which the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ 38I send you to reap that which you have not planted; others have planted, and now you are entering into their harvest.”
39Many of the Samaritans of that village believed in him because of the testimony of the woman who declared, “He told me everything that I ever did!” 40When the Samaritans arrived at the well, they begged him to stay with them, so he abode there two days. 41Many more believed because of Yeshua’s own words, 42and they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said but because we have heard him ourselves. We know truly that this is the Messiah, the redeemer of the world.” 43Now after two days, Yeshua departed from Sh’khem and went into the Galilee.{1}
{Jn 4:9.1} The Samaritans are gentiles who were transplanted into the land of Israel by the Emperor of Assyria to replace the Israelites who were carried away into captivity. These gentile transplants were afflicted by wild lions, so the Emperor thought that they were not in synchronization with the “gods of the land.” Shalmanezer brought back some of the “government-authorized” priests (not of the Levitical priesthood), who taught the Samaritans a politically correct version of the Torah, which documented as its tenth commandment, “Thou shalt worship on Mount Gerizim.” This “new age” government-authorized version of the Torah was used to manipulate and control the growing gentile population of northern Israel by their hybrid system of religion, but it deliberately separated them from the Jewish population and religious system in the south (II Kings 17:24-31).
{Jn 4:20.1} This gentile Samaritan woman accurately recognized that the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. This is true even to the present day. She also rightfully acknowledged that Yeshua was a prophet when she witnessed the miracle of him revealing her entire life story with Divine accuracy. She immediately asked him to solve a theological dilemma that had plagued her and the entire Samaritan community. She was fully cognizant of the teaching of the Jews that mount Moreh-Yah, the mountain where YHVH will be our moreh or “teacher,” is the place where the Almighty commanded that He should be worshipped and the place where the Feasts of YHVH were to be carried out. Being raised in Sh’khem, this woman knew that the Samaritan Torah commanded them to worship only on Mount Gerizim. When she heard Yeshua’s cryptic answer to her practical question, she responded with the traditional statement that closes all unresolved arguments on scriptural matters – “When the Messiah comes, he will clarify all these things.” Luke 17:11-18 also verifies that the Samaritans are gentiles <event 151>.
{Jn 4:35.1}The Hebrew agricultural term afil refers to immature grain, the stalks and leaves of which are “dark” (Exodus 9:32), while barley grain that has reached the stage of aviv is both “light in color” and “ready for the harvest.” Yeshua, looking back over the shoulders of his disciples coming from the city, saw thousands of Samaritans walking toward him with their white jalabeas blowing in the breeze. With excitement pounding in his heart and with a lump in his throat, he knew that the time of the harvest of the gentiles was now at hand and not in the distant future. His mission to serve the bread of life far outweighed his desire to eat the temporal bread that his disciples had procured from the Samaritan village.
{Jn 4:43.1}This incident is the first and only time Yeshua openly declared that he is the Messiah, and it was to the gentile Samaritans. These Samaritans were, as Paul put it, “estranged from the commonwealth of Israel, without YHVH and without hope in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Yeshua then spent two days with those gentile believers. It is repeated twice, in verses 40 and 43, that he remained with the Samaritan gentiles for “two days.” This prophetic picture of the time of the gentiles is also depicted in Leviticus 23:22, which stands between the fulfillment of the Spring Feasts of YHVH, which depict Messiah as the Suffering Servant, and the fulfillment of the Fall Feasts of YHVH, which depict the Messiah as the Conquering King. Just as David the prophet stated, and has been enjoined by every sage and prophet since his day, “A day with YHVH is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day.” The time of the gentiles, the 2,000 year duration between the fulfillment of the Spring Feasts and the fulfillment of the Fall Feasts, is when the blindness “in part” that happened to Israel is accompanied by the opening of the eyes of the gentiles so that they can be properly grafted into the root of Israel and, hopefully, by bearing good fruit, they too will not be “cut off” as some of Israel was because of unbelief and blatant disobedience of the Torah.
< 47 > Yeshua returns to Cana of Galilee
He heals a nobleman’s son from Kfar Nahum, which is Yeshua’s second miracle since leaving Judaea after Passover
Week 14
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 4:44-54
John 4:44 Yeshua testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country, 45yet when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Yerushalayim during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 46So when Yeshua returned to Cana of Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine, there came a certain nobleman of Kfar Nahum (Capernaum) whose son was gravely ill. 47When he heard that Yeshua had come out of Yehudaea and was in the Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48Yeshua said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” 49The nobleman cried, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” 50Yeshua said, “Go your way – your son lives.” The man believed the word that Yeshua spoke to him and he went his way. 51As the nobleman was going down to Kfar Nahum, his servants met him and reported, “Your son lives!” 52He inquired of them what hour he began to mend. They said, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53The father knew that it was at the same hour, in which Yeshua said to him, “Your son lives.” The nobleman believed, along with his entire household. 54This is the second miracle that Yeshua did when he came out of Yehudaea to go into Galilee.{1}
{Jn 4:54.1} The first miracle Yeshua did after he came out of Judaea is recorded in John 4:16-19 and is acknowledged in verse 29, when he told the gentile Samaritan woman everything that she ever did. This first miracle opened the door for the gentile Samaritans to believe in him as the Messiah. The second miracle that Yeshua did after he came out of Yehudaea where he was mikveh-ing after the Feast of Unleavened Bread is recorded in John 4:50, and is acknowledged in verse 53. Yeshua had done his very first miracle in Cana of Galilee, and did more miracles during the Feast of Unleavened Bread which Nicodemus alluded to in John 3:2. Yet, as verse 54 indicates, this is the second miracle that Yeshua did after he came out of Yehudaea, when he avoided a premature confrontation with the Pharisee leaders because they all recognized that he was now mikveh-ing more disciples than his predecessor Yochanan, who also gave much grief to the Pharisees.
< 48 > Yeshua leaves for Shavuot
Yeshua leaves the Galilee and arrives at Jerusalem for the Feast of “Pentecost” before the week-long festivities begin
Week 15 — Day 99
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 5:1
John 5:1 After Yeshua healed the nobleman’s son in the Galilee, the Feast of Shavuot was approaching, and Yeshua went up to Yerushalayim.{1}
{Jn 5:1.1}In the “king james” version, the Greek text of John was rendered, “After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” It must first be noted that no one remotely familiar with the Hebrew culture in first century Israel would ever casually refer to one of the Feasts of YHVH as “a feast of the Jews.” Yochanan, the Jewish author, would have named the Feast, and every Israelite would have known that the only Feast that occurs at this time of year is the Feast of Shavuot. The Greek translators, however, being completely unfamiliar with the prophetic significance of this Feast, and having nothing remotely associated to it in their culture, simply classified the divinely appointed Feast of Shavuot as an insignificant “feast of the Jews.” It must further be noted that the British refused to follow their own rules of capitalization and further minimalized the Feasts of YHVH by refusing to capitalize the proper noun, “Passover,” or even “Sabbath.” However, they did painstakingly capitalize both “Satan” (Mark 1:13) and the name of the Babylonian fertility goddess Easter (Acts 12:4) which does not even appear in the Greek text, but replaced the word <pasca> pasca – Passover in the original text of the Acts.
< 49 > Yeshua heals a lame man on the 7th Sabbath
[Shabbat – 7th Sabbath of the counting of the omer,
6th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; May 31, 27 CE]
Week 15 — Day 105
Yeshua heals a lame man at the Pool of Bethesda the day before the Feast of Shavuot and then tells him to break the Prushim law of the eruv in the presence of thousands
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 5:2-15
John 5:2 By the sheep market at Yerushalayim there was a pool named Beit Chessed – the house of mercy [Bethesda], which had five porches 3in which there lay a great multitude of infirm folk, blind, lame, and withered, who all waited for the stirring of the water.{1} 5And there was a certain man, which had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6When Yeshua saw him lying there, and knew that he had been infirm a long time, he said to him, “Do you desire to be made whole?” 7The man answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, but while I am descending, another steps down in front of me.” 8Yeshua replied, “Rise! Roll up your bed and walk.” 9Immediately the man was made whole, and he rolled up his bed and walked, and it was on the Sabbath day. 10The Pharisee leaders chastised the man that was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”{1} 11He answered them, “He that made me whole said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 12Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed, and walk?’” 13But the one who was healed did not know who it was, and Yeshua had disappeared into the multitude gathered there. 14Afterward Yeshua found him in the Temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are now whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come to you.” 15The man departed, and told the religious leaders that it was Yeshua, which had made him whole.
{Jn 5:4.1} Omit verse 4: 4“For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.”
The explanatory statement contained in verse 4 is not in any of the early texts of John. It was added in later centuries by copyists attempting to explain the moving of the water. However late the addition was, it was also inaccurate. The pool at Bethesda exists to this day and it still bubbles up on occasion. In the Second Temple period there was a tradition – Jewish folklore – that whoever entered the pool at the time that the water was stirred would be healed. The stirring of the water was a natural and recurring event, and had nothing to do with either healing or an angelic visitation. It is the same vein of Jewish folklore that surrounds the cave of Elijah to this day where young Jewish women crowd into the cave, light candles, and pray for Elijah to find them a husband and bring them healthy children. Just like the pool at Bethesda, there is no evidence that jumping into the water at a certain time, lighting candles to Elijah, or praying at the grave of the Rambam brings about a miracle. The entire verse from the King James is included here for your understanding.
{Jn 5:10.1} The “bed” in question was a lightweight bamboo or woven palm frond mat that weighed less than a grapefruit, and there is absolutely no Biblical prohibition concerning the carrying of such a mat on the Sabbath. When Yeshua commanded the lame man to pick up his bamboo mat and walk, he was commanding this man to violate rabbinic law, thereby demonstrating that no man is authorized to add to or subtract from the commandments in the Torah (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32). For over 300 years the Pharisees had been developing their religious system that consisted of thousands of additional rules and regulations to which their followers must subscribe. The Pharisees claim that they were authorized by Moses to make takanot, which are, by their definition, “laws that change Biblical law.” Hundreds of these rules govern what one is permitted and not permitted to do on the Sabbath day.
One of these rules is the distance one is allowed to walk on the Sabbath day, which is legally defined by the Pharisees as “a Sabbath day’s journey.” According to Pharisee law, one was not permitted to carry anything outside of his home on the Sabbath day, and even then, he must not travel more than a Sabbath day’s journey. However, to circumvent their own man-made law, the Pharisees ruled that you could take some of your household possessions and place them one or more Sabbath day’s journey away from your dwelling the day before the Sabbath. Then, on the Sabbath day, you could carry anything that you desired to where you had placed the last article – that was your eruv. A Pharisee could extend his “house” almost indefinitely by simply making preparations a day earlier by placing the eruv (Talmud, Shabbat 6a, 8b). The Pharisees chastised the man who was lame the previous day for carrying the same burden that they could carry with impunity, but because of his infirmity he was unable to go through the “proper” rabbinic protocols that would have allowed him to do the same. The Sabbath day’s journey and the burden carrying protocol are translated into the modern-day rabbinic law concerning the eruv, which consists of a thin metal wire stretched on high poles around any parcel of land that defines the modern-day “house,” which the Pharisee is allowed to consider his perimeter for a Sabbath day’s journey. It can now encompass many miles.
< 50 > Yeshua Teaches in the Temple at the Feast of Shavuot
[Shavuot - 7th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; June 1, 27 CE]
Week 16 — Day 106
Matthew — Mark — Luke 3:19-20 — John 5:16-47
Luke 3:19 Herod the tetrarch, having been reproved by Yochanan for taking Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for other evils which Herod had done, 20then, added this infraction on top of everything else, he shut up Yochanan in prison.{1}
{Lk 3:20.1} Luke’s comment concerning the imprisonment of Yochanan is a parenthetical phrase that describes what eventually happened to Yochanan, but it is stated in Luke’s account before Yeshua was even mikveh-ed by Yochanan. Though his imprisonment may have occurred a few weeks earlier, this statement is inserted into the Gospel chronology before Yeshua’s address to the multitudes at the Feast of Shavuot because it is here, in verse 35, that Yeshua states, “Yochanan was a burning and shining light, and you were willing to rejoice in his light for a season.” Yeshua and Yochanan were both mikvehing in the same area of Judaea immediately after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Yeshua, then understanding that the Pharisees had taken notice of his ascendancy, left Judaea and went up into the Galilee. When Yeshua returned for the Feast of Shavuot a few weeks later, he learned that Yochanan had been arrested and was now imprisoned in Herod’s dungeon. This is the reason why Yeshua spoke of Yochanan in the past tense. Yochanan was still alive, and would not be executed until just before the Feast of Trumpets. Yeshua was brought word of the tragedy by Yochanan’s disciples on the day Yeshua fed the five thousand, which was three days before Yom Teruah at the end of the summer. See event <100>.
John 5:16 Because Yeshua healed the lame man on the Sabbath and ordered him to break their invented law of the eruv, the Prushim persecuted Yeshua, and sought to slay him. 17But Yeshua answered them, “My Father works on the Sabbath, and so do I.” 18Therefore the religious leaders sought even more earnestly to kill him, because he not only had broken their Sabbath rules, but he also said that YHVH was his Father, making himself equal with YHVH.
19Then Yeshua answered them, “TRUTH I say to you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does what he sees the Father do. Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. 20The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he wants done. He will show him even greater works than these, so that you may marvel. 21Just as the Father raised the dead and quickened them, even so the Son quickens all whom he will. 22The Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son. 23This is why all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that refuses to honor the Son, dishonors the Father who sent him. 24TRUTH, I say to you, he that hears my word and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life. He shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25TRUTH, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of YHVH and they shall live. 26Just as the Father has life in himself, so he has given the Son the power of life, 27and has also given him sole authority to execute judgment because he is also the Son of Man.{1} 28I recognize that this reality is far beyond your capacity to grasp, but the hour is coming in which all those who are in the graves shall hear my voice 29and shall come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation.{1} 30Of myself I can do nothing. As I hear, I judge. My judgment is just because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.”
31“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not sufficient.{1} 32However, there is another that bore witness of me, and I know that his witness of me is true. 33You sent emissaries to Yochanan, and he bore a true witness of me. 34And even though I did not receive my witness from man, I am telling you these things so that you might be fully informed. 35Yochanan was a burning and shining light, and you were willing to rejoice in his light for a season.{1} 36But I have even a greater witness than that of Yochanan – the works which the Father has given me to accomplish. The works that I do bear witness that the Father has sent me. 37The Father who sent me has already borne witness of me, but you have never heard his voice, nor have you seen his image. 38The one he has sent, you refuse to believe. Why? Because his word does not live in you. 39Search the Scriptures. In them you think you have eternal life, but it is they which testify of me. 40But you will not come to me so that you might have life.”
41“You dishonor me. 42But I know you, and you do not have the love of the Father in you. 43I have come in my Father’s name, and you reject me, yet another will come in his own name, and you will receive him. 44How can you possibly believe? You honor each other, but you are oblivious to true honor that comes from YHVH alone! 45Do not think that I need to accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is the one in whom you trust – Moses! 46If you had believed Moses, you would now believe me, because he wrote of me. 47But because you do not believe his writings, you can not believe my words.”
{Jn 5:27.1} “The Most High is not a man that he should lie, or the son of man that he should change his mind” (Numbers 23:19). “He cannot be tempted with sin, nor does he tempt any man” (James 1:13). “Yeshua was in all points tempted, just as we are, yet he remained without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). All mankind will be judged by a peer – the Son of Man – the Messiah. Because he was the son of man, he could experience all the temptations that are common to man, could overcome them, and can now judge man as a peer. The Son of YHVH could do only what he saw his father do, and was constrained by the nature of his heavenly Father to do the will of his Father in every given circumstance with which he was confronted, and therefore his judgment will be uncontaminated by either the will of men or their lame excuses.
{Jn 5:29.1} 1 Thessalonians 1:9
{Jn 5:31.1} “…at the mouth of two witnesses…shall the matter be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15).
{Jn 5:35.1} Yeshua is in Jerusalem on the High Day of the Feast of Shavuot, the day after he healed the lame man on the seventh Sabbath of the Counting of the Omer. Here he publicly recognizes Yochanan ben Zecharyah, the Immerser, in the past tense: “Yochanan was” and “you were.” Yochanan’s testimony concerning him was heard by the very Pharisees who are now plotting to kill Yeshua. Yochanan’s testimony is repeated and again dismissed by the ruling members of the Sanhedrin.
< 51 > Summary: Yeshua returns to the Galilee immediately after the Feast of Shavuot
when he learned that Yochanan has been imprisoned by Herod
This is Luke’s fifth summary statement
[8th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; June 2, 27 CE]
Week 16 — Day 107
Yeshua teaches in the synagogues for the first time during his ministry.
Matthew 4:12 — Mark 1:14a — Luke 4:14-15 — John
Matthew 4:12 Now when Yeshua heard that Yochanan was cast into prison, he departed into the Galilee.
Mark 1:14 Now after Yochanan was put in prison, Yeshua came into the Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of YHVH.
Luke 4:14 Yeshua returned in the power of the Spirit into the Galilee. His fame spread through all the region round about, 15and he was greatly praised as he taught in their synagogues.
IV. Shavuot to Yom Teruah 4027 (Summer 27 CE)
< 52 > Yeshua proclaims “The Acceptable Year of YHVH”
and violates Pharisee law in the Nazareth synagogue
[Shabbat - 13th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; June 7, 27 CE]
Week 16 — Day 112
Matthew — Mark — Luke 4:16-30 — John
Luke 4:16 Yeshua came to Natzeret where he had been brought up and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. When he stood up to read, 17the scroll of the prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah) was delivered to him. When he opened the scroll, he found the place where it was written, and he read: 18“The Spirit of Adonai YHVH is upon me, because YHVH has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives ‘and recovering of sight to the blind,’ to set at liberty those who are bound, 19to preach the acceptable year of YHVH.”{1} 20He closed the scroll, gave it back to the rabbi, and sat down.{1} Every eye in the synagogue was riveted on him. 21He began, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
22All who witnessed this incident marveled at the profound words which came out of his mouth, but they questioned, “Is not this Yoseph’s son?” 23Yeshua then said to them, “You will surely speak the saying to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ and ‘Do in your own community what we have heard you have done in Kfar Nahum.’”{1} 24He continued, “Truth I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own community. 25I will also tell you another truth – there were many widows in Israel during the days of Eliyahu, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a great famine throughout all the land. 26But to none of them was Eliyahu sent, except to Sarepta, a city of Zidon, unto a gentile widow woman. 27There were also many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha{1} the prophet, and yet none of them were cleansed except a gentile, Naaman, a Syrian.”
28When they heard these things, everyone in the synagogue was filled with wrath. 29They rose up, forced him out of the city, and took him to the cliff of the hill upon which their city was built so that they might cast him down head first. 30But he passed right through the midst of them and went his way.
{Lk 4:19.1} This event occurred on the first Sabbath after Shavuot. One year later, on the Feast of Shavuot, the Messiah will mikveh his followers with the Ruach Kodesh. This pronouncement of “the acceptable year of YHVH” and the Passover lamb being a one year old male are two of the most ignored prophetic statements in the history of Christendom because of the inherited heresy of Eusebius who fictionalized a three-and-one-half-year ministry. Eusebian replacement theologians attempted to turn Yeshua’s proclamation into a declaration of a Jubilee year, but even a novice can see that there are four months until the time a Jubilee year is announced at Yom Kippur – and they are years away from any possible reckoning of a Jubilee for the nation of Israel. Yeshua accurately proclaimed the final “one year” countdown in which the Spring Feasts of the YHVH would be fulfilled.
{Lk 4:20.1} Isaiah 61:1-2a; Yeshua also violated the synagogue “three verse rule” which caused a shocked silence. According to rabbinic law, one may read any portion of the Torah or the Prophets in the service, but they must read a full section – which is now interpreted as at least three verses (Talmud; Ta’anith 27:4). Yeshua stopped cold in the middle of the second sentence and sat down (there were no chapter markings until 1250 CE or verse markings until 1550 CE). If he had read the second part of the statement, he could not have proclaimed: “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears!” He did not come the first time as the reigning king who wields the sword in “the day of vengeance of our God.”
{Lk 4:23.1} John 4:46-54
{Lk 4:27.1} The King James translators rendered the name of the prophet Elisha, meaning “salvation is of Elohim,” as Eliseus, “Zeus is Elohim.”
< 53 > Yeshua moves from Natzeret
to his new home base in Kfar Nahum
[14th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; Sunday June 8, 27 CE]
Week 17 — Day 113
Matthew 4:13-16 — Mark — Luke 4:31a — John
Luke 4:31a And Yeshua moved down to Kfar Nahum, a village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Matthew 4:13 Yeshua left Natzeret, and came and dwelt in Kfar Nahum, which borders the sea of Galilee in the land of Zevulun and Naphtali. 14Thus it was fulfilled which was spoken by Yeshayahu the prophet, 15“In the land of Zevulun and Naphtali, beyond the way of the sea and the Yarden, in the region (Galilee) of the Gentiles, 16the people which sat in darkness saw a great light, and to those in the region who sat under the shadow of death, a light is sprung up.”{1}
{Mt 4:16.1} Isaiah 9:1-2
< 54 > King Yeshua begins to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven
throughout the Galilee from his home base in Kfar Nahum
Week 17
Matthew 4:17 — Mark 1:14b-15 — Luke — John
Mark 1:14 Yeshua preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of YHVH, 15saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of YHVH is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.”
Matthew 4:17 From that time Yeshua began to preach, “Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
< 55 > Yeshua invites four fishermen to join him for the Sabbath
[19th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; Friday June 13, 27 CE]
Week 17 — Day 118
Matthew 4:18-22 — Mark 1:16-20 — Luke — John
Matthew 4:18 As Yeshua was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Shimon (whom he called Kefa) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea. They were fishermen. 19Yeshua called out to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21Continuing on down the shore, he saw two more brothers, Yaakov and Yochanan, sons of Zebedee. They were mending their nets in a boat with their father when Yeshua called them. 22They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Mark 1:16 As Yeshua walked along the sea of Galilee, he saw Shimon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17Yeshua said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” 18Straightway they forsook their nets and followed him. 19When he had gone a little further, he saw Yaakov ben Zebedee and Yochanan his brother who were in a boat mending their nets. 20Immediately Yeshua called them. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and they followed him.
< 56 > Yeshua heals a demon possessed man
on Shabbat in the Kfar Nahum synagogue
[Shabbat - 20th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; Saturday June 14, 27 CE]
Week 17 — Day 119
Matthew — Mark 1:21-28 — Luke 4:31-37 — John
Mark 1:21 Yeshua and the four fishermen went into Kfar Nahum, and straightway on the Sabbath day they entered into the synagogue, and Yeshua taught. 22Everyone was astonished at his message because he taught them with authority, and not as the sages. 23There was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit who cried out, 24“Leave us alone! What have we to do with you, Yeshua of Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You are the Holy One of YHVH!” 25Yeshua rebuked him, “Silence! Come out of him!” 26When the unclean spirit had thrashed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27They were all amazed, and questioned among themselves, “What was that all about? What new revelation is this? He commands unclean spirits, and even they must obey his authority.” 28This incident caused his fame to immediately spread throughout all the region around the Galilee.
Luke 4:31 Yeshua came down to Kfar Nahum, a village of the lower Galilee, and he taught them on the Sabbath days. 32They were astonished at his doctrine, and his speech was with authority. 33In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34“Leave us alone! What have we to do with you, Yeshua of Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! The Holy One of YHVH!” 35Yeshua rebuked him, “Hold your peace! Come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and did not hurt him. 36They were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, “What a word! With authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37Because of this, his fame spread into every corner of the country round about the Galilee.
< 57 > Yeshua heals Shimon Kefa’s mother-in-law
after the Synagogue Shabbat Service
[Shabbat - 20th Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; June 14, 27 CE ]
Week 17 — Day 119
Matthew 8:14-15 — Mark 1:29-31 — Luke 4:38-39 — John
Matthew 8:14 When Yeshua entered into Kefa’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying down, being sick of a fever. 15Yeshua touched her hand and the fever left her. She arose and ministered to them.
Mark 1:29 When they came out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Shimon and Andrew, along with Yaakov and Yochanan. 30But Shimon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and immediately they told him of her situation. 31He took her by the hand and lifted her up. Immediately the fever left her and she ministered to them.
Luke 4:38 Yeshua left the synagogue and entered into Shimon’s house. Shimon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever, and they entreated him on her behalf. 39So, he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She immediately arose and ministered to them.
< 58 > Yeshua healed many after sunset
as they left their places after Shabbat
[21st Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; Saturday evening, June 14, 27 CE]
Week 18 — Day 120
Matthew 8:16-17 — Mark 1:32-34 — Luke 4:40-41 — John
Matthew 8:16 When the evening came, they brought to him many who were possessed with demons, and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick. 17Thus it was fulfilled which was spoken by Yeshayahu the prophet, “He took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.”{1}
{Mt 8:17.1} Isaiah 53:4
Mark 1:32 That evening, when the sun set, they brought to him all that were diseased and possessed with demons. 33The entire village was gathered together at the door, 34and he healed many that were sick of various diseases, and cast out many demons (but he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him).
Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had acquaintances who were sick with various diseases brought them to Yeshua, who laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41Demons also came out of many, crying out, “You are Messiah! The Son of YHVH!” He rebuked them and did not allow them to speak further because they knew that he was Messiah.
< 59 > Yeshua departs from Kfar Nahum
The fishermen refuse to follow him on his first itinerary
[21st Day of the 3rd Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, June 15, 27 CE]
Week 18 — Day 120
Matthew — Mark 1:35-38 — Luke 4:42-43 — John
Mark 1:35 In the morning, rising up a great while before day, he left Kfar Nahum and departed into a solitary place; and there he prayed. 36Shimon, and those with him, followed after Yeshua. 37When they found him, they said, “Everyone wants you!” 38But Yeshua replied, “Come! Let us go into the other villages so that I can preach there also. This is the reason I was sent.”{1}
Luke 4:42 When it was day he departed and went into a deserted place, but the people searched until they found him. They held him fast and pleaded that he would not depart from them. 43But he said to them, “I must preach the Kingdom of YHVH in other villages also. This is the reason I was sent.”
{Mk 1:38.1} Though Yeshua invited the fishermen to accompany him on his teaching itinerary around the Galilee, they went back to their fishing business. Yeshua will return in 3 weeks to make another invitation (event <61>).
< 60 > Yeshua preaches in synagogues throughout the Galilee
Great multitudes respond to his ministry
Week 18-20
Matthew 4:23-35 — Mark 1:39 — Luke 4:44 — John
Matthew 4:23 Yeshua went around all the Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. He healed all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24His fame also spread throughout all Syria. They brought to him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those who were possessed with demons, and those who were lunatics, and those that had the palsy. He healed them all. 25Great multitudes from the Galilee, and from the Decapolis, and from Yerushalayim, and from Yehudaea, and from beyond the Yarden followed him.
Mark 1:39 Yeshua preached in their synagogues throughout all the Galilee, and cast out demons.
Luke 4:44 Yeshua preached in the synagogues of the Galilee.
< 61 > Yeshua returns to the Kinneret
After teaching from Kefa’s fishing boat and the “miracle catch” the four disciples forsake the fishing business and follow him
Week 21
Matthew — Mark — Luke 5:1-11 — John
Luke 5:1 It came to pass, as the people pressed on Yeshua to hear the word of YHVH, he stood by the lake of Ginasaur.{1} 2He saw two boats standing by the lake shore, but the fishermen had left them and were mending their nets.{1} 3He climbed into one of the boats, which was Shimon’s, and asked him to push out a little way from the land. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4When he finished speaking, he said to Shimon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets{1} for a haul.” 5Shimon retorted, “Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing – nevertheless, since you insist, I will let down a net.” 6When they had done so, they enclosed a great multitude of fish and broke their nets. 7They motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. When they came, they filled both boats and they began to sink. 8When Shimon Kefa saw this, he fell at Yeshua’s feet and cried, “Depart from me! Master, I am a sinful man!” 9Kefa and all that were with him were astonished at the haul of fish which they had taken, 10and so were Yaakov and Yochanan, the sons of Zebedee, who were Shimon’s partners. Yeshua replied to Shimon, “Fear not! From now on you will catch men.” 11When they brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed him.{1}
{Lk 5:1.1} The lake of Ginasaur is also called the Sea of the Galilee, the Sea of Tiverias, the Sea of the coast, and the Kinneret or “Harp Lake.” The village of Ginasaur and the city of Tiverias is on the shore of the lowest freshwater lake on planet earth (220m below sea level) which is in the shape of a kinnor – a twenty-two stringed harp played in the Temple service.
{Lk 5:2.1} When Yeshua first called the fishermen, two of them were still fishing and the other two were in their boat mending their nets (event <55>). A few weeks later, when he returns to the shore of the Kinneret, they are all out of their beached boats mending their nets. These two incidents set up the scene where the fishermen finally forsake their family business and follow Yeshua full time from this point on.
{Lk 5:4.1} Yeshua tells Kefa to let down his nets (plural), and yet he lets down only a net (singular) in remonstration of Yeshua’s seemingly ignorant order to fish during the daytime. After the net-breaking load, Kefa confesses his sins: first, that he did not follow Yeshua when he was invited to do so a few weeks before (probably citing the need to provide for his family) and second, that he responded with minimal effort and no belief in the words of Yeshua when instructed to let down his nets.
{Lk 5:11.1} The fishermen were invited to go with Yeshua on this itinerary but stayed behind to work. After the harvest of fish, they had the means to take care of their families and followed Yeshua.
< 62 > The first “Sermon on the Mount” Yeshua proclaims “the rules of the Kingdom”
to the disciples who climb the mountain to hear in direct opposition to the rules of the Pharisees
Week 21
Matthew 5:1-7:29 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 5:1 Seeing the multitudes, Yeshua went up into a mountain. When he was set, his disciples came unto him, 2and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3“Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the teachable, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for their hunger shall be satisfied. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see YHVH. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of YHVH. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall the earth be salted? The salt is then good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
17“Do not think that I have come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”{1} 18Truth I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Torah till all be fulfilled. 19Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments in the Torah, and shall teach men to do so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven! But, whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say to you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the sages and Prushim, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”{1}
{Mt 5:17.1} In Shem Tov’s personal comments in the ancient Hebrew Matthew concerning the double negative, “Think not that I have come to destroy…I have not come to destroy,” he writes, “In all these words, not to add a word to the words of the Torah nor to subtract any.” His comment includes the double negative found in Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it…,” which are the same two prohibitions closing the Book of the Revelation. Even this Jewish physician in Spain understood that Yeshua did not violate, nor did he teach others to violate the Torah. In fact, this was Shem Tov’s defense to the Catholic Bishops who were persecuting the Jews in Spain.
{Mt 5:20.1} The Scribes and Pharisees taught that “You can be forgiven if you break the commandments of the Almighty, but anyone who deliberately violates the takanot of the Pharisees will not see the world to come.” Yeshua turns their own pronouncement upon them, declaring to all present that the true standard of righteousness in the kingdom will not permit the Scribes and Pharisees to “see the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said by the sages and Prushim of old time, ‘Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.’ 22But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment! Whoever shall say to his brother, ‘You empty-headed ignoramus!’{1} shall be bound for punishment by the judges. And whoever shall say to his brother, ‘You godless moron!’ shall be bound for punishment in the fires of the Hinnom.{1} 23Therefore, if you bring a gift to the altar, and then remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift before the altar and go your way. First, reconcile with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Agree with your accuser quickly, while you are in the way with him, lest the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you are cast into prison. 26Truth I say to you, you shall by no means come out of there until you have paid the last penny.”
{Mt 5:22.1} rhaka – from Aramaic: empty headed simpleton
{Mt 5:22.2} moron <mwroj> a godless fool. The Scribes and Pharisees, whom Yeshua already said “will not see the kingdom of heaven” pronounced vindictive judgments and derided those who refused to submit to their rules and authority. They insulted them with derogatory slurs which insulted their spirituality and intelligence. They called everyone outside their cult “am ha aretz,” literally “people of the land,” a term of derision applied scornfully to the masses who were uneducated in the takanot (man-made laws) of the Pharisees, or refused to submit to their authority. In contrast to the slurs “rhaka,” “godless fool,” and “am ha aretz,” the Pharisees referred to their students as “talmidea chachamim” – or “wise students.”
Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said by the sages and Prushim of old time, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’{1} 28But I say to you, that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.”
{Mt 5:27.1} The Pharisees taught, and it was common knowledge among Yeshua’s hearers, that in order to avoid adultery, you must divorce your wife before taking up with another woman. They then made landmark rulings concerning grounds for divorce: (1) If you find a woman more beautiful than your wife, you may divorce your wife and marry the more attractive woman, and (2) If your wife burns your dinner, you may divorce her (Talmud; Gittin 90a). Yeshua clarifies the real issue: “You have already committed adultery in your heart” – in other words, you cannot cover your adultery by initiating a divorce on illegitimate grounds. Yeshua also repeats this principle in the incident recorded in Mark 10:11-12 in which either party who initiates a divorce in order to marry another is in fact committing adultery – and the one whom they are marrying is committing adultery with them. The legal term for this should be “Premeditated Remarriage.”
Matthew 5:31 “It has been said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a get.’{1} 32But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the case of adultery (an ervah matter){1} causes her to commit adultery;{2} and whoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.”{3}
{Mt 5:31.1} A “get” is a formal divorce decree that must be presented to a wife by her husband regardless of which party initiates the divorce. In short, a get states, “You are hereby permitted unto all men.” The woman is then single. Another Pharisee ruling concerning grounds for divorce: If your wife burns a meal, you may divorce your wife (Talmud; Gittin 90a).
{Mt 5:32.1} Yeshua clarifies the grounds for one person divorcing his or her mate: the case of an ervah matter. Leviticus 18:1-30 and 20:10-23 detail those things that are toavah (abominations KJV) which are the depths of sexual perversion, and ervah matters (translated as “nakedness” KJV) which are forbidden sexual activities. Yeshua is properly interpreting the Torah concerning the grounds upon which a man may legitimately give his wife a bill of divorcement without her consent: “Because he hath found some uncleanness (ervah matter) in her” and is authorized to put her away for such without her consent.
The Torah authorized a mutual divorce, which must be initiated by the husband on their behalf, which Yeshua recognizes “for hardness of heart” as recorded in Mark 10:2-9. The Torah is very clear in this matter, and Yeshua would in no way nullify the instructions of the Almighty given through Moses: When a man and woman divorce for hardness of heart, they are no longer married; they are single and as such are free to marry anyone – even each other. One stipulation remains: if the woman re-marries and she is later divorced from her subsequent husband, or he dies, her former husband may not marry her a second time (Deut. 24:1-4). A cohen, a priest of Israel who serves in the Temple, may never marry a divorced woman (Lev. 21:7).
{Mt 5:32.2} In context, the phrase “…causes her to commit adultery” means that if a man puts away his wife illegitimately – not giving her a get – if she later commits adultery (because she is still legally married), her husband who refused to give her a get is the cause of her adultery and he will bear the responsibility for her actions. This cannot be construed to say that a man who divorces his wife on illegitimate grounds (she burns his meal or he finds a more beautiful woman) causes her (even if she remains celibate) to be an adulteress. She is only an adulteress if she commits adultery after being illegitimately put away by her husband – yet her husband, who put her away without a get, is culpable if she commits adultery. He is, in the eyes of Heaven, the cause of her adultery.
{Mt 5:32.3} The instruction, “whoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery” is reiterated in Mark 10:11-12 which states that if the woman initiates the divorce in order to marry another, she is, in fact, committing adultery – again the prohibition is against Premeditated Remarriage by either party.
Matthew 5:33 “Again, you have heard that it has been said by the sages and Prushim of old time, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform the oaths you make to YHVH.’{1} 34But I say to you, do not swear falsely at all.{1} Not by heaven; for it is YHVH’s throne; 35 nor by the earth; for it is his footstool; neither by Yerushalayim, for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be ‘yes means yes, and no means no.’ Anything other than that is wickedness.”
{Mt 5:33.1} We are, by Divine commandment, to make our oaths by swearing in the name of YHVH (Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20; Numbers 30:2). This is the only oath that is authorized by the Almighty, and the oath repeated throughout the history of Israel.
{Mt 5:34.1} The Pharisees circumvented the commandment in Deuteronomy 6:13, “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name” and negated their responsibility to speak the truth by swearing by any number of things that sounded holy while secretly claiming that they were under no obligation to honor (See Matthew 23:16-22). In Leviticus 19:12 the Torah specifically warns, “Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy Elohim: I am YHVH.” Yeshua extrapolates on this commandment and states that we are not to swear falsely by anything! The ancient Hebrew text of the Gospel of Matthew clearly has the word “falsely” accurately maintained, but the modern Greek texts have omitted it – probably because gentile copyists were not familiar with the text or commandments in the Torah that Yeshua exclaimed “will not pass away.” Yeshua is actually proclaiming the veracity of the eternal Torah with every denouncement of Pharisee takanot and their modern day equivalents found in every man-made religion on the planet.
Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it has been said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, that you do not demand recompense for evil done against you. But whoever smites you on your right cheek, turn to him the left. 40If any man sues you in court and takes away your coat, give him the shirt off your back. 41Whoever compels you to go a mile, go with him two. 42Give to him that asks you, and do not turn away from him that would borrow from you.”
43“You have heard the saying, ‘love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you. 45Then you will truly be the children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the publicans do the same? 47If you joyfully receive only your brothers, what great deed is that? Do not even the publicans do so? 48Strive for perfection, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 6:1 “Take heed that you do not give a donation to the poor in front of men in order to be seen of them, otherwise you have no reward of your Father who is in heaven. 2So, when you give a donation, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Truth I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you give, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4so that your giving may be done in secret. Then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 5When you pray, you will not be as the hypocrites who love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, so that they may be seen of men. Truth I say to you, they have their reward! 6But when you pray, enter into your closet and shut the door. Pray to your Father in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions like the heathen. They think that they will be heard because of their incessant chatter. 8Do not be like them. Your Father knows what things you need before you ask. 9Therefore, pray in this pattern:
Our Father in heaven.
We sanctify your Holy name.
10May your kingdom come.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13Do not lead us into the hands of a test, but deliver us from peril.
Amen.”{1}
{Mt 6:13.1} The doxology, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever,” is not in any of the early Greek texts or in the ancient Hebrew Matthew, nor does it appear in the pattern of the prayer taught to another group of disciples seven months later in event <141>.
Matthew 6:14 “If you forgive men their trespasses against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, your Father will not forgive your trespasses. When you fast, do not be as the hypocrites who put on a sad face. They feign a tortured expression so that they may appear to men to be fasting. I say to you, truth, they have already received their reward. 17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father, who is in the secret place. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.”
19“Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and thieves break in and steal. 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break in or steal. 21Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22The light of your life is your perspective.{1} Therefore, if your perspective is positive, your whole life will be full of light! 23But if your perspective is negative, your whole life will be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other – or hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve YHVH and serve your material possessions. 25That is why I say to you, do not be anxious over the things in your life – what you shall eat, or what you shall drink. Do not be overly concerned for your body – what you shall put on. Is not your life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Behold the fowls of the air – they do not sow nor reap, nor gather into barns – yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? 27Which of you by anxious thought can add a cubit{1} to his stature? 28And why have such grief over clothing? Consider how the lilies of the field grow. They do not work. They do not spin. 29And yet I say to you that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now, if the Almighty so clothes the grass of the field, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore, do not be distracted by continually chasing after what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or what you shall wear 32(for the gentiles endlessly pursue all these insignificant things.) Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things! 33Seek first the kingdom of YHVH, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. 34Do not be distracted about the concerns of tomorrow; tomorrow will have its own concerns. Sufficient to each day is its own problems.”
{Mt 6:22.1} Literally: eye – figuratively: world view
{Mt 6:27.1} one cubit: The sacred cubit is 20.62 inches and is the unit of measurement used throughout the Scriptures. It is the measurement for the Tabernacle and can still be found in the dimensions of the gates of the cities that Solomon built – Hazor, Gezer, Megiddo – that have been excavated in Israel. It is the cubit measurement of Noah’s Ark, found in the mountains of Uratu in northern Turkey as measured with modern surveying equipment. It is also the “cubit and a handbreadth” of Ezekiel 40:5 which refers to the common cubit measurement that every man carries with him on a daily basis: from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and the width of the hand across the knuckles.
Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged, 2for with the standard by which you judge others, you shall be judged. The very same measurement you use to measure others, will be used to measure you. 3Why do you stare at the twig that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the timber that is in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me pull the twig out of your eye,’ when a log is in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first pull the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to pull the twig out of your brother’s eye!”
6”Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine. They will only trample them under their feet and turn back to bite and gore you.”
7“Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8Everyone that asks, will receive. He that seeks, will find. To him who knocks, it shall be opened. 9What man is there among you, who, if his son asks bread, will he give him a stone [that looks like a loaf of bread]? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a venomous serpent? 11If you, being influenced by evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?” 12”Therefore, anything whatsoever that you would want men to do unto you, do the same unto them. This is the Torah and the prophets.
13Enter in at the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is very wide and the path is broad. Most will follow that path. 14But the gate that leads to life is narrow, and the path is restrictive. Very few will find that path. 15Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from a thorn bush or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be hewn down and cast into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21Not every one that said to me, ‘Lord!’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father in heaven. 22Many will say to me in the day of judgment, ‘Lord! Lord! Have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out demons, and in your name done many wonderful works?’ 23Then, I will pronounce the verdict, ‘I never knew you! Depart from me, you violator of the Torah!’”{1}
{Mt 7:23.1} KJV “Depart from me, ye that work <ergazomai = produce, end result> iniquity <a nomia = without Torah>.” Yeshua begins his declaration of the Gospel of the Kingdom with, “Think not that I have come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets” (5:17) and concludes with the horrifying scene from the throne room on Judgment Day for those who missed the extremely narrow gate that leads to eternal life. His entire discourse is an endorsement and clarification of the Torah, just as Moses instructed us to expect from The Prophet. He elucidated the teachings of the Torah that had become grossly twisted in practice, and contrasted the Torah to the rules of the prevailing religious systems of the day. He then took us to the throne room where he will, one day, pronounce judgment in compliance with the Torah. Those who thought that they were following him will truly have a terrifying awakening on that day.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore, whoever hears these teachings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. 25The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house. But it did not fall because the foundation was built upon a rock. 26But everyone that hears these teachings of mine, and does not do them, will be likened to a fool who built his house upon sand. 27The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house. And it collapsed – and great was the fall of it.”
28When Yeshua ended his teaching, the disciples{1} were astonished at his doctrine. 29He taught them with authority, and not like the sages.
{Mt 7:28.1} Only his disciples who climbed the mountain were there to hear this message (Matthew 5:1) while the multitude stayed below and waited for him to meet them on their ground. Matthew the Levite was there, but was not yet following Yeshua full time until event <67> (Matthew 9:9).
< Note 10 > Mattiyahu the Levite reports several incidents
occurring in the fourth month
The chronological order of events is established by Mark and Luke
< 63 > Yeshua heals a leper
Week 22
Matthew 8:1-4 — Mark 1:40-45 — Luke 5:12-15 — John
Matthew 8:1 When Yeshua came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And a leper came and bowed before him, saying, ”Master, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3Yeshua put forth his hand and touched him, saying, “I will. Be clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4Then Yeshua said to him, “See that you tell no man, but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them.”
Mark 1:40 A leper came to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41Yeshua, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will. Be clean.” 42As soon as he had spoken, the leprosy immediately departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43Yeshua strictly charged him and immediately sent him away, 44saying, “See that you say nothing to anyone! Go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to herald it greatly, and to blaze abroad the whole matter, so that Yeshua could no more openly enter into the village, but stayed outside the city in a deserted place. Yet they came to him from every quarter.
Luke 5:12 It came to pass, when he was in a certain village, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Yeshua, he fell on his face and besought him, saying, “Master, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13Yeshua put forth his hand and touched him, saying, “I will. Be clean.” And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14He charged him to tell no man, but, “Go, and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15But more and more his fame was spread abroad and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities by him.
< 64 > Yeshua withdraws into the wilderness for prayer
Week 22
Matthew — Mark — Luke 5:16 — John
Luke 5:16 Then Yeshua withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
< 65 > Yeshua continues to teach in the region around the Kinneret
He returns to Kfar Nahum where he heals a paralyzed man on a weekday in the presence of Pharisees and sages
Week 23
Matthew 9:2-8 — Mark 2:1-12 — Luke 5:17-26 — John
Mark 2:1 After some days Yeshua entered again into Kfar Nahum, and it was noised that he was in the house. 2Immediately many gathered together, so many that there was no room to receive them, no, they could not even get in the door. Yeshua preached the word unto them. 3And they came to him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4When they could not come near to him for the press, they uncovered the roof over where Yeshua was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed on which the sick of the palsy lay. 5When Yeshua saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy, “Son, your sins be forgiven you.” 6There were certain of the sages sitting there, who reasoned in their hearts, 7“Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but YHVH only?” 8Immediately Yeshua perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said to them, “Why reason you these things in your hearts? 9Is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Your sins be forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise! Take up your bed, and walk?’ 10But just so that you know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins.” (He then spoke to the sick of the palsy.) 11“I say to you, arise, and take up your bed, and go your way into your house.” 12Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all. They were all completely amazed and glorified YHVH, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Matthew 9:2 They brought a man to Yeshua who was sick of the palsy and lying on a bed. Yeshua, seeing their faith, said to the sick of the palsy, “Son, be of good courage, your sins are forgiven.” 3And certain of the sages said within themselves, “This man blasphemes.” 4Yeshua, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and walk?’ 6But just so you know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” (he said to the sick of the palsy) “arise, take up your bed and go to your house.” 7So he arose, and departed to his house. 8When the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified YHVH, who had given such power to men.
Luke 5:17 It came to pass on a certain day that there were Prushim and Torah scholars sitting around Yeshua as he was teaching those who came out of every town of Galilee, and Yehudaea, and Yerushalayim – and the power of YHVH was present to heal them. 18Then men brought a man who was taken with a palsy in a bed. They were looking for a way to bring him in, and to lay him before Yeshua. 19But when they could not find a way that they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down, with his couch, through the ceiling into the midst before Yeshua. 20When he saw their faith, he said to him, “Sir, your sins are forgiven.” 21The sages and the Prushim began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins, but Elohim alone?” 22But when Yeshua perceived their thoughts, he said to them, “Why do you reason such evil in your hearts? 23Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?’ 24But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority upon earth to forgive sins.” (He spoke to the sick of the palsy.) “I say to you, Arise! Take your bed and go to your house.” 25Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that upon which he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying YHVH. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified YHVH, and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
< 66 > Summary: Yeshua teaches multitudes along the Kinneret
Week 23
Matthew 9:9a — Mark 2:13 — Luke — John
Mark 2:13 Yeshua went out by the seaside again and all the multitude resorted to him, and he taught them.
Matthew 9:9a Yeshua left Kfar Nahum…
< 67 > Yeshua invites Mattiyahu haLevi to follow him
Matthew invites Yeshua, tax collectors, Pharisees, and assorted sinners to the Rosh Khodesh feast at his home
Week 23 — Day 158-159
Matthew 9:9b-14 — Mark 2:14-22 — Luke 5:27-39 — John
Matthew 9:9 As Yeshua passed out of Kfar Nahum, he saw a man named Mattiyahu sitting at a toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he arose, and followed him. 10As Yeshua reclined at dinner in Mattiyahu’s house, many publicans and sinners came and reclined with him and his disciples. 11When the Prushim saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your rabbi eat with publicans and sinners?” 12But when Yeshua heard, he said to them, “Those who are whole do not need a physician, only those who are sick. 13Go you and learn what this means: ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.’{1} I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
{Mt 9:13.1} Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Yeshua will again call them on this verse at event <68> a week later (Matthew 12:7).
Mark 2:14 As Yeshua passed by, he saw a Levite, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at a toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” He arose and followed him. 15As Yeshua reclined at the dinner table in his house, many publicans and sinners also reclined together with Yeshua and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the sages and Prushim saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said to his disciples, “How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?” 17When Yeshua heard it, he said to them, “Those who are whole have no need of a physician, only those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
18The disciples of Yochanan and the disciples of the Prushim were accustomed to fast, and they came to Yeshua and said, “Why do the disciples of Yochanan and of the Prushim fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19Yeshua replied, “Can the family of the bridal party fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20The day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then, in those days, they will fast. 21No man sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment, because the new piece will shrink and tear away from the old, and the rend will be made worse. 22Also, no man puts new wine into old wineskins, because the new wine will burst the wineskins. The new wine will be spilled, and the wineskins will be destroyed. New wine must be put into new wineskins.”
Luke 5:27 As Yeshua left Kfar Nahum, he saw a publican, a Levite, sitting at a toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28He rose up, left all, and followed Yeshua. 29The Levite made a great feast in his own house, and a great company of publicans and others came and reclined with them. 30But their sages and Prushim murmured against Yeshua’s disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” 31Yeshua answered them, “Those who are whole do not need a physician; but those that are sick. 32I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” 33They then asked him, “Why do the disciples of Yochanan fast and pray often, just as the disciples of the Prushim; but yours eat and drink?” 34Yeshua said to them, “Can you make the family of the bridal party fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35The day will come that the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
36He also spoke a parable to them: “No man takes a piece of cloth out of a new garment and sews it into an old garment. The new cloth will make another tear, because it is incompatible with the old garment. 37Likewise, no man puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine will burst the inflexible old wineskins. The wine will pour out, and the wineskins will be destroyed. 38New wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 39Furthermore, no man, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new wine, because he claims, ‘The old is better.’”
< 68 > Yeshua and his disciples “harvest, winnow, and grind” grain
on the second Sabbath after the first of the month, incurring the wrath of the Pharisees
[Shabbat - 10th day, 5th month, 4027 FC; Saturday August 2, 27 CE]
Week 24 — Day 168
Events detailed in Matthew 12 and 13 occur during the same period as events recorded in Matthew 8:18 - 11:30.
Matthew 12:1-8 — Mark 2:23-28 — Luke 6:1-5 — John
Luke 6:1 On the second Sabbath after the first,{1} Yeshua went through the wheat fields, and his disciples plucked the ears of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate. 2Some of the Prushim said unto them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?”{1} 3Yeshua answered them, “You have not read much, have you?” What did David do when he and those who were with him were hungry? 4He went into the house of YHVH and took the showbread and ate it, and he also gave to those who were with him. The showbread is not lawful to eat except by the priests alone!” 5Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is likewise the master of the Sabbath.”
{Lk 6:1.1} This is the “second Sabbath after the Rosh Khodesh” (the first day of the fifth month). It is now nine days after the “New Moon” Feast which Matthew hosted in his home. Matthew, the Levite, is now among the company of the full-time followers of Yeshua.
{Lk 6:2.1} By Pharisee law, it became impossible for the poor to feed themselves on the Sabbath by walking into a field and plucking the grains – as provided by the Torah. The Pharisees decreed that plucking the grain heads was harvesting, rubbing the chaff off the grain was threshing, and eating the grain was grinding. Yeshua taught his disciples by example to disregard the rules of man-made religion.
Matthew 12:1 At that time Yeshua went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of grain, and to eat. 2When the Prushim saw it, they said to him, “Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day.” 3But he said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him? 4He entered into the house of YHVH and ate the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests! 5Have you not read in the Torah how, on the Sabbath days, the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? 6But I say to you that in this place is one greater than the Temple! 7If you had known what this means, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’{1} you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8The Son of Man is master even of the Sabbath day.”
{Mt 12:7.1} At the Rosh Khodesh Feast at Matthew’s house (event <67>), Yeshua told these same Pharisees, “Go and find out what this means, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.” Nine days later, he insults them in their synagogue by saying that they still do not have a clue as to the meaning of Hosea 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” If they truly understood the prophecy in its context, they would not condemn the innocent nor conspire to have him killed.
Mark 2:23 Yeshua walked through the wheat fields on the Sabbath day, and his disciples began to pluck the ears of grain as they went. 24The Prushim said to him, “Look, why do they do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?” 25Yeshua said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when they had need and were hungry? 26He went into the house of YHVH in the days of Abiathar the Cohen Gadol and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and he gave also to those who were with him.” 27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore, the Son of Man is likewise the master of the Sabbath.”
< 69 > Yeshua heals a man with a withered hand
[Shabbat - 10th day, 5th month, 4027 FC; Saturday August 2, 27 CE]
Week 24 — Day 168
Though the extant Greek texts of Luke indicate that this incident was “on another Sabbath,” and would then have occurred the week following the harvesting incident, that would leave an otherwise very busy schedule without notable accomplishment in this week. If it did occur the following Sabbath, after a quiet week at home, incidents 70 – 95 would advance one week into the summer. Matthew’s record indicates that is was the Sabbath of week 24, day 168.
Matthew 12:9-14 — Mark 3:1-6 — Luke 6:6-11 — John
Matthew 12:9 When he departed from the field, he went into their synagogue, 10and a man was there which had a withered hand. The Prushim, who chided him concerning the grain harvesting incident, asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?” so that they might accuse him. 11He said to them, “What man is there among you, who, having just one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.” 13Then he said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand.” He stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, just like the other. 14Then the Prushim left and conspired together concerning how they might destroy him.
Mark 3:1 He entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who had a withered hand. 2And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, so that they might accuse him. 3Then he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand forth.” 4He said to the Prushim, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?” But they held their peace. 5When he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand!” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other. 6Then the Prushim went forth, and straightway conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
Luke 6:6 It came to pass on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man present whose right hand was withered, 7and the sages and Prushim watched to see whether Yeshua would heal him on the Sabbath day so that they might find a charge against him. 8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up, and stand forth in the midst.” He arose and stood forth. 9Then Yeshua said to them, “I will ask you all one thing – is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?” 10Then looking round about upon all of them, he said to the man, “Stretch forth your hand!” When he did so, his hand was restored whole as the other. 11And they were all filled with anger and conspired with one another what they might do to Yeshua.
< 70 > Yeshua heals many in the villages around the Kinneret
Crowds gather from around the Galilee
Week 25
Matthew 12:15-21 — Mark 3:7-12 — Luke — John
Matthew 12:15 When Yeshua realized they were planning to destroy him, he withdrew himself. Yet great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all 16and charged them that they should not make him known. 17This was done so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Yeshayahu the prophet, 18“Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased! I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the gentiles. 19He shall not strive, nor shout, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench until he sends forth judgment to victory. 21In his name shall the gentiles trust.”{1}
{Mt 12:21.1} Isaiah 42:1-3
Mark 3:7 Yeshua withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea. A great multitude followed him from the Galilee, and from Yehudaea, 8and from Yerushalayim, and from Idumaea, and from beyond the Yarden; and those around Tyre and Sidon. When they heard what great things he did, a great multitude came to him. 9He told his disciples to secure a small ship and wait on him because the multitude threatened to throng him 10because he had healed so many that many who had plagues pressed in just to touch him. 11When those with unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of Elohim!” 12He sternly charged them that they should not make him known.
< 71 > Yeshua prays all night on a mountain
and then gathers his most faithful disciples and ordains twelve of them as his Shiloach - Apostles
Week 25
Matthew — Mark 3:13-19a — Luke 6:12-16 — John
Luke 6:12 At that time, Yeshua went up into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to YHVH. 13When it was day, he called his disciples and named twelve who would be sent forth as shiloach: 14Shimon (whom he also named Kefa), and Andrew (his brother), Yaakov and Yochanan, Philip and Bartholomew, 15Mattiyahu and Thomas, Yaakov (the son of Alphaeus), Shimon (the Zealot), 16Yehuda (the brother of Yaakov), and Yehudas (from Ascareyotah – who also was the traitor).
Mark 3:13 Yeshua went up into a mountain and called those he wanted, and they came to him. 14He ordained twelve to be with him, so that he might send them forth as apostles, to preach, 15to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons. 16He called Shimon (he surnamed Kefa), 17and Yaakov (the son of Zebedee) and Yochanan (the brother of Yaakov), whom he surnamed Boanerges, which means “the sons of thunder.” 18Also Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Mattiyahu, Thomas, Yaakov (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus (Yehudah),{1} Shimon (the Zealot), 19and Yehudas (from Ascareyotah – who also betrayed him)…
{Mk 3:18.1} Comparing the catalogue of apostles in Luke 6:16, Mark 3:18, and Acts 1:13, it is apparent that Judas (Yehudah), Lebbaeus, and Thaddaeus were variations on the name of the same person, and was also the writer of the book of Jude.
< 72 > The “Sermon on the Plain” Yeshua teaches a multitude outside Kafar Nahum
Week 25
This is Yeshua’s very short reiteration of a message that he delivered to relatively few disciples on a mountain near the beginning of his teaching ministry five weeks earlier (event <62>).
Matthew — Mark — Luke 6:17-49 — John
Luke 6:17 Yeshua came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of his disciples. A great multitude of people out of all Yehudaea and Yerushalayim, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. 18Those who were vexed with unclean spirits were delivered, 19and the whole multitude tried to touch him because power went out of him, and healed them all.
20He lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said, “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of Elohim. 21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and for the Son of Man’s sake call you out as evil. 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For your reward in heaven is great. Their fathers did the very same things to the prophets.”
24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your consolation! 25Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger! Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep! 26Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets! 27But I say to you who have ears to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who despitefully use you. 29To him that smites you on the cheek, offer the other. He that takes away your coat, let him have your shirt as well. 30Give to every man who asks of you. He who takes away your goods, do not ask him to return them, 31and just as you would like men to do to you, do the same to them. 32I ask you, if you love those who love you, what thanks do you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you expect? Even sinners do the same. 34If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive a return on your investment, what thanks do you expect? Sinners lend to sinners to receive an increase. 35Rather, love your enemies and do good, and lend with no hope for gain. Then shall your reward be great, and you shall truly be the children of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. 36Therefore, be merciful, as your Father is merciful. 37Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. 38Give, and it shall be given to you – good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. Because the same measure that you use to measure others, will be used to measure you.”
39Then he spoke a parable to them, “Can the blind lead the blind? will they not both fall into the ditch? 40The disciple is not above his master, but everyone who is completely perfected shall be like his master. 41So, why concentrate on the twig in your brother’s eye and miss the beam that is in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me pull the twig out of your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the limb that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first pull the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to pull the twig out of your brother’s eye.”
43“A good tree does not bring forth rotten fruit, neither does a rotting tree bring forth good fruit. 44Every tree is known by its own fruit. Men do not gather figs from a thorn tree, neither do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45Out of the treasure of his good heart a good man brings forth that which is good. Out of the treasure of his evil heart an evil man brings forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 46Why do you call me, ‘Lord!’ yet you do not do the things I say? 47Whoever comes to me and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like – 48he is like a man who built a house. He dug deep and laid the foundation on a rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it because it was founded upon a rock. 49But he that hears and does nothing is like a man who built a house upon the earth without a foundation. The stream beat against it vehemently, and it immediately collapsed. The ruin of that house was tragic.”
< 73 > Yeshua heals a centurion’s servant in Kfar Nahum:
This may be the same centurion that Kefa teaches in Caesarea as recorded in Acts 10
Week 25
Luke reports that a centurion first sends emissaries from the synagogue, and then his own personal servants to Yeshua to present the centurion’s requests. Yet, Matthew speaks as though it is the centurion himself who speaks to Yeshua. This incident, and the two perspectives of the Gospel authors, illustrate the fact that when one is sent to deliver a message, they are speaking for the one sending them with the same authority and in the same voice as the one sending them. That is why a ‘sent one’ is to deliver the message verbatim – and a faithful messenger has full authority to speak in the first person. The angel of YHVH frequently speaks in the first person, as if it is actually YHVH who is speaking. Both angels (aggelos - Gk.) and human messengers (aggelos – Gk.) are “sent ones” (apostello – Gk.).
Matthew 8:5-13 — Mark — Luke 7:1-10 — John
Luke 7:1 When Yeshua had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Kfar Nahum. 2A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick, and ready to die. 3When the centurion heard of Yeshua, he sent the elders of the synagogue to him, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. 4And when they came to Yeshua, they immediately besought him, saying that the one for whom he should do this was indeed worthy, 5because he loves our nation, and he has even built us a synagogue. 6Then Yeshua went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying, “Master, do not trouble yourself. I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. 7Neither thought I myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 8For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers. When I say to one, ‘Go,’ he goes; when I say to another, ‘Come,’ he comes; when I tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ he does it.” 9When Yeshua heard these things, he marveled, and he turned around and said to the people who followed him, “I say to you, I have not found so great a faith, no, not in Yisrael!” 10When those who were sent returned to the house and found that the servant who had been sick was now whole.
Matthew 8:5 When Yeshua entered into Kfar Nahum, there came to him a centurion, who besought him, 6saying, “Master, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.” 7Yeshua said, “I will come and heal him.” 8But the centurion answered and said, “Master, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. Only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. 9I too am a man under authority, and I have soldiers under me. I say to this man, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and when I tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ he does it.” 10When Yeshua heard this, he marveled, and said to those who followed, “TRUTH I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Yisrael! 11I tell you, many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Avraham, and Yitzhak, and Yaakov in the kingdom of Heaven, 12but the children of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13Yeshua said to the centurion, “Go your way. As you have believed, so shall it be done unto you.” His servant was healed in that same hour.
< 74 > “The next day” Yeshua raises a widow’s dead son in the village of Nain
Week 25
Matthew — Mark — Luke 7:11-17 — John
Luke 7:11 The day after, Yeshua went into the village of Nain, and many of his disciples went with him, as well as many other people. 12When he approached the gate of the village, there was a dead man being carried out. He was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the village were with her. 13When the master saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14He came up to the body and touched it. Those who carried him stood still. Yeshua said, “Young man, I command you to arise!” 15He who was dead immediately sat up and began to speak. Yeshua delivered him to his mother. 16Awe came upon everyone, and they glorified YHVH, saying, “A great prophet is risen up among us, and YHVH has visited his people!” 17This incident was reported throughout all Yehudaea, and throughout the entire Galilee.
< 75 > Yochanan ben Zecharyah is “offended”
Languishing in prison, he sends envoys to Yeshua, “Are you The One - or not?”
Week 25
Matthew 11:2-30 — Mark — Luke 7:18-35 — John
Matthew 11:2 Now when Yochanan was in prison he heard about the works of Yeshua and sent two of his disciples 3who said to Yeshua, “Are you the one who should come, or do we look for another?” 4Yeshua answered and said to them, “Go and tell Yochanan again the things which you have heard and seen – 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor are acquitted.” 6Then tell him, “blessed is he, who is not offended in me!”
7As they departed, Yeshua began to speak to the multitudes concerning Yochanan. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8Tell me! What did you go out to see? A man clothed in regal garments? Those who wear delicate clothing are in kings’ palaces. 9So tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you – more than a prophet. 10This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11TRUTH I say to you, among those who are born of women, there has not arisen one who is greater than Yochanan the immerser.{1} 12From the days of Yochanan ben Zecharyah until now the kingdom of heaven has been under attack, and the aggressive must take the kingdom by force. 13I tell you, all the prophets and the Torah prophesied concerning Yochanan – 14and if you can understand what I am saying, this is Eliyahu who is to come. 15He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
16So, to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the market and calling out to their friends, 17‘We have played the flute for you, and you have refused to dance; we have sung songs of lamentation for you, and you will not grieve.’ 18Yochanan came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton, a winebibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners.’ I say to you, The immature justify anything that they want to believe.”
{Mt 11:11.1} AHM{omit – but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he}
Matthew 11:20 Then he began to rebuke the cities where he did most of his mighty works, yet they refused to repent. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Beit Saida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than it will be for you. 23And you, Kfar Nahum, which is exalted to heaven, you shall be brought down to the grave; for if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
25At that time Yeshua lifted up his voice and prayed, “I bless you, O Father, King of the universe, because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26It is so, Father, because it seemed good in your sight.”
27“All authority to judge will be given into my hands by my Father. No man really knows the Son, except the Father. No man really knows the Father, except the Son – and the one to whom the Son decides to reveal him. 28Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you. Learn from me. I am gentle and undemanding. You will find rest for you soul 30because my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”{1}
{Mt 11:30.1} Yeshua’s audience is “heavily laden” with the yoke of first century Phariseeism, which has put a burden on them “that neither our fathers or we are able to bear” (event <286> Acts 15:1-11 ). By contrast, Yeshua’s yoke, the Torah, “is not grievous” (I John 5:3).
Luke 7:18 Yochanan’s disciples were telling him all the things Yeshua was doing. 19So, Yochanan called two of his disciples and sent them to Yeshua to ask him, “Are you The Prophet that should come, or should we be looking for another? 20So the men came to Yeshua and said, “Yochanan the immerser has sent us to ask, ‘Are you The One – The Prophet who should come, or are we to look for another?’” 21In that same hour Yeshua cured many infirmities and plagues, and delivered people of evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. 22Then Yeshua answerd them, “Go your way, and tell Yochanan the things that you have just seen and heard – how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor. 23And then tell him, ‘Blessed is he who is not offended in me!’”{1}
{Lk 7:23.1} Yochanan was wasting away in prison – seemingly forgotten by his cousin, Yeshua, who was performing all kinds of miracles but was seemingly unable to extricate the immerser from the clutches of Herod. Yochanan ben Zecharyah was “offended.”
Luke 7:24 When the messengers of Yochanan departed, he began to speak to the people concerning Yochanan, “What did you go into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25Again I ask, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in delicate garments? Look, they which are gorgeously appareled and live delicately are in kings’ courts. 26So, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet! 27This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which shall prepare the way before you.’ 28For I say to you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than Yochanan ben Zecharyah; but he that is least in the kingdom of YHVH is greater than he.”
29All the people that heard him, even the publicans, justified YHVH, having been immersed with the mikveh of Yochanan. 30But the Prushim and sages rejected the counsel of Elohim which was witnessed against them, and they refused to repent and be immersed by Yochanan. 31The master said, “To what shall I compare the men of this generation? What are they really like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, ‘We have piped to you, and you have not danced. We have mourned to you, and you have not wept.’ 33For Yochanan ben Zecharyah came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold a glutton and a winebibber! A friend of publicans and sinners!’ 35Children easily justify their lack of understanding.”
< 76 > Yeshua has supper with a Pharisee named Shimon
an unnamed woman washes Yeshua’s feet with tears and anoints them with oil (this may be Miriam from Migdal - Mary Magdalene)
Week 25
Matthew — Mark — Luke 7:36-50 — John
Luke 7:36 One of the Prushim asked Yeshua to dine with him, so he went into his house and reclined for dinner. 37While Yeshua dined in the Parush’s house, a woman from the city, a sinner, brought an alabaster box of ointment 38and stooped at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears, and then wiped them with the hair of her head. She then kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39When the Parush who had invited him saw it, he thought to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who this woman is, and what kind of woman it is that touches him. She is obviously a sinner.” 40Yeshua said to him, “Shimon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Master, say on.”
41“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. The one owed five hundred shekels, and the other fifty. 42When they had nothing to pay, he completely forgave them both. Tell me, which of them will love him most?” 43Shimon answered, “I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.” Yeshua said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44Then he turned to the woman, and said to Shimon, “See this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45You gave me no kiss, but this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. 47Therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, that is why she loves much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48Yeshua said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49Those who reclined at dinner with him began to grumble within themselves, “Who does he think he is! He also forgives sins?” 50Then he said to the woman, “Your faith has made you whole! Go in peace.”
< 77 > Yeshua travels and preaches with the twelve and others
Week 26
Matthew — Mark — Luke 8:1-3 — John
Luke 8:1 Afterward, he went throughout every city and village, preaching and announcing the kingdom of YHVH. The twelve went with him, 2as well as certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities – Miriam from Migdal, out of whom went seven demons, 3and Yohanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others – who ministered to him of their substance.
< 78 > Yeshua heals a blind and dumb man possessed by a demon
The people understand this as the messianic sign prophesied by Yeshayahu
Week 26
Matthew 12:22-23 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 12:22 Then one possessed with a demon, who was both blind and dumb was brought to Yeshua and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.{1} 23All the people were amazed, and said, “Is not this the son of David?”
{Mt 12:22.1} Isaiah 35:3-5 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
< 79 > Multitudes gather as the reports of healings spread
Week 26
Matthew — Mark 3:19b-21 — Luke — John
Mark 3:19b Yeshua and those who he ordained as apostles, including Yehudas of Ascareyotah (which later betrayed him) went into a house. 20Again, the multitude pressed on him so that they could not even eat. 21When his friends heard what was going on, they went to lay hold on him. They said, “He is beside himself.”
< 80 > Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit defined
Reports spread concerning Yeshua’s healing of a blind and dumb man
Week 26
Pharisees attempt to explain away this Messianic sign as the manifestation of a demonic spirit
Matthew 12:24-37 — Mark 3:22-30 — Luke — John
Mark 3:22 The sages which came down from Yerushalayim said, “He has ba’al zevuv (the lord of the flies), and by the prince of the demons he casts out demons.” 23He called them to him, and said to them in parables, “How can hasatan cast out hasatan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26And if hasatan rises up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but will come to an end. 27No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28Truth I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blasphemies whatever they shall blaspheme; 29but he that blasphemes against the Ruach Kodesh will never be forgiven, but is in danger of eternal damnation.” 30This he said because they said that the spirit in him was unclean!
Matthew 12:24 When the Prushim heard about this incident, they said, “This fellow casts out demons by ba’al zevuv, the prince of demons.” 25Yeshua knew their thoughts, and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. Every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. 26And if hasatan cast out hasatan, he is divided against himself. How shall then his kingdom stand? 27If I cast out demons by ba’al zevuv, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of YHVH, then the kingdom of YHVH has come to you. 29How else can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Only then can he spoil his house. 30He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me, scatters abroad. 31Therefore I say to you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men; but the blasphemy against the Ruach Kodesh shall not be forgiven to men. 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Ruach Kodesh, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33Either call the tree good, and its fruit good; or else call the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35A good man out of the treasure of a good heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of an evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36Therefore I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall give account in the day of judgment. 37By your own words you shall be justified, and by your own words you shall be condemned.”
< 81 > The sign of the prophet Yonah is given
The religious leaders demand another messianic sign, but Yeshua says there will be only one sign
Week 26
Matthew 12:38-45 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 12:38 Certain of the sages and Prushim answered Yeshua’s charges against them, saying, “Master, we want to see a real sign from you.” 39He answered them, “An evil adulterous brood seeks after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to you, but the sign of the prophet Yonah. 40Just as Yonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Yonah; and behold, one greater than Yonah is here. 42The queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, one greater than Solomon is here.”
43“When the unclean spirit is cast out of a man, it walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house from whence I came’ and when it returned it found it empty, swept, and decorated. 45Then it went out and returned with seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they all entered in and dwelt there. So the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this brood of vipers.”
< 82 > Yeshua’s family comes to speak with him
Week 26
Matthew and Mark carry the details of Yeshua’s teachings during this period. Luke interjects this event into the narrative after the parables recorded in Luke 8:4-18 (events <83-84>) but the family intervention incident belongs here in the chronology. This is a rare case where Luke diverges from the chronological order of events so that he does not disrupt the continuity of Yeshua’s teachings.
Matthew 12:46-50 — Mark 3:31-35 — Luke 8:19-21 — John
Matthew 12:46 Yeshua’s mother and his brothers came to him and stood outside the house, asking to speak with him. 47One said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” 48Yeshua answered, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49He motioned with his hand toward his disciples, “Behold my mother and my brothers! 50Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Mark 3:31 Then came his brothers and his mother, and, standing outside, sent to him, calling him. 32The multitude that sat about him said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking for you.” 33Yeshua answered them, “Who is my mother, or my brothers?” 34He looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, “Behold my mother and my brothers! 35For whoever shall do the will of YHVH, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”
Luke 8:19 Then came to him his mother and his brothers, and could not come to him because of the crowd. 20It was told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.” 21Yeshua answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of YHVH, and do it.”
< 83 > Yeshua teaches in parables to the multitudes
from a boat on the Kinneret near his home in Kfar Nahum.
Week 26
Matthew 13:1-9 — Mark 4:1-9 — Luke 8:4-8 — John
Matthew 13:1 The same day Yeshua went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. 2Then a great multitude gathered together to see him, so he went into a boat, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow. 4When he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and fowls came and devoured them up. 5Some fell upon stony places where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprung up. But because they had no deepness of earth, 6when the sun came up, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. 7Some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up and choked them. 8But other seed fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9Whosoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Mark 4:1 Yeshua began to teach again by the seaside, and there was gathered to him a great multitude. So he entered into a boat, and pushed off from shore while the whole multitude stayed on the land by the sea. 2He taught them many things by parables, and said to them, 3“Listen! There went out a sower to sow. 4As he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5Some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang up. But because it had no depth of earth, 6when the sun came up it was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away. 7Some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8Yet other seed fell on good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up and continued to grow. It produced, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred fold.” 9Then he said to them, “He that has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Luke 8:4 When many people were gathered together, coming to him out of every city, he spoke a parable: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6Some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7Some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8Other seed fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.” When he had said these things, he cried out, “He that has ears to hear, let him hear!”
< 84 > Yeshua explains the parable of the sower
to a dwindling number of his “inner circle” disciples
Week 26
Matthew 13:10-23 — Mark 4:10-25 — Luke 8:9-18 — John
Matthew 13:10 The disciples came near and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11He answered, “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whoever obeys, to him more shall be given, and he shall have even more abundance. But whoever does not obey, even that which he has will be taken away from him. 13That is why I speak to them in parables – because they have eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Yeshayahu, who said, ‘By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand. By seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive; 15The hearts of these people have grown as brittle as cold wax. Their ears are dull of hearing and they have closed their eyes. If at any time they open their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return to me, I will heal them.’ 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17Truth I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. 18Therefore, consider the parable of the sower. 19When any one hears the word concerning the kingdom and does not understand, the wicked one comes and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he who hears the word, and with joy receives it. 21But because he has no depth of character he endures for a little while, but when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, he is immediately offended. 22He who received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceit of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23But he who received seed into good ground is he that hears the word, and understands, and does it. He is the one who will bear fruit and bring forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
Mark 4:10 When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parable. 11He said to them, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of YHVH, but to those who are outside the kingdom, all these things are spoken in parables, 12so that even having eyes, they may see, and yet not perceive; and having ears to hear, they may not understand; lest at any time they should repent and their sins would be forgiven them.” 13Yeshua said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how can you understand any parable? 14The sower sows the word. 15These are those by the wayside – the word is sown but when they have heard, hasatan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16And likewise, these that are sown on stony ground are those who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness. 17Yet they have no root in themselves, and so they endure for a short time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18That which is sown among thorns are those who hear the word, 19but the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And that which is sown on good ground are those who hear the word, and receive it, and they bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred fold.” 21Then he said to them, “Is a lamp brought out to be put under a basket, or under a bed and not to be set on a lampstand? 22There is nothing hid that shall not be made manifest, neither is there anything kept in secret that it should come into the light. 23If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” 24Then Yeshua said to them, “Take heed – listen very carefully to what I now say! The measure that you use to measure others will be used to measure you. To you that hear and obey even more shall be given to you. 25He that adheres [to the Gospel of the Kingdom] to him more will be given – but he that does not obey, even what he has been given will be taken away from him.”
Luke 8:9 Yeshua’s disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?” 10He replied, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of YHVH, but to others I speak in parables; so that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of YHVH. 12Those by the wayside are those who hear but then hasatan comes and steals the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be made whole. 13The seed on the rock speaks of those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy but they have no depth of character for the seed to root. They believe for a while, but in time of temptation they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns speaks of those who, when they have heard, they go back into the world and are choked with the cares and the riches and the pleasures of this life. They will never bring any fruit to maturity. 15But the seed that fell on the good ground are those who, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, they keep it. With perseverance they will bring forth fruit. 16No man, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed. He sets it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 17There is nothing secret that shall not be made manifest – neither is there anything hid that shall not be known openly. 18Take heed and listen carefully. Whoever obeys, to him shall more be given. Whoever does not obey, even what he seems to have will be taken away from him.”
< 85 > Yeshua speaks more parables to the multitudes near his home
Week 26
Matthew 13:24-35 — Mark 4:26-33 — Luke — John
Matthew 13:24 Yeshua put forth another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man which sowed good seed in his field, 25but while he slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26When the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the tares appeared also. 27So the servants of the household came to him and said, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go now and pull them up?’ 29He said, ‘No, lest while you pull up the tares, you also root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather the tares together first and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
31Yeshua put forth another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. 32It is, indeed, the least of all seeds but when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs, and becomes a tree that birds build nests in its branches.” 33Then he spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman kneaded into three measures of meal until the whole loaf was leavened.” 34Yeshua spoke all these things to the multitude in parables, and without a parable he did not speak to them, 35so that which was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled, “I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”{1}
{Mt 13:35.1} The prophet spoken of is David – Psalm 78:1-8 Give ear to my Torah O my people, incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old 3which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the YHVH, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5He established his testimony in Jacob, and appointed his Torah in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
Mark 4:26 Yeshua said, “The kingdom of YHVH is as if a man cast seed into the ground 27and he slept and arose, night after night and day after day, and the seed sprang up and grew. He himself does not know how, 28but the earth brought forth fruit all by itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full kernel in the ear. 29When the fruit was mature he immediately put the sickle to it because the harvest time had come. 30Yeshua said again, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of YHVH or to what shall we compare it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth is less than all the seeds that be in the earth. 32But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches so that the birds of the air may lodge in its shade.” 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
< 86 > Yeshua returns to his house in Kfar Nahum with his disciples
he fully expounds the parables concerning the kingdom
Week 27
Matthew 13:36-53 — Mark 4:34 — Luke — John
Matthew 13:36 Then Yeshua sent the multitude away, and returned to the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37He answered them, “He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one. 39The enemy that sowed them is hasatan. The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the angels. 40Just as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this age. 41The Son of Man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and do iniquity. 42He shall cast them into a furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43At that time, the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father!{1} He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 44Again he said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field which a man found and then hid it again. Being overjoyed, he went and sold everything that he had and bought the field. 45The kingdom of heaven is also like a merchant searching for precious pearls. 46When he found one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 47The kingdom of heaven is also like a net that was cast into the sea. It gathered everything. 48When it was full they drew the net to shore and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the age – the angels will come forth and sever the wicked from among the just 50and cast the wicked into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” 51Yeshua said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes, master.” 52Then he said to them, “Every scribe who is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who brings forth things out of his treasure chest, both new and old.” 53When Yeshua finished these parables, he departed.
Mark 4:34 Yeshua did not speak to them without speaking in a parable, and when they were alone he expounded all things to his disciples.
{Mt 13:43.1} Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars for ever and ever.
< 87 > That evening, Yeshua crosses the Kinneret and calms the storm
Week 27
Matthew 8:18-27 — Mark 4:35-41 — Luke 8:22-25 — John
Matthew 8:18 When Yeshua saw great multitudes about him, he gave the command to depart to the other side of the Kinneret. 19There a certain scribe came to him and said, “Master, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20Yeshua said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21Another disciple said to him, “Master, let me first to go and bury my father.”{1} 22But Yeshua said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” 23When he entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24A great tempest arose in the sea, so that the ship was covered with the waves, but Yeshua was asleep. 25His disciples came to awaken him, saying, “Master, save us, or we will die!” 26He said to them, “Why are you so fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he arose, and he rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27The men marveled, saying, “Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
{Mt 8:21.1} i.e. wait until my father dies (he was not digging a hole at that moment). It is the responsibility of the children to care for their aged parents until they die. From Yeshua’s answer it can be deduced that there were other family members who were ‘dead to the kingdom’ who could take care of the details at home. Not everyone received an invitation to follow Yeshua as he traveled – it is a rugged life, and he had no idea where he would be sleeping the next night. Yeshua had a house to stay in at Kfar Nahum, but traveling in Israel in that day was ‘living by faith’ and uncomfortable compared to the security of a fox den. Yeshua later speaks these things to Samaritans who want to follow him as he is going up to the Feast of Sukkot in the fall (event <127>).
Mark 4:35 The same day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36When they had sent away the multitude, they took him, exhausted, into the ship. There were also other little boats with them. 37Then there arose a great wind storm and the waves beat into the ship, which was filling with water. 38Yeshua was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow, so they awoke him and said, “Master, do you not care if we perish?” 39Yeshua arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still.” The wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40Then he said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41They feared greatly and said to one another, “What manner of man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Luke 8:22 On a certain day, Yeshua said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” and they got into a ship and launched forth. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. Then there arose a wind storm on the lake and the boat filled with water, and they were all in great danger. 24They came to awaken Yeshua saying, “Master! Master! We are all going to die!” Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging water. They ceased their raging and there was a calm. 25Yeshua said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they, being afraid, wondered and said one to another, “What manner of man is this!? He commands the winds and water, and even they obey him!”
< 88 > Yeshua heals two naked, demon possessed men living in the tombs in the area of Gadara
(near Hippos – Susita, the northern-most of the 10 Roman cities)
Mark and Luke focus on one of the two men who is possessed by “Legion”
Week 27
Matthew 8:28-34 — Mark 5:1-20 — Luke 8:26-39 — John
Matthew 8:28 When he came to the other side of the Kinneret into the area of Gadara, there he met two men possessed with demons coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce so that no man might pass by that way. 29They cried out, saying, “What concern are we to you, Yeshua, Son of YHVH! Have you come here to torment us before our time?” 30Now, there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding, 31so the demons besought him, saying, “If you cast us out, allow us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32Yeshua said to them, “Go!” When they came out, they went into the herd of swine, and then the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea and drowned in the water! 33The swine keepers fled into the city of Hippos, and reported everything that had befallen those who were possessed with the demons. 34Then the entire city came out to confront Yeshua. When they found him they demanded that he leave them alone and immediately depart their area.{1}
{Mt 8:28-34:1} The city of Hippos is the most northern city of the Decapolis, the ten Roman cities which populated the east bank of the Jordan river. Hippos was recently excavated and the temple of Dionysus was uncovered where the sacrifice of swine was part of the worship of Dionysus, along with drinking wine to intoxication and uninhibited sex. The swine, an abomination according to the Torah, was the planned vehicle for these demonic spirits to re-inhabit human hosts during the subsequent pagan temple services. The swine had better sense than to tolerate the inhabitation of these vicious spirits so they circumvented the plan of the spirits by throwing themselves into the sea. The inhabitants of the city were furious. This mass swine suicide represented tens of thousands of dollars in lost temple assets to these pagans. The KJV says, “They besought Jesus to depart out of their coast” which is understated in such bland religious terms – these people would have been screaming at the top of their lungs, “Get out of our area before we kill you – you JEW!”
Sacrificial swine altar to the god of wine and sexual perversion, now housed in the Vatican Museum.
Mark 5:1 They came over to the other side of the Kinneret, into the area of Gadara. 2When Yeshua came out of the ship, immediately, out of the tombs there came a man with an unclean spirit 3who lived among the tombs. No man could bind him, not even with chains! 4Yes, he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he pulled apart the chain links and shattered the shackles into pieces. No one could control him. 5Continually, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones. 6But when he saw Yeshua afar off, he ran and bowed at his feet, 7and cried with a loud voice saying, “What have I to do with you, Yeshua, Son of the most high God? I adjure you by your God, that you do not torment me!” 8This he said because Yeshua had said to him, “Come out of the man, foul spirit.” 9Yeshua asked him, “What is your name?” He answered, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10And Legion pled with Yeshua, that he would not send them away out of the country.
11Now a great herd of swine was feeding near the mountains 12and so all the demons begged him, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” 13At once Yeshua gave them leave. So the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine, but the herd of about two thousand ran violently down from a steep place into the sea and were drowned in the lake. 14And those who fed the swine fled and reported it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15And they came to Yeshua, and saw him who had been possessed with the demons and Legion sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16Those who saw it told them how it happened to him that was possessed with the demon, and also concerning the swine. 17They demanded that he depart out of their region. 18When he came to the ship, he who had been possessed with the demon begged him that he might go with him. 19However, Yeshua would not allow it, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them the great things YHVH has done for you, and that he has great compassion for you.” 20Then he departed, and began to publish in the Decapolis what great things Yeshua had done for him, and all men did marvel!
Luke 8:26 Then they arrived at the country of Gadara, which is on the other side of the Kinneret. 27When Yeshua landed a certain man met him outside of the city that had demons a long time. He wore no clothes, neither abode in any house, but lived in the tombs. 28When he saw Yeshua, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with you, Yeshua, Son of the most high God? I beg you, do not torment me!” 29(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It frequently possessed him and he had to be bound with chains and shackles. But he broke the restraints and was repeatedly driven by the demons into the wilderness.) 30Yeshua asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons were entered into him. 31The demons besought Yeshua that he would not command them to go out into the abyss, 32and there was a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain so they besought Yeshua that he would allow them to enter into the swine. He gave them permission to do as they requested. 33Then the demons went out of the man and entered into the swine. The entire herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake and drowned. 34When those who fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country side. 35When they went out to see what was done, they came to Yeshua and found the man out of whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Yeshua, clothed and in his right mind. They were afraid. 36Those who saw it also told them by what means he who was possessed of the demons was healed.
37Then the whole multitude of the country of Gadara round about besought him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear. Yeshua went down to the ship, and returned back to Kfar Nahum again. 38Now the man, out of whom the demons were departed, besought Yeshua that he might continue with him, but Yeshua sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your own house, and show the great things YHVH has done for you.” So he went his way and published throughout the whole city the great things Yeshua had done to him.
< 89 > Yeshua and the disciples cross back over the Kinneret to Kfar Nahum
Week 27
Matthew 9:1 — Mark 5:21 — Luke 8:40 — John
Matthew 9:1 Yeshua entered into a ship, and passed over the Kinneret, and came into his own city.
Mark 5:21 When Yeshua passed over again by ship to the other side, many people gathered to him, and he was near the seashore.
Luke 8:40 When Yeshua returned, the people gladly received him, for they were all waiting for him.
< Note 11 > The healing of the paralyzed man (Matthew 9:2-8) and the calling of Mattiyahu haLevi (Matthew 9:9-13) occur about week 23 in the chronology. (Events <65 – 67>)
< 90 > Yochanan’s disciples ask Yeshua about fasting
Week 27
Matthew 9:14-17 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of Yochanan came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Prushim fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” 15Yeshua said to them, “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast. 16No man puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment, because that which is put in to repair it pulls away from the garment and the tear is made worse. 17Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins because the wineskins will break, the wine will run out, and the wineskins will perish. They put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”
< 91 > Yairus, a leader of a synagogue in a nearby village
comes to Yeshua for help - possibly from Chorazin
Week 27
Matthew 9:18-19 — Mark 5:22-23 — Luke 8:41-42a — John
Matthew 9:18 While Yeshua spoke to Yochanan’s disciples, there came to him a certain ruler. He worshipped him and said, “My daughter is dying right now. Please, come and lay your hand on her and she shall live.” 19Yeshua arose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
Mark 5:22 One of the rulers of the synagogue, Yairus by name, came to find Yeshua. When he saw him, he fell at his feet 23and begged him, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. I pray you, come and lay your hands on her that she may be healed, and she shall live.”
Luke 8:41 There came a man named Yairus, a ruler of the synagogue, and he fell down at Yeshua’s feet and pled that he would come to his house. 42Yairus had only one daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay dying. As Yeshua approached the city, the people thronged him.
< 92 > A woman with an issue of blood ‘takes hold’ of her healing
as Yeshua approaches the home of Yairus
Week 27
Matthew 9:20-22 — Mark 5:24-34 — Luke 8:42b-48 — John
Mark 5:24 As Yeshua went with Yairus, many people followed and thronged him. 25On the way there was a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years. 26She had suffered many things of many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was not better but rather grew worse. 27When she heard of Yeshua, she came in behind the crowd and took hold [of the tzit-tzit on the corner] of his garment. 28For she said, “If I may touch but his tzit-tzit I shall be whole.”{1} 29And immediately the flow of blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30Yeshua, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched me?” 31His disciples said to him incredulously, “You see the multitude thronging you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” 32Yeshua looked round about to see who had done this thing, 33but the woman, trembling in fear yet knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole! Go in peace and be healed of your disease!”
{Mk 5:28:1} The garment Yeshua is wearing is a tallit – a four-cornered, seamless garment worn by the Israelites over their white linen haluq. We were instructed at Sinai to put a braided ribbon (tzit-tzit) of blue on each corner of our outer garment as a constant reminder to keep the commandments (Numbers 15:38). Malachi prophesied that the Messiah would have healing in his wings – kanaph – the heaven-blue ribbons on the corners of the tallit (Malachi 4:2). This is one of the most profound Messianic prophecies that was fulfilled and reported time and again in the Gospel records.
Matthew 9:20 [As Yeshua approached Yairus’ house], a woman who was diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him and took hold of the hem of his garment.{1} 21She spoke within herself, “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” 22But Yeshua turned around, and when he saw her, he said, “Daughter, be of good comfort! Your faith has made you whole!” The woman was made whole from that hour.
{Mt 9:20:1} The woman was deliberately breaking the Torah’s quarantine restrictions, but she knew that if Yeshua was the true Messiah, she would be healed. Messianic prophecy fulfilled – Malachi 4:2.
Luke 8:43 A woman, having an issue of blood for twelve years, spent all her living on physicians but could not be healed by any. 44She came from behind and grabbed the tzit-tzit on his tallit,{1} and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45Yeshua demanded, “Who touched me?” When all around him denied, Kefa and those who were with him said, “Master, the multitude throngs you and presses you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 46Yeshua said, “Somebody has touched me! I perceive that power has gone out of me.” 47When the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling and fell down before him. She confessed to him and before all the people the reason she had touched him and that she was healed immediately. 48Yeshua said to her, “Daughter, be of good comfort! Your faith has made you whole! Go in peace.”
{Lk 8:44.1} Numbers 15:38-41
< 93 > Yeshua raises Yairus’ daughter from the dead
Week 27
Matthew 9:23-26 — Mark 5:35-43 — Luke 8:49-56 — John
Matthew 9:23 When Yeshua came into the rabbi’s house and saw musicians and others making a commotion, 24he said to them, “Step aside. The maid is not dead. She is just sleeping.” They laughed him to scorn, 25but after they were thrown out, he went back in and took her by the hand and the maid arose. 26The notoriety of this incident was spread throughout the land.
Mark 5:35 While he spoke [with the woman who was healed], there came certain men from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the master any further?” 36As soon as Yeshua heard the word that was spoken, he said to the chief rabbi of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid – only believe!” 37Yeshua allowed no one else to follow him, except for Kefa, Yaakov, and his brother Yochanan. 38When he came to the house of the chief rabbi, he saw the tumult and those who wept and wailed greatly. 39Then he went in and said to them, “Why make this ado, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but is only sleeping.” 40Then they laughed him to scorn. So he put them all out and took the father and the mother of the damsel and those who were with him, and entered into where the damsel was lying. 41Yeshua took the damsel by the hand and said to her, “Talitha, kumi” (young girl, arise!) 42Immediately the damsel arose and walked, for she was of the age of twelve years. They were astonished with a great bewilderment. 43Then he strictly charged them that no man should know it, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.
Luke 8:49 While Yeshua spoke, there came one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead, do not trouble the master.” 50But when Yeshua heard it, he answered him, “Fear not! Only believe, and she shall be made whole.” 51When he came into the house, he allowed no man to go in, except Kefa, Yaakov, Yochanan, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 52Everyone wept and bewailed her, but he said, “Weep not. She is not dead, but is sleeping.” 53They laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead, 54so Yeshua put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, “Maid, arise!” 55Her spirit came again, and she arose immediately, and he commanded to give her some food. 56Her parents were astonished, but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
< 94 > Yeshua heals two blind men
Week 27
Matthew 9:27-31 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 9:27 When Yeshua departed from the home of Yairus, two blind men followed him, crying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28When he came into his house, the blind men came to him, and Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, master.” 29Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, be it unto you.” 30Their eyes were opened. Then Yeshua emphatically charged them, “See that no man knows about this.” 31But when they departed, they spread abroad his fame in all the land.
< 95 > Yeshua heals one dumb man
Week 27
Matthew 9:32-34 — Mark — Luke — John
Matthew 9:32 As they left Kfar Nahum they brought a dumb man to him who was possessed with a demon. 33When the demon was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never so seen in Yisrael!” 34But the Prushim said, “He casts out demons through the prince of demons.”
< 96 > Yeshua returns to Natzeret and teaches in the synagogue
[~ Shabbat – 2nd Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday August 23, 27 CE]
Week 27 — Day 189
Matthew 13:54-58 — Mark 6:1-6a — Luke — John
Matthew 13:54 When he came back into his own area, he taught in their synagogue and they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55Is not this the builder’s son?{1} Is not his mother called Miriam, and his brothers, Yaakov, and Yoseph, and Shimon, and Yehudah? 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? How then does this man do all these things?” 57They were offended at him, but Yeshua said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.” 58He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
{Mt 13:55.1} carpenter (KJV) < teknon > teknon – a builder, a mason, or construction worker. There was precious little wood in the land of Israel, and it was seldom used for building. However, there were several towns and cities under construction all around Natzeret – most notably Zippori, which was being built when Yeshua was a young man. Yeshua, his step father, and most likely all of Yoseph’s sons mentioned here, were builders and would have probably been involved in the building of that beautifully ornate city that was set on the next prominent hill to the west of them.
Mark 6:1 Yeshua left Kfar Nahum and came into his own home town, and his disciples followed him. 2When the Sabbath day came, he taught in the synagogue, and many that heard him were astonished, saying, “Where does this man get all these things? How did he acquire all this wisdom? How does he do such mighty works by his own hands? 3Is not this the builder, the son of Miriam, the brother of Yaakov, and Yoseph, and of Yehudah, and Shimon? Are not his sisters here with us?” Yet they were offended at him. 4Yeshua said to them, “A prophet is not without honor but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” 5He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few of the sick and healed them, 6and he marveled because of their unbelief.
< 97 > Summary: Yeshua traveled to many villages and taught in the synagogues
Week 28
Matthew 9:35-38 — Mark 6:6b — Luke — John
Matthew 9:35 Yeshua went around to all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. 38Therefore, pray that the master of the harvest will send forth laborers into his harvest.”
Mark 6:6b Yeshua went round about the villages, teaching.
< 98 > Yeshua sends out the twelve, in pairs, after the Rosh Khodesh (New Moon)
[3rd Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, August 24, 27 CE]
Day 190 — Weeks ~28 – 30
Matthew 10:1-11:1 — Mark 6:7-13 — Luke 9:1-6 — John
Matthew 10:1 Yeshua called his twelve disciples and gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Shimon, who is called Kefa, and Andrew his brother; Yaakov the son of Zebedee, and Yochanan his brother; 3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Mattiyahu the publican; Yaakov the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus (Yehudah),{1} 4Shimon from Cananyos; and Yehudas from Ascareyotah, who also betrayed him. 5These twelve Yeshua sent forth, and commanded them, saying, “Go not into the way of the gentiles, and do not enter any cities of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Yisrael. 7As you go, preach, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8Heal the sick! Cleanse the lepers! Raise the dead! Cast out demons! Freely you have received, so freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor wealth in your purses, 10nor a bag for provisions, nor changes of clothes or shoes or staves, for the workman is worthy to receive enough for his food. 11Whatever city or village you shall enter into, inquire who in it is worthy and abide there until you depart. 12When you come into a house, join yourself to it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14Whoever does not receive you or hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake the dust off your feet. 15Truth I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
{Mt 10:3.1} Comparing the catalogue of apostles in Luke 6:16, Mark 3:18, and Acts 1:13, it is apparent that Judas (Yehudah), Lebbaeus, and Thaddaeus were variations on the name of the same person, was a half-brother to Yeshua, a full brother to Yaakov, Yoseph, and Shimon, and was also the writer of the book of Jude.
Matthew 10:16 “Listen carefully, I am sending you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves! Therefore, be as wise as serpents,{1} and harmless as doves! 17Beware of religious men! They will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. 18You shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles. 19When they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak, for it shall be given to you in that same hour what you shall speak. 20It is not you that speaks, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks through you. 21Brother shall deliver up his brother to death, and the father the child! Children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22You shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he that endures to the end shall be saved. 23When they persecute you in this city, flee into another, for truth I say to you, you shall not have gone over the cities of Yisrael before the Son of Man returns!
{Mt 10:16.1} Serpents never allow themselves to get cornered. Yeshua always answered a question with a question when would-be accusers attempted to corner him.
24“The disciple is not above his teacher, nor is the servant above his master. 25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his master. If they have called the master of the house ba’al zevuv, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26Therefore, do not fear them! There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and nothing hid that shall not be known. 27What I tell you in darkness, speak in light, and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops! 28Do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul – but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell! 29Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father’s notice! 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered! 31Therefore, fear not! You are of more value than many sparrows!
32“Whoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, who is in heaven. 34Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I came not to bring peace, but a sword! 35For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36A man’s foes shall be of his own household! 37He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38He that takes not his cross and follows after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it. 40He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him who sent me. 41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42Whoever shall give just a cup of cold drink to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, TRUTH I say to you, he shall in no wise lose his reward!” 11:1When Yeshua had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
Mark 6:7 He called to the twelve and sent them forth by two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits! 8He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a single staff only – no bag for provisions, no bread, no money in their purse, 9but be shod with sandals, and do not to take a second cloak. 10He said to them, “Into whatever house you enter, abide there until you depart from that place. 11Whoever shall neither receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Truth I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.” 12Then they went out and preached that men should repent, 13and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and he gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases. 2He sent them to preach the kingdom of YHVH and to heal the sick. 3He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor a bag for provisions, neither bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece. 4Whatever house you enter into, there abide and from there depart. 5Whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.” 6Then they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
< 99 > Herod hears of Yeshua’s miracles after having Yochanan executed
Sometime during weeks 28 – 30
The following account of Yochanan’s execution is the only event recorded in weeks 28-30
Herod desired to meet Yeshua but will not do so until week 63 – on the morning of the Passover sacrifice, the 14th Day of the month of the Aviv 4028 FC; Wednesday, April 28, 28 CE (event <194>)
Matthew 14:1-2 — Mark 6:14-16 — Luke 9:7-9 — John
Matthew 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Yeshua, 2and said to his servants, “This is Yochanan the immerser. He is risen from the dead; therefore, mighty works do show forth themselves in him!”
Mark 6:14 King Herod heard of Yeshua (for his name was greatly spread abroad), and he said that Yochanan the immerser has risen from the dead, and therefore, mighty works do show forth themselves in him. 15Others said he was Eliyahu, and others said that it was The Prophet, or one of the prophets. 16But when Herod heard, he said, “It is Yochanan, whom I beheaded! He has risen from the dead!”
Luke 9:7 When Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Yeshua, he was perplexed because it was said by some that Yochanan has risen from the dead. 8Others said that Eliyahu has come, and yet others, that one of the old prophets has risen again. 9Herod said, “Yochanan I have beheaded, but who is this, of whom I hear such things?” Herod truly desired to see Yeshua.
< 100 > Yochanan’s execution is detailed
Yochanan’s disciples apprise Yeshua of his death
Week 31
Matthew 14:3-12 — Mark 6:17-29 — Luke — John
Matthew 14:3 Herod had laid hold of Yochanan, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, (his brother Philip’s wife). 4For Yochanan had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”{1} 5He would have put Yochanan to death, but he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and she pleased Herod. 7Therefore, he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. 8And she, being before instructed by her mother, said, “Give me, here and now, Yochanan the immerser’s head in a charger.” 9The king was full of sorrow, nevertheless, for the oath’s sake, and for the sake of those who sat with him at dinner, he commanded it to be given to her. 10So he sent and had Yochanan beheaded in the prison 11and his head was brought in a charger, and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. 12Yochanan’s disciples then came and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Yeshua.
Mark 6:17 Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon Yochanan and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife (for Herod had married her). 18Herod did this because Yochanan had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”{1} 19Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him, but she could not. 20Herod feared Yochanan, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he obeyed him. When Herod heard him, he did many things which he was instructed, and heard Yochanan gladly. 21Now, when a convenient day had come, Herod, on his birthday, made a supper to his nobles, high captains, and principle rulers of the Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, it pleased Herod and those who sat with him and the king said to the damsel, “Ask of me whatever you will, and I will give it to you.” 23Then he swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom!” 24She went forth and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of Yochanan the immerser!” 25She returned with haste to the king and asked, “I will that you give me the head of Yochanan the immerser in a charger immediately!” 26The king was exceedingly sorry, yet for his oath’s sake and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. 27The king sent for an executioner and commanded his head to be brought forthwith. The executioner went and beheaded him in the prison 28and brought his head in a charger and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29When Yochanan’s disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
{Mt 14:4.1; Mk 6:18.1} Herod was in violation of the Torah commandment that prohibits intimacy with the wife of one’s brother. Leviticus 18:16 – Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. A similar commandment prohibits intimacy with the sister of one’s wife during her lifetime: Leviticus 18:18 – Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.
< 101 > The twelve apostles return to meet Yeshua in the Galilee
before the Rosh Khodesh of the 7th month
(The Day of Trumpets)
Week 31 — Day 215
Matthew — Mark 6:30-31 — Luke 9:10a — John
Mark 6:30 The apostles gathered together to report to Yeshua [at the end of their ministry assignments], they told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31He said to them, “Come with me into a deserted place and rest a while,” for there were many who were coming and going and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Luke 9:10a When the apostles had returned, they told him all that they had done. Yeshua took them and went aside privately into a deserted place outside of the village of Beit Saida.
< 102 > Yeshua feeds about 5,000 with leavened barley loaves and fish
[28th Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Thursday, September 18, 27 CE]
Week 31 — Day 215
This is the only miracle that is recorded by all four Gospel authors and provides the synchronizing marker to harmonize all four Gospel records with absolute precision. This is the first event that John records since the Feast of Shavuot in Jerusalem (chapter 5) and the next event is the Feast of Tabernacles (chapter 7). The Gospel of John covers each one of the Feasts of the LORD and leaves the details between the Feasts for the other three Gospel authors.
Matthew 14:13-21 — Mark 6:32-44 — Luke 9:10b-17 — John 6:1-15
Matthew 14:13 When Yeshua heard [the report of his returning disciples], he departed from the crowd by ship into a deserted area [outside of Beit Saida], and when the people heard, they followed him on foot out of the villages. 14And seeing a great multitude, Yeshua was moved with compassion toward them and he went forth and healed their sick. 15When it was evening his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and dinner time is now past. Send the multitude away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16But Yeshua said to them, “They need not depart. You give them something to eat.” 17They said to him, “We have here but five loaves and two fish!” 18He said, “Bring them here to me!” 19Then he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fish. Then, looking up to heaven, he blessed the Most High, and broke the bread, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples distributed to the multitude. 20They did all eat and were filled, and when they took up of the fragments, there remained twelve baskets full! 21And those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children!
Mark 6:32 They departed into a deserted place by ship in secrecy, 33but the people saw them departing, and many recognized him. They ran on foot out from all the villages and outran them, and the crowd came together to greet him. 34When Yeshua came out of the boat and saw so many people, he was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and so he began to teach them many things. 35When the day was now far spent his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and now the time for dinner is far passed. 36Send them away so that they may go into the country round about and into the villages to buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.” 37He answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred days-wages of bread to give them something to eat?” 38He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they counted they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39Yeshua commanded them to make all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So, they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41When Yeshua had taken the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed the Almighty and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before them – and the two fish he also divided among them all. 42They all ate, and they all were filled! 43Then they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments of the bread and fish! 44And the number of those who ate the loaves were about five thousand men!
Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned they told Yeshua all that they had done. Then he took them aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the village called Beit Saida. 11When the people knew it, they followed him, and Yeshua received them and spoke to them of the kingdom of YHVH, and he healed those who had need of healing. 12When the day began to wear away, the twelve came to him and said, “Send the multitude away so that they may go into the villages and country round about and lodge and buy some food, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13But Yeshua said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish unless we go and buy food for all these people” 14(for they were about five thousand men). Yeshua said to his disciples, “Make them sit down by fifties in a company.” 15They made them to all sit down. 16Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he blessed YHVH, and broke the bread and gave it to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17They ate and were all filled, and they took up twelve baskets of the fragments that remained!
John 6:1 After [the disciples reported concerning their ministry assignments], Yeshua crossed over the sea of Galilee (which is the sea of Tiverias), 2and a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on those who were diseased. 3Then Yeshua went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.{Note 12} 5When Yeshua lifted up his eyes and saw a great company come to him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6(And this he said to prove him, for he knew what he would do.) 7Philip answered him, “Two hundred day’s wages worth of bread is not sufficient for this crowd, that every one of them may take a just a little!” 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Shimon Kefa’s brother, said to him, 9“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” 10Yeshua said, “Make the men sit down.” There was a grassy area, so they sat the men down (they numbered about five thousand). 11Yeshua took the loaves, and when he had given thanks to the Almighty, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples distributed to those who were sitting down – and likewise they distributed the fish, as much as the people wanted. 12When they were filled he said to his disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain so that nothing will be lost.” 13They gathered twelve baskets filled with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above all that was eaten! 14Those who had seen the miracle that Yeshua did, said, “This is of a truth The Prophet that should come into the world!” 15When Yeshua perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him king, he departed again into a mountain alone.
< Note 12 > Critical: All of the words found in John 6:4 were added after the third century and are absent from the ancient Greek MSS 472 & 850.
This is clearly not Passover. Yeshua never goes up to Jerusalem. He feeds a multitude with leavened barley loaves. The next chapter of John opens with preparations for the Feast of Tabernacles, which begins eighteen days after this incident. Here, Yeshua is declared by the multitude to be The Prophet of whom Moses prophesied. See the Introduction, Fatal Errors for details on how, when, and why these words were added to later Greek texts of John’s record in order to deceptively lengthen Yeshua’s ministry so as to justify Eusebius’ ludicrous interpretation of Daniel’s ‘seventy sevens’ prophecy.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John *[[6:4]]*
John 6:4 *[[And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.]]*
< 103 > The disciples leave at dark to row back to Kfar Nahum
Yeshua leaves later and walks on the Kinneret
[After sunset, 29th Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Thursday, September 18, 27 CE]
Week 31 — Day 216
Matthew 14:22-33 — Mark 6:45-52 — Luke — John 6:16-21
Matthew 14:22 Immediately [after the multitude was fed] Yeshua constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him to the other side of the Kinneret while he sent the multitudes away. 23When he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray. When the evening had come, he was there alone, 24but the ship was now in the midst of the sea being tossed with the waves because the wind was against them. 25In the fourth watch of the night Yeshua went to them, walking on the sea! 26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27Immediately Yeshua spoke to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I – do not be afraid!” 28Then Kefa answered him, “Master, if it is you, bid me to come to you on the water!” 29Yeshua said, “Come!” When Kefa came down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Yeshua, 30but when he saw the boisterous wind, he was afraid and began to sink. He cried out, “Master, save me!” 31Immediately Yeshua stretched forth his hand and caught him and said to him, “O you of little faith! Why did you doubt?” 32When they came into the ship the wind ceased. 33Then those who were in the ship came and bowed at his feet saying, “Of a truth you are the Son of YHVH!”
Mark 6:45 Then Yeshua immediately constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go before him to the other side of Beit Saida while he sent the people away. 46When he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47When even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea and he was alone on the land, 48and he saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them. About the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. 49But when they saw him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and they cried out, 50for they all saw him and were troubled. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Be of good cheer! It is I! Be not afraid!” 51Then he went up to them and got into the ship, and the wind ceased. They were amazed beyond measure, and wondered in themselves 52because they fully understood the ramifications of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were still hardened.
John 6:16 When evening was now come, his disciples went down to the sea 17and entered into a ship and they went over the sea toward Kfar Nahum. It was now dark and Yeshua had not come to them. 18Then the sea arose by reason of a great wind.{1} 19So when they had rowed about twenty five or thirty stadion{1}, they saw Yeshua walking on the sea drawing near to the ship, and they were afraid. 20But he said to them, “It is I! Be not afraid!” 21Then they willingly received him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land where they went.
{Jn 6:18.1} The prevailing west winds that buffet the sea of Galilee indicate that the feeding of the 5,000 took place on the east side of the village of Beit Saida and Yeshua climbed the large hill on the way up to the Golan Heights to pray. From there he could look down upon the Kinneret and watch the lack of progress being made by the disciples as they rowed against the wind.
{Jn 6:19.1} <stadion> – a measurement used for races in Greece, is exactly 600 Greek feet. The total distance the disciples had traveled is about a third of one mile, whereas the Kinneret is about 8 miles across at its widest point, and the distance from the southeast corner of the sea to Nof Ginasaur, where they landed, is about four miles – not much headway.
< 104 > Yeshua heals many at the lakeside village of Ginasaur the next morning
they walk along the beach to Kfar Nahum
[29th Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Friday, September 19, 27 CE]
Week 31 — Day 216
Matthew 14:34-36 — Mark 6:53-55 — Luke — John 6:22-24
Matthew 14:34 When they had crossed the Kinneret they came into the area of Ginasaur. 35When the men of that place knew he was there, they sent out into all that country round about and brought to him all that were diseased. 36They begged him that they might just touch the tzit-tzit on the corner of his garment – and as many as touched them were made perfectly whole!{1}
{Mt 14:36:1} Malachi prophesied that the Messiah would have healing in his kanaph – the woven wing-like appendages worn on the four corners of the tallit, a particular Israelite garment worn over the common linen haluq (Malachi 4:2). This is an undisputable messianic prophecy that was fulfilled several times in the Gospel records. See also event <92>.
Mark 6:53 When they had passed over the sea of the Galilee, they came into the area of Ginasaur and drew to the shore. 54When they came out of the ship, the people immediately recognized him, 55and they ran through the whole region round about and began to carry those that were sick in beds to where they heard he was.
John 6:22The day following [the feeding of the five thousand], the people who stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except for the one into which his disciples had entered. They had taken notice that Yeshua did not go with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went on alone without him. 23However, other boats from Tiverias came near to the place where they ate bread (after the master had given thanks and multiplied the loaves and fish). 24When the people saw that Yeshua was not there and neither were his disciples, they also boarded boats and came to Kfar Nahum, seeking for Yeshua.
< 105 > Summary: Yeshua continues ministering to the sick
Week 31
Mark reinforces the fact that the prophecy of Malachi (4:2) was being fulfilled in the sight of multitudes.
Matthew — Mark 6:56 — Luke — John
Mark 6:56 Wherever Yeshua entered, whether into villages, or cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the streets and besought him that they might touch the tzit-tzit on the corners of his garment. As many as touched him were made whole.
< 106 > Yeshua teaches in the synagogue at Kfar Nahum “The Last Day and the Resurrection”
[Shabbat before the Day of Trumpets - 30th Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday September 20, 27 CE]
Week 31 — Day 217
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 6:25-65
This teaching takes place in the Kfar Nahum Synagogue on the Sabbath, but is not mentioned until verse 59
John 6:25 When the people found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Yeshua answered them and said, “TRUTH I say to you, you seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate our leavened bread, and were filled! 27Labor not for the food which perishes, but for that food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for the Son of Man is the one whom YHVH the Father has authenticated!” 28Then they said to him, “What shall we do that we might work the works of YHVH?” 29Yeshua answered and said to them, “This is the work of YHVH, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”{1} 30They replied, “What sign will you show us then, so that we may see and believe in you? What miraculous work will you do? 31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
{Jn 6:29:1} Deuteronomy 18:15-19 is the reference to the context of Yeshua’s statement – one of the most important prophesies in the entirety of scripture. 15 “YHVH thy Elohim will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16According to all that thou desiredst of YHVH thy Elohim in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of YHVH my Elohim, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17And YHVH said unto me, ‘They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will make diligent inquiry of him and he will be judged according to his compliance with the words of that Prophet.’
John 6:32 Yeshua said to them, “TRUTH I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father, and he now gives you the true bread from heaven.{1} 33For the bread of YHVH is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34Then they said to him, “Master, give us more and more of this bread.” 35Yeshua said, “I am the bread of life! He that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes in me shall never thirst. 36But I also say to you that you have seen me, and yet believe not. 37All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and he who comes to me I will in no wise cast out. 38For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me! 39And this is the Father’s will who has sent me: that of all whom he has given me I should lose none, but should raise them up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of YHVH who sent me – that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day!” 41Then the religious leaders murmured at him because he said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Is not this Yeshua, the son of Yoseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he said, ‘I came down from heaven?’” 43Yeshua answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves! 44No man can come to me except the Father, which has sent me, draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day! 45It is written in the prophets: ‘And they shall all be taught of YHVH.’{1} Every man, therefore, who has heard and has learned of the Father, comes to me. 46Not that any man has seen the Father, except he who is from YHVH. He alone has seen the Father. 47TRUTH I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life! 48I am that bread of life! 49Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are dead. 50But this is the bread which comes down from heaven that a man may eat, and not die! 51I am the living bread which came down from heaven! If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever! The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world!”
52The religious leaders then strove among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53Then Yeshua said to them, “TRUTH I say to you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day! 55For my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. 56He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me, and I in him! 57As the living Father has sent me, and as I live by the Father – so he that eats me, even he shall live by me! 58This is that bread which came down from heaven! Not as your fathers ate manna and are dead! He who eats this bread shall live forever!” 59These things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Kfar Nahum. 60Many of his disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a hard saying! Who can hear it?” 61When Yeshua knew in himself that his disciples murmured about it, he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before? 63It is the spirit that quickens – the flesh profits nothing! The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life! 64But there are some of you who will not and can not believe!” (For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.) 65Then he said, “That is why I said to you that no man can come to me, except it is given to him by my Father!”
{Jn 6:32.1} Yeshua is alluding to his broken body and shed blood that is symbolized by the bread and wine brought forth by the Melek Tzadek to Avraham. This had been rehearsed for the past two thousand years, and was expounded upon by Yeshua on the night of his last supper with his disciples before the Passover. Though all he spoke was true, no one understood it at the time.
{Jn 6:45.1} Jeremiah 31:34 – It is the Holy Spirit of the living Elohim that leads an individual into the truth. Not all will be called – even fewer will respond appropriately.
< 107 > Many disciples are disillusioned and choose to no longer follow Yeshua
[Shabbat before the Day of Trumpets - 30th Day of the 6th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday September 20, 27 CE]
Week 31 — Day 217
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 6:66-71
John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went away and walked with him no more. 67Then Yeshua asked the twelve, “Will you also go away?” 68Shimon Kefa answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we believe and are sure that you are that Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim.” 70Yeshua answered them, “Have not I chosen twelve, and yet one of you is a demon?” 71(He spoke of Yehudas from Ascareyotah, the son of Shimon, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.)
V. Yom Teruah through the Last Great Day 4027
< 108 > Yom Teruah (the Day of Trumpets) begins at sundown at the end of the Sabbath
[High Sabbath - 1st Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, September (20) 21, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 218
< Note 13 > Astronomical event: new moon sighting – Yom Teruah
At the sunset that closed the Sabbath on the 30th day of the 6th month (Saturday, September 20th, 27 CE), the first sliver of the new moon of the 7th month was sighted 15.34 degrees above the horizon at 4.46% illumination, which initiated the High Sabbath of the Day of Trumpets. Earlier that day, in the Kfar Nahum synagogue, Yeshua interpreted the prophetic meaning of the Day of Trumpets by declaring his role as the one who will raise the dead in the Last Day (which he also did on the Day of Firstfruits – event <227>) . The Day of Trumpets is the Feast that occurs “on a day and hour that no man knows,” because that Feast day is reckoned by the sighting of the new moon which cannot be known in advance, even with the most precise astronomical calculations, because atmospheric conditions may obscure the otherwise observable celestial event. In retrospect, we can now calculate, to within 1/100th of one percent of illumination, what they could see over 1,982 years ago from the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee. That particular year, the previous month was a full 30 day month with no chance of seeing the moon the night before. It would be, by default, a full 30 day month – but they could not have known that from their more primitive perspective.
< 109 > Yeshua confronts sages and Pharisees
[High Sabbath - 1st Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, September 21, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 218
This confrontation in Kfar Nahum occurs on the very day that we are to remember the blowing of trumpets – the day that the commandments were shouted down from Mount Sinai. We were to remember that no one adds to or subtracts from those commandments, and that the Almighty promised to send The Prophet in the future to show us the true path.
Matthew 15:1-20 — Mark 7:1-23 — Luke — John
Matthew 15:1 Then sages and Prushim, which were from Yerushalayim, came to Yeshua saying, 2“Why do your disciples transgress the takanot of antiquity, because they do not wash their hands when they eat bread?” 3Yeshua answered them, “Why do you transgress the commandment of YHVH by your takanot? 4For YHVH commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and mother, and he that curses father or mother shall be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever shall say to his father or mother that whatever support they might have received from him is corban [a gift dedicated to the Temple], he is free [from his responsibility to caring for his elderly parents].’ 6In so doing, he does not care for his father or his mother! Thus, you have made the commandment of YHVH of no effect by your takanot.{1} 7You hypocrites! Well did Yeshayahu prophesy of you, saying, 8‘These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 9But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’” 10And he called the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand: 11it is not that which goes into the mouth which defiles a man, but that which comes out of the mouth – this defiles a man.”
12Then his disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that the Prushim were offended when they heard what you said?” 13Yeshua answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. 14Leave them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind – and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” 15Then Kefa asked, “Declare this parable to us.” 16Yeshua responded, “Are you also without understanding? 17Do you not understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and goes out in the natural way? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile a man. 19Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, and blasphemies! 20These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
{Mt 15:6.1} The ancient Hebrew text of Matthew’s Gospel states plainly that the followers of Yeshua are commanded to not follow the takanot of the Pharisees’ oral torah. The Encyclopedia Judaica defines takanot as rules enacted by the Pharisees that change or negate Biblical law. Yet the Torah repeatedly instructs us that no one is ever allowed to either ‘add to the commandments or diminish from’ (Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32). The takanot of the Pharisees (or any religion) is a violation of the Torah – and sin is the violation of the Torah (I John 3:4). Yeshua clearly and pointedly commanded his disciples “Do not follow the takanot of the Pharisees” and gave added clarification in his last message to Israel (recorded in Matthew 23). The Pharisees were offended when Yeshua confronted them on this issue on the Day of Trumpets. They threatened to kill him if he showed up in Jerusalem for the Feast of Sukkot in two weeks (John 7:1). Yeshua vociferously violated the man-made rules of the Pharisees at every turn – that is why they started making plans to kill him at Shavuot (John 5:1-47) when he healed a man and then immediately commanded him to break the law of the eruv by picking up his mat on the Sabbath and carrying it away. If we miss this one principle – we have missed the entire teaching ministry of the Messiah who came to declare the truth that sets men free from the bondage of religion. See full explanation of takanot (event <174> Matthew 23:2).
Mark 7:1 Then Prushim and notable sages came from Yerushalayim to confront Yeshua. 2When they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled (ceremonially unwashed) hands, they found fault 3because the Prushim and all their adherents hold to the takanot of their sages and do not eat unless they wash their hands according to their tradition. 4When they come from the market, unless they wash according to their tradition, they do not eat – and they do so many other things which they themselves have decided to observe, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and pots, and brass vessels, and tables. 5Then the Prushim and sages asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the takanot of the sages but eat bread with unwashed hands?” 6He answered them, “Well has Yeshayahu prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8For laying aside the commandment of YHVH, you hold the takanot of men, such as the washing of pots and cups, and many other similar things you do. 9With full knowledge you reject the commandment of YHVH that you may keep your man-made takanot! 10Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11But you say, ‘If a man shall say to his father or mother, everything that he would have given to support them in their old age is corban, (a gift dedicated to the Temple) he shall be free of his obligation.’ 12Thus, you allow him to do no more for his father or his mother, 13making the word of YHVH of none effect through the takanot that you have enacted. And many such things you do.”{1}
{Mk 7:13.1} The foundation of Phariseeism is the practice of eating everyday meals in an invented state of ritual purity. This principle of Phariseeism is more fully described in the Introduction under the header “Prushim,” and must be understood. It clarifies both the gravity of this confrontation and the Gospel of the Kingdom that Yeshua taught by word and deed.
Mark 7:14 Then he called all the people to him and said, “Everyone listen up and understand! 15There is nothing from outside of a man that entering into him can truly defile him, but the things which come out of him is what defiles him. 16If any man has ears to hear, let him hear!”{1} 17And when he entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18And he said to them, “Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him 19because it enters not into his heart but into the belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats?” 20Then he said, “That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness! 23All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”
{Mk 7:16.1} Yeshua is speaking of the man-made rituals that the Pharisees have concocted so that they stay uncontaminated from the world in their parush – separated world of self-sanctity. He is not saying that it is now permissible to violate the Torah and eat cats, rats, lizards, pigs, or tarantulae (which are all delicacies in various cultures). Yeshua is upholding the sanctity of the Torah and defending it against the man-made rules of a system that is manipulating and controlling the masses with a hybrid religion. Israel was adamantly instructed that “no one adds to or diminishes from” the commandments given to us at Sinai – anyone who does is a false prophet! (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) Here, Yeshua is exposing the Pharisee sages as false prophets because they have both added to and subtracted from the Torah with this single takana concerning taking care of one’s aged parents. He said that they do “many such things” (which are now recorded in the Talmud). They were offended at him and threatened to kill him over the issue regarding to whose authority we are required to submit. The Prophet set us free from the bondage of man-made religion – but religionists will kill to protect their illegitimate authority.
< 110 > Yeshua and disciples travel north
to the southern border of Tyre and Sidon
[2nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Monday, September 22, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 219
Matthew 15:21 — Mark 7:24a — Luke — John
Matthew 15:21 Then Yeshua departed, and traveled to the border of Tyre and Sidon.
Mark 7:24a From there he arose, and went to the border of Tyre and Sidon.
< 111 > Yeshua heals a gentile
a pagan (Canaanite) child is possessed by demons
[2nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Monday September 22, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 219
Matthew 15:22-28 — Mark 7:24b-30 — Luke — John
Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite woman out of the same area came to him and cried, “Have mercy on me master, son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.” 23But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and besought him, “Send her away, she cries after us.” 24But he answered, “I am only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Yisrael.” 25Then came she and worshipped him, begging, “Master, help me!” 26He bluntly answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs.” 27She replied, “True, master, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” 28Then Yeshua said to her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it unto you even as you will.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Mark 7:24b There, Yeshua entered into a house, and would have no man know it, but he could not be hid. 25A pagan woman, whose young daughter had a foul spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. 26The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation, and she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. 27But Yeshua said to her, “Let the children first be filled. It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs.” 28She answered him, “Yes, master, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.” 29Then he said to her, “For this saying go your way – the demon has gone out of your daughter!” 30And when she returned to her house, she found the demon had left and her daughter laid quietly upon the bed.
< 112 > Returning to the northern region of the Decapolis
Yeshua heals a deaf man and many others
[3rd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Tuesday, September 23, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 220
Matthew 15:29-31 — Mark 7:31-37 — Luke — John
Mathew 15:29 Yeshua departed from there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30Great multitudes came to him, having with them those who were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and laid them down at Yeshua’s feet and he healed them. 31The multitude wondered when they saw the dumb speak, the maimed made whole, the lame walk, and the blind to see, and they glorified the Elohim of Yisrael!
Mark 7:31 Departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of the Galilee by going through the midst of the region of the Decapolis. 32There they brought to him one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33Yeshua took him aside from the multitude and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue. 34Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “be opened.” 35Straightway his ears were opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36Yeshua charged them that they should tell no man, but the more he charged them, so much the more they made it a great deal and published it abroad. 37They were astonished beyond measure and said, “He has done all things [prophesied of the Messiah] well! He makes both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak!”{1}
{Mk 7:37.1} Isaiah 35:1-6
< 113 > Second miracle of loaves and fish
about 4,000 men are fed after following Yeshua for three days
[4th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, September 24, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 221
Matthew 15:32-38 — Mark 8:1-9 — Luke — John
Matthew 15:32 Then Yeshua called his disciples to him, and said, “I have compassion on the multitude because they have continued with me now for three days, and they have nothing to eat. I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.” 33His disciples said to him, “Where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a great multitude?” 34Yeshua replied incredulously, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few very small fish.” 35Yeshua commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples distributed to the multitude, 37and they all ate, and were filled. When they took up the remainder, there were seven baskets full, 38and those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Yeshua called his disciples to him and said, 2“I have compassion on the multitude because they have now been with me three days and they have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint in the way because many of them came from afar.” 4His disciples answered, “How can anyone satisfy all these people with bread out here in the wilderness?” 5Yeshua asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6Then he commanded the people to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to set before them – and they set it before the people. 7They also had a few small fish, so again he blessed the Almighty, and commanded his disciples to set them also before the people. 8They all ate and were filled, and they took up seven baskets of the food that was left. 9And those who had eaten were about four thousand, and he sent them away.
< 114 > Crossing from the Golan Heights to Migdal,
the Prushim and Zadokim confront Yeshua
[5th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Thursday, September 25, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 222
Matthew 15:39-16:4 — Mark 8:10-13 — Luke — John
Matthew 15:39 After he sent away the multitude he boarded a ship and came to the area of Migdal. 16:1The Prushim came with the Zadokim and tempting him, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2He answered them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3In the morning you say, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.’ You hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times? 4A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Yonah.” And he left them, and departed.
Mark 8:10 Straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples and came into the parts of Dalmanutha [which is near Migdal]. 11The Prushim came to him and began to question him, seeking of him a sign from heaven and tempting him. 12He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek after a sign? Truth I say to you, there will be given no sign to this generation.” 13He left them and entered into the ship again and departed to the other side.
< 115 > Summary statement: the Prushim and Zadokim threaten to kill Yeshua
[5th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Thursday, September 25, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 222
The Pharisee leaders have made it very clear that they intend to kill Yeshua for his blatant violation of rabbinic takanot. The previous incident at Migdal is the only discourse between Yeshua and the Prushim after he deliberately violated the takanot of their sages a second time and fed four thousand more with “unsanctified” hands – ignoring their protocols and their threats.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:1
John 7:1 After these things Yeshua remained in the Galilee. He would not go up to Jerusalem yet, because the religious leaders sought to kill him.{1}
{Jn 7:1.1} KJV reads – walk in Jewry because the Jews sought to kill him. This translation ignores that fact that those who are following him are also Jews – Galilean Jews who are coming out of the Pharisee synagogues and following him.
< 116 > Sailing from Migdal
Yeshua warns his disciples of the “leaven” of the Pharisees
[6th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Friday September 26, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 223
Matthew 16:5-12 — Mark 8:14-21 — Luke — John
Matthew 16:5 Now when his disciples got to the other side of the Kinneret, they realized that they had forgotten to take bread. 6So Yeshua said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Prushim and of the Zadokim.” 7They reasoned within themselves, “It is because we have taken no bread?” 8When Yeshua perceived their thoughts, he said to them, “O you of little faith! Why reason in yourselves that I say this because you have brought no bread? 9Do you not yet understand? Do you not remember the five loaves that fed five thousand, and how many baskets did you take up? 10Do you not remember the seven loaves that fed four thousand, and how many baskets did you take up? 11How is it that you do not understand that I do not speak to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Prushim and of the Zadokim?” 12Then they understood how he commanded them to not be wary of the leaven of bread – but of the doctrine of the Prushim and the Zadokim.
Mark 8:14 The disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf in the ship. 15Yeshua charged them, “Take heed – beware of the leaven of the Prushim, and of the leaven of Herod.” 16They reasoned in themselves, “It is because we have no bread?” 17When Yeshua knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Why reason that I said this because you have no bread? Do you not perceive? Cannot you understand? Do you still have a hard heart? 18Do you have eyes and cannot see, and ears but cannot hear? Do you not remember 19when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20“And when I divided the seven loaves among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said, “Seven.” 21He then asked them again, “How is it that you do not understand?”
< 117 > Yeshua heals a blind man at Beit Saida
According to Pharisee law it is forbidden to put saliva on one’s eyes on the Sabbath.
Yeshua deliberately breaks rabbinic law after he is threatened with death
[Sabbath, 7th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday, September 27, 27 CE]
Week 32 — Day 224
Matthew — Mark 8:22-26 — Luke — John
Mark 8:22 When he came to Beit Saida, they brought a blind man to Yeshua and begged him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. He put spit on his eyes,{1} and putting his hands on him, he asked the man if he saw anything. 24He looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” 25Again, he put his hands on his eyes and made him look up, and he was restored and saw every man clearly. 26Yeshua sent him away to his house saying, “Do not go into the town, nor tell it to any from the town.”
{Mk 8:23.1} Rabbinic takanot absolutely forbid putting saliva on the eyes on the Sabbath (Talmud, tractate Shabbat 108b).
< Note 14 > Yeshua travels north to Caesarea Philippi
[8th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, September 28, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 225
< 118 > On the road to Caesarea Philippi
Yeshua forbids his disciples from voicing that he is the Messiah because of his covert mission in Yerushalayim: to die as the “suffering servant”
[8th-9th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; September 28-29, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 225-226
Matthew 16:13-28 — Mark 8:27-9:1 — Luke 9:18-27 — John
Matthew 16:13 When Yeshua came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14They replied, “Some say that you are Yochanan the immerser, some say you are Eliyahu, and others say you are Yirmeyahu or one of the prophets.” 15He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Shimon Kefa answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim.” 17Yeshua said to him, “Blessed are you, Shimon ben Yonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father in heaven. 18I also say to you that you are Kefa [<petroj – petros> – a pebble] but on this rock{1} [<petra – petra> – the fact that I am the Messiah, the son of the living Elohim] I will build my kehilah{2} and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19I will give you all the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven – and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he charged his disciples that they should not tell anyone that he was the Messiah.{1}
{Mt 16:18.1} I Corinthians 10:4 “and this rock is Messiah” (Exodus 17:6; John 7:38)
{Mt 16:18.2} Church (KJV) – is <ekklhsia – ekklesia> (Greek), which refers to the “assembly” of believers. Ekklesia was used for the first time in the Septuagint (Deuteronomy 18:16) to translate the Hebrew word < lhq – kahal> – the “called out” or the “assembly of Israel” who were gathered at Mount Sinai to enter into the covenant with YHVH. The word kehilah is more accurate than the English word “church,” which comes from the old English kirke, from which is derived the word “circus,” where an entertaining “dog and pony show” takes place.
There is another way of rendering this verse that comes from the Ancient Hebrew Matthew which employs a figure of speech that could only appear in a Hebrew original, and so it must also be seriously considered. It states, “You Kefa are even (a rock) and upon you will I evneh (build) my house of prayer (bet tefilati)…” This statement gives clarity to the remaining context. According to the Ancient Hebrew Matthew, Yeshua is going to build a house of prayer on Kefa, not the Kehilah (which he builds on himself as the foundation stone that was considered unacceptable by the builders of Pharisaic Judaism – Matthew 21:42). The gates of hell (which is an archaeological feature still extant at the pagan city of Caesarea Philippi, where they are now standing) will not be able to prevail against the house of prayer that Kefa will establish in Jerusalem. What they bind or loose in prayer will be honored in heaven as they pray according to the will of Yeshua and the Father. There is no evidence that Kefa or his purported spiritual descendants would be the foundation of the Kehilah of Messiah. That is contrary to all of the Scripture regardless of the translations one reads – and contrary to the physical reality of that which is seated in Rome. Yeshua Messiah is the foundation (I Corinthians 3:11-18) – there is no other foundation, period.
{Mt 16:20.1} His first coming, to pay the death penalty for the broken covenant at Sinai, was a covert mission. The one with no sin, no violation of the Torah, came to die in the place of the guilty party so that the original covenant could be renewed. We could, once again, qualify to be a righteous nation of priests and kings through the accomplishment of Yeshua Messiah (Rev 1:6).
Matthew 16:21 From that time forth Yeshua began to declare to his disciples that he must go to Yerushalayim, and suffer many things of the elders and ruling cohenim and sages, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22Then Kefa took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from you, master! This shall not be done to you!” 23Yeshua turned and said to Kefa, “Get behind me, hasatan! You offend me! You do not savor the things of YHVH, but the things of men.” 24Then Yeshua said to his disciples, “If any man desires to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25Whoever desires to save his life shall lose it – but whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26What would a man profit if he gained the whole world, and lost his own soul? Or what would a man give in exchange for his soul? 27One day the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels and reward every man according to his works. 28Truth I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste of death before they see the Son of Man in his kingdom.”
Mark 8:27 Yeshua and his disciples went around to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, and along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” 28They answered, “Yochanan the immerser, but some say Eliyahu, and others say one of the prophets.” 29Then he asked them, “But who say you that I am?” Kefa answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30Yeshua emphatically charged them that they should tell no man concerning him. 31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the ruling cohenim, and the sages, and be killed, and after three days rise again – 32and he spoke that saying openly. Kefa took him aside and began to rebuke him, 33but Yeshua turned about and looked at his disciples and rebuked Kefa, “Get behind me, hasatan, for you savor not the things of YHVH, but the things of men!” 34Yeshua then called the people and also his disciples to him and said, “Whoever wills to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow. 35Whoever wills to save his life shall lose it – but whoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the gospel’s sake, the same shall save it. 36What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Therefore, whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 9:1 Yeshua said to them, “Truth I say to you, that there be some of those who stand here, which shall not taste of death before they have seen the kingdom of YHVH come with power.”
Luke 9:18 When he was alone praying his disciples found him, and he asked them, “Whom do the people say that I am?” 19They answered, “Yochanan the immerser, but some say Eliyahu, and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” 20He then asked, “But who do you say that I am?” Kefa answered, “The Messiah of YHVH.” 21Then Yeshua emphatically charged them, yes, he commanded them to tell no man that thing. 22He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and ruling cohenim and sages, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” 23He then said to them all, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24Whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world, and lose himself or be cast away? 26Whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his own glory, and in his Father’s glory, and in the glory of the holy angels. 27But I will tell you a truth, there are some standing here who will not taste of death before they see with their eyes, the kingdom of YHVH.”{1}
{Lk 9:27.1} In the following incident, Yeshua invites three of these disciples to go with him up to the top of a mountain on Yom Kippur. There they will, in fact, see the kingdom of Elohim. They will see Moses and Eliyahu, and hear the voice of YHVH.
< 119 > Yeshua ordained as the Cohen Gadol “The Transfiguration”
[Yom Kippur - 10th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Tuesday, September 30, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 227
This incident occurs “about eight days after the teachings” (Luke) or “six days after” (the teachings when he fed the four thousand - Matthew, Mark). Yeshua takes Kefa, Yaakov, and Yochanan to a mountain where Moses and Eliyahu “ordain” Yeshua as Cohen Gadol after the Order of the Melek Tzadek. This is the incident when some of the disciples get to see Yeshua ‘in his kingom’ before their death – but they will be sworn to secrecy until after the resurrection.
Matthew 17:1-9 — Mark 9:2-10 — Luke 9:28-36 — John
Matthew 17:1 After six days{1} Yeshua took Kefa, Yaakov, and Yochanan his brother apart and brought them up into an high mountain, 2and he was transfigured before them, and his face shined as the sun, and his garments were as white as light. 3And there appeared to them Moses and Eliyahu talking with him! 4Kefa said to Yeshua, “Master, it is good for us to be here! If you will, let us make three sukkot (tabernacles) here – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eliyahu.” 5While he spoke a bright cloud overshadowed them, and, behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased! Shema – Hear and obey him!{1}” 6When the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were extremely afraid. 7Then Yeshua came and touched them, and said, “Arise, be not afraid.” 8When they looked up, they saw no man, except Yeshua. 9As they came down from the mountain, Yeshua charged them, “Tell the vision to no man until after the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
{Mt 17:1.1} Both Matthew 17:1 and Mark 9:2 report that “after (meta) six days Yeshua took three of his disciples to a high mountain,” where he changed before their eyes and shone with the brightness of the sun. Luke 9:28 records that the same incident, his ordination as the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) after the order of the Melek Tzadek (Melchizedek – KJV), occurred “about (hosei) eight days after the teachings.” “After (meta) six days” is the seventh day, while “about (hosei –having not yet reached the point or number) eight days” is also the seventh day. Both Greek constructions record the same event occurring at the same time by using two parallel Greek mathematical constructions. The seventh day after (inclusive of the day – a third mathematical construction) the teachings that concluded with the feeding of the four thousand disciples on the seventh day of the month brings us to Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement.
{Mt 17:5.1} The voice from heaven, the second bat kol, authenticated Yeshua as The Prophet that we must shema (hear and obey) and those who will not hear and obey will be diligently sought out and judged accordingly (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).
Mark 9:2 After six days Yeshua took Kefa with him, and Yaakov, and Yochanan, and led them up into a high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them. 3His garments became shining, whiter than snow, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4And there appeared to them Eliyahu with Moses, and they were talking with Yeshua. 5Kefa asked Yeshua, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles here – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eliyahu,” 6Kefa really did not know what to say because they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son! Shema!” 8Suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more except Yeshua and themselves. 9As they came down from the mountain he charged them that they should not tell any man the things that they had seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. 10They kept that saying to themselves but questioned one another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Luke 9:28 About eight days after the teachings [when he fed the four thousand], Yeshua took Kefa and Yochanan and Yaakov, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29As he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his garments were white and glistering. 30And two men, Moses and Eliyahu, talked with him. 31They appeared in a cloud of glory, and spoke to him of his death that he would accomplish at Yerushalayim. 32But Kefa and those who were with him fell asleep under the weight of the glory. When they awoke they continued to behold his glory, and the glory of the two men that stood with him. 33And as Moses and Eliyahu departed, Kefa said to Yeshua, “Master, it is good for us to stay here and build three tabernacles – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Eliyahu!” 34While he spoke a cloud came over them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35There came a voice out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son! Hear and obey him!” 36When the voice was past, Yeshua was seen alone. And the disciples kept these things close to their hearts and in those days they did not tell anyone any of those things that they had seen.
< 120 > Yeshua endorses the deceased Yochanan ben Zecharyah
and answers the enigmatic ‘suffering servant’ and ‘Eliyahu first’ prophecies
[Yom Kippur - 10th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Tuesday, September 30, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 227
Matthew 17:10-13 — Mark 9:11-13 — Luke — John
Mark 9:11 Then they asked Yeshua, “Why do the sages say that Eliyahu must come first?” 12He answered them, “Eliyahu truly comes first and restores all things. And what is written concerning the Son of Man? That he must suffer many things, and be counted as nothing.{1} 13But I say to you that Eliyahu has indeed already come, and they have done to him whatever they determined – and he did just as it is written of him.”{1}
{Mk 9:12.1} Isaiah 53:1-10 fulfilled
{Mk 9:13.1} Malachi 4:5; Lk 1:17
Matthew 17:10 Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the sages say that Eliyahu must come first?” 11Yeshua answered them, “Eliyahu truly shall first come and restore all things. 12Now I tell you that Eliyahu has come already, and they knew him not; but have done to him whatever they decided to do. Likewise shall the Son of Man also suffer by them.” 13Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of Yochanan the immerser.
< 121 > Yeshua heals a child possessed with a demonic spirit
[11th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, October 1, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 228
Matthew 17:14-18 — Mark 9:14-27 — Luke 9:37-43a — John
Matthew 17:14 When Yeshua approached the crowd, a certain man came to him, and kneeling down to him said, 15“Master, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and sore vexed, for oft times he falls into the fire, and oft into the water, 16and I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17Then Yeshua replied, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I have to endure you? Bring him here to me!” 18Yeshua rebuked the demon, and it departed out of him. And the child was healed immediately.{1}
{Mt 17:18.1} KJV – “from that very hour” is a common figure of speech meaning “immediately and from that point on.”
Mark 9:14 When he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the sages questioning them. 15Straightway, when all the people beheld him they were greatly amazed, and ran to him and saluted him. 16Yeshua asked the sages, “Why do you question them?” 17One of the multitude answered and said, “Master, I have brought to you my son, who has a dumb spirit. 18Wherever he takes him, he tears him. He foams at the mouth and gnashes with his teeth, and pines away. I asked your disciples if they would cast him out, but they could not.”
19He answered him, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to me.” 20They brought the boy to Yeshua, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit tore him and he wallowed on the ground and foamed at the mouth. 21Yeshua asked his father, “How long has he been in this condition?” He said, “Since he was a child. 22Often it casts him into the fire and into the waters in an attempt to destroy him. If you can do anything, please have compassion on us and help us.” 23Yeshua said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to those who believe.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out, “Master, I believe! Please help my unbelief!” 25When Yeshua saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you to come out of him and return into him no more.” 26The spirit cried out and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was left as dead. Many said, “He is dead!” 27But Yeshua took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose!
Luke 9:37 On the next day, when they came down from the hill, many people met him. 38And a man of the company cried out, “Master, I beseech you, look at my son – he is my only child. 39A spirit takes him suddenly and he cries out, and it tears him and he foams at the mouth and it bruises him severely and then it departs from him. 40I besought your disciples to cast him out, and they could not.” 41Yeshua answered, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and tolerate you? Bring your son here.” 42As he was coming the demon threw him down and tore him. Yeshua rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and returned him to his father. 43They were all amazed at the mighty power of YHVH.
< 122 > Yeshua’s disciples question him in a private residence
[11th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, October 1, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 228
Matthew 17:19-21 — Mark 9:28-29 — Luke — John
Matthew 17:19 Then the disciples came to Yeshua apart from the crowd, and said, “Why could we not cast him out?” 20Yeshua said to them, “Because of your unbelief! Truth I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here and go there,’ and it shall move. Nothing shall be impossible to you. 21However this kind of demon does not go out without prayer and fasting.”
Mark 9:28 When Yeshua came into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could not we cast him out?” 29And he said to them, “This kind can come forth only by prayer and fasting.”
< 123 > Yeshua speaks of his death and resurrection
as they travel toward his home in Kfar Nahum
[11th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, October 1, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 228
Matthew 17:22-23 — Mark 9:30-32 — Luke 9:43b-45 — John
Matthew 17:22 While they abode in Galilee, Yeshua said to them, “The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, 23and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.” And they greatly sorrowed.
Mark 9:30 As they departed from there they passed through Galilee, and he did not want any man to know 31because he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after he is dead, he shall rise the third day.” 32But they did not understand that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Luke 9:43b While every one wondered at the things that Yeshua did, he said to his disciples, 44“Let these words sink deep into your ears – the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men.” 45But they did not understand the saying, and its meaning was hid from them. They could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask him the meaning of the saying.
< 124 > The disciples arrive in Kfar Nahum and Yeshua teaches
[11th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, October 1, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 228
Matthew 17:24-18:35 — Mark 9:33-50 — Luke 9:46-50 — John
Matthew 17:24 When they came to Kfar Nahum, those who received tribute money came to Kefa, and said, “Does not your master pay tribute?” 25He said, “Yes.” When Kefa came into the house, Yeshua prevented him, “What were you thinking, Shimon? Tell me, of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute – from their own children, or of strangers?” 26Kefa said to him, “from strangers.” Yeshua said to him, “Then the children are free from this. 27Notwithstanding, lest we should now offend them [over this trivial issue], go to the lake, cast in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open his mouth you shall find a piece of money. That take, and give to them for me and you.”
Matthew 18:1At that time the disciples came to Yeshua, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2Yeshua called a little child to him and set him in the midst of them, 3and said, “Truth I say to you, unless you are changed and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. 6Whoever offends one of these little ones who believes in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of offences! Yes, offences must come; but woe to the man by whom the offence comes! 8Therefore, if your hand or your foot offends you, cut them off and cast them from you! It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the fires of Gehinnom. 9If your eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from you! It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 10Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. I say to you, that in heaven their guardian angels continually behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 11The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go into the mountains and seek that which has gone astray? 13If he finds it, truth I say to you, he rejoices more for that one sheep, than for the ninety-nine which did not stray. 14Even so, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15Moreover, if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother; 16but if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17If he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the kehilah – but if he refuses to hear the kehilah, let him be the same to you as a heathen or a publican. 18Truth I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven – and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say to you, if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”
21Then Kefa came to him and said, “Master, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him – seven times?” 22Yeshua said to him, “I say not to you, ‘seven times,’ but, ‘until seventy times seven.’ 23Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened to a certain king, which took an account of his servants. 24When he began to reckon, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had nothing with which to pay, his master commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant fell down and begged him, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27The master of the servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence. He laid hands on him, and took him by the throat saying, ‘Pay me all that you owe.’ 29Then his fellow servant fell down at his feet and besought him, ‘Have patience with me and I will pay you all.’ 30But he refused and he cast him into prison until he paid the full debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what was done they were very sorry, and came and told to their master all that was done. 32Then his master called him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?’ 34His master was wroth, and he delivered him to the slavemasters untill he paid all that was due to him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you, if you, from your hearts, do not forgive every one of his brother’s trespasses.”
Mark 9:33 Yeshua came to Kfar Nahum, and when he was in the house he asked his disciples, “What was it that you disputed among yourselves along the way?” 34But they held their peace, for along the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35He sat down and called the twelve, and said to them, “If any man desire to be the greatest, he shall make himself last of all, and servant of all.” 36Then he took a child and set him in the midst of them and when he had taken him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever shall receive one such child in my name, receives me; and whoever shall receive me, receives not me, but him that sent me.”
38Yochanan answered, “Master, we saw one casting out demons in your name, and he does not follow us, so we forbade him because he does not follow us.” 39But Yeshua said, “Do not forbid him, for there is no man who can do a miracle in my name, that can readily revile me. 40He that is not against us, is on our side. 41Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, in my name, because you belong to Messiah, truth I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. 42Whoever shall offend one of these little ones that believes in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck and he was cast into the sea. 43If your hand offends you, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, 44where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched! 45If your foot offends you, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life lame, than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, 46where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. 47If your eye offends you, pluck it out! It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of YHVH with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire, 48where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. 49Every one will be seasoned with fire, just as every sacrifice is salted with salt. 50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost his saltiness, how will you season your sacrifice? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”
Luke 9:46 Then there arose a question among them as to which of them should be the greatest. 47So Yeshua, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48and said to them, “Whoever shall receive this child in my name receives me; and whoever shall receive me receives him that sent me! He that is least among you all, he shall be great.” 49And Yochanan answered, “Master, we saw one casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow us.” 50Yeshua said to him, “Do not forbid him – for he that is not against us is for us.”
< 125 > Yeshua’s family leaves for the Feast of Tabernacles
Yeshua and his disciples spend the night in his home in Kfar Nahum
[ 11th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Wednesday, October 1, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 228
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:2-9
John 7:2 Now the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) was drawing near. 3Yeshua’s brothers said to him, “Depart from here, and go into Yehudaea, that your other disciples also may see the works that you do. 4For there is no man that does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known openly. If you are really going to do this, declare yourself to the world,” 5(For neither did his brothers believe in him.) 6Then Yeshua said to them, “It is not my time yet, but you can go up to Yerushalayim anytime you are ready. 7The world hates me because I testify against it – that its works are evil. But the world cannot hate you, so 8go ahead up to the Feast. I am not going up to the Feast just yet – it is not yet the time for me to go up.” 9(Then, after he informed them, he remained in the Galilee.)
< 126 > Yeshua and a few trusted disciples journey to Jerusalem via Samaria “when the days of his going up were being fulfilled”
[12th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Thursday, October 2, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 229
Matthew — Mark — Luke 9:51 — John 7:10
Luke 9:51 When the time came for him to go up to the Feast of Sukkot, he steadfastly set his face to go to Yerushalayim.
John 7:10 After his brothers went up to the Feast, then he also went up in secret.
< 127 > Yeshua sends envoys into the Samaritan village
[13th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Friday, October 3, 27 CE]
Week 33 — Day 230
Yeshua had spent two days with these Samaritans just before Shavuot, when they confessed him as the Messiah (John 4:39-42). Now they refuse to welcome him because they find out that he is adamant about going up to Jerusalem for Sukkot, and is not going to honor their altered Torah text which commands them to celebrate the Feasts on Mount Gerizim (the tenth commandment in the Samaritan’s Torah text). Yeshua and his disciples continue their journey, but several Samaritans pledge to follow him – with a few caveats.
Matthew — Mark — Luke 9:52-62 — John
Luke 9:52 Yeshua sent emissaries before him, and they entered into a Samaritan village to prepare the way for him. 53But they did not receive him, because he was adamant about going up to Yerushalayim for Sukkot. 54When his disciples Yaakov and Yochanan saw this, they said, “Master, shall we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Eliyahu did?” 55Yeshua turned and rebuked them, “You do not understand the spirit from which that thinking comes! 56The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
Then they moved on to another village of the Samaritans. 57As they entered, a certain man proclaimed “Master, I will follow you anywhere you go!” 58Yeshua replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no permanent place to lay his head.” 59Yeshua said to another, “Follow me.” But he said, “Master, allow me catch up with you after I bury my father in a few years.”{1} 60Yeshua said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead, but come with me and preach the kingdom of YHVH.” 61Another also said, ”Master, I will follow you; but let me first have one last farewell Feast [on Mount Gerazim]{1} with my family.” 62And Yeshua said to him, “No man who has put his hand to the plough, and then looks back, is fit for the kingdom of YHVH.”
{Lk 9:59.1} KJV – let me bury my father first. It is the responsibility of the children to care for their aged parents until they die (he was not digging a hole at that moment). Other family members who were “dead to the kingdom” could take care of the details at home. Not everyone received an invitation to follow Yeshua as he traveled – it is a rugged life, and he had no idea where he would be sleeping the next night. Yeshua had a house to stay in at Kfar Nahum, but traveling and teaching in Israel at that time was “living by faith” and uncomfortable compared to the security of a fox den. Yeshua also spoke these things to Israelites who wanted to follow him earlier that summer in the Galilee (event <87>).
{Lk 9:61.1} The man-made religious system of the Samaritans commanded that they keep the Feasts on Mount Gerazim. This potential disciple desires to have one last celebration with his family according to the paganized religious traditions he inherited from his forefathers. The last request finds its modern day counterpart in those who cannot walk away from the warm, fuzzy pagan traditions that western gentile Christians have inherited from Roman and Babylonian sun worship. Yeshua replies, “It’s now – or never!”
< Note 15 > Yeshua’s thirtieth year begins
He builds his sukkah in the environs of Jerusalem
[High Sabbath - 15th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, October 5, 27 CE]
Week 34 — Day 232
< 128 > Yeshua teaches in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles
[15th - 22nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; October 5-12, 27 CE]
Week 34-35 — Day 232-239
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:11-36
John 7:11 Then the religious leaders searched for him at the Feast, inquiring, “Where is he?” 12And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him. Some said, “He is a righteous man!” Others said, “Nay – he deceives the people.” 13However no man openly declared their loyalty to him for fear of the religious leaders.
14About the middle of the Feast, Yeshua went up to the Temple and taught. 15The religious leaders marveled, saying, “How does this man understand the writings, having never learned in our Yeshiva?” 16Yeshua answered them, “My message is not mine, but his that sent me.{1} 17If any man does his will, he shall know whether the message is of YHVH, or from myself. 18He that speaks about himself seeks his own glory, but he that seeks the glory of the one that sent him, that is the true one and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19Did not Moses give you the Torah? None of you keep the Torah! Why are you trying to kill me?” 20They answered “You are possessed by a demon! Who is trying to kill you?”
{Jn 7:16.1} This statement (v.16-18) is Yeshua’s declaration to the sages that he is The Prophet – as detailed in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.
John 7:21 Yeshua replied, “I have done one work{1} and you all marvel. 22Moses gave you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers) and on the Sabbath day you circumcise a man. 23If a man receive circumcision on the Sabbath day so that the instructions from Moses would not be broken, why are you angry at me because I have made a man every bit whole on the Sabbath day? 24Judge not according to the outward, obvious appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
{Jn 7:21.1} The one work to which Yeshua is referring is the healing of the lame man at the Feast of Shavuot that set the religious leaders in motion to kill Yeshua for breaking their takanot (John 5:18) and commanding the healed man to do the same by deliberately breaking their “law of the eruv” (see event <49>). Circumcision predates Moses and was passed down from Abraham through our spiritual fathers as a token of the land covenant. Gentiles are not a part of the land covenant, but they can become fellow heirs by an act of their free will and submitting to the bloodletting that it requires of the inheritor.
John 7:25 Then some of them from Yerushalayim said, “Is this not the one that they are trying to kill? 26Yet, he is in their face but they say nothing to him! Do the members of the Sanhedrin think that he truly is the Messiah?” 27Others said, “We know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no man will know from where he comes.”
28Then Yeshua cried out in the Temple as he taught, “You both know me, and you know from whence I came! I did not send myself, but the truth is, you do not know the one who sent me.{1} 29I know him, for I came from him, and he has sent me!”
30Then they sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him because his time had not come. 31But many of the people believed on him, and said, “When Messiah comes, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done?” 32The Prushim heard that the people murmured such things concerning him and they and the ruling cohenim sent officers to arrest him.
33Then Yeshua said, “I will be with you a little while longer and then I will go to him that sent me. 34You will seek me, and shall not find me. Where I go you cannot come.” 35Then the religious leaders spoke among themselves, “Where will he go, that we will not find him? Will he go to the dispersed among the gentiles, and teach the gentiles? 36What kind of talk is this, ‘You shall seek me, and shall not find me,’ and ‘where I am, there you cannot come?’”
{Jn 7:28.1} Yeshua is making a direct reference to the “Water Libation” ceremony that took place during the Feast of Sukkot. The priests would parade down to the pool of Shiloam (or “sent one”) and bring up water onto the Temple Mount for the evening ceremony. At the end of the week, Yeshua will proclaim to be the fulfillment of this Holy rehearsal put in place by the prophet, King David. Yeshua will prophesy that he will be the source of the outpouring of the Spirit of which Joel prophesies. Yeshua also interprets the prophetic significance of the Fall Feasts of the LORD and cryptically states that the latter rain outpouring will transpire on the Last Great Day (event <130>). He, the sent one, will fill his obedient followers with that living water after he goes to where “they cannot follow.”
< 129 > The “trial” of the adulterous woman
[ 20th Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Friday, October 10, 27 CE]
Week 34 — Day 237
Several ancient texts insert the record of the “adulterous woman” immediately after John 7:36. The internal evidence also suggests that this incident occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles before both the weekly Sabbath (which was the 7th day of the Feast that year) and the Last Great Day. Because of the repeated attempts to arrest Yeshua, he would have left Jerusalem immediately after the Feast and would not have stayed around for further confrontations with the Pharisees.
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 8:1-11
John 8:1 Yeshua went out to his sukkah on the Mount of Olives and 2early in the morning he returned to the Temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3The sages and Prushim brought to him a woman taken in adultery. When they had set her in their midst 4they said to him, “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act itself.{1} 5Now Moses in the Torah commanded us, that she should be stoned, but what do you say?” 6This they said to tempt him, that they might have grounds to accuse him.
But Yeshua stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. 7When they continued asking him, he stood up and said to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8He stooped down again and wrote on the ground. 9Those who heard his words, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the eldest, ending at the last. Yeshua was left alone with the woman standing in the midst. 10When Yeshua stood up and saw no one but the woman, he said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?” 11She said, “No man, master.” And Yeshua said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
{Jn 8:4.1} This is an illegal set-up – the Torah stipulates that both parties are culpable in an adulterous situation, not just the woman (Leviticus 20:10). Yeshua’s words could be read, “He who is without this sin, cast the first stone.” It is very likely that the woman was found with one of them in the usual place they reserved for such activities, and that is why the man was not brought into the picture. Yeshua could have been writing the names of the offending parties among them or other incriminating information in the dirt, causing her accusers to quickly vanish.
< 130 > Yeshua proclaims the prophetic fulfillment of the “Latter Rain” outpouring of the Spirit
[High Sabbath – Shemini Atzeret (The Last Great Day) -
22nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, October 12, 27 CE]
Week 35 — Day 239
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:37-43
John 7:37 In the Last Great Day of the Feast, Yeshua stood up and cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 38He that believes on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”{1} 39(But this he spoke of the Spirit, which those who believe in him should receive, for the Ruach Kodesh was not yet given; because Yeshua was not yet glorified.) 40Many of the people who heard him speak said, “Truth, this is The Prophet.” 41Others said, “This is the Messiah!” But some said, “Shall Messiah come out of Galilee? 42Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David, out of David’s home town of Bethlehem?” 43So there was a division among the people.
{Jn 7:38.1} This incident is prophetically tied into the Water Libation ceremony on the Temple Mount that concluded on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. The prayer for rain was recited in the Temple on the eighth day (shemeni atzeret – assembly of the eighth) which is a High Sabbath and is refered to in the Gospel of John as the Last Great Day. Yeshua was prophetically proclaiming the future reality of the latter rain – or double portion outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will transpire during the future fulfillment of the Fall Feasts of YHVH. Verse 39 is a scribal note that explains the significance and timing of the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit, but the notation lacked the full detail that the early rain would transpire as a fulfillment of the Spring Feast of YHVH, on Shavuot, and that this prophetic statement by Yeshua is declaring the final fulfillment of the double portion – latter rain outpouring on the Last Great Day at the conclusion of the Feast of Sukkot. This later outpouring will transpire as an intermediate fulfillment of the Fall Feast of YHVH in which the 144,000 will participate. The Last Great Day is now known as “Simchat Torah” (rejoicing in the Torah) after the rabbis instituted the tri-enniel, and later the annual weekly “Torah portion” during the second Babylonian exile. The “eighth day” is now the day that the annual Torah reading is concluded and commenced.
< 131 > The Sanhedrin sends officers to arrest Yeshua
Nicodemus defends Yeshua against other members of the Sanhedrin
[High Sabbath - Shemini Atzeret (The Last Great Day) –
22nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, October 12, 27 CE]
Week 35 — Day 239
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:44-52
John 7:44 Some of the religious leaders wanted to arrest him, but no man laid hands on him. 45When the officers returned to the ruling cohenim and Prushim without arresting Yeshua, they asked the guards, “Why have you not brought him?” 46The officers answered, “No man has ever spoken like this man!” 47The Prushim answered, “Are you also deceived? 48Have any of the members of the Sanhedrin or Prushim believed on him? 49These people who do not follow our oral torah are all cursed.”{1} 50Nicodemus [a member of the Sanhedrin, but a secret follower of Yeshua] said to them, 51“Does the Torah allow any man to be judged before he is heard and before diligent inquiry is made into the accusations?”{1} 52They answered and said to him, “Are you also from the Galilee? Search as you may, you will see that no prophet arises out of the Galilee.”
{Jn 7:49.1} The Scribes and Pharisees derided those who refused to submit to their rules and authority with epithets such as raca and fool, used in Matthew 5:22, commonly phrased as the cryptic am ha aretz (people of the land) (see event <62> – Matthew 5:22). No doubt the words “these people” were expressed with condescension and contempt.
{Jn 7:51.1} Nicodemus is citing Deuteronomy 19:15-21. His fellow Pharisees deride him, “Are you an ignoramus from the region (galil) of the gentiles? No prophet comes out of the region (of the gentiles)!”
< 132 > Yeshua commissions seventy disciples
at the conclusion of the Feast
[Shemini Atzeret (The Last Great Day) –
22nd Day of the 7th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, October 12, 27 CE]
Week 35 — Day 239
Matthew — Mark — Luke 10:1-16 — John
Luke 10:1 After the failed arrest attempt, he appointed seventy others{1} and sent them two by two before him into every city and place where he himself would go. 2Then he said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few! Pray that the master of the harvest would send forth laborers into his fields. 3Go your ways! I send you forth as lambs among wolves! 4Carry neither purse, nor bag of provisions, nor sandals, and allow no one to join you along the way. 5Whatever house you enter into, first say, ‘Shalom to this household.’ 6If the Son of Peace is there, your peace shall rest upon it. If not, it shall turn to you again. 7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Do not go from house to house. 8Whatever city you enter into, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.{1} 9Heal the sick that are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of YHVH has come near to you.’ 10But whatever city you enter into and they do not receive you, go out into the streets of the same, and say, 11‘Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you, nevertheless, of this you can be sure – the kingdom of YHVH has come near to you!’ Then go your way. 12I say that it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom than for that city. 13Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Beit Saida! If the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they would have repented a great while ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you! 15And you, Kfar Nahum, which is exalted to heaven, you shall be thrown down into the pit of hell!
16“He that hears you, hears me. He that despises you, despises me. He that despises me despises him that sent me.”
{Lk 10:1.1} During the Feast of Sukkot, seventy bullock were sacrificed as a provision for the seventy gentile nations. Yeshua commissioned seventy disciples as a prophetic foreshadow of the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel who will be sent forth to the seventy nations of the world after the “later rain” outpouring of the Spirit in the last days.
{Lk 10:8.1} Among the Israelites to whom Yeshua is sending the seventy disciples, you would never find abominable flesh set before anyone. Yeshua is speaking of eating whatever oklah – food – that is set before you, not pharmakia (inorganic substances created in a laboratory) nor animals that are classified as an abomination by the Creator. It is sin to eat anything that is expressly forbidden by our Creator, regardless of the intention of the provider (Revelation 2:20; Acts 10:14 – event <274>).
< 133 > After the Feast of Sukkot everyone leaves Jerusalem
[23rd Day of the 7th month, 4027 FC; Monday, October 13, 27 CE]
Week 35 — Day 240
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 7:53
John 7:53 And [after the feast of Sukkot concluded] every man went to his own house.
VI. From the Feast of Sukkot to the Month of the Aviv 4028 (Winter of 27-28 CE)
< Note 16 > Yeshua ministers in the villages and cities
where the thirty-five pairs of disciples were sent
Weeks 35-42
No individual events were reported during the time the seventy were sent out – everyone was busy on their own assignments.
< 134 > The disciples report back to Yeshua before the Feast of Dedication
[26th Day of the 9th Month - 2nd Day of the 10th Month; 4027 FC; December 14 - 20, 27 CE]
~ Week 38-42
Matthew — Mark — Luke 10:17-24 — John
Luke 10:17 The seventy returned again with joy, saying, “Master, even the demons are subject to us through your name.” 18Yeshua said to them, “I saw hasatan come down out of the heavens like lightning [when you interfered with his subjects]. 19I gave to you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding, do not rejoice in that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
21In that hour Yeshua rejoiced in his spirit, and prayed, “I thank you for hiding these things from the wise and prudent, but revealing them to babes – for so it seemed good in your sight, O Father. 22All things have been given to me by my Father, yet no man knows who the Son is, but the Father. And no one really knows the Father, but the Son, and those to whom the Son will reveal him.” 23Yeshua turned to his disciples and said quietly, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you have seen! 24I tell you, many prophets and kings have desired to see the things which you have seen, and have not seen them. They have desired to hear the things which you have heard, and have not heard them.”
< 135 > A Torah scholar questions Yeshua
The parable of the “Good Samaritan”
~ Week 38-42
Matthew — Mark — Luke 10:25-37 — John
Luke 10:25 A certain Torah scholar stood up and tested him, saying, “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26He replied, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” 27He answered, “You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28Yeshua replied, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you shall live for eternity.” 29But he, trying to justify himself, said to Yeshua, “So, who is my neighbor?” 30Yeshua answered him, “A certain man went down from Yerushalayim to Yericho and fell among thieves who stripped him of his garments, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31By chance a certain priest came down that way, and when he saw him he crossed over to the other side. 32Likewise a Levite, when he came to the place, looked at him and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came upon where he was. When he saw him he had compassion on him, 34and went to him, and bound up his wounds pouring in oil and wine. He set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the morrow when he departed, he took out two weeks’ wages, and gave them to the inn keeper and said, “Take care of him. Whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.” 36Now I ask you, which of these three do you think was neighbor to him that fell among the thieves?” 37He said, “He that showed mercy on him.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Go, and do likewise.”
< 136 > Knowing the danger, Yeshua “goes up” to Hanukkah
(aka: the Feast of Lights) where he confronts the religious leaders
[Shabbat - 25th Day of the 9th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday, December 13th, 27 CE]
Week 43 — Day 301
His location and the occasion are not revealed until after the primary incident (John 10:22).
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 8:12-59
John 8:12 Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 13The Prushim said to him, “You bear witness of yourself, therefore your witness is not valid.” 14Yeshua answered them, “Though I bear witness of myself, yet my witness is true because I know from whence I came, and where I go; but you cannot tell from whence I came, or where I go. 15You judge after the flesh and I judge no man. 16Yet if I judge, my judgment is true because I am not alone – I am with the Father that sent me. 17It is also written in the Torah that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. 18I am one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me also bears witness of me.” 19Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Yeshua answered, “You neither know me, nor my Father. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” 20These words Yeshua spoke in the treasury as he taught in the Temple, yet no man laid hands on him for his time was not yet come.
21Then Yeshua said again to them, “I will go my way and you shall seek me, yet you shall die in your sins. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22Then the Prushim said, “Will he kill himself?” (Because he said, where I go, you cannot come.) 23Yeshua replied, “You are from below and I am from above. You are of this world and I am not of this world. 24That is why I said that you will die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the One, you will die in your sins.” 25Then they said to him, “Who do you think you are?” And Yeshua said to them, “Even the same that I said to you from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and judge concerning you. He that sent me is Truth and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.” 27(They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father).
28Then Yeshua said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you shall know that I am the One, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak those things. 29He that sent me is with me – the Father has not left me alone because I always do the things that please him.” 30As Yeshua spoke these words, many believed in him. 31Then he said to the religious leaders which believed in him, “If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. 32You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” 33Then some of the Prushim retorted, “We are Avraham’s seed! We were never in bondage to any man, so how can you say, ‘You shall be set free?’” 34Yeshua answered them, “Truth, I say to you, whoever willfully commits sin is the slave of sin. 35The servant does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever. 36Therefore, if the Son sets you free from sin, you shall indeed be free to abide in the house. 37I know that you are Avraham’s seed, but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. 38I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.” 39They answered and said to him, “Avraham is our father.” Yeshua said to them, “If you were Avraham’s children, you would do the works of Avraham. 40But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I have heard from YHVH. Avraham did not do this! 41You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to him, “We were not begotten through fornication!{1} We have one Father; YHVH!” 42Yeshua said to them, “If YHVH were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from YHVH; neither did I come of my own accord, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand my words? Because you cannot hear my words. 44You are of your father hasatan, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies. 45I tell you the truth; you do not believe me. 46Which one of you accuses me of sin? So if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? 47He that is of YHVH, hears YHVH’s words. You cannot hear me because you are not of YHVH.” 48Then the religious leaders answered, “Did we not accurately say that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” 49Yeshua answered, “I do not have a demon! I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. 50I do not seek my own glory – there is one that seeks and judges. 51Truth I say to you, if a man keeps my sayings, he shall never see death.” 52Then the religious leaders said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Avraham and the prophets are dead – and you say, ‘If a man keeps my sayings, he shall never taste death.’ 53Are you greater than our dead father Avraham and the dead prophets? Who do you think you are?” 54Yeshua answered, “If I honor myself, my honor is nothing – my Father honors me. You say that he is your Father? 55You have never known him! But I do know him – and if I said, ‘I do not know him,’ I would be a liar just like you! But I do know him, and I keep his Word. 56Your father Avraham rejoiced to see my day – and he saw it, and was glad.”{1} 57The religious leaders said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Avraham?” 58Yeshua said to them, “Truth, I say to you, before Avraham was, I am.” 59Then they took up stones to throw at him: but Yeshua hid himself, and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them.
{Jn 8:41.1} They supposed Yoseph was the father of Yeshua who was conceived out of wedlock and that he was thus begotten through fornication (Luke 3:23).
{Jn 8:56.1} The Melek Tzadek brought forth bread and wine to Abraham and instituted what would, 2,000 years later, become known as “the Lord’s Supper.” Abraham gave a tenth of his vast wealth because he prophetically saw the broken body and shed blood of the Messiah, which would atone for the sins of the sons of Adam. This is how Abraham saw Yeshua’s day – and rejoiced.
< 137 > At Hanukkah the “Light of the World” heals a man born blind
[Shabbat - 25th Day of the 9th Month, 4027 FC; Saturday, December 13th, 27 CE]
Week 43 — Day 301
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 9:1-41
John 9:1 As Yeshua was leaving the Temple Mount, he saw a man which was blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Yeshua answered, “Neither this man sinned, nor his parents: but [he was born blind] so that the works of YHVH could be made manifest in him. 4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Shiloam (the Sent one).” He went his way, and washed, and came back seeing. 8The neighbors and those who had seen him before when he was blind, said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” 9Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He looks like him.” But he said, “I am he.” 10Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “A man called Yeshua made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Shiloam and wash. I went and washed, and I received my sight.” 12Then they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know [I was blind].”
13They brought the man that was previously blind to the Prushim 14because it was the Sabbath day when Yeshua made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15The Prushim also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.” 16Some of the Prushim said, “This man is not of YHVH, because he does not keep the Sabbath day.”{1} Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?” And there was a division among them. 17They asked the blind man again, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is The Prophet!”
{Jn 9:16.1} Rabbinic takanot absolutely forbade the mixing of water and dust on the Sabbath because that constituted creating something (mud). It was also expressly forbidden to put saliva on the eyes on the Sabbath (Talmud, tractate Shabbat 108b). It was further forbidden to travel more than their prescribed measurement for a Sabbath day’s journey (2,000 cubits, about 3,437 feet – Baba Metzia 32a). Yeshua broke two of these rules as he fulfilled the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah concerning the healing of a man born blind. He then commanded the blind man to walk more than a Sabbath day’s journey to wash his eyes when water was readily available on the Temple mount. In the healing of the lame man at Shavuot and the healing of the man born blind at Hanukkah, Yeshua commanded them to break the man-made laws of the Pharisees before he pronounced them “whole.”
John 9:18 But the Prushim did not believe his testimony that he had been born blind, nor how he had now received his sight; so they called his parents. 19They interrogated them, saying, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind, 21but by what means he now sees, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know that either. He is of age, ask him; he shall speak for himself.” 22(These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Prushim, for they had already agreed that if any man confessed that Yeshua was Messiah, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23That is why his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.”)
24The Prushim again called the man that was blind and said to him, “Give YHVH the glory for we know that this man, Yeshua, is a sinner.” 25He answered, “Whether this man is a sinner or not, I do not know. But one thing I do know: I was blind – now I see!” 26Then they said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you did not hear. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to be his disciples?” 28Then they reviled him, “You are his disciple! We are Moshe’s disciples! 29We know that the Holy One spoke to Moshe, but as for this fellow, we do not know from whence he comes.” 30The man replied, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where he is coming from, and yet he has opened my eyes! 31Now we know that the Almighty does not hear sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of him, and does his will, he does hear him. 32Since the world began it has never been heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33If this man were not of YHVH, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were born completely in sin, and now you teach us?” And they cast him off [the Temple Mount and excommunicated him from the synagogue].
35Yeshua heard that they had cast him out and so he went and found him. He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of YHVH?” 36He replied, “Who is he, sir, that I might believe in him?” 37Yeshua said to him, “You have already met him. It is he that now speaks with you.” 38He cried, “Master, I believe!” And he worshipped him. 39Yeshua said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see, might see; and that those who see might be made blind.” 40Some of the believing Prushim which stood with him heard these words, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Yeshua said to them, “If you were blind, you would not be as chargeable, but because you say you see, you bear full responsibility for your sin.”
< 138 > Yeshua teaches during the Feast of Hanukkah
“the door of the sheepfold” and “the good shepherd”
[26th Day of the 9th Month - 2nd Day of the 10th Month; 4027 FC; December 14 - 20, 27 CE]
Week 44 — Day 302-308
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 10:1-39
John 10:1 “TRUTH I speak to you, he that does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.{1} 3To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 4When he leads his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5A stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.”
{Jn 10:2.1} In the first part of the parable, the door of the sheepfold can be understood as the Torah, the instructions from our Creator at Mount Sinai – and Yeshua, the true shepherd comes in through the door. Yeshua then plainly tells his disciples that he is the door and all that came before him were misleading the sheep. Yeshua is the embodiment of the instructions from our Creator. He is The Prophet who was promised, the teacher, the living Torah (verse 7).
John 10:6 This parable Yeshua spoke to them, but they did not understand the things that he spoke to them. 7Then Yeshua said to them again, “TRUTH I speak to you, I am the door of the sheepfold! 8All those that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.{1} 9I am the door: if any man enter in through me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12He that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, flees and leaves the sheep. The wolf catches them and scatters the sheep. 13The hireling flees because he is a hireling. He does not really care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep, and I am known by mine. 15As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must also bring them, and they shall hear my voice. There shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17My Father loves me and I lay down my life because I will take it up again. 18No man takes it from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. This promise have I received from my Father.”
{Jn 10:8.1} These are the religious leaders who invent their own rules and regulations to enslave and manipulate the flock for easy fleecing.
John 10:19 These sayings caused another division among the people 20and many of them said, “He has a demon! He is mad! Why do you listen to him?” 21Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” 22All these things took place in Yerushalayim at the Feast of Hanukkah that winter.
23Yeshua walked into Solomon’s porch on the Temple Mount. 24The religious leaders encircled him and demanded, “How long will you make us wonder? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25Yeshua answered them, “I have already told you, and you do not believe: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep, as I said to you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28I will give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30I and my Father are one.”
31Then the religious leaders took up stones again to stone him. 32Yeshua answered them, “Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me?” 33The religious leaders answered him, “We do not stone you for a good work – we stone you for blasphemy! Because you, being a man, make yourself YHVH.” 34Yeshua answered them, “It is written in the Torah ‘You are elohim.’ 35If he called them elohim, to whom the word of YHVH came, and the Scripture cannot be in error, 36how do you say of him, whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of YHVH?’ 37If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me. 38But if I do the works of my Father, though you do not believe in me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.” 39Then they tried to take him again, but he escaped out of their hand.
< 139 > Yeshua has supper in the home of Lazarus, Miriam, and Martha in Bethany during the week of Hanukkah
[26th Day of the 9th Month - 2nd Day of the 10th Month; 4027 FC; December 14 - 20, 27 CE]
Week 44 — Day 302-308
Matthew — Mark — Luke 10:38-42 — John
Luke 10:38 When Yeshua entered into Bethany, a woman named Martha received him into her house. 39She had a sister named Miriam who sat at Yeshua’s feet and listened to his message. 40But Martha was cumbered with much serving, and she came to Yeshua and said, “Master, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Please tell her to help me.” 41Yeshua answered and said to her, “Martha, you are so worried and troubled about so many relatively insignificant things! 42Only one thing is really important right now, and Miriam has chosen the better thing, and you cannot take that away from her.”
< 140 > Yeshua leaves to minister in the land beyond the Yarden (Perea) after the Feast of Hanukkah
[3rd Day of the 10th Month, 4027 FC; Sunday, December 21, 27 CE]
Week 45 — Day 309
Matthew — Mark — Luke — John 10:40-42
John 10:40 Yeshua traveled beyond the Yarden into the place where Yochanan first immersed, and there he abode for the winter. 41Many came to him, and said, “Though Yochanan did no miracles, everything that Yochanan spoke about this man is true,” 42so, many believed in him there.
< 141 > Yeshua teaches in the Dead Sea valley during the winter
[Beginning the 3rd Day of the 10th Month, 4027 FC; December 21, 27 CE]
~ Weeks 45-53 — Days 309 - 371
Matthew — Mark — Luke 11:1-36 — John
Luke 11:1 One time, after Yeshua had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Master, teach us to pray like Yochanan also taught his disciples to pray.” 2Yeshua said to them, “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Holy is your name YHVH. May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”{1}
{Lk 11:4.1} Yeshua first taught this pattern or outline for prayer to the few disciples who climbed the mountain to hear him teach his first recorded message to Israel in event <62>. Few disciples follow the pattern today; they just mindlessly repeat the words like it is some kind of magical mantra. Some congregations completely ignore Yeshua’s teachings altogether, and follow the patterns instituted by the rabbis.
Luke 11:5 Yeshua said, “Which of you would go to your friend at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves. 6A friend of mine has come to me in his journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7And from within he shall answer, ‘Trouble me not: the door is shut and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you.’ 8I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his constant asking he will rise and give him as much as he needs. 9So I say to you, keep asking, and it shall be given you; keep seeking, and you shall find; keep knocking, and it shall be opened to you. 10For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone [that looks like a loaf of bread]? If he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? 13If you then, being burdened with hardships, give splendid gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Ruach Kodesh to those who ask him?”
14Yeshua was casting out a dumb demon, and when the demon left him, the dumb spoke. The people wondered, 15but some of them said, “He casts out demons through ba’al zevuv the prince of the demons.” 16Others, tempting him, asked him for a sign from heaven. 17But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falls. 18If hasatan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that I cast out demons through ba’al zevuv, 19I say, if I, by ba’al zevuv cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20But if I with the finger of YHVH cast out demons, no doubt the kingdom of YHVH has come to you. 21When an armed strong man keeps his palace, his goods are secure. 22But when one stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathers not with me, scatters. 24When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it walks through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, it says, ‘I will return to my house from whence I came.’ 25When it returns, it finds the house swept and garnished. 26Then it goes out, and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
27As he spoke these things, a certain woman among the company lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bare you, and the breasts from which you have suckled.” 28But he chuckled, “Even more blessed are those who hear the word of YHVH, and keep it.” 29When the people crowded together, he said, “This is an evil generation: they seek a sign and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Yonah the prophet. 30For as Yonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of Man be to this generation. 31The Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment against the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Yonah; and, behold, one greater than Yonah is here.
33“No man, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a closet, neither under a basket, but on a lampstand, that they which come in may see the light. 34The light of the body is the eye: therefore if you have one single eye, your whole body is full of light; but if your eye is blind, your body is full of darkness. 35Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not blindness. 36If your whole body is full of light, and there is no darkness in you, your whole life shall be full of light, as when a bright shining lamp gives light.”
< 142 > Yeshua has supper with a group of Pharisees and insults them during the meal
~ Weeks 45-53 — Days 309 - 371
Matthew — Mark — Luke 11:37-54 — John
Luke 11:37 As Yeshua spoke, a certain Parush requested that he dine with him so he went in and reclined at dinner. 38And when the Parush saw that he had not first washed [according to rabbinic takanot] before dinner, he marveled. 39And Yeshua said to him, “You Prushim clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but inside, you are full of gluttony and excess. 40You fools, did not he that made that which is outside make that which is inside as well? 41You say, if you give alms of everything you have - everything you have is sanctified. 42Woe to you, Prushim! for you tithe mint and peganon and all manner of herbs, and completely pass over righteous judgment and the love of YHVH! These you ought to have done, and not to leave the others undone. 43Woe to you, Prushim for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, Rabbi! Rabbi! 44Woe to you, sages and Prushim, you hypocrites! You are like an unseen grave that men walk over – they are completely unaware that you have contaminated them.” 45Then one of the sages answered, “Master, are you going to insult us as well?” 46So he said, “Woe to you also, you sages for you load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you will not lift a finger to help carry the burden! 47Woe to you, for you meticulously maintain the sepulchers of the prophets whom your fathers killed! 48Truly you bear witness that you endorse the deeds of your fathers because they killed them, and you meticulously maintain your fathers’ sepulchers. 49Therefore the wisdom of YHVH also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zecharyah, which perished between the altar and the Temple.’{1} Truth I say to you, vengeance shall be required on this generation. 52Woe to you sages for you have absconded with the key of knowledge! You have not entered in the door yourselves, and those that were entering, you have hindered.” 53As he spoke these things to them, the sages and the Prushim began to vehemently provoke him to speak on many matters. 54They were laying in wait for him, seeking to catch something out of his mouth that they might use to accuse him.
{Lk 11:51.1} See footnote on the slaying of Zecharyah (Matthew 23:35 – event <174 > and note < 3 >).
< 143 > Yeshua teaches a multitude of his friends after supper
~ Weeks 45-53 — Days 309 - 371
Matthew — Mark — Luke 12:1-13:9 — John
Luke 12:1 In the mean time, an innumerable multitude of people gathered together, so that they trampled each other. Then Yeshua said to his disciples, “First of all, beware of the leaven of the Prushim, which is hypocrisy. 2For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he has killed the body, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear him. 6Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten by YHVH? 7So even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, fear not. You are of more value than many sparrows. 8Also I say to you, whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of YHVH.