Pharisaic Calendar and Court - Pt. 1

Do We Have a Soul? - Part 1

It is recognized that most of us have been taught from our early years that we all have an immortal soul. Then, upon death, our soul would ultimately end up spending eternity in either heaven or hell, depending on what Saint Peter decided at the Pearly Gates. Unknown to many, Scriptures give an entirely different scenario. With this podcast, we will discuss what Scriptures reveal regarding the concept of an immortal soul.

Trust or Faith?

Scriptures assert that authentic truth does not originate within us. The human heart and mind, prone to error, sin, and deception, cannot be its source. Rather, truth is external—revealed through Yahweh’s divine word. It is trust in Yahweh, not subjective belief, that guides us to what is ultimately true.

Moses and Yahweh

It is clear from the numerous passages in Scriptures that the name Yahweh is an eternal name and that it was known and used since the days of Adam and Eve. It can also be demonstrated beyond any doubt that Yahweh revealed the sacred name to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaak, and Jacob and was utilized by their households. How, then, is it possible that a popular interpretation—which contends that Yahweh never revealed his name to Abraham, Isaak, or Jacob and that it was only first revealed to Moses—can be used to offset the entire book of Genesis and numerous other verses throughout the Scriptures? We invite you to investigate this seeming contradiction in Scripture and discover the facts of the matter with this podcast.

Pharisaic Calendar and Court - Pt. 2

The court system developed by the Hillelic Pharisees was clearly a device they invented to address how a New Moon Day was to be declared. The rabbis did involve the populace by having them act as official witnesses, making them feel as if they were an essential part of the process. At the same time, the Jewish people allowed the Nasi (head of the Sanhedrin) to become all-powerful, giving him the same status as Moses and by hanging on his very utterance of approval before they could begin a month and count the days to their festivals. Ultimately, the regulations of the Hillelic system caused it to collapse under its own weight, leaving those who adhered to its principles in a constant state of confusion.

Pharisaic Calendar and Court - Pt. 1

The Hillelic Pharisees, starting with Gamaliel I, using the “traditions of their fathers” and heavily influenced by Babylonian customs, instituted a series of modifications that forever changed the requirements for determining the beginning of a month and a year in what became known as Orthodox Judaism. One must realize the fact that there is no record before the Mishnah (200 C.E.)—and then only when it deals with the period of Pharisaic control over intercalation beginning in 41 C.E.—of any official sanctification of the new moons and the requirement for witnesses before a court to confirm a visual sighting of a new moon crescent.