Diagnosing Problems with the Corrupted Trees in Jacob 5

In Zeno’s allegory of the olive trees that Jacob quotes, there comes a point when the Lord of the vineyard finds all the trees are corrupted and giving bad fruit. It is interesting to see his and his servant’s diagnosis of the problem.

First the servant tries to find the silver lining in the cloud:

And the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou didst graft in the branches of the wild olive tree they have nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good. (Jacob 5:34)

The servant observes the roots are still good, but notice—it is a bit backward to think that the branches are nourishing the roots. It is supposed to be the other way around.

In verse 37, the Lord of the vineyard has a different take on it:

But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun the roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome the roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon become ripened, that it may be cast into the fire, except we should do something for it to preserve it.

The Lord of the vineyard says the branches have overrun the roots and overcome them. (So the branches may have thought they were nourishing the roots, but they were overrunning them instead.)

Then the servant gets a brainwave in verse 48:

And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard—have not the branches thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves. Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?

Loftiness of the vineyard is a great way of describing pride. Also, I notice it says when the branches overcame the roots, they grew faster than the roots and took strength to themselves. This is what happens in individuals too. When a person with no authority gets a notion they can nourish the rest of the church, they are actually overrunning it. But they think the overrun means they are stronger and better than everyone else (taking strength to themselves) and corruption follows.

I think there’s a hint of what to look out for in ourselves. If we think we are growing faster or are spiritually stronger than others around us, we may have a problem with pride. (I had this issue some years ago. It makes me shudder to think about it. I am so grateful for the Lord's mercy that He brought me to recognize my error. Because of that experience, my blogging is more to benefit me than for anyone else because the writing I do helps me learn. If anyone else benefits, that is icing on the cake.)

If we have the problem of loftiness and pride, it might be good to open our ears and see what nourishment we are missing while we think we have the answer to everything. It might be good to just focus on the basic principles and practices of the gospel for a long while to make sure we are doing all we can.

There are a few more warnings I notice in this chapter that are part of the diagnoses of the corrupted trees.

In verse 40:

And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had withered away and died.

We might easily apply this to the Nephite civilization and point to how the Lamanites eventually overcame the righteous Nephites. However, it is true in individual life as well. If we have both good fruit and bad fruit in our lives, the bad tends to take over. It’s invasive, so we need to remove the bad branches, otherwise the good branches will wither away.

In verse 46:

…the trees thereof have become corrupted, that they bring forth no good fruit…But, behold, they have become like unto the wild olive tree…

Without good fruit, the good olive tree is just like the wild olive tree. We can’t be like other people who don’t have the gospel. We have to be different. With good fruit.

The Cunning Plan of the Evil One

27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Nephi 27-29)

It’s a well-known scripture, memorized by many seminary students over the years.

Recently I was reading it over, and I noticed some things.

I noticed Jacob observes on the cunning plan of the evil one, but he doesn’t seem to elaborate on what that cunning plan is, but goes on talk about “the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men.”

I realized that we have to infer some things. We have to realize it is the devil who tries to use those things. He also tries to make us think our learning makes us wise enough that we don’t have to listen to the counsels of God.

Learning doesn’t automatically translate into wisdom, as I’m sure many of my readers know. “Learning” in the gospel is like knowing in your head that stealing is a sin, but “wisdom” could be represented as the point where you can realize when you’re being tempted to steal and you can resist it successfully once and for the rest of your life.

Jacob mourns over the vainness, frailties, and foolishness of men. It hit me this time reading that after having had a number of temptations recently targeted specifically at my vanity, frailties, and foolishness.  Satan really does try to use those things against us.

Vainness is our pride.  Because of our divine nature, we know we have the potential to become something so much greater…  But Satan tries to use that against us, twisting it into a desire for ascendency, hostility toward authority, notions that we are better than others.  He tries to use it to destroy any notion that we need to be humble. He wants to keep us from achieving the meekness that we need to turn to Christ, to repent, and to grow, and to learn from anyone else. 

Frailties represent our mortal weaknesses and limitations. We can’t live long without discovering we have these, yet Satan will try to conceal them from us.  Or he will try to make us think that we can’t overcome them, to make them into our prison. Or he will stress us in moments of weakness (hunger, loneliness, fatigue, discomfort) to get us to sin.

Foolishness.  Today we think this means “stupidity,” but it had a different meaning before, evoking the tendency to backslide, to err, to go apostate, to wander from the truth, or even to rebel.  Mormon observed on man’s falseness and unsteadiness, quickness to do iniquity and slowness to do good, how quick to be proud and slow to be humble. (see Helaman 12:1,4-5)  We all have a tendency to wander or divert, which we have to recognize and curtail whenever we notice it starting to take over. Satan tries to use it and exacerbate it.

Our best weapons against vanity, frailty, and foolishness are probably humility, grace, and repentance.

Changes at the Lord’s Coming in a section about Missionary Work?

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I was recently reading in D&C 133 and noticed the section heading said that Joseph Smith’s history about this section said, “At this time there were many things which the Elders desired to know relative to preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering; and in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November, 1831, I inquired of the Lord and received the following important revelation.”  (emphasis added)

Now here are some verses from that section that caused me to ponder:

19 Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet him.

20 For behold, he shall stand upon the mount of Olivet, and upon the mighty ocean, even the great deep, and upon the islands of the sea, and upon the land of Zion.

21 And he shall utter his voice out of Zion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people;

22 And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.

23 He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land;

24 And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.

25 And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh. (D&C 133:19-25)

In these verses we are given a picture of some major geographic changes to occur at the second coming:

--the Lord’s voice breaking down mountains such that valleys disappear

--the Lord’s command sending the oceans into the north such that the islands become one land

--Jerusalem & Zion are turned back to their places

--the land is united as it was before it was divided

These are amazing changes, and it makes us excited as we try to imagine what it would be like.

This time as I was reading I found myself asking some questions.  Why is it so important to the Lord to tell us this, especially in connection with missionary work? How would it help the elders preach the gospel?  Further, why does it matter so much to the Lord that He would want to create these changes? Is there something wrong with mountains that He wants to break them down? Is there something wrong with the oceans where they are that He wants to send them north?  Is there room for all that water up north?  (Think Pacific ocean and Atlantic and South Indian ocean all thrown into the northern hemisphere.) Is there something wrong with how the land is now that He wants to bring the continents together again? 

Or is it possible that He’s trying to teach us something different here?

It may be that this stuff is a parable about the spiritual changes in people when He comes to set things right. Since the whole section was in response to questions about missionary work, what do these changes teach us?

In terms of missionary work, mountains are like proud nations that will not listen. Breaking down the mountains is like humbling them. The Lord can do that.

In terms of missionary work, oceans and land are symbolic opposites.  Land is a firm foundation to build on, but the ocean is not. The ocean is shifty, stormy, and unstable.  So if the Lord commands drive ocean away, then it is creating more of a foundation to build on.

If it says Jerusalem and Zion will be turned back into their own place, then that means repentance. (Why would Jerusalem need to be turned back to its own place otherwise? It is where it is.)  This change sounds like the least cataclysmic of the bunch.  If Jerusalem and Zion are doing their best to follow the Lord anyway, it will be the least revolutionary.

How does this help us with missionary work? I suppose it gives us a model for how we should approach it. If the Lord humbles the nations and creates dry land and a firm foundation where none was before, then we need to teach humility and help build gospel foundations on Christ.

Now, this leads to another question—if the Lord wanted us to understand these principles, then why go to the trouble of using such imagery?  Why not just come out and say that our message will humble the nations and give them something solid to build their lives on where they had only uncertainty before?  

I think the imagery shows us how amazing the great changes will be when the Lord appears and teaches. It will have a great effect. But it can perhaps also give a picture of the potential effect we can have as missionaries because we are taught elsewhere that those who receive the Lord’s servants will receive Him too. So the effect the Lord’s teaching has can be also the effect we have as we teach in His way.

Let’s look at some other amazing imagery from this chapter and see how it relates to missionary work.

26 And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.

27 And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.

28 Their enemies shall become a prey unto them,

29 And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land.

30 And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants.

31 And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.

32 And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim. (D&C 133:26-32)

What do we make of this? In v23 we’ve been told the great deep would be driven back into the north countries, and if there are people there, they would be in danger. Or we could try reading it more symbolically. 

It is possible that the north countries are being used to represent a state of cold and darkness, near-apostasy and ignorance.  Interestingly, there are prophets among them who have been keeping quiet. A quiet prophet is not a useful prophet, but an inactive one.

But once these people come in remembrance before the Lord, there is a great change there too. Suddenly the prophets in the north start speaking up. They smite the rocks, which could represent the stumbling blocks getting in the way of faithfulness.  They are suddenly warm with the gospel, such that they melt the ice in those around them, and the ice flows in their presence. (Don’t we all want to be the kind of person who warms up the faith of those around us?)

Then suddenly the obstacles they faced are less of a problem. Suddenly their uncertainty vanishes, and they know the way to go, which the Lord prepares, like a highway built in the midst of the ocean. Suddenly their enemies become a prey; it’s as though people and situations that previously frightened and oppressed them become golden opportunities for growth and prosperity and missionary work! (That’s quite a change!) Evil will no longer have any appeal to these people, and they easily resist temptation.

Where life was barren and deserted of the living waters, suddenly there is a fountain springing up in their souls, of doctrine and peace, and spiritual blessings and revelation.

They will bring rich treasures to the children of Ephraim, suggesting they will have much insight and experience to add to the church and be a great benefit to the Lord’s kingdom.

The boundaries of the hills will tremble at their presence. Those at the margins of the church who are less faithful will fear from the powerful warnings these newly activated members will give of the consequences of forsaking the kingdom. Their development will be inspiring and make others wonder if they could ever measure up.

Seen this way, these verses give us insights on the great benefit that newly reactivated members can be to the church and how to reach them. The prophets must break down the stumbling blocks with strong doctrine and testimony, and warm up those with cold hearts.

I won’t rule out the potential for these verses to be literally fulfilled, but I think reading them symbolically with reference to missionary work makes them much more instructive and helpful for our lives right now.  In that respect, they are a great gift of knowledge.

Articles about different types of apostasy

Since we’re nearing the end of the Book of Mormon where the story of the destruction of the Nephites (and the Jaredites), as I’ve been thinking about the Nephite apostasy, I thought it might be interesting to see what articles had been written on the topic, especially since I was curious about the differences between the Nephite apostasy and the New Testament era apostasy.

The following are some very good articles that I recommend:

“The Process of Apostasy in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon” by Daniel Belnap from the book Shedding Light on the New Testament.

https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/shedding-light-new-testament/12-process-apostasy-new-testament-and-book-mormon

“Again, the value of the Book of Mormon is not so much in its description of the same apostate elements, but in the presentation of its effects on the majority of Church members and society. While the New Testament simply warns of them, the Book of Mormon allows us to discern why they are so dangerous.” (Belnap)

“The Cultural Context of Nephite Apostasy” by Mark Alan Wright and Brant A. Gardner.

http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/the-cultural-context-of-nephite-apostasy/

“What Went Wrong for the Early Christians?” by Noel B. Reynolds, BYU-I devotional June 15, 2004.

http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2004_06_15_Reynolds.htm

I get the sense that there are different types of apostasy. There is the type that is converted, but then meshes true doctrine with other cultural principles held by the surrounding society.   There is the type that is partially converted, but never fully forsakes incorrect traditions; they eventually privilege those traditions over true doctrine and apostolic authority for the sake of popularity and material advantage.  And then there is the type that has been taught the full truth from the beginning and departs from it. 

On the bright side, I ran across this comment by Ramond Takashi Swenson: “…LDS should remember…the church of Christ was also established in the spirit world as soon as the Atonement was completed. It has operated uninterrupted there ever since, and “captures” all the people who have been affiliated with some branch of Christianity on earth, making up the deficit in their understandings of God and salvation. It is the mercy of God, which mitigates the thought, horrifying to traditional Christians, that God could abandon his people on earth for millennia. The true church has indeed been one that, under the ongoing leadership of Peter holding the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, has prevailed against the “gates of hell” and liberated the dead…”   (http://www.timesandseasons.org/harchive/2012/02/the-not-so-great-apostasy/)

Officiating under the direction of the Presidency

High priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a right to officiate in their own standing, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder, priest (of the Levitical order), teacher, deacon, and member. (D&C 107: 10) 

I ran across an illuminating quote concerning this verse. The quote was from John Taylor:

“ALL PRIESTHOOD FUNCTIONS UNDER DIRECTION IN CHURCH CAPACITY.—There is another question associated with this matter. Because a man is a high priest, is he an apostle? No. Because a man is a high priest, is he the president of a stake, or the counselor to the president of a stake? No. Because he is a high priest, is he a bishop? No, not by any means. And so on, in all the various offices. The high priesthood holds the authority to administer in these ordinances, and at no other time; and while they are sustained also by the people…It is not because a man holds a certain class of priesthood that he is to administer in all the offices of that priesthood. He administers in them only as he is called and set apart for that purpose.”  (The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor, selected, arranged, and edited, with an introduction by G. Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1941]. 202)

What this implies is yet another way we know there was an apostasy in the former-day church. Once the apostles died and no more were chosen, there was no one with authority to set apart or change or release individuals to or from priesthood offices. There would be none to set new bishops or elders. And once those died, there would be none with authority to set apart or ordain new ones.

How grateful I am that we have the priesthood restored in this dispensation!

Whosoever shall say, Thou fool

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But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matt 5:22)

Preliminary note: The JST omits “without a cause” from the text.

This verse is interesting because it warns of judgments, councils, and hellfire may be the lot of those who are angry, deride, and verbally abuse others.

The council Jesus spoke up meant a religious council for the purpose of discipline and judgment. Thus, someone who said “Raca” (a term suggesting contempt) to someone else was dehumanizing and verbally abusing and would eventually do worse things that would ultimately lead to church discipline.

Now for the term “fool.”  This seems relatively mild to us, since we have a tradition of the word being used for people who were merely unwise or ignorant or jerks.  However, my perspective on this was changed when I read that the term “fool” in the scriptures actually meant something like “apostate.”  (Here’s an interesting paper on this verse that I also found enlightening.)

With that bit of knowledge, suddenly the verses in Proverbs about fools mean something completely different.  And here in Matt. 5:22, we are warned not to call someone apostate. We are warned this will put us in danger of hellfire.

Why might this be?  First, it is hostile, exclusionary behavior. It has the effect of driving away someone who is already probably somewhat alienated. So in effect, it does Satan’s work for him, and there are consequences for that. (Who wants to be agents of Satan? Not me! [raises hand])

We don’t know people’s hearts or their inner struggle. All we can see are their words and actions. We don’t know, but that our continued forbearance and kindness might be instrumental in helping those we consider faithless to begin believing again.

Education Week Class Notes: Judaism and Early Christianity

Here we have notes from a variety of classes on Judaism and Christianity: Leviticus, Judaism at the time of Jesus, the forty day ministry of Christ, Apostles and bishops and the loss of authority, and Qumran excavations.

 

Unraveling Leviticus—How the Ordinances, Teachings, and Practices of Leviticus Connect with and Testify to the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ: The Holiness Code  Leviticus 17-27 (by Shon D Hopkin)

Prevalence of ordinances in Leviticus. Ours are connected and built upon them.

This gives us an opportunity to talk about temple ordinances too.

Other scholars see Leviticus as a separate author, but Hopkins doesn’t see it that way.

Resources for more reading on Leviticus:

--Covenant & Conversation: Leviticus, Rabbi Jonathon Sack

--Anchor Bible Commentary: Leviticus (3 vols), Jacob Milgrom (very technical, loves seeing it as unified and why, where it meets the people’s needs)

--Verse by verse Commentary, Kelly Ogden & Andrew Skinner

--Symbols & Shadows: Unlocking a deeper understanding of the atonement, Donald Parry.

--Deeper Understanding of the atonement

--Jewish Study Bible (Old Testament) (old Jewish commentaries, underpinning Jewish ideas)

--The Commentator’s Bible : Genesis- Deuteronomy

McConkie thought Leviticus has no especial application to us and need not give us permanent concern, except for a few passages. Hopkins spent a little time joking about how McConkie’s assessment kind of pulls the rug out from under him. (“Why even take this class?” “But look! You’re still here!”)

True, the ordinances in Leviticus aren’t our ordinances, they aren’t as central for us to understand, but they tell us the kind of things God may do in ordinances, and they are meant to draw us up through levels of ordinances.

They form a foundation of what we still do today.

Joseph Smith may have indicated that there might be return of blood sacrifices at the Jerusalem again. Others are not so sure.

Leviticus is the middle of the books of Moses. In the middle we often find the points of emphasis.

This is the first book studied by Jewish children.

Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, or Feast of Harvest, Lev 23:15-22

--50 days after Passover (May-June)

--Commemorates arrival at Sinai and law written on stone tablets

--All came to Jerusalem to be tithed, sacrifice, grain offerings.

--Commemorates the bounteous blessings after Egypt deliverance. Today Ruth is read & Torah read at nighttime.

--In NT, Pentecost is 50 days after crucifixion, time at which God wrote the law on their hearts by giving Holy Ghost (Christ was the planting, and first-fruits, Holy Ghost was the harvest of his sacrifice)

In Israel they have Sabbath elevators – The elevator stops at every floor so you don’t have to push the button.

Rosh Hashanah – Leviticus 23:23-25  (Sept- Oct)

--163 days after 1^st Passover.

--Also known as festival of trumpets (100 blasts)

--This is the new year, commemorates the creation of Adam & Eve and naming of the animals

--Anticipates the opening of the heavens as Messiah comes and the beginning of Judgment (concluded Yom Kippur)

--A day of remembrance and goal setting

--Creation, law giving, time to anoint kings.

--Joyful wedding feast between God and Israel

--Tashlikh ritual, prayers said by flowing water and one’s sins are then symbolically cast in.  Mikvahs and immersion in living, flowing waters.

--Part of the high holy days and followed by day of atonement 10 days later

Feast of Tabernacles Kukkot Lev 23:24-44

Booths commemorated their wandering in the wilderness. Lots of rules about materials and how they are made. Meals made there, some sleep there.

--Lasts 7 days

--Ecclesiastes is read because of its focus on the passing nature of life.

--Law to be read

--Judgment to be delivered this day.

--Tradition: Walking 7 times around synagogue with branch of citron tree, a palm frond, a branch of myrtle tree, willow branch.

--Tradition: On day eight the Torah is taken out and goes around the synagogue 7 days.

Book of Mormon delivered to Joseph Smith at a time that coincided with the Feast of Tabernacles. (Interesting! Things that make you go ‘hmmm’)

At the center of King Benjamin’s lecture is a discussion of atonement, repeating the words of an angel, speaking with the tongue of angels.

People cleansed of their sins

People are given God’s name

Summary of chapters in Leviticus

Kosher Laws

17 laws regarding sacrifices and blood

18-20 laws governing sexual relations

Purpose of the Law of Moses – Ye shall be holy because I am holy (Leviticus 19:2)

--To make them holy as God is holy.

--Dimensions of altar, laver : These tell  us we are operating in God’s realm and we perform ordinances to become as He is.

--To bring behaviors on earth from the common realm to the realm of God – eating, career, intimacy, social interactions, childbirth

--To protect Israelites spiritually from apostate, degraded influences of foreign religions and set them apart so they could be blessing to others.

--To protect Israelites physically (kosher laws)

--To constantly remind Israelites of their status and submission to God.

Main principle: We are not animals, we are children of Christ. We don’t launch into our lives like an animal, we keep God in mind and do things in holy ways.

Covenants create order out of chaos.

Coming to the highest level of holiness.  Baptism, gift of the holy ghost, sacrament, temple covenants.

Eating what God tells us what we don’t eat or drink so we submit to God. Healthy or not doesn’t matter, we just submit to God.

Jesus lived the Law of Moses.

Earth (mankind)>>(upward)>>and (Israel & Ger)>> Priests

Modern Christian misconceptions about the Law of Moses?

How to understand additions in Jesus’s time

After Babylonian exile, Jews say “never sin in idolatry again” They build a fence around the law. They judge others not by the law, but by the fence.

New Testament view of the Jews: They are a law to themselves and so cannot recognize the lawgiver.

A more sympathetic view of the Jews: Rather than performing the law their own way, they want to perform it as God wants.

What about the Jews’ view of Christian Sabbath observance?  (Christians seem to be doing whatever they want, rather than trying to find out what God wants)

Some examples of Pharisaic laws of the Sabbath:

--No soaking of things before Sabbath unless they can be completed the previous day.

--No making bread unless it is mostly done (picky definitions of what parts should be baked for a loaf to be “done”)

--A woman may not go out with a needle that has an eye (she might work or advertise her sewing skills, which is also work)

--If a man took out a loaf into the public domain he is guilty, if two men took it out, they are not guilty (because they can’t tell who of the two is carrying more of it.)

Orthodox Jews can’t drive on the Sabbath. Neighbors open their parking lot for them to park there.

Are there things we do as LDS that make obedience difficult like this?

Do we look for loopholes like this? (Waiting until midnight on the Sabbath?)

Teachings from the holiness Code Lev. 19:

--Fear parents

--Offer sacrifice at your own will

--No making people stumble

--No avenging or grudges; love your neighbor

--Honor the old

--Don’t vex the foreigner

--Treat a foreigner as if he is a native and love him the same as yourself (Reminds us of the sealing of children that weren’t born in the covenant)

Confusing teachings from the code:

--Sacrifices should be burned after the third day of not eating. Why? They are sacred; they shouldn’t be disrespected.

--Don’t let cattle or seed mix with other types of cattle or seed.  (This mixing was a heathen practice. ) Principle: Israel should not mingle sexually with non-Israel.   This was something done in temple clothing and belongs in a divine realm.

--Don’t tattoo, don’t cut corners of hair.  (Jews keep long locks on the front sides.) This avoids ancient pagan mourning rite.

Sabbaths

--Every 7^th day, 7^th month, 7^th year.  Land rested, what grew naturally was for the poor, owner, family, servants, beasts. Debts cancelled.    The idea is God will provide and create for us.

--Every 50 years, land reverts to original Israelite family. Israelite debt slaves set free. 

Kosher Laws Lev 11 What to eat or not.

--Respect for life, only eat certain things.

--Second concern, holiness. 

The animals that weren’t to be eaten were those that couldn’t be domesticated easily, could carry diseases, were worshipped by false religions..

Later prohibitions – no cooking or eating meat and milk together is the most prohibitive.  Led to major separations between meats and milks, different utensils and spaces of time between eating them.

Lev 26 Blessings:

--Rain in due season

--Promise of chasing one’s enemies (Implies moral force, confidence in God, steadfastness)

--Bravery

--God will be among you

--We will be my people

Judiasm at the time of Jesus (by Matthew J. Grey)

The church has been developing a new college-level curriculum for institute.  Course on Jesus.

It’s critical to understand the Judaism at the time of Jesus to understand his message and actions.

We use the phrase “the Jews” to refer to the large entity as a block.

Instead there were priests, sages, mystics, apocalyptic visionaries, ascetic holy men, Hellenized philosophers, Romanized aristocrats, itinerant preacher, village miracle workers, popular prophetic figures, nationalist zealots.

We can use “JudiasmS” instead.

(Jesus wasn’t the only one performing miracles)

Ask what type of group Jesus was interacting with.

Don’t forget Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, disciples of John, etc.

Teachings and actions of Jesus have to be understood by understanding which group he’s dealing with at the time.

We have to go back to Old Testament for a little here to define the core of common Judaism:

--Holiness (kadosh): set apart or different from everything around it. God called Israel as a holy people.  Covenant people are different and set apart from the cultures around.  It is the basis of the Law of Moses.

--Law of Moses makes Israel holy (set apart)

--God dwells in the Jerusalem temple.

--Hereditary priesthood that mediates between God and the people. Takes sacrifices to God on behalf of people, and takes message from God to people.

Zadokite priesthood, Zadok was first high priesthood of the temple of Solomon.

Inter-Testamental period

Conquest of Alexander the Great and the spread of Hellenism

Alexander  empire 336-323 BC Conquers Persian empire

Brings in a foreign culture.

Hellenism blended Greek and local culture to add stability and longevity to his empire.

This poses a question for Jews. Will they become Hellenized or not? To what extent can Jews participate in it and still maintain their covenantal holiness?

It’s never as easy as outright rejecting the other culture.  The question fractures Judaism to groups that respond differently.

Language.  Question: Do you adopt the language?  Elites speak Greek..

Most Jews weren’t ideologically opposed to speaking Greek. 

Elites adopt it and only speak Greek. This led to the need for the Torah to be translated into Greek (Septuagint)

Septuagint becomes the Old Testament of the earliest Christians.

Entertainment.  Question: Do you go to theaters?  Do you go to Stadiums with athletic competition?  Do you participate in athletic events?

Jews were more divided about this. The Greeks run naked, which was disturbing.

Conservatives were in effect asking “What’s it rated?” 

Education and Lifestyle.  Gymnasium and nudity.  (gymnasium meant naked)

At the gymnasium, circumcision became obvious between Jews and Greeks.

This causes more fracturing. 

Elite classes in urban settings were more open to it, interestingly.  Maccabbees tells of Jewish priests badly who wanted to participated and surgically reversed their circumcision to fit in.

Philosophy and ethics – Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.  Question: Are you open to learning the philosophies of the Greeks?

Some thought it was okay, some thought it wasn’t.  More fracturing occurred in Judaism because of this.

Jewish intellectuals were studying Greek philosophy and writing to show Moses was a philosopher.

Modernist  progressives were wealthy and urban.  They were okay with it because of their connection to government.

Traditionalists conservatives (lower-middle class, rural) reject Hellenization, and they intensified their differences to try to remain different.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164BC)

Until him, Hellenization has never been forced on the Jews.  Antiochus insisted on forcing it at the point of the sword.  (see 1, 2 Maccabees)

--Temple converted to temple of Zeus. Pig sacrifice. Some Jews were okay with that. (!?)

--Jerusalem converted into a Greek polis

--High priests replaced by political appointees. 

--Jewish law was banned, replaced by Greek law. Circumcision punishable by death.

--Jewish priests adopt Hellenistic lifestyle

Traditionalists decide to revolt or their way of life will be obliterated.

Maccabean revolt 167-142BC  raised Messianic hopes, which were dashed later.

Hasmonean dynasty 142-63BC  They liked Hellenism and embraced it.

Assumption of high priesthood and revival of Hellenism among upper class

This is the formation and crystallization of Jewish sects with names

Sadducees were progressive.

Pharisees were traditionalist

They have in common that they both don’t like Jesus.

What debates are they having?

--Degree of Hellenization and Romanization

--Legitimacy of Jerusalem temple and priesthood (some people were really upset about this)

--Religious leadership (hereditary or lay Torah scholarship?)  Alternative forms of leadership develop.  Local village sages and lay Torah scholars begin to appear.

--Scriptural authority and canon (written Torah or ancestral tradition? Which takes precedence?) Major debate with different responses. Sadducees only accept 5 books of Moses and nothing else. Others canonize prophetic writings. 

--What kind of weight do you give to ancestral tradition?  This impacts theology and doctrinal teachings. Issues of resurrection, angels, Messiah, end times, etc.  No resurrection mentioned in 5 books of Moses so Sadducees don’t accept resurrection. Sadducees don’t believe in angels or end times or Messiah.  (And why would you want a Messiah if you’re in charge of things? Messiahs are for marginalized groups)

Pharisees

Apocalyptic visionaries, nationalistic zealots, Jewish philosophers, popular prophetic figures, messianic claimants.

Essenes called themselves the sons of Zadok, believed they were the heirs of the Zadokites.

New Testament Christianity, Creedal Christianity, Mormon Christianity: Restoration Teachings and Early Christianity: The Forty Day Ministry: Prelude to preaching the gospel in the early church (by Stephen D. Ricks)

It was THE formative experience for the apostles and disciples of Jesus in the ancient church.

It is the transition from doubt to certainty and commitment.

It prepared the apostles for committed and energetic missionary labors despite violent opposition.

Pre-resurrection Doubt

Peter didn’t think he would doubt and not be offended, but Jesus warned him he would be.  All the other disciples said the same thing as Peter.

Peter denied Jesus three times. (Matt 26:74-75)

The disciples had weakness.  (Matt 26:40-42) They could not watch with him one hour. Their eyes were heavy.

The doubt of all the disciples

Peter’s denial of Jesus and Thomas’s expression of doubt likely represent all the disciples doubt after the crucifixion. (John 20:24-25) Others had seen the Lord, but he said unless he saw and touched, he would not believe. 

Jesus did reassure Thomas. (John 20:26-28)

Probably al the disciples doubted after the crucifixion.

Post forty-day ministry

Peter heals the infirm (acts 3:4-7) In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Peter speaks in tongues on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)

From doubt to commitment: What event proved decisive in transforming the apostles from doubters to firmly committed believers? The 40-day ministry.

We now possess in the early apocryphal writings an impressive body of evidence that bears on the historicity of the 40-days.  (Acts 1:2-3) showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs being seen forty days and speaking of the kingdom of God.

Examples: Pseudoclementiana, the Apocryphon of James, the letters of peter to Philip, the Gospel of Philip, the Acts of Thomas, Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, and Matthias, and the Martyrdom of Matthew.

They are found in the Apocrypha New Testament

Some are Gnostic writings in the Nag Hamadi materials.

A favorite theme of the apocrypha is the teachings of the Lord to the apostles during the forty days.

When Ignatius wants an unanswerable argument for the resurrection, he appeals to the forty days and a non-canonical witness.

It has always disturbed scholars so they don’t like to discuss it,

How do scholars view the 40-day ministry?

40-day periods of spiritual discipline and preparation.

40 has to do with observation, expectation, but especially with separation.

Some thing it is a mere example of condescension and friendship or a magnanimous recompense for a long farewell.

The most conspicuous teaching in the forty days is the picture of the future which is unrelieved pessimism and gloom: violent end to the disciples, they will be rejected by all men and there will be false shepherds within the church. The events are limited to a scope of two generations, the undoing of the Christian society by perverters and corrupters in its midst.

Nothing is reported about the forty-day ministry.

Luke tells about the ministry, but says nothing about it.

Ignatius mentions the handling of the Lord by peter

D&C 91 about the apocrypha of the Old Testament

Persistence of early Christian ritual

The rites all look to the temple and to the instructions of the forty days. There’s a definite residue of early Christian ritual that goes far beyond anything known to later Christianity.

Ritual is conservative, but interpretations are different.

Gnostics whose writings describe the forty-day ministry. They claim to have knowledge but insist adherents accept all of their teachings

Some are very interesting, but others are crazy

The oldest definition of gnosis is the knowledge from the forty day ministry.

Gnosticism left a mark upon the Christian church that persists today.

Irenaeus charged the Gnostics misrepresented true and familiar doctrines.

--They use genuine logia but give them a false twist,

--they look orthodox,

--they counterfeit ,

--they imitate the sacrament,

--they parody marriage rites,

--they counterfeit revelation with potions and drugs,

--they misinterpret scriptures,

--they are bad interpreters of the good word.

All 40-day teachings are described as secret and to a select group. (Did Jesus warn of this? “He is in the secret chambers”)

Considerable time is taken up with telling the disciples not to disclose what has been taught. 

Coptic gospel of Thomas starts with “the secret words which the living Jesus spoke”

Apocryphon of John on war of heaven

Acts of Thomas on the “seal”: those baptized asked for the seal from the apostles.

The seal might be a name, mark,

Gospel of Philip on marriage-- to obtain the highest of the three heavens

Marriage ordinances caused shock to those who didn’t know what happened in them.

Female disciples in second Jeu “twelve female disciples”

The pearl: an allegory on the plan of salvation.  Hymn of the pearl from the acts of Thomas

40-day ministry included a mount of transfiguration experience with the rest of the apostles. It was also the more sure word of prophecy.

Joseph Smith noted Peter , James, and John were sealed up to eternal life by revelation..  All the apostles were promised eternal life.

3 Ne. 28:1-3  Jesus spoke to his disciples asking them what they wanted and 9 wanted quick return to God, and 3 wanted to live to do missionary work.

Jesus teaches pre-mortal life, creation of the world, life as probationary state, foretells events of the last days, return of Elijah, primitive church perverted after one generation, prepare for tribulation..

He gives them hope for their own resurrection in glory: salvation of the dead is a major theme, ordinances, baptism, sacrament, ordination of apostles, initiation or endowment “mysteries” with emphasis on garments, marriage, prayer circles,

Discusses baptism, sacred meals, washings, anointings, garments, marriage as requirement for highest heaven, creation of the earth and subsequent events with a dramatic monologue between god, Satan, Adam, and Eve.

Detailed account of the fall and expulsion from Eden, heavenly counsel and expulsion of the rebellious offspring

All the apostles were endowed with power from on high. And as the Nephite disciples in the new worlds would be.

New Testament Christianity, Creedal Christianity, Mormon Christianity: Restoration Teachings and Early Christianity: Apostles, Bishops, and the Loss of Authority (by Stephen D. Ricks)

Stephen Ricks wrote some books on marking scriptures.

Eastern church was earlier than the western church.

Jesus created a religious community.

The highest authority was held by the Twelve and at their head was Peter. (Eduard Meyer)

At the present time, do not look for any other prophet or apostle except us. There is one true prophet and twelve apostles. (What Clementine heard Peter say, as in the Clementine Recognitions 4:35)

Clementine heard street preaching and visited with Peter who told him the above.

Clement claimed to be bishop of Rome after Peter.

Bishops were subordinate to apostles.

“They were apostles; I am but a man” (Ignatius of Antioch,)  He also said it would be presumption to issue orders as if he were an apostle.

Iganatius never appeals to his title of bishop of Antioch to give more authority to his instructions. Nor does he use Episcopal (bishop) power to give justification.

Polycarp admitted he couldn’t come up to the wisdom of Paul who accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth.

The man who tried to settle the Easter controversy was the surest claim that the church had no apostolic guidance any more.  (Hugh Nibley, Apostles and Bishops)

Christ came from God, and the apostles came from Christ. (Clement, Epistle to the Corinthians 42:2)

Was Peter bishop of Rome?

The claim had its origin in the second century and was dogmatically motivated.

Peter was in Rome and was martyred there, but we know nothing about his activities and role in the Christian community in Rome. It is out of the question that he was its first bishop. (Norbert Brox, Kirchengeschichte des Atertums, 106)

The Gospel of the Twelve Apostles has Christ ordain Peter an archbishop, though such an office did not exist before the fourth century.

Each of the Catholic church priesthood offices—bishop, priest, deacon-- are in fact Aaronic priesthood offices. The others – archbishop, cardinal, pope—are post-biblical innovations)

Peter suggests ordaining a bishop in the presence of all the apostles, including Paul and James, bishop of Jerusalem, then doing homage to him. (Apostolic Constitutions)

Neither New Testament nor early Christian history offer support for a notion of apostolic succession as “an unbroken line of Episcopal ordination from Christ through the apostles down through the centuries to the bishops of today. (Sullivan, From Apostles to bishops: The development of the episcopacy in the early church, 15-16)

Thus, if apostles can’t pass on authority, the authority is lost.

Some fellow named Stephen in second century boasted of his episcopate and contends he holds the succession from Peter. (Firmilian, cited by Cyprian of Carthage, Epistles 74:17)

No bishop sets himself as a bishop of bishops, since every bishop, according to his liberty and power, has his own proper right of judgment and can’t be judged by others, nor can he judge another. (Cyprian, Concerning the baptism of heretics.)

Through the changes of time and successions, the ording flow onwards so that the church is founded upon the bishops and ever act is controlled by them, (Cyprian, Epistle 26.1)  People are writing in the name of the church.

“no bishop should annoy another bishop” (Council of Arles, 4^th century)

James as an anomaly

By the end of the first century, prophecy was not being poured out as expected in the last times. (W.H.C. Frend, The Rise of Christianity, 140)

“The apostles died out” (Norbert Brox)

Apostolic period closed by the year 67 when peter, Paul and James had disappeared from the scene. The sub-apostolic period had the last third of the first century during which most of the New Testament was written with the exception of the undisputed letters of Paul.

When the apostles became extinct, and those who heard them passed away, then fraud and delusions of false teachers arose. So they attempted without shame to preach their false doctrine against the gospel of truth.(Hegesippus, in Eusebius, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.32.8)

James the Lord’s brother received a calling to join the twelve. (Gal 1:19)

The quandary of the post-apostolic Christian church

Unspiritual, institutionalized, compromised by worldliness in the second century.

The gift of prophecy was the strongest recommendation to divinity, and eventually the main church no long possessed it.

Tertullian left the church when he saw that. He became a Montanist. They preached that prophecy must be found in the church if it is the true church. (Nibley) 

Eventually he realized the Montanists didn’t have it either, so he left them too.

Tertullian challenged churches to show him the gift of prophecy and he would acknowledge their divinity.

He insisted the church was not bishops; it was the spirit working through an inspired man.

Miraculous powers conferred upon the apostles are their credentials to prove they were bearers of new revelation from God to man. So those gifts could be withdrawn. (John Kaye, Bishop of Lincoln, The Ecclesiastical History of the Second and Third Centuries illustrated from the writings of Tertullian)

Many were reluctant to believe that the powers were withdrawn. Combined prejudice and policy made them anxious to conceal the truth.

In second century, they had a suspicion that the power of working miracles was withdrawing. They affirmed miracles, but couldn’t point to particular instances. They tried to keep up belief in its continuity. Some invented miracles.

The return of apostles and prophets?

The second century is like a tunnel we emerge from to find an unexpected situation.

The Dead Sea Scrols and the Archeology of Qumran: The Excavations at Qumran (Matthew J. Grey)

Found 11 caves total containing scrolls

Pattern: Caves in the immediate vicinity of a clump of ruins.  

The ruins were assumed to be a Roman fort, and they were ignored.

Rising interest in those ruins.

Ruins of a settlement on the north side of a dry wadi

On the cliffs overlooking the wadi are the ruins.

1951-1956: Roand De Vaux and G. Landkester Harding start excavating the site, hoping for light on the context of the scrolls and caves.

De Vaux was a French Catholic priest. Harding was inspector of antiquities with Jordan government.

Found cylindrical jars with bowl-shaped lids. This is a very unique pottery style, found no-where else in Judea.

This linked the cave scrolls with the Qumran site.

Interpretations: 1) site is associated with the scrolls. 2) sectarian settlement of Essenes. (Josephus spoke of them, but they were not mentioned in the New Testament)

Philo had a geographic reference to the Essenes.

De Vaux came up with a chronology of Qumran.

Iron age : cistern, rectangular building

Period 130-100BC : sectarian settlement. Essenes move in.

100-31 BC, Earthquake in 31BC: They returned and repaired it.

Period 4BC-68 AD: destruction by fire in 68AD.  Romans came in and destroyed and burned it, toppled it.  Some Essenes fled down to Masada afterwards, taking some of their scrolls there too.

Period 68AD to 73AD: Roman garrison of tenth fretensis

Big round cistern survives today.

At time of Jesus, there was western complex and eastern complex.  All fed by the same water system.

Channels all around the site taking water about the settlement.

Water features

The site is alienated from civilization. No natural springs.

They got water from flash floods from the wadi to the west that happened once or twice a year.

Use aqueducts and water channels to direct the rain. Used to fill up ritual baths and mikvaot.

Ritual purity was a prime priority for them. They have more ritual baths than water cisterns for drinking.

Qumran lacks personal private living space.

Who lived here? Where did they sleep?

They think 100-150 people living there at most at any given time.

This seems to be a sectarian community center people come to for a time and then eventually go back home. This is like a periodic temple service period because they thought the temple priesthood was in apostasy.

They perhaps lived in tents outside the settlement or in the caves themselves.

Qumran’s western complex seems to have been an industrial area. Eastern buildings have the interesting things.

A large watch tower guarded northern flank of the site.  Guarded people from the north or south.  They probably saw the Roman legions coming from it.

Scriptorium – rectangular room. The place where the scrolls were written, copied, preserved, produced. 

Found ink wells, benches/tables that spread over a whole room. Ink wells are very rare. An indicator of scribe activity. 3-4 ink wells found there, only two inkwells found elsewhere in Israel.

Potsherds found that were written as scribal exercises. (Potsherds were the sticky-notes of the ancient world, since pottery is breaking all the time.)

Probably scroll storage as well.

De Vaux thought people sat at tables to copy scrolls, but no, they sit on the floor with writing materials on their laps. What are tables used for? Unrolling the scrolls and sewing them together.

Synagogue? 

Plastered benches all along the walls facing each other, west of scriptorium.

Reading, praying, hymn-singing. At all times they had at least 10 men there who read Torah and say prayers, then they are relieved. 

They believed they were communing with angels if they were saying certain words at certain times of day.

Assembly and dining hall.

Large rectangular room fitting 100-150 men. Adjacent to it is a pantry with 1000 stacked table dishes.  (plates, cups, bowls)

This is interesting because usually the Jews would have a communal dish and eat out of it.  But in Qumran each had their own dishes to avoid contaminating each other ritually.

Found a bunch of animal bones (kosher) that had been put in pottery, buried about the site.  This suggest the community treated their meat like sacrificial animals. This is like eating sacrificial meat from the temple.

They are treating their community like a temple. 

In the dining room, all sit on the floor with individual cup and bowl, one would say blessings. Noted and described by Josephus. 

Food: Bread, wine, and limited thin stews.

They would use these meals to look forward to the Messianic banquet at the end times.

Mikvots and toilets. 

Toilets still smelled like human feces even now. He found their latrine, which was exciting. ;-)  Latrine in a covered room, had to go by a mikva bath.

At the time of Jesus, latrines were not a thing. Usually people went in the streets. So Essene toilet was very unusual for its time.  They cared about toilet privacy, for purity reasons.  Must wash yourself ritually after you go.

Manure merchants would come clean out cesspits, then sell it to farmers for fertilizer.

Pottery factory.

Their own kiln for distinctive pottery.  Tall jars, plates, cups, bowls for their dining.

Final feature—Qumran cemetery. 

Graves identified by piled-up stones. For anyone residing in Qumran at the time and died while there.  Only two graves were women, none were children. Most of them were men. 

Shaft graves. Put body in shaft, cover body, then fill in the shaft with rubble.

Challenges to De Vaux’s interpretation in recent years.

--No scrolls found at the site. How strong is the connection then?

--No final excavation report. He never published a final report. We have to go off his notes.

Six excavations of Qumran since him.

Alternative theories presented 1980s to present:

--fortress?

--country villa

--potter factory?

--fortified manor house

--agricultural estate

All alternative theories must dissociate site from the scrolls (but not a problem because the site burned to the ground so the scrolls would have burned), and all are selective with the evidence. 

The only theory that accounts for the full evidence and acknowledges the scrolls is the sectarian Essene theory of De Vaux.