There is quite a difference in opinion of what the Saviour meant when He said that "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Also referred to is that we are to live "by every word" that comes from the mouth of YHVH. Did He really mean exactly letter for letter all of the 613 laws of the Old Testament or What? Is every word in the Scriptures the words of Elohim? The scriptures are an inspired written record of YHVH’s dealing with mankind, but all the words in this record are not YHVH’s words.
An example of this is when Satan (the serpent) tempted Eve to sin in the garden of Eden, Satan talking with Elohim in Job 1, Satan tempting the Saviour in Matthew 4:1-11. There are records of words of false prophets, prophetesses and even the words of a donkey talking to Baalim, etc.
So every word in the scriptures are not all the spoken words of YHVH! Which is one of these least commandments Yahoshua spoke of in Matthew 5:19? Was Yahoshua stating that all 613 laws are still in effect today because all has not yet been fulfilled? If they are still in effect, then some people are in trouble, because they don’t keep all 613 laws! If they say they keep all of them, then I have some provoking questions to ask!
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [establish, Romans 3:31].
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHVH.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of YHVH doth man live.
PUTTING TO DEATH THE ADULTERER & ADULTERESS
Now think about this a minute! If there has not been one jot or tittle changed in law from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, then why didn’t Yahoshua command the woman that got caught in adultery to be stoned (put to death) in John 8:3-11 as commanded in the Old Testament? Was He disobedient to the Father’s command? Yahoshua said in John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death [see also Deuteronomy 22:22].
PUTTING TO DEATH YOUR OWN CHILDREN
Do you think that Yahoshua included in the Jots and Tittles putting to death everyone that was commanded to be put to death? Would you stone your own children for disobedience? That’s part of the 613 commandments!
Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Deuteronomy 24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
11 And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of YHVH, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)
12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of YHVH might be showed them.
13 And YHVH spake unto Moses, saying,
14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his Elohim (God) shall bear his sin.
16 And he that blasphemeth the name of YHVH, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of YHVH, shall be put to death.
If none of the jots and tittles of the 613 commands have been changed, then all of the Commandments given to Aaron and his sons, the Levites, the laws of the temple service, sacrificial laws and all the laws pertaining to these should be kept. How many of you are from the tribe of Levi? Why aren’t all the sacrifices being offered on all the feast days as commanded? People claim to keep the feasts as commanded! NO THEY DON’T, they are only keeping a memorial of the feast! Where are the Booths that are commanded? There are very few, if any. Maybe one at each feast site. People sleep in tents, campers, motels and on and on. There is a lot of talk without the examples of keeping the 613 commandments! Maybe half of them, if that many, even in the sacred name movement!
Leviticus 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am YHVH your Elohim.
Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the law which YHVH had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of Elohim (God), and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
I know of two men, the heads of families in the sacred name movement that took the jots and tittles so far as to offer an animal sacrifice. Several others have given up the entire New Testament and one that I know has admitted being an atheist.
Do you wear clothing with different kinds of materials woven together? It states that it is against the commandment to do so. Have you built a rail around the roof of your house? If not, isn’t that disobedience?
Deuteronomy 22:11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woolen and linen together.
Deuteronomy 22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
CIRCUMCISION
Do you require all Gentiles to be physically circumcised to partake of the Passover? According to the commandment, the Gentiles must be circumcised to eat the Passover!
Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to YHVH, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Now some have claimed that the physical circumcision has been transferred to heart circumcision because of what the New Testament teaches. Even if it did, then that would be a change in the law of the jots and tittles! Heart circumcision was also required in the Old Covenant also! So really there was no transfer at all, #1 either there was a change in the jots and tittles from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, or #2 Yahoshua wasn’t including all of the 613 laws? One or the other!
Deuteronomy 10:15 Only YHVH had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
Deuteronomy 30:6 And YHVH thy Elohim (God) will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love YHVH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Jeremiah 4:3 For thus saith YHVH to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
4 Circumcise yourselves to YHVH, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
NEW COVENANT CIRCUMCISION
Romans 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision [Gentiles] keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of Elohim.
I Corinthians 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? Let him NOT be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of Elohim.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Messiah:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
This is exactly what Messiah does when He circumcises our hearts, the same as spoken in Deuteronomy 30:6 And YHVH thy Elohim (God) will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love YHVH thy Elohim with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
NEW COVENANT PRIESTHOOD
The laws of the Levitical priesthood have been disannulled (#115 cancellation) or changed as spoken of in Hebrews, subtracting from the 613 laws:
Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a CHANGE also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Master sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Hebrews 9:8-10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. [Read vs. 8-10].
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of Elohim;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith YHVH, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
So the commandments of the temple service of the Levitical priesthood (for there is no temple today), the animal sacrifice for sin, the physical circumcision have been changed lowering the 613 laws way down and there are no longer 613 laws! Even if the temple was built again, does that nullify the sacrifice of Yahoshua so that the sacrifices can continue again in the temple by the Levites? I don’t think so, otherwise the sacrifice of Yahoshua was in vain! We are NOW under the Melchisedek Priesthood spoken of in Hebrews 7:11 above! (Hebrews 9:8-10, until the time of reformation)!
LAW (JOTS & TITTLES) FROM THE BEGINNING
When Yahoshua spoke of the JOTS and TITTLES in Matthew and Luke, did He exclude or include these commandments that are excluded in the New Covenant? Yahoshua was the brother of James (Yacov) and he (James) spoke of the whole law that Yahoshua taught him as the law of liberty and the royal law and referred to this law as the Ten Commandments!
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Yahoshua gives us another clue of to the Jots and Tittles in Luke , I John and Matthew. He refers directly to the Ten Commandments and the commandments that were from the beginning! Which laws did Abraham keep? Abraham kept the commandments, statutes, and laws FROM THE BEGINNING! This was several hundred years before Moses was born and before the law was written on two tables of stone by YHVH’s own hand and what Moses wrote in a book that was placed on the side of the ark!
Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of Elohim is preached, and every man presseth into it.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery. [the seventh commandment of the Ten]!
I John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life [Yahoshua Messiah];
5 This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that Elohim is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
I John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth His word, in Him verily is the love of Elohim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is THE WORD which ye have heard from the beginning.
Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them AT THE BEGINNING made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore Elohim hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but FROM THE BEGINNING it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
LOVE YAHVAH’s LAW
Are we to love His law or hate His law? If we are to love YHVH’s law, would He NOT set the same example by loving His own law?
Psalm 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
David was rebuked for his sin when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed Uriah her husband. Then he was told that he despised the commandment of YHVH and despised YHVH by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite!
II Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith YHVH Elohim of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of YHVH, to do evil in His sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
The word "despised" in these verses is #959 in Strong’s Dictionary and means "disesteem," or of little value. In other words David did not give the value which should have been given to the commandments or to YHVH! Degrading the commandments and YHVH is sin!
Divorce was not granted from creation until Moses, for Yahoshua said "but FROM THE BEGINNING it was not so." This was about 1450 BC. About 400 years after Abraham. If YHVH gave this commandment in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, then why did YHVH DECLARE 1,000 YEARS LATER THAT HE HATES DIVORCE!! Would YHVH hate His own commandment, hate His own law? Would He command you and me to love a commandment that He hates?
Malachi 2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because YHVH hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 And did not He make one? Yet had He the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That He might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 For YHVH the Elohim of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away [divorce]: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith YHVH of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
17 Ye have wearied YHVH with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of YHVH, and He delighteth in them; or, Where is the Elohim of judgment?
In the Tanakh in verse 16 it states "For I detest divorce." Also in the Complete Jewish Bible by David Stern in verse 16 it states "For I hate divorce," says Adonai [YHVH] the God of Israel.
The word "hateth" here is #8130 in Strong’s Dictionary and means "hate personally" If YHVH hates His own commandment, then He is a double minded Elohim! YHVH only hates evil, therefore divorce is evil!
Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Psalm 106:13 They soon forgot His works; they waited not for His counsel:
14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted Elohim in the desert.
15 And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
Ezekiel 20:24 Because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.
25 Wherefore I gave [allowed] them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
According to the evidence given, YHVH did not give the commandment in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, but it was Moses that permitted it! Yahoshua confirmed this: Matthew 19:8, "He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but FROM THE BEGINNING it was not so.
CONCLUSION OF JOTS AND TITTLES
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Notice that in verse 19 the law that it refers to is that "whosoever" means everyone is supposed to keep this law! Now think a minute, is everyone supposed to keep all of the 613 laws that have been written to keep! Notice, where is the commandment for the women to go to Jerusalem for the feasts, it states that all thy males must appear?
Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before YHVH thy Elohim in the place which He shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before YHVH empty:
The Temple service was only to be performed by the Levites, the sons of Aaron and the men only were to perform this duty. The women were excluded in this duty of commandments. All the sacrifices were to be done only by the Levites and men only again, excluding the women. The commandments of men over twenty years of age to go to war, women excluded. Male children to be circumcised on the 8th day.
The commandments of the Nazarite vow are included in the 613, do you keep any of those commands? Do we stone our own children who refuse to obey and are rebellious? Did Yahoshua disobey the command to stone the adulteress? Do you build a rail around the roof of your house so no one will fall off and get killed? Do you observe the commandments concerning having slaves?
We could go on and on, but can you see that the law Yahoshua was talking about was referring to the law that James called the whole law [Ten Commandments], the royal law, and the law of liberty. This is the only set of commandments that YHVH wrote with His own finger to identify sin. This is the law that both man and woman can keep and exclude none. All sin is identified by this law. That’s why Yahoshua said what He did. He wasn’t referring to all of the 613 laws, but the commandments that were from the beginning:
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
I John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is THE WORD which ye have heard from the beginning.
I preached this yesterday (11-1-03) and now I've had the privilege of sharing it with you .
Sincerely, David Klopfenstein
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Or continue your study of divorce and remarriage:
THE BRIDE PRICE
Divorce is not the unpardonable sin
The Question of Divorce and Remarriage
Divorce and Remarriage according to Some Mennonites
Which Jots and Tittles of The Law shall not fail? (This article) where you now are
5 Reasons Why Christians Should Not Obtain a State Marriage License
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