Redeeming Hebrew Roots

𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦: 𝗞𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗, 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚

Hebrew Roots has a problem. Too many people who sincerely want to obey God have become caught up in bad theology, questionable history, religious arguments, and sometimes abusive leadership. I've watched people grow in their love for Scripture while becoming increasingly suspicious of Christians, Jews, and anyone who disagrees with them.

I don't believe we should abandon Hebrew Roots. I believe we should help correct it.

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚.

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

𝗹19 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 encourages believers to study the whole Bible and test what they're taught against Scripture. Their emphasis on examining our assumptions is healthy.

𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 have helped thousands understand the Hebrew background of Scripture. I appreciate Bradford's careful teaching, historical explanations, and willingness to make his lessons freely available.

𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗲𝗴𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 defend the importance of Torah and the equal standing of Jews and Gentiles in Messiah. I appreciate Hegg's serious engagement with Scripture, although I disagree with his One Law theology.

𝗝𝗶𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 have encouraged believers to rediscover the biblical festivals and examine their religious assumptions. Staley is historically associated with Hebrew Roots, although his more recent teaching has questioned that identification.

There are also people helping correct the movement from outside it. 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝘇 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗭𝗶𝗼𝗻 represent a Messianic Jewish approach that distinguishes Jewish and Gentile callings while affirming their unity in Yeshua. FFOZ isn't Hebrew Roots.

𝗦𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡?

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 often begins with a sincere discovery that Torah is good. The mistake comes when we assume that every commandment applies identically to everyone. Acts 15 and 21 teach us to recognize different covenant responsibilities.

𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗝𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀 sometimes develop when disappointment with religious tradition becomes distrust of the rabbis. But Jewish tradition isn't automatically wrong, and we owe much to the Jewish people who preserved Scripture and Jewish continuity.

𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻-𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 often grow from a genuine desire to avoid idolatry. Unfortunately, fear can make people accept bad history. We need evidence, not internet legends.

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 can develop when discovering neglected truths creates a sense of superiority. The correction is humility, accountable leadership, and the willingness to admit we're wrong.

𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚

I believe Hebrew Roots is worth redeeming because its people are worth loving. Many genuinely want to follow Yeshua and live according to Scripture. We should encourage that desire while correcting teachings that divide families, damage relationships, and misrepresent Judaism.

𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵. 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗵, 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗵.

𝗔𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

If you're involved in Hebrew Roots, I invite you to 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 this series and join the 𝗟𝘆𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁. We're developing a community for biblical literacy, mentoring, friendship, and Torah Pursuant living.

יְבָרֵךְ ה׳ אֶת מְבַקְשֵׁי הָאֱמֶת וְרוֹדְפֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם

*Yevarekh Adonai et mevakshei ha-emet ve-rodefei ha-shalom.*

"May the LORD bless those who seek the truth and pursue peace."

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗺.

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