Not one word of the law

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (ESV)

This is one of, if not the most popular verse to quote as proof that the Law of God given through Moses is ended, stopped, abolished, passed away, and therefore no longer authoritative or applicable to believers in Jesus.

Before we take a look at what the original Greek text of Romans 10:4 says, let’s use some critical thinking and compare this ‘proof’ verse with some other verses from the Word of God.

Because, if it’s true, and Paul claimed here in Romans 10:4 that the Law of God given through Moses has been “put to an end”, “stopped”, “canceled”, i.e. abolished in Christ, then we MUST ask ourselves if the following 9 points are also true:

1. Is Jesus, the Son of God, a liar?

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter, or stroke of a letter will pass from the Law until everything takes place.” | Matthew 5:18

“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.” | Luke 16:17.

• • Heaven and earth are still here… check outside to verify.

• • • For further study of theses verses please click these links and read, ‘The Law: Fulfilled or Abolished‘, ‘It is Finished!‘ and ‘Was the Law of Moses Abolished in the Flesh of Jesus?‘.

1. Is God the Father a liar?

“Therefore, the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” | Exodus 31:16-17; See also Exo. 12:14-17, Deut. 5:29, Deut. 29:29.

• • If you are in Christ, then you are grafted into the olive tree, which is the commonwealth of Israel. You are now a citizen of Israel, and this forever covenant applies to you, as you are no longer a gentile; “gentile” means “of the nations” | Romans 11:17-24; Ephesians 2:11-12; Jeremiah 11:16. Please click these links to read the following studies: ‘The Sabbath: Forever Means Forever‘,  ‘Did Paul Really Say “Any Day” Can Be the Sabbath?‘, ‘Are You Grafted In? Part 1: Not My People‘ and ‘Part 4: No Longer Gentile‘.

1. Was the apostle Paul a liar and a hypocrite?

“Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself (Paul) also live in observance of the law” | Acts 21:24, James speaking to Paul (Present Tense in the Greek) Please click this link and read the study, ‘You Yourself Also Live in Observance of the Law‘.

“For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be righteous.” | Romans 2:13 (Future Tense in the Greek)

“Do we then abolish the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” | Romans 3:31 (Present Tense in the Greek) Please click this link and read the study, ‘Paul Commands Us to Uphold the Law‘.

“So, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” | Romans 7:12

“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,” | Romans 7:22 (Present Tense in the Greek)

Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses… | 1 Corinthians 9:8-9 (Perfect Tense in the Greek)

• • ♦◊♦◊ Whose authority is Paul saying this is? Paul admits it’s not on human authority, but on ‘the authority of the Law of Moses‘; according to the apostle Paul, ‘the Law of Moses still has authority‘… ◊♦◊♦
  • See also Acts 23:5; Romans 2:17-18,27, 3:1-2, 6:16,19, 7:7,14,16,22 8:7-8, 15:4; 1 Cor. 5:7-8, 7:19, 9:8-9, 9:13, 9:21, 10:11, 10:18, 11:1; Gal. 3:15, 3:21; Col. 2:16; 1 Tim. 1:7-11, 5:18-20, 6:3; 2 Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:11-14

1. Was King David a liar?

“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” | Psalm 119:160

1. Was King Solomon a liar?

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.” | Ecclesiastes 12:13

1. Was Isaiah a liar?

“…For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” | Isaiah 2:3b; see Isaiah 2:2-5.

• • This is the Law of God given through Moses prophesied to be taught in the future Messianic Millennial reign to all of the nations.

1. Was Jeremiah a liar?

“the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.” | Jeremiah 33:18; see Jer. 33:14-26.

• • These Levitical prophecies take place during the future Messianic Millennial Reign.

1. Was Ezekiel a liar?

“My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. | Ezekiel 37:24; see Ezekiel 37:21-28.

• • Again, this is Mosaic Law observance in the future Messianic Millennial Reign. See also Ezekiel 40:38 – 46:14 for more Millennial Reign observances of the Law of Moses.

1. Was Zechariah a liar?

“Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths” | Zechariah 14:16.

• • Yet again, Gods Law given through Moses, specifically His Feast keeping Law, observed in the future Messianic Millennial Reign. See also ALL of chapter 14 of Zechariah. Please click this link and read the study, ‘The LORD’s Feasts‘.

Since we all know that the Father, Jesus, Paul and the other 6 prophets are not liars, then we need to take a closer look at Romans 10:4 if we are going to reconcile this apparent contradiction.

So, let’s break down Romans 10:4 ~

Here is what we are forced to read in almost every single English version~

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. {ESV}

What does the Greek text say?

Romans 10:4 τέλος γὰρ νόμου Χριστὸς εἰς δικαιοσύνην παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι {TR}

The following is the Strong’s number, the corresponding transliteration, the Greek word, the English word, and the Parsing:

G5056 G1063 G3551 G5547 G1519 G1343 G3956 G3588 G4100

telos gar nomou Christos eis dikaiosynēn panti tō pisteuonti

Τέλος γὰρ νόμου Χριστὸς εἰς δικαιοσύνην παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι

end therefore law Christ into righteousness to all the faithful

N-NNS Conj N-GMS N-NMS Prep N-AFS Adj-DMS Art-DMS V-PPA-DMS

“Telos” in this verse does not belong to “Christos”, it belongs to “Nomou” which is in the Genitive Case.

Therefore, in English it actually reads, ‘the “end” therefore of the law is Christ into righteousness to all the faithful’ (or ‘all who are believing’).

‘If’ telos/τέλος means “put to an end”, “done away”, “annulled”, “repealed”, “stopped”, “finished”, “terminated”, or “abolished” (as mainstream theology teaches), ‘then’ the following verses that also use the Greek word τέλος should make sense when it’s replaced with “put to an end”, “annulled”, “terminated”, “repealed”, “stopped”, or “abolished”.

Let’s see if that holds true…

• Matthew 10:22 And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endures to the abolished (end/telos) shall be saved.
• Luke 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have stopped(end/telos).
• John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the repealed (end/telos).
• Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the stopped(end/telos) everlasting life.
• 1Timothy 1:5 Now the annulled (end/telos) of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
• 1Peter 1:9 Receiving the termination(end/telos) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
• Revelations 2:26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the abolished(end/telos) to him will I give power over the nations:
• Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the put to an end(end/telos)

Obviously, this is not the meaning/definition of the word ‘telos/end’.

So, since what we’ve been taught for so many years is wrong, what is the real meaning that Paul was trying to convey by using this word ‘telos’?

According to Strong’s Concordance and Thayer’s Greek Lexicon G5056 Τέλος/Telos is a noun from the primary root verb τέλλω/tello. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines it as: to set out for a definite point or goal; properly, the point aimed at as a limit.

The noun “Telos” does not mean ‘abolished’ or ‘done away with’ or ‘made void’ or ‘put to an end’. The English word “end”, which is deceptively used for τέλος/telos, actually means the “end product“ or “end result“; i.e. the final purpose, the intended objective, or the ultimate goal.

That is what the word means.

Telos/τέλος in the English language is likened to the “end zone” of a football field. The “end zone” is the final purpose or the intended objective of the offense. It is the ultimate goal to reach this area of the field, hence the name of the line that has to be crossed in order to reach it, “the goal line”.

If Paul had wanted to say “abolish” or “put to an end“ he would have used the Greek word, Strong’s G2647 καταλῦσαι/katalysai, which actually does mean to abolish, destroy, demolish, overthrow, throw down, annul, discard, subvert, etc. Or, he could have used Strong’s G622 ἀπόλλυμι/apolesai, which actually does mean to cancel out, permanently destroy, put an end to, put out of the way entirely, abolish, blot out, vanish away, to perish, etc.

But Paul did not use those words; he used “telos” which means the goal or the point aimed at.

We are being lied to; whether it is on purpose or in ignorance, it’s still deception.

As listed above, the Greek clearly renders the verse “telos gar nomou Christos eis dikaiosynen panti to pisteuonti” = “The goal truly of the Law is Christ into righteousness for all who are believing/faithful”.

There are 132 versus in the Septuagint (the Old Testament in Greek; referenced below) that have the word “Telos” in it, and every single one of them are translated from Hebrew words that mean one or more of the following: whole, sound, perfect, completely, truth, truly, perfection, accomplished, the sum, to complete or perfect, a goal, an objective, continual, perpetual, splendor, always, all, every one, everything, altogether, uttermost part, furthermost edge or corner, to enumerate, an assessment. None of these Hebrew words mean “abolished” or “made void” or “put an end to” or “destroyed” or “done away with” or “repealed” or “terminated”, not one!

The mainstream theological system is either willfully, or ignorantly preaching a false doctrine when it teaches that Romans 10:4 “proves” that the Law of God given through Moses has been ‘abolished’ and ‘put to an end’. The Greek clearly states nothing of the sort; Paul has been twisted and distorted as Peter warned us, 2 Peter 3:15-17.

Paul told those in Corinth to imitate him as he imitated Jesus ~

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Jesus is ‘the‘ example, and he showed us how to walk righteously before God. God’s Instructions for mankind, His Laws, are His defined righteous way of living ~

Deuteronomy 6:25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’

Psalm 119:160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

• When the Messiah spoke these words what was his definition of righteousness?

Romans 6:19 For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification (being set-apart).

The Scriptures right here state that our goal should be to walk in righteousness before God, and not in lawlessness. The Master Jesus walked righteously before God by obeying all the commands of the Law. Our goal should be to strive to do the same as our Master, for righteousness’s sake. Not to be justified or saved, to be righteous. Or as Paul so eloquently stated, we are to ‘present our members as slaves to righteousness‘, which he said leads to our sanctification, our holiness, our being set-apart.

What does the text say?

Romans 10:4 The ‘goal/purpose’ therefore of the Law is Christ INTO righteousness for all those believing.

Another Scriptural fact about this verse that is not taught by mainstream theology is the word “INTO“, which is Strong’s G1519, εἰς/eis. This word is consistently mistranslated/misinterpreted because the ‘Parsing’ (grammar/syntax) is ignored!

According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, εἰς/eis is a preposition governing the accusative, in this case the word “Righteousness“, and can be used:

A. Properly

I. Of place (this does not apply to Romans 10:4)

II. Of time (this does not apply to Romans 10:4)

B. Metaphorically

I. retains the force of entering into anything (this does not apply to Romans 10:4)

II. after words indicating motion or direction or end

1. it denotes motion to something (this does not apply to Romans 10:4)

2. of ethical direction or reference (this does not apply to Romans 10:4)

3. it denotes the end;

a. the end to which a thing reaches or extends, i.e. measure or degree (close)

b.  the end which a thing is adapted to attain (closer)

c. the end which one has in view, i.e. object, purpose; [BINGO!!!]

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon states the Greek word “εἰς/eis”, the preposition for the ‘Accusative Case Noun’ Righteousness, to mean in definition B., II., 3., c. the end which one has in view, i.e. object, purpose; to this end, for this very thing, to what purpose, to be. The other definitions do not grammatically apply to Romans 10:4.

Romans 10:4 ~ Truly, the goal of the Law is Messiah:

• to this end Righteousness
• for this very thing Righteousness
• to what purpose Righteousness
• to be Righteousness

And now Romans 2:13 makes more sense ~

Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be righteous.

The Law of God shows mankind how to walk in His “right ways”; i.e. righteousness. Paul stated that our goal is to walk in righteousness before our God, and Jesus the Righteous One, is that goal personified. The purpose/goal of the Law is to lead us to be just like Jesus the Master, and to walk in the same way in which He walked, “into righteousness“. The “goal” of the Instructions/Law of God is to be like Jesus, obedient, faithful and humble before the Almighty; i.e. walking into righteousness. Again, NOT to be justified or saved, but to be righteous, and thereby, “Set-Apart”. Please click these links and read the studies, ‘Justification vs. Righteousness‘, and ‘Salvation vs. Eternal Life‘. Salvation is not the same as Eternal Life, and Justification is not the same as Righteousness; these studies show the difference between them, Scripturally!

Once more, Romans 10:4 states the goal of the Law is Messiah into righteousness; our goal is to walk as He did.

What does the text say?

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

1 John 2:5-6 By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

1 John 2:29 If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

1 John 3:7,10 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous… ₁₀By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God

Romans 6:16, 19 ₁₆Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?… ₁₉For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Final thought: Like the 9 witnesses listed at the beginning of this study, Moses is the 10^th.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob inspired Moses to prophesy that in *“OUR FUTURE” *, yours and mine, the offspring of God’s covenanted people will be gathered back to Him because they will choose to keep, guard, observe, and obey the “Law of God given through Moses”…

Deuteronomy 30:1-19 “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, »»and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you««, and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you TODAY, with all your heart and with all your soul, »»then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you««. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the LORD your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. And the LORD your »»God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring««, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. And the LORD your God will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD »»and keep all his commandments that I command you TODAY««.”

This prophesy states that “in the future” (*In Our Future*), when the descendants of these covenanted Israelites come to their senses and return to keep and obey the Commands that Moses is commanding in these verses (the Law of Moses) they will be granted the opportunity of reconciliation with the Almighty. They will have their fortunes restored, their hearts circumcised and God will regather them from *”ALL The Nations Where They Have Been Scattered”*…

This prophesy, that specifically lists the “future-keeping/obeying-of-the-Law-of-Moses”, has NOT happened yet… But, it will happen!

This study can now be viewed on YouTube at, ‘Is Christ the End-ing of the Law?‘.

• For further study of Paul’s teachings, as well as the original Greek, see the ‘Links’ at the top of this page or blog posts at the bottom. Be like the Bereans, and test Paul’s doctrines to the “Scriptures”; look up for yourself more than 60 of the “forever verses” listed below the ‘Telos Septuagint List’. Please ‘share’ this study. Thank you for your time!

“Telos” in the Septuagint: Genesis 46:4(H5927 עלה‛âlâh); Leviticus 27:23 (H4373 מכסה miksâh); Numbers 17:13(H8552 תּמם tâmam)*; 31:28(H4371 מֶכֶס mekes), 31:37-41 (H4371 מֶכֶס mekes)x5; Deuteronomy 31:24 (H8552 תּמם tâmam), 31:30 (H8552 תּמם tâmam); Joshua 3:16 (H8552 תּמם tâmam); 8:24(H8552 תּמם tâmam); 10:13(H8549 תָּמִים tâmı̂ym, 10:20 (H8552 תּמם tâmam); Judges 11:39 (H7093 קץ :qêts); 2 Samuel 15:7(H7093 קץ qêts); 24:8 (H7097 קצה qêtseh)2 Kings 8:3 (H7093 קץ qêts); 18:10 (H7093 קץ qêts); 19:23 (H3411 ירכה H3411); 1 Chronicles 28:9 (H5703 עַד ‛ad); 29:19 ( H3605 כּוֹל kol ); 2 Chronicles 12:12 (H3617 כָּלָה kâlâh); 18:2( H7093 קץ qêts) ; 31:1 (H3605 כּוֹל kol ); Nehemiah 13:6 ( H7093 קץ qêts); Esther 3:13; 10:1 (H4522 מס mas ); Job 6:9 (H5425 נָתַר nâthar); 14:20 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 20:7 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach), 28 (H5064 נָגַר nawgar’); 23:3 ( H8499 תְּכוּנָה tekûnâh), 7 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach) ; Psalm 4:1 (H5329 נָצַח nâtsach) ; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1; 9:1; 11:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1; 18:1; 19:1; 20:1; 21:1; 22:1; 30:1; 31:1; 36:1; 39:1; 40:1; 41:1; 42:1; 44:1; 45:1; 46:1; 47:1; 49:1; 51:1; 52:1, 5; 53:1; 54:1; 55:1; 56:1; 57:1; 58:1; 59:1; 60:1; 61:1; 62:1; 64:1; 65:1; 66:1; 67:1; 68:1, 16; 69:1; 70:1; 74:1; 75:1; 76:1; 77:1; 80:1; 81:1; 84:1; 85:1; 88:1; 109:1; 139:1; 140:1;{All of these are (H5329 נָצַח nâtsach)} Psalm 9:6 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 18 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 10:11 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 16:11 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 18:35 (H5582 סָעַד sâ‛ad) ; 38:6 (H3605 כּוֹל kol ); 44:23(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 49:9 (H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 74:3(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach), 10(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach), 19(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach) ; 77:8(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 79:5(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 89:46(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach); 103:9(H5331 נֶצַח nêtsach) Ecclesiastes 3:11 (H5490 סוֹף sôph); 7:2 (H5490 סוֹף sôph); 12:13 (H5490 סוֹף sôph)* Isaiah 19:15(H100 אגמון agmôn) ; 62:6(H8548 תּמיד tâmı̂yd); Ezekiel 15:4 (H7098 קָצָה qâtsâh) ; 20:40(H3605 כּוֹל kol); 22:30(added in front of the Greek word destroy to emphasize “utterly” ; 36:10(H3605 כּוֹל kol);Daniel 1:15 (H7117 קְצָת qetsâth), 18(H7117 קְצָת qetsâth); 2:34(added to emphasize “completely”); 3:19(H5922 על ‛al); 4:34(H7118 קצת Aramaic qetsâth); 6:26(H5491 סוף Aramaic sôph); 7:26(H5491 סוף Aramaic sôph); 9:26(H7093 קץ qêts); 11:13(H7093 קץ qêts); Amos 9:8 (H8045 repeated) as in completely or utterly; Habakkuk 1:4 (H5331 נצח netsach)

1   I’m not sure that sending young offence to prison is such a good idea. …………………

2   There’s absolutely no solid prove that he was anywhere near the scene of the crime. …………………

3   I’m not saying another word until I’ve spoken to my law. …………………

4   You shouldn’t make accuse like that without evidence. …………………

5   When she left the police force, she worked as a private investigate for a while. …………………

6   ‘I hope that your prison has shown you the error of your ways,’ said the prison governor. …………………

7   He was initially sent to a maximum secure prison. …………………

8   Lying and stealing are both forms of honest. …………………

9   Police are looking carefully at the forensic evident. …………………

10   There’s no doubt this painting is a forge. …………………

11   Drug addict is no excuse – no one should hold up a petrol station! …………………

12   The rob took place at half past ten in the morning. …………………

13   No one is born a theft, and no one has to remain one their whole life. …………………

14   The convict of a number of senior executives has left the whole business community in shock. …………………

15   The problem with prisons is that they’re full of crime who can teach new inmates all their tricks and skills! …………………

16   Should a murder be given the death penalty? …………………

1. Had! The manifestation of Nuit.

2. The unveiling of the company of heaven.

3. Every man and every woman is a star.

4. Every number is infinite; there is no difference.

5. Help me, o warrior lord of Thebes, in my unveiling before the Children of men!

6. Be thou Hadit, my secret centre, my heart & my tongue!

7. Behold! it is revealed by Aiwass the minister of Hoor-paar-kraat.

8. The Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs.

9. Worship then the Khabs, and behold my light shed over you!

10. Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many & the known.

11. These are fools that men adore; both their Gods & their men are fools.

12. Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love!

13. I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.

14. Above, the gemmed azure is
The naked splendour of Nuit;
She bends in ecstasy to kiss
The secret ardours of Hadit.
The winged globe, the starry blue,
Are mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

15. Now ye shall know that the chosen priest & apostle of infinite space is the prince-priest the Beast; and in his woman called the Scarlet Woman is all power given. They shall gather my children into their fold: they shall bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men.

16. For he is ever a sun, and she a moon. But to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.

17. But ye are not so chosen.

18. Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!

19. O azure-lidded woman, bend upon them!

20. The key of the rituals is in the secret word which I have given unto him.

21. With the God & the Adorer I am nothing: they do not see me. They are as upon the earth; I am Heaven, and there is no other God than me, and my lord Hadit.

22. Now, therefore, I am known to ye by my name Nuit, and to him by a secret name which I will give him when at last he knoweth me. Since I am Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof, do ye also thus. Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.

23. But whoso availeth in this, let him be the chief of all!

24. I am Nuit, and my word is six and fifty.

25. Divide, add, multiply, and understand.

26. Then saith the prophet and slave of the beauteous one: Who am I, and what shall be the sign? So she answered him, bendingdown, a lambent flame of blue, all-touching, all penetrant, her lovely hands upon the black earth, & her lithe body arched for love, and her soft feet not hurting the little flowers: Thou knowest! And the sign shall be my ecstasy, the consciousness of the continuity of existence, the omnipresence of my body.

27. Then the priest answered & said unto the Queen of Space, kissing her lovely brows, and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat: O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be ever thus; that men speak not of Thee as One but as None; and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous!

28. None, breathed the light, faint & faery, of the stars, and two.

29. For I am divided for love’s sake, for the chance of union.

30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

31. For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys; but ye are my chosen ones.

32. Obey my prophet! follow out the ordeals of my knowledge! seek me only! Then the joys of my love will redeem ye from all pain. This is so: I swear it by the vault of my body; by my sacred heart and tongue; by all I can give, by all I desire of ye all.

33. Then the priest fell into a deep trance or swoon, & said unto the Queen of Heaven; Write unto us the ordeals; write unto us the rituals; write unto us the law!

34. But she said: the ordeals I write not: the rituals shall be half known and half concealed: the Law is for all.

35. This that thou writest is the threefold book of Law.

36. My scribe Ankh-af-na-khonsu, the priest of the princes, shall not in one letter change this book; but lest there be folly, he shall comment thereupon by the wisdom of Ra-Hoor-Khuit.

37. Also the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; the work of the wand and the work of the sword; these he shall learn and teach.

38. He must teach; but he may make severe the ordeals.

39. The word of the Law is THELEMA.

40. Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

41. The word of Sin is Restriction. O man! refuse not thy wife, if she will! O lover, if thou wilt, depart! There is no bond that can unite the divided but love: all else is a curse. Accursed! Accursed be it to the aeons! Hell.

42. Let it be that state of manyhood bound and loathing. So with thy all; thou hast no right but to do thy will.

43. Do that, and no other shall say nay.

44. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.

45. The Perfect and the Perfect are one Perfect and not two; nay, are none!

46. Nothing is a secret key of this law. Sixty-one the Jews call it; I call it eight, eighty, four hundred & eighteen.

47. But they have the half: unite by thine art so that all disappear.

48. My prophet is a fool with his one, one, one; are not they the Ox, and none by the Book?

49. Abrogate are all rituals, all ordeals, all words and signs. Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are one. But they are not of me. Let Asar be the adorant, Isa the sufferer; Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

51. There are four gates to one palace; the floor of that palace is of silver and gold; lapis lazuli & jasper are there; and all rare scents; jasmine & rose, and the emblems of death. Let him enter in turn or at once the four gates; let him stand on the floor of the palace. Will he not sink? Amn. Ho! warrior, if thy servant sink? But there are means and means. Be goodly therefore: dress ye all in fine apparel; eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam! Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will! But always unto me.

52. If this be not aright; if ye confound the space-marks, saying: They are one; or saying, They are many; if the ritual be not ever unto me: then expect the direful judgments of Ra Hoor Khuit!

53. This shall regenerate the world, the little world my sister, my heart & my tongue, unto whom I send this kiss. Also, o scribe and prophet, though thou be of the princes, it shall not assuage thee nor absolve thee. But ecstasy be thine and joy of earth: ever To me! To me!

54. Change not as much as the style of a letter; for behold! thou, o prophet, shalt not behold all these mysteries hidden therein.

55. The child of thy bowels, he shall behold them.

56. Expect him not from the East, nor from the West; for from no expected house cometh that child. Aum! All words are sacred and all prophets true; save only that they understand a little; solve the first half of the equation, leave the second unattacked. But thou hast all in the clear light, and some, though not all, in the dark.

57. Invoke me under my stars! Love is the law, love under will. Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and there is the serpent. Choose ye well! He, my prophet, hath chosen, knowing the law of the fortress, and the great mystery of the House of God.

All these old letters of my Book are aright; but [Tzaddi] is not the Star. This also is secret: my prophet shall reveal it to the wise.

58. I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.

59. My incense is of resinous woods & gums; and there is no blood therein: because of my hair the trees of Eternity.

60. My number is 11, as all their numbers who are of us. The Five Pointed Star, with a Circle in the Middle, & the circle is Red. My colour is black to the blind, but the blue & gold are seen of the seeing. Also I have asecret glory for them that love me.

61. But to love me is better than all things: if under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom. For one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all; but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour. Ye shall gather goods and store of women and spices; ye shall wear rich jewels; ye shall exceed the nations of the earth in spendour & pride; but always in the love of me, and so shall ye come to my joy. I charge you earnestly to come before me in a single robe, and covered with a rich headdress. I love you! I yearn to you! Pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and purple, and drunkenness of the innermost sense, desire you. Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!

62. At all my meetings with you shall the priestess say — and her eyes shall burn with desire as she stands bare and rejoicing in my secret temple — To me! To me! calling forth the flame of the hearts of all in her love-chant.

63. Sing the rapturous love-song unto me! Burn to me perfumes! Wear to me jewels! Drink to me, for I love you! I love you!

64. I am the blue-lidded daughter of Sunset; I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night-sky.

65. To me! To me!

66. The Manifestation of Nuit is at an end.

Bible Question:

Jesus says,

Bible Answer:

Matthew 5:18 records Jesus statement that not even the smallest letter or stroke on a Hebrew letter in the scriptures will disappear before heaven and earth are destroyed.

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Matthew 5:18 (NASB)

This is an extremely important principle to remember. The jot or iota was the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Hebrew alphabet it was the letter yod. The Greek word kepaia referred to a small extension that would distinguish between the Hebrew letter beth from the word kahf. Or, kepaia could also refer to an ornamental stroke added to a letter.[1]

Jesus’ message was that the Law will not change until the universe is destroyed, but to which Law did He refer?  In order to answer this question, we need to read Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19 and Hebrews 2:2.

. . . . you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it. Acts 7:53  (NASB)

Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. Galatians 3:19 (NASB)

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty . . . Hebrews 2:2 (NASB)

These three passages reveal that the Law was given through angels to a mediator which was Moses, while he was on Mount Sinai. Hebrews 2:2 states that the word or law that was communicated would not change. Now we can answer the question, “To which Law did Jesus refer?” The Law Jesus referred to was the Law communicated to Moses through angels. Then Moses made a copy of that Law which has been passed down through time. The Law that was communicated by angels is what will not disappear. That divine Law will not change.

Obviously, men might make mistakes in the process of making copies, but Jesus was not referring to the copies of the Law. We can praise God that He has preserved highly quality copies of the Old Testament scriptures and the Dead Sea scrolls that support the accuracy of our copies. The Old Testament scriptures are extremely accurate.[2]

Conclusion:

When Jesus said that no jot (or stroke) or tittle (or smallest letter) would not disappear from the Law, He did not mean that errors would never occur in the copies of the Law that humans create. He did not mean that errors would never occur when the Bible is printed. He did not mean that errors would not occur when the Bible is read. Jesus was referring to the Law that was communicated to Moses. The divine Law that was given to Moses would never change.

References:

1. Gran R Osborne. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Zondervan Publishing. 205, p. 182.
2. Geisler and Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Moody Press. 1973. p. 266.

Suggested Links:

Why do some Bible translations of Hosea 11:12 say that Judah was faithful?
How Accurate Is the Bible?
Is The King James Bible The Best Bible?

Derek Leman, a messianic rabbi from Atlanta, GA in this guest post for Jewish Studies for Christians deals with an issue of whether or not Jews and Gentiles are bound by the same commandments. While there are other well-argued opinions, I am happy to present his post to you for your careful consideration and engagement. (You are cordially invited to visit one of his blogs “Messianic Jewish Musings” of this talented and prolific author. To do so, please, click HERE).

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Whose commandments are they? That is, for whom were they laid down as stipulations? Does that still matter or did something change, such as God issuing a new covenant that made the original commandments a law for everyone? Or did a new people come to God who were then transformed in some way, made to have the same relationship to God as this first people, the Jewish people?

The logic of “one law” or of the divine obligation of all people of faith in Messiah to the same laws as those given to Israel is usually based on one of a handful of arguments. Aren’t non-Jews grafted into the Jewish tree through Messiah and if so, doesn’t this eliminate the Jewish-Gentile differentiation? If a commandment is holy, then isn’t it unholy not to follow it? Since the Torah is the only ordered list of God’s requirements, it has to be for everyone, because God nowhere gives a “law for the Gentiles,” right?

People often base their opinion about the commandments on their experience and not on the Bible. I am not against the importance of our personal experience with God. It’s just that experience can be misinterpreted. It seems to be far better if we interpret our experiences with reference to the great ideas that are in the Bible and find answers which bring together Bible and experience.

So, for example, a Christian may experience a deep awakening upon discovering the joys of Passover and Sabbath and the rhythm of the Torah calendar. Likewise, eating a restricted diet can feel like intensifying holiness. And the whole experience of becoming a Torah-observer may feel like getting very close to God. Then, when encountering Jewish beliefs about Torah — that Torah is a covenant between Israel and God, not between the nations and God — such a person might feel as if they are being denied membership in an exclusive club.

I would like to explain why, in simple terms, God’s way is not one law for everyone, and suggest a middle path for non-Jews who want to have a closer relationship with Israel’s Torah.

First, it would be helpful if people would go back to the giving of the Torah from Sinai in Exodus 19. Would Jewish people be asking too much if we say, “Please keep in mind the importance of this event as something special between us and God?” When you read Exodus 19, can you not see God is making a covenant with the Jewish people? Yes, there are clever work-arounds such as “Gentiles were there too in the form of the mixed multitude.” But those tortured arguments look like a way to deny the simple truth: Torah was given as a covenant to Israel. The commandments are the stipulations of the covenant.

Second, what is in the Torah? Do people who want to read it as “one law for everyone” actually take into account what is actually contained in it? Many things in Torah no longer apply to anyone today, Jewish or non-Jewish. Do you need laws about how to treat your slave? Have you seriously entertained the idea of taking a war-bride after giving her a month to mourn her father? Were you considering stoning your rebellious teenager? Reading the Torah calls for some maturity in reading, some willingness to learn history, to see the difference between the ideal in Torah and the time-bound social and civil legislation it contained for an ancient nation in a barbaric world.

Third, when people talk about how they are “Torah-observant” or say that they “keep the commandments,” they mean only a handful of them. What they are really talking about is the observances given to Israel which the church has not made part of its practice: Sabbath, dietary law, circumcision on the eighth day, tassels on one’s garment, and festivals. There is no Temple anymore, so the laws about offerings and giving the tithe to the priests cannot really apply. But these few commandments that differentiate Israel from the nations — which can be referred to as the sign commandments, since they are signs of Israel’s uniqueness — are a cause for controversy. It may help (or maybe not) to point out that the Sabbath is specifically said to be such a sign: “Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations” (Exod 31:13). When God said this, it is clear the “you” was Israel, and Israel’s generations are still very much alive today.

Fourth, it is possible — and I try to get people to see this — that what is holy and required for one person is not holy and required of all people. One person — a priest in Israel — may not be able to attend a burial or walk in a graveyard. If the whole world follows the “one law” principle, none of our dead will ever be buried. One person — someone under a Nazirite vow — must avoid wine and even grapes and raisins. If the all-commandments-apply-universally notion is followed, well, we will all miss out on some great Cabernet and the joy of raisins in our oatmeal. Likewise, it is possible that Sabbath is a holy sign of Jewishness (just like Exodus says) and that it is not holy for Gentiles. It may be that Israel’s diet was restricted and this marked them as a different people in the ancient world, but that there is no reason why pork is inherently unclean — just as Genesis 9:3 suggests.

Fifth, it is fairly easy to see — but clever and specious arguments are used to avoid seeing what is obvious — that the apostles believed Jews in Messiah should keep all the commandments but that the Gentiles did not need to “keep the law of Moses.” They did not mean by this that Gentiles in Messiah were free to steal and murder. “Law of Moses” means the covenant stipulations from Sinai as a total system. It is clear in reading Paul that he taught his Gentile adherents they were not bound by diets and days and the use of flint knives to remove a foreskin. To many people, this makes Paul seem problematic, anti-Torah. Did it occur to anyone he was being a good Jew and interpreting Torah according to its true sense?

Sixth, it is also fairly easy to see that the church went too far in distancing itself from Torah and the Jewish people. Christian theologians regularly write about this and recovering the Jewishness of Christianity is standard form today in many circles. Yes, plenty of Christians remain oblivious to what the theologians and historians within Christianity are saying about Jewish roots, but the church has definitely turned a corner. It is possible now to argue that Christians practice a form of Judaism and to point this out entirely from Christian thinkers and scholars.

Seventh, it is often overlooked that Christians keep most of what is in Torah, at least what I call the ideals of Torah. Love God and neighbor is the ideal center of Torah. It is expressed in ways we treat the powerless, honor one another, serve those in need, form community, and repair the world. Christians have always been very involved in love and service and good works.

Eighth and finally, there is a middle way for people who want to keep some of Israel’s Torah without those same people denying Israel’s unique relationship to God. It is not necessary to say, “I am grafted into Israel’s tree and so I am virtually an Israelite now.” It is not necessary to say, “All the commandments are holy for everyone and there are no distinctions.” It is possible instead to adopt the philosophy of one of the earliest writings of the Yeshua-movement, the Didache (pronounced deed-ah-KHAY). The Didache came out of the first century Messianic Jewish movement and a few decades after Paul died, the Didache argued that Gentiles could keep Torah. It is possible to see that in Paul’s time this could have been dangerous, it could have rendered Messiah null and void. But after many Gentiles came in, it was possible some of them would want to live close to Jewish communities and worship with them.

So in the Didache, Gentiles were encouraged to “keep as much Torah as they are able” and to live in fellowship with Jewish disciples. The audience of the Didache, then, were Messianic Gentiles — as we often call people today who are in Messianic congregations or, even if not members of a Messianic congregation, live a Messianic Jewish lifestyle and maintain friendships with Messianic Jews. And the Didache does not encourage these Gentiles to simply act as if they are Jewish. Some distinctions remain.

So, for example, in Messianic Judaism today, Gentiles have a welcome place. The best practices of Torah will include making distinctions without discrimination. It is possible to distinguish and not discriminate.

And it is not necessary that Gentiles who choose this middle way should claim that all Christians must do the same. Living as a “Messianic Gentile” (or just as a “Messianic”) does not make a person holier. It is one way and God has many ways for people. The most important commandments are not Sabbath and dietary law anyway. To over-exalt these is to practice a form of cheap self-righteousness.

Jewishness is not a privilege. It is a responsibility. Jewishness is not a status of higher blessing. It is a calling to be a distinguishable people and to pass on that identity to children and children’s children forever. Gentiles who love the Torah should not try to erase Jewish distinction, to render Jewishness inert, to say all Messiah-followers are essentially Jews.

It does matter whose commandments they are. And the ideals of Torah apply to everyone even if some of the specifics are about Israel’s peoplehood. One law for everyone fails to read Torah according to its own distinctions. Being grafted in is a way of explaining how Gentiles come into the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant, one given long before Sinai and which included Gentiles from the beginning (Gen 12:1-3). God did not ever say, “I now take the commandments given to Israel and make them apply to all of Messiah’s people.” But Paul did show his Gentile adherents how they could derive from the Torah what was required of them. And like Abraham (Gen 26:5), it is possible to keep all of God’s statutes without having a specific law-code.

The Torah is not one law for everyone. But neither do we have to forbid people from keeping it. There is a middle way.

What do you think?