Authority of the Rabbis? Part 2
Is there any believer today who must follow the Rabbis as judges and legislators? No, for even in Israel in 2010, the Rabbis don’t wield the kind of civil authority over the general population as they did in the days of Yeshua. They are bound by the democratic nature of the State of Israel. Their authority is confined to their own sect, except in cases of marriage, divorce and burial where they have political sway in the Knesset (Congress or Parliament), of Israel. But even in Judah and Galilee in the days of Messiah, the Rabbis didn’t legislate their brand of theology. In other words, only Pharisees kept the Pharisaic teaching and way, and only Sadducees kept their way, and only the Essenes kept their way, etc.
Here too we can better understand Yeshua’s words in Mt. 23:2-3. The Sadducees weren’t put in jail because they didn’t follow the Pharisaic doctrine or way. The Essenes weren’t jailed because they didn’t keep the way of the Sadducees, etc. There were more than twenty different religious sects of Jews within Judah at the time of Messiah. Each Jewish person was free to practice his way of faith. Consequently, each Jewish believer was also free to walk out his faith as he was led by his community (Acts 2:40-47; 5:33-42; 6:1, etc.), when there wasn’t persecution for it (Acts 8:1-4, etc.).
The Jewish believer could live out his faith without breaking any laws of the land. There was no law that said that everyone had to believe and act like a Pharisee, or ‘do as they’ said, in terms of religious matters. This is how the believer could be free to believe, but constrained to obey ‘all they tell you, do,’ as the authorities in judicial and legislative matters.
Yeshua also wanted His followers to work out those civil differences, or problems with others, beforehand, so that they wouldn’t go to prison for things that didn’t pertain to the Kingdom. Because in prison they would stay until they ‘paid the last shekel:
Luk 12:57 And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
Luk 12:58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.
Luk 12:59 I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.
This refers to the judgement of the bet din (‘house of judgment’ or courts). Listen to what the Master says and note his speaking of the judge:
Mat 5:25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.
Mat 5:26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Yeshua was concerned about us becoming entangled in the affairs of this world, to the detriment of the affairs of the Kingdom. He was giving His followers wise counsel that speaks to us today: don’t get caught up in things that are not of His Kingdom. It only wastes our time and energy. There are many ‘good causes’ out there, and many things, unrighteous things, that need to be made righteous, but we are to follow Him and do those things that He shows us to do.
Authority to adjudicate and legislate was taken away from the Pharisees, Scribes, and Rabbis, etc., with the fall of Jerusalem and never regained by them in any of the lands where the Lord dispersed His people (except among the Jewish communities). Even in Israel today, the Rabbis only hold a certain amount of civil authority. To illustrate their lack of civil authority in terms of religious matters, the breaking of Shabat (the Sabbath), is not a crime in the eyes of the State of Israel, even though biblically, it’s a sin of great magnitude (Ex. 31:15; 35:2, etc.). Of course, the Rabbis would love to see the Sabbath observed by all Israelis, and enforced, but they don’t have the civil authority to enforce it. And this is a Commandment of tremendous importance. They have absolutely no authority to enforce their religious ways or teachings upon any Israeli, believer or not. How much less a believer in another land?
The Rabbis have no authority to imprison anyone for breaking the Sabbath, or not eating kosher food, or not celebrating the Holy Days, etc. The people of Israel do not go to their courts (unless they are their followers), but even then, the secular courts of Israel can overrule and nullify the rabbinical courts. They have no power to legislate or enact laws or ordinances for the entire population of Israel. But it’s here in Israel, where their authority is much greater than anywhere else. Why would any believer voluntarily place themselves under rabbinic authority to a rabbi who does not know the Messiah of Israel?
The Rabbis were never meant to teach us. They didn’t teach Yeshua. They didn’t teach the Apostles. Why should they teach us now? This is another reason why their teachings are not binding on us, and why we are not under their authority. And they would agree with me on this. For what rabbi would accept a Jew who believes in Yeshua? And what bet din would want to have anything to do with such a Jew, let alone not be biased against him?
Another major problem with someone not understanding ‘all that they tell you, do,’ and trying to follow the teachings of the Rabbis is that Judaism doesn’t speak ‘with one voice’ (one teaching on all the subjects). It never has. Even in the generation before Yeshua, there were two very famous schools that fundamentally differed from one another, like day and night (the Schools of Hillel and Shamai). And the scriptural and halahic (how to walk out the Scriptures) controversies that separated their students are legendary. Today there are many sects within the Orthodox and Hasidic communities, etc., and each has their own rabbis that disagree with the other rabbis. So which sect or rabbi should a believer go to, if they were to misinterpret Yeshua’s words of Mt. 23:2-3?
Today within Judaism there are the Satmars and the Bretzlavs. There’s also the Lubavitchers who proclaim the late Rabbi Schneerson as the Messiah. And these are only three different sects within what is known as Hasidic Judaism. Then there’s Orthodox Judaism with its Neo-Orthodoxy and other various shades of ‘Orthodoxy.’ There’s also Conservative and Reform Judaism, as well.
We can glean much from two thousand years of rabbinic thought but we also must be aware of the tremendous anti-Messiah spirit that dwells within the Rabbis and their teachings. for the Spirit of the Living God, as well as the Talmud and Gematria, for these ways have truly warped many of the teachings of Moses. But just from a practical point of view, it would be next to impossible to determine which form of Judaism was ‘the right one’ that Yeshua would have wanted His followers to follow, if Mt. 23:2-3 is misinterpreted.
The Seat of Moses was a term used to denote judgment. In Mt. 23:2-3, Messiah Yeshua admonishes His followers to obey the Pharisees and Scribes, etc., in their authoritative roles as judges and legislators, not as teachers of Torah. They had civil authority to judge and so could place anyone in jail who didn’t obey them in those areas that dealt with the community issues. Another point we saw against obeying the Rabbis and their teachings had to do with the many confrontations with the Pharisees and Scribes, etc., that Yeshua had, over their interpretation of Scripture. Also, His words against them (Mk. 8:15, etc.), is a powerful incentive for us concerning anything rabbinical, let alone placing oneself under their teaching authority. Rabbinic authority today, even in Israel, is not as great as it was in the days of Yeshua, but even in His day, most Jews didn’t follow the Pharisees and Scribes. There’s no reason from an authoritative perspective then, to place ourselves under their authority to teach us. Yet even if we wanted to, what rabbi would we follow today? Judaism is very fragmented.
Those that say that believers should obey the teachings of the Rabbis misunderstand Yeshua’s admonition, not realizing that the Seat of Moses meant legislative and judicial authority, not theological. There is absolutely nothing in Scripture to substantiate, or to act as a second witness: to the poor interpretation of Mt. 23:2-3, that we should follow the Rabbis.
Deu 17:6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
Deu 19:15 A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Mat 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
2Co 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
None of the Apostles ever placed themselves under rabbinic authority or sought their teaching. Why should we? There is only one Rabbi that we are to follow and to learn from; Messiah Yeshua (Mt. 23:8, 26:25; Mk. 9:5; 11:21; Jn. 1:49; 6:25; 11:8, etc.). For only He is able to give us the true understanding of the Word of God, and the ability to walk in it.
No wear does it say Rabbi or any man in Deuteronomy 13:4:
Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
As a matter of fact this is taken from an out right command not to follow false traditions of men. And a warning about those who would claim authority over the word of God. We have Scripture, and we are to be lead by the Holy Spirit in its discernment. There is no need or room for the authority of man For Yeshua stated it best when he said that we could not serve two masters.
Mat 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon
Basically we must remember there is only one master over our lives. Although there are many truths that can be gleaned from many men, we must remember the source of the teachings. There are some that believe we must follow the Rabbis in order to fully understand Scripture, but this idea goes against the very Scripture we are trying to understand (see authority of man?). We must also remember that although the Rabbis have been studying and commenting on Torah for over 2,000 years, they have done so with out the understanding’s given to us by our Messiah, and through His Holy Spirit. Yes there are many truths, in many of the teachings of the Rabbis, but that does not make them authoritative in our lives. And when we study the teachings of the Rabbis we must do so carefully. Seek the truth yet be weary of the lies.
As we go forth and test these new ideas in Scripture let us pray that our Father gives us His Spirit of wisdom, understanding, and truth. So we may see and walk as our Messiah walked, and be true disciples in the Name of Yeshua (Jesus). May we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to change for the glory of our God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
