Six Bad Habits of New Testament Scholars (and how to avoid them): Dr. Lydia McGrew

Without watching the video, the two most important fallacies of “Biblical scholars” — and I use that term very loosely — is that they FAIL TO:

1) understand/recognize that the Scriptures were written from a Hebraic perspective (not a Western European one) and
2) remove their denominational blinders — they cannot discern false traditions (embellishments unsupported by the Word), precepts of men (manufactured theology), and doctrines of demons (assimilated paganism) because of their systemic indoctrination into their respective “religions.” There is only ONE way… THE WAY (Heb. HaDerech).

In addition, there are those with covert agendas (e.g., Jesuits) who have infiltrated modern churches and synagogues at the highest levels and continually attempt to remove what vestiges of truth remain from the inside — all while having the appearance of piety. Then, there are those — with overt agendas — who continually erode the truth via #FakeScience and unsubstantiated, philosophical arguments to get the weaker in faith to question it. Yes, the Great Apostasy is working from within and without.

#QuestionEverything
=======
Who penned the Dead Sea Scrolls?

The answer is exceptionally easy as to whom penned the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS); the mystery is revealed in the Book of Acts. Luke and Acts were written to Mattathias ben Theophilus (recorded simply as “Theophilus” — just as Yosef ben Caiaphas was referenced as “Caiaphas”). Theophilus was the kohen gadol (=chief priest) in Jerusalem in 65-66 CE at the start of the First Jewish-Roman War that lasted from 66-73 CE. Luke was explicitly written in chronological order taken from eyewitness accounts; see Luke 1:1-4 concentrating on v3.

The “sect” was called THE WAY (Heb. HaDerech) in Acts. Josephus, a self-described Pharisee (and we know what Christ thought of them in The Eight Woes recorded in Matthew 23) coined the derogatory term “Essenes” (=pious ones). These “wise men from the east” of Jerusalem — 15 miles as the crow flies — in the desert wilderness of Qumran had resided there for nearly two centuries before Christ’s conception on the Feast of New Oil in 5 CE and His birth on the Feast of Weeks in 6 CE. (And, yes, I have confirmed what the “star of Bet Lechem” was with our local planetarium.) Yochanan (John), who was a Levite, went to study in Qumran; see Luke 1:80. Recall that he was “the voice crying out in the (desert) wilderness.” The Feast of Weeks is when The Way made new covenants; Yehoshu’a (Joshua, falsely called “Jesus” from the Latin transliteration — NOT translation — of His name) ushered in the ultimate New Covenant with His birth.

Malachi was the Teacher of Righteousness, and John Hyrcanus, the first Jew to “proselytize by the sword,” was the Wicked Priest when this “sect” was in its infancy. Malachi explicitly speaks of The Way and of the coming of Yochanan before Yehoshu’a:

Malachi 2:8 But as for you, you have turned aside from THE WAY (emphasis mine); you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts. (NASB)

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear THE WAY (emphasis mine) before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. (NASB)

The original prophesy in Isaiah:

Isaiah 40:3 A voice is calling,
“Clear THE WAY (emphasis mine) for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. (NASB)

Here is the confirmation to this prophesy focusing on Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, and John 1:23:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+3%3A1-3%3B+Mark+1%3A2-4%3B+Luke+3%3A1-6%3B+John+1%3A19-23&version=NASB

The Congregation, or men and women of The Way, lived in Damascus, Syria, where there is a “street called Straight” to this very day. They would dedicate their first-born sons to the Lord and send them to Qumran to study. Where was Sha’ul (Saul) going to persecute the men and women of The Way under direct orders of the Great Sanhedrin? It’s all right there in Acts, folks! You just have to open your eyes and quit listening to “Biblical scholars” and their false machinations.

Of those in Qumran, the last vestiges of them were discovered at Masada according to research via the Biblical Archaeology Society (BAS). Scribal remnants were crossed matched at both locations (http://tinyurl.com/n3zt9ch).

So, how does The Way factor into prophesy? They are the 144,000 of Revelation! What other Jewish males in that number (12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel) were chaste? Neither the Pharisees nor Sadducees were celibate. The DSS clearly state that those in Qumran were. This “sect” separated themselves from the corruption being practiced in Jerusalem, and they lasted for just under three centuries (early second century BCE to 73 CE). The generation that existed in the time of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection in 36 CE certainly witnessed the destruction of the Second Temple.

Modern day Israel/Jerusalem follows the Babylonian mysteries. They place more faith in the Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) than they do in the TaNaKh (OT); they follow a Babylonian calendar in which the fourth month is named after the Babylonian deity Tammuz (http://tinyurl.com/qgl6wg4); and they recite “Adonai” for the Tetragrammaton, which is a reference to the Greek Adonis and the Babylonian Tammuz. They are “Mystery Babylon” from Revelation, and Jerusalem will certainly be destroyed! After the new Heaven and Earth are created, New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, will descend from Heaven! So be it (amen)…

Shema Yisrael! (Hear, Israel!)

Copyright (C) 1995-2018, L. Alan Schuetz
=======
The Way in Acts

So, where is the “sect” called The Way (Heb. HaDerech) mentioned explicitly in Acts?

* Acts 9:1-31
* Acts 19:8-10, 23-27
* Acts 22:1-16
* Acts 24:1-16

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9%3A1-31%3B+19%3A8-10%2C23-27%3B+22%3A1-16%3B+24%3A1-16&version=NASB

The following bears repeating from the words of Paul the Apostle:

Acts 24:14 But this I admit to you, that according to [T]he Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (NASB)

Recall that (Titus Flavius) Josephus (né Yosef ben Matityahu) — a Jewish historian, Roman citizen, and self-described Pharisee — applied the term “Essenes” (=pious ones) to this “sect.” He even had a spurious claim of living among those in Qumran before deciding to practice pharisaism; however, his timeline does not mesh up (i.e., he lied on his résumé). The Dead Sea Scrolls mention “the way” repeatedly in significant manuscripts.

The Damascus Document describes how the Congregation of men and women lived. They sold all their earthly possessions and donated the proceeds to the collective — living a communal lifestyle. This is confirmed in Acts including some of the problems they encountered:

* Acts 2:44-47
* Acts 4:32-37
* Acts 5:1-11
* Acts 6:1-6

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A44-47%3B+4%3A32-37%3B+5%3A1-11%3B+6%3A1-6&version=NASB

John (Yochanan) was instructed in the desert wilderness of Qumran based on Luke 1:80:

Luke 1:80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. (NASB)

Do you think that John’s parents — whose father was a Levitical priest — would allow their only son to roam aimlessly in the desert? How would he become “strong in spirit?” The Holy Spirit had not been sent yet!

Like it or not, THIS was the early church… And, for the Catholic folks, Peter NEVER visited Rome, but as a Roman citizen, Paul definitely did! Again, that is documented in Acts et al.

Shema Yisrael!

Copyright (C) 1995-2018, L. Alan Schuetz