"I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive Me.; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive."
(John 5:43) (Christ to a hostile crowd).
Did Christ prophesy the coming of the false messiah Simeon Bar-Kokba? Bar-Kokba led an armed insurrection against Rome in AD 130, and was proclaimed "Messiah" by one of the most respected rabbis of antiquity: Rabbi Akiba. (Alternately spelled "Akiva"). Maybe Christ did. But one thing's for certain: there were quite a few false messiahs during that time. Bar Kokba was the most prominent of them all, because he received 2nd Century Judaism's "stamp of approval" from Akiba. Yet there were other messianic pretenders as well. Perhaps Jesus spoke of them all as a group, in John 5:43.
Acts 5:33 records another rabbi, Rabbi Gamaliel warning his fellow-Pharisees to treat the apostles carefully, not harshly. Gamaliel mentions "Theudas" and "Judas of Galilee" as failed political saviors who spurred the Jews to rebellion against Rome and were crushed. Gamaliel is still honored today, and is quoted each Passover at the "seder" meal as part of the liturgy of the "Haggadah", the guidebook used by Jews at Passover. If the ancient Jewish leadership had heeded Gamaliel, they would've fared better, historically. But instead, they listened to Akiba.
In 135 AD the second of two suicidal Jewish wars against the Romans had ended. The first one ended in AD 72 with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. The second one ended with a world-wide Jewish dispersion (The "Diaspora") and with the Romans forbidding Jews to live in Palestine anymore. The second one also had a distinctive all its own. It had its own "messiah": Simeon Bar Koziba (re-named "Bar-Kokba" ("Son of the Star") by the honored Akiba, Akiba was one of the most honored rabbis of post-biblical Judaism. But having rejected the claims of Jesus and the early Christians, who until recently had still been part of the Jewish community, he picked the wrong messiah and demanded that all loyal Jews in Roman Palestine follow Bar Kokba as their national savior. This of course was impossible for the Jewish-Christians, and permanently fractured the fraying relationship they had had with the Judaism of the synagogues, a relationship that had recently suffered yet another blow when, in AD 80, at the Council of Jabne (alternatively spelled "Yavheh" or "Jamnia", depending on which language you favor), the Judaism of the synagogues had denounced all Jewish followers of Christ as heretics. So, under Akiba's guidance and instigation some years later, the nation rallied to Bar-Kokba in a war that cost 580,000 Jewish lives, the destruction of 950 communities, and deprived the Jews of a homeland for 2000 years.
Ironically, Akiba (or "Akiva") is held up as a hero in modern Judaism. For example, B'nei Akiva (Literally "Children of Akiba") is currently the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world with over 125,000 members in 42 countries.
Akiba's example and the regard in which he's held today also gives us a window on how modern Judaism envisions the concept of "Messiah". Just as in the First Century AD, so also today: the messiah is a kind of righteous political problem-solver, but not "divine"; who brings peace between nations and a renewed Golden Age to Israel. Though Akiba backed Simeon Bar-Kokba and not Jesus, the whole matter is treated as an honest mistake by a well-meaning rabbi.
Now here's where it gets even more curious ...
Judaism's reverence for Rabbi Akiba likely gave rise to the celebration of Lag B'Omer. Lag B'Omer, a Jewish holiday, was this past Sunday (May 14th). What's significant about this is that unlike other Jewish holidays, this one has no basis at all in biblical history. In fact, it may very well be a reaction against it.
Lag B'Omer commemorates the 33rd day of the legitimate "Counting of the Omer" when, according to respected (post-Biblical) Jewish legend, Rabbi Akiba, on the 33rd day of this "count", miraculously stopped a plague among his followers in Roman Palestine before the false messiah Simeon Bar-Kokba was defeated.
"Lag B'Omer" (translation: "33rd day of Omer-counting") is Judaism's post-Biblical adaptation of the legitimate, Bible-based event called "The Counting of the Omer":
An omer was the sheaf of grain offered in the ancient Jerusalem Temple the day after Passover. Though Lag B'Omer is not biblical, the Counting of the Omer IS. The ancient priests were told to wave a sheaf of barley before the Lord in the Temple, and then count the days for seven weeks (49 days). Then, on the 50th day (or to say it in Greek, the "pentecost" day), two loaves of bread were presented before the Lord, made from the produce of the early spring harvest. The name for this holiday is called "Shavuot" (a.k.a., the Feast of Weeks). The New Testament version of this holiday is called "Pentecost". The focus of Old Testament Shavuot is on the early harvest of grain. The focus of New Testament Pentecost in on the early harvest of born-again human beings. Both events occurred at the same time and, according to the New Testament, the one is the spiritual realization/fulfillment of the other. When in Acts 2 Jews from various nations of the world, represented by the languages they spoke, were required by the Law of Moses to return to Jerusalem and offer sacrifice in the Temple. While there, they heard the gospel of Jesus, believed it, and the Holy Spirit fell on them and they then became the first Christians of their representative language groups, the "first-fruits" harvest of their various nations.
The way the New Testament handles this entire period of 50 days is by using the agricultural language of "omer counting". First Jesus, the lone sheaf of grain, is presented to both God and man by visual evidence. (His resurrection). Then for 40 days He's physically seen by crowds, then ascends bodily to heaven. Ten days later, (total of fifty) He sends his Spirit to "re-birth" the Jews of the various language groups assembled in Jerusalem for Shavuot (i.e. "Pentecost). But before He ascends, he tells his disciples to wait (in essence, to count the days) 'till his Spirit descends and reaps the First-fruits harvest of souls who will return to their representative nations and language groups to begin the world-wide harvest of souls in the final and great harvest (Feast of Tabernacles) at the end of the world.
Think I'm reading too much into all this? Well, consider these passages:
John 12:24: Christ speak of Himself as a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, in order to reap a harvest of much grain: the language of Firstfruits.
John 12:23: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies it produces much grain." More "Firstfruits" language. Christ speaks of his death as producing a harvest, using commonly-understood words.
Romans 8:23: The Holy Spirit in believers is spoken of as a "Firstfruits" of what is yet to come: the renewal and glorification of the saints' mortal bodies.
I Corinthians 15:23: "Christ the Firstfruits" is compared to the single sheaf of spring grain waved before God in the Temple the day after Passover
Acts 2:1-4: "When the day of Pentecost had fully come ..." The agricultural 49 'countdown' days (7 weeks + 1 day) concluded by a Firstfruits harvest of new saints.
Acts 2:5-11: Jews from all over the known world, from all the major language groups, assemble in Jerusalem for Firstfruits as the Law of Moses required. While there, some believe in Christ, receive the HS, then return back to spread the gospel.
Acts 1:3: " ... being seen by them during 40 days ..." From the time of His resurrection to His ascension into Heaven, it was 40 days. Ten days later, on the "pentecost" (Greek: "Fiftieth"), the Spirit descended & reaped a harvest of souls.
Acts 1:3-5: "Wait for the promise of the Father": the NT's fulfillment of the OT's command: to count the seven weeks of 49 days plus 1 day: from the waving of the first sheaf before God in the Temple until the spring harvest of barley sheaves.
Leviticus 23:15-17: The agricultural counting of the days until the spring harvest: grains and sheaves represented Christ and the firstfruits harvest of souls in Acts 2.
Luke 24:49: "But tarry in the City of Jerusalem": Christ's command for the disciples to wait (in essence, to "count the 50 days" of Lev. 23:15) until the Spirit comes.
Akiba and his followers were well-familiar with this interpretation by the Jewish-Christians, and they vehemently disagreed with it. In the early struggle for disciples between Church and Synagogue, the majority of Jews sided with Akiba's disciples, Akiba's false messiah Bar-Kokba, and of this "Lag B'Omer" holiday of the 33rd day of the count when Akiba's purported miracle occurred. But the Jewish-Christians saw the 50th day, the "pentecost" day, as the fulfillment of Christ's promise and of His miracle.
(John 5:43) (Christ to a hostile crowd).
Did Christ prophesy the coming of the false messiah Simeon Bar-Kokba? Bar-Kokba led an armed insurrection against Rome in AD 130, and was proclaimed "Messiah" by one of the most respected rabbis of antiquity: Rabbi Akiba. (Alternately spelled "Akiva"). Maybe Christ did. But one thing's for certain: there were quite a few false messiahs during that time. Bar Kokba was the most prominent of them all, because he received 2nd Century Judaism's "stamp of approval" from Akiba. Yet there were other messianic pretenders as well. Perhaps Jesus spoke of them all as a group, in John 5:43.
Acts 5:33 records another rabbi, Rabbi Gamaliel warning his fellow-Pharisees to treat the apostles carefully, not harshly. Gamaliel mentions "Theudas" and "Judas of Galilee" as failed political saviors who spurred the Jews to rebellion against Rome and were crushed. Gamaliel is still honored today, and is quoted each Passover at the "seder" meal as part of the liturgy of the "Haggadah", the guidebook used by Jews at Passover. If the ancient Jewish leadership had heeded Gamaliel, they would've fared better, historically. But instead, they listened to Akiba.
In 135 AD the second of two suicidal Jewish wars against the Romans had ended. The first one ended in AD 72 with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. The second one ended with a world-wide Jewish dispersion (The "Diaspora") and with the Romans forbidding Jews to live in Palestine anymore. The second one also had a distinctive all its own. It had its own "messiah": Simeon Bar Koziba (re-named "Bar-Kokba" ("Son of the Star") by the honored Akiba, Akiba was one of the most honored rabbis of post-biblical Judaism. But having rejected the claims of Jesus and the early Christians, who until recently had still been part of the Jewish community, he picked the wrong messiah and demanded that all loyal Jews in Roman Palestine follow Bar Kokba as their national savior. This of course was impossible for the Jewish-Christians, and permanently fractured the fraying relationship they had had with the Judaism of the synagogues, a relationship that had recently suffered yet another blow when, in AD 80, at the Council of Jabne (alternatively spelled "Yavheh" or "Jamnia", depending on which language you favor), the Judaism of the synagogues had denounced all Jewish followers of Christ as heretics. So, under Akiba's guidance and instigation some years later, the nation rallied to Bar-Kokba in a war that cost 580,000 Jewish lives, the destruction of 950 communities, and deprived the Jews of a homeland for 2000 years.
Ironically, Akiba (or "Akiva") is held up as a hero in modern Judaism. For example, B'nei Akiva (Literally "Children of Akiba") is currently the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world with over 125,000 members in 42 countries.
Akiba's example and the regard in which he's held today also gives us a window on how modern Judaism envisions the concept of "Messiah". Just as in the First Century AD, so also today: the messiah is a kind of righteous political problem-solver, but not "divine"; who brings peace between nations and a renewed Golden Age to Israel. Though Akiba backed Simeon Bar-Kokba and not Jesus, the whole matter is treated as an honest mistake by a well-meaning rabbi.
Now here's where it gets even more curious ...
Judaism's reverence for Rabbi Akiba likely gave rise to the celebration of Lag B'Omer. Lag B'Omer, a Jewish holiday, was this past Sunday (May 14th). What's significant about this is that unlike other Jewish holidays, this one has no basis at all in biblical history. In fact, it may very well be a reaction against it.
Lag B'Omer commemorates the 33rd day of the legitimate "Counting of the Omer" when, according to respected (post-Biblical) Jewish legend, Rabbi Akiba, on the 33rd day of this "count", miraculously stopped a plague among his followers in Roman Palestine before the false messiah Simeon Bar-Kokba was defeated.
"Lag B'Omer" (translation: "33rd day of Omer-counting") is Judaism's post-Biblical adaptation of the legitimate, Bible-based event called "The Counting of the Omer":
An omer was the sheaf of grain offered in the ancient Jerusalem Temple the day after Passover. Though Lag B'Omer is not biblical, the Counting of the Omer IS. The ancient priests were told to wave a sheaf of barley before the Lord in the Temple, and then count the days for seven weeks (49 days). Then, on the 50th day (or to say it in Greek, the "pentecost" day), two loaves of bread were presented before the Lord, made from the produce of the early spring harvest. The name for this holiday is called "Shavuot" (a.k.a., the Feast of Weeks). The New Testament version of this holiday is called "Pentecost". The focus of Old Testament Shavuot is on the early harvest of grain. The focus of New Testament Pentecost in on the early harvest of born-again human beings. Both events occurred at the same time and, according to the New Testament, the one is the spiritual realization/fulfillment of the other. When in Acts 2 Jews from various nations of the world, represented by the languages they spoke, were required by the Law of Moses to return to Jerusalem and offer sacrifice in the Temple. While there, they heard the gospel of Jesus, believed it, and the Holy Spirit fell on them and they then became the first Christians of their representative language groups, the "first-fruits" harvest of their various nations.
The way the New Testament handles this entire period of 50 days is by using the agricultural language of "omer counting". First Jesus, the lone sheaf of grain, is presented to both God and man by visual evidence. (His resurrection). Then for 40 days He's physically seen by crowds, then ascends bodily to heaven. Ten days later, (total of fifty) He sends his Spirit to "re-birth" the Jews of the various language groups assembled in Jerusalem for Shavuot (i.e. "Pentecost). But before He ascends, he tells his disciples to wait (in essence, to count the days) 'till his Spirit descends and reaps the First-fruits harvest of souls who will return to their representative nations and language groups to begin the world-wide harvest of souls in the final and great harvest (Feast of Tabernacles) at the end of the world.
Think I'm reading too much into all this? Well, consider these passages:
John 12:24: Christ speak of Himself as a grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies, in order to reap a harvest of much grain: the language of Firstfruits.
John 12:23: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies it produces much grain." More "Firstfruits" language. Christ speaks of his death as producing a harvest, using commonly-understood words.
Romans 8:23: The Holy Spirit in believers is spoken of as a "Firstfruits" of what is yet to come: the renewal and glorification of the saints' mortal bodies.
I Corinthians 15:23: "Christ the Firstfruits" is compared to the single sheaf of spring grain waved before God in the Temple the day after Passover
Acts 2:1-4: "When the day of Pentecost had fully come ..." The agricultural 49 'countdown' days (7 weeks + 1 day) concluded by a Firstfruits harvest of new saints.
Acts 2:5-11: Jews from all over the known world, from all the major language groups, assemble in Jerusalem for Firstfruits as the Law of Moses required. While there, some believe in Christ, receive the HS, then return back to spread the gospel.
Acts 1:3: " ... being seen by them during 40 days ..." From the time of His resurrection to His ascension into Heaven, it was 40 days. Ten days later, on the "pentecost" (Greek: "Fiftieth"), the Spirit descended & reaped a harvest of souls.
Acts 1:3-5: "Wait for the promise of the Father": the NT's fulfillment of the OT's command: to count the seven weeks of 49 days plus 1 day: from the waving of the first sheaf before God in the Temple until the spring harvest of barley sheaves.
Leviticus 23:15-17: The agricultural counting of the days until the spring harvest: grains and sheaves represented Christ and the firstfruits harvest of souls in Acts 2.
Luke 24:49: "But tarry in the City of Jerusalem": Christ's command for the disciples to wait (in essence, to "count the 50 days" of Lev. 23:15) until the Spirit comes.
Akiba and his followers were well-familiar with this interpretation by the Jewish-Christians, and they vehemently disagreed with it. In the early struggle for disciples between Church and Synagogue, the majority of Jews sided with Akiba's disciples, Akiba's false messiah Bar-Kokba, and of this "Lag B'Omer" holiday of the 33rd day of the count when Akiba's purported miracle occurred. But the Jewish-Christians saw the 50th day, the "pentecost" day, as the fulfillment of Christ's promise and of His miracle.
