Study Notes Week 1

Torah Study Notes for Week 1 of the Torah Reading Cycle

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

  • Torah (T): Bereshiyt (Genesis) 1:1-31
  • Prophets (P): Isaiah 42:5-9
  • Apostolic (A): Colossians 1:1-23
  • Additional (ADD): Jubilees 2:1-33

Torah Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

Bereshiyt (Genesis) 1:1-31

1:1 In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the land. 2 The land was [unseen and unmade].(LXX) Darkness was on the surface of the deep and Elohim's Spirit was fluttering upon the face of the waters. 3 Elohim said, "[light will exist],"(MTT) and light existed. 4 Elohim saw the light, and saw that it was good. Elohim divided the light from the darkness. 5 Elohim called the light [“daytime”],(DSS) and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6 Elohim said, “A firmament [will exist](MTT) in the middle of the waters, and it [existed,](MTT) dividing the waters from the waters.” 7 Elohim made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament and it was so. 8 Elohim called the firmament “the heavens”.  [And Elohim saw that it was good.](LXX) There was evening and there was morning, a second day. 9 Elohim said, “The waters [underneath](DSS) the heavens will be gathered together to one [gathering],(DSS)(LXX) and the dry ground appear;” and it was so. [And the waters under the heavens gathered to their gatherings and the dry ground appeared.](DSS)(LXX) 10 Elohim called the dry ground “land”, and the [gatherings](LXX) of the waters he called “seas”. Elohim saw that it was good. 11 Elohim said, “The land will yield grass, plants yielding seeds [after their kind],(LXX) and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the land;” and it was so. 12 The land yielded grass, plants yielding seed after their kind, and [fruit](LXX) trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after their kind, [on the land];(LXX) and Elohim saw that it was good. 13 There was evening and there was morning, a third day. 14 Elohim said, “The lights [will exist](MTT) in the firmament of the heavens [for the illumination of the day],(LXX) [to give light upon the land],(DSS) [and to rule the day and the night],(LXX) to divide the day from the night; and [they exist](MTT) for signs and appointed times, days, and years; 15 and [they exist](MTT) for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the land;” and it was so. 16 Elohim made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17 Elohim set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light to the land, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. Elohim saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20 Elohim said, “The waters will swarm with swarms of living souls, and birds will fly above the land in the open firmament of the heavens. [And it was so]”(LXX) 21 Elohim created the great sea animal and every living soul that treads, with which the waters swarm, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. Elohim saw that it was good. 22 Elohim blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and birds multiply on the land.” 23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24 Elohim said, “The land will produce living souls after their kind, livestock, creeping, and animals of the land after their kind;” and it was so. 25 Elohim made the animals of the land after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. Elohim saw that it was good. 26 Elohim said, “[We will make](MTT) a man in our image, after our likeness. He will have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],(syr) and over every creeping that creeps on the land.” 27 Elohim created the man in his own image. In the image of Elohim he created him; male and female he created them. 28 Elohim blessed them, [saying],(LXX) “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the land, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],(syr) [and over all the souls that crawl](LXX) on the land.” 29 Elohim said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed, which is on the face of all the land, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30 To every wild beast of the land, [and to every livestock of the land],(mss) and to every bird of the heavens, and to every treader upon the land, in which there is a living soul, I have given every green plant for food.” 31 Elohim saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.

  • The phrase “And Elohim Said” is mentioned 9 times in the Genesis account of creation.
  • 7 out of 9 times (Genesis 1:3, 7, 9, 11, 15, 20, 24) the phrase is followed by וַיְהִי כֵן vayi chen “and it was so” or literally, “he existed so”(MTT) which means what Elohim said became firmly establish and could not change.
    • Jeremiah 31:35-36; Jeremiah 33:20-26; Psalm 72:5; Psalm 89:36-37; Psalm 102:24-28; Psalm 119:89-91; Psalm 148:1-6; Enoch 2:1; Enoch 2:2; Enoch 5:2
    • כֵּן chen or ken (H3651) is the modern Hebrew word for “yes, so, yeah, or yep”
      • Matthew 5:37 But let your כֵּן chen ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
        • אַךְ־יְהִי דְבַרְכֶם כֵּן כֵּן לֹא לֹא ach-yehi devarchem chen chen lo lo
      • Numbers 30:1-2 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the word which YHWH has commanded. 2 When a man vows a vow to YHWH, or swears a swearing to [tie up a bond](MTT) upon his soul, he will not profane his word. He will do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
  • The sixth day’s specific focus on the creation of the man is the only time “Elohim said” was not soon followed by the phrase “existed.” A careful reading of the creation of the man and the woman may reveal the reason why as it appears the special way the man was created as we will read in Genesis 2. Also, the second “Elohim said” on the sixth day referred to the giving of “every green plant for food” to the man, every wild animal, livestock, bird, and every creature that creeps on the land, “in which there is life.” We will read about this change in Genesis
    • Genesis 9:1 Elohim blessed Noaḥ̣̣ and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the land. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every [wild](LXX) animal of the land, [and on all livestock of the land,](LXX) and on every bird of the heavens. All that move along the ground, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand. 3 Every creeping thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given all to you…”
  • “Earth” is defined in Genesis 1 and this is the same, consistent definition of the word throughout all Scripture. Modern science’s definition of the Earth as a proper noun is inconsistent with the description of the third day of creation and definition of “earth” in Genesis 1:9-10 and 2 Peter 3:5, “For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of Elohim”
    • Translated as “land” over 1,500 times in the Bible, אֶרֶץ erets (H776) is the “dry ground” referring to the substance of the land surface or soil defined in Genesis 1:9-10
    • The second most often translated word for אֶרֶץ erets is “earth” (712 times). In 1828, Noaḥ Webster, an American lexicographer and “Father of American Scholarship and Education,” wrote, “earth in its primary sense, signifies the particles which compose the mass of the globe, but more particularly the particles which form the fine mold on the surface of the globe; or it denotes any indefinite mass or portion of that matter.” Webster goes on to define “globe” as, “a round or spherical solid body or ball whose surface is in every part equidistant from the center.” Webster then writes “the earth” is a terraqueous ball (consisting or formed of land and water) that is not perfectly spherical. This definition of “earth” is not found in the Bible and inconsistent with the description of the third day of creation and definition of “earth” in Genesis 1:10 (cf. 2 Peter 3:5).
  • “Firmament” as a solid, impenetrable sheet above is defined in Genesis 1 and consistently used in this context throughout all of Scripture and verified as the definition by Josephus in the 1st century A.D.
    • רָקִיעַ raqiya (H7549) means to beat, pound, or hammer a metal, such as gold, into a flattened sheet (cf. Exodus 39:3; Numbers 16:39; Jeremiah 10:9). The Greek equivalent to this word is στερέωμα stereōma (G4733) which means, “to be firm, that which has been made firm, or that which furnishes a foundation” (cf. Colossians 2:5). As it relates to the heavens, στερέωμα stereōma always refers to the solid firmament, the arch of the sky, which has always been known to be solid.
    • Josephus After this, on the second day, he placed the heavens over the whole world, and separated it from the other parts, and he determined it should stand by itself. He also placed a crystalline [firmament] round it, and put it together in a manner agreeable to the land, and fitted it for giving moisture and rain, and for affording the advantage of dews.
  1. Day Zero
    1. Genesis: 1) In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the land. 2 The land was [unseen and unmade].(LXX) Darkness was on the surface of the deep and Elohim’s Spirit was fluttering upon the face of the waters.
    2. 2 Esdras 6:38 I said, “O Lord, truly you spoke at the beginning of the creation, on the first day, and said this: ‘Let the heavens and earth be made,’ and your word perfected the work. 39 Then the spirit was hovering, and darkness and silence were on every side. The sound of man’s voice was not yet there.
    3. Josephus In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the land. But when the land did not come into sight, but was covered with thick darkness, and a wind moved upon its surface
  2. Day One
    • Genesis: 1) “Light will exist” וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִי־א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר vayyomer elohim yehi-or vayhi-or “And Elohim said, light will exist, and light existed” 2) Divided the light from the darkness 3) Light is named יוֹם yom “daytime” H3117 4) Darkness is named לַיִל layil “night” H3915 5) It was good
    • Jubilees: 2:3 For on the first day He created the heavens which are above and the land and the waters and all the spirits which serve before Him–the angels of the face, and the angels of sanctification, and the angels [of the spirit of fire and the angels] of the spirit of the winds, and the angels of the spirit of the clouds, and of darkness, and of snow and of hail and of hoar frost, and the angels of the voices and of the thunder and of the lightning, and the angels of the spirits of cold and of heat, and of winter and of spring and of autumn and of summer, and of all the spirits of His creatures which are in the heavens and on the land, (He created) the abysses and the darkness, eventide (and night), and the light, dawn and day, which He hath prepared in the knowledge of His heart. 3. And thereupon we saw His works, and praised Him, and lauded before Him on account of all His works; for seven great works did He create on the first day.
    • 2 Esdras 6:40 Then you commanded a ray of light to be brought out of your treasuries, that your works might then appear.
    • Josephus Elohim commanded that there should be light: and when that was made, he considered the whole mass, and separated the light and the darkness; and the name he gave to one was Night, and the other he called Day: and he named the beginning of light, and the time of rest, The Evening and The Morning, and this was indeed the first day. But Moses said it was one day; the cause of which I am able to give even now; but because I have promised to give such reasons for all things in a treatise by itself, I will put off its exposition till that time.
  3. Day Two
    • Genesis: 1) A firmament was firmly formed in the middle of the waters to divide the waters above from the waters under the firmament 2) The firmament is named שָׁמַיִם shamayim “heavens” H8064 3) [it was good](LXX)
    • Jubilees: 2:4 And on the second day He created the firmament in the midst of the waters, and the waters were divided on that day–half of them went up above and half of them went down below the firmament (that was) in the midst over the face of the whole earth. And this was the only work (Elohim) created on the second day.
    • 2 Esdras 6:41 “On the second day, again you made the spirit of the firmament and commanded it to divide and to separate the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath.
    • Josephus After this, on the second day, he placed the heavens over the whole world, and separated it from the other parts, and he determined it should stand by itself. He also placed a crystalline [firmament] round it, and put it together in a manner agreeable to the land, and fitted it for giving moisture and rain, and for affording the advantage of dews.
  4. Day Three
    • Genesis: 1) The waters underneath the heavens were gathered together into one gathering 2) The dr(ied) ground appeared 3) The dry ground is named אֶרֶץ erets “land” 4) the gatherings of the waters is named יַמִּים yamim “seas” 5) It was good 6) The land yielded grass, plants, fruit trees 7) It was good
    • Jubilees: 2:5 And on the third day He commanded the waters to pass from off the face of the whole earth into one place, and the dry land to appear. 6. And the waters did so as He commanded them, and they retired from off the face of the land into one place outside of this firmament, and the dry land appeared. 7. And on that day He created for them all the seas according to their separate gathering-places, and all the rivers, and the gatherings of the waters in the mountains and on all the land, and all the lakes, and all the dew of the land, and the seed which is sown, and all sprouting things, and fruit-bearing trees, and trees of the wood, and the garden of Eden, in Eden, and all (plants after their kind). These four great works Elohim created on the third day.
    • 2 Esdras 6:42 “On the third day, you commanded that the waters should be gathered together in the seventh part of the land. You dried up six parts and kept them, to the intent that of these some being both planted and tilled might serve before you. 43 For as soon as your word went out, the work was done. 44 Immediately, great and innumerable fruit grew, with many pleasant tastes, and flowers of inimitable color, and fragrances of most exquisite smell. This was done the third day.
    • Josephus On the third day he appointed the dry land to appear, with the sea itself round about it; and on the very same day he made the plants and the seeds to spring out of the land.
  5. Day Four
    • Genesis: 1) Two great lights and the stars were made and placed in the firmament of the heavens to illuminate the יוֹם yom “day” and give light upon the land and to rule the day and the לַיִל layil “night” and to divide the day from the night, for signs and appointed times, days, and years 2) It was good
    • Jubilees: 2:8 And on the fourth day He created the sun and the moon and the stars, and set them in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon all the land, and to rule over the day and the night, and divide the light from the darkness. 9. And Elohim appointed the sun to be a great sign on the land for days and for sabbaths and for new moons and for feasts and for years and for sabbaths of years and for jubilees and for all seasons of the years. 10. And it divideth the light from the darkness [and] for prosperity, that all things may prosper which shoot and grow on the land. These three kinds He made on the fourth day.
    • 2 Esdras 6:45 “On the fourth day, you commanded that the sun should shine, the moon give its light, and the stars should be in their order; 46 and gave them a command to serve mankind, who was to be made.
    • Josephus On the fourth day he adorned the heavens with the sun, the moon, and the other stars, and appointed them their motions and courses, that the vicissitudes of the seasons might be clearly signified.
  6. Day Five
    • Genesis: 1) Waters abound with large sea creatures and every living creature that moves 2) Every winged bird that flies above the land in the open firmament of the heavens 3) It was good 4) Elohim blessed the large sea creatures and birds, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the land.”
    • Jubilees: 2:11 And on the fifth day He created great sea monsters in the depths of the waters, for these were the first things of flesh that were created by His hands, the fish and everything that moves in the waters, and everything that flies, the birds and all their kind. 12. And the sun rose above them to prosper (them), and above everything that was on the land, everything that shoots out of the land, and all fruit-bearing trees, and all flesh. These three kinds He created on the fifth day.
    • 2 Esdras 6:47 “On the fifth day, you said to the seventh part, where the water was gathered together, that it should produce living creatures, fowls and fishes; and so it came to pass 48 that the mute and lifeless water produced living things as it was told, that the nations might therefore praise your wondrous works. 49 “Then you preserved two living creatures. The one you called Behemoth, and the other you called Leviathan. 50 You separated the one from the other; for the seventh part, namely, where the water was gathered together, might not hold them both. 51 To Behemoth, you gave one part, which was dried up on the third day, that he should dwell in it, in which are a thousand hills; 52 but to Leviathan you gave the seventh part, namely, the watery part. You have kept them to be devoured by whom you wish, when you wish.
    • Josephus And on the fifth day he produced the living creatures, both those that swim, and those that fly; the former in the sea, the latter in the air: he also sorted them as to society and mixture, for procreation, and that their kinds might increase and multiply.
  7. Day Six
    • Genesis: 1) The אֶרֶץ erets “land” produces living creatures, livestock, creeping, and animals of the land 2) It was good 3) Elohim said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],(syr) and over every creeping that creeps on the land.” Thus, man was made in the image of Elohim, male and female He created them 4) Elohim blessed them, [saying],(LXX) “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the land, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, [and over all the wild animals of the land],(syr) [and over all the creatures that crawl](LXX) on the land.” 5) Elohim said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed, which is on the face of all the land, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. To every wild animal of the land, [and to every livestock of the land],(mss) and to every bird of the heavens, and to every creature that creeps on the land, in which there is life, I have given every green plant for food.” 5) Elohim saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good
    • Jubilees: 2:13 And on the sixth day He created all the animals of the land, and all cattle, and everything that moves on the land. 14. And after all this He created man, a man and a woman created He them, and gave him dominion over all that is upon the land, and in the seas, and over everything that flies, and over beasts and over cattle, and over everything that moves on the land, and over the whole earth, and over all this He gave him dominion. And these four kinds He created on the sixth day. 15. And there were altogether two and twenty kinds. 16. And He finished all His work on the sixth day–all that is in the heavens and on the land, and in the seas and in the abysses, and in the light and in the darkness, and in everything.
    • 2 Esdras 6:53 “But on the sixth day, you commanded the land to produce before you cattle, animals, and creeping things. 54 Over these, you ordained Adam as ruler over all the works that you have made. Of him came all of us, the people whom you have chosen. 55 “All this have I spoken before you, O Lord, because you have said that for our sakes you made this world. 56 As for the other nations, which also come from Adam, you have said that they are nothing, and are like spittle. You have likened the abundance of them to a drop that falls from a bucket. 57 Now, O Lord, behold these nations, which are reputed as nothing, being rulers over us and devouring us. 58 But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, your only children, and your fervent lover, are given into their hands. 59 Now if the world is made for our sakes, why don’t we possess our world for an inheritance? How long will this endure?”
    • Josephus On the sixth day he created the four-footed beasts, and made them male and female: on the same day he also formed man. Accordingly Moses says, That in just six days the world, and all that is therein, was made. And that the seventh day was a rest, and a release from the labor of such operations; whence it is that we Celebrate a rest from our labors on that day, and call it the Sabbath, which word denotes rest in the Hebrew tongue.

Apostolic Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

  1. Three areas of focus as we explore Colossians today:
    1. #1 — Understand the context and worldview affecting this community and how it shapes the content and purpose of Paul’s letter to them.
    2. #2 — Exegete a difficult passage often used to discourage Torah-keeping by Believers.
    3. #3 – Gain a deeper understanding of who Yeshua and why He alone deserves our worship.
  2. The purpose of Paul’s letter is to strengthen and protect his flock by leading them back to the Great Shepherd, Yeshua.
    1. “We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ. For this purpose, I also labor, striving according to His power which works mightily within me” (Col. 1:28-29).
    2. “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Messiah Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” (Col. 2:1-4).
  3. What arguments are deluding (Strongs #3884) the Believers in Colossae?
    1. #3884. paralogizomai – “To deceive, to delude, to mislead by false reasoning”
      1. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive (#3884) themselves” (Jam. 1:22).
    2. LXX – #7411. ramah – “To betray, to deceive, to beguile”.
      1. “So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived (#7411) me?”

KEY POINT:

Only by understanding the context of Colossians (Observation) will we discern the purpose of Paul’s teaching (Interpretation) and be able to apply the lessons for our own discipleship (Application).

  1. Understanding the context in Colossae:
    1. “See to it that no one takes you captive (#4812) through philosophy (#5835) and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles (#4747) of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col. 2:8).
      1. Strong’s #4812. sulagógeó – “to carry off as spoil, to lead away as booty, to plunder; to make victim by fraud”.
      2. Strong’s #5835. philosophia  – “love of wisdom”.
      3. Strong’s #4747. stoicheion – “Element, principle, rudiment”.
    2. What is Paul talking about here? Since we are not the intended audience of his letter, how do we understand the specific context of what he is addressing?

KEY PREMISE:

The dominant worldview affecting the church of Colossae was the Hellenistic philosophy known as Stoicism.

  1. What is Stoicism?
    1. “Stoicism was a school of philosophy in Greco-Roman antiquity inspired by the teaching of Socrates and Diogenes of Sinope, Stoicism was founded at Athens by Zeno of Citium c. 300 B.C. and was influential throughout the Greco-Roman world until at least A.D. 200. It stressed duty and held that, through reason, mankind can come to regard the universe as governed by fate and that, in regulating one’s life, one can emulate the grandeur of the calm and order of the universe. Its chief competitors being Epicureanism, Skepticism and Christianity, Stoicism was easily the most influential of the schools from the time of its founding through the first two centuries CE, and it continued to have a marked effect on later thought”. (https://www.britannica.com/summary/Stoicism).
  2. What are the main beliefs in Stoicism?
    1. Excerpts from “The 9 Core Stoic Beliefs” (https://dailystoic.com/9-core-stoic-beliefs):
      1. “Wisdom (phronesis) is the knowledge of what things must be done and what must not be done and what is neither, and leads us to appropriate acts (kathekonta). Within wisdom, we’ll find virtuous qualities like soundness of judgment, circumspection, shrewdness, sensibleness, soundness of aim, and ingenuity”.
      2. “Self-control (sophrosune) is the knowledge of what things are worth choosing and what are worth avoiding and what is neither. Contained within this virtue are things like orderliness, propriety, modesty, and self-mastery”.
  3. What are the “elemental principles” in Stoicism?
    1. Excerpts from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/stoicism/):
      1. “Fundamental to Stoic physics and the explanations of natural phenomena it offers are the two principles (archai), the active principle and the passive principle, which bear complex and often debated relations to pneuma, primary matter, the four elements (air, water, fire, earth), and the cosmos as a whole” (Section 2.3).
      2. “In accord with their ontology, the Stoics make God a corporeal entity, identical with the active principle. God is further characterized as eternal reason (logos) or intelligent designing fire or breath (pneuma) which structures matter in accordance with its plan. The Stoic God is thus immanent throughout the cosmos and directs its development down to the smallest detail. The entire cosmos is a living thing, and God stands to the cosmos as an animal’s life force stands to the animal’s body, enlivening, moving and directing it by its presence throughout” (Section 2.7).
      3. “According to the Stoics, to live in agreement with nature and achieve the human telos involves “engaging in no activity wont to be forbidden by the universal law (ho nomos ho koinos), which is the right reason pervading everything and identical to Zeus” (Section 4.2).
        1. “The Stoics believed that all people should be governed by the providential activity of Zeus in administering the cosmos (e.g. “universal law”)”.
      4. “The Stoics famously argue that the virtuous agent feels no passions (pathê) and, so, that the happy life is entirely passion-free (apathês)” (Section 4.7).

SUMMARY:

As the predominant Hellenistic philosophy and worldview in 1st-century Colossae, Stoicism elevated wisdom, rationality and self-control as the chief means by which man can align with the elementary principles of the cosmos in which and through which God lives and manifests His will.

  1. What about the reference to angel worship?
    1. Not clear whether this is a reference to angel worship among Jews or Gentile converts from paganism.
      1. Excerpt from “Angelology” in the Jewish Encyclopedia Online:
        1. “Upon the foundations of Scripture, a gigantic structure of Angelology was reared at the time of the completion of the Talmud (4th-century B.C.) and enlarged greatly by post-Talmudic mysticism”. 
    2. Angel worship is clearly forbidden in scripture:
      1. “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. But he said to me, ‘Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. Worship God’” (Rev. 22:8-9)
    3. The attraction to angel worship was a deception and threat to the truth of Yeshua’s pre-eminence in Colossae and other communities of the early church:
      1. “[F]or in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority” (Col. 1:9-10).
      2. “[I]n these last days, [God] has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they” (Heb. 1:2-3).

KEY POINT:

The influences of Hellenized Jews and pagan converts in the church of Colossae presented unique challenges to the worldview and worship of the Believers seeking to live as faithful disciples of the Hebraic faith passed to them by Paul and the other Apostles. Their belief in a different universal law than Torah caused a conflict of kingdoms and authority.

Exhortation
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)

  1. Addressing a common misinterpretation in the letter to the Colossians:
    1. “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day – things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ” (Col. 2:16-17).
    2. Common interpretation:
      1. “Having been freed from the restrictions of the Law, through faith in Christ, Paul’s earnest desire was to instill in us the higher life that we have in Him. He wanted to get across that we are no longer bound by law but are under grace.” (https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/colossians-2-16)
    3. Remember our context for these verses!
      1. “Philosophy and empty deception… the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world” (vs. 8) and “matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body but are of no value against fleshly indulgence” (vs. 23).
    4. Is Paul talking about God’s commandments in verse 16-17? Would he really be teaching his flock not to let anyone make them keep Sabbath and eat kosher? 
  2. The more likely interpretation is that these individuals were passing judgment on food and drink due to Stoicism, not scripture, perhaps because the Believers ate certain foods like meat but stayed away from biblically unclean foods.
    1. “The ancient Stoics were not great consumers of meat. Although they were not ardent advocates for vegetarianism, they did encourage people to eat more plant foods and grains in place of meat.” (https://thewisemind.net/whats-the-best-way-to-eat-a-stoic-perspective/)
  3. What about the “festival or a New Moon or a Sabbath Day”?
    1. We can conclude that this does refer to the biblical appointed times because Paul uses the same Greek words as the LXX for the Sabbaths and New Moon.
      1. These are the holy days that Paul himself practiced and would have imparted to the Believers in Colossae, both Jew and Gentile. 
    2. It’s only if we misinterpret Paul (and mistranslate him) that we would think he is defending commandment-breaking and not Torah-keeping.
      1. “…things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but (Strong’s #1161) the substance belongs to Messiah” (Col. 2:17).
        1. HELPS Word-studies #1161 dé (a conjunction) – “moreover, indeed now…,on top of this…, next…”
    3. “Let no one then judge you in eating or in drinking or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon or of sabbaths, which are a shadow of the coming things, and the body of the Christ” (Col. 1:16-17 Young’s Literal Translation).

KEY POINT:

There is only one law in the rule and reign of YHWH and that is the royal law of Torah. The belief in a different universal law is not only pagan but also represents outright rebellion to the authority of the firstborn and head of the ekklesia, Messiah Jesus.

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ” (Col. 1:28)

  1. To be completed in Messiah, we must proclaim Him with all wisdom.
    1. Apart from Yeshua we will have knowledge, but no life.
      1. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4).
    2. This encompasses doctrine but extends beyond it.
      1. What we believe, why we believe it, and how it causes us to (re)think and act.
  2. Five Keys of Wisdom from Colossians:
    1. Key #1 — Yeshua was not created – He is the Agent through whom creation came into being (Col. 1:16; ref. Psa. 33:6; John 1:3; Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2).
    2. Key #2 – Yeshua is divine, but not angelic. (Col. 1:19; Col. 2:9; ref. John 1:14). 
      1. “For in Him all the fullness of Deity (Strongs #2330) dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9).
        1. #2320. theotés – Derived from θεός (theos), meaning “God”.
      2. Yeshua is not a son of Elohim (i.e. an angel) but rather the Son of Elohim.
        1. “No one has seen Elohim at any time. The one and only Son (Strongs #3439), who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him” (John 1:18).
          1. HELPS Word-studies — #3439 monogenḗs (from 3411 /misthōtós, “one-and-only” and 1085 /génos, “seed, stock”) – properly, one-and-only; “one of a kind” – literally, “one (monos) of a class, genos” (the only of its kind).
    3. Key #3 – In Yeshua are the treasures of all wisdom and knowledge (Col.  2:3).
      1. To love Yeshua is to love wisdom and to know Him is to gain knowledge.
    4.  Key #4 – Yeshua is the firstborn and heir to all that He created (Col. 1:15).
      1. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Strongs #4416)” (Col. 1:15).
        1. #4416. prototokos – “first-born, eldest”.
          1. Usage: The term “prototokos” is used in the New Testament to denote the firstborn child in a family, emphasizing preeminence and priority in both birth order and status. In a theological context, it is often used to describe Jesus Christ, highlighting His supremacy and unique position in creation and redemption.
    5. Key #5 – Yeshua is the Head of the ekklesia (i.e. church) and must have preeminence in it (Col. 1:18).
      1. ‘He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18).
      2. Our communities must keep the Living Messiah as the Head. Center and Supreme authority over all other leadership, doctrine and/or tradition.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Col. 1:9-12)

Does anyone have specific questions or need any clarification from what was said during the Summary or Exhortation?

Application & Discussion
Living the Word and following Yeshua (Acts 2:37; Romans 2:13)
Questions, input, and sharpening (Proverbs 27:17; Luke 2:46)

Romans 2:13 For it isn’t the hearers of the Torah who are righteous before Elohim, but the doers of the Torah will be justified.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

    1. What questions or comments came up during your family’s discussion of this week’s study?
    2. “What other related Scriptures did you find during your study of this week’s portion?”
    3. Have you ever experienced something from this study or something related to it?
    4. “What changes do you need to make in your life to align with what you learned during this week’s Torah Study?”
Additional Study Notes

Biblical Cosmology

Gen. 1:1 – Is this the beginning of all creation? In verse one the direct articles “the” heavens and “the” land seems to point to the first of terrestrial creation; not all creation. YHWH started His (bara; shape, poieo; make-to do [2805x])

Gen. 1:2a, 8 – The land was both unseen and unready.

Unseen: G0517, aoratos, invisible [8x]; Isa. 45:3; Rom. 1:20; 2Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15-16;1Ti. 1:17; Heb.11:27

Unready:  G6181, akataskeuastos, [1x]; 

*The earth (erets) existed but invisible and not developed. 

  • and~the~LAND (וְהָאָרֶץ / wê’ha’a’rets) she~did~EXIST(V) (הָיְתָה / hai’tah) CONFUSION (תֹהוּ / to’hu) and~UNFILLED (וָבֹהוּ / wa’vo’hu) (Jeff Brenner, Mech-Trans.).

Definitions:

  • Heavens (shamayim) [H8064]: Heaven(s), sky, to be lofty; G3772 ouranos – Perhaps from the same as G3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky (vs. 8).
  • Earth (erets) [H776]: Earth, land, ground, country, territory; G1093 ghay – Contracted from a primary word; soil;

Gen. 1:2b; 10 – What is “the deep”? Is it associated with the “face of the water”? Darkness did not reveal what He desired. He called upon light to illuminate the deep and face of the waters. Light had a purpose! It also appears to be local (Psa. 19:1:6), or confined to what was brought in verse 1 as a terrestrial setting. YHWH Himself is light and His domain is illuminated by Him, so this is a distinct light made for what is being constructed (1Jn. 1:5; Rev. 21:23-24).

Gen. 1:3-5 – The day is established and defined. The light was the first thing to be considered good. I believe this light assigned for day and night were the sun and moon which will be created on the fourth day (Jub. 2:8-10).

  • The purpose of the Sun, Moon, and Stars were to help establish the division of day and night. This was also a sign for observation of His Moedim. YHWH intended for mankind to have system for keeping time and engaging in a business rhythm to enjoy with Him and the creation. He made the largest recorded watch right above for all to see. His calendar. Calendar is defined as “the year as divided systematically into days and months”(etymonline). This is exactly how scripture describes a one of the function of these tri-fold illuminaries.
  • Jub. 2:8 And on the fourth day He created the sun and the moon and the stars, and set them in the firmament of the heavens, to give light upon all the land, and to rule over the day and the night, and divide the light from the darkness. 9. And Elohim appointed the sun to be a great sign on the land for days and for sabbaths and for new moons and for feasts and for years and for sabbaths of years and for jubilees and for all seasons of the years. 10. And it divideth the light from the darkness [and] for prosperity, that all things may prosper which shoot and grow on the land. These three kinds He made on the fourth day (thecord.life).
  • I believe another purpose for the light and darkness division was to establish a witness to what YHWH knew beforehand that mankind would dissolve into wickedness. We literally have in the heavens a promise, if you will, of how His mercy intends for us to come out of darkness and into His light. His Son would be the one who helps us achieve that transformation.
  • Isa. 42:6-9 – 6 “I, YHWH, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations, 7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. 8 “I am YHWH. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images. 9 Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.” (thecord.life)
  • 2Es 9:18  And now when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in that now live, no man spake against me.
  • Heb 1:3-6 (NHEB) – 3 He is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification for sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4 having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. 5 For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father”?  And again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.”? 6 And again, when he brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

Gen. 1:6-8 – Another indication of localization within the creation model is the function, placement, and design of the firmament. It is stated with specificity to have been formed, …”in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And, divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. Where did all that water come from? This seemingly encapsulating-structure is called into existence as an almost foundational element for what is being formed (built); something that “is”, like light; but not created?…hmm; like the heavens and land (vs. 1). What’s even more interesting is YHWH calls the firmament, “the heavens”. But, I thought the heavens were created already. This is a clue that informs us what the firmament could be and its function. Before we explore how scripture defines these characteristics. Let’s examine the word itself to help us understand its intent and usage.

Definitions:

  • Firmament (raqiya) [H7549] means to beat, pound, or hammer a metal, such as gold, into a flattened sheet (cf. Exodus 39:3; Numbers 16:39; Jeremiah 10:9). The Greek equivalent to this word is (στερέωμα stereōma) [G4733] which means, “to be firm, that which has been made firm, or that which furnishes a foundation” (cf. Colossians 2:5). As it relates to the heavens, στερέωμα stereōma always refers to the solid firmament, the arch of the sky, which has always been known to be solid.
  • Jub. 2:4 & 8 – 4. And on the second day He created the firmament…And this was the only work (Elohim) created on the second day. 8. …He created the sun and the moon and the stars, and set them in the firmament of the heavens (thecord.life)
  • Psa. 1:1-6 – 1 The heavens declare the glory of Elohim. The firmament shows his handiwork. 2 Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their [voice](LXX)(mss)(cf. Romans 10:18) has gone out through all the land, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. 6 His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat. (thecord.life)
  • Enoc. 18:5 & 12 – 5. …I saw⌉⌉ at the end of the land the firmament of the heavens above. 12. 12. And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heavens above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it:…(thecord.life)
  • 2 Esdras 4:7 He said to me, “If I had asked you, ‘How many dwellings are there in the heart of the sea? Or how many springs are there at the fountain head of the deep? Or how many streams are above the firmament? Or which are the exits of hades? Or which are the entrances of paradise?’ (thecord.life)
  • 2 Esdras 6:41 – “On the second day, again you made the spirit of the firmament and commanded it to divide and to separate the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath. (thecord.life)
  • 3 Baruch 2:1 – And he took me and led me where the firmament has been set fast, and where there was a river which no one can cross, nor any strange breeze of all those which Elohim created. And he took me and led me to the first heavens, and showed me a door of great size. (thecord.life)
  • 2 Baruch 21:4 – O hear me, YOU who created the land, the one who fixed the firmament by the Word and fastened the height of the heavens by the Spirit, the one who in the beginning of the world called that which did not yet exist and they obeyed you. (thecord.life)

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.1.1 – After this, on the second day, he placed the heavens over the whole world, and separated it from the other parts, and he determined it should stand by itself. He also placed a crystalline [firmament] round it, and put it together in a manner agreeable to the land, and fitted it for giving moisture and rain, and for affording the advantage of dews.