| (Copyright 2022) by Gary C. Miller (Pocahontas, Arkansas) |
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WHAT IS IT? DID THE MESSIAH OBSERVE HANUKKAH? HANUKKAH: TWO OTHER NAMES FEAST OF DEDICATION (most often translated feast of “dedication”) FEASTIVAL OF LIGHTS (Tradition that a cruse of oil burned 8 days instead of one day.) NOT SANCTIONED BY THE BIBLE: “…Hanukkah is the only major holiday that has no basis in the Bible.” (The Jewish Holidays, A Guide and Commentary, Strassfeld, p. 162) ORIGIN: Memorial of the cleansing of the temple and dedication of the altar after Antiochus Epiphanes polluted it (I Macc. 1:54,59; 164 B.C.); “…Judas [Maccabaeus] and…the whole congregation of Israel ordained…the days of the dedication of the altar…with mirth and gladness.” (I Macc. 4:59; The Apocrypha) Note this was not ordained by Yahweh, but by the congregation of Israel. It became a tradition of the Hebrews. (Mk. 7:8-9) WHEN: “…year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu [ninth month: v. 52; “Kislev”-Hebrew calendar; also v. 56].” (I Macc. 4:59] 2022 Date: December 19-26 MIRACLE OF LIGHTS DID NOT HAPPEN: OBVIOUS OMISSIONS EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS ARE PROOF: The eye witness accounts in I and II Maccabees make no mention of a miracle that a one day’s supply of a cruse of oil lasted eight days. NEITHER JOSEPHUS: Josephus, highly respected first century Christian Era Jewish historian, never mentions any such miracle. “LOST” FOR ABOUT 600 YEARS: The legend of the miracle is never mentioned until about 600 years later [500 A.D.] in the Babylonian Talmud [designated “Talmud”]: “…we find virtual silence in the Mishnah about Hanukkah. Only in the Gemara (the later rabbinic material that together with the Mishnah makes up the Talmud) do we find the long-lost miracle of Hanukkah.” (Strassfeld, p. 163) CONCLUSION: THE MIRACLE OF LIGHTS DID NOT HAPPEN. IT IS A MYTH. YAHSHUA, THE MESSIAH DID NOT OBSERVE HANUKKAH: WHAT ABOUT JOHN 10:22-23? Some claim these verses prove He observed Hanukkah: “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Yahshua [Jesus; NAS] was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.” CLOSER LOOK: No mention is made of Yahshua celebrating this feast. Jews confronted Him there asking if he was the Christ (v. 24). Notice what He said: “But you do not believe [who he was, v.v. 24-25] BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT OF MY SHEEP. MY sheep hear my voice…and THEY FOLLOW ME!” (Jn. 10:26) Clearly the Jews were not following Him; believing what He taught. If He observed the Feast of Dedication with them, they would have been His sheep. AND He and the Jews were constantly at odds during that festival (John 9:16, 29; 8:59; 10:20, 31, etc.) on many issues; including the traditions of Hanukkah. BEWARE OF TRADITIONS: “Neglecting the commandment of Yahweh [“God” NAS], you [Pharisees and Scribes; v.5] hold to the tradition of men…You…set aside the commandment of Yahweh [“God” NAS] in order to keep your tradition.” (Mk. 7:8-9) ——————————————————————————————————- See Gary C. Miller’s other articles at: Miller, Gary C. – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: International Congregation of Yahweh http://www.icyahweh.org/ ——————————————————————————————————- |
| Iron Sharpening Iron In regard to: Why Hanukkah? Article by Gary C. Miller Comments by Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota) |
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| From Gary’s Article: WHAT IS IT? DID THE MESSIAH OBSERVE HANUKKAH? HANUKKAH: TWO OTHER NAMES FEAST OF DEDICATION (most often translated feast of “dedication”) FEASTIVAL OF LIGHTS (Tradition that a cruse of oil burned 8 days instead of one day.) NOT SANCTIONED BY THE BIBLE: “…Hanukkah is the only major holiday that has no basis in the Bible.” (The Jewish Holidays, A Guide and Commentary, Strassfeld, p. 162) Laura writes: Hanukkah is not a Holy Day so as such it is not listed as a Holy Day in the Law of God. However, “dedication” in the Old Testament is Strong’s #H2597 or #H2598 and is spelled “Chanukkah”. In the New Testament it is called The Feast of Dedication in John 10:22. The dedication of a temple generally took 7 or 8 days. From Gary’s Article: ORIGIN: Memorial of the cleansing of the temple and dedication of the altar after Antiochus Epiphanes polluted it (I Macc. 1:54,59; 164 B.C.). “…Judas [Maccabaeus] and… the whole congregation of Israel ordained…the days of the dedication of the altar…with mirth and gladness.” (I Macc. 4:59; The Apocrypha) Note this was not ordained by Yahweh, but by the congregation of Israel. It became a tradition of the Hebrews. (Mk. 7:8-9) WHEN: “…year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu [ninth month: v. 52; “Kislev”-Hebrew calendar; also v. 56].” (I Macc. 4:59] 2022 Date: December 19-26 MIRACLE OF LIGHTS DID NOT HAPPEN: OBVIOUS OMISSIONS EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS ARE PROOF: The eyewitness accounts in I and II Maccabees make no mention of a miracle that a one day’s supply of a cruse of oil lasted eight days. NEITHER JOSEPHUS: Josephus, highly respected first century Christian Era Jewish historian, never mentions any such miracle. Laura writes: Just because there is no witness to something or no one wrote it down, does not mean the miracle, whatever it is did not happen. In my own life I have witnessed many miracles with only me there to see it or know it happened and most of them I never wrote down anywhere. So, you can’t dismiss a miracle just because no one witnessed it or wrote it down. From Gary’s Article: “LOST” FOR ABOUT 600 YEARS: The legend of the miracle is never mentioned until about 600 years later [500 A.D.] in the Babylonian Talmud [designated “Talmud”]: “…we find virtual silence in the Mishnah about Hanukkah. Only in the Gemara (the later rabbinic material that together with the Mishnah makes up the Talmud) do we find the long-lost miracle of Hanukkah.” (Strassfeld, p. 163) CONCLUSION: THE MIRACLE OF LIGHTS DID NOT HAPPEN. IT IS A MYTH. YAHSHUA, THE MESSIAH DID NOT OBSERVE HANUKKAH: WHAT ABOUT JOHN 10:22-23? Some claim these verses prove He observed Hanukkah: “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Yahshua [Jesus; NAS] was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon.” Laura writes: The problem I see here is are you talking about a celebration similar to Christmas? I know many messianic jews celebrate Hanukkah as if it were a Christmas celebration and I don’t see Christ ever attending that kind of a celebration but there would be nothing wrong with Christ or anyone else attending the dedication of a temple or an alter as was done in the old testament. Some do have a set time for Hanukkah because it is a Christmas like celebration, but on the other hand a dedication of a temple or alter can take place at any time of the year. This dedication in the Old Testament was in the seventh month. 2Ch 7:8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt. 2Ch 7:9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 2Ch 7:10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. And the dedication in the New Testament was in the winter. Joh 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. Since they kept these dedications at different times of the year for example whenever they needed to dedicate a temple or an alter and since Christ was clearly in the Temple at the time of the Feast of Dedication in the New Testament and did not seem to say anything against it, then it was probably just simply a dedication of the temple or an altar. From Gary’s Article: CLOSER LOOK: No mention is made of Yahshua celebrating this feast. Jews confronted Him there asking if he was the Christ (v. 24). Notice what He said: “But you do not believe [who he was, v.v. 24-25] BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT OF MY SHEEP. MY sheep hear my voice…and THEY FOLLOW ME!” (Jn. 10:26) Clearly the Jews were not following Him; believing what He taught. If He observed the Feast of Dedication with them, they would have been His sheep. Laura writes: Here is the problem with that line of reasoning. Since the temple at the time of Christ was Jewish run and if they were not His sheep why was Christ ever even in the Temple at all. Christ went to the temple daily to teach. Luk 21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. Luk 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him. Some of the people that came to hear Christ teach were Jews. Christ had no problem tipping over the money changers tables in the temple, so why wouldn’t he have a problem with the Feast of Dedication if it was wrong or if it were similar to a Christmas celebration. From Gary’s Article: AND He and the Jews were constantly at odds during that festival (John 9:16, 29; 8:59; 10:20, 31, etc.) on many issues; including the traditions of Hanukkah. Laura writes: All those verses prove is that they did not believe Christ was God. None of them prove that they had a dispute with Christ over Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication). Joh 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. Joh 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. Joh 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. Joh 10:20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? Joh 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. From Gary’s Article: BEWARE OF TRADITIONS: “Neglecting the commandment of Yahweh [“God” NAS], you [Pharisees and Scribes; v.5] hold to the tradition of men…You…set aside the commandment of Yahweh [“God” NAS] in order to keep your tradition.” (Mk. 7:8-9) Laura writes: What Christ disagreed with the Pharisees on were all the things they added to God’s Law. The Pharisees knew the law and taught the law but they did not keep the law for the most part. Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. As far as traditions go, Christ was only blasting them for the traditions of men they kept. We all have traditions, and they are not all bad. When you keep the weekly Sabbath and the Annual Holy Days those are all traditions. If your family lived through a traumatic experience at some point, you may put that on your calendar and acknowledge it in some way each year so that you can celebrate how thankful you are that that worked out and is now behind you. So, in conclusion, if people dedicate the temple of God or an altar of God, there is nothing wrong with that and it is still called (Chanukkah) in the Hebrew. A temple or an altar to God can be dedicated at any time of the year as scripture proves. As far as no one witnessing the miracle of the oil or writing it down, it does not mean that it did not happen. Most miracles in my life happened when there was no witness available or at a point when no one knew it was a miracle until the end of it was shown. Most of these miracles I had happen to me I never said anything to anyone for years because I was afraid people would think I was crazy. I mean really how do you tell someone that something in your vehicle grabbed your steering wheel and turned your car in a direction you were not planning to go, yet that happened to me numerous times over a two or three year period, everytime there was an auto accident on the road I was going to take. My steering wheel was turned to a country road that was the long way to get to my daughter’s day care and as I am being steered by a miracle of God, all the traffic from the accident is being detoured and coming toward me in the other lane of a road with little to no traffic most of the time. This happened long before I ever heard of the Worldwide Church of God. Whether or not the oil lasted as long as they say is not up to you to say they lied unless you were there and knew it didn’t happen. It seems like there are some similar accounts of miracles in the bible that are recorded, such as the fish and the bread etc. Deu 5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Take note the Jews are closer than your neighbor, they are your brothers and your sisters.) |
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