Q. Does Mt 17.24-27 teach that believers are exempt from paying taxes?

A. These verses have been misinterpreted by many to bolster some anti-government agenda, but that is a stretch. We already know that Yeshua said that we were to render to Caesar the things that were Caesar’s and that tax was a civil tax, so that settles the tax issue. What is going here is this. Exodus 30.12 talks about the half-shekel that was given when Israel took a census for war. This shekel was paid  as an atonement because a soldier was a potential life-taker. If this wasn’t done, then there could be a plague among the people. The word “plague” in Hebrew means slaughter, defeat or fall. David did not do this in 1Chr 21.14-17 and 2 Sam 24.25 and a plague resulted in many deaths until it was stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah, the future site of the Temple altar. This is very symbolic because the plague of sin was covered at that altar, and ultimately sin was dealt with at the altar called Golgotha. The word Golgotha is related to Gilgal” where Joshua circumcised Israel after crossing the Jordan and entering the land, thus rolling back their reproach. Gilgal means “to roll away.” Another Joshua (Yeshua) came along and ratified a New Covenant that circumcised our hearts at Golgotha. Now, after the half-shekel was paid by the males who were being mustered for the army, the money was used for the Tabernacle, its services and worship, upkeep and needs. It was seen as a contribution to the Lord to make “atonement for yourselves.” Later, this “tax” was used for the Temple for the same reason. This was a religious tax, not civil, and in the first century it was collected right before Passover. Now, in the narrative in Matthew, Peter is approached by collectors of this tax and they ask him if the Lord paid the half-shekel tax. Peter answers yes, and goes into the house there. Knowing this dialogue happened, Yeshua uses the opportunity to reveal to Peter who he was. He asks for his opinion and then asks “from who do the kings of the earth collect taxes, from their sons or from strangers (regular subjects).” Peters answers “from regular subjects.” Then Yeshua says “so, the sons are exempt. But, lest we offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook and the first fish (a tilapia by the way!) that comes up, when you open its mouth you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and me.”  There are some who say that this is a Hebrew idiom meaning that the first fish he caught was worth a stater when sold and Peter was to use that to pay the tax, but others say this was literal. Whatever the case, here is what happened. Yeshua doesn’t need to pay the tax because he is the son of God, the King of the Temple. Since this was for the Temple service and worship, and he was Lord of the Temple, he didn’t owe it. But, rather than cause an offense and exert his right not to do so, he tells Peter to go fishing. And notice , he doesn’t say pay the tax for “us” but for “you and me” because he was paying “not to cause offense”(because he didn’t owe it), but Peter was paying because owed it. Far from being a mandate to refrain from paying  civil taxes, this was saying that Yeshua was God and Lord of the Temple.  

 

Q. In studying, there is a major difference between the KJV/NKJV and the NASB on Acts 18.21. Why is there a difference?

A. The difference you refer to is where the KJV/NKJV contains the phrase “I must by all means keep this feast that comes in Jerusalem” where the NASB leaves it out. This is due, in many cases, to the fact that different versions use different manuscripts or if a majority of manuscripts carry the verse or not and so on. This is called “Textual Criticism” and the KJV bases its translation on different reasons than the NASB. However, even though the NASB leaves that phrase out based on their texts, it still does not mean that in other places it won’t tell you where and why he was going. In v22 it says “he went up” to greet the church and “to go up” is a phrase talking about going “up” to Jerusalem. In Acts 20.16 the NASB explicitly says that Paul was hurrying to be in Jerusalem if possible on the day of Pentecost. So, 20.16 basically says the same thing as 18.21. In Acts 24.17 it says that Paul went to Jerusalem at the time of that festival because he was giving alms and to present “offerings” in the Temple. Why would he do that? In Acts 18.18 it says that Paul “cut his hair” because he was keeping a vow, which was a Nazarite vow found in Num 6.1-21 and the offerings he gave are listed there. Acts 21.15-26 tells you he gave these offerings. Now, Pentecost was one of three mandatory festivals that the males were to attend every year (Exo 23.14-17). So, in my opinion, here is what happened. Paul cut his hair ending his Nazarite vow in Acts 18.18 It is the only vow in the Bible that ends when one cuts his hair. It then says in 18.21 in the KJV/NKJV  that he must go to Jerusalem. This was for 2 reasons, he was required to attend if possible (Exo 23.14-17) and he was ending his Nazarite vow and had offerings to give and he had to take his hair to the Temple to be burned (Num 6.1-21, Acts 21.26, 24.17). The scriptures are very clear as to why he went no matter what version you read, but in 18.21 the NASB leaves out the phrase found in the KJV/NKJV probably due to manuscript evidence, but other verses tell you why anyway so the basic truth of God’s word still is conveyed. By the way, I use the NASB myself but it is always good to read other versions as well to get the full flavor of what is being said. There is another thing to keep in mind, the original manuscripts written by the authors themselves were inspired by God, but copies upon copies were made from them  and human error will inevitably happen.  But God’s truth is still there and the concepts are still contained in the Bible. Some Bibles are strong in some areas, and weaker in another so it is always good to look at various versions and to get a working knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek. Also, look up words in concordances and lexicons and  have a basic idea of textual criticism as well. But, remember that the Holy Spirit will lead us to the truth regardless of education and  will help us use the tools mentioned above. We are all students of His word and on different levels so also keep this in mind when sharing.

Q. Prosperity teachers say that Mk 11.22-24 says that whatever we say and believe is going to happen. Is that what that verse is teaching?

A. No, that verse is not teaching that. To understand the verse you have to look at the context, so let’s look at what was going on at the time that prompted the Lord to say what he did. Chapter 11 starts out with his entry into Jerusalem and he comes to Mt Moriah where the Temple stood. He goes in, looks around and leaves. The next day he goes back to the mountain and the Temple and begins to cast out the moneychangers and declares that the Temple has become a den of thieves, quoting Jeremiah. He knows that the chief priests and the scribes want to kill him so he would go out of the city at night. The next day he comes upon the fig tree he cursed a few days before and it had withered. Then fig tree was symbolic of the spiritual state of Israel and how it bore no meaning fruit anymore. His disciples were astonished and he then says “Have faith in God” and then the verses you mention follow. In verse 23 he says you will “say to this mountain.” What mountain is he talking about? It is Mt. Moriah which was the seat of so much corruption that he had to drive the robbers away from his Father’s house, cleansing it. He says that it would be “cast into the sea” and the Temple literally was cast into the sea when it was destroyed because they found pieces of it in the harbor at Caesarea. What he is saying is this. The false teachers, the priests and scribes were keeping people away from the Kingdom of God through their teachings. Yeshua is saying that with faith in God the falsehood of their teachings can be overcome and they will be able to enter into the Kingdom if you stand firm and don’t doubt in your heart what Yeshua was teaching because some of it conflicted with the teachings at the time, especially when it came to who he was, faith and salvation to name just a few areas. He was in conflict with the religious establishment at the time (see verses 1-21).  This has nothing to do with saying and believing something and it has to come to pass. This verse has been twisted into something it was never intended to say. There is so much more to this but I hope this gives you another way of looking at the verse.

Q. Is there any text to support or refute that Yeshua ever took a Nazarite vow?

A. I am going to give an opinion and hopefully shed some light on your question, based on some rabbinic teachings and Scriptural concepts.  A Nazarite vow is when a person is totally dedicated to the Lord by not consuming anything from the grape, letting their hair grow and not touching the dead.  It comes from the word “nazir” which means to be set apart. This vow is found in the Book of Numbers and it can be entered into voluntarily, like Paul the Apostle in Acts 18.18 or it can be made for them from birth like Samuel, Samson and John the Baptist. The only place there is an indication that he might have taken a Nazarite vow is at the Last Supper when he said that he would not drink from the fruit of the vine until everything was accomplished. This vow can be for whatever time the person wants. It can be for a day, week, months or years, and even a lifetime. Now, if Yeshua took this vow, why would he do it? To understand this, we have to go back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam was in the garden, the Lord told him not to eat from a certain tree. He also had the glory of God as his covering and there was no death. The Bible does not say what the fruit was that Adam was to refrain from, but some think that the tree was the grape vine which may have looked different before the fall. All aspects of the vow goes back to the Garden. To refrain from the grape may be a clue that Adam was not to eat from the grape tree/vine. Also, letting the hair grow had to do with restoring a covering/glory (1Cor 11) that Adam lost after he sinned. And since there was no death in Eden before the fall, one is not to touch the dead. So, in other words, to refrain from these three things was an echo of Eden. No grape products, having a covering and not touching the dead.

How does this relate to Yeshua. He was the second Adam. As Messiah, he was going to restore that which man lost. Look at the crucifixion. It was near a garden (Eden), he had thorns  (the curse) on his head and he was nailed to a tree. If he took a Nazarite vow it was only for a day and it was because he had to restore Eden(symbolic of the Kingdom of God) back to mankind. So, he did not drink the grape and put himself in the same situation Adam had. He sets himself apart to God for the redemption of man (Adam) and refused the wine while on the cross until the end, when he looks around and sees that all things have been accomplished. It is then that he says he is thirsty and they give him something to drink and he takes it. He then dies right after this because his short but meaningful Nazarite vow is over because redemption was now accomplished and he comes out of it by partaking of the fruit of the vine. There is so much more to this but I hope this helps. There is no way to prove this but it is an interesting question, thanks.

In last few articles, we discussed the function of a prophet, but how does that work in the day to day affairs of people. In the Old Testament prophets received what they had to say by direct revelation from the Lord, and some of what they had to say foretold the future and dealt with present concerns of the nation and people. They also revealed doctrine not previously known or understood and they ministered in all areas of life. Some were prophets assigned to the reigning king and some were not. In the New Testament there is no change in the character and focus of their ministry. They still receive direct revelation and 1Cor 13.9 and Eph 2.20 states that prophets are the foundation of the congregation of the Lord and upon which it is built. God built a congregation in the Old Testament and He is building and eschatological congregation in the New Testament. Both buildings need an “architect” who sees the plan of the builder and can put it down so others can bring it into reality. That is the role of a prophet in the Old and New Testament. They “see it” before it is even written down.

Now, the gift of prophecy is not to be confused with the gift of teaching, although they “overlap” somewhat and are related. A teacher takes revealed truth from the Word and expounds on it according to their level of understanding. Their authority only goes as far as their interpretation is correct. One is not obligated to obey or even listen a teacher who is wrong and has a false interpretation of the Scriptures.  Also, a teacher can only take their people as far as their understanding of the Scriptures and so what they say is limited. On the other hand, a prophet has no “script” to go by but delivers new revelation and truth as the Lord has revealed it.  There are many New Testament examples of this, and Agabus in Acts 21.11 and Ananias in Acts 9.10-19 come to mind. Their authority lies in the message itself and they are judged by whether it is correct or comes true. Therefore, prophecy is ranked above teaching (1Cor 12.2-8) and it must be proved. That’s why the gift of discernment is given to the congregation. It is a “check and balance” against false prophecies.

 During the Tribulation period, these gifts will be operating at a level never seen before, and for good reason. As false prophets will increase, so will the true prophets of the Lord increase and they will be anointed by the Lord to counteract the works of the evil one who will try to distort the Scriptures and lead many astray. The enemy will try to use illusion and delusion at an unprecedented level. Now, an illusion is when you think you see something but it’s not really there. A delusion is where you see something, but have the wrong interpretation of it. Delusion will be the main tool of the enemy in the last days, therefore true prophets of God will be needed as never before. There is so much more that can be said about the function and ministry of a prophet, but hopefully you have a better idea about it as a result of these articles. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me at ot.waxahachie @Yahoo .com and I will try and get back to you or use your question in succeeding articles.

This week we are going to continue with our look into the function of a prophet. One of the main reasons the Lord calls one to be a prophet is to restore the people to the ancient paths set forth in the Scriptures. They are to give warnings concerning politics and give positive visions in many different areas . They will rebuke or give positive instruction and move to restore in any given area. Listening to the Lord is essential and there are many different ways the Lord speaks, so let’s look at a few. We must test our listening and stay away from the occult. Another obstacle to clear hearing is the desire to feel “special” because being chosen does not make you special. A prophet must devour God’s word because it is the exercise track of their training and the structure of their thoughts and memory, the guard house, if you will, against bad doctrine. It is the basis for ideas, the checkpoint, the boundary.    God speaks through dreams and one must learn his own dream language. Symbols can have external meanings and have little to do with our personality, character or internal meaning. It has to do with their inner being. Colors can have double meanings. For instance, red can mean blood or anger, green can mean life or envy and so on. People can be symbols. To dream about the death of a person can be literal or it can mean the person is dying to themselves, and giving birth can be literal or the new birth to an aspect of their lives.  Visions can flash in pictures across the inner screen of their mind, very short in duration or a picture can “pop-up” before them. A vision can also be like watching a movie outside of themselves, or a trance. If the meaning is unclear, pray and ask questions and wait on the Lord. Recurring dreams or daydreams need to be examined (Job 33.14,29). God may show the prophet their sin to save them from the effects of it. It is a time to rejoice if that happens and it doesn’t mean it disqualifies them but means they are still relying on the Lord. Another way the Lord speaks is dark speech. This is  a pun, a puzzle, a parable or an allegory and is non-direct. Direct speech is hearing the voice of the Lord plainly and clearly like He spoke with Moses and others. He may also speak through messengers that he sends. The Scriptures themselves is a very common way He speaks. God speaks through circumstances and also what is called the “still, small voice” that one hears within himself. A mature prophet will be silent before the will of another. They are silent observers of what God does, a watchman or witness. If they have something revealed to them in secret that would create turmoil or frighten people but has no unction to say anything, it is a clear call to intercede. This goes for blessings as well. They must be careful on how they hear. Don’t solidify a revelation in too many concrete terms. They could add to what God is trying to communicate and confuse the whole thing. They must make sure the words that they say are from the Lord, so they should counsel with others who have functioned as a prophet (Prov 24.6). Ask the Lord to confirm what He says. But, once He does they should not let anything deter them.  In addition,  prophecy  can be expressed  in other ways such as  speech, a flow of words, sayings and  burdens. Next, we are going to look at the function of Old  and New Testament prophets and look at how prophets will function in the Last Days.

   This week we are going to continue with the topic of a prophet and briefly go into their function. We have already given an overall description of a prophet and also discussed their calling, preparation and training. But, how do they function and what exactly do they do once the Lord puts them “to work.” 

    A prophet will call people back to the Word of God, speaking God’s word to him so that the Lord can write His word uniquely on his heart. Behind his words of warning and words to obey is God’s mercy. But, all the while he may be directed to give a word to others, he is acutely aware of his own sin and deceit in his own heart. He thinks he will never be true to the Lord and will feel somewhat helpless, but that’s what God wants and this will temper his message to others because the training of a prophet is the most excruciating discipline to endure and his hurts and sins become his schoolmasters. The prophet will humble the mighty and raise the fallen. When others laugh he will be weeping in his spirit. When others weep and are in the grip of true repentance, his spirit rejoices because he sees God’s rewards of mercy coming. When believers are celebrating a great victory he has already been called to the next battle, the next pit of sorrow. In other words, a prophet will always feel “out of synch” with other believers and will have a sense that he just doesn’t “fit in”, but he really does and the prophet will and must understand this or it will really discourage him. Prophets warn of trouble coming and they prepare people for the fire. He will be laughed at, cursed, rejected, fall and arise. He may have to speak a hard word to people for which he will disliked and hated. His services are free and they do not charge because the Lord is their source, not man. It’s acceptable, however, to take an offering but he must never be for hire. Many so-called prophets today are nothing but hirelings and they charge a high price to the next bidder. This is clearly the mark of a Balaam. A prophet will stand mute before the will of another and must never force what he wants. He must find ways for the person to receive his words and let them join into the search rather than tell them too many answers.  He must not only know what to say, but how to say it. A prophet owes the people nothing but comes and goes as the Lord directs and he may co-exist with some strange people. He sees no visions or perceptions unless the Lord has revealed them. He will never “peep” on his own but will rest in the Spirit and the Word. He can’t always be gentle or courteous because he must also rebuke, so he must depend on the Spirit of God. If he must render a rebuke then do it, but let God discipline. He also must pray always, think God’s thoughts and study, study, study. Daniel received angelic visitations after he was studying the Book of Jeremiah because he wanted answers. Much of what God reveals may frighten him or cause him distress so he must pray for guidance or intercede for another. He must also keep quiet about things he knows until the Lord tells him otherwise. He must be careful how he hears and be aware that what people want will and can affect him.

    He must not be put into the position of a “seer”, this not the primary function of a prophet. He must listen to God’s voice and not be affected by what others say. Warnings may not go down as prophesied because God warns so it WON’T happen. Confirmation may not mean agreement by others so just because some don’t agree shouldn’t stop him. He must do all he can do to verify what he has heard is from the Lord. The prophet, for the most part, is not for the general public but is sent to believers. (1 Cor 14.22, Matt 7.6). He must give what he has to say to the right people, at the right time. When disasters happen, that doesn’t mean that the victims were evil (Lk 13.1-5).  The relation of sin is more “corporate” than “personal” and doesn’t mean the people have sinned. A prophet must never rationalize too soon by pouring comfort into  situation that the Lord was using to move people to repentance. The Lord’s prophet learns to relax in the mess. He will see God’s faithfulness no matter what is going on.  True repentance brings life, but remorse is self centered and the prophet must not only know the difference but be able to recognize it and deal with it in others. A prophet may never see the fulfillment of what he sees. He will have the blueprint that God will use to bring it to pass however.                                                                                                                                    In the next article we will continue with the function of a prophet and deal with more of what he does, and how does a prophet listen and know when the Lord is speaking to him. How can one discern between his own voice and the voice of the Lord. This will be very helpful, not only to budding prophets, but to believers in general so don’t miss the next article.