By Their Love You Will Know Them

CHAPTER 42

Yeshua is once again condemned by the Pharisees for breaking the Sabbath when his disciples eat some ears of corn while walking through a cornfield. Yeshua heals a man of a withered hand while teaching at the synagogue, which further angers the Pharisees for once again breaking the law of the Sabbath, and they plot anew in ways to have him destroyed.

 1 During the following Sabbath Yeshua, Miriam and his disciples walked through a cornfield, and his disciples who were hungry began to pluck some ears of corn and eat them.

 2 Seeing this, Yeshua reminded them to leave a coin for the farmer in payment for that which they had eaten, for they had taken without asking.

 3 But when the Pharisees saw it, they chastised him, “Behold, your disciples have done that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day.”

 4 Yeshua answered them, saying, “Have you not read what David did, in the days of Abiathar the high priest, when he and those who were with him were hungry; how they entered into the house of God and ate the shewbread, which was not lawful for them to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?

 5 Or have you not read in the law that if a priest who is serving in the temple violates the Sabbath, they are blameless?

 6 Think you that David or the priests are greater than the Lord of the Sabbath?

 7 Verily, if you understood the meaning of the words of Elohim, that I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men.

 8 The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

 9 If you have ears to hear and eyes to see, use them, for I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the priest, even one greater than the temple, even the Lord of the Sabbath.”

 10 From the cornfield, Yeshua went straightaway to the synagogue to teach, and the Pharisees followed to see if they could catch him in more acts of breaking the laws of the Sabbath.

 11 Yeshua walked among the people in the synagogue, and they parted like the sea before Moses to let him pass, for word that he was coming had preceded his steps.

 12 Standing before them, Yeshua said unto them, “You have heard it said that a pious man prays many times a day and gives alms to the temple or synagogue. But I say unto you, of what good to the God of Heaven are alms given to priests or prayers said upon prayers, simply for the sake of praying?

 13 If you would give alms, give them until you feel their loss in your own comfort.

 14 Give some to support the synagogue and temple but not all, for Elohim would see you make your own good choices.

 15 Give a tenth of your excess to the synagogue and temple to support your spiritual community, but then give what remains of your excess to the poor or to your temporal community.

 16 Not in random should you give or to the man who says he will distribute your money for you. Give directly to the poor or your community in ways unseen, that you may see the benefit of your alms in the lives of those in need, but that they will not see their benefactor.

 17 By this means, you will see with your own eyes that your money has been well-given. Because they will not see their benefactor and only God will see, you will grow in your character, having given for love and not for the acclaim of men.

 18 And of what purpose or benefit to either you or Elohim is the endless repetition of the same prayers? Do you think that by praying the same repetitions again and again, you are proving your devotion to God?

 19 Nay, you are only proving your slavish acceptance to the dictates of foolishness given by priests that neither brings you closer to God, or God closer to you, and demonstrate a lack of spiritual depth that you do not speak words from your own heart.

 20 If you truly wish to be closer to God and to show your devotion, then do so by your good deeds of love and selflessness. Treat others as you hope Elohim will treat you. And when you pray, pray without repetition, but with a connection of love to God as the words flow from the depths of your heart, whatever they may be.

 21 If you truly want to hear and feel Elohim in your life, then pray in sincerity and humility and speak with God, not in repetition, but as one friend would speak to another, for the righteous and virtuous have no greater friend than Elohim.”

 22 There was a man present by the name of Yoab who had been born with a withered hand that hung limply upon his arm. Notwithstanding his infirmity, Yoab was a good man. His countenance was pleasant, and with a smile on his face, he always sought ways to help his brethren and those in need, even as Yeshua had spoken of.

 23 After he was finished speaking, Yeshua began to walk out of the synagogue, and he passed next to Yoab. Seeing his withered hand, he said unto him, “Though your hand is withered, your heart is full of love.”

 24 Yoab nodded his head slowly in silence and then said unto him, “I love every day of life, for it is another day that I can do good in the world. I stopped thinking of my withered hand long ago; else, it would have stopped me from being who I prefer to be.

 25 Who can fathom the ways of God? I am as I was created. Perhaps, if I was not born as I was, I would have taken a different path in life, not so fruitful.”

 26 Now the Pharisees had been watching and listening as Yeshua spoke to Yoab, and sensing that they might trap him into again breaking the Sabbath, and this before many witnesses, they questioned him, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

 27 Yeshua answered, saying, “What man among you having many sheep shall see one fall down a pit on the Sabbath and not lay a hold of him and pull him out?

 28 How much greater is man than a sheep? Wherefore, I will ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or is it better to let evil have its way? Is it lawful to save a life or is it better to let it perish?”

 29 And the Pharisees looked at him in silence, not knowing how to answer.

 30 Then Yeshua looked around him to see that all eyes were upon him. Then to Yoab, he said, “Stretch forth your hand.”

 31 Yoab stretched forth his withered hand, and Yeshua held it clasped in both of his hands and said unto him, “Let your hand be as the hand of the man would be if it was in your power to help him.”

 32 And opening his hands, Yeshua released the hand of Yoab, and it was whole and healthy, and all who saw it marveled.

 33 But the Pharisees were filled with madness, and leaving the synagogue in anger, they plotted anew what they might do to Yeshua and how they could bring about his destruction.

 34 After they had departed, Yeshua told people gathered in the synagogue, “Today you have witnessed the power of Elohim, and it did not come from endless prayers of repetition or from the giving of alms that vanish where you know not.

 35 It came from love and virtue and righteousness. If you desire the blessings of Heaven, love one another. And let your good deeds done in secret testify of your love.

 36 By this means, may you separate the wheat from the chaff and know the people of God from the pretenders; by their love, you shall know them. And from love comes all virtue, righteousness, and good deeds.”