In this study on the Beit Din structure, we want to apply the duck test in order to ask the important question: Are we practicing the original first-century faith described in Jehuda (Jude) 3? Are we unifying around Yahweh’s structure and organization? Or are we practicing something that resembles the original first-century faith, but is in fact much different? Join us to find out!

What is the duck test?

The duck test refers to when you have something and you are wondering whether it is genuine or artificial. For example, you have a bird that looks like a duck, and you are wondering whether it is a duck. And in order to find out, you ask yourself the following questions. Does it look like a duck? Does it swim like a duck? Does it quack like a duck? And if the answer to these questions is yes, then it is probably a duck. That is the duck test.

But what happens if we have something that looks similar to the real thing, but not exactly? And what do we do when something resembles the original faith, but does not pass the duck test?

The original faith and the duck test

“The Beit Din Structure” is the fifth segment in the video series Discipleship the Kingdom and You. And in this video, we want to explain what the Beit Din structure is and why it is important if we mean to be practicing the original first-century faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, (and not some other faith like many Messianic do today).

Yehudah (Jude) 3
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
[Christian-Jewish, Christian-Israelite, Nazarene-Israel]

First-century Jewish Scripture

Many Renewed Covenant (New Testament) believers today practice a faith very different from what the Mashiach Yeshua practiced. One of the reasons why this happens is because they do not understand that the Renewed Covenant was written primarily by devout first-century Jews, and that they wrote it primarily to other devout first-century Jews. There were certain things that were understood in the context of being devout first-century Jews.

The Renewed Covenant is certainly open to those of us of gentile backgrounds, but we need to remember to view the Scriptures of the Renewed Covenant with what we might call first-century Jewish (Israelite) eyes. Because when we do that it is going to provide an understanding of the culture and of what is being written about. And that is what we need, elsewise, we are going to miss what the Renewed Covenant says.

And in order to understand the renewed covenant from devout first-century Jewish eyes, we need to begin with the book that all devout first-century Jews would have read, which is of course The Torah of Moshe (The Law of Moses).

Exodus 18 and Torah structure

In this study, we are going to go back to Shemote (Exodus) chapter 18, to the time of Moshe and his father-in-law, Jethro. We will see that, prior to Exodus chapter 18, there was not really any order. And we will see that the structure of Moshe as the only leader would not suffice long-term. And we will see that this is when the Beit Din (house judgement/court) structure first began forming. And we will also see how the divisions of leadership formed.

Beit Din structure

We will talk about why it was necessary to establish the Beit Din structure in order for Israel to become an organized, established as a nation. And why the Beit Din structure and the foundation of the Five-Fold ministry is still necessary today in order to have an organized, unified body walking in accordance with Yahweh’s commandments.

Once we have the understanding of what the Beit Din structure is and why it is vitally important for Yeshua’s body today, we will then be able to apply the duck test to ourselves. Are we “earnestly practicing and contending for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”? Including the Beit Din structure? Including the different layers of organization? Including the Five-Fold ministry?

Does our faith match the first-century faith? Or are we doing something else, and it is a different ministry entirely?

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