Torah Focus

The Torah and Freedom

It will not take long while reviewing Torah Focus (torahfocus.com) and the teachings presented here to realize that we take a pro-Torah approach to interpreting the Scriptures. Obviously, this approach creates several interpretive problems. For the most part the worldview of the contemporary Church leans towards antinomian (against the Torah) interpretations of the Biblical text. We have dealt with this superficially in past posts and pages. See Torah Focus, Shaul and the 613 and the New Englanders & the 613.

First, let us interject that we are not trying to make an apologetic for this stance. We are presenting truth to those who desire to learn what it was like to live under the teachings of Yeshua and Shaul.

Therefore, the question at hand is how we can take this approach when men like Shaul talk about freedom from the Torah? (more…)

Josephus and the 613

Almost everyone in the field of scholarship is familiar with Josephus. His historical writings are most valuable for a multitude of scholarly endeavors. Few scholars have undertaken the time to embark on the daunting task of reading Josephus from cover to cover. Regardless, opinions of whom and what Josephus was all about vary from scholar to scholar.

Recent scholarship is beginning to take a new view of Josephus. In the past Josephus has been cast in a negative light. More recent scholarship is beginning to cast Josephus in a more favorable light. This is because they are viewing Josephus from the world that he actually lived in rather than try to contemporize his ideals. Nothing is more important to the accurate exegesis of a text that knowing the current events of the author. Without the works and writings of Josephus much data concerning the historical events of the first century would have been lost. Likewise, the ideals, cultural data and beliefs would be lost. We have learned from Josephus of the varied sects and diversity of Jewish groups that existed during his life time.

We shall not try to elaborate on this point with any depth at this juncture. Our focal point is Josephus’ relation to the idea of the mitzvot (613 commandments).

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