Was Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany the Same Person?

Was Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany the Same Person?

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

I will not be dealing with the speculatory or pseudepigraphal tommyrot and poppycock coming from liberal, reconstructionistic or incognito illuminati theologians that would like us to foolishly believe that Yeshua was secretly married and had a love affair resulting in children with either of these Mary’s.

I will be dealing with the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) passages dealing with these two women… or are they one and the same?

To begin with it is to be understood that the Catholics consider these Mary’s to be the same person where as many Protestants feel they are two separate people. Many Protestants wish to simply dismiss the connection of these Mary’s because of Pope Gregory and his sermon in September of 591 in which he said, “She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark. And what did these seven devils signify, if not all the vices? ... It is clear, brothers, that the woman previously used the unguent to perfume her flesh in forbidden acts." Do Catholics and Protestants who have been at each other’s throats ever since Martin Luther decided to nail his 95 Thesis to the Wittenberg door, disagree regarding this issue simply to disagree? Because Catholics and Protestants do not want be seen agreeing on other than cardinal issues?  Possibly, and I know it is tempting for Protestant Christians, Messianics and Natsarim to dismiss what Catholic Popes say, but keep in mind that it is they who have under lock and key many documents and writings of the first century Natsari believers in their Vatican vaults. Some of which they have even doctored and passed off as their own such as the Didichi. Could Pope Gregory have been privy to extra Biblical documentation apart from Scripture that would have led him to believe that these Mary’s were one and the same? We may never know, but let us examine and weigh the Biblical evidence and come to our own conclusions.

I am a man of truth and I couldn’t care less where the truth comes from, even if it lay within the mouths of those whom I consider my opponents or enemy. No one has a monopoly on truth and all truth is God’s truth and truth can be found in the most unsuspecting of places; after all, are not all lies baited with truth?

Another interesting and inconclusive point to consider is that in the 14 times that Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels, but never once is she called a prostitute or a sinner. But could Mary of Bethany be her name or known public designation prior to her conversion and Magdalene her name after her life changing encounter with Yeshua and this be the reason Mary Magdalene is not called a sinner? Could Magdala be her home town of childhood innocence and Bethany the town of her innocence lost?

Now to be clear, it really does not matter what one believes on this issue, because belief either way has no pending on critical soteriological doctrine. But can we at least possibly get a hint by the Gospel accounts alone if these women were two separate women or one and the same? There is also the issue of possibly a third Mary, the unnamed sinner of Luke 7 that anointed Yeshua is said to be either a whole other person all together or she is Mary of Bethany or Mary Magdalene or all three are one and the same person. Is it possible to untangle this tangled ball of yarn that theologians, like cats have toyed with and have tangled at play? We will at least try.

The name Mary in the Hebrew is Miriam, a popular name for women due to it being the name of Moses’ sister, considered a great and revered matriarch in Judaism, so it is no surprise many women in the Gospel accounts bear the name Miriam (Mary). Miriam (Mary) Mother of Yeshua. Miriam (Mary) of Bethany and sister of Martha and Lazarus, Miriam (Mary) of Magdala/Magdalene, Miriam (Mary) of Mother of Yochannon (John) Mark and sister to Barnabas, Miriam (Mary) Mother of Yaakov (James) and Yoseph (Joseph), also being the wife of Clopas and Miriam (Mary) a helper of Rav Sha’ul (Apostle Paul).  Yeah, just enough Miriam’s (Mary’s) to make things confusing!

Regarding Mary Magdalene; the surname “Magdalene” has been a source of controversy. Many believe her “last name” to indicate that she was from Magdala a town or former outpost of sorts thought to on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee. Magdalene in Hebrew is Migdal, indicating a high hill or meaning a tower and or fortress which may lend some credence to this Galilean coastal town. Surprisingly enough there is a Talmudic passage that may be speaking of Mary Magdalene. In Hagigah 4b and Shabbat 104b speak of a Miriam "hamegadela se’ar nasha", "Miriam, the plaiter of women’s hair." And if this is so, beauticians then and now can sometimes carry a loose or questionable and sexualized reputation. If Mary Magdalene was indeed a hairdresser or a beautician, she would also have had access to beauty accessories such as perfumes and thus could also have been the unnamed sinner in Luke 7 that anointed Yeshua with the ointment in the box of alabaster and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair at the house of Simeon the former leper in Bethany. This would also make sense if she was a prostitute too; because perfume was one of the tools of the trade, as Pope Gregory said that she used it in order “to perfume her flesh in forbidden acts.” Also some prostitutes lived in guilds and if one was good at doing hair the rest of the women in the guild would go to that woman to help fix them up before they went soliciting customers. If this be so, this encounter at the house of Simeon the former leper was prior to Yeshua meeting Martha and Lazarus and could have been his introduction to this family in Bethany which would make Mary Magdalene and Mary sister of Martha and Lazarus the same person. Furthermore if this unnamed sinner of ill repute was Mary of Bethany, which also being possibly being Mary Magdala, this was then also the person whom Yeshua cast seven demons out of (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2). Furthermore could these seven demons represent and be reason for what is known as the “seven deadly sins (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride)”? This would mark the character of most prostitutes. Also, if this unnamed sinful woman was Mary of Bethany and she was a prostitute, she likely would have been shunned by her Jewish family (Lazarus and Martha) and only accepted back upon her repentance when she met Yeshua. Note that when the Gospels were penned there were no chapter or verse separations and so note the close proximity to this unnamed female sinner in Luke 7 to Mary Magdala of Luke 8. So if this nameless woman of Luke 7 be Mary of Magdala, could the demons left her when Yeshua dismissed this woman after praising her for anointing Him with fragrant oil of the alabaster box and washing His feet with her tears (Luke 7:47-50)? Because we read no record of when this exorcism took place. I think it highly likely. To confuse things all the more Matthew 26, Mark 14 and John 12 speak of Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus anointing Yeshua with spikenard which was kept in an alabaster box! How likely is it then that the unnamed woman in Luke 7 and Mary of Bethany be two separate people? In my humble opinion, not very. It is too much of a coincidence in my book. If Mary of Bethany and this unnamed woman were the same person this would mean Mary anointed Yeshua’s feet twice, the first time with the perfume and her tears at Simeon the former lepers house when she repented and was forgiven by Yeshua, and once with just the ointment at her home where she lived with her siblings (Lazarus and Martha) in Bethany. Also, if this sinful woman was Mary and the same as Mary Magdala, the one who had seven demon cast out of her, then why did not Luke just say so when it seems John made it clear? Possibly because Luke and John wrote at different times; John wrote supposedly after Mary’s death and Luke prior to, and so veils the identity out of respect and reputation of the living.  

“John, however, clearly identifies Mary of Bethany with the woman who anointed Christ's feet (12; cf. Matthew 26 and Mark 14). It is remarkable that already in John 11:2, John has spoken of Mary as "she that anointed the Lord's feet", he aleipsasa. It is commonly said that he refers to the subsequent anointing which he himself describes in 12:3-8; but it may be questioned whether he would have used he aleipsasa if another woman, and she a "sinner" in the city, had done the same. It is conceivable that John, just because he is writing so long after the event and at a time when Mary was dead, wishes to point out to us that she was really the same as the "sinner." In the same way Luke may have veiled her identity precisely because he did not wish to defame one who was yet living; he certainly does something similar in the case of St. Matthew whose identity with Levi the publican (5:7) he conceals. If the foregoing argument holds good, Mary of Bethany and the "sinner" are one and the same… An examination of John's Gospel makes it almost impossible to deny the identity of Mary of Bethany with Mary Magdalen. From John we learn the name of the "woman" who anointed Christ's feet previous to the last supper. We may remark here that it seems unnecessary to hold that because Matthew and Mark say "two days before the Passover", while John says "six days" there were, therefore, two distinct anointings following one another. John does not necessarily mean that the supper and the anointing took place six days before, but only that Christ came to Bethany six days before the Passover. At that supper, then, Mary received the glorious encomium, "she hath wrought a good work upon Me...in pouring this ointment upon My body she hath done it for My burial...wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached...that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her." Is it credible, in view of all this, that this Mary should have no place at the foot of the cross, nor at the tomb of Christ? Yet it is Mary Magdalen who, according to all the Evangelists, stood at the foot of the cross and assisted at the entombment and was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection. And while John calls her "Mary Magdalen" in 19:25, 20:1, and 20:18, he calls her simply "Mary" in 20:11 and 20:16.” - Pope, H. (1910). St. Mary Magdalen, in The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Capurnaum and Magdala on the western coast of the Sea of Galilee in which chapter seven of Luke begins is about 80 some miles from the Bethany where Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived and in between them is the city of Nain (Luke 7:11) So we see the progression of Yeshua’s travels within the chapter from place to place. And a journey, especially one business related from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea where Bethany is was a common and well-worn road and not considered a great distance to those who traveled by foot or beast in those days.

We see Mary Magdalene, whom I think is a very good chance as it being the same as Mary of Bethany and sibling of Martha and Lazarus, as well as the unnamed sinful woman in Simeon’s house was also present at the execution of Yeshua and at the tomb of His resurrection. Ironic that Mary Magdalene was among the women to carry perfumes to anoint Yeshua’s body (Mark 16:1), I think this too connects Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and the unnamed sinful woman. Again, for me there are just too many similarities and commonalties for them to all be different women. Mark 15:40-41 seems to hint to us that Mary Magdalene resided in Bethany, the same place where Mary, Martha and Lazarus’ sister lived and followed Yeshua and His Talmidim (Disciples) around and ministered unto them with refreshments whenever they were in the Galilean region. So to me, it is clear Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany and the unnamed sinful woman are all the same person. And to have Mary of Bethany sit at Yeshua’s feet (to the chagrin of her sister Martha) to hear Him teach, sounds like Mary Magdalene who followed Yeshua around Bethany and Galilee to help meet their physical and monetary needs while ministering to the people while at the same time being able to hear Yeshua’s teachings. And to top it off, if these Mary’s were two different people and were so devoted to Rabbi Yeshua then why were not both of them there at the cross and tomb? Why, because they both WERE there, they both are the same person! Both Mary of Bethany (assuming she is the sinful woman of Luke 7) who anointed Yeshua’s feet and Mary Magdalene both had the characteristic of clinging to Yeshua, for Mary Magdalene clung to Yeshua’s feet in reverence to her Rebbe after His resurrection and He had to tell her to stop in order for Him to be in Heaven on time before the Father to present Himself as the First Fruit offering.

Some people may question, why the different names then? It wasn’t uncommon for people in Scripture to go by different names. For example, Peter was known as Peter, Simon Peter, The Apostle Peter, The Rock, Simon son of Jonas. It would like someone calling me (by my English name) Kristopher Scott, Kris Shoemaker, Kris from Mansfield and or Kris, Bill’s son. In a story all designations could be used and most people would not think it was speaking of multiple and separate people, but context would make it clear that it was one person. Same holds true I think for the sinful woman, Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene.

Again, bottom line is that it doesn’t make a difference one way of another on what one believes on this, for regardless of what ones opinion is, it has no effect on any weighty and or important doctrine of or matters of faith. But as I read and piece together what we have in the Brit Chadasha, I think the evidence leans heavily that these three women discussed above are all the same person.

OMER DAY TEN

“Today is ten days which are one week and three days of the Omer.”

·       Theme of the week: Gevurah – Severity and Strength

·       Theme of the day:  Tefreit -  Beauty

·       Overall Theme: “The Beauty of His Severity and Strength.”

Yesterday we seen a future example of YHWH’s Raw Severity and Strength. Today let us view the same and similar passages and see the beauty in such severity.

Rev. 20:1,14 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.


This final act of judgment upon evil will bring the 2^nd most beautiful act in all eternity besides the death burial and resurrection of Yah’s Son.

Rev. 21:1-4 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.


Imagine, the L-RD of all creation and judgment, bending down like a loving Father and comfortingly wipe the tears from His Children’s eyes.

The Traditional text to read is Psalm 119:73-80:

73     ¶ JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

“G-d You know me inside and out, You hold the blueprint to my physical, mental and spiritual makeup, so teach me in the way I can learn, absorb, and keep the commandments best.

74     ¶ They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

As believers we are all in the same boat and therefore we pray for and encourage one another and we are glad when we see the other succeed, because we know our success will come soon by the same Divine Source.

75     ¶ I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Rom. 8:28, all things work for the good, and we know whether success or punishment comes by the hand of G-d we know He is just and fair and right in doing so. And as a loving Father he disciplines us because He wants us to do right and see us succeed.

76     ¶ Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77     Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

David desires G-d to see the desire of his heart to please Him and to keep His Torah and therefore asks for patience and encouragement as he continues to try to do the right thing.

78     ¶ Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

David knows that the victories of the wicked are short lived and are actually granted as a mercy unto them by G-d. David knows that G-d will uphold him and see him through. G-d will settle all accounts and the righteous will eventually prevail.

79     Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

David wants all Torah Observant believers to rally around him the King for he promised G-d that he will lead them as a nation in the ways of Torah for the Glory of G-d.

80     ¶ Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

David wants to know the Torah fully so he can keep the Torah fully and therefore be without the shame of sin.

“Precious Loving Heavenly Father, I am practically moved to tears as I meditate upon the awesome fact that the You, All Powerful G-d will one day, as my Loving Father, wipe all tears from our eyes. I give thanks in the Name of Messiah Yeshua, Ameyn.”

Who Was Cornelius?

Who Was Cornelius?

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

As a Rabbi I get many questions and there usually are not too many questions that I haven’t already heard or pondered myself. But one gentlemen asked a very interesting question that I had to say I honestly did not know the answer to.

“Was Cornelius the Centurion of Acts 10, the same Centurion of Luke 7, who personally knew Yeshua?”

What an awesome question! I had to honestly say I didn’t know because the thought had never crossed my mind. This piqued my curiosity and has caused me to study this out for myself.

Let us first look at the passages in question, keeping in mind that Luke was the author of both passages.

Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. – Luke 7:1-10 (Repeated in Matt. 8:5-13)

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.  And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa…  Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee…. Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends…. And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God…. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. - Acts 10:1-8, 21-22, 24, 30-33, 44-48

Okay, first things first before we get into the details of these passages from the Brit Chadasha. Who was Cornelius? Cornelius was a Roman Soldier, likely a Gentile, although some speculate that he may have been a Hebrew of one of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, but all the Scriptural evidence presented here seems to indicate that he was purely a Gentile. He was a centurion soldier within the “Italian Band” which was a volunteer army from Italy, thus making it more likely he was a Gentile, a non-Jew or non-Hebrew. He was part of a Regiment of soldiers consisting of approximately 600 men; whereas a Legion has 3,000 to 6,000 men. As you can see 6 Centurions and their soldiers helped make up 1 Band of soldiers. 10 Regiments made up 1 Legion of soldiers. Cornelius oversaw approximately 100 men at what could be called the regional headquarters. The headquarters of the Roman forces in Judea were at Caesarea which was north of the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum was right on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. The two cities were not that far from each other; approximately 45 km (27 miles) apart and so it is likely that this was the region or area that Cornelius and his band could have been given authority to oversee.

In Luke chapter seven we see that Yeshua was in Capernaum when he met a Jewish delegation on behalf a Centurion (which I believe to be Cornelius) in order to beseech Yeshua regarding the healing of one of the Centurions beloved servants, which was possibly his son (John 4:43-54) or a servant who he loved as a son. Keep in mind that this Centurion Cornelius was likely a Gentile, yet won the love and favor of a community of Jews who ordinarily for all intents and purposes have nothing to do with Gentiles. Cornelius earned the love and trust of the Jewish community of Capernaum by building them a synagogue and if this Centurion be the Cornelius of Acts  10 it also says he gave to the poor and prayed during the traditional hours of prayer kept by the Jews. In keeping with Jewish tradition of the day, I imagine he may even have given alms to the poor just prior to his times of prayers as many Jews of the day did. They felt that in doing so their prayers would be seen more favorably in G-d’s eyes.

This Jewish delegations praise for Cornelius prompted Yeshua to go to his house to heal his servant, but when Cornelius got wind of Messiah’s coming by either a messenger who ran ahead or by seeing Yeshua and the Jewish delegation approach his house, Cornelius sent out a friend to speak to Yeshua on his behalf. This indicates to me that Cornelius was VERY familiar with Jewish custom and that Jews (we see this evident with Kefa (Peter) in Acts 10) didn’t go to the house of a Gentile for fear of ritual contamination that would prohibit one not to be able to worship in a synagogue or Temple until one ritually washes (takes a mikvah). If a common Jew would not enter a Gentiles house Cornelius couldn’t bear the thought of a allowing a Rabbi of great reputation such as Yeshua to enter his home. Cornelius sent a friend to tell Yeshua that as a Gentile he wasn’t worthy for Yeshua to step into his home, but being a man of authority knew and had confidence that all Yeshua had to do was say a command and he knew his servant would be well. This expression of faith astounded Yeshua, that this Gentiles faith in Him was greater than that of a Jew!

So we can confidently say that at Cornelius somehow heard or even witnessed Yeshua’s ministry prior to calling on him to heal his servant. Could he have also possibly been witness to Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection? Let us entertain the fact that this might possibly be true.

Cornelius and his men’s territory of authority were likely from Capernaum to Caesarea, we see in Acts 10 Cornelius ended up living in Caesarea, but worked or had another residence in Capernaum (Luke 7). Now outside Jerusalem were Yeshua was crucified and buried was about another 100 km (65 miles) away from Capernaum. In the event of civil unrest extra bands of soldiers would be called in to assist and help squelch the uprising. When Yeshua was arrested, tried and crucified it is very likely that extra forces from surrounding areas were called in to help contain the crowds. What if Cornelius was one who was assigned or volunteered for the crucifixion and tomb detail?

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. – Matt. 27:54

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. – John 19:41

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers (guards) did shake, and became as dead men. - Matt. 27:64-28:4

Now I am not saying that one of these particular Roman Centurions was Cornelius, but the possibility exists that it was. “Truly this was the Son of God” sure sounds like something Cornelius would say and not some hardened Roman Centurion who has seen thousands of crucifixion before, and who is far away from home and doesn’t want to be in a foreign country and through his job is able to vent such frustrations on other through a crucifixion detail. Alas, we must leave such to speculation, imagination and our own personal opinion.

Now Acts 10 goes into greater detail regarding Cornelius. The chapter is long and I left out the part of Kefa’s (Peter’s) vision which was all about accepting Gentiles and had nothing to do the abolishment of the Levitical dietary laws. I did include the verses specifically dealing with Cornelius.

Yeshua’s ministry was three years, and we know not for sure when He encountered Cornelius, but a conversion to Judaism takes one to three years and by the time Cornelius met Kefa (Peter), it would have likely been at the three year mark, if indeed he was undergoing the conversion process. For when he meet Yeshua, he was likely at the beginning of the conversion process and his home was not fit to have a Jew enter it, it was not a Kosher home. Acts 10 says that Cornelius was a “devout man,” a phrase usually used for a Torah Obedient Jew. Acts 10 also says that he was a God fearer, which is a phrase usually used to indicate a Gentile convert! Acts 10 indicates that by the time he sent for Kefa (Peter), Cornelius was confident enough that he kept a Kosher home that he felt it okay to invite a Jew to come into his house. Of course we see the reason for Kefas’s (Peter’s) vision was to convince him that it was okay to enter this particular Gentiles home. As Kefa (Peter) spoke to the household of Cornelius the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) fell upon them and there was a mini Acts chapter 2 Pentecost thing going on in there! The passage also seems to indicate that Cornelius and his household had already been circumcised because the sect of the circumcision which believed in Yeshua that was with Kefa (Peter) (another indicator Cornelius’ home was Kosher) even urged a mikvah (baptism) for them which was a part of the conversion process, it sealed the deal if you will, and it also indicated that whom you were “mikvah-ed” under was the sect you followed. Thus it seems that Cornelius and his household may have been the first Gentile converts to the Natsari (Nazarene) sect of Judaism!

Why I Rarely Do Conversions

Why I Rarely Do Conversions

Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr

In the past and in recent days I have had many people come to me desiring to convert to Natsari Judaism but I have had to turn them down. Why? Do I believe in conversion? Yes, absolutely, as opposed to many in the Messianic movement who feels it is moot and unnecessary. Then why will I rarely take someone under my wing and lead them in the path of conversion?

1.    Because I am just one man and taking on a convert is a one to three year commitment of time and money and other resources (depending upon the candidates progress) of both parties involved, that I simply do not have, coupled with my family and ministerial responsibilities. Also, it is a deep commitment of time and resources that many potential converts are simply unwilling to make. Many people really have no idea what all is involved in the conversion process and when they hear the whole schpeal, they decline anyway.

2.    Being one man with a ministry with very little manpower, I have no one at this time to delegate such a responsibility to on my behalf.

3.    Just like long distant relationships rarely work, long distant conversions rarely work out due to the fact one can track the candidates academic progress but without meeting one on one, face to face it is very difficult to gage ones spiritual progress. I actually tried a long distance conversion program and it was a miserable failure and it was made clear to me by HaShem that this is not the right way to go about filling this need in the Messianic/Natsari community.

4.    I take conversion very seriously and have great trepidations in taking on a potential convert whom I have not personally met nor have been able to spend time with. It is like birthing a child who must be cared for and I am not willing to give birth and leave a baby on someone else’s doorstep. I do not want to be like a spiritual gigolo converting people left and right and not able to effectively disciple and help such a person afterwards to grow in the Faith.

Perhaps in the future the LORD will make it so that Abrahams Descendants International will be able to take on candidates for conversion; however, that time is not now.

One must understand also that a conversion under a Messianic and Natsari movement will only carry weight within these movements and is not recognized by Mainstream Judaism or the state of Israel. Sadly, some have ulterior motives and only want to be converted in order to make aliyah to Israel and be officially recognized as a Jew.

I realize there is a great need for Messianic and Natsari Rabbis willing to take on converts, but the sad fact is we are such a small movement in ratio to the population that congregations who do conversions are few and far between and far away from the one desiring conversion.

My suggestion to those who wish to convert is to make the commitment in your heart, because that is where it begins anyway. Make the conversion privately between you and GOD first. Live as if you already are a convert. It all begins and has to be solidified in the heart before it can be made manifest outwardly. Make sure your heart is circumcised before you seek conversion. Then pray the LORD leads you to a place and a people that can help walk you through the conversion process. Keep in mind a sheet of paper issued by man in the scheme of things actually means very little. It is what is in the heart that counts.

I DO NOT recommend that you convert under a non-believing Jewish sect because if they find out you are a believer in Messiah Yeshua they will persecute you and boot you out or they will try and get you to renounce your belief in Yeshua.