TORAH AND APOSTLE PAUL - ‘UNDER THE LAW’

TORAH AND APOSTLE PAUL  -  ‘UNDER THE LAW’         by Dr. Lizorkin-Eyzenberg

In today’s Jewish life cycle, the event and rituals associated with becoming a Bar Mitzvah play an important role. The ceremony to mark this event as practiced today is of medieval origin, but the fundamental concept traces back to the first century and earlier. At the age thirteen, boys participate for the first time in the public Torah reading as adults – leading the synagogue in congregational worship. The father, however, plays an interesting role within this wonderful ceremony.

He pronounces a short blessing: ‘baruch shepatrani meonesh halazeh...’. “Praised are You, Adonai our God, ruler of the universe who has excused me (from being liable) for this one (meaning, the child).”

In traditional Judaism, children younger than 13 years old are exempt from the spiritual obligations of observing the Jewish mitzvot (commandments) or fasting on Yom Kippur, for example.

However, when a Jewish boy reaches the age of 13 years, he is now considered an adult and is now legally and morally responsible for his own actions and religious observances in the eyes of God. The father continues to offer his son close guidance until such time that he will be able to engage with the Torah on his own. The idea here is not that the thirteen-year-old son is no longer in need of parental guidance; he is only thirteen years old after all! But it means that Torah from this point on becomes his primary guide instead of his loving father. But, he is still living with his parents!

It is possible that the Apostle Paul, who was steeped in pharisaic Judaism of the first century, understood this basic principle of the transference of authority and guidance from the parents to Torah! ”Before the coming of the faith, we were closely guarded by the Torah, until the Son of G-d would be revealed. The Torah was our guardian (tutor) until Christ came so that we might be justified by faith. Now that the faith has come, we no longer need a guardian (tutor). (Gal. 3:23-25). Notice that Paul does not say that Torah no longer has an influential role to play in the life of a believer. It is now the Spirit of G-d that will convict us of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8)! In Rom 3:20, Paul adds that without Torah, he would not have known what sin is. So, it is the Spirit working together with Torah, for the two are in fact inseparable. Both are G-d  breathed and G-d given and His self-revelation never diminishes nor changes!

Torah fulfilled the role of leading us to the revelation of Yeshua as Messiah. As such, we are no longer ‘under the law’, but we are still accountable to the moral and ethical requirements of Torah! Coming to faith in the Lord has not done away with Torah! In Yeshua’s own words: ‘I have not come to do away Torah but to fill up that which was lacking’.

Paul believed that the new age had dawned with the coming of the Messiah. But, this truth never diminishes the crucial role that the Word of G-d continues to play in the life of a believer! And, this includes Torah!