Friendly  Version

Update: Jacob Prasch & Moriel Revisited

January 10, 2003

When I first researched Jacob Prasch in 1999, it was because I was sent his pamphlets and a few of his teaching tapes. He became one of many researched in the series "To Embrace Hebrew Roots". Jacob's responses over the last few years have been volatile and hate-filled, with name calling and a refusal to answer specific questions when queried by myself or by others, who chose to share that information with me. His last statement to me, when given an opportunity to answer specific questions concerning his teachings, was to tell me to "go back to my sea of slime."  It's consistent with the character of this man many choose to honor as a leader, pastor and teacher. God's Word has been a consistent reminder of what we should expect from leadership at the very least.

Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

 

2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

The result of the initial Hebrew Roots articles was for Moriel, Jacob's organization to be thrown into upheaval, some people fired, removal of links and recommendations to ministries such as Peter Michas and Kabbalist Avi ben Mordechai's brother, Uri Marcus. The organization was revamped, the websites redone and some of the problems dealt with on the surface. One can see a partial record of events and Prasch's gnostic teachings  in such articles as : Kabbalah Connections and Literal Kabbalah. For More on Avi ben Mordechai see: Avi ben Mordechai & Millennium 7000

Recently, about mid-2002, it was brought to my attention that Jacob Prasch was again writing against a few points in my articles, which he claims no one reads. Normally I don't revisit people or websites whose teachings and character have shown they are not of God. We are simply to mark and avoid those who are deceived and preach a gospel contrary to Biblical truth. 

Romans 16:17 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

I will refute one issue of a personal nature that Mr. Prasch, along with some of his friends,  has consistently manufactured since 1999.  The only reason I do so is because it was brought to my attention that some who might not read my website in it's entirety, might think the information to be true. My purpose is not to defend myself, my Lord is my shield. Rather I wish merely to point out some factual information and update my existing information on Jacob Prasch and Moriel. That is, Mr. Prasch's initial response to the Hebrew Roots articles was to invent the idea that "Victoria Dillen of a Ruckmanite Cyber Cult".  

When Mr. Prasch first published this "story" in 1999, I had to ask a few people what a Ruckmanite was. It was explained to me that there was a man named Peter Ruckman who promotes the King James Version Only teaching. Prior to that I had no knowledge of the man. 

In order to belong to a cult and follow a cult leader one would have to have knowledge of and interaction with that person, and one would certainly have to embrace his teachings. To date, that is January, 10, 2003, I have never investigated, corresponded with, sought out a website or address for, or read material by Peter Ruckman. I don't know the man nor have I felt inclined to analyze him or his teachings. If I feel that God would have me do an article on Ruckman, it would be posted in the Research section of my website. 

The charge of me being a Ruckmanite cult member is false, and quite frankly a ridiculous conclusion by even the most undiscerning. Holding to the KJV as the Bible version to be used came about by my own research and comparison of verses of various Bible versions while investigating the Hebrew Roots and Sacred Name movements. 

Prior to that, I had no knowledge there was even a dispute over versions. Call me naive, but I suspect I knew about as much as the average Evangelical about the issues. But research, verse comparison and reviewing historical data on such people as Westcott and Hort and their determination to destroy Christianity from  the inside out made me evaluate the issue. With Westcott and Hort's translations forming the basis of all new versions the result brought us to the conclusion that the KJV was the English Version we should use as it was based on the Textus Receptus and Byzantine manuscripts. Reason and common sense tells us not to use occultist translators for providing sound Scripture. 

When someone deliberately manufactures a lie, the Bible tells us the following:

Proverbs 14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies...7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

 

Proverbs 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. 17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. 18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

Proverbs 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

 

Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.

Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

There are three other issues I will address. Jacob Prasch consistently upheld who he was, that his teaching and associations were sound and that I for one was of the devil for evaluating and questioning his beliefs and associations. He refused to answer direct inquiries about his associations and his belonging to such groups as the ecumenical  Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and the pentecostal movement.  

According to Jacob, he and Moriel were and are above reproach despite the proven hypocrisy, gnostic doctrine and being in one of the most ecumenical denominations in the world, the Assemblies of God. See the start of the article "Christian Occult Symbols"  His statements against the ecumenical movement and proven hypocrisy are well documented in the Jacob Prasch articles. 

That is why it is noteworthy that Jacob, in typical Prasch style, has renounced the Assemblies of God, modern pentecostal movement, the charismatic movement and Full Gospel Fellowship and so on. Well, one should say, he's sort of renounced them, while upholding his buddies involved in those groups as sound teachers. According to Jacob, the groups or movements were all good but strayed from Biblical truth. Further, Jacob states in the article MORIEL, JACOB PRASCH, AND PENTECOSTALISM:

"Jacob Prasch and Moriel have allowed their affiliation with The Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches to expire. The term 'Full Gospel' itself implies an acceptance that tongues is proof of a Holy Spirit filled life, which neither Jacob Prasch or Moriel believe. Indeed, much of what is called 'tongues' today is not even real and some of it is blasphemous.

Jacob Prasch and Moriel dismiss Azusa Street as having gone into severe doctrinal error ...

...The charismatic movement likewise fell into the pit of emotionally charged mysticism transported on the back of experiential theology and Gnostic hermeneutics from its inception that has resulted in everything from the New Age practices of the Vineyard Movement masquerading as Christianity, to charismatic Catholics praying in tongues to Mary.Such obvious deception and the carnality it engenders are plainly not of God...

For these reasons, neither Jacob Prasch nor Moriel wish to be identified with modern Pentecostalism.While we continue to believe and practice Gifts of The Spirit as taught in scripture, this derives directly from The New Testament teachings on the gifts and owes nothing whatsoever to Azusa Street or to the Charismatic Movement and we repudiate any identification with Pentecostal denominations or the Azusa St. heritage...

But as believers in Gifts of The Spirit (including charismatic gifts) our prime concern is to distance ourselves from those who in perverting the scriptures, counterfeit these gifts and to be visibly separate from those prostitute churches who today discredit the gospel and demonically deceive the elect with their cultic apostasy, and worship of mammon, to say nothing of their almost unbelievable capacity for unmitigated religious hypocrisy.

Jacob Prasch and his family are no longer members of an Assemblies of God church...

This is in no way to suggest that either Jacob Prasch or Moriel are anti Pentecostal in the biblical understanding of that term, nor are we against Pentecostals. We shall continue to sanction the ministries of conservative independent Pentecostals which have remained biblical such as David Wilkerson, Jim Simbola, Werner Schulz, Rocco Giovanzzini, The Alliance of Biblical Pentecostals, Bill Randles, David Jones & Jacky Boyde, Siam Bhayro, Jim Mc Geekie, Augustus Topi, Chuck Smith, David Brown, Philip Powell, Fred Howell, Roger Winter Smith, Dr. Ray Gannon, Dr. Wave Nunnley, John Phillips, Dr. Oral Steinkamp, Dr. Roger Oakland, Barry Smith, Chuck Missler.

Aeron Morgan, Clifford Reese, Hadley Palmer and multiple other moderate Pentecostals and Charismatics who have kept loyal to The Lord on the basis of His Word - even where there may be certain minor points of disagreement. With these we share a common pneumatology inclusive of a genuinely scriptural view of charismata, and a moderately dispensational premillenialsm. While we are honoured to stand in Alliance with Biblical Pentecostals, and with non-Pentecostals alike who are Christ centred and biblically grounded, we can only reject popular Pentecostalism and we remain wholly and solidly disassociated from these awful Pentecostal denominations."

http://ww2.moriel.org:8004/notice/full_gospel.htm

2002 MORIEL Ministries

One might suggest that this is a step forward but, in essence, Jacob still believes the same as he did, he's just not taking public membership with the ecumenical groups he's always been part of. His charismatic and pentecostal theology and giftings are the rights ones, and all the others who practice them in those movements are wrong. Except for the leadership he commends in those "awful denominations." 

This is a common thinking, especially when it comes to the tongues issue. More than one says their tongues are the right ones, it's the other people that have false ones. Further, his renouncing the groups and saying how false they are and then upholding the above list of leadership involved in them as sound, is no different than the teaching we've explored in-depth in the Jacob Prasch articles. 

If you say you are against something or it's not of God, and then promote those in that issue as good and sound, you are at the very least insincere and on the other side, double minded. 

James 1:A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Hypocrisy and false doctrine were the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduccees warned against by Christ.

Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees....
11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Please read Throw Out the Baby, Spit Out the Bones & Throw the Water On Sound Doctrine for further treatment of this topic.

It should be noted that the Moriel website has also undergone another revamping. I addressed the prior symbolism Moriel used in the article Christian Occult Symbols. The site was originally covered in hexagrams and the actual Moriel logo was described in that article:

Jacob Prasch has as the Moriel Logo, the hexagram of two interlaced triangles. This is also found on many other sites such as Calvary Chapel Jerusalem and on the Brochure for Messiah’99. Jacob should very well know that the hexagram is evil—today and yesterday. By his own testimony he “…believed that the occult had to be investigated scientifically….called “New Age” philosophies that I had been interested in — Nostradamus, or the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or the Bhagavad-Gita, and so on… I had many occult experiences, including coming in contact with the demonic. I had the power to tell a total stranger, someone I had just met for the first time, what zodiac sign they had been born under. I used to go to a witch to have my tarot cards read. (Her husband and I did drug deals.)… I had an out of body experience…” 13                                           

MORIEL LOGO ~ http://www.moriel.org/ from 1999/2000

Moriel's old logo sported the wicked occult symbol of the interlaced hexagram, a nine candle menorah and an open book. The nine candle menorah and hexagram are not for those who love Jesus Christ. To understand the full occult significance of the symbols, please read the articles Christian Occult Symbols, Hexagrams and Doves and The Legend of Hanukkah

Moriels new Logo is now back to a seven candle menorah, sitting on an open book, which is on top of a hexagram. A second symbol is also used throughout the site, as part of the header. The second symbol, saved as a "christian symbol" is the seven candle menorah, above a double hexagram, to which a fish symbol is hanging. The idea is that this is a Christian symbol. However, only the seven candle menorah and a Bible, which we don't really know is what Moriel uses, can be classified as Christian. Jacob Prasch uses Talmudic and Kabbalistic writings for many of his doctrines. 

The fish symbol is not found anywhere in the Bible as a Christian symbol nor do we know for sure whether it was ever used by early Christians or whether that idea is merely an urban legend. Historical documentation suggests it was Catholic tradition and that dolphins were often actually depicted, and in fact are found on sacramental objects up to the fourth century. 

What we do know is that the sign of the fish was the symbol of Dagon, which is discussed in Judges 16:23, 1 Samuel 5:2-7, and 1 Chronicles 1:10. 

This Babylonian and Philistine god supposedly had the face and hands and a portion of his body resemble that of a fish, and the image is found on various coins. Strong's Hebrew Concordance states: 1712. Dagown, daw-gohn'; from H1709; the fish-god; Dagon, a Philistine deity: --Dagon.

It's time to take the time and prove all things, and see if they are of God. 

In his website article "Ecumenical Friends?" >http://ww2.moriel.org:8004/notice/ecumenicalFriends.htm  Prasch refutes that a few people discussed in our corresponding Ecumenical Friends articles are indeed ecumenical. I say only this--every part of my articles are documented fact. They are proven based on historical fact or current fact. Saying it's not so is like saying Jacob was not part of the ecumenical groups he's now separating from, and yet denied all this time that he was part of anything ecumenical.

Further, it's taken Jacob over three years to come up with an actual Bible based response concerning the following:

• The term 'goyim' is found multiple times in the bible and is merely the Hebrew word for "nations" , usually translated as 'Gentiles' and 'ethnon' in the Greek New Testament and in the Septuagint. Far from being a derogatory term as Dillen charges, Israel is called a 'goy' in Isaiah 65. Whether Dillen disapproves of the biblical terminology, Jews, or both is not clear. What is clear is that as usual she demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of the matters on which she misrepresents herself as having an expertise. In her article, Dillen also disapproves of the bible's use of the term Midrash according to the Hebrew Masoretic text of 2 Chron. 13:22 (' Now the rest of the acts of Abijah , his ways and sayings, are written in the "midrash" of the prophet Iddo')- verse 23 in the original Hebrew.
  

Goyim or "gowy" in the proper Hebrew, defined Biblically also includes the term heathen, troop of animals or a flight of locusts. The term goyim is proven to be a derogatory term as well, as is shown in the articles. It's that simple. I stand by the Word of God. Those who use goyim as a slur do not. 

Regarding Midrash---true Biblical parables are not wrong. When one reads the Scripture Jacob used above, it means a little bit different than he implies. 2 Chronicles 13:22  "And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.." Recording an event or writing the story of what took place is not wrong and the term midrash is used in it's correct Biblical intent.   Midrash according to Strong's Hebrew Concordance means : from 1875; properly, an investigation, i.e. (by implication) a treatise or elaborate compilation:--story.  The passage referred to was a compilation of events, a biography of Abijah's life, if you will. His story.

However, what Jacob Prasch espouses for midrash is kabbalistic and talmudic and gnostic doctrine, which are meant to detract from Biblical doctrine and change sound Biblical doctrine. That's a huge difference.

Quoting from my Hebrew Roots article Literal Kabbalah written in 1999: 

"....The Kabbalah in English verifies that the Kabbalists reinterpreted large portions of the Old Testament midrashically in order to inject Judaism with gnosticism:

"The Midrash, stemming from the same period as the Talmud, but more concerned with supplying context and elaboration of the Biblical text. Much legendary material is archived here. Midrashim exist on the Torah, the books of Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Song of Songs (together referred to as the five Megillot), and Psalms. Usually all but the last are grouped together as Midrash Rabbah, and a multivolume translation from the Soncino Press is available. 3

Mr. Jacob Prasch of Moriel recommends the classical Jewish works mentioned above, Midrash Rabba and Lamentations Rabba, as the preferred resources for the study of Scripture:

"Midrash interprets prophecy as a cyclical pattern of historical recapitulation (prophecies having multiple fulfillment), with an ultimate fulfillment associated with the eschaton, which is the final focal point of the redemptive process. A classical work of Midrash in Judaism is the Midrash Rabba on Genesis (Berashith). Another is Lamentations Rabba.

" The clearest set of guidelines in Midrash are the Seven Midroth attributed to Rabbi Hillel, the founder of the Pharisaic School of Hillel, where Rabbi Shaul (St. Paul) was educated as a rabbi by Rabbi Gamaliel, the grandson of Hillel.

Midrash makes heavy use of allegory and typology to illustrate and illuminate doctrine, but never as a basis for doctrine. It sees multiple meanings in Bible texts found in strata, but this is very different in certain fundamental respects from the gnostic and Alexandrian uses of figurative interpretation associated with Philo and Origen, reflecting more of Hebraic, rather than Helenistic philosophical world-view and view of theology. 4.

Hillel was one of the sages referred to in Part 7 of this series, whose teachings contributed deeply to the Talmud, Mishnah and other works. It is common knowledge that the Talmud holds over 300 differences of opinion between Hillel and Shammai, another famous Talmudic sage. In every dispute over their interpretations and teachings, Hillel invariably prevailed.

The apostle Paul was a Pharisee, who before his conversion, persecuted Christians according to the instructions of the Pharisees. After his conversion, he was inspired by God to write extensively about the change in his beliefs and their incompatibility with the Pharisee's teachings that had caused their rejection of Jesus Christ. Peter also addressed the issue of fables or allegory in his epistles.

2 Peter 1:16

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."

For an indepth treatment of a Scriptural view of allegory or Fables, see the article "Have Nothing to Do With Fables and Old Wives Tales," www.SeekGod.ca/fables.htm

"The Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism" identifies the doctrine of creation and the throne of God, as the two primary subjects of ancient mystical thought which were consistently interpreted midrashically by the sages.

"The Talmud contains vague hints of a mystical school of thought that was taught only to the most advanced students and was not committed to writing. There are several references in ancient sources to ma'aseh bereshit (the work of creation) and ma'aseh merkavah (the work of the chariot (of Ezikiel's vision), the two primary subjects of mystical thought at the time." 5.

Gershom Scholem explains Kabbalistic interpretation of the written Torah as theosophy. The use of allegory to interpret Scripture on a consistant basis, was considered dangerous.

What Kabbalistic exegesis discovers behind the literal meaning of the Bible or of the Talmudic interpretations of the Bible was something very different. What the Kabbalists looked for in the Bible was not primarily philosophical ideas, but a symbolic description of the hidden process of divine life, as it unfolds in the manifestations and emanations of the sefiroth. Their primary interest in the Bible may be termed theosophical. As for allegory proper, we find very different attitudes among the Kabbalists. So outstanding an authority as Nahmanides deliberately avoided the allegorical interpretations of the philosophers in his commentary on the Torah. He was well aware of the danger that might accrue to the observance of Jewish ritual from a pure spiritualization of the Torah such as a consistent application of allegorical method would apply. He expressly warned against this danger in a passage in his commentary on Deuteronomy 29:29…" 6.

Jacob Prasch states that Midrash follows various forms of Hebraic interpretation of the Scriptures and can therefore only be understood by a student of Judaism or theology:

" Midrash follows certain formats. One is the Mashal/Nimshal format seen in Proverbs or the parables, where physical things are representative of things spiritual. Figurative midrashic exposition in the New Testament is viewed, for instance, in Jude's epistle or Galatians 4:24-34. It is Midrash which accounts for the manner in which the New Testament handles the Old Testament…Another format is the parashiyot; sections opening with a petihah in which a base verse is followed by commentary.

"In addition to exegetical midrash, there are homiletic midrashim, arranged in topically argued pisaqaot. These frequently follow a yelammedenu rabbenu format used by Jesus in the gospels. Both of these kinds of midrashim are haggadic. There are also wide bodies of midrashic literature which are halakik, but these are of less importance to New Testament scholarship.

Unless someone has been educated in Judaism, Hebrew, or theology, it is easier to demonstrate midrash than to explain it. " 7.

According to Gershom Scholem, the use of allegory or Midrash by the sages was a mystical interpretation leading to higher levels of esoteric thought such as theosophy.

"…But not all the Kabbalists were so reserved toward allegory. Many regarded it as a legitimate instrument. The author of the Zohar, though interested primarily in a mystical and symbolic description of the Godhead, did not refrain from interpreting certain Bible passages allegorically. Thus the Book of Jonah and also the story of the Patriarchs in Genesis become allegorical accounts of the human soul--though this does not prevent the author from giving a purely mystical (and more far-reaching) interpretation of these same stories of the Patriarchs. Once the esoteric interpretation of Scripture had assumed two different aspects --the one allegorical, the other mystical---the way lead open to the doctrine of the four levels of meaning. While for example, Joseph ibn Aqnin, contemporary of Maimonides, speaks, throughout his commentary on the Song of Songs, of three such levels of interpretation--literal, Aggadic, and philosophico-allegorical--the Kabbalists added a fourth, that of theosphical mystery in the sense defined above. This level the Zohar terms raza de-mehemanutha--understanding according to the 'mystery of faith.' " 8.

Jacob Prasch states we need a demonstration of Midrash unless we have been trained in Judaism, Hebrew or theology. In other words, lay people cannot understand Midrash or Biblical truth, without the help of teachers such as himself. 9.

We have seen that Jacob Prasch recommends the Midrash Rabbah which the Kabbalah in English states, includes the Midrash on the Book of Ruth. Midrash on the Book of Ruth is used repeatedly throughout Kabbalistic thought and it contains the earliest representations of the four mystical levels of interpretation of the Bible. Referring to the Zohar Hadash, Scholem demonstrates this Midrash:

"The earliest reference to the four levels is to be found in the Midrash ha-Ne'elam to the Book of Ruth, one of the earliest works of the author of the Zohar. In it he writes:' The words of the Torah are likened to a nut. How is this to be understood? Just as a nut has an outer shell and a kernel, each word of the Torah contains outward fact (ma'aseh), midrash, haggadah, and mystery (sod), each of which is deeper in meaning than the preceding.' This passage is remarkable in several ways…Haggadah seems to refer to some allegorical or tropic form of interpretation, while by midrash is meant the hermeneutic method by which the halakhists, or legalists, of the Talmud derived their definitions from Biblical text. The comparison of the Torah with a nut is not new in Jewish literature. It was already employed by the German and French Hasidism of the early thirteenth century, especially in connection with the merkabah…" 10.

Certainly, as demonstrated by Jewish scholars and sages, Midrash or allegory would damage beliefs and understanding of the written Bible. The allegory of the sages was intended to change the traditional thinking. Mr. Prasch acknowledges that changing the meaning of Scripture is wrong.

Whenever you have a change in world-view, you're going to have a change in theology… Redefining the gospel instead of re-explaining what the Bible means, redefinition changes what the Bible means. That is wrong…. " 11.

Mr. Prasch defines theosophy, which clearly applies to the sages he upholds, but then applies his definition to Greek and not Jewish thinking.

"People began reinterpreting the Bible, not using the Jewish method of midrash, but using Greek methods."

"Typology and allegory. Midrash uses typology and allegory-symbols- in order to illustrate and illumine doctrine. "

"These methods first started to creep into the Church through people who were influenced by Philo. His teachings progressively entered into Roman Catholicism, … Instead of recontextualising, they were redefining Scripture. They were reading a Jewish book as if it were a Greek book. That was a mistake…. " 12.

However, Gershom Scholem and many other Hebrew scholars are clear that the Midrash and other oral teachings are derived through theosophical interpretations. Mr. Prasch disregards information that is common knowledge of the mysticism of the sages and their influence and understanding of Jewish Midrash. Gershom Scholem states that the mystic interpretations of the Jewish sages were paralleled in the works of Philo and were only developed through esoteric practices.

"…many Jewish philosophers identified the inner meaning of the Torah with philosophical allegory. And indeed many of their explanations smack strongly of Philo… But allegory in this sense was by no means the cornerstone of the Kabbalistic exegesis, which was strictly symbolic." 13.

The Midrash or allegory and typology of the sages was the gnosticism Mr. Prasch wishes to only apply to the Church, Greek thinking and Catholicism. He points out that Midrash uses typology and allegory--"symbols", which he has stated is not a part of Jewish thought, but rather a method of Gnostics.

"In the Gnostic world of Greek thinking, the opposite happens. Gnostics claim to have received a subjective, mystical insight -called a gnosis-into the symbols. They then reinterpret the plain meaning of the text in light of the gnosis. For Gnostics, symbolism is the basis for their doctrine, contrary to the ancient Jewish methods." 14.

Jacob Prasch of Moriel also states that Christians today are bound by the thinking of the Reformers, and that we must shed any hindrances to exegesis we have assimilated from their teachings, and embrace the much more accurate Jewish thought, found not only in the Midrash, but in the Talmud.

"The problem with the Reformers is that they only went so far. They made rules governing the application of their grammatical-historical system in order to refute medieval Roman Catholicism, and many of those rules are still taught in theological seminaries today. One such rule is this: There are many applications of a Scripture but only one interpretation. That is total rubbish! The Talmud tells us there are multiple interpretations. Who did Jesus agree with? The Reformers? Or the other rabbis? …" 15.

Although Jacob would have us believe that Jesus agreed with the rabbis, it is a matter of Scriptural fact that Jesus spoke often against the Rabbis who were referred to at that time as the Pharisees.

In his scathing rebuke to the Rabbis and Pharisees, Jesus warned his disciples not to follow their pernicious and hypocritical ways Matthew 23:6-8

" And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."

Jacob's reference to the allegorical interpretation of Jonah, conveniently omits the introductory verses which are Matthew 12:38-39:

"Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:"

After responding to the Pharisees and the scribes of Jerusalem, Jesus again rebuked them for their teachings in, Matthew 15:7-9:

"Ye hypocrites, well did E-sai-as prophesy of you, saying, This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

The comparison to the Old Testament teaching that Jesus referred to on this issue, is found in, Isaiah 29:13-14:

"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

We can see that the ancient sages either (1) understood the danger of Midrash and avoided it; (2) totally embraced its use for disseminating their esoteric beliefs; (3) rejected the New Testament and Jesus Christ; or (4) used Kabbalist definitions and applications as well as the Babylonian Talmud to reinterpret the Word of God. To which of these groups of sages are we to turn? And since there are no Jewish Midrash teachings of the New Testament in any of the oral or written works of the sages of old, whose ancient wisdom is Mr. Prasch promoting for interpreting the New Testament?

Proverbs 3:5

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding."

Do we need the teaching or methods of men who reject Jesus Christ?

Does Scripture state that we need men to tell us what a passage means, or that its meaning is really something entirely different than what is in the written words of the New and Old Testament?

1 John 2:26-27

"These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Jewish Gnosticism

Do scholarly authorities agree with Jacob Prasch's teaching that although the Gnostics read their subjective, mystical insight into symbols, this is not true of ancient Jewish methods of interpretation?

.....

Jacob Prash compares Midrash, which we know was derived through esoteric means, to an equation that must be solved by the wisdom of the ancients.

"Midrash is like a quadratic equation or a very complex second order differential equation, a thirteen or fourteen step equation. Some people take the first step of grammatical-historical exegesis and think the equation is solved. There is nothing wrong with what they do, but there is plenty wrong with what they don't do. The equation is not solved. There is nothing wrong with grammatical-historical exegesis. It is a necessary first step, it is a necessary preliminary, and it is okay for reading the Epistles. But that is all.

It takes the wisdom of the ancients to really understand these things-Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast... (Revelation 13:18)-not the wisdom of the 16th century, but the wisdom of the first century." 28

....

S. L. McGregor Mathers, who in 1888 co-founded with William Wynn Westcott the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, provides an understanding of the very complex application of Gematria and its various equations, modes and forms.

"Gematria is a metathesis of the Greek work grammateia. It is based on the relative numerical values of words…Words of similar numerical values are considered to be explanatory of each other, and this theory is also extended to phrases. Thus the letter shin, Sh, is 300, and is equivalent to the number obtained by adding up the numerical values of the letters of the words RVCh ALHIM, Ruach Elohim, the spirit of the Elohim; and it is therefore a symbol of the spirit of the Elohim…."

"… Notariqon is derived from the Latin word notarius, a short-hand writer. Of Notariqon there are two forms. In the first every letter of a word is taken for the initial or abbreviation of another word, so that from the letters of a word a sentence may be formed. Thus every letter of the word BRAShITh, Berashith, the first word in Genesis, is made the initial of a word, and we obtain from it BRAShITh RAH ALHIM ShIQBLV IShRAL ThVRH, Berashith Rahi Elohim Sheyequebelo Israel Torah: "In the beginning the Elohim saw that Israel would accept the law."

Note: The term Berashith in the second paragraph, refers to the Genesis Rabbah promoted by Jacob Prasch as a classical work of Judaism. "A classical work of Midrash in Judaism is the Midrash Rabba on Genesis (Berashith)."

"The second form of Notariqon is that exact reverse of the first. By this the initials or finals, or both or the medials, of a sentence, are taken to form a word or words. Thus the Qabalah is called ChKMh NSThRH, Chokhmah Nesthorah, "the secret wisdom;" and if we take the initials of these two words Ch and N, we form by the second kind of Notariqon the word ChN, Chen, "grace." Similarly, from the initials and finals of the words MI IOLH LNV HShMIMH, Mi Iaulah Leno Ha-Shamayimah, "Who shall go up for us to heaven?" (Deut. xxx. 12), are formed MILH, Milah "circumcision," and IHVH, the Tetragrammaton, implying that God hath ordained circumcision as the way to heaven. " 29.

By applying the various forms of Kabbalistic gematria and numerology to the Bible, entirely heretical meanings can be promoted as also is demonstrated with the process of Temura or permutation of the Scriptures:...." 

End Quote

I highly recommend reading the whole article as well as the Hebrew Roots series. It will explain the difference between Biblical truth and gnostic thinking. I would also make this observation. When a person or group is exposed for who or what they are, it is common practice to reinvent the group or person, change and resurface as something which on the surface might be different. It's simply the way of deception. Change can be good if it shows maturity or growth, but somehow, I doubt that is the purpose of the changes within Moriel. If it were, there would not be double-mindedness and hypocrisy.

Titus  2:7 "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

Titus 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"

 

Copyright . All articles are the sole property of SeekGod.ca and Vicky Dillen. All Scripture King James Version unless otherwise stated.

God's Simple Plan of Salvation.
It concerns the most important decision
you will ever make in your life!
Don't let this opportunity to be saved pass you by.

If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and would like some help understanding His gift of eternal salvation, please contact us. Saying a prayer won't save you. Prayer is merely expressing to God how you feel. Believing and repenting are just the beginning of walking with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.