Opinions Matter Only So Much

Torah Living Daily Challenge 26

The other day, I found myself in an awkward situation, which I surmise is not uncommon to many of us in the Hebraic Roots. And I would venture to say that, with the advent and popularity of social media, which many of us are unfortunately entrenched and in bondage to, such awkward situations tend to occur more times than not.

While perusing postings from individuals who I’ve befriended and those who befriended me on Facebook, I came upon a post that asked everyone for their opinion regarding the viability or trustworthiness of Andrew Gabriel Roth’s Aramaic English New Testament—which I happen to have a copy of in my library and which I reference from time to time. I of course felt it necessary to post, in response, my opinion on this Bible. Suffice to say, I gave a favorable nod to this Bible, making sure that I was giving only my opinion and trying not to come across as an expert on the subject giving a definitive endorsement. Frankly, I could care less whether or not anyone reading my response agreed with my positive opinion of Roth’s New Testament or not. I happened to give some supportive information why I liked this Bible and left it at that.

Well, I soon received a retort or challenge to my opinion or posting. It happened to be from a somewhat well known Hebrew Roots teacher and gospel singer who I had the privilege to know personally and to have fellowshipped with on a few occasions. Simply put, she challenged my positive views on this Bible, siding with the negative position of a Karaite Jewish scholar (who happens to be well known in certain sectors of our Hebrew Roots community, although He rejects Y’shua as Messiah) who had strong opposition to Roth’s publication. Bottom line, this individual who opposed my view on this Bible, stated that her friend who was this Karaite Jewish scholar, said the Aramaic English New Testament is not a trustworthy Bible and thus, it is not to be used or referenced. In other words, it’s a bad book because my friend said so. So don’t read it; don’t reference it; throw it away; discard it; don’t think about it; your opinion of this book is outright wrong and you know what Rod, you’re wrong; blah, blah, blah.

Really? Okay. I then gave her additional reasons why I felt this Bible was a viable resource and asked her if she had passed along her Karaite Jewish scholar friend’s concerns to Andrew Gabriel Roth so that he would have the opportunity to defend his work. By now, this had turned into a low-level argument through social media that I found to be quite disconcerting and it was infringing on my peace of mind. Fortunately she also recognized that this was going nowhere and that a senseless and rather pointless argument was quickly developing and she abruptly put a stop to it by stating emphatically that her Karaite Jewish scholar friend said the book was a bad book and thus we are not to use it.

So this exchange gave me cause to pause and rationalize a few things. Certainly I had concerns over my use of social media and how such negative discourses can easily materialize at the drop of hat. Secondly, it caused me to rationalize this whole thing about “opinions” and the “authority” we tend to give people in the Hebrew Roots community.

Now, I’m all for respecting those who Father has put into our midst as teachers, scholars and the like. These individuals, for the most part, have been given truth by the Spirit, to pass on to us. It is their responsibility to pass on that truth and in turn, it is our responsibility to examine the information that is provided to us and make a decision as to whether we accept the information as provided or reject it. In most cases, today, those individuals who have been given positions of authority and instruction over us, operate in areas of gray. What I mean by this is that much of what is being taught or postulated by these teachers and instructors and scholars is based upon research that they’ve done and as a result of that research, they derive or come up with an opinion that they pass on to us. I’m talking about things that these teachers and scholars put forth to us that are not directly from the pages of the Bible, for there are foundational things contained in the Bible that are not opinion based. Father says, the wages for sin is death. There is no debate. There is no opinion needed. Master said to us, seek first the kingdom of Yahovah and His righteousness. Again, there is no opinion to be found here. These and other such passages of the Bible are teachings and instruction directly from Father and Master. Those among us who teach these and other similar passages of the Bible need not pose or put forth an opinion for the teaching is direct and to the point. However, there may be nuances of such teachings that fall withing the opinion arena that these teachers and scholars must then contemplate and pose their conclusions to us. For example, how would one actually seek the kingdom of Yahovah? In this case, an opinion is warranted. Those opinions may be researched based, or may come in part as revelation from the Holy Spirit. It then behooves us as Torah Observant Believers in Y’shua Messiah to become Berean-like (Acts 17) and “…search the scriptures daily whether these [opinions] are so.” Our search of scripture may not provide us the answers we need to aptly respond to the stated opinions, but at the end of the day, we have 3-choices: agree with the posed opinion; disagree with the posed opinion; or not have an opinion on the subject. Becoming Berean-like in how we approach teachings and positions on things of our Faith, is how we become grounded in our Faith and avoid being caught up in religion.

Listen, I came out of religion over a decade ago and left behind this whole authority and don’t you dare question the teachings and opinions of certain people in that religion. But I found that this type of situation still exists in Hebrew Roots. Much of what we do and believe and see in our Faith is based upon that which is contained in our Bible. Also, a great deal of what we do and believe and see in our Faith is based upon the opinions and understanding of those who we’ve given authority over us as our teachers. So and so said we must do this. So and so says that this isn’t true so reject it. And we fall hard for this trick of the devil. We have this inherent need to have someone other than Father over us; to teach, guide and instruct us. We’re too lazy or too scared to do our own research and arrive at our own conclusion about this thing or that in our Faith.

Opinions matter—but they matter only so much. I try my best in these postings to provide you with “thus sayeth Yahovah.” But there are many times when I give you my opinion. I would hope and pray that you take the opinions that I am giving you and weigh those opinions within the context of your understanding of Scripture and the teaching and leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul was renown for giving his opinion on many things throughout the scope of his many epistles. Yet people tend to take what Paul is saying—that is Paul’s position or opinion–at times as being the actual reiteration of the Words of Yahovah. These passages reflect the opinion and teachings of Paul, they are not Yahovah’s words. And to Paul’s credit, it is in these passages that he stipulates that the thing he is commenting upon is his opinion or his position. And I get that Paul was a chosen apostle of Y’shua and with that comes a tremendous amount of authority that we are compelled to respect and honor. However, we must be cognizant that Paul and the other men who would be apostles, were men who had to make hard decisions and address issues that were ongoing in the Faith, based upon their understanding of the situation and their understanding of Scripture. There was not always a clear answer to a particular situation, at least not from the pages of Torah or the prophets or writings. Therefore, it was left up to each apostle’s experience and knowledge base to draft an opinion on the issue at hand.

One of the most famous passages of Pauline writing deals with Paul contending that women not teach nor exercise authority over a man. (Reference 1 Timothy 2:12) How many of us have grown up in or attended churches where those organizations practiced or indoctrinated its members into an anti-woman teaching and authority mindset? Certainly, Paul had reasons in support of his position regarding women operating in the Body. But at the end of the day, it was Paul’s position and not necessarily Father’s position. Paul states: “But I…do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” (NAS) Probably as it relates to the situations ongoing in some of the assemblies that Timothy was overseeing at the time this epistle was written, Paul’s opinions on women teaching and having positions of authority in the assembly, was wise and valuable. But then, what about today? Does or should his opinion aptly apply to all assemblies and fellowships? How many fellowships and assemblies who hold on to Paul’s opinion and position on women teaching and having positions of authority in the Body, are missing out on the valuable contributions that the women in these assemblies have to offer? The first stop I made in my journey coming into Hebrew Roots was to affiliate with the United Church of God. The United Church of God staunchly held to this Pauline passage and it was one of the essential doctrines of United. I got to know many of the women in United and was humbly honored and grew to respect their knowledge and experience. These women were not permitted to participate in the church services nor where they allowed to teach even other women. I believe this to be a terrible waste of resource and this doctrine was clearly a source of much disappointment and even resentment among the women of United. Yet the congregations were dying out and there was no growth or life in the church. I attribute the United demise, in great part, to a lack of vision and misunderstanding that the doctrine against woman teaching and having authority in the church is an opinion or personal perspective and advice to a young minister of the gospel. Here’s what I do in that situation. Take it or leave it, is essentially what Paul was saying in this passage of Timothy.

So, again, opinions matter. But we must take opinions from those we respect with a grain of salt, so to speak, and use them in context and form our own opinions based upon a healthy balance of study, prayer, fasting, revelation and faith.

What do they say: opinions are a dime a dozen…because everyone has one?