What do you believe?
PeaceDragon13
4/5/2006 1:51:29 PM
I often wondered if Jesus intended to make a new religion that broke away from the Jewish faith. Why couldn't Christianity "stay" Jewish and remain the sect that believe Jesus as the Messiah?
espiritus85
3/23/2006 2:24:50 AM
Obviously, that should be "prophecy".
espiritus85
3/23/2006 2:23:16 AM
It would be nice if for once people referred to something outside of texts. Don't show me a "phrophecy" on one page, then tell me to turn to another to see that is came true. Please. It's all very academic as far as I'm concerned.
delype
I don't want to get real long in my comment for fear of losing the readers, but each statement the author made that claimed contadictions to Jewish traditions which Jesus supposedly spoke and did can be legitimately explained with the Bible. The following 2 posts will attempt to address 2 points the author made.
In reality in comes down to faith. Do we really belive John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
We as Christians should be walking the walk and not just talking the talk. 1Cr 13:13 and now there doth remain faith, hope, love -- these three; and the greatest of these [is] love.
May the God of glory shine His light in your life.
3/20/2006 9:45:19 PM
The author points out events in the life of Jesus and things he said which any human could do and therefore His divinity is not proven. What he leaves out though is the miracles performed by Jesus that no mere man could do. I don't want to get real long in my comment for fear of losing the readers, but each statement the author made that claimed contadictions to Jewish traditions which Jesus supposedly spoke and did can be legitimately explained with the Bible. The following 2 posts will attempt to address 2 points the author made.
In reality in comes down to faith. Do we really belive John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
We as Christians should be walking the walk and not just talking the talk. 1Cr 13:13 and now there doth remain faith, hope, love -- these three; and the greatest of these [is] love.
May the God of glory shine His light in your life.
delype
So until the law was fulfilled "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Torah until all is accomplished." Accordingly, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the law.
3/20/2006 9:08:13 PM
Jesus breaking the law, was a forshadowing of what his sacrifice would provide for us and that is freedom from the law. I believe when He said He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it He meant that to say that He would pay the penalty for our transgressions against the law. If you are speeding you have broken the law. If you are caught you receive a penalty. If you go to court and pay the fine, the law has then been fulfilled. Fullfillment does not mean to uphold, but means that laws have been broken, penalties have been paid, so the law is fullfilled, (satisfied) . Jesus' death on the cross, the ultimate blood sacrifice was the attonement for all the sins of the world, and according to Jewish law there must be a blood sacrifice for sin, then His sacrifice fullfilled the law. So until the law was fulfilled "not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Torah until all is accomplished." Accordingly, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross fulfilled the law.
delype
Jesus' instructions just before He ascended to the Father was to "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned." (Luke 16:15 & 16.)
Unfortunately some "Christians" took it upon themselves to believe they were responsible for providing the condemnation when unbelief and was encountered. Our only responsibility what we call the Great Commission is to preach the gospel. Simply, preach the gospel. We are not to twist arms, threaten or condemn verbally or otherwise if one chooses not to believe. Unfortunately Satan wormed his way in and created an apostate Christianity.
It can't be denied that many atrocities were done in the name of Christianity, but that doesn't make the offenders Christians.
3/20/2006 8:59:57 PM
According to my bible, Jesus and his desciples were Hebrew. The Christian belief is rooted in Jewish beginnings. As in everything else that starts off good, Satan finds a way to corrupt.Jesus' instructions just before He ascended to the Father was to "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned." (Luke 16:15 & 16.)
Unfortunately some "Christians" took it upon themselves to believe they were responsible for providing the condemnation when unbelief and was encountered. Our only responsibility what we call the Great Commission is to preach the gospel. Simply, preach the gospel. We are not to twist arms, threaten or condemn verbally or otherwise if one chooses not to believe. Unfortunately Satan wormed his way in and created an apostate Christianity.
It can't be denied that many atrocities were done in the name of Christianity, but that doesn't make the offenders Christians.
jahatbash
In the end who would you trust more to deliver the truth, the Jews or the Romans?
3/11/2006 5:43:23 AM
What if the Jews were the true Christians and the teachings of Akiba ben Joseph the true Gospels?In the end who would you trust more to deliver the truth, the Jews or the Romans?
johnny_socko
The problem with this statment is that even a Christian would tell someone whether or not they are considered a Christian. If some one claims to be a Chrisitian, that is between them and God. The same thing as being a Jew. If someone claims to be a Jew, that is between them and God. It is entirely possible to be a Christian and a Jew. I know many.
3/9/2006 3:19:21 PM
"I would not presume to tell Christians who is a Christian and emphatically reject the idea that the Christian community can tell me who qualifies as a Jew."The problem with this statment is that even a Christian would tell someone whether or not they are considered a Christian. If some one claims to be a Chrisitian, that is between them and God. The same thing as being a Jew. If someone claims to be a Jew, that is between them and God. It is entirely possible to be a Christian and a Jew. I know many.
cknuck
3/8/2006 10:13:45 PM
Very interesting article, the writer I’ve notice continually focuses on Christians and the Christian faith always comparing it critically with Judaism. The wording is tricky, nice but deadly; and to say Jesus was only saying what the prophets said before does not disprove that He was divine, of course He said what the prophets said, what else would you expect Him to say. And the low blow of trying to attribute the horrors of the holocaust literally sickens me. It’s a really low reoccurring tactic used to discredit Christians. The sleazy quote that: the Nazis who killed Jews may not have been Christians, but they were all sons and daughters of Christians is a all out bigoted attack. The jealousy of the attack on “Jews for Jesus” is also a low road.
wifeinlove
It frustrates me that some nonChristians, like the Rabbi, can understand the complexities of their own faiths (and believe that their own writings require study and examination to understand), but then look at Christian scripture at its simplest and/or most literal. If one were to read Jewish writings with the same attitude, how well do you think he'd understand Judaism, as it really is?
3/8/2006 1:02:01 PM
The article could have been interesting. I found myself disagreeing with many of his interpretations of Christian scripture (like Matthew 10 and Luke 14:26) I acknowledge my need for someone to explain the Jewish faith because my understanding is definitely lacking, but likewise, Rabbi Wolpe needs someone to explain Christian scripture to him, because, respectfully, he clearly doesnt understand it. It frustrates me that some nonChristians, like the Rabbi, can understand the complexities of their own faiths (and believe that their own writings require study and examination to understand), but then look at Christian scripture at its simplest and/or most literal. If one were to read Jewish writings with the same attitude, how well do you think he'd understand Judaism, as it really is?
jewsforjesus
The primary reason that Jews do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah is that after his arrival and death the world was not redeemed.
Doesn’t the need for redemption infer the need for salvation? If so, how is salvation achieved? By grace or works? God’s grace seems far more merciful to me than my works. I find mercy to be an expression of love and my works and effort in imperfection. A loving God who is just will provide the means of redemption, and faith (what the mind accepts to be true) seems to me to be a non-meritorious and fair means of salvation. Anyone can believe, we’re all equal in faith in Christ.
3/6/2006 11:36:01 PM
Rabbi David WolpeThe primary reason that Jews do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah is that after his arrival and death the world was not redeemed.
Doesn’t the need for redemption infer the need for salvation? If so, how is salvation achieved? By grace or works? God’s grace seems far more merciful to me than my works. I find mercy to be an expression of love and my works and effort in imperfection. A loving God who is just will provide the means of redemption, and faith (what the mind accepts to be true) seems to me to be a non-meritorious and fair means of salvation. Anyone can believe, we’re all equal in faith in Christ.
Diffie
"I would not presume to tell Christians who is a Christian and emphatically reject the idea that the Christian community can tell me who qualifies as a Jew."
In fact, the Rabbi does tell us whom he believes to be Christian when quoting Mr. Berkowitz - "the Nazis who killed Jews may not have been Christians, but they were all the sons and daughters of Christians." Really? What specific research that brought Mr. Berkowitz to this conclusion. Did he survey former Nazi soldiers? It would surprise me greatly if most Nazis came from homes where there was much if any religous conviction of any kind. Even if all Nazis were "church members," being the member of a particular religous denomination does not make a person a Christian anymore than it makes him/her a frog.
3/5/2006 9:52:58 PM
As a Christian, I am just as insulted by Rabbi Wolpe's article as he is by "Jews for Jesus." Rabbi Wolpe makes the following statement in "Why Jews Don't Accept Jesus." "I would not presume to tell Christians who is a Christian and emphatically reject the idea that the Christian community can tell me who qualifies as a Jew."
In fact, the Rabbi does tell us whom he believes to be Christian when quoting Mr. Berkowitz - "the Nazis who killed Jews may not have been Christians, but they were all the sons and daughters of Christians." Really? What specific research that brought Mr. Berkowitz to this conclusion. Did he survey former Nazi soldiers? It would surprise me greatly if most Nazis came from homes where there was much if any religous conviction of any kind. Even if all Nazis were "church members," being the member of a particular religous denomination does not make a person a Christian anymore than it makes him/her a frog.