Torah Study Notes for Week 139 of the Torah Reading Cycle
thecord.life/notes/week138
- Torah (T): Devarim (Deuteronomy) 17:1-20
- Prophets (P): 1 Samuel 8:1-9
- Apostolic (A): Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
- Additional (ADD): Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-18
Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)
- Last week’s portion finished with the theme of justice.
- Deut. 16:18-22 You will make judges and officers in all your gates, which YHWH your Elohim gives you, according to your tribes; and they will judge the people with righteous judgment. You will not pervert justice. You will not show partiality. You will not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous. You will pursue complete righteousness so that you may live and inherit the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you. You will not plant for yourselves an Asherah of any kind of tree beside YHWH your Elohim’s altar, which you will make for yourselves. Neither will you set yourself up a sacred stone which YHWH your Elohim hates.
- The one-year Torah cycle begins the portion of Shoftim in Deut. 18:18 and goes through 21:9.
- Includes our portion this week as well as additional instructions on administering justice in chapter 18.
- Hundreds of verses about justice in scripture. What exactly is it?
- Week 139 is a good portion to explore this question:
- Torah: The people of Israel were commanded to uphold justice and so remain faithful to the covenant.
- Prophets: The people suffered under unrighteous judges and turned to the ways of the nations to restore law and order in the community.
- “[The judges] didn’t walk in his ways, but turned away after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Sam. 8:3).
- Apostolic: Yeshua and the Apostle Paul provide instructions to Believers on how to deal with sin and uphold righteousness in the community of faith.
- Week 139 is a good portion to explore this question:
- We are in training for reigning!
- “Don’t you know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have to judge things pertaining to this life, do you set them to judge who are of no account in the assembly?” (1 Cor. 6:2-4).
Exhortation
Counsel, comfort, and encouragement (Acts 13:14-15)
“Justice (Tsedeq), and only justice (Tsedeq), you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 16:20)
- What the key principles that will help us properly understand justice?
- Justice and righteousness cannot be separated.
- What is “righteousness”? (From Cord FAQs – Episode 2):
- For a moment, consider the word “rightness” as a synonym for righteousness. By definition, when something is right, it conforms to a standard. One would say that it is objectively true, moral, and/or correct. In the case of a math problem, one’s answer is either right or it is not right. In this way, mathematics is independently and objectively right (i.e. characterized by “rightness”).
- For most of us, the word “righteous” has a slightly different connotation than the word “rightness”. Perhaps the meaning we associate with the former is more spiritual or immaterial. We might think of an intangible quality of being and thus it would seem quite strange to describe the answer to a math problem as “righteous”. But since both words contain the word “right”, is it correct to conclude by definition that “righteous” also implies adherence to a standard? In fact, we see this is true through the etymology of the word, which until the 16th-century, was “rightwise”, and meant “characterized by justice, morally right” (etymonline.com/righteous).
KEY POINT:
Righteousness is the quality or characteristic of conforming to a standard which is right.
- What is the “right” standard?
- One of the most ancient tools for a builder was known as a plumb line. Still used in construction to this day, a plumb line is simply a lead weight hung on the end of a string. This tool was a simple and accurate way to determine if something was vertically straight, usually a wall, post or pillar. If the object being measured conformed to the plumb line, it was deemed to be “upright”. The quality of “right” or “straight”, therefore, finds it definition in the concept of the plumb or measuring line, both in the English language and in Scripture:
- “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place (Isa. 28:17)
- “I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down” (2 Kin. 21:13).
- As a biblical metaphor, the plumb line described God’s judgement of an individual, community or nation. It represented the objective comparison of God’s standard with that of man.
- One of the most ancient tools for a builder was known as a plumb line. Still used in construction to this day, a plumb line is simply a lead weight hung on the end of a string. This tool was a simple and accurate way to determine if something was vertically straight, usually a wall, post or pillar. If the object being measured conformed to the plumb line, it was deemed to be “upright”. The quality of “right” or “straight”, therefore, finds it definition in the concept of the plumb or measuring line, both in the English language and in Scripture:
KEY POINT:
The only true standard of righteousness is the absolute and perfect uprightness of God Himself. He has chosen to reveal this standard in His Word and it defines the universal standard for all human behavior in this age (see Mat. 5:17-20).
- What is “justice”?
KEY POINT:
Justice can be defined most simply as rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior.
- What are the key qualities of justice?
- #1 – Justice is coercive.
- The only way to reward and punish behavior is through power and authority.
- “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Rom. 13:3-4).
- The only way to reward and punish behavior is through power and authority.
- #2 – Justice is discriminatory.
- Justice is based on the recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another according to a standard of good and evil.
- “[S]o you shall remove the evil from among you” (Deut. 13:5; 17:7,12; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21-22; 22:24; 24:7).
- Justice is based on the recognition and understanding of the difference between one thing and another according to a standard of good and evil.
- #3 – Justice is objective.
- #1 – Justice is coercive.
- Why is justice important?
a. Justice establishes the righteousness of YHWH the Most High, the Supreme Judge.
b. Justice provides the conditions for a society to thrive through the protection of person and property and the promotion of wealth generation and opportunity.- “In 1999, the World Bank released a study in three volumes titled Voices of the Poor…When the poor speak for themselves, the plague of violence laying waste to their lives and communities is unmistakably clear… And what is the direct solution to violence? In modern societies, it is law enforcement. That is to say, acts of violence are declared to be “against the law” and then the state (the entity holding a monopoly on the legitimate use of coercive force) is authorized to use coercive power to enforce the law by restraining and punishing those who commit illegal violent acts. Indeed, no modern society can thrive in the absence of a functioning law enforcement capable of providing an effective restraint and credible deterrent to acts of violence” (Haugen, G. A., & Boutros, V. (2015). The locust effect: Why the end of poverty requires the end of violence. Oxford University Press).
- Our communities, our nation and the world are in desperate need of justice.
- “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).
- “The World Bank has estimated that the epidemic of sexual violence kills and disables more women and girls between the ages of 15 and 44 than cancer, traffic accidents, malaria, and war combined” (Haugen & Boutros, p.52).
- “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you are to do these things in the land where you are entering to take possession of it. So, keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole Law which I am setting before you today?” (Deut. 4:5-8)
- The Kingdom of God (i.e. His Rule and Reign) is first and foremost the establishment of justice.
- “But let justice roll out like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24).
- So how is going to happen?
KEY POINT:
The ekklesia of Messiah is YHWH’s chosen vessel to establish justice on earth.
- Week 133: Fear of the Lord is respect for His Supreme authority.
- We respect His supreme authority by upholding His Law-order in every sphere of life.
KEY POINT:
Justice will be established in the earth as we use the authority we have been given by God to uphold righteousness and expose evil in every sphere of life.
- Individually:
- Home:
- Husbands, love your wives and be a worthy leader in your home.
- Strive to be a worthy agent and steward of your children.
- Community:
- Society:
- Live with integrity and be above reproach in all your behavior. Show honor to all authority.
- “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
- “Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves (Rom. 13:1-2).
- Disciple the nations.
- “And Yeshua came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you (Mat. 28:18-20).
- Serve and protect those who are vulnerable and in need of justice.
- “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (Jam. 1:27).
- Live with integrity and be above reproach in all your behavior. Show honor to all authority.
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.
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- What questions or comments came up during your family’s discussion of this week’s study?
- “What other related Scriptures did you find during your study of this week’s portion?”
- Have you ever experienced something from this study or something related to it?
- “What changes do you need to make in your life to align with what you learned during this week’s Torah Study?”