Messianic Believers

The Priory of Sion

2006-07-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

In James Garlow's book "Cracking Da Vinci's Code" he says, "Brown relies on a 1982 publication "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", for his information on the Priory of Sion. The authors of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" relied on documents provided them by Pierre Pantard, who spent time in jail for fraud in 1953. Plantard and three other men started a small social club in 1956 called the Priory of Sion... throughout the 1960s and the 1970s, Plantard created a series of documents 'proving' the existence of a bloodline descending from Mary Magdelene, through the kings of France, down to the present day to include (surprise!) Pierre Plantard... in 1993... Plantard, under oath, admitted he had made up the whole Priory scheme."

In "The Da Vinci Code" Dan Brown claims that the description of the Priory of Sion is accurate. He claims that it was founded in 1099 AD in Jerusalem, but it has been exposed that Pierre Plantard planted secret documents in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. Dan Brown has backed of on his claim, and on his website he restates that the facts described on his fact page merely "exist". The documents are real, but they're phony. This is a crucial item that undermines the credbility of Dan Brown and his claims. Nothing in this book, not even the "fact" page is true. It is truly a fiction book, and it is based on fictional history. That is how this book should be received.

Problems with the Gnostic Gospels

2006-06-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

Dan Brown, in the Da Vinci Code, uses references from the Gnostic gospels as an historical resource. However, some of his theories don't even gibe with what those books teach. Even if it did the problem with the Gnostic gospels is that they were written long after the New Testament Gospels, and contain much information inconsistent with eyewitnesses to the events in Yeshua's life. Why must they be reconciled with the New Testament Gospels?

As A. M. Hunter, author of "Bible and Gospel" published in 1969, puts it:

The earliest Christians were very detail oriented in preserving the traditions of the Messiah's words and life.
The Gospel writers were very close to the eyewitnesses and pursued the facts as they related to Yeshua.
There are many indications that these authors were honest in their reporting.
The composite image of Yeshua is consistent across all four Gospels.

So we know the New Testament Gospels are a strong source of accurate information. Anything inconsistent with them must be examined closely to find why there is a difference. In the case of the Gnostic gospels, they are less reliable because of their distance from the eyewitnesses, their inconsistent diversity of facts, and the relative unreliability of the authors.

Dan Brown's Historical Objectivity

2006-06-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

Is Dan Brown's claim that the descriptions of the artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals depicted in this novel are accurate, true? Well, he has backed off a bit on his website to say that they merely exist, but the book can't be changed at this point. The problem is that he failed to maintain objectivity about his historical claims, and let his fictional characters follow a biased interpretation of history. This commits the error he claims the church has made throughout history. This error is referred to as relativistic hypotheses. It suffers from self-contradiction, logical fallacy, and inconsistency.

Personal bias distorts the interpretation of facts. So how can we avoid that mistake? You must find historical evidence, which is usually testimonies of eyewitnesses, written documents as close to event as possible, and physical evidence from archaeological finds. Assemble the evidence, and examine the possible alternative conclusions, setting your own personal beliefs aside for the moment. There is primary evidence and secondary evidence. Primary holds greater weight. Always check authenticity, and use external criticism to check it. Also use internal criticism to analyze the docment's reliability, or to use the scientific dating methods for verification. In the end, all the pieces of the puzzle need to be assembled, and a conclusion made based on the most likely conclusion.

Many historians that have tested biblical history, following this standard, have produced results that support the Bible's account of history. Those conclusions have never been proven wrong, not even once. Can Dan Brown's claims stand up to that scrutiny?

Looking to History

2006-06-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing good about the Da Vinci Code, it has brought to light the need to recognize the difference between the truth and fiction. While it is enough to simply have faith, it is more difficult when you have intellectual barriers to understanding certain concerns with it. One way to overcome that is to use Historiography to validate your faith. This simply means doing some research and finding objective facts that answer your questions. This is the work of historians. Dan Brown has attempted this with a novel, but failed miserably on objectivity with facts. Messianic believers can be guilty of the same.

If you truly believe the scriptures are reliable truth, then historical evidence can only verify what is in scripture. Unfortunately, we can't be 100% objective, there is some subjectivity involved in every source, but the historical event itself is objective and multiple sources from various positions of subjectivity is good verification of facts. It isn't perfect, so you can't necessarily prove history beyond a shadow of a doubt - especially biblical history. There may be proof of certain things, but not all facts can be proven. There are unexpected chance events outside the ordinary that cast doubt on facts. However, probability plays a role in determining what most likely is true.

The Da Vinci Code is far from meeting the standards of historiography. That should make it's conclusions suspect. However, attempting to verify the book's "facts" can lead you down a path of finding what the truth really is. I think if you followed the previous posts here on the Da Vinci Code, you will see there is a lot to know about history that validates that Yeshua is the Messiah.

Yeshua's Miracles

2006-06-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

The idea that the miracles couldn't have happened because they violate the laws of nature is faulty logic. The laws of nature are simply explanations of how things usually happen. Scientific research has still not proven that miracles can happen, but it also has not disproven them.

In the case of Yeshua's resurrection, Paul supports the event with eyewitnesses and historical testimony in 1 Cor. 15:1-20. There are also many strong historical reasons to believe that Yeshua was resurrected. He died by crucifixion, the disciples testify to literal appearances afterwards, and the disciples lives were transformed after those appearances. If the Gospels are reliable historical documents, and it testifies to these facts, it is extremely likely that it happened.

What The Templars Have To Say

2006-06-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

See this review of the Da Vinci Code book, by a man who affiliates himself with the group on the Rosslyn Templars website.

Reliability of the New Testament

2006-06-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Gary Habermas in his book "The Historical Jesus", he makes his case for the reliability of the New Testament books.

The New Testament has better manuscript evidence than any other ancient book with over 5000 manuscripts compared to less than 20 for the majority of classical works. They are dated close to the original writings, and none of them is missing.
Each Gospel was written by an eyewitness, or with firsthand testimony.
The Gospels measure up well by historical standards used in historiography, even without eyewitnesses.
The picture of the Gospels is virtually the same in all four books.
The Gospels and Acts show a specific interest in reporting historical facts, not mythology.
Radical criticisms of the New Testament are frequently rejected by contemporary historians, because they fail to be convincing on many points of using historiography standards.
Older studies that try to discern Hellenistic influences are outdated.
Attempts to date the Gospels later into the second century are disproven by many facts.
The Gospels and Acts were recognized as inspired books almost immediately after they were written. Clement of Rome refers to them as the words of Jesus in AD 95, Ignatius and Polycarp do this as well in AD 115, as many others have during the time.
Paul's epistles were also recognized as inspired scripture almost immediately by Peter in 2 Peter 3:15,16 and by Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp.

Archaeological Evidence

2006-06-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

In June 1968, there was a discovery of a man named Yohanan Ben Ha'galgol - the name written on his stone ossuary. He was the victim of a crucifixion. He had clearly been pierced in the feet with a nail that was still driven sideways through his heel bones. Nails had also been driven between the radius and ulna bones in the lower arm. His lower leg bones were broken by a common blow. The nail had olive wood on it indicating that he was crucified on a cross made of olivewood or on an olive tree. Since olive trees are not very tall, this would suggest that victims were crucified at eye level. All of this is consistent with Roman procedures mentioned in John 19:31,32.

This finding corroborates the fact that crucifixion existed during Jesus' time, and is consistent with scriptural account. There are always critics, but nonetheless, it is one piece of an overwhelming amount of evidence.

Yeshua's Proof

2006-06-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

Yeshua provided proof that He is the Son of God and the Messiah by:

Doing the miracles that were prophesied for Messiah. Even the Talmud talks about the supernatural acts He performed.
He lived a sinless life. This is reported in 1 John 3:5 and 1 Peter 2:22.
He fulfilled the Messianic prophecies, which could not have been done by anyone but the Messiah. Even Satan couldn't counterfit it.
He was resurrected from the dead.

If you could verify these things, would you then believe? How much proof does it require? The Da Vinci Code claims these things are not true and preys on our natural skepticism with ideas that seem more plausible on the surface. If this were true, wouldn't you want to make sure you don't get this one wrong?

Proof Yeshua is God

2006-06-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

It was soon after His death on the cross that His disciples began to worship Him. They certainly must have had proof of His divinity, to have prompted that. There was, of course, His miracles, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. But the greatest evidence was the resurrection.

If you have trouble believing the resurrection actually happened, then all you need to do is look at the evidence. Be as skeptical as you'd like. It is a fact that He died, the Romans made sure of that. It is also a fact that He was buried in a tomb. The owner of that tomb was Joseph of Arimathea. Also it is a fact that three days later the tomb was empty. Yeshua's opponents even admitted that when they accused the disciples of stealing the body.

Yeshua's followers saw Him alive again, and were willing to die making that claim. The disciples were transformed. They were now willing to die defending that belief, which is evidence they were profoundly affected afterwards. There are historical records which attest to His resurrection, and then of His appearances. Then, of course, there is the question of the Shroud. One undisputable fact is that the claim that He was resurrected is the 2000 years of large numbers of individuals who testify to their own personal experiences of how their faith has changed them. In 2000 years, proof that the resurrection is not a historical fact has still not emerged, and close examination of the evidence that does exist only corroborates the fact. The evidence is overwhelming.

Yeshua in the Tenach

2006-06-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

In Isaiah 53, we find a rich source of prophecy concerning the Messiah. Jewish scholars today try to say that Isaiah is talking about Israel as the "suffering servant" not the Messiah. However, looking back at the early Rabbis in the Babylonian Talmud, say this about it "surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God and afflicted." (Sanhedrin 98b) The early Rabbis saw Isaiah 53 as speaking of the Messiah. Rabbi Moses Maimonides is another example.

In the same line of thinking when we are dealing with the Da Vinci Code, we need to look at the authenticity and reliability of this book. Isaiah is ignored in the synagogues today, and if they are discussed the teaching has strayed from the original interpretations. When we believe something, why not put it to the test and find documented testimony from multiple sources that verify what you are thinking. If it isn't true, wouldn't you want to know it.?

Yeshua Claimed to be God

2006-06-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

In John chapter 8 Yeshua has a dialogue with the Jewish leaders, (John 8:57-59) So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." NASU He was referring to Ex 3:14 where it says, God said to Moses, " I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ' I AM has sent me to you.'"NASU

There are many other times He makes this claim in various other ways, and never takes the opportunity to deny it, even when His life is threatened.

Did Constantine Determine Yeshua is God?

2006-06-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Da Vinci Code claims that Yeshua's followers considered Him to be merely human until Constantine upgraded His status to deity 300 years after He walked the earth.

Constantine and the Council of Nicea in AD 325, were not responsible for His deity. The church had been declaring His deity for more than 250 years. Just look in the New Testament. Those books were written by eyewitnesses, and His divinity is declared in those books. They were already being widely used by the church in AD 325, and Constantine did not alter them. When John started his Gospel account, he did so by declaring the divinity of Yeshua. Paul also declares it. It is also declared in the book of Hebrews. These books were written in the first century.

The Da Vinci Code completely alters well established historical facts at this point in his book.

The Church and Women

2006-06-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

If the church fathers intended to suppress women, and if those who accepted the Canon as it is today with the agenda of suppressing women, then why did they let this verse into Gal 3:28?

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. KJV

"When it comes to faith and God's promises, there really is no gender distinction. Both male and female alike are acceptable in the body of Christ. Women were not treated well in Paul's day. Both the Gentile and the Jewish culture placed women in inferior positions — almost as property. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus pointed out that "woman is inferior to man in every way" (Against Apion 2.24). Christianity liberated women as God's creations with worth and abilities that could be used for God's kingdom. Just to announce that barriers have been removed does not mean that all prejudice has been overcome. This requires faith and being clothed with Christ. More than tolerance and superficial harmony, it requires a real change of heart and actions." (from The Life Application Commentary Series Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 by the Livingstone Corporation. Produced with permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Was Mary to Lead the Church?

2006-06-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

The idea that Mary Magdelene was intended to lead the church comes from the Gospel of Mary Magdalene a Gnostic gospel written late in the 2nd century, long after Yeshua died on the cross. Mary was no longer living. Mary was said to be given a vision from Yeshua, where she was instructed to find salvation for souls, not lead the church.

The idea of Mary Magdalene being a prostitute comes from a sermon that was given by Pope Gregory the Great, 500 years after the Gospels were written. He identifies the prostitute found in Luke 7 as being her. However, biblical scholars don't agree with this, since Mary wasn't introduced until Luke 8. In any case, it wasn't to demonize her, it was to illustrate the forgiveness given my Yeshua. He forgives all sin.

Mary was a devout follower of the Messiah, who boldly proclaimed Him. She was not commissioned to lead the church.

But What If Yeshua Had Been Married?

2006-06-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

Historian Paul Maier has said that there isn't anything wrong with the concept of Yeshua being married, but the problem is that one of the functions of marriage is to produce children. That is what leads to a theological problem. If Yeshua had been married, we would be faced with how to deal with His children theologically. They'd be one quarter God, which would get pretty confusing. So it was better that He didn't get married.

That doesn't mean there is anything wrong, or sinful with marriage. It is just that Yeshua came with a very specific mission, as the Messiah who would be the suffering servant and atone for sin. It is a tradition that prophets would make vows to be fully devoted to their mission in service to God. So in this way it makes complete sense why Yeshua would have remained single.

There are those that claim rabbis in the first century were always married, and that Yeshua should have been married in that tradition. That doesn't hold water. During Yeshua's time, there were many rabbis who were not married. It was not a requirement. Those who point to Da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper as evidence, are misguided, because in Da Vinci's early sketches he made indications that the figure claimed to be Mary Magdalene is actually intended to be John.

Dan Brown isn't just doing this to stir up controversy. Take a look at his testimony in his recent plagiarism trial. He takes it seriously.

Was Yeshua the Original Feminist?

2006-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

At the core of Dan Brown's novel is the allegation that the power-hungry men in the church overpowered Mary Magdelene and took the church from her. They intentionally smeared her name by labeling her a whore. Then they continued to obliterate the "sacred feminine" which lead to the church oppressing women ever since.

Dan Brown says that Yeshua was the original "feminist", but that kind of overstates His handling of women. If you ask Dr. Katherine Reynolds, a Doctor of Religion and Social Ethics, she'll tell you differently. He was revolutionary for His time, in the respect He gave women. Women were included in His public ministry. The church has done a pretty good job up to today acknowledging the accomplishments of women, though there have been times they haven't. But in reality they aren't viewed as the enemy as Dan Brown would have us believe. The enemy is the serpent in the garden.

The idea of the "sacred feminine" is not found anywhere in the Bible, or in Yeshua's teachings. Yeshua referred to God as the Father. In fact, the Gnostic gospels that Dan Brown relies on so heavily, view women much less favorably than Yeshua in the New Testament. Just read the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary.

Was Jesus Married?

2006-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of claims in the Da Vinci Code is that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had a child named Sarah. Dan Brown actually claims that it is part of the historical record and is part of the biggest cover-up in human history. However, there is not a shred of evidence to support that claim.

You'd think that Paul would have mentioned it somewhere in his writings. He even writes about marriage in 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 9:5, Paul defends the right to have a wife. You'd think he'd mention that even Jesus was married - that would certainly drive his point home.

You don't even see Jesus being married in any of the Gnostic gospels either. That is interesting, seeing as Dan Brown relies on them so heavily. There is one reference to Mary being Jesus' "companion", but it is not consistent with the context of that passage to interpret that as being His wife. On page 246 in the Da Vinci Code, it makes this claim. It takes quite a stretch to determine that, which indicates that it is probably not the case since it isn't spelled out more clearly that she was His wife. The passage is from the Gospel of Phillip that says, "There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary, his mother, and her sister, and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion. His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary."

Dan Brown says, "any Aramaic scholar will tell you that the word companion in those days literally meant spouse." However, the original text was written in Coptic, which was copied from Greek. It has nothing to do with Aramaic.

Why The Gospels Can Be Trusted

2006-05-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

Here are four categories of reasons the Gospels can be trusted:
1. There is persuasive evidence that they are rooted in direct and indirect testimony. These can be traced back to the Apostles themselves. Peter was even like an investigative reporter.

2. Most of Paul's writings come before the Gospels were written, and affirm the resurrection and diety of Jesus.

3. There is embarassing material about the disciples and hard to understanding sayings of Jesus that could have been edited out, but were not. They were included, even though the truth was uncomfortable.

4. Archaelogy and ancient writings outside the Bible corroborate the accuracy of the Gospels. One example that illustrates this is Gary Habermas in his book "The Historical Jesus".

None of the later Gnostic gospels come anywhere close to matching those credentials. They were written 150 to 200 years after Jesus' ministry, so there are no eyewitnesses and show the signs of perpetuation of myths surrounding Jesus and esoteric theological agendas. Investigate this yourself as objectively as possible.

Credibility of Gospel Accounts

2006-05-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

People don't ask enough questions about the credibility of eyewitness accounts. We need to ask honest questions about the resurrection of the Messiah. Who was there and who would vouch for the character of Yeshua and his followers? It takes faith, without question, to believe the Gospels, but we must believe in order to understand. This isn't based on what we don't understand, but on what we do understand about the Holy Scriptures. It asks us to trust. The best way to decide if it is trustworthy is to test it.

Read the Gospels and trust them. See where they take you. Experience will give you more insight than historical data.

What Dan Brown has to say

2006-05-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is an MP3 file of a speech by Dan Brown that lasts about one hour. You will get a good idea of what Dan Brown believes. He admits his own confusion and uncertainty. It seems he is coming from a Gnostic point-of-view.

Evidence of the Bible's Reliability

2006-05-26T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hank Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute makes this case:

There is Manuscript evidence. This is some of the strongest evidence. Manuscript evidence includes works of Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Caesar, and Tacitus. There is eyewitness credentials of those authors. Secular historians such as Josephus (pre AD 100), Roman Tacitus (AD 120), Roman Suetonius (AD 110), along with the Roman governor Pliny the Younger (AD 110). These manuscripts confirm biblical events, people, places, and customs in the New Testament.

There is Archaeological evidence. If you look at the archaelogical finds that have confirmed biblical claims, the volume is overwhelming.

Finally, evidence comes from the very biblical documents themselves. Prophecies written long before events happened, that could not have been predicted by chance or common sense.

(a note about wikipedia. Though I link to wikipedia frequently, I don't believe that you should take wikipedia as an authority. The articles are written by various individuals who are not necessarily historians and may be in error. Take what you read there with a grain of salt. If you need to know that a certain fact is accurate, you will need to do some research to verify it. Some of the controversial aspects of history are sometimes not revealed by the author because of their bias.)

Gospels Unreliable?

2006-05-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

For most of us, the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the primary source of information about the life of Yeshua, the Messiah. In Messianic circles, many people had very harsh opinions about the Gospels, until they read them with a sincere desire to seek the truth. The Lord works in our hearts when we read His Word.

However, can we explain to someone clearly why the Gospels can be relied upon beyond our own experience? Most of us can't. Dan Brown challenges us in this way. When we investigate, we find that the Gospels can be relied upon for history.

Dan Brown says that there were a lot more gospels than the four we have, that were ignored. He says there were over eighty, and Constantine eliminated the ones that potrayed Yeshua as a mortal being.

The Truth
There weren't eighty. There other books, but they were much more supernatural in nature than the four that are included in the New Testament. He has no evidence to support his claims here. The four Gospels in fact emphasize both His deity and His humanity. The other accounts that are not inlcuded in the Bible, are so supernatural that Yeshua isn't even recognizable as a human.

What made the Gospels reliable was their connection to the Apostles. They are eye witness accounts, written in 70 or 80 AD, accepted and relied upon long before Constantine time. There was never any question to their reliability because they are eyewitness accounts to what Yeshua said and did. The gospels that aren't included in the New Testament are elitist, esoteric, and lack credibility in their discussions of Yeshua. They were written at much later times, in another generation, in the second, third, and fourth centuries. The theology isn't consistent with the theology of the early Christian church which the Apostles began. They contain second, third, and fourth hand accounts, that have been embellished.

What Dan Brown seems to be relying upon in the Da Vinci Code, is the Gnostic gospels. Even then, he gets the history wrong.

How Was The Brit Hadashah Formed?

2006-05-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

The Brit Hadashah, or New Testament, started with letters from the Apostles to the churches. Copies were made and distributed. Then a growing group of books were developed. The books were subjected to scrutiny before their acceptance. The Churches would ask a couple questions first. Was it written by an Apostle or someone who knew the Apostles? Was it in alignment with the accepted doctrine?

By the end of the 1st century, all 27 books had been written and accepted by the churches. However there were some books that were unknown in certain areas. By the next generation, every book in the New Testament had been cited as authoritative by church leaders. There was still debate over certain books up to the fourth century and a list was not officially made until AD 367 by Athanasius. The list of 27 books was finally ratified in AD 393 at the Council of Hippo and in AD 397 at the Third Council of Carthage.

So no, Constantine did not decide what books were in the New Testament.

Da Vinci Code Historically Unreliable

2006-05-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Dan Brown claims that his book is historically accurate. On the (movie file) Today show, Matt Lauer asked, "How much of this is based on reality in terms of things that acutally happened?" Dan Brown responds, "Absolutely all of it... is historical fact." On (movie file) Good Morning America, Charlie Gibson asked, "This is a novel. If you were writing it as a non-fiction book how would it be different?" Dan Brown responded, "I don't think it would have..."

As we discuss this book, we will see how many errors there are in the historical facts. In his book "The Da Vinci Code" Dan Brown claims that the "royal bloodline of Jesus Christ has been chronicled in exhaustive detail by scores of historians" (pg 253 DVC) The truth is that he relied on these "historians" -

The author of "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" Michael Baigent a conspiracy theorist pursuing an MA in Mysticism and Religious Experience .
Margaret Starbird, author of "The Woman In The Alabaster Jar" who has an MA in comparative literature and German.
Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince, authors of "The Templar Revelation" Lynn is a BBC personality and scriptwriter. Clive Prince is a "conspiracy theorist with a penchant for occultism, the paranormal, and UFOs. (Richard Abanes, TBTDVC, pg 41,42)

Sermon on Da Vinci Code

2006-05-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Yeshua Ha'Mashiach Ministries - A Messianic Ministry serving the Metro Atlanta area, has published a sermon on their website addressing the Da Vinci Code book and movie. He gets a bit personal on the attack, but it is understandable. Personally, I don't believe it is our place to decide what happens to Dan Brown, but it just goes to show how heresy can lead to destruction. It is a good thing that our Lord uses all things for good.

The Constantine Myth

2006-05-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

Brown calls Constantine a pagan, in the Da Vinci Code, who reluctantly became a Christian on his deathbed. That he destroyed the gospels that revealed Jesus was a human being.

This historical "fact" is fiction. This flies in the face of historical documentation. Constantine was a true convert to Christianity. He built cathedrals and announced an Edict ofToleration of the faith. He constructed the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. He had the clergy over for dinner regularly. He called himself a bishop of those outside the church. His purpose, he believed, was to convert all of Rome to Christianity. He exempted the clergy from taxation. The list goes on.

Constantine did not choose the books of the bible. He didn't eliminate gospels. The Canon (the standard biblical books) were already known for a century and a half to two hundred years before Constantine. Eusebius, the earliest Christian church historian, tells us how the cannon came to be and how other books were added. If you pay attention to the time line, you see that the books were determined before Constantine's time.

So it would be impossible for the Council of Nicea in 325 to determine the Canon. It also did not decide to diefy Yeshua. It was never under discussion. What was under discussion was whether Yeshua was coeternal with the Father or not. Dan Brown also says it was a very close vote, but it was 300 to 2.

The Da Vinci Code Claims

2006-05-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

The controversial claims of the Da Vinci Code are:

The bible books were chosen by Constantine, a Roman emperor.
The Gospels have been modified to support the claims of later Christians.
Jesus is not the Son of God, but a man.
Jesus was not seen as God until the 4th Century.
Jesus was married to Mary Magdelene.
Mary Magdelene was directed to establish the church, not Peter.
Mary Magdelene was to be worshipped.
There is a secret society called the Priory of Sion that worships Mary Magdelene.
Jesus and Mary Magdelene had a child together named Sarah.
Sarah propogated a prominent family line that is still present in Europe today.
The Catholic Church has assassinated descendants of Christ to keep the bloodline from growing.

These claims are false. Sure it is a book of fiction, but Dan Brown has claimed on national television that all the "facts" in his book are 100% true. Find out why they are wrong. Stay tuned as we continue to discuss. Hear what Josh McDowell has to say here.

Da Vinci Code Fact or Fiction?

2006-05-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

One of the most glaring problems with the book "The Da Vinci Code" is the fact that it is published as fiction, but right up front before you start reading the novel, Dan Brown lists a serious of "facts" upon which the story is based. Did he intend for those facts to be a real set of facts, or are they facts that build the premise of the book, as a work of fiction? People are confused. I think it is because Dan Brown is talking about the "facts" as if they were really facts in his public relations activities.

Dan Brown is attempting to challenge the accuracy of history as we know it. He says, "Many historians now believe (as do I) that in guaging historical accuracy of a given concept, we should first ask ourselves a far deeper question: How historically accurate is history itself?" In his book it says, "History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated and the winner writes the history books - books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe." One example that disproves this premise is the facts of the civil war called Peloponnesian War. It's history was written by Thucydides, who was an Athenian. The Athenians were the ones who lost the war. The treatment he gave the historical account is considered very objective.

Lets Discuss the Da Vinci Code

2006-05-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

...A Messianic Jew who teaches at New York University says the makers of "The Da Vinci Code" wouldn't dare smear Muhammad and the Quran the way they do Jesus and Christianity. Michael Brown took part in a debate on "The Da Vinci Code" last night with Dallas Theological Seminary professor Darrell Bock and Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Bock called the novel and upcoming film "a good yarn with thin thread" that can tragically mislead people who want to have a relationship with God. Rabbi Boteach said people are attracted to "The Da Vinci Code" because -- like him -- they object to the Christian belief that people can't go to heaven unless they believe in Jesus. Last night's debate was sponsored by Chosen People Ministries. [AP]

According to pollster George Barna, 53% of Americans who've read the book said it has been helpful to their "spiritual growth and understanding". That is stunning. They think much of what is in the book is true. I am going to start a series of posts to talk about this topic because it is critical that believers understand what is true and what isn't. Stay tuned.

Evangelizing in Israel Ain't Easy

2006-05-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Daystar, a Christian Broadcasting network in Texas, is bringing evangelism to Israel with Messianic Jews. Seems fair enough, but going into Israel directly with Messianic Jews is a touchy subject. This begs the question. Is it better to simply serve and love those who you are winning to Christ? Or is it neceesary to simply thump the bible and use guilt? Everyone has their approach.

"Da Vinci Code" Debate

2006-05-17T05:50:00.000-07:00

One of the key issues with the Da Vinci Code is the idea that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child, and that there is a bloodline of decsendants through history that leads to today. There are debates occuring now over this in the Messianic Community. This idea of the secret bloodline is a big secret that the church has been keeping, and Jewish people can find this easy to believe. One of the ways to examine this is to look at the historical evidence. Evidence must be primary in nature, not secondary, if at all possible. It must be reliable. One of the problems with this book is that it fails to provide factual and reliable evidence.

Messianic Congregations

2006-05-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus) often prefer not to give up their Jewish heritage when they accept their Messiah. That is why "Messianic Congregations" exist. They worship much like you would in a synagogue, with the litergical traditions, but the Messiah is viewed differently. It includes the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah, and recognizes His diety. This is a growing movement within the church. Many traditional churches are starting to accept these congregations and embrace the idea that the Christian faith has roots in Judaism. The main significance of that to the church is that the teachings in these congregations tend to emphasize biblical prophecy - fulfilled and unfulfilled. Recognizing that brings out the common thread through the old and new testaments.

Helping Israel

2006-05-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

With all the violence in the Middle-East, Israel has suffered tremendously. With all the need for money to shore up security, there is little left to help those in need. Many are in need as they become displaced by the violence. They need new homes and jobs. Immigrants that are returning to the land need to learn the language.

The Joseph Project is providing for the basic needs of many. This is a way to bless Israel, without getting tangled in the politics that thwart the evangelistic efforts. It is certainly a charity worth looking into.

Gen 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you,And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. " NASB

The Significance of Passover

2006-05-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

Every year around Easter, Christian churches are beginning to recognize the significance of the Passover Celebration. It is a busy time for me because I often will provide music for multiple passover celebrations, from home seders, to a church-wide event of 500 people. The interesting thing about this is the way some people's eyes light up when they "get it". It was life changing for me.

Da Vinci Code and Messianic Jews

2006-05-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

It is interesting to note how the Da Vinci Code ignores the Jewish perspective on Jesus. Jesus was Jewish. The book and the movie are attempting to assert that the Bible is unreliable and that some secret societies have kept deep dark secrets about Jesus. The only secret the church has tried to keep over the centuries is that Jesus is Jewish, and that Christianity has any relationship to Judaism. Christianity's roots are in Judaism. The movie may sell tickets, but it will only confuse those looking for the truth. The historic perspective of Jesus is left out by many.

Jewish Believer Testimony

2006-05-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

It is always good to hear testimonies. It is simply amazing how books from the Tenach have everything needed to show that Yeshua was and is the prophecied Messiah. Messianic believers (Jewish people who believe Jesus is the Messiah) are a very special type of believer that is very important to the church.

Pentacostals embrace Israel

2006-05-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

In Los Angeles there is a meeting of Pentacostals going on that Ehud Danoch, Israel’s consul general attended and received an amazing reception. I just hope someday Israel will understand how Christians today feel about their Jewish heritage. The anti-Semitism isn't what it used to be.

Look Whats Happening in Messianic Music

2006-05-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Is the next big thing based on Bob Marley?

Messianic Believers and Gentiles

2006-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Rabbi Sam Nadler, president of Word of Messiah Ministries, and Ed Stetzer, research team director and missiologist at the North American Mission Board, will be the featured speakers at the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship’s June 9-11 meeting in Greensboro, N.C.

This is a wonderful thing. As Gentiles begin to understand the Jewish perspective that makes Christianity what it is, the sooner reconciliation can be attained. The affiliation with the Baptist Denomination is also a good move, to reassure Gentiles that the doctrine is sound.

Is Israel a Free and Secure Country?

2006-05-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

"A society is free when its citizens are able to express their consciences without fear of physical harm being done to them.

But is Israel free and secure? Its handling of border security--and the persecution of Messianic Jews in the Jewish state--raise doubts." says the Free Lance Star

It is important for the church to recognize this problem. It is also a warning to what is ahead, as the fulfillment of prophecy draws near.

Why the Church Needs to Prioritize Jewish Missions

2005-10-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

In Rom 1:16 it says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. NASU

Paul was a Jewish apostle to the Gentiles, but he always went to the synagogues first to let the Jewish people know that the Messiah had come. This principle is still biblical today. Churches who evangelize usually prioritize those who have not yet heard the Gospel, and have not yet been reached. This seems logical because of the Great Commission, and it is correct to reach these people. However, our first responsibility is to the Jews, who were the ones from which salvation came. In John 4:22 Yeshua tells us this, "...for salvation is from the Jews." NASU

To break down the walls of prejudice from both sides, Gentile churches need to seek out Jews in the synagogues of the areas they visit, as Paul did, and apologize to them for the great injustices imposed on them over the ages by the church in God's name. And also to tell them that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah prophesied in the Tenach. Challenge them to read the book of Matthew, and put what they find to the test in the Tenach.

Yeshua (Jesus) said in Matt 23:39, "For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" NLT This is how the church can usher in the fulfillment of prophecy, to bring Israel to the point of accepting their Messiah. While we do that, we are also spreading the Gospel to those who still haven't heard. However, the priority is Israel. It says in Rom 11:26-27 "and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION,HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." 27 "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM,WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." NASU

Consider this, if you believe that the Jewish people are not a priority because they have heard the Gospel already, and have rejected it.

Blessed To Be A Blessing

2005-09-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

In Gen 12:3 God made a promise to the Jewish people, "And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." NASU and that means that if anyone becomes a blessing for the Jewish people, they will be blessed by God.

Interestingly, it also says in Zech 2:8 "For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye." NASU In a U.N. resolution passed in 1996 and again in 1999 demanded that Israel withdraw settlements in Golan. Only the U.S., Israel, and Micronesia voted against it.

We should be praying that God would cleanse our hearts from anti-Semitism and be aware of how the media is usually prejudiced against the work of God and His people. We should be seeking ways to affirm the Jewish people, to love them and bless them, whether or not they have accepted the Messiah. (Matt. 22:34-40) We should live in a way that makes them jealous for what we have in Messiah. (Romans 11:11)

Prophecy Being Fulfilled Today

2005-09-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Background
There is amazing things happening today that are moving us closer to the Second Coming of Messiah. We know that in Lev 26:40-42 it says, "But at last they shall confess their sins and their fathers' sins of treachery against me. (Because they were against me, I was against them, and brought them into the land of their enemies.) When at last their evil hearts are humbled and they accept the punishment I send them for their sins, then I will remember again my promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will remember the land (and its desolation)."TLB This is where God showed us that He is slow to anger and that even though Israel has and does repeatedly disobey Him, He will still give them the opportunity to obey Him.

For their disobedience, He scattered them across the entire world. This has happened. Now it is time for Israel to "confess their sins and their fathers' sins of treachery against me" before He can bring them the Messianic Kingdom.

In Jeremiah 3:11-18 it says, "In fact, faithless Israel is less guilty than treacherous Judah!
12 "Therefore, go and say to Israel, 'O Israel, my sinful people, come home to me again, for I am merciful; I will not be forever angry with you. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt; admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every tree; confess that you refused to follow me.' 14 O sinful children, come home, for I am your Master, and I will bring you again to the land of Israel-one from here and two from there, wherever you are scattered. 15 And I will give you leaders after my own heart, who will guide you with wisdom and understanding.
16 "Then, when your land is once more filled with people," says the Lord, you will no longer wish for 'the good old days of long ago' when you possessed the Ark of God's covenant. Those days will not be missed or even thought about, and the Ark will not be reconstructed, for the Lord himself will be among you. 17 The whole city of Jerusalem will be known as the throne of the Lord; all nations will come to him there and no longer stubbornly follow their evil desires. 18 At that time the people of Judah and of Israel will return together from their exile in the north, to the land I gave their fathers as an inheritance forever.TLB

Jeremiah is beginning to describe what good things God has in store for Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. In Verse 13, it states the condition of this, repentance as a nation.

The Stage is Being Set
In October 2004 Israel National News reported that the Sanhedrin is being re-established after 1600 years. This is a significant event because for the Nation of Israel to confess their sins, it will take the religious leadership being re-established. When the Sanhedrin confess that Yeshua is the Messiah, only then will He come again. This is what He said in Matt 23:37-39, " Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39 "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"NASU

Regathering Has Started
The Jewish people are regathering in Israel. In 1948, when Israel was re-established as a nation population was less than 1 million, though still unrepentant, a prophecy fulfilled. (Ezekiel 20:33-38; 22:17-22; 36:22-24; Isaiah 11:11-12; and Zephaniah 2:1-2) In 1973 it was less than 3 million. Today it is around 6 million, 5 million are Jews. There are still 12 million scattered, and they will return. Charisma Magazine reported in January 1999 that 70% of all believers have come to faith since the first Zionist movement began. 50% of all who have ever come to faith are still alive today, and have come to faith since the founding of the state of Israel in 1948, This starts the regathering, which happens before Israel confesses her sins. In 1967, the six day war expanded Israel's borders. In 1973, the Yom Kippur War expanded Israel's borders. Then the land was given back for purposes of keeping peace. Ultimately, the boundaries will be as defined in Genesis 15:18, "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ' To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:'" NASU

So it is time to take notice. There is a significant growth of Jewish believers in Yeshua, and a growing desire to go back to Israel. These are Jews that recognize Yeshua fulfilled the prophecies in the Tenach, and would first come as a suffering servant. Now the time is coming near that Yeshua could be coming again!

Yeshua's Authority over Disease

2005-06-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

We find this in Mark 1:29-34; Matthew 8:14-17; and in Luke 4:38-41. A practice that persists today in Judaism is that after the morning Sabbath service you go home or are a guest for the special Sabbath meal. In this case Yeshua is a guest at the home of Peter. Peter lives with his mother-in-law who is sick, so Jesus heals his mother-in-law. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all report this event differently, according to their theme. In Mark 1:31, He took her by the hand and raised her up, which is the role of a servant. In Matthew 8:15, He touched her hand, and the mere touch of the King is sufficient in Matthew’s theme. In Luke 4:39, He stood over her and rebuked her, which is the work of an ideal man. Even though they all report the same event differently, there is no contradiction in what happened. Luke, who was a doctor by profession, tends to be more detailed when he describes her condition as chronic. He also noticed that once she rose, she had a sudden infusion of energy and was able to serve the Sabbath meal. The funny thing here is that no one asked if Peter wanted his mother-in-law healed, He just did it.

In the evening, large numbers of people who needed healing came based on what happened in the synagogue that morning. The reason they waited until the evening was that you do not come to be healed on the Sabbath day, and the day ends at sundown in Jewish tradition. There is a distinction made between those who are sick and those who are possessed by demons. (It is a common misconception that all sickness is caused by demons.)

Yeshua's Authority over Demons

2005-06-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

In Mark 1:21-28 and Luke 4:31-37, Yeshua demonstrates His power over demons. As His reputation spreads, a debate continues on about what authority He is teaching under. Those at the synagogue were impressed with the content and authority of His teaching. Rabbis generally received their authority from a rabbinical academy, but He did not go to an academy. They were asking, as a result, where He got His authority. Though the people in synagogue were slow to recognize His authority, demons were not.

Whenever He has an encounter with a demon, as in Luke 4:34,35, they immediately cry out loud, declaring His authority. Jesus always rebukes them, however, probably because they do not make good character witnesses. In Mark 1:26,27, He commands the spirits to leave their victim’s body and they obey. The people in the synagogue question Him because He has a new teaching and casts out demons with authority and the demons obey. This incident at Sabbath service in the Capernaum synagogue causes a stir, spreading quickly within the region. They recognized that His method of casting out demons is different than a Jewish exorcist. However, this power over demons is a sign of the Messiah, though the religious leaders of the day did not recognize it due to their blindness in scripture. They used the scripture to prove their points instead of looking to the scripture for answers. They completely missed the prophecies that would help them identify the Messiah.

Yeshua is Rejected in Nazareth

2005-05-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

Yeshua is first rejected in Nazareth in Luke 4:16-31. Nazareth plays a microcosm of the nation as a whole. What happens locally in Nazareth eventually happens nationally. There is an initial rejection in Nazareth, where in Matthew 13:54-58 there will be a final rejection in Nazareth. In Matthew 12:22-37 there will be an initial rejection by the nation, and in John 11:1-54 a final rejection by the nation.

After His fame had begun spreading, He returns to His hometown of Nazareth, and He entered into the synagogue as usual on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. You always stand to read in Synagogue, even today. Teaching is done in a sitting position. He reads Isaiah 61:1,2, stopping about halfway through verse 2. This is a Messianic prophecy, but only the first verse and half of the second verse is being fulfilled in Yeshua during His first coming, so that is why He only read that much. The rest of the three verses will be fulfilled in His Second Coming. He then closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down (the teaching position). He broke a Jewish tradition that requires the reader to read a minimum of three verses. This created some astonishment in the synagogue. He then said, “This scripture is fulfilled today” which means He was claiming to be the Messiah, since the scripture is recognized to be a Messianic prophecy even by Rabbinical interpretations. In verse 22 we see that He said a lot more, but Luke has just summarized His main point for us in His account of this event. Those in the synagogue immediately rejected Him with the question, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Remember Joseph was a descendent of Jechoniah, and did not qualify for Kingship)

Yeshua responds to this rejection with two Gentile elements from the Old Testament. There are many Jewish widows in the days of Elijah, and Elijah was not sent to the home of a Jewish widow, but a Gentile one who was Phoenician woman. There were also many lepers in Elijah’s day, but there were only an Asyrian leper was healed and no Jewish lepers. So the point He makes is that what the Jewish people end up rejecting, the Gentiles will accept. Just as Israel was unworthy in the days of Elijah, they are also unworthy in Jesus’ days. This angered those in the synagogue where He was raised in Nazareth. In verse 29, they took Him to a cliff overlooking the Jezreel valley to throw Him down. He simply used His Messianic power to escape. If you go to this site today, there is a Catholic Church there now called “The Chapel of Our Lady of the Fright.” Catholic tradition has embellished the account a bit by putting Mary at the event watching, and when they were about to push Yeshua over the cliff, Mary gasped. So they built a church over the spot. In this Catholic account He also leaped to Mt. Tabor, which is about 3 or 4 miles. In Hebrew that mountain is called the “Mountain of the Leap” for that reason.

Yeshua's Authority to Heal

2005-05-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

We find this in John 4:46-54. This is His second visit to Cana, His first visit was to attend the wedding where He turned the water to wine. There was a government official of Herod Antipus whose son was sick, this shows that he had faith to travel from Capernaum about 20 miles away about 600 feet below sea level, a 2000 foot walk uphill, to see Jesus. He asked Jesus to heal his son. Jesus responds by challenging the nobleman. The challenge is asking the question, does your faith depend on some sign to be given. Did he come because he already believed, or did he come to be convinced to believe? In verse 50, the man gave evidence of His faith by not doubting that Jesus would be able to heal his son, he just asked him to do it before his son dies. Jesus told him that his son was healed, and the man believed it. He had true faith. On his way back, his servants meet him and let him know that his son is okay. Verse 53 says “yesterday” which is evidence that the man did not rush back after speaking with Jesus. This was the second sign Jesus did, in accordance with prophecy in the Old Testament scriptures.

Yeshua's Authority to Preach

2005-05-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

In Mark 1:14,15; Matthew 4:17; and Luke 4:14,15, we see that Yeshua had the authority to preach. This is the first of several preaching tours that He takes. He is now engaged in a very active ministry proclaiming Himself as the King and the author of the Kingdom.

In this function He fulfills three roles, Rabbi, teacher, and prophet. Mark 1:15 proclaims that this is the proper time for the official offer of the Kingdom with Jesus as King. Matthew gives us the basic content of His message. It was salvation centered. The message at this point, since Yeshua hadn’t died and rose again yet, was to repent and believe in the Messiah, and secondly that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Luke tells us three characteristics of His ministry; it was spirit controlled, it spread everywhere, and finally the primary place of His teaching is in the synagogues.

Yeshua Accepted in Samaria

2005-05-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

This occurs in John4:5-42.

This is His famous account with the Samaritan women. Part of John’s sub-theme is to reveal the Father to all men, and He is doing this in His conversation with the Samaritan woman. He does this in five basic steps:

He gives a revelation of a new kind of life in verses 10-14.
He gives her a revelation of herself as a sinner in verses 15-19. This is an important issue because no one recognizes the need for a savior until they see themselves as God sees them, as sinners.
There is a revelation of what constitutes true worship in verses 20 to 23.
There is the revelation of the Father in verse 24.
There is the revelation of His status as Messiah in verses 25 and 26.

You will also notice a growth of development of her faith in the terminology that she uses. She begins by referring to Him as simply a Jew (verse 9), which was not a complement coming from a Samaritan. She moves on to the term “Sir” a title of respect in verses 11, 15,and 20. Then she moves on to the title of a prophet in verse 20. Then in verse 29 she begins to recognize Him as the Messiah.

Verse 5 – Sychar is a southern suburb of the city of Shecham, a well-known city of the Old Testament, positioned between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.

Verse 6 through 9 – During Jesus’ trip from Judea to Galilee, He stopped to rest by a well in Sychar. He had sent His disciples into the city to buy some food. When a Samaritan woman comes out to the well to draw water, which was customarily the job of the woman, Jesus asks for a drink. The woman was surprised because Jews had a rule not to put Samaritans in a position where they owe the Samaritan anything. This stems from an historical event. When the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity and began to rebuild the temple, the Samaritans wanted to join with the Jews in rebuilding it. This was not allowed because the Samaritans were a mixed breed racially and religiously. The Asyrian Empire had forcefully settled them in the old territory of Israel, where they intermarried with Israelites to avoid being taken into Asyrian captivity. There was also a religious issue because they brought the worship of the various gods from the countries they came from. To fit into the land, they accepted Jehovah as the god of the land without forsaking the other gods they worshipped. This caused the Jewish spiritual leaders to reject the Samaritans desire to join in the rebuilding of the temple. In reaction, the Samaritans they made Mt. Gerizim the holy mountain, as opposed to Jerusalem, and they went through the five books of Moses and eliminated any possible reference to Jerusalem. So the Rabbis had essentially excommunicated the Samaritans because of their corruption of the scriptures. For our historical purposes, Tamchum 17:4, of Rabbinical writings, details this. Another example from Jewish Scripture is in the Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah 44:4 which details this excommunication, and another Rabbinical source Kiddushim 76:1 does the same. The Samaritans would often stop travelers going to Jerusalem through Samaria, because of animosity towards the Jews. They would not stop travelers going the other direction, from Jerusalem to Galilee, however, because they liked to see people leaving Jerusalem as Jesus was doing. Later we will see as Jesus tries to go back to Jerusalem through Samaria, he is challenged. In fact, it is known that Samaritans would actually kill Jews going to Jerusalem.

Verse 10 – In response to the woman’s question, Jesus gives a basic progression of dealing with her. He begins with developing recognition of the need of eternal life.

Verse 11 – She is questioning Jesus’ motivation, but also reveals a Samaritan theological point. No one was greater than Jacob in Samaritan theology, and she was asking if He was claiming to be greater than Jacob.

Verse 12 through 14– Jesus moves from the physical to the spiritual. He makes the point that whoever drinks from this well will soon be thirsty again, but the well He is referring to is one which will provide eternal life, and will never leave you thirsty again.

Verse 15 through 17 – She doesn’t comprehend the spiritual aspect of this conversation. This has set the stage for her need for eternal life. At this point Jesus moves to pointing out her sin. He does this indirectly by asking her to bring her husband to the well, and she tells Him she is not married.

Verse 18 – He begins to demonstrate after all that He is actually greater than Jacob. Jesus points out that she has been married to five husbands and has been divorced five times and is a mistress with another man who is not her husband, who she is sleeping with now. This focuses her on her sin. As a typical response, anytime you point out someone’s sin, they begin to argue theology.

Verse 19 – She states that she perceives Jesus as a prophet now. That is a big step for her, because of Samaritan theology expecting the next prophet after Moses to be the Messiah. They only recognize the five books of Moses as their scripture, since the other books of the Old Testament are filled with prophets. This means she is already suspicious that He may be the Messiah.

Verse 20 – Then she gives us the theological dilemma toward dealing with the sin. As she reverts to arguing theology to defend herself she makes a theological point that refers to “this mountain” where she means Mt. Gerizim. The mountains that is, still today, the holy mountain for the Samaritan religion. Jesus then answers her question before getting back to the issue of her sin.

Verse 21 to 25– Jesus points out that Samaritans worship what they do not know, where the Jews worship that which they do know, for salvation is from the Jews. He also prophesies a time when worshipers will worship God in the Spirit, and the center of worship will no longer be required, which came true when He died on the cross. (This is a condition that was not true under the Mosaic dispensation and will not be true under the Kingdom dispensation, which is an eschatology issue.) So He brought her right back to the issue, what constitutes proper worship.

Verse 25 to 26 – The next point He leads her to is that she must believe that He is the Messiah. He declares the fact that He is the Messiah. Something she was already suspicious of when she called Him a prophet.

Verse 27 to 29 – The disciples returned from shopping in the city. They were surprised that He was speaking with a woman, nonetheless a Samaritan woman. This was completely contrary to Jewish custom. She dropped her water pot and went proclaiming to the inhabitants of the city that she met a man who could read her mind and knows everything she has ever done, and asks if she can conclude that this is the Messiah.

Verse 30 to 36 – At this point the disciples had come back with food, and Jesus again moves from the physical to the spiritual. He mentions that His “meat” is to do the will of the Father. At this point before the Samaritan woman comes back with other Samaritans, He teaches the disciples the principles of evangelism in two basic steps, sowing and reaping. Some people sow and others reap. It is incorrect to think that one person can do both.

Verse 39 to 42 – The disciples see this principle of sowing and reaping in action. The Samaritans that the woman brought back believed in Him. The woman did the sowing, and Jesus did the reaping. Among some of the Samaritans she was both the sower and the reaper.

Yeshua Accepted in Judea, Continued...

2005-05-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last time we said there were six ways to be born again as a Jew, to explain where Nicodemus was coming from in his question:

When a Gentile converts to Judaism. These Gentiles were considered born of water, and therefore qualified for admittance to heaven.
To be crowned King. This could happen if you were from the line of David apart from Jechoniah.
At your Bar Mitzvah. (translated as the son of the commandment) This refers to a form of Jewish confirmation that a Jewish boy goes through at the age of 13. This is where the boy takes on the responsibility for following the law. Up to this point, his parents were responsible for his sins. It is also by Jewish law a right of passage in becoming a man, important for determining when the requirements for religious observance that requires the attendance of at least ten adult males. Nicodemus was born again the first time at this event.
When married. We know that Nicodemus was born again this way because he was a member of the Sanhedrin. There were 71 members of the Sanhedrin, often referred to as the ruler of the Jews, which John shows evidence of Nicodemus’ membership by referring to him as a “ruler of the Jews” in verse 1 of John 3. One of the requirements of Sanhedrin membership was being a married man. This means that Nicodemus was married between the ages of 16 and 20 (according to Jewish custom) and born again for the second time.
To be ordained as a Rabbi. Nicodemus was also an ordained Rabbi, which occurred at the age of 30, making this the third time he was born again.
To become a Rosh Yeshiva. This is the head of a rabbinical academy. You would be responsible for training and ordaining future Rabbis. Nicodemus had achieved this level of being born again as well because in John 3:10 where Jesus says “are you the teacher of Israel.” The King James Version of the bible is incorrect in translating “the” as “a”, where in the Greek text it is clearly translated as “the.” This is an example of what happened when the translation committees translated the scriptures. They were made up of Gentiles and did not have an understanding of Jewish nuances of this type in the text. Rabbis had the title of “Rab” which meant teacher, where the title of “Rabin” meant the teacher.

Once all these ways have been explored, how is it possible to be born again? That is what Nicodemus was asking, especially since he had experienced all possible ways to be born again in Jewish custom that applied to him.

Yeshua was using a common method of teaching here where you go from the known to the unknown. The known factor here was the term “born again,” and the unknown factor was the spiritual ramifications, because in Pharisaic Judaism it was strictly a physical experience. In verses 5 and 6, Yeshua makes this distinction. That being born of the water is being born of the flesh and this is insufficient because you must also be born of the spirit. Nicodemus has been born of the flesh, but has not been born of the spirit. Nicodemus asks, then, how can you be born of the spirit? Yeshua responds with that man will do the second, but God must do the first (verse 14). God first must send His Son, and man must do the second, believe in Him (verse 16). Only when both these steps are completed, can one be born of the Spirit.

This is where Nicodemus begins a struggle for the next three years accepting that God has sent His Son, as Yeshua. Every Jewish person struggles for some time before accepting that Yeshua is the Messiah, because it goes against what he has been taught. He has to change his way of thinking. The only way they can be born again is by accepting Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah, and believing in Him.

The second time we encounter Nicodemus is in John 7, where he is not yet a believer but willing to defend the Messiah’s right to be heard. The third time in John 19, in conjunction with the Messiah’s burial he openly identifies himself as a believer. There is more information about Nicodemus outside the Gospel of John, in rabbinical sources. Every Rabbi in the 1st Century had to have a trade so he could teach the scriptures free of charge, unlike Rabbis and Pastors today who take a salary. That is why Paul, himself an ordained Rabbi, was a tentmaker by profession. Nicodemus was a well digger, who became very wealthy.

According to Rabbinical writings, he became one of the wealthiest men of all Jerusalem. Then they proceed to record that when Nicodemus became a believer, he lost all his wealth and died a pauper. They use this story to warn other Jews that believing in Jesus as the Messiah can bring you a lot of bad luck. Although it is true that Nicodemus died poor, but he also died spiritually rich and has his place in the Kingdom of God. This encounter with Nicodemus early in his ministry shows us that Yeshua plans to challenge and deny some fundamental beliefs of Pharisaic Judaism in His ministry.

Yeshua Accepted in Judea

2005-05-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

In John 2:23 through 3:21, Yeshua started to perform miracles publicly. This was to fulfill the prophecies that the Messiah would perform miracles. Nicodemus now comes to Yeshua to ask Him a question. Nicodemus was a Pharisee referred to as the Hebrew name Rabbi Nach Demun. As a Pharisee, he was identified with a certain theological standing, which differentiated him from other divisions of Judaism, much like our Christian denominations of today. One of these distinguishing theological points was “All Israel has a share in the age to come.” This meant that by being born a Jew meant that you automatically had rights into God’s kingdom.

Gentiles would have to live according to the Mosaic covenant or convert to Mosaic Judaism. This is why when Jesus pointed out their sins, they would respond that they are the children of Abraham, that their sin will not preclude them from the kingdom of God. Another distinguishing position was that anyone who was circumcised would make it into God’s kingdom. In the second century, this theology would create a problem for them since they did not want to see Jewish believers in Jesus go to heaven. This led them to decree a new point of theology to reconcile the problem. They began to believe that when a Jewish believer died, an angel would come down from heaven and put the foreskin back on so they could go to hell after all. Also in Rabbinical writings was the saying, “Abraham sits at the gates of Gahena to snatch an Israelite consigned thereto.” This means that if by some heavenly bureaucratic mistake a Jew was assigned to go to hell, don’t worry, if you were born as an Israelite you would be saved from Hell.

In Jewish terminology, they referred to being born of water, which meant the physical birth. The physical birth as a Jew was sufficient to be saved. So it is with this theological point of view that Nicodemus goes to Yeshua about what He saw and heard in His ministry. In verse 3 Yeshua says to him, unless a man be born anew, from above, or again, he will not see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus asks, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter a second time into His mother’s womb?” Jesus tells Nicodemus that he will not see the kingdom of God until he is born again.

Nicodemus’ response is widely misunderstood. Many churches today think that Nicodemus had never heard of the term “born again.” This is inaccurate, because this was a common term in the pharisaic writings of the time. What he doesn’t understand is how one can experience this once he has reached a certain age and status in Jewish society. In Pharisaic Judaism there were six ways a Jew could be born again. We'll look at those next time, and conclude Yeshua's acceptance in Judea.

Yeshua's First Miracle

2005-05-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 35:5,6 prophesies that the Messiah would perform miracles. His first miracle was performed in private in John 2:1-11. Yeshua and His disciples were invited to a wedding feast in Cana. In the Jewish system of weddings, a wedding feast would come after the wedding ceremony, and the wedding feast would last seven days. A larger group of people would be invited to the feast than to the ceremony. Yeshua brings the five disciples He has at this point to the feast. It was a terrible thing to run out of wine at a Jewish wedding feast, and Jesus’ mother felt He should do something about it. Jesus felt He was not yet ready to go public with His miracle. So He performed this miracle privately.

In verse 5, Mary instructs the servants to do as Yeshua says, and in verse 6 the six water pots (each about 20 gallons) were used for purification purposes such as washing hands before eating. They poured water in, but when they poured it back out it was high quality wine. (The Greek word that was used here specifically meant fermented wine, not grape juice) In verse 10 and 11, you see that this high quality wine was not in line with normal procedure at weddings. The high quality wine was usually used up first before the cheaper wines were used, when the guests no longer cared about the quality. This is an example that the bible does not teach that drinking is a sin, it teaches that drunkenness is a sin, as gluttony is a sin of eating too much.

If you are going to avoid drunkenness by not drinking wine, then you should avoid gluttony by not eating. The logic is the same. (Examples of this type of extreme avoidance of sin can be seen in the history of Judaism, a philosophy developed among the Pharisees that created the Mishnah, writings that are treated as scripture in modern Orthodox Judaism.) There are Christian churches that may start creating what was created in Judaism, the problem of legalism.

This was His first miracle, any account that teaches otherwise is inaccurate. (There are some churches teaching that Jesus performed miracles as a child.)

There were two results from this first miracle. He manifested His glory from showing His power to create. Secondly, His disciples believed Him and their faith had been confirmed.

John The Baptist Testifies Before Jewish Leaders

2005-05-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

This occurs in John 1:19-28. It is the second Sanhedrin stage of investigating Yeshua, the stage of interrogation. This stage is where they are to ask questions, and we are told three times here that this is an official delegation. In John 1:19, it says that priests and Levites were sent to John, and priests and Levites were generally Saducees, and Saducees were sent by the Sanhedrin in this stage to investigate. In John 1:22, the priests and Levites are looking for an answer to bring back to the Sanhedrin. In John 1:25, where it says that they have been sent by the Pharisees, John denies three things in this event. He denies being the Messiah in John 1:21, as well as Elijah the prophet. He also denies being the prophet of Deuteronomy 18, in John 1:22. When they press him for who he is, he quotes Isaiah 40:3,22, which means that he claims to be the Messiah’s forerunner. He claims to the Herald of the King. In John1:26, he points out that the Messiah was already present, but has not been identified by John yet.This was the stage of interrogation of the Sanhedrin, and what happens to the herald happens to the King.

Yeshua Under Investigation

2005-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Yeshua's ministry drew attention from the Jewish leaders. Under the Jewish laws of the day, if there were any kind of messianic movement of significance they would investigate in two stages.

Observation – a delegation of was sent out to do nothing but observe. They could not verbalize anything. When they were done, they would return to Jerusalem and issue a verdict. The verdict would determine if the movement was significant or not. If the movement were decided to be significant, they would move to the second stage.
Interrogation – a second delegation was sent out to ask questions, raise objections, looking for a basis for the Sanhedrin to reject or accept claims of movements.

What happens in Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14, is the first of these two stages. Matthew verse 7, he saw many of the Pharisees and Saducees come to observe his baptisms. Luke’s account verse 7, they merely came to his baptism. Matthew verse 7, his response he tells them to repent, and he wants them to refrain from going around saying “We have Abraham for our father.” This phrase will be explained later. Luke verse 10, it was in the nature of people to hoard what they have to themselves, but John said only to take what they need and share the rest with those who have nothing. Luke verse 12, the Publicans (tax gatherers) who extorted from the people they collected from, were instructed to collect only what they have been told to collect, and no more. The main reason these guys even took the job in the first place was because they could get away with extortion. Luke verse 14, he tells soldiers to be satisfied with their wages, and not steal from their enemies. The Pharisees are witnessing John telling those to do things contrary to their nature. As a result, they decide this movement is significant.

The Truth Behind The Nativity Scene

2005-05-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 2:1-12 it talks about a part of Yeshua's infancy. The scene that shows three shepherds and three kings at a shack they call a manger is incorrect. The shepherds and "kings" never met since they came two years apart. During Christmas you hear the phrase "we three kings of orient are...", but there are a couple of errors with this. It doesn't say in scripture that there were three, but we do know that there were at least two, maybe more than three. It also doesn't say in scripture that they were kings, they were "wise men." The word used in Greek in scripture refers to "astrologers." In reality, it was an unknown number of Gentile astrologers coming from the East, probably Babylon, to find the king of the Jews.

The astrologers looked for an extraordinary star. It is said to travel East, West, North, and South. It literally comes down and hovers over a house in Bethlehem. That isn't how a star behaves, which means this was really what is called "Shekinah Glory". Daniel 9:24-27 gives us the details of when this would appear. Daniel was the head of the Babylonian school of astrology. Astrologers that had begun worshiping God after witnessing Daniel's interpretations of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, knew about Daniel's Messianic prophecies. They watched for this "star".

At first they went to Jerusalem because it seemed logical to them that they'd find the Messiah there. When they did this the alerted King Herod. They also learned of the prophecy in Micah 5:2 that directed them to Bethlehem. When King Herod questioned the astrologers, it had been two years since they saw the "star." When they did find Him, they knew they were at the right house because of the shekinah glory. That is when they left the gifts.

Shepherds in the Fields in December?

2005-05-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

In Luke 2:8-20 we have the announcement of the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds. In verse 8, it talks about shepherds out in the fields watching over their flock. Some sermons talk about how Messiah could not have been born on December 25th because you wouldnt have shepherds and sheep out in the fields in December. The speaker usually is unaware of what the weather is like in December in Bethlehem. The rainy season is from Mid-October to Mid-April. As a result, by October the hills are burned dry by the sun. By December, it is a great time to be in the fields, after some rain has helped the vegetation grow.

This doesnt mean that He was actually born on December 25th, but verse 8 is not proof against it. There is not enough information to know for sure what day during the year he was born. Shepherds Field outside of Bethlehem, is the traditional site where an angel of the Lord, announcing Jesus birth appeared to the shepherds as they watched their flocks by night.

In verse 9, the Shekinah glory appears along with an angel to explain the meaning of it. The angels message is not to be afraid of the manifestation they are seeing, and to recognize this as a sign that the savior has just been born. Yet, Israel has had many saviors in its history i.e. the judges in the book of judges. What makes this one so special?

In verse 11, this one is the messianic savior.

In verse 12, the concern was that when the Jewish shepherds were instructed to go to Bethlehem, they needed guidance to know that they had the right baby. The sign had to be something out of the ordinary, so the signs were that He was wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. Caves were the common types of manger at this time. (They were staying in the cave because there was no other place to stay) The clothes were special because He was wrapped in burial cloth. This is the type of cloth that was stored in mangers, and was used because of its convenience. (An eerie significance).

In verse 13, multitudes of angels appeared, and proclaim a message. In verse 14, the message concerns God and then man. In verse 15 and 16, the shepherds find Him and begin worshiping Him. In verses 17 through 20, this is the first Jewish worship of the Messiah, instigated by the finding of the Shekinah glory.

When Was Messiah Born?

2005-05-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Take a look at Luke 2:1-7. This talks about the birth of the Messiah. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Micah 5:2.

With what Luke and Matthew say and correlating them with historical information from this period, we are able to pinpoint the actual year the Messiah was born. There are four basic clues:

The year that Herod dies (4 BC). The gospel is clear that when Yeshua is born, Herod is alive. So the Messiah was born before 4 BC.
The decree in verse 2 & 3 that was issued in the year 8 BC for the census, the Messiah was born after this. Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem when this decree was issued, and He was born in Bethlehem.
Herod left Jerusalem for Jericho, according Josephus a famous historian, in the year 5 BC never to return to Jerusalem before he dies.
Matthew’s account tells us that when the wise men met with Herod, he was in Jerusalem, indicating a time of 5 BC or earlier. When the wise men met with Herod, Yeshua was already two years old.

This leads us to a time period for His birth between 7 and 6 BC.

Joseph's Role with Messiah

2005-05-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 1:18-25 we see Joseph is in an active role. The emphasis is on the virgin birth, as you can see from verses 18, 23, and 25. Verse 23 quotes Isaiah 7:14, and was understood at the time to refer to a virgin. Matthew sees this as a way out of the Jechoniah problem, I mentioned in an earlier post. Verse 25 is evidence that there was no sexual union after their wedding ceremony until after Yeshua’s birth. After Yeshua, however, they became quite active. They produced 4 sons and at least 2 daughters. He obviously didn't go through with divorce proceedings. The message to Joseph has three components:
· he is to fulfill the marriage vow to Mary
· he is to believe her story
· all is according to plan

Divine Appointment

2005-05-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

In my last post, one of the requirements of the Messiah was divine appointment. This is how that requirement is fulfilled. God sent the angel Gabriel six months after Elizabeth became pregnant, to Nazareth. (Luke 1:26-27) Mary's actual Jewish name was Miriam. The name Jesus is the English version of the name Yeshua. Yeshua means, to save. Salvation in Hebrew is Yeshuam.

Luke 1:32 satisfies this 2nd requirement mentioned earlier for kingship, by divine appointment. This establishes His ability to inherit the throne of the king of David, a requirement to be the Messiah. Luke1:33 establishes that he will have no successors because he will live forever. Gabriels message to Miriam can be summarized in 5 points:

The incarnation will be in a man.
This mans name is to be Yeshua.
He shall be great, as an essential point of His nature.
He will be the Son of God.
This will fulfill God's covenant with David. (He had promised 4 eternal things found in Gabriel's message.)

Eternal House
Eternal Throne
Eternal Kingdom
Eternal Descendant

When Miriam asked how this would happen, the angel explained that the Holy Spirit would generate one of her eggs. (There was a teaching in the church that suggested that the sin nature was transmitted through the male seed, and that is why there had to be a virgin birth. There is no scriptural basis for this, however. Both the mother and father transmit the sin nature.) It is the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit is what made Yeshua sinless. Miriam had to trust God that she would not be stoned to death, being an unmarried pregnant woman, and not be ostracized from the community. Joseph did, however, begin divorce proceedings.

The Genealogy of Messiah

2005-05-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Only two of the Gospels deal with genealogy, Matthew and Luke. His genealogy is important because one of the requirements to be the Messiah is to qualify as a legitimate king of Israel. Why deal with two genealogies? Some explain this as Matthew giving us the “royal” line and Luke giving us the “real” line. Joseph was the heir apparent to the throne of David, and Joseph adopted Jesus. This would give Jesus the right to the throne through that adoption. While Luke goes through Mary, he shows that Jesus receives His Davidic descent in a real sense through his mother.

What we see, however, that the opposite is actually true. If He was the son of Joseph, he could not be king to begin with.

Matthew tells the story from the perspective of Joseph and Luke tells the story from the perspective of Mary.

Two requirements for kingship were developed in the Old Testament:
1. Davidic descent, apart from Jechoniah.
2. Divine appointment or prophetic sanction.

Matthew breaks with Jewish law and tradition in two ways, because he skips names and mentions names of women. The women are Tamar (Matt. 1:3), Rahab and Ruth (Matt. 1:5), Bathsheeba (Matt. 1:6 pronoun “her”). These were not necessarily prominent women, but they were all gentiles. This hints that the gentiles also benefit from His coming. Three of these four were guilty of sexual sins. Ruth was the result of sexual sin. This hints that He came to save sinners. He only goes back as far as Abraham, since that is as far as he needs to go to make his point in line with his theme. Joseph was a descent of David through Solomon and Jechoniah. This indicates he was not an heir apparent to the throne. In Jeremiah 22:24-30, it says that no descendant of Jechoniah will be eligible for the throne. So, if Jesus were the real son of Joseph, he would not be the heir apparent. The virgin birth makes Him the legal son of Joseph, but not the real son of Joseph.

In Luke’s account, he follows strict Jewish procedure. He used the name of husbands of women to keep with Jewish tradition, to be able to track genealogy through the mother. Ezrah 2:61, and Nehmiah 7:63 are examples of using a husbands name in reference to the woman. He also works his way back in time to Adam. Mary was a descendant of Nathan, instead of Solomon, which means that she was apart from the house of Jechoniah. Jesus fulfilled the first requirement above through Mary. The second requirement of divine appointment is met in Luke 1:26-38.

The Messiah has many different titles. In Matthew, “the son of David” (Jesus is a king) and “the son of Abraham” (Jesus is a Jew). In Luke, “the son of Adam” (Jesus is a man) and “the Son of God” (Jesus is God). Matthew’s titles connect Him with the Davidic and Abraham covenants.

Yom HaShoah

2005-05-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

Today many congregations and synagogues will be celebrating Yom HaShoah. This is a rememberance of those lost in the holocaust. As a Gentile myself, this is extremely difficult. I always break down in tears when I think about what was done in the name of "Christ." I personally don't enjoy this day. I want to ask every Jewish person I meet and ask their forgiveness.

There is a lot of information about this day on the Internet. Here are a couple links for more information. Here and here. My wife's father was a child that survived because his mother put him on the Kinder Transport and sent him to England. They were reunited years later. He was only a toddler. She has quite a story about how she got her husband out of a camp. These are my wife's grandparents.

Pray today that this kind of hate would end forever, and that God's Kingdom would come soon.

Israelology

2005-05-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

When I first was exposed to the Messianic movement, I was introduced to a man who simply blew my mind, Arnold Fruchtenbaum. He is an impressive authority on the nation of Israel, raised to be a Chasidic leader in Poland, and lost most of his family in the holocaust. He is now a Messianic believer who has received his doctorate from New York University in 1989 after his Th.M. from Dallas Theologicial Seminary. When you hear him speak, he is like no other speaker I have ever heard. The depth of knowledge and the amount of biblical facts he can cram into a sentence takes a lot of listening power, but is extremely rewarding.

He has filled a void in Systematic Theology with a book he has written titled, "Isrealology" It adds another "ology" to the system. It affects all the other segments and hits a dividing position in evangelical thinking today square on the head. This book took him 13 years to write, as he earned his Ph.D. and is extremely thorough. If you are interested in Messianic thinking, this is the best place to learn God's agenda for Israel.

The New Testament is Very Jewish

2005-05-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Unbelieving Jews often think the New Testament is a book of venom towards Jews, teaching hate. They think it promotes anti-Semitism. That is what they think until they get the courage to open it up and look for themselves.

There are many stories of Jews who looked for the venom in the New Testament, and found roses instead. As they investigate what is in the New Testament they find it is centered in the land of Israel at the time of the second Temple. They also find that Messianic prophecies of the Tenach are claimed to be fulfilled. Further investigation leads them to accepting Yeshua as Messiah.

Those who are not familiar with scripture, who base their faith on what Rabbis teach on Saturday in the Synagogue, without studying the scripture for themselves, have a harder time. They don't rely on the scripture for the truth, they rely on their Rabbi. These people need to hear the arguments from both sides, to guide their investigation. There are many stories about people who went on this quest for the truth in a book titled "Jesus For Jews". Jews who look for the truth, will find it.

God Wants Us To Be Teachable

2005-05-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 50:4-9 tells us how God delights in disciples, people that are teachable, obedient, willing to suffer, and victorious. Sometimes we think we have it tough, we have little suffering compared to some.

God uses suffering to teach us, to make us stronger, to help us grow in character. As long as we live knowing this life is only a temporary place and we live for eternity, any suffering we have can be endured and bring us closer to God. James 1:2-12

God Wants A Personal Relationship With You

2005-05-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

My previous post may have left you feeling depressed, or discouraged. How could anyone make a public profession of faith that would cost them family relationships? Sitting shiva is a pretty serious issue. How many Gentile Christians would have made a profession of faith at that cost?

I think this is another testimony to the power of God. I think when Jewish people accept the Messiah, they have a much deeper understanding what it means than Gentiles. They understand how it all fits. They see how Jesus fulfilled all the Messianic prophecies in the Tenach (Old Testament), and they feel confident in trusting Him. Many new Jewish believers find new families, and sometimes even eventually become reunited with their families. God rewards this level of trust in Him. It the kind of trust Noah had as mentioned in Hebrews 11:7. In Genesis 6:9 we see that Noah had a personal relationship with God.

God wants a personal relationship with us, that is why He sent the Messiah to suffer and pay for our sins. Now we must surrender to Him as it says in Psalm 37:7 and Romans 6:13. Jewish people who know scripture understand this, and see the fulfillment in the New Testament. They see that they will be unable to reach the level of personal relationship Noah had, or Abraham had, without demonstrating that trust through a confession of faith in accepting Yeshua as Messiah. See Psalm 25:14. We Gentiles have a lot to learn from the demonstration of faith that many Jewish believers demonstrate when they become believers.

Understanding the Shiva Issue

2005-05-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

When a Jewish person realizes that Yeshua is the Messiah, they often keep it a secret for some time. They have to come to terms with how it will affect their relationship with their familiy. Many Jewish families sit shiva when a family member becomes a believer. Gentile believers must understand that a Jewish person often has to make a major sacrifice when they make a confession of faith in the Messiah.

Shiva is a Jewish custom of morning seven days for a family member that has died. When a family member has accepted the Messiah, it is a statement of severe disapproval and an act of cutting off all fellowship. Why would a family do this? It is because they have so much pain and bitterness in their hearts from the persecution of Jews in the name of Jesus. Jewish scholars have even developed a whole philosophy to deny Messianic prophecy in the Tenach and satisfy their own sense of hate toward Christians, just as Anti-Semitic Christians have done through the ages. Satan has temporarily built a wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles through this form of misunderstanding. This is the reason for a need for reconciliation (Ephesians 2:14,15). There is 2000 years of persecution from the church to overcome. Anti-Semitism is still alive and well, even in the church. Christians need to understand how deep this pain goes, to the extent of considering a family member dead and sitting shiva. This is a big reason why Messianic congregations are necessary, not just from a biblical standpoint, but from a human standpoint. We have to build bridges.

Messianic Congregations are Balanced

2005-05-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Congregations should be centered on the Bible and on the Messiah. Some congregations are focusing on the Talmud. Some are centered on prayer books. Some focus only on the Old Testament. They don't even mention Jesus (Yeshua). See Colossians 2:2,3,9. The hearts of all believers are knit together as one as they seek to have full knowledge of God, the greatest wealth of all. Seeing the diety of Yeshua, instead of just the philosophy. In John 14 the Apostles were interested only in the Father, while all the while the Father was seen in Yeshua.

There needs to be a proper view of Gentiles (non-Jews) and Jews in Messianic congregations. Sometimes Gentiles feel put down or devalued in Messianic congregations. That is wrong. Jews and Gentiles are equal, and both serve in leadership. There is no need for "conversion." There are even some Gentiles that are converting back to Judaism. This is denying Yeshua, which is unbiblical. There is no need to do this to understand the Jewish people. In the same token, accepting Yeshua as the Messiah is not leaving your Jewishness behind. Messianic congregations allow Jewish believers express their faith in a Jewish way.

Yeshua broke down the wall between Jews and Gentiles, and we are to be reconciled as one body. Ephesians 2:14,15

It is God's Desire to Have Messianic Congregations

2005-04-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

Messianic congregations have been in existence since the beginning of the church in Acts. The Gentile church was an outgrowth from the original, which was Messianic. Many churches may not like this, but it is true. There are problems among Messianic congregations, but there are problems in all churches in all cultures. However, to reach the Jewish people, they are necessary.

Messianic congregations maintain a Jewish remnant. Gen. 12:2,3 and Jer. 31:35-37. As long as the Jews are still around, they are a testament to God's faithfulness because of His promise to them. God will not let the Jews be destroyed. The believing remnant within Israel is also further proof of God's faithfulness. See Rom. 11:1-5. The Jews are intended to be a visible remnant of God's faithfulness, and that is why they need to be in Jewish congregations. They need to maintain their Jewish culture and identity to be a visible remnant. They maintain this by creating a familiar environment for Jewish non-believers, familiar modes of worship and liturgy, celebrating Jewish holidays, and holding familiar special events like Bar Mitzvahs. It also preserves a meaningful message to Jewish people, because it speaks to them in a familiar context. Rabbis often check out Messianic congregations just to see what they are about.

Most Christians don't know that the Jewish holidays actually speak of the Messiah. Messianic congregations are necessary to help the Gentile church understand and reach the Jewish people. Eph. 2:11-13 and Rom. 11:17,18.

Local Congregations are Biblical

2005-04-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Each believer has a responsibility to be part of a local congregation, and be committed to it. It is a place for us to grow. In Matthew 16:16-18 God tells us He is going to build a congregation - the universal congregation. This is the body of the church. The visible evidence of that is the local congregation. In Acts chapter 2, the universal church started with 3,000 people. As you go through Acts, you see the church grow significantly. It spread into different areas, people of different cultures. Acts 11:26 is where we see organizations develop. In Acts 14:21-23 we local congregations forming in every area. They appointed elders in every congregation and created structure. Galatians 1:1,2 is more evidence of congregations spreading. In Philippians 1:1 we see the biblical pattern for local congregations.

Each congregation has a foundation. It is Jesus or Yeshua, He is the cornerstone. This is true for Messianic congregations. Ephesians 2:20,21 It is true for all congregations. Each congregation has goals. Those goals are to glorify God, encourage believers and help them grow in their faith, and to reach out to the world. Romans 1:16 tells us that the word goes to the Jews first and also the Gentiles. This is a powerful argument for a Messianic congregation and for Jewish missions effort in churches. It is God's desire for the Word to return to where it first came. Each congregation should be making disciples. There should be good fellowship. The activities should all be glorifying God.

Messianic Congregations Are Necessary

2005-04-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

There is a growing contingent of Messianic Congregations in the church. There is a growing recognition in the church that Christianity was originally very Jewish. Jesus was Jewish, and kept all the Mosiac Laws. These congregations are designed by God to allow Jewish believers to express their faith in a Jewish context.

There is also a need for the church to recognize it's Jewish contingent. Historically, the church has had anti-semitic influences that are leftover from earlier church philosphies that were based on hate and prejudice. It is time for the church to seek reconciliation with the Jewish people, and work to build their trust. We believe in the same God, the difference is that they have not recognized the Messiah. There is plenty of prophecy in the Old Testament, which are the Jewish Tenach, the law and the prophets, which foretell the Messiah. So the Gentile church needs to become more knowledgable of these scriptures to help non-believing Jews see the truth. When they do, they need to be directed to a Messianic congregation, or maybe to help them see Jesus as the Messiah they need to be directed in advance of acceptance.

My purpose on this blog is to discuss issues Messianic believers face, to help educate the Gentile church and lay a foundation for reconciliation between Jews and Christians.