Sinaiticism 

• One level of 6 lessons on the history of Sinaiticism
• $15 application fee
• $125 for the level

About The Program

Sinaiticism constitutes the foundation of Hebraic bibliology—that is, the framework by which the ancient Israelites interpreted, studied, and embodied the principles of Scripture, a system referred to by Alan T. Levenson as “Biblical Judaism” (Levenson 2025:26). It is rooted in the cultural and religious ethos revealed by Yah at Mount Sinai. As the divinely ordained religious system given to Israel following the Exodus, Sinaiticism is expressed through the covenantal laws and decrees set forth in the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy ratified by the prophets (Joshua, Samuel, Jeremiah, Hosea, Isaiah, Zechariah, etc.) unimpeded with human traditions.

Yah commanded Israel—and all who would worship and serve Him—to fully embrace these statutes, promising that in doing so, they would attain eternal life (Lev. 18:5). No other form of biblical religion originates from Yah; Sinaiticism alone represents the covenantal religion He established to reflect His righteousness and to engender eternal life. Under the faith of the Messiah, it is this same religion to which all humanity will ultimately be held accountable (cf. Matt. 5:17–19; 7:21–23; 19:17; 1 Cor. 7:19; Rev. 12:17; 14:12–13; 22:14 [KJV]). Sinaiticism has been replaced by the religion called “Judaism” that was arguably erected in the second century BC based upon the customs of halakhaism that originated probably with the Chasidim (Hasideans) enshrined into Jewish law (Judaism) by the Pharisees in the second century BC (1 Macc. 2:42; 7:13; 2 Macc. 14:6).

The author of Maccabees (Hasmoneans) speaks of the Hasideans being present with the Maccabees in about BC 167, not the Pharisees. However, it may be argued that the author of Maccabees favors the priestly and military leadership of the Hasmoneans and likely omits groups like the Pharisees intentionally due to ideological opposition. So, Josephus is the first to speak of the Pharisees in his work, The Antiquities, Book 13 (Saldarini 2001:115) which he states where emerging around BC 134 during the reign of John Hyrcanus, although they may have been present prior to this period. “At this time there were three sects among the Jews, who had different opinions concerning human actions; the one was called the sect of the Pharisees, another the sect of the Sadducees, and the other the sect of the Essens” (Ant. 13:5.9).

The Pharisees may have continued the practice introduced by the Hasideans of imposing oral traditions (the oral law) upon the Jewish populous which became more important than adhering to Sinaiticism, the legal and cultural construct ordained by Yah in the second millennium. Professor of Law at the University of Jerusalem, Zeev W. Falk (2018:10) says,

Synonyms for oral law are shmu‘a (i.e. that which was heard, tradition), mishna, halakha, kabbala (i.e. that which was accepted), and words of the Scribes. In the Epistle of Aristeas (127), referring to observation of the commandments, it is said that ‘this is attained more by hearing than by reading’, in other words, that in determining halakha the oral tradition is more important than the written law. Study in the school was based mainly on oral traditions, as is evidenced by such expressions as ‘… if they heard it—they told them’ (M Sanhedrin XI 2), ‘I heard from the mouth of many’ (M Eduyoth V 7), ‘they did not insist on their own words when confronted with an oral tradition’ (T Eduyoth I 3). Hence oral tradition is accepted, in the rules of procedure of the schools, as a basis for putting a rule of Halakha to the vote (T Sanhedrin VII 2) [emphasis added].

Josephus says, “What I would now explain is this, that the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses [Sinaitic]; and for that reason it is that the Sadducees reject them, and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our forefathers. And concerning these things it is that great disputes and differences have arisen among them” (Ant. 13:10.6). Falk notes that “the common element in all these meanings is that they refer to the oral law, and the introduction of the concept of halakha goes back to the Pharisees” (Falk 2018:11).

Thus, the general date ascribed to the creation of Judaism if one bases it upon an amendment or appendment to Sinaiticism through Halakhah (Pharisaical Judaism) which perverted the tenets of the Sinaitic law as Yahshua and his apostles argued (Matt. 15:3; 16:5-12; Matt. 23:4; Acts 15:10; Gal. 5:1) would be during the second century between BC 170 - 134 (Babota and Mason, 2021). This premise is also applicable to the doctrine of the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection (the soul dies with the body), angels or spirits, something that the Torah and Prophets spoke about within a Sinaitic framework (Acts 23:8) although they did believe that they should adhere to the law without Halachah (Ant. 18:1.4). Just like the Pharisees, the Essenes were also highly engaged in Halachah but also angelolatry (Wilson 2005:38-39) which Josephus states that proselytes to their sect swore to keep the names of angels a secret. “Moreover, he swears to communicate their doctrines to no one any otherwise than as he received them himself; that he will abstain from robbery and will equally preserve the books belonging to their sect, and the names of the angels. These are the oaths by which they secure their proselytes to themselves” (Wars 2:8.7). They also believed in the immortality of the soul (Ant. 18:1.5).

This program contends that no existing form of Judaism can legitimately claim continuity with the Torah’s original faith or ethical framework, as its foundations were significantly altered by the Jewish religious leadership beginning in the second century—despite earlier efforts to restore Sinaitic orthodoxy under Judah ben Tabbai. Dr. Fred Astren, Professor and Director of the Jewish Studies Program at San Francisco State University notes that “The true teachings were transmitted from Judah ben Tabbai to Shemaiah, and then to Shammai. The false teachings pass through the line of Simeon ben Shetah-Abtalion-Hillel. The final break between these two sects came on Adar 9, a day of fasting” (Astren 2004:270). The legend of Judaism is that,

Judah b. Tabbai, who had also survived the king's wrath, opposed the innovations introduced by Simeon b. Shataḥ as also his fiction of an oral law. Judah attracted to his banner all those who remained faithful to ancient traditions. Simeon and Judah each became the head of a school, thus dividing the Jews into two factions. Simeon was succeeded by Abṭalion, Abṭalion by Hillel who systematized the new laws based on the fiction of the Oral Law. Judah b. Ṭabbai was followed by Shemaiah, and Shemaiah by Shammai; those two being the great Karaite teachers from whom the line of succession was never interrupted (Jewish Quarterly, 1911:522).

Learning Objective

The question this six weeks program is tailored to ask, and answer is, is Judaism the culture/faith Yah presented to Moses to give to the children of Israel or is it Sinaiticism? Is Sinaiticism the foundation that Yah gave for Israel and proselytes to build their faith in Yah upon (Ps. 127:1)? As Yah’s emissary and spokesman, Moses says, “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.” This is a six-week seminar that is constructed to teach the origin and history of Sinaiticism in contradistinction to Judaism, a religious system with variegated doctrines (Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform and Messianic) that has added to the word of Sinai against what is commanded in the law, thereby leaving Judaism as a faith that operates outside of its Sinaitic ancestry. In this program you will learn:

1. The origin of Sinaiticism,
2. The origin and purpose of the Sinaitic Covenant,
3. The origin of Judaism and its splinters,
4. The significance of maintaining covenantal integrity,
5. Defining Hebraic Bibliology in covenantal terms and,
6. The standard of righteousness and judgment

SAPS (Sinaitic Apologetics School) is designed to assist you in how to properly exegete biblical Scriptures from a Sinaitic perspective. Every aspect of this program is intended to increase your scriptural aptitude. SAPS will equip you with knowledge and understanding, and help you to become a better person, teacher, servant, apologist, evangelists, and witness to God’s grace and majesty. This program will help you become a more educated worshiper of God in Christ. Sinaitic Apologetics is robust and challenging, but it is also fun (have fun with it!).

What to Expect

Our facilitator(s) hold terminal degrees in theology, biblical studies and apologetics. It is our desire to bring theological academia from the university to the community for a fraction of the cost. There is one level in this program and six lessons. After each lesson, there will be an exam consisting of a variety of true-false questions, fill in the blanks, and essays. The cost is $15.00 for the application fee and $125.00 for the level (not lesson).

Goal

NCCI UNIVERSUM has identified 7 levels that a biblical exegete can attain. Level 1 argues topics from a single passage in Scripture, through Level 7, which argues passages from a scientific perspective known as hermeneutics. Every student who graduates from SAPS will have learned how to become a Level 7 Exegete, the highest level in exegetical study and dissemination. If you are interested in our apologetics school, please complete the enrollment application and the confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), a/k/a, the Casting Pearls document, or contact us for more information. This program is the pathway to Messianic Sinaiticism.

How To Apply

To apply to New Covenant Congregation of Israel's Sinaitic Apologetics School, please download the documents below, complete them and return them to info@nccicharlotte.com or mail them to us at NCCI UNIVERSUM, 9908 Monroe Road, Matthews, NC 28105.

Download the Casting Pearls Confidential Disclosure Agreement

Download the Sinaitic Apologetics School Application

Download the Tuition Schedule

Bibliography

Astren, Fred. Karaite Judaism and historical understanding. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2004.

Babota, Vasile. ‘In Search of the Origins of the Pharisees,’ and Mason, Steve. “Josephus’s Pharisees.” In The Pharisees, edited by Joseph Sievers and Amy-Jill Levine, 23-40, 80–111. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2021.

Falk, Zeev W. Introduction to Jewish Law of the Second Commonwealth, Volume 1 Leiden: Brill, 2018.

Levenson, Alan T. The History of Jews and Judaism Facts and Fictions. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025.

Saldarini, Anthony J. Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees in Palestinian Society A Sociological Approach. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans 2001.

The Jewish Quarterly Review. Edited by Cyrus Adler and S. Schechter Vol. 2. London:  Macmillan and Company Ltd, 1911.

Wilson, Robert McLachlan. Colossians and Philemon. London: T&T Clark, 2005.