I began studying the Hebrew language 10 years ago: part of a research program to discern if unfamiliarity with Hebrew religious customs or mistranslations of original Hebrew texts sowed seeds of division in Christendom. When I began to compare the teachings of the early Hebrew Christian followers of Jeshua to those of the Gentile-adopted brands, I found many differences. Martin Luther found 99 errant teachings and dared to publish them. When he finally did, the "Church of Rome" excommunicated him.
Beside Paul's exhortation in 1st Corinthians 7:9 to the effect that if people cannot control their carnal urges, "It is better to marry than to burn," the first Jerusalem church taught that mandatory celibacy of Church Elders is contrary to Biblical law. In the Book of Timothy in the Testament of Jeshua's witnesses, called the "New Testament," the requirements for attaining higher spiritual offices are outlined. 1st Timothy 1:3 outlines the following:
Qualifications for Leaders.
a. This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop (leader/overseer), he desires a good work.
2. (2a) Qualifications for bishops/Overseers/Leaders.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
a. Blameless;
b. Husband of one wife;
c. Temperate:
d. Sober-minded:
e. Of good behavior;
f. Hospitable;
g. Able to teach;
h. Not given to wine;
i. Not violent;
j. Not greedy for money:
k. Gentle;
l. Not quarrelsome;
m. Not covetous, and one who rules his own house well.
In other words: Have the flawless testimony that you are a good husband: that you ruled your house well; that you, your spouse and children are able to live in peace. After that you can qualify for leadership in God's house.
It is interesting to note that Jeshua's witnesses began churching in Jerusalem and its environs: Tyre, Sidon, Antioch, etc. However after Rome invaded Jerusalem in the first century, survivors of the Roman carnage took refuge in Asia Minor and Africa and the church headquarters moved from Jerusalem to Antioch. Many of the requirements for highest office of the Jerusalem and Antioch headquarters mirrored the requirements for the Levitical priesthood. Leviticus 21:10-15 "Verse 10 "And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
Verse 13 speaks about the type of wife he should have. The example one sets in his house testifies to the character and leadership qualities of the priest. Not only was marriage encouraged, but early Christians were warned not to forbid any priest from marrying, once they chose Godly women. God spoke prophetically through Saul of Tarsus about a time when demons would introduce specific doctrines into His church. Chief among the doctrines would be the forbidding of Church Elders to marry. 1 Timothy 4:1 - 4 -- "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving."
In the New testament, even though the preferred requirements were for good husbands, they did not prevent persons who were not married from holding leadership positions. Saul of Tarsus (probably the greatest missionary who ever lived) was single. James the head of the first Christian churches (Jerusalem and Antioch) was single; however, Simon Bar Jonah (Simon Peter) was married. Simon was an Elder under the leadership of James up to the time of his death. By the way, Simon the married disciple of Jeshua, subordinate to the leader James (until his death) never went to Rome to become a Pope and never changed the laws as stipulated in 1st Timothy. Please remember that James was still alive when Simon Bar Jonah (called Simon Peter) died. Additionally, the office of pope was birthed in the early 12th century by the Roman gentiles.
The Jerusalem and Antioch headquarters of the church (that Jesus' disciples founded) followed the prophetic blueprint of Solomon's Temple, now completely deciphered in "The Golden Fleece Found!" For a complete list of these and other mistranslations that brought divisions in God's Church--the web address and reference given at the end of this article.
Suggested readings:The Golden Fleece Found by Basil Hill-- http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Fleece-Found-Basil-Hill/dp/1412043190
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Basil_C._Hill
