I have heard it said that Scripture interprets itself and have found it to be true. Yet, there are still many who believe we are to search for 'deeper meanings' and peel away the 'layers' to uncover stuff that might be there.
'Types and Shadows' are not deeper things. They are examples written of (foretold) in the OT and usually revealed (fulfilled) in the NT, or yet to be fulfilled - this would be an example of Scripture interpreting itself and why we read the book as a whole.
The Father and His Son both spoke in parables in attempts to get our attention and inspire us to 'think'. I used to harp on which version of Scriptures you should read from but have since learned that His Spirit will reveal the truth in all things as long as we spend time in His Word every day. There are still a few versions I would stay away from, but I'll save it for another study. However, there are a few things we should to take into consideration regardless of which version of Scriptures we read from, for example:
The Father and His Son both spoke in parables in attempts to get our attention and inspire us to 'think'. I used to harp on which version of Scriptures you should read from but have since learned that His Spirit will reveal the truth in all things as long as we spend time in His Word every day. There are still a few versions I would stay away from, but I'll save it for another study. However, there are a few things we should to take into consideration regardless of which version of Scriptures we read from, for example:
- Some meanings have been lost in various translations
- Hebrew idioms and poetic prose have been overlooked
- Not all writings from the old days are included in the bible choices of today
Yahweh's Word has been messed with for a long time:
Mark 7:5 ~ The scribes and the Pharisees ask Y'shua, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the traditions of the elders? His short answer is: "You hypocrites... You have left the Commandment of Elohim and have embraced the tradition of men. ... And you despise the Word of Elohim because of the tradition that you have handed down..."
This entire chapter is a great discussion of 'oral versus written law' which would later be recorded in the Talmud some 200 years later. Matthew 15:3 records the same... the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem ask Y'shua why his disciples transgress against the traditions of the elders. He asks them, "Why do you transgress the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?"
Written Torah was pitted against the oral traditions of the Pharisees who were nullifying the Word of YHWH by their traditions - Yahshua would not instruct his followers to do likewise. What we have ended up with is Jewish Tradition and Christianity with all of its denominations.
The Talmud
Quoted from the Jewish Virtual Library:
The Oral Law is a legal commentary on the Torah, explaining how its commandments are to be carried out. Common sense suggests that some sort of oral tradition was always needed to accompany the Written Law, because the Torah alone, even with its 613 commandments, is an insufficient guide to Jewish life. For example, the fourth of the Ten Commandments, ordains, "Remember the Sabbath day to make it holy" (Exodus 20:8). From the Sabbath's inclusion in the Ten Commandments, it is clear that the Torah regards it as an important holiday. Yet when one looks for the specific biblical laws regulating how to observe the day, one finds only injunctions against lighting a fire, going away from one's dwelling, cutting down a tree, plowing and harvesting. Would merely refraining from these few activities fulfill the biblical command to make the Sabbath holy? Indeed, the Sabbath rituals that are most commonly associated with holiness-lighting of candles, reciting the kiddush, and the reading of the weekly Torah portion are found not in the Torah, but in the Oral Law. Without an oral tradition, some of the Torah's laws would be incomprehensible.
Can you see where the term 'legalism' was wrongly applied by Christians to Torah, the written Word of Yah, as an excuse to ignore the Old Testament, while at the same time being totally blind to the fact it was the acts of the scribes and Pharisees which made their opinions 'legal'? That is the foundation of Judaism, another religion that perverts our heavenly Father's Instructions for all of humanity. Notice also how 'they' have added rituals to Yah's simple command in regards to keeping the Sabbath day set apart. Our Creator's Instructions do not include lighting candles, reciting prayers or reading weekly Torah portions which are from Oral Law: traditions which Y'shua did not support.
I do not encourage the use of the talmud nor do I support folks who use it as a teaching guide. Rabbis believe "Without an oral tradition, some of the Torah's laws would be incomprehensible" and this is simply not true. As we continue to read and study Yah's Instructions, it is His Spirit that reveals the truth and teaches us how to apply His Word to our lives in today's world. The talmud provides insight to the 'Jewish mindset' (not the Hebrew mindset) via the early rabbinic system (the beginnings of Judaism = a religion). It is a collection of writings that covers 'Jewish law and tradition'. Rabbis believe we cannot understand "Torah" without it and that is simply not true. They were guilty of putting a 'fence around Torah' back in day and many religious leaders have followed suit. My main point is to advise caution when it comes to the traditions of man. When we continue to read and study Scriptures daily, His Spirit will reveal the Truth wherein we gain knowledge and understanding, without the influence of traditions or man's opinions about "God". Y'shua called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites because they transgressed against the Commandments of Elohim by way of their traditions which later became recorded in the Talmud. This is a big reason why I do not recommend using the Talmud in an attempt to teach, shed light or verify the Word of YHWH.
The Mishna
Quoted from the Jewish Virtual Library:
Mishna is the name for the sixty-three tractates in which Rabbi Judah set down the Oral Law, where Jewish law is systematically codified. Indeed, in order to know everything the Torah said on a given subject, one either had to read through all of it or know its contents by heart. Rabbi Judah avoided this problem by arranging the Mishna topically. All laws pertaining to the Sabbath were put into one tractate called Shabbat. The laws contained in Shabbat's twenty-four chapters are far more extensive than those contained in the Torah, for the Mishna summarizes the Oral Law's extensive Sabbath legislation.
One of the Mishna's sixty three tractates contains no laws at all. It is called Pirkei Avot (usually translated as Ethics of the Fathers) .... in which their most famous sayings and proverbs are recorded.
During the centuries following Rabbi Judah's editing of the Mishna, it was studied by generation after generation of rabbis. Eventually, some of these rabbis wrote down their discussions and commentaries on the Mishna's laws in a series of books known as the Talmud. The rabbis of Palestine edited their discussions of the Mishna about the year 400: Their work became known as the Palestinian (Jerusalem) Talmud. More than a century later, some of the leading Babylonian rabbis compiled another editing of the discussions on the Mishna. By then, these deliberations had been going on some three hundred years. The Babylon edition was far more extensive than its Palestinian counterpart, so that the Babylonian Talmud became the most authoritative compilation of the Oral Law. When people speak of studying "the Talmud," they almost invariably mean the Babylonian version.
Did you catch that? They took the command to keep the 7th day set apart and turned it into 24 chapters! They would rather present their interpretation as proper and dissuade anyone from reading Torah for themselves. Heaven forbid we would have to read His Word to learn how to apply it to our lives today! What do you think it means to 'search for YHWH as if looking for treasure"? Maybe we are to read Scriptures for ourselves and, in faith, rely on His Spirit to reveal the truth that has been covered up by man's imagination. Division is a tactic used by Satan. Here we have rabbis dividing the Word of Yahweh into two versions of the Talmud. Christianity has been divided into many denominations.
Kabbalah
Quote from the Jewish Virtual Library:
Mysticism and mystical experiences have been a part of Judaism since the earliest days. The Torah contains many stories of mystical experiences, from visitations by angels to prophetic dreams and visions. The Talmud considers the existence of the soul and when it becomes attached to the body. Jewish tradition tells that the souls of all Jews were in existence at the time of the Giving of the Torah and were present at the time and agreed to the Covenant. There are many stories of places similar to Christian heaven and purgatory, of wandering souls and reincarnation. The Talmud contains vague hints of a mystical school of thought that was taught only to the most advanced students and was not committed to writing.
In the middle ages, many of these mystical teachings were committed to writing in books like the Zohar. Many of these writings were asserted to be compilations of secret ancient writings. Like most subjects of Jewish belief, the area of mysticism is wide open to personal interpretation. Some traditional Jews take mysticism very seriously. Mysticism is an integral part of Chasidic Judaism, for example, and passages from kabbalistic sources are routinely included in traditional prayer books.
The mystical school of thought came to be known as Kabbalah, meaning "to receive, to accept." The word is usually translated as "tradition."
Kabbalah is one of the most grossly misunderstood parts of Judaism. I have received several messages from non-Jews describing Kabbalah as "the dark side of Judaism," describing it as evil or black magic. On the other end of the spectrum, I receive many messages wanting to learn more about the trendy doctrine popularized by various Jewish and non-Jewish celebrities.
I do not mean to suggest that magic is not a part of Kabbalah. There are certainly many traditional Jewish stories that involve the use of hidden knowledge to affect the world in ways that could be described as magic. The Talmud and other sources ascribe supernatural activities to many great rabbis. Some rabbis pronounced a name of G-d and ascended into heaven to consult with the G-d and the angels on issues of great public concern. However, this area of Kabbalah is not something that is practiced by the average Jew, or even the average rabbi.
(end quote)
And when folks say there are deeper things to be found in Scriptures and layers to be peeled away I cannot help but think that this type of thinking comes from Jewish Tradition, specifically mysticism. One will not understand Scriptures the first time they sit down and start reading. It takes time to absorb all the information, make the connections and begin to see the Big Picture. The Big Picture begins to emerge once we gain some understanding as Scriptures interpret themselves and that light goes on and we see something as if for the first time - that "Ah Ha!" moment. That moment is when the Ruach haKodesh reveals a truth.
Thank you Yahweh!
We are most capable of understanding the instructions left for us by our Creator and without the temptation of discovering deeper meanings. He does expect us to make an effort, such as reading Scriptures and studying in fellowship with other Set Apart believers. When we show Him our intent and abide by His Instructions, best we can in this day and age, He gives us understanding as we are comforted with the truth revealed to us by His Ruach haKodesh. This would be akin to Y'shua explaining to his Apostles the gist of the parables wherein they gained understanding. Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, rabbis, preachers and all the church fathers lose their perceived power, importance, money and control over the common folk when the common folk start reading Torah for themselves.
