Jubilees “OR” Torah … You Choose!
… they don’t agree so you have to make a choice!
Jubilees diverges in key ways from the Torah and should be viewed with extreme caution for those who hold the Torah as foundational.
Calendar Conflict and Distortion of Mo'edim
One of the most substantial issues with Jubilees is its advocacy for a 364-day solar calendar, which replaces the Torah’s lunar-solar approach that considers the "appointed times" (mo’edim) (Genesis 1:14, Psalm 104:19). The Torah does not specify a fixed solar-only year but rather a system of timekeeping that is observed through lunar months and aligned with seasonal agricultural cycles. This calendar issue is more than technical; it directly affects how and when one observes the festivals that are mandated by Yahweh, leading Jubilees readers and adherents to potentially disregard the Torah’s instructions on sacred timing, a core component of covenantal obedience. A believer will never be in sync with Yahweh if they follow this calendar!
Misrepresentation of Patriarchal Narratives
Jubilees often reinterprets the narratives of the patriarchs, adding details and teachings not found in Genesis. For example, it attributes lengthy moralistic discourses to patriarchal figures, which, while instructive, have no basis in the Torah itself. These additions dilute and sometimes contradict the simple yet profound lessons taught in Genesis, suggesting that the patriarchs followed a unique revelation outside of the Torah framework. This risks misleading readers by presenting non-canonical teachings as if they held the same authority as the Torah.
Creation of New Laws and Additions to Torah
The Torah explicitly warns against adding to or subtracting from its commands (Deuteronomy 4:2). Yet, Jubilees includes additional regulations and expectations that are not mandated in the Torah, such as detailed rituals, the prohibition of intermarriage based on reasons not aligned with the Torah, and the introduction of angelic laws. By introducing these laws, Jubilees steps beyond the limits prescribed in the Torah, positioning itself as a competing authority rather than a complementary tradition.
Historical and Prophetic Alterations
In Jubilees, the narrative structure often rewrites or reframes prophetic revelations and events, presenting itself as if it had insight into Yahweh’s mind in ways that are unsubstantiated by the Torah. For instance, it retroactively interprets historical events to fit its own agenda. Amos 3:7 tells us Yahweh does nothing without revealing His plan to the prophets. Yet, if the Zadokite or other teachings in Jubilees were genuinely prophetic, they would find grounding and endorsement within the Torah itself or in the words of verified prophets. This lack of endorsement should serve as a clear indicator that Jubilees operates outside the boundaries of inspired Scripture.
Consider!
Given these conflicts, Jubilees presents a distorted reflection of the Torah’s teachings, one that risks introducing half-truths which, as you know, can amount to a “complete lie.” For those seeking to adhere to Yahweh’s original revelation, it’s vital to distinguish such texts as secondary or even erroneous rather than inspired. By doing so, the weight and purity of Torah teachings remain unchallenged and unsullied by external innovations.
Here is a consolidated table with 14 points of diversion where Jubilees diverges from the Torah. Each point highlights specific areas where the Book of Jubilees diverges, adds to, or alters details in comparison with the Torah.To clarify the theological, practical, and spiritual implications of following the Book of Jubilees instead of the Torah. There is a comment on each divergence’s consequences or implications, noting how these changes might impact faith, practice, or interpretation:
This commentary demonstrates how deviations in Jubilees introduce problematic interpretations that contrast with the Torah’s teachings. By outlining these points, the table reflects how following Jubilees leads individuals away from the intended Torah path, conflicting with the balance and consistency established by the Torah itself.
What does Scripture itself say about all this?
Deuteronomy 4:1-2 “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your Elohim that I command you.
Acts 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
Deuteronomy 8:3 “He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that He might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live.”
In this passage, Mosheh is speaking to Israel, reminding them of their dependence on Yahweh, not only for physical sustenance but for life-giving words from Him.
Yeshua reiterates this concept in Matthew 4:4 when He faces temptation in the wilderness:
“But He answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Elohim.”