"Moses said to the L-rd, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the L-rd may not be as sheep which has no shepherd." Num.27.15-17
G-d tells Moses that he will not enter the Promised Land, rather he will die as the people are to enter into the land. What was Mose's first priority? It wasn't to ask for an extension, as most of us would probably do, but to request a replacement. Moses knew, as did Jesus, that G-d is our true Shepherd ("The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want . . ."), yet we believe he still saw rightly the need of an earthly guide to help us while He is away preparing a place for us.
Even before Moses there was Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the true patriarchs. After Jacob, Joseph led his 11 brothers and their families, but nothing is said of a leader after Joseph. What we do know is that Joseph lived to see three generations of his children and when he died he made those still alive promise to take his bones back to the Promised Land, Gen.50.50.22-26. From Joseph’s death until Moses there was no thread of leadership and yet this was also the time that our ancestors fell into slavery (symbolically as sin). Why is this significant? We believe this is because those who Moses led out of Egypt through the hand of G-d did not know the laws that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob abided in. Also they seem to have lost the love of the Promised Land and only wanted to leave Egypt because they were oppressed as slaves.
Since their departure from Egypt, the Israelites kept asking to return to Egypt and when they finally came to the Promised Land, they were afraid to go in. So it is apparent why Moses saw a great value in requesting from G-d a leader to replace him when he had reached his final destination. Of course, G-d knows all things, so why did He leave Moses in the dark about this? He could have easily said to him, "Go up into this mountain of Abr'arim, and see the land which I have given, which Joshua, son of Nun will take the children of Israel into because . . ."
We believe by leaving Moses without this fore knowledge, G-d actually sought to show Moses with wisdom as an example to ask for guidance through a shepherd:
" . . . appoint a man over the congregation, who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of G-d may not be as sheep which have no shepherd."
The benefits to having a shepherd that should lead G-d's people are:
Now we feel Jesus also embodied these attributes for He lived the life we should live and through the cross, dying for us while we were still sinners, He showed us the direction of true love, the love of G-d. Jesus also confirmed the position of the shepherds when he said:
"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice." Matt.23.1-3
So we believe that Jesus Himself saw and accepted the authority of the scribes and Pharisees, even though He is the Messiah (Shiloh, to Whom the true scepter belongs). Why would He do this? We feel this is because He knew what few realize- that Israel needs a physical shepherd, even though G-d is the true Shepherd. This is what we as to what Moses understood and why he asked for one. And like G-d Who had planned for Joshua to shepherd after Moses, so we believe Jesus set up a shepherd as well:
"And I tell you Peter, and on this Rock I will build My Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give to you the keys of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loosen on earth shall be loosened in heaven." Matt.16.18-19
Jesus is the Rock on which our Church was built and on which the powers of hell will not prevail, which Protestants correctly state, however the thing they miss is that Jesus told Peter this and then added a "I will give to you the keys of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loosen on earth shall be loosened in heaven."
So what does this mean that He handed Peter the keys of heaven? Jesus Himself explains: " . . .whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loosen on earth shall be loosened in heaven". Therefore, this Church that we believe in is built on the Rock (Jesus) and has the authority to loosen and bind all things under heaven, which is the earth. Why would Jesus give such power to a mere man, especially one as Peter who Jesus knew would deny Him three times? In fact, Jesus also upheld flawed human leaders (scribes and Pharisees) that ruled even in His day.
Note these are the same people who would later call for the people to crucify G-d’s Anointed and who also persecuted the early Church fathers immediately after Jesus rose from the dead. Was Jesus unaware of these future actions? Clearly the answer must be 'no' because He is the Incarnate G-d. But if you read the entire passage of Matthew 23 you can see He was not granting them authority because of their perfection. The scribes and Pharisees suffered a severe case of hypocrisy, but their sinful nature did not absolve them of their authority nor did it allow those following them to seek another way. This was because despite their sinfulness they worshiped what they knew was true and it was for this reason we feel salvation came forth out of Judah, Jn.4.21-22.
So if hypocritical, arrogant and self-seeking leaders of the first century that actually helped to send G-d's Anointed to His death are still under authority until Jesus passes this authority to Peter and the apostles (see Matt.28.18-20 and especially Jn.20.22-23 for when this passing actually happened), then how much more are those of the Church He founded by His Own Words, see Matt.16.18-19. Also, please note another detail; Jesus passed the "keys" to Peter but gave all eleven (and any later apostles) the ability to
" . . . make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them all I have commanded you . . . If (they) forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if (they) retain the sins of any, they are retained."
So this authority to Jesus’s "Church" started after Pentecost and will continue until the "close of the age" (Matt.28.20) and "Peter" will thus have the right to "loosen and bind" things here on earth while the disciples of Jesus have the call to teach, baptize and even forgive the sins of the sheep. So if Jesus’ words are to be true, then this must exist from Pentecost until His return or until the "close of the age" of the Messiah. Yet this last detail isn't the one that Protestants argue against, but rather that Jesus’ words did not imply a succession of popes. They believe Jesus was only denoting shepherds in general and that we "all have the right to loosen and bind". Some of the references for this claim include that Peter did not rule the early Church; Saint Paul's many words against the circumcision party as well as the one case where he speaks of Peter himself are the places they point to as proof. Let's look at these claims one at a time:
First, that Peter did not rule the early Church-
It was Peter that spoke first after the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost, Acts 2.14-47. It was Peter who caught Anani'as and Sapphi'ra in their deceit and then judged them, and this judgment was upheld in heaven, Acts 5. But the greatest proof is in an area of contention, the going forth of the gospel to the Gentiles and the mission of Paul. If Peter was not the leader, then why would G-d give Peter the dream in Acts 10.9-16, which foretold the validity of Paul's future ministry? And if Paul's condemnation of Peter meant Peter had no authority due to Peter's misbehavior (which Paul talks in length about in Acts 2.11-14), then why did Paul go with Barnabas and the others to the "elders" to get a discussion on the whole Gentile question? If Paul and all the Christians were independent of a central authority they would have had no reason to convene that council and abide with the council's decision. The mere fact that they went to Jerusalem, and that Peter again gave decision is for us a clear indication of who ultimately held the authority. All Paul's words in Galatians do is show Peter's humanity. Peter wasn't breaking Paul's directive, but his own which G-d gave him in that dream (thus even popes are not above the Holy See). This is why Paul condemned Peter with such fervent anger and why Peter later affirms Paul's own authority as a leader while condemning those who interpreted Paul's words incorrectly, 2Pet.3.15-18.
Therefore, all Peter's abrogating of the Church's own directive through his actions (a directive he himself had made after his dream mentioned in Acts 10) shows that shepherds are not above the Law, yet neither are they above sin or beyond repentance. Perhaps this is why Peter "had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised" whereas Paul had been "entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised". Peter wisely knew that he was biased against the G-dless whereas Jesus had removed all such biasness from the heart of Paul. Of course this could imply two different leaders- one for the circumcised and one for the uncircumcised (Paul also states that Jesus made this distinction), but it could also be that Peter was well aware of his shortcomings and thus delegated Paul (with authority) to the mission Jesus gave through the Holy Spirit (this we believe is more likely the scenario). History seems to show that there was one Church in the later three to six centuries as well as to the one centered at Rome:
St Irenaeus of Lyons in Against Heresies, III, 3, 1, states (193;150;211):
"But since it would be too long to enumerate in such a volume as this the successions of all the Churches, we shall confound all those who, in whatever manner, whether through self-satisfaction or vainglory, or through blindness and wicked opinion, assemble other than where it is proper, by pointing out here the successions of the bishops of the greatest and most ancient Church known to all, founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, that the Church which has the tradition and the faith which comes down to us after having been announced to men by the Apostles."
What St. Irenaneus states here is that this Church of Rome was reconnected from the ministerial separation that occurred between Peter and Paul. This in turn implies that Paul's mission, however separate during his life, was still connected to Peter's. Peter gave a "hands off" because HaShem called it and this "hands off" did not have a long-term effect on the virgin Church.
Another example comes from another early father, St. Ignatius of Antioch (-109), where he states in a salutation to the Church at Rome:
"Ignatius Theophorus . . . to the Church in the place of the country of the Romans which hold the primacy. I salute you in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, You are a Church worthy of G-d, worthy of honor, felicitation and praise, worthy of attaining G-d, a Church without blemish, which holds the primacy of the community of love . . ." (To the Romans, Introduction).
This Church of Rome held "primacy" or predominance before St. Ignatius died in 109. That is just 79 years after Yeshua rose. Peter and Paul where both alive during this man's life and so the Church of Rome formed and existed in the later first century formed by the contemporaries of those that walked with Jesus and the Twelve (in fact we believe this fact was prophesied by Zechariah in chapter 5). Therefore we firmly believe the early fathers support that the Roman Catholic Church is the one founded by Peter as well as its existence, which predates the third century, and Constantine.
Another charge that is levied is if the Roman Catholic Church is kosher and our pope is the true lead shepherd while we are in Diaspora (before Jesus returns to bring us home) then why doesn't our Church keep the Laws given in Torah? Actually, we believe she does, at least the Law bound upon the Goyim. Thus this proves to us her right to rule because according to Act.15 she was not bound by all seven laws but only three and yet the Holy Roman Catholic Church keeps all seven (except for one-half law she states is bound upon only those in Jewish communities see Council of Florence). So our Church acquired the remaining Torah Laws binding upon the Goyim after she began to rule from Rome and not before and this in fact is prophecy:
"But this is the Covenant which I will make with the House of Israel AFTER those days, says L-rd of Hosts: I will put My Law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their G-d, and they shall be My people." Jer.31.33
Saint Paul clearly states this is the promise of the New Covenant, Heb.8.8-13. This passage states that after Jesus gave the New Covenant to us, He would write His laws upon our hearts and we would become His people. Therefore what would be the greatest proof that He really was the Messiah and we really are His people? The answer for us is if we as Church have His Law, verifiably His Law, as our Law, and in fact our evidence we believe shows clearly that our Roman Catholic Church does in fact have HIS verifiable LAW upon the grafted-in, see Noahide for further details.
Yet why did this take (approximately) 2000 years to come about? We suspect this text stated this would come about after those days and not when Peter first ruled as pope to provide us with a great miracle! For just after that text above we read:
"no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the L-rd' for they shall know Me from the least of them to the greatest, says the L-rd; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
What is so miraculous about the Holy Roman Catholic Church having the Noachide is that the Noachide is not only based upon Torah, but outlined specifically in the Talmud, a Jewish teaching that wasn't written down until AFTER Jesus came and our two faiths divided (by the third century to fulfill the words of St. Paul found in Rom.11.28). For two thousand years Rome and Judah did not talk- we fought among ourselves; so Who taught the Holy Roman Church the Laws upon the grafted-in according to the Talmud?
And what other church can name successor upon successor through an unbroken link from the first century to the 21st century? This is highly important because without such a link directly to Jesus Christ Himself, our faith cannot be linked to Him because either He is with us to the end of the earth or it is all made up!
Yet others reading this may struggle with our Church’s claimed "lawlessness" and her errors down though history, however as we already explained Jesus chose Peter to be His pope and not St. John, even though Peter denied Him while John stood by Him unto the end! Thus, Jesus wasn't looking for perfection from His shepherd, indeed perfection wasn't His prayer, but only that we be ONE!
"The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them, that may be one even as we are one, I in them and Thou in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them even as Thou hast loved Me."
If this concept is still too confusing, perhaps a tale from long ago can help make this concept clearer:
Joshua and Gamaliel- the Wrong Yom Kippur
Joshua Ben Chananiah picked up a small piece of metal with his tongs. He held it over the white hot coals of the charcoal fire. Slowly he turned it and turned it until the metal was red hot. Then he put it down on the anvil. Just as he raised his hammer to shape it, a sharp knock sounded on the door. Joshua left his tools and metal on the anvil and went to open the door.
The visitor was his younger student, Akiba. "Welcome, Akiba," said Joshua. "What brings you here so early?"
"Shalom, Rabbi Joshua!" Akiba spoke quickly, as if he were out of breath. "Gamaliel sent me with a very important message for you. I did not wish to come, but I had to obey Gamaliel. I don't think you are going to like the message I have to deliver."
Joshua smiled at Akiba. "You may be right. But first come and sit down. After you catch your breath, there will be time enough to tell me what Gamaleil wants. The metal for my needles is already cooling. We may as well have a little visit."
Akiba sat down, He leaned forward in his chair, facing Joshua. "I want to get it over with. This is the message. Next Thursday Gamaliel orders you to wear your working clothes. You are to take your staff and your satchel. You are then to walk to Yavneh. You are commanded to go to Gamaliel's office in the Sanhedrin. You are to do all this...next thursday
But Gamaliel knows I can't I can't do that," Joshua said angrily. "The way I figure the date, next Thursday will be Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the most Holy Day in the whole year! I never traveled on that day, except to go to synagogue for prayers. It is against our laws to carry things ike a staff or a satchel on that day. Gamaleil knows all that."
"Yes, Rabbi, Gamaliel knows all that. But the way he figures the date, Yom Kippur will be next Wendnesday. And he is the president of the Sanhedrin. He wants you to change your mind about the date. He wants you to obey him."
"Now I see why you did not want to come on this errand, Akiba," Joshua said to his student. "The whole thing started because Gamaliel does not understand the movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Two men came to him and said they had seen the New Moon of the month of Tishri. He took their word for it. He announced right away that Tishri had started. Old Dosa ben Horkinas told him that he was wrong. So did I. But it did no good. He said it was the first of the month, and so, the first of the month it had to be.
"I did not say anything more about it. I just kept Rosh Ha-shono on the right date, one day later. Now he wants to force me to do what is wrong on Yom Kippur. I would rather be sick in bed for a whole year than have to carry things and travel on Yom Kippur."
Akiba looked very worried. "But Gamaliel is the head of the Sanhedrin," He said softly. "If you do not obey him, every Jew will think he can do just what he feels like doing. If you do obey him, you will break Yom Kippur. What will you do?"
"I must think it over, Akiba," Joshua said."Thank you for bringing the message, even though we don't like it." they said good-bye. Akiba left.
Joshua went back to his work. He put a few more pieces of charcoal on the fire. He pumped the bellows to make the fire grow hot. "Shewoosh, shewoosh, shewoosh," went the bellows. The flames leaped up, red at the bottom white at the top. Joshua took the piece of metal in his tongs. He held it over the fire. Then he placed it on the anvil. He shaped it with his big hammer. "Bang, bang; bang, bang, bang, bang," went the hammar. All that day Joshua worked. And as he worked he thought about Ganaliel's order.
"Shewoosh, shewoosh, shewoosh...should I obey Gamaliel or keep Yom Kippur? Bang, bang; bang, bang, bang, bang...should I keep Yom Kippur or follow the orders of Gamaliel?" That's how it webnt all that day and all the next day.
According to the way Rabbi Joshua ben Chananiah figured, Yom Kippur begins at sundown that Wednesday night. Before the sun set, Joshua put away his tools. He got cleaned up. He fasted that evening and prayed to G-d. The next morning Joshua felt very sad. He put on his leather work apron. He took his satchel out of the closet. He strapped it over his shoulder. Taking his staff in hand, Joshua walked out of his house. With his head bent, he walked slowly to Yavneh. Every step he took hurt him. Tired and miserable, Joshua came at least to the building where the Sanhedrin met. He knocked on the door of Gamaliel's office.
Gamaliel called out, "come in." Joshua entered the room. He stood before the young head of the Court. He expected Gamaliel to say something mean.
To Joshua's surprise, Gamaliel seemed very glad to see him. The young man stood up. He seemed almost ready to cry as he put his arm around Joshua's shoulder. "Welcome, my teacher and my student," he said. "You are my teacher because you are wiser than I am. You are my student because you have obeyed my order. Happy is the generation when the great listen to the small! I know you believe that today is Yom Kippur. In obeying me as head of the Sanhedrin you helped keep our people strong in a time of trouble. Forgive me for having to ask so much of you."
Joshua did forgive Gamaliel. From this time on, they worked together closely in the Sanhedrin at Yavneh.
(Leaders of our People, by Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner, published by Union of American Hebrew Congregations (c)1963; pp.48-52
Most remember that Jesus commanded us to follow His commandments and to love one another, but few speak of the importance of being one in Him. Yet it is our unity that lets the world know "Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them even as Thou hast loved Me". Therefore our divisions undermine our witness. Even if all Christians believe in one baptism, they are still splintered all over the place. Many churches or denominations claim unity among themselves and maybe with a neighbor or two, however only one that we know of has evolved and now keeps the Noahide, and this is the same one that has proclaimed a literal Eucharist from the first century onward, and the same one that has been headed by ONE human SHEPHERD for two thousand unbroken years of successions!
This is why we believe we need one main shepherd to lead the many lay shepherds (kind of like a president) because this maintains unity of the body. Why is this true? We believe Moses gave us the reason:
" . . . who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in; that the congregation of the L-rd may not be as sheep which have no shepherd."
If modern Christianity wanders like sheep without shepherd it is not, as we believe, because there is not a visible earthly shepherd to set an example of our heavenly Shepherd, but rather they say to the Holy See what Korah said to Moses:
"You have gone too far! For all of the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the L-rd is among them; why then do you exult yourselves above the assembly of the L-rd?"
Salvation by "faith alone" isn't new to the New Testament for Korah and his cohorts knew this doctrine as well. Yet in the end they were swallowed up in the earth as we expect many who also claim this same doctrine (along side a similar one "solely scripture" are swallowed by earthliness). Thus George Santayana warned us that "those ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it" because they do not heed the warning of the very word they claim to be their own:
"Yet in like manner these men in their dreamings defiled the flesh, REJECT AUTHORITY, and revile the glorious …these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do, they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they walk in the ways of Cain, and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion." Jude 9-11
