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Shamash
Shamash (Hebrew שמש, plural shamashim) is the Hebrew word for an attendant, servant, caretaker, custodian, or synagogue janitor ("And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister [Shamash] and sat down" Luke 4:20). Shamash is also part of the Jewish Menorah. The Jewish Menorah contains a central stem called Shamash used to light the other candles in its candelabrum. The Chanukkiah (the nine-branch candelabrum) has height candle holders in a row and a separate holder for the Shamash, or servant, which is used to light the others candles. For Messianic Jews the imagery is rich: Jesus, the "Light of the world" (John 8:12), came as a servant (Mark 10:45) to give light to every-one (John 1:4-5), so that we might be lights to others (Matthew 5:14). "I am introducing to you our sister Phoebe, servant [shamash] of the congregation at Cenchrea" (Romans 16:1). The usual English term for this office is "deacon", which transliterates the Greek word "diakonos"; and the closest Hebrew equivalent is "shamash", the person who handles the day-to-day practical tasks of keeping a synagogue (or congregation) going. "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you prohibit (bind) on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit (loose) on earth will be permitted in heaven" (Matthew 16:19 Jewish New Testament). In consequence of his confession Jesus makes Peter both "shamash" (steward), with the keys, and "dayan" (judge), who, as the one who can prohibit and permit, establishes New Covenant legal judgements (for the Church in Matthew 18:15-20 "I tell you people that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. To repeat, I tell you that if two of you here on earth agree about anything people ask, it will be for them from my Father in heaven". The words "prohibit" and "permit" were used in first century Judaism to mean "bind" and "loose" (Josephus, Wars of the Jews 1:5:2). |