Sermons & Videos
Is the Old Testament Law—the Torah—relevant to Christians today? My guest, Dr. Richard Averbeck, says that it is. In his recent book, The Old Testament Law for the Life of the Church, Dr. Averbeck makes the case that the Law of Moses remains in effect for Christians today. I’m excited to have him with us to discuss his book.
Did Jesus abolish the distinction between permitted (clean) and prohibited (unclean) food in the Torah? Many say that he did based on his interaction with the Pharisees in Mark 7:1-23. However, Dr. Logan Williams challenges this antinomian reading of Mark 7:1-23 and offers a more plausible interpretation.
Messianic Jews and other Pronomian (Pro-Law) Christians believe that the Law of Moses is a vital part of our faith practice. However, not everyone agrees with this perspective. One prominent critic of this theology claims to have devised a single yes or no question that “topples” what he calls "Torahism," by which he means the biblical doctrine that the Law of Moses remains in effect. In this video, we consider this question. (Spoiler alert: Messianic Jews and Pronomian Christians won't be chowing down on pork bacon anytime soon.)
Did Jesus bring the Law of Moses to an end, or did he want his followers to obey it? As we learned in our previous video, Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 5:17 that he did not come to invalidate the Law’s authority but rather came to teach and demonstrate the correct way to obey it. This statement alone is sufficient to dismiss any claims that Jesus did away with the Law. But he doesn’t stop there. In Matthew 5:18, he goes on to declare that the whole Torah will remain as long as heaven and earth exist. In other words, it will not be going away any time soon. In this video, we will delve into the significance of Jesus’s statement that nothing will pass from the Law “until heaven and earth pass away” and “until all is accomplished.”
Join me as I sit down with Caleb Hegg from TorahResource to discuss the important work TorahResource is doing to offer solid, pro-Torah scholarship for the Body of Messiah. We also explore the fascinating world of Greco-Roman meal customs and how this historical context can bring new understanding to New Testament passages about communal meals in the early church.
In a recent video, Rabbi Tovia Singer argues that Paul detested the Law of Moses and taught that Christians don’t need to keep it. However, Rabbi Singer’s objection relies on an outdated, antinomian reading of Paul, which does not accurately reflect the true Paul depicted in the Pauline epistles and Acts. In this video, we address Rabbi Singer’s claims and clarify Paul’s stance on the Law of Moses.
What did Jesus teach about the Law of Moses? Did he say that he came to bring it to an end, or did he want his followers to obey it? Matthew 5:17-20 is a key passage that speaks to this question. In this video, we focus on verse 17, where Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” We explore what Jesus meant by the terms “abolish” and “fulfill.”
How should believers respond when someone wrongs us? In Matthew 5:38-42, Yeshua offers a surprising answer to that question. He references the “eye for an eye” principle found in the Torah, and then proceeds to explain how he expects his followers to respond when they are slapped, sued, and mistreated.
What did Jesus mean when he said that he came to “fulfill” the Law and Prophets? How did Jesus expect his followers to relate to the commandments and surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees? Join us as special guest David Wilber leads us through explore Matthew 5:17-20 and Jesus’s explanation of his mission in relation to the Torah.
In 2 Peter 3:15-17, Peter warns that Paul’s letters contain content that is “hard to understand” and which “the ignorant and unstable” misinterpret. He then connects the mishandling of Paul’s letters to “lawless people.” In this video, I argue that 2 Peter 3:15-17 represents Peter’s warning regarding antinomians (individuals who reject God’s law) who misinterpret passages in Paul’s letters to advocate for lawlessness.
The expression “law of Christ” appears only two times in the New Testament (Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21). Traditionally, interpreters have frequently understood this expression to refer to a new “law” or ethic that supersedes the law of Moses. However, there is a growing scholarly consensus that “law of Christ” directly refers to the law of Moses in some sense. This video makes a case for interpreting the phrase “law of Christ” in Galatians 6:2 and 1 Corinthians 9:21 as a reference to the law of Moses as it is taught and exemplified by Christ.
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