During this Christmas season it is important to remember that Christians believe Jesus is the long awaited Jewish Messiah who fulfilled many of the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament and will fulfill the remaining prophecies when he returns.
It's common for non-Messianic Jews to argue that no respected and learned rabbis ever accepted Jesus' Messiahship. However that's false. As the following two articles proves.
Rabbis Who Thought For Themselves Part ONE
Rabbis Who Thought For Themselves Part TWO
Rabbis who believed in Jesus the Messiah (LINK)
The above articles don't even mention learned Jews who weren't rabbis but who nevertheless were believers in Jesus/Yeshua. For example, Charles Lee Feinberg who was on his way to becoming a rabbi when he became convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. He went on to become a biblical scholar and professor of Semitics and Old Testament. He was an authority on the Jewish history, languages and customs of the Old Testament and biblical prophecies. His two sons John and Paul also became Christian scholars. Another example would be Alfred Edersheim who wrote classic books including The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. Another example would be Louis Goldberg, Th.D. - faculty; author and former professor of Theology and Jewish Studies; former president of the Evangelical Theological Society, in 1983; former Scholar-in-Residence for Jews for Jesus. Below I have links to the works of Jewish believers in Jesus like Michael L. Brown, Arnold Fruchtenbaum and David H. Stern (writer of the Jewish New Testament Commentary). More people could be listed, but I'll stop there.
The following are links and recommendations to useful resources in defense of Jesus' true messiahship.
Michael L. Brown is considered by many to be the leading defender of Jesus' messiahship living today. He himself is of Jewish background. He holds a doctorate in Semitic languages. His five volume book "Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus" is an indispensable resource for those who want to defend (or who are doubting) Jesus being Mashiach. His websites include Ask Dr. Brown, Real Messiah, In the Line of Fire, In the Line of Fire Blog, Fire School of Ministry.
One can subscribe to the podcasts of his radio show In the Line of Fire at this link HERE
One can access his YouTube video channel at this link HERE
Here are some of his videos on the web.
Is Jesus the Jewish Messiah? This lecture is TWO AND A HALF HOURS LONG! I recommend starting with part 2 if you want to skip Dr. Brown's conversion testimony which begins part 1.
I believe that these two videos are just a portion of the 10 DVD video series "Countering the Counter-Missionaries" which can be purchased at one of Dr. Brown's websites.
Part 1 of 2
http://youtu.be/scw9iB4cIZc
Part 2 of 2
http://youtu.be/fMtLbEpv48o
The following two videos seem to be shortened versions of the above lecture:
Proving through scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah vimeo.com/2368487
Countering the Counter-Missionaries Messianic Prophecy vimeo.com/2367509
Countering the Counter-Missionaries
(Over 24 hours of teaching)
Day 1 part 1 & 2 http://youtu.be/vV9rMFOFkgY
Day 1 part 3 & 4 http://youtu.be/OLT7BYpdU1o
Day 2 part 1 & 2 http://youtu.be/tcsK1VfAA0Y
Day 2 part 3 & 4 http://youtu.be/wbKAFnr0O6Q
Day 3 part 1 & 2 http://youtu.be/roHll6Gf3EY
Day 3 part 3 & 4 http://youtu.be/nt3X4SbijEo
Day 4 part 1 & 2 http://youtu.be/JLg4XnkitKE
Day 4 part 3 & 4 http://youtu.be/O_LyQI9dpI4
Day 5 part 1 & 2 http://youtu.be/Q-nMtATgETE
Day 5 part 3 & 4 http://youtu.be/7KUc9kQlb1Y
Messianic Prophecy in the Jewish Scriptures: A Conversation with Dr. Michael Brown
https://youtu.be/SKAnY1ULEWc
Dr. Brown Lectures on Jesus/Yeshua as the Messiah
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dejZdUCNZsg&feature=youtu.be&t=0m2s
Dr. Brown during what seems to be the Questions and Answers Session of the above lecture
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3&4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11 (missing), Part 12, Part 13 (Webpage for ALL Parts HERE)
Was Jesus A False Prophet? vimeo.com/28646155
In Search of Atonement vimeo.com/39428569
A Bloody Religion? vimeo.com/39423935
Hidden Secrets of Kabbalah vimeo.com/28618219
In Search of the Messiah vimeo.com/39428637
Objection: Jesus Can't Be The Messiah vimeo.com/28625919
Can Anyone See God? vimeo.com/16321308
Is Christianity Jewish? vimeo.com/16189102
Move Videos Here: http://vimeo.com/realmessiah/videos
How to Witness to Jews by Michael Brown
Part 1
http://youtu.be/x-47kyIFjNI
Part 2
http://youtu.be/_PIyGI7yxZc
Answering Your Toughest Questions with Dr. Michael Brown YouTube Episodes:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,
PLAYLIST for ALL 32 EPISODES
Debates:
Debate between Michael L. Brown and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
http://realmessiah.askdrbrown.org/watch/can-jews-believe-jesus-dr-brown-and-rabbi-boteach-debate
Debate between Michael L. Brown and Rabbi Immanuel Schochet
http://realmessiah.askdrbrown.org/video/is-jesus-the-jewish-messiah
Debate between Michael L. Brown and Rabbi Tovia Singer
http://realmessiah.askdrbrown.org/listen/debate-dr-brown-and-rabbi-singer
Debate between Dr. Michael L. Brown and Rabbi David Blumofe
http://vimeo.com/2492529 OR
http://www.realmessiah.com/video/who-jesus-debate-rabbi-blumofe-and-dr-brown OR
http://youtu.be/3Qg9J6_ijFI or http://youtu.be/rGtbdnOkgps
Deity of the Messiah Debate between Unitarians Buzzard/Goode vs. Trinitarians White/Brown
PART 1 http://youtu.be/Yn-grOfPDi0
PART 2 http://youtu.be/M38rQXLq29g
A collected list of videos where Dr. Brown gives his testimony can be found HERE
Dr. James White vs. Sir Anthony Buzzard on the topic of the Trinity on Justin Brierley's radio show Unbelievable http://youtu.be/SY7_EtcIeOQ
Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum is another well known leader in the Messianic Movement. (especially in the previous generation). He has written many excellent books on the topic.
Here is a link to his 21 part lecture series on The Life of the Messiah (now titled "The Jewish Life of Christ")
Isa. 7:14, Matt. 1:23 and the Virgin Birth
http://bibledifficultiesanswered.blogspot.com/2015/06/isa-714-matt-123-and-virgin-birth.html
How the New Testament Employs the Jewish "PaRDeS" hermeneutic.
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2014/06/does-new-testament-quote-old-testament.html
The Jewish Trinity: How the Old Testament Reveals the Christian Godhead by Dr. Michael Heiser
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-jewish-trinity-how-old-testament.html
The Trinity in the Old Testament Video
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-trinity-in-old-testament.html
The Biblical Basis of the Doctrine of the Trinity
http://bib.irr.org/biblical-basis-of-doctrine-of-trinity
Resources in Defense of Trinitarianism
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2013/06/resources-in-defense-of-trinitarianism.html
Recommended books:
Day of Discovery videos dealing with Isaiah chapter 53
(aprox. 10 videos already cued up to play one after another)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIkz_yDqDvQ&feature=share&list=PLAB46EA762365C8E5
Monergism website's section on Christ in the Old Testament
http://www.monergism.com/topics/jesus-christ/christ-old-testament
TheMessianicDrew YouTube channel (by Drew Mazenec)
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMessianicDrew/videos
The Messianic Drew BLOG
http://messianicdrew.blogspot.com/
Articles
How the New Testament Quotes the Old Testament by Arnold Fruchtenbaum
A Look at Messianic Prophecy: Four Ways the New Testament Authors Use the Hebrew Bible
Reject Jesus for Judaism?
Does the New Testament Quote the Old Testament Out of Context?
Does Psalm 22:16 really predict Jesus' crucifixion?
The Case for Jesus the Messiah – Incredible Prophecies that Prove God Exists
[ A series of 25 articles at the John Ankerberg website]
In Psalm 2:12, is Kiss the Son a mistranslation by the Christians?
Useful Books in Defense of Jesus' Genuine Messiahship:
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament by G. K. Beale (Editor), D. A. Carson
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus (5 volumes) by Michael L. Brown
The Real Kosher Jesus by Michael L. Brown
Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern
Messianic Judaism: A Modern Movement with an Ancient Past by David H. Stern
Jesus the Messiah: Tracing the Promises, Expectations, and Coming of Israel's King by Herbert Bateman IV, Gordon Johnston and Darrell Bock
The Messiah in the Old Testament by Walter C. Kaiser
Messianic Christology by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
Footsteps of the Messiah by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
Are You the One Who Is to Come?: The Historical Jesus and the Messianic Question by Michael F. Bird
The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? by Michael Rydelnik
Behold Your King: Prophetic Proofs that Jesus is the Messiah by William Webster
Return of the Kosher Pig by Itzhak Shapira
The Gospel According to Isaiah 53: Encountering the Suffering Servant in Jewish and Christian Theology by Darrell Bock (editor) and Mitch Glaser (editor)
All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer
The Prophecies of the Old Testament Respecting the Messiah by John Gill (written in the 18th century, this work can be read at the very bottom of this link; Here's another link to another website)
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim (this link is not to the updated version, but to the original written in the 19th century and which is now in the public domain)
Messiah in Both Testaments by Fred John Meldau (introductory material on the subject)
Christology of the Old Testament by E.W. Hengstenberg (written in the 18th century)
Three Views on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology)
Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament Christopher J. H. Wright
A Zeal For God Not According to Knowledge: A Refutation of Judaism's Arguments Against Christianity, 2nd Edition by Eric V. Snow
Christ in All the Scriptures by A.M. Hodgkin (or here, here)
[Recommended by Steve Hays]
The Servant King: The Bible's portrait of the Messiah by T. D. Alexander and Alec Motyer
Look to the Rock: An Old Testament Background to Our Understanding of Christ by Alec Motyer
The Christ of the Prophets by O. Palmer Robertson
The Messianic Hope: Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic? (NAC Studies in Bible & Theology) by Michael Rydelnik
The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy: Studies and Expositions of the Messiah in the Old Testament by Michael Rydelnik (Editor), Edwin Blum (Editor)
The Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition and Interpretation by John H. Sailhamer
Relevant Bible Translations:
Complete Jewish Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Complete-Jewish-Bible-CJB/
(Includes both the Original and New Testament)
Or Here: http://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/
Orthodox Jewish Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Orthodox-Jewish-Bible-OJB/
World English Bible: Messianic Edition [ also known as the World Messianic Bible]
https://ebible.org/engwmb/
Learned Jewish Rabbis who accepted Jesus' Messiahship
Part ONE, Part TWO
They Thought For Themselves by Sid Roth is a collection of modern testimonies of Jews who accepted Jesus as their Jewish Messiah. Technically it's not an apologetical work. Nevertheless, it's an interesting collection of testimonies that's freely available online HERE
Jewish Messianic Interpretations of Isaiah 53
More testimonies of Jews believing in Jesus/Yeshua can be found in the following link:
http://www.the-new-way.org/testimonies/index_conv.html
The Return of the Kosher Pig
http://www.kosherpig.org/
Websites
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus
The Most-Referenced List of Messianic Jewish Web Sites
(I would assume not all are Evangelical and/or Trinitarian)
http://users.eastlink.ca/~nertamid/ctomc_100best.htm
My blogs which have some relevance:
http://misclane.blogspot.com/2013/06/resources-in-defense-of-trinitarianism.html
Trinity Notes
http://www.trinitynotes.blogspot.com
Miscellaneous Additional Links in Favor of Jesus' Messiahship
Yo, thanks for this, friend. I have a quick question, which I'm hoping you know the answer to - would you perhaps happen to know anything about any possible connection between Messianic Judaism and the New Perspective?
ReplyDeleteNo I don't. I'm sorry. That delves into deep theology that's beyond me. Though, such a connection makes sense. There are some non-Evangelical Messianic Jews (some of whom are also anti-Trinitarian). Presumably, they don't believe in justification by faith alone. There's also a tendency in many of the Hebrew Roots Movement (who are usually Gentiles) to reject sola fide. As much as I like his commentary, even David H. Stern's Jewish New Testament Commentary makes statements about justification that undermines sola fide. Along with his translation Jewish New Testament which is aparaphrase written to highlight the Jewishness of the New Testament.
DeleteMonergism.com's page on New Perspective has a lot of resources.
https://www.monergism.com/topics/new-perspective