I don't know if I can take credit for coining the term. I might have heard it somewhere. In an age when we are experiencing the sand shifting under our feet, and see people coming up with new terms time and again, Bilateral this...Divine that... I guess mine is as good as any.
What do I mean by that?
We are now in an age where Scriptures do no longer count as sole guidelines for us to follow, nor it seems necessary to use Scriptures as the basis of formating a new doctrine. People are inventing new teachings that cannot pass any exegetical test, and then, they expect everyone to join them in singing Coombaya around the camp fire. And many people do. Following the sound of the flute held by the guy who leads them to nowhere.
Yes we are in the age of Neo-Messianism. With new doctrines that at best we can call fantasy since they can in no way be implamented on the ground in today's MJ. Not logistically, and not in terms of living out the decrees in a realm of a community.
People are saying that we should not be concerned with the people of the Scriptures, they are all dead and we are living in the 21st century. But then they will quote the book of Acts to support their agenda, as if the people of the book of Acts are alive and kicking today.
Let's face it, MJ as we know it today painted itself into the corner and now find themselves with an influx of Gentiles in their midst that they never planned for when they started the movement. Now, they are trying to remedy the problem by following the same error of the influencers in the book of Acts. Deja-Vu all over again... They advocate conversion (which includes circumcision of course). And I thought that the book of Acts which they taut so much advocates against circumcision? But then, again, the end justifies the means....
There is a lot more to discuss, but for now I leave whoever reads this to contemplate.
I just want to leave you with one thought: If, like some bloggers say, we are to agree that Messianic Judaism is God's ordained, then we have also to agree that God planned it to be comprised with 90% Gentiles, otherwise we have to conclude that MJ is not God's ordained.
Go ahead, raise my blood pressure, as one blogger says I like to do.....
Blessings
Dan
Dan,
ReplyDeleteHave you read Postmissionary Messianic Judaism? It's pretty exegetical.
Also, Derek recently published a highly exegetical examination of Acts 15 on his blog (http://derek4messiah.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/expositing-acts-15-the-defining-chapter/)...and it looks like you were a participant in the comments section. Perhaps you should get your memory checked!
Of course, if by "exegetical" you mean "addresses my exact questions about the text and agrees with my presuppositions and conclusions"--well, nobody does that--you included! That's what dialogue is for. Hint: running around saying "No one is looking at the Scriptures!!!" doesn't count as dialogue.
ReplyDelete(If you can't tell, I'm doing my best attempt at adding some Benzvi "bite" to my comments on your blog. Kudos on creating one, btw!)
Janathan,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for coming to my blog.
I checked Derek's blog for the comments on Acts 15, and you are right. I missed Derek's reply to my coment #13. I will apologize to Derek on his blog, and reply to his comment after Shavuot.
By "exegetical" I mean for us to stop preaching to each other (guilty as charged) and have a meanningful debate without all the baggage. i came to the anderstanding that we are just continu talking past each other. I for one am promising to change, I will stop the snide remarks.
Janathan, you will never out "Benzvibite" me. You are too humble for that. I will do the outmost to look at you as an example.
Have a great feast of Shavuot.
Blessings
Dan
Janathan,
ReplyDeleteI checked again Derek's blog on Acts 15 and turns out that I was right. My comment #13 was in response to his comment # 15. I have yet to receive a reply from Derek. It seems like he abandoned the discussion in the middle.
Blessings
Dan
Mr. Benzvi - It's really nice to see you set up your own blog. I look forward to what you have to say on your own, rather than the occasional "Benzvibite" which you have affectionately shared on my blog and others. I look forward to working together to forward the Kingdom of Hashem, rather than to knit-pick one another. Blessings, my brother.
ReplyDeleteThat's my boy holding it down... I look forward to your blog Dan.
ReplyDeleteGreat overview by the way, I completely agree.
Thanks Darren, and jeruz for the nice comments.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Dan
So is the problem with MJ the fact that there is a influx of Gentiles.. or that the Gentiles are seeking conversion.. or both?
ReplyDeleteMy experience with MJ is limited mostly to the internet, although I do meet with a small group of believers, so issues like these are a bit foreign to me.
Thx Mike
"So is the problem with MJ the fact that there is a influx of Gentiles.. or that the Gentiles are seeking conversion.. or both?"
ReplyDeleteMike, this is only a problem for some, specifically what Dan mentioned, BE (bilateral ecclesiology group)... because they don't think Gentiles have a place in MJ unless they convert, that gentiles should stay in their christian circles(gentile religion)... They view MJ as limited to the Jews... thankfully not all share this view... The other view is that the Messianic Movement is a movement for Jews and Gentiles, and a restoration of God's word... Unlike the anti-Torah sentiment voiced in Christian circles or the anti-Yeshua sentiment voiced in non-Yeshua-Judaism, this is a movement where it all comes together.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you had a blog I could visit now and then as I found myself agreeing with you most of the time.
I believe that it has been YHWH's plan to reunite the two houses of Israel with Efrayim realizing who he is in the last days before Messiah returns. What seems to be the big struggle among the MJ folks is the idea that the Jews alone do not comprise the whole House of Israel. Which is what a returning Efrayim would say to them.
If those lost Israelites coming home to the Father (see prodigal son story) are going to continue to be called "Gentiles" by the MJ community then there will continue to be strife and discord until Messiah returns and sets thing right again.
Although there are specific prophecies regarding the relationship between the House of Judah and the House of Israel and when they will finally get together, we don't hear much about those in most of the discussions.
Perhaps you will approach that subject here on your brand new, shiny blog.
Shalom,
Efrayim