YAHUSHUA
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YAHUSHUA DIED A JEW

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA died a Jew. He had a Jewish burial. In John (Yochanan) 19:40, it is written:

"Then took they the body of YAHUSHUA, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury."

BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD IS JEWISH

In traditional Judaism, there are thirteen articles to Jewish faith. One of these articles is a belief in the resurrection of the dead. The Apostle Paul (Rav Sha’ul) was a Jew and an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). He took a Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:1-21) in Acts 21:20-26 as a witness and to testify that he taught Jewish believers (house of Judah) in YAHUSHUA as Messiah (Mashiach) to be Torah observant. In 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4, 14, 20, 23 the Apostle Paul (Rav Sha’ul) writes:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that the Christ died for our sins according to the [Jewish] Scriptures; And that he was buried [as a Jew], and that he rose again the third day according to the [Jewish] Scriptures. And if the Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. But now is the Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are the Christ’s at his coming."

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was resurrected from the dead in accordance with the traditional Jewish belief in the resurrection of the dead.

1999 The MessianicCommunity 

YAHUSHUA KEPT THE BIBLICAL FESTIVALS

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA and His parents kept the Biblical Festivals found in Leviticus (Vayikra) 23. In Luke 2:41-42, YAHUSHUA and His parents kept the Biblical festival of Passover (Pesach) as it is written:

"Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast."

In fact, the last meal that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA had was a Passover (Pesach) Seder meal. In Luke 22:14-15 it is written:

"And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer [be crucified on the tree]."

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA kept Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). The last day of Sukkot is a special day known as Hoshana Rabbah, which means "the great salvation." In the first century, a special ceremony took place in the Temple (Beit HaMikdash) on Hoshana Rabbah where there was a circling of the altar seven times. While circling the altar seven times, special hoshanah prayers were recited. These prayers include the words, "Save us now; we implore you!"

Water is a very important aspect of the celebration of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). During the first century, there was a very important water pouring ceremony that took place every day during the seven days of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) except the first day. This ceremony was known as the Simchat Beit HaShoevah (the rejoicing at the house of the water-drawing) (Talmud, Sukkot 5). It was with this setting that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA /JESUS was attending Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) on the last day known as Hoshana Rabbah. In John (Yochanan) 7:2, 37-38 it is written:

"Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand .In the last day, that great day of the feast [Hoshana Rabbah], Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) is known as the "season of our joy" by the house of Judah (Judaism). During the celebration of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 12:3 is often quoted as it is written:

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

YAHUSHUA in Hebrew means "salvation." He is the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) and the salvation (YAHUSHUA) of both the house of Judah (Judaism) and the house of Israel (Christianity).

1999 The Messianic Community

YAHUSHUA TAUGHT THE SHEMA

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA /JESUS taught his students/disciples (talmidim) that the greatest commandment in the Torah is the SHEMA. The Hebrew word SHEMA is the Strong's word 8085 in the Hebrew concordance and means "to hear, do and obey." It is the first word in Deuteronomy (Devarim) 6:4. In Deuteronomy (Devarim)6:4-5 it is written:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."

The G-d of Israel also commanded His people in the Torah to love your neighbor as yourself. In Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:18 it is written:

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord."

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA  taught that the SHEMA is the greatest commandment in the Torah and loving your neighbor as yourself is the second greatest commandment in the Torah. In Mark 12:28-31 it is written:

"And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first [greatest] commandment [in the Torah] of all? And Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" [Deuteronomy 6:4-5] this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself [Leviticus 19:18]. There is none other commandment greater than these."

1999 The Messianic Community 

YAHUSHUA WAS A TORAH OBSERVANT JEW

YAHUSHUA was a Jewish rabbi. He had students/disciples (talmidim) which learned His teachings. His teachings came from the Jewish scriptures (TeNaKh). As a Jewish rabbi, YAHUSHUA taught the Torah of the G-d of Israel. He taught the Torah as an Aggadic rabbi in parables. The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was a Torah observant Jew and He taught His followers to be Torah observant. Sin is the transgression of the Torah. In I John (Yochanan) 3:4 it is written:

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law [Torah]: for sin is the transgression of the law [Torah]."

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was SINLESS. Therefore, He NEVER transgressed the Torah of the G-d of Israel. In 1 Peter (Kefa) 2:21-22 it is written:

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ [Mashiach] also suffered for us, leaving an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."

The prophet Isaiah (Yeshayahu) also tells that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) would live a life without sin. In Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 53:1-6, 9-10 it is written:

"Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm [zeroa] of the Lord revealed? . He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions [sin is the transgression of the Torah - I John 3:4], he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand."

In 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21 is it written:

"To wit, that God was in Christ [Mashiach], reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was sinless. Since sin is the transgression of the Torah, the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA never transgressed the Torah. The Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was a Torah observant Jew. Like any Torah observant Jewish rabbi, He taught His students (talmidim) to be Torah observant. In fact, YAHUSHUA /JESUS taught that those who believed in Him as Messiah (Mashiach) and were Torah observant would be blessed above those who believed in Him as Messiah (Mashiach) and were not Torah observant. In Matthew (Mattityahu) 5:17-19, YAHUSHUA taught these words as it is written:

"THINK NOT that I am come to destroy the law [Torah], or the prophets [Nevi'im]: I am not come to destroy [to incorrectly interpret and teach the Torah], but to fulfill [to correctly interpret and teach the Torah]. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot [yud which is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet] or one tittle [taggim which is the decoration crowns which are put on various Hebrew letters] shall in no wise pass from the law [Torah], till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven [malkut shamayim]: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven [malkut shamayim]."

In these verses, the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA taught that He did not come to destroy the Torah but to fulfill the Torah. "Destroying the Torah" and "fulfilling the Torah" are Jewish idioms. An idiom is a slang expression that is understood in the culture of its day. "Destroying the Torah" is a Jewish idiom that means to incorrectly interpret and teach the Torah. "Fulfilling the Torah" is a Jewish idiom that means to correctly interpret and teach the Torah. Therefore, we can understand from these things that the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) YAHUSHUA was a Torah observant Jew and He taught His students (talmidim) to be Torah observant.

1999 The Messianic Community

YAHUSHUA  WAS BORN A JEW

YAHUSHUA was born a Jew. He was born of the seed of David and in the city of David which is called Bethlehem. When YAHUSHUA was born, His parents were betrothed to each other. Betrothal is the first of two stages of a biblical Jewish marriage. YAHUSHUA was circumcised the eighth day (brit milah) as is the custom for the birth of a Jewish boy. The name of Jesus in Hebrew is YAHUSHUA. YAHUSHUA is the Hebrew word which means salvation. YAHUSHUA was born a Jew. YAHUSHUA was born to be the Savior of the world and the Messiah (Mashiach) of both houses of Israel (Judaism and Christianity).

JESUS IN HEBREW MEANS SALVATION

In Luke 1:31, the angel Gabriel told Mary (Miryam) that the Messiah's name would be Jesus. The name Jesus in Hebrew is YAHUSHUA, which means salvation.

In Hebrew thought, a name is given to a person to represent a person's character, identity, purpose or destiny. A name represents who a person is to be. One of the roles of the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) is to redeem the house of Jacob and save the world from their sins. Therefore, the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) was named YAHUSHUA, which means in Hebrew "salvation" because the Messiah would save His people from their sins. In Matthew (Mattityahu) 1:21 it is written:

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS [YAHUSHUA]: for he shall save his people from their sins"

1999 The Messianic Community

YAHUSHUA
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