Tikkun Perspective on the One Law Teaching

For over 20 years the Messianic Jewish Movement and its theological leaders have been responding to what has been called “One Law Movements.” The term “one law” was not our chosen term but came from their use. The claim of several of their writers was that with the exception of circumcision, Gentiles are responsible to keep the same laws as the Jews. This was derived from Biblical texts in the Torah on the Gentiles who lived in the midst of Israel in ancient days. We agree that there is one Torah of Moses that applies to all people, but we believe it applies differently to Jews and Gentiles. Also, we do not agree that the ancient rules for Gentiles who live in Israel as residents applies in the same way to believers from the nations who do not live in ancient Israel. The New Covenant Scriptures provide authoritative Halakah, that is the proper application of Torah that fits the New Covenant order. Where the New Covenant Scriptures are not explicit, the New Covenant does provide an orientation to Torah that helps us make application by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

There are three papers that we believe are important in sorting out these issues, one by Daniel Juster with Russ Resnik, one recent one by David J. Rudolph, and one that is the official stance of the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS). While not agreeing with all points in each paper, we are in general accord with the thrust of these writings.

Biblically we begin with the Jerusalem Council decision in Acts 15 where four rules were given to Gentiles. There are different approaches to the background for Acts 15. One is that the laws given there are the minimum for maintaining table fellowship. It is probably more than that since not eating blood is a universal command given to Noah for all humanity. The second is that Acts 15 is based in the contemporary Jewish idea of universal law that is required for all human beings. It does not mean that Gentiles can steal or murder, but these are the additional laws that Gentiles might miss. This approach sees these four decrees as based on what became known as the Noachide laws and which later Judaism viewed as laws required of Gentiles. There is much merit to this understanding. Then finally some look to the text in Leviticus about Gentiles who live in Israel and note that these four laws are found there. It is interesting that if this last theory is true, the apostles did not instruct the congregations to simply apply all of these specific laws to the Gentiles including keeping the Sabbath and the Feasts. Living under the government of Israel in the Land is a different situation than being Gentile congregations among the nations, in the first century and to this day. Moreover, the mention of Moses being taught in the synagogues (Acts 15:21) is so capable of various applications that it is best to not build much on that statement. Indeed, encouraging Gentiles to learn from the synagogue was not in the apostolic letter written to the congregations (Acts 15:23-29; 21:25). The text may merely mean that these rules would be well understood due to Moses being taught or that Moses being taught did not lead to the nations entering the kingdom of God and the New Covenant is now the way for Gentiles.

When Acts is read in conjunction with the teaching of Paul on the liberty of conscience in the Spirit in regard to Holy Days in Romans 14, in Galatians on the wrong emphasis on Holy Days, and Colossians on no one judging others on the basis of Holy Days, we see a common thrust toward liberty for Gentiles. In addition, I Cor. 7 teaches that each is to remain in the calling they had by birth whether Jew or Gentile. The whole thrust of the New Covenant Scriptures is that Gentiles have liberty to keep specific Holy Days on the Biblical Calendar or not to keep them. The Bible enjoins very specific days for the Jewish people, the seventh day Sabbath plus seven Feast/Fast days to be exact, to be kept as strict days of sabbath rest. Today some Hebrew Bible scholars think that the way the Rabbinic calendar calculates some days is different than ancient practice, but Israelis naturally keep the days according to Rabbinic tradition. We should note that in the first century, the conditions of the various cultures of the nations probably precluded Gentile believers without significant means to keep the Sabbath and seven sabbath Feast/Fast days. This was the great majority. However, because the early Church rooted itself in the life of Yeshua, Gentile Christian leaders embraced a calendar in which they honored three of the Feast days in significantly modified form—Passover became Good Friday in commemoration of the death of Yeshua, First Fruits became Resurrection Sunday and Shavuot-Pentecost reminded the Church of the outpouring of the Spirit. Their customs and dating differed from Rabbinic practice and that is fine since Gentile believers are not required by God to keep the Jewish calendar as Israel is called to keep it.

We do think that today the teaching of the Gentile wing of the Church on Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday and Pentecost should show the Jewish biblical roots of these days and bring out their New Covenant and prophetic meaning. Moreover, the thrust of the New Covenant is toward complete liberty in the churches of the nations and for Gentiles in the keeping of these days. It is a matter of being led by the Spirit. Having said this, what would we like to see the churches do? What would we want the churches to teach as their approach?

1. Churches are called to teach about the Feasts of Israel and bring out their original meanings in the Torah, the fulfillments in Yeshua and their yet to be fulfilled eschatological meaning. This is the clear implication of II Timothy 3:16,17 which speaks of all Scripture being profitable for instruction and training in righteousness.
2. Churches are called to be in alignment with Israel and the Messianic Jewish community. This means understanding and supporting.
3. Churches are called to teach the principle of living a sabbath lifestyle with regular times of rest and renewal. For Gentiles, this does not have to be on the seventh day.
4. Churches may be led by the Spirit to teach on Israel, the Sabbath, and the Feasts near the times when the Jewish people keep the Feasts.
5. Churches may be led by the Spirit to celebrate the Feasts with Messianic Jews in their area near the times of the Feasts but at times that do not conflict with Messianic Jewish congregational celebrations.
6. Christians in the churches may be led by the Spirit to keep the seventh day Sabbath personally as their way of applying the Sabbath principle. However, they may also be led to keep Sunday or another day.
7. We do not believe that the food laws of Lev. 15 are the responsibility of Gentiles, but Gentiles may keep them for various reasons according to Romans 14.
8. We believe that Gentiles may desire to appreciate Rabbinic traditions as part of understanding the uniqueness of the Jewish people. It should be remembered that, like all religious traditions, Rabbinic traditions include wonderful things and problematic things. Also, Gentile Christians should be careful to avoid cultural appropriation.

What We believe to be Wrong to Teach to the Gentiles

1. We believe it is wrong to teach Gentiles that they are responsible to keep the seventh day weekly Sabbath in this age.
2. We believe it is wrong to teach Gentiles that they are to keep the annual Feast days.
3. We believe it is wrong to teach Gentiles that it is a superior or better way for them to keep the seventh day Sabbath or the annual Feast Days. If it is better to do something one should do what is better.
4. We believe it is wrong to teach Gentiles that they are responsible to keep the food laws or that it is better if they do so.
5. It is wrong to teach Gentiles that it is better for them to keep Rabbinic traditions.
6. We believe it is wrong to teach that the traditions of the Protestant Church are pagan. This includes worship on Sunday, Sunday as a day of rest, the Church calendar of Feasts including Palm Sunday, Passover-Resurrection, All Saints Day, and Christmas as the celebration of the birth of Yeshua and the incarnation. We think this is hurtful and divisive. The Church year celebrates the life of Yeshua and the content of its celebrations is generally biblical.

We believe every community and individual is to be led by the Spirit in these matters and that practices are only better if led by the Spirit.

In contrast to Gentile Christians, we assert that Messianic Jews are called to live out the Biblical pattern of Jewish life described in the Torah as part of their gifts and irrevocable calling. This is part of being the first fruits of the Jewish people that sanctify the rest of the nation (Romans 11:5, 16, 29). Gentiles called to Messianic Jewish congregations live a common life with the Jewish members. We should not undercut the distinct identity, election and call of the Jewish people in our approach to these matters.