Phylacteries - Are there SDA's who use them as part of their worship?

[Gustave]

I was pondering this the other day given my understanding of how SDA's view the Commandments being "moral" or "natural". Do Adventist Christian make use of Phylacteries during morning or evening prayers? There is in my view no right or wrong answer to this, I'm just curious. 

[phkrause]

17 minutes ago, Gustave said:

Phylacteries

LOL I had to look this word up! ?

No I don't

[Gustave]

2 hours ago, phkrause said:

LOL I had to look this word up! ?

No I don't

Would you say your answer is universal to Adventists in general?

[phkrause]

11 hours ago, Gustave said:

Would you say your answer is universal to Adventists in general?

Yes I'd say so!! Mainly because I'd never heard this word in any SDA circles which is really neither here or there!!

[B/W Photodude]

22 hours ago, Gustave said:

Do Adventist Christian make use of Phylacteries during morning or evening prayers?

In the following link, you will see a very active organization for the bringing of the gospel to the Jewish people around the world. There are about 10 Jewish Adventist houses of worship in Israel alone. Listed are about 10 in the US.

Evangelism to the Jews started back in the 1800s by one F. C. Gilbert. He also wrote a book "Messiah in His Sanctuary." Which is on my list of books to read (someday!). At one time there was a magazine for the Jewish Adventist community which started out as the "New Israelite" and later changed the name to "Shabbat Shalom."

https://www.jewishadventist.org

I have seen many photographs of Jewish Adventists who wear tallit and kippa, but never anyone wearing the pylacteries (tefillin). This practice of the tefillin has a Bible basis in the Deuteronomy verse of 6:8,  "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes."

I attended a conservative temple for many years and never saw anyone there wear tefillin. I believe that tefillin exists solely within the Orthodox Jewish tradition. My former brother-in-law is an Orthodox Rabbi and when he did his own personal prayers (davened), he wore his tefillin.

Within the phylacteries are small pieces of paper with Scripture on them. Another similar practice is the placing of a mezuzah on the doorpost of the home which likewise has a small scroll of Scripture. I had one on my doorpost for many years also.

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1676&context=dmin

The above link is from a dissertation for a doctorate on file with Andrews University. With over 400 pages, tefillin is mentioned only one time and that in a glossary of terms at the back.

So, many Jewish traditions continue within the Jewish Adventist community, but the tefillin seems to not be one of them.

[Gustave]

B/W photodude mentioned in his post the particular of where I'm going with this. To use Phylacteries was a command, it wasn't a suggestion. My thinking goes something like this - where in Scripture do SDA's feel the command to wear Phylacteries was set aside? 

 

[Gregory Matthews]

NOTE:  Deuteronomy 6:8 is not the only place in the OT where these are mentioned.  They are also mentioned in Exodus 13:9.

1)  I have never heard of a SDA wearing such.

2)  Your question is the first time that I have ever heard this question asked.

3)  Scholars of the Jewish religion believe that early Jews did not take this as a literal command.   Rather, those scholars believe that early Jews considered this to be symbolic.

4)  Those scholars also believe that the Jews first began to take this as a literal command possibly in the time of the Kings, or perhaps even as late as the time of the Maccabees. 

5)  In any case, clear, non-Biblical evidence for the Jews wearing them is dated to the time of Christ. 

NOTE:  As previously stated, the Hebrew name for them is tephillin.  The English word phylactery  comes from a Greek word.

6)  Deuteronomy 6:9 reflects a custom that may be found in the Hindu and Islamic religion as well as in China during the New Year.

NOTE:

a)  The 1978 edition of the SDA Bible Commentary  is a reference source for my comments.

b)  The 2020 edition of the Andrews Bible Commentary contains material on this which I have not cited.

 

  

 

[Gustave]

So, it could be said that at the time of Christ it was understood in Judaism that to be compliant one would use them. Also that Christ called out the Pharisees not for wearing them but for going overboard in the size (making a big show to others). An illustration of this would be outrageous shoes as seen in the following clip.

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) - Fly Guy !! - YouTube

 

Would there be agreement within this forum that Jesus would have complied with this command? Of course its obvious that Jesus wouldn't have been using oversized and gawdy Phylacteries no differently than He wouldn't have had extreme tassels on his robe. 

[B/W Photodude]

2 hours ago, Gustave said:

So, it could be said that at the time of Christ it was understood in Judaism that to be compliant one would use them. Also that Christ called out the Pharisees not for wearing them but for going overboard in the size (making a big show to others).

Would there be agreement within this forum that Jesus would have complied with this command?

To understand the phylactery as a physical device worn on the body, you would need to understand the history of them and even the history of practices of nations around them. Some sources will tell you that the phylacteries did not come into common use until the 1 century C.E. So, no, I do not believe that Jesus would have been compliant with the wearing of them. 

Phylacteries seemed to have functioned as a sort of a magical device or amulet which would be a device with magical powers to ward off evil. They may have functioned somewhat different in Judaism, but the foreign influence in their development and acceptance probably cannot be denied. 

https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/25154/what-is-the-origin-of-a-phylactery-as-a-soul-jar

While they may have been told to wear them as frontlets or on their hands, this was to make them aware of how they were to relate to Scripture. A similar example would be the mark of God and the mark of the beast in Revelation. While much of the world is looking for a physical mark on the body in the mark of the beast, really it is only a "mark". if you will, that only God knows. The mark of God in the forehead means that the individual has full intellectual acceptance of God's rules in their lives. God's people do not receive a mark in their hand. The mark of the beast is in the forehead or in the hand. This denotes intellectual acceptance of rebellion against God (forehead) or while not accepting it intellectually an individual cooperates (in the hand) with the religious or civil authorities in their rebellion against God.

Deuteronomy explains it well in the eleventh chap, "18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Joshua wrote, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." How would you like to carry a book around in your mouth all the time?!

So, I think the imagery of them being used as they were physically used is more accurate. Jesus often criticized the religious leaders for giving the people religious burdens they were unwilling to bear themselves. And superstitions such as amulets were also unacceptable.

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, B/W Photodude said:

At one time there was a magazine for the Jewish Adventist community which started out as the "New Israelite" and later changed the name to "Shabbat Shalom."

If I'm not mistaken the "Israelite" magazine was something that the Hebrew/Adventist Temple, which it was called when I went there with my family back in the 60s, was run by Dr J.M. Hoffman, Pr Herb Silver and a few others. I used to have a few copies I will look for them, but I'm pretty sure I no longer have any!! They also had a 40 part Health Lessons called something like "the Moses Health Lessons?" Again I might have one around, but I wouldn't hold my breath. My Mom who passed a few years ago had a whole set at one time!! I noticed one of the places of worship, Beth Tehillah Vetikva Pastor-Rav: Alex Schlussler, he no longer is there. He had gone to work for 3 ABN, but I believe he has since gone back to a church down in Florida around Miami, not sure the name!! But all those that used to work with Hoffman, Sliver, Engel etc., have all passed away. My Mom had mentioned that when they moved to the Bronx  they sold that stuff to someone, but she didn't know to who. She did say that when they first moved the church from Manhattan to the Bronx that they tried to keep it going but couldn't. Not sure if Clifford Goldstein got involved with the magazine or not, but he did visit or even interned at the church after I moved up to Lancaster, MA to work at AUC so I never knew what went on there after that!!

[Gustave]

I appreciate Gregory, B/W and PhK's responses to the question. For consideration.

Numbers 15,38 -

"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God".

See: Matthew 9, 20

Jesus wore fringes on His garments. It would appear that God ordered the Israelites to observe fringes in the same way and for the same reason as God ordered the Israelites to observe Phylacteries. its certainly possible some Jews viewed them as a sort of "amulet" or other magical device however if one were to go back in time and ask a devout Jew why they had tassels on their garment & wore those bands on their hand up their arms to the shoulders I'm pretty sure they would have quoted the Scriptures as their reason for observing those things. This is why I was asking what religious authority SDA's would claim for not observing these things today given they pertain to the Commandments and their remembrance - at least according to God.   

[B/W Photodude]

5 hours ago, phkrause said:

If I'm not mistaken the "Israelite" magazine was something that the Hebrew/Adventist Temple, which it was called when I went there with my family back in the 60s, was run by Dr J.M. Hoffman, Pr Herb Silver and a few others. I used to have a few copies I will look for them, but I'm pretty sure I no longer have any!!

I kept all of my New Israelites and Shabbat Shaloms. Dr JMHoffman is a person I am curious about as where he ended up late in his life. My mother used to speak quite a bit of a Dr Hoffman who she knew in Southern California in the 60s. Seems he was a bit of a character and may be the same person. Shabbat Shalom discontinued I believe in the late nineties or early zeros.

I also recall that the editor of Shabbat Shalom was Jacques Douhkan who currently leads a synagogue in Berrien Springs. He also wrote a book called "Drinking at the Sources" which I used to have but seem to have misplaced. I may still have it.

[B/W Photodude]

1 hour ago, Gustave said:

Jesus wore fringes on His garments. It would appear that God ordered the Israelites to observe fringes in the same way and for the same reason as God ordered the Israelites to observe Phylacteries. its certainly possible some Jews viewed them as a sort of "amulet" or other magical device however if one were to go back in time and ask a devout Jew why they had tassels on their garment & wore those bands on their hand up their arms to the shoulders I'm pretty sure they would have quoted the Scriptures as their reason for observing those things. This is why I was asking what religious authority SDA's would claim for not observing these things today given they pertain to the Commandments and their remembrance - at least according to God.   

You will have to provide some sort of proof that Jesus wore fringes other than the edge that is present in every garment.

You also seem to have missed the term "may be as" in the Deuteronomy text relative to frontlets.

Also, there arose quite a skirmish in the early church regarding what Gentiles were required to do and what Jews really didn't have to do anymore. In fact, Paul made some statements that keeping the traditions obligated the Jews to keep the whole law. The theology of this goes over my head sometimes, but it seems he is saying they will have to keep the whole law as a means of their own salvation, while the Gentiles only needed faith.

So, there are a number of things that were required of the Hebrews in Torah, but are no longer required. I have been on this topic before, but some Christians still believe they are required to genitally mutilate their sons because that is what God wants. Paul called those people dogs. Fact of the matter is, not even Jews practice circumcision as God ordered Abraham to do it, and no one today really knows exactly what that "cut" was. You can read about it in the book of the Maccabees where the Jewish boys who were "circumcised" were easily able to participate in the Olympics because their "cut" was so minimal that they could pass for intact (uncircumcised). Seems the sages of the time, fearing assimilation,  began a much more radical and damaging cut to their sons that pretty much became the usual method by the second century C.E. By the time of Maimonides, he was able to recognize the damage of circumcision but justified it because young men would be able to better study Torah. He did note that the women would not come back to the circumcised men if they had ever been with an intact man.

[phkrause]

5 minutes ago, B/W Photodude said:

I kept all of my New Israelites and Shabbat Shaloms. Dr JMHoffman is a person I am curious about as where he ended up late in his life. My mother used to speak quite a bit of a Dr Hoffman who she knew in Southern California in the 60s. Seems he was a bit of a character and may be the same person. Shabbat Shalom discontinued I believe in the late nineties or early zeros.

I also recall that the editor of Shabbat Shalom was Jacques Douhkan who currently leads a synagogue in Berrien Springs. He also wrote a book called "Drinking at the Sources" which I used to have but seem to have misplaced. I may still have it.

Yes he did move to, I believe, to Escondido, CA., a little north of San Diego. When my wife had a seminar she needed to attend, we drove out to visit him and his wife. There property had a lot of Orange, grapefruit and olives trees on it. That was the last time I saw him. Some years later he past away, I don't recall from what and when, but if I believed in reincarnation I would say that he came back as Doug Batchelor, hahahahaha, I say that because Doug is the spitting image of Hoffman!!

[Gustave]

Matthew 9, 20

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

Strong's: G2899

κράσπεδον, κρασπέδου, τό, in classical Greek the extremity or prominent part. of a thing, edge, skirt, margin; the fringe of a garment; in the N. T. for Hebrew צִיצִית, i. e. a little appendage hanging down from the edge of the mantle or cloak, made of twisted wool; a tassel, tuft: Matthew 9:20; Matthew 14:36; Matthew 23:5; Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44. The Jews had such appendages attached to their mantles to remind them of the law, according to Numbers 15:37f. Cf. Winers RWB under the word Saum; (B. D. under the phrase, ; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, 1:624; especially Ginsburg in Alex.'s Kitto under the word Fringes).

κράσπεδον
kraspedon
kras'-ped-on
Of uncertain derivation; a margin, that is, (specifically) a fringe or tassel

KJV Usage: border, hem.

Mark 6,56

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

 

[B/W Photodude]

12 hours ago, phkrause said:

Yes he did move to, I believe, to Escondido, CA., a little north of San Diego. When my wife had a seminar she needed to attend, we drove out to visit him and his wife. There property had a lot of Orange, grapefruit and olives trees on it. That was the last time I saw him. Some years later he past away, I don't recall from what and when, but if I believed in reincarnation I would say that he came back as Doug Batchelor, hahahahaha, I say that because Doug is the spitting image of Hoffman!!

My mother lived in Escondido-San Marcos for many years. So, we must have the same Hoffman. Funny about the Doug Batchelor comparison.

[phkrause]

5 hours ago, B/W Photodude said:

My mother lived in Escondido-San Marcos for many years. So, we must have the same Hoffman. Funny about the Doug Batchelor comparison.

Yes I remember the first time I saw Doug Batchelor I said, he looks just like Dr Hoffman!! Very uncanny for sure. Anyway I've been blessed knowing both of them, Doug Batchelor, I've never met personally, but been blessed just to listen to him preach!!