The “Model”  

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Glossary

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

Appendix E

Appendix F

Appendix G

Appendix H

 

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The “Model” for
the Messianic Community

by
Ari Levitt

Please Note: This is a rough draft of my current writing project, which now I hope to be able to publish by the end of 2007. It has undergone five major re-writes and numerous additional revisions as of this date (November 2006), and I anticipate there will be numerous additional changes before I feel that it is ready to publish. It is not my desire to argue with anyone on this subject, nor is it my desire to coerce Gentile Believers into embracing Messianic Judaism or to cast any kind of undue criticism, unkindness, or disparagement upon Gentile Christianity. My only intent is to present an historical perspective on the Body of Messiah which I believe is a reasonable alternative to the perspective which I taught for approximately 30 years as a Baptist pastor.

Copyright ©2003-2006 Ari Levitt and Family Bible Ministries. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, except brief quotations in reviews, without written permission from the publisher.

Published by
Family Bible Ministries
1108 17th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26101-4060
304-422-2566 • www.FamilyBible.org

Unless otherwise indicated, or when annotated (CJB), scripture quotations are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. www.messianicjewish.net/jntp. Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations annotated (NAS) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Table of Contents

1. First Things First

2. Preliminary Concepts

3. Modern “Messianic Judaism”

4. Judaism in the Late Second Temple Period

5. The Appearance of Yeshua

6. The Giving of Ruach HaKodesh

7. Shabbat or the Lord’s Day?

8. Rabbi Sha’ul of Tarsus

9. The Jerusalem Council

10. “Christian” or “Messianic?”

11. The Synagogue from 70 to 325 CE

12. Where Did the Word “Church” Come From?

13. Summary and Conclusions

Appendices

Appendix A. Tisha b’Av and 17 Tammuz

Appendix B. Evidences for a Hebrew Source of the B’rit Hadasha

Appendix C. Scholars Who Support a Hebrew Origin for the B’rit Hadasha

Appendix D. The Bar-Kochba Revolt

Appendix E. Canons from Nicea 1, 325

Appendix F: Anti-Semitic Decrees of Constantine and His Successors, High Priests of the Babylon Mystery Religion in Rome

Appendix G. A Brief Overview of Replacement Theology

Appendix H. Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust