Discuss and Connect
Did the Jesus of Christianity exist? What would he say?
Jesus clearly promised that some of his disciples would still be alive when he returned. It has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus left and his fo...
The Christian understanding of the Messiah and Jesus differs greatly from the Jewish biblical view.
Other
Jews for Jesus and Messianic Jews claim that what they’re doing is 100% Jewish... the most Jewish thing anyone can do. However, calling it Jewish d...
There are four main passages in the Talmud that are alleged by some to discuss the story of Jesus' life and death. Let's find out more in this post.
Saved: A young Jewish man gets ensnared in the welcoming community of Messianic Jews.
I was recently invited by a "Hebrew Christian" acquaintance to a program called "Christ in the Passover". She told me that Jesus was the ultimate m...
The growth of the Jews for Jesus and Messianic movements in Israel, especially during Israel’s 60th Anniversary, is unprecedented and an outcome of...
Did Jesus Fulfill the Law (the Torah)? Let's find out in this interesting article by Gerald Sigal.
Bible & Text
Did Jesus' manner of death satisfy the animal atonement sacrifice provisions for remission of sin of the Hebrew Scriptures?
Didn't Jesus' death mark the culmination of his perfect observance of the Mosaic Law and the institution of the perfect and continuous sacrifice fo...
Isn't it true that Jesus was a high priest and therefore he offered himself as a sacrifice? Let's find out in this interesting article by Gerald Si...
It is true that Jesus did not have the Aaronic priesthood, but didn't he posses the Melchizedek priesthood and thereby could offer up himself as a ...
Who does Jesus say will be saved and how will they know it? Let's find out in this interesting article by Gerald Sigal...
How can a Jew Answer the Christian missionary's Question, "Are you saved?" . Let's find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal.
Is it true that Jesus was scourged to such an extent that the whip marks left his body resembling a bloody pulp? Let's find out.
Did Jesus quote Psalms 22:2 on the cross? Why did He quote that? Let's find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal.
Did Jesus shed blood in Gethesemane count as blood sacrifice? Let's find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal. Let us know what you think o...
What difference does it make if Jesus did or did not undergo serious blood loss while being prepared for or undergoing execution? Let's find out.
What are the implications of the Christian doctrine of original sin? Let's find out.
According to the Book of Revelation, Jesus promised to return "quickly." What does "quickly mean"? Let's find out in this interesting article by Ge...
Does Isaiah, chapter 11, refer to Jesus?
According to the New Testament, after how long an interval did Jesus promise to return to earth?
How does the author of the second epistle of Peter attempt to deal with the problem occasioned by the delay in Jesus' return?
Didn't the delay in Jesus' second coming give further opportunity for people to be "saved" by believing in him?
Why do Christians claim there will be a second coming of Jesus? Let us find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal.
How does the passage of time effect the Christian claim of a "second coming of Christ"? Let's find out in this interesting article.
As a human being, Jesus certainly had very little. Yet, because he was allegedly God, he could expect, on reassuming his heavenly role, to exercise...
Is it true that Jews interpreted Isaiah 53 as referring to the Messiah until the medieval commentator Rashi explained it as referring to the people...
In Isaiah 53:10, God's promises concerning the suffering servant are conditional: "If he would . . . he shall see. . . ." Does this apply to Jesus?
Did Jesus fulfill the role of the asham, "guilt-offering," that's used to describe the suffering servant in Isaiah 53:10: "If he would offer himsel...
Isaiah 53:10 says of the suffering servant, "He shall see seed, he shall prolong days." Can this apply to Jesus? Let's find out.
How can Christians apply the phrase v'ayn lo, "he has nothing" or "he shall have nothing" (Daniel 9:26) and Isaiah 53:12, where the suffering serva...
Isaiah 53:2 describes the suffering servant as one who "had no form nor comeliness, that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should del...
Does the Gospel's representation of Jesus show fulfillment of the description of the suffering servant: "he was despised and we esteemed him not" (...
Isaiah 53:7 says that the suffering servant "humbled himself and opened not his mouth" as a lamb about to be slaughtered or a sheep dumb before its...
Isaiah 53:4 says that the suffering servant was considered "stricken" by his enemies. Does this describe Jesus in any way? Read on to find out..
How does Isaiah 53:8 show that the death of Jesus should not be considered as atonement for the sins of humankind? Read on to find out.
Why do Jews reject the Christian claim that "And his grave was set with the wicked, and with the rich in his deaths" (Isaiah 53:9) refers to Jesus?...
What is the meaning of "And his grave was set with the wicked, and with the rich in his deaths"?
Why do Jews not accept the Christian belief that Jesus is the incarnation of God? What is that one reason? Let's find out...
In this post by Gerald Sigal, we get answers to the question, as to how, if Jesus was God as well as man, Satan felt he could tempt him? Let's find...
In John 10:30 Jesus says, "I and the Father are one [hen]." Doesn't this show that they are one in essence? Find out in this interesting post by Ge...
Is it true that a portion of the Christian tri-unity god (i.e., Jesus) became man for the express purpose of undergoing temptation and suffering in...
In this question and answer post by Gerald Sigal, we find out whether Jesus is part of a tri-unity god, was Jesus there before Abraham came into be...
In the Book of Revelation we find the verse, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty"...
There seems to be something in the texts that says that Jesus' family, including his mother, seemed to have believed that he was mentally ill? Is t...
Mark 3:21 mentions some persons that said Jesus had lost his senses. Does the text say Jesus' kinsmen said he was mentally ill or was it 5s outside...
In this question and answer post, find out from Gerald Sigal whether Jesus did anything of violent nature during his lifetime.
Has Jesus never lied? Is it a fact or a myth? Let us find out in this post.
Why do Jews refuse to accept the resurrection of Jesus as fact? Was it witnessed by many people? Let's find out in this interesting post.
Does suffering and dying for something make it true? Let's find out in this interesting article by Gerald Sigal.
Did Jesus fulfill his prediction that he would be buried for three days and three nights and then be resurrected? Let's find out.
Who buried Jesus and why didn't they testify as to the disposition of the body? Let's find out.
How would the Jewish authorities have treated Jesus' corpse?
Did the supposed resurrection of Jesus happen? Did anyone actually see it, is there a witness? Let us find out in this question and answer post.
Paul claims that Jesus appeared to "more than five hundred brethren at one time." Does this present a reliable witness to the Christian claim that ...
Paul claims that Jesus appeared to him. Does this present a reliable witness to the Christian claim that Jesus was resurrected? Let's find out.
Finally we "resurrect" the middle matza, just as Jesus is said to have rose from the grave. What is the truth of this claim?
What was the last supper about? Was it a Seder? What happened exactly? Let's find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal.
Could Jesus have hated anyone when he spoke words of forgiveness and non-resistance to wickedness?
Whom does the author of the Book of Matthew blame for the death of John Baptist? Let's find out in this interesting post by Gerald Sigal.
Who is the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus? Let's find out in this interesting post.
Doesn't it make sense to say that the Gospel of Luke gives Mary's genealogy, since it would be nonsense to go through Joseph's line if he is not th...
In this interesting post by Gerald Sigal, find out whether there is any prophecy of the Nazarene that may be missing from the Bible. Or is there a ...
I understand that the Messiah must be a descendant of David but where does it say he must be a descendant of Solomon as well?
Why do Jews say Isaiah 9:6 does not refer to Jesus? What is the reason behind this? Let's find out in this interesting post.
What are the implications of the author of Matthew using Hosea 11:1 to describe Mary, Joseph, and Jesus being called out of Egypt?
Was there a prediction that says that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem? Let's find out in this interesting post.
What are the implications of the New Testament claim that Jesus was "born under law"? Let's find out.
Are the accounts of Jesus' resurrection in the Christian bible believable -- or have you, like Esau, traded your holy birthright for a bowl of wort...
The Christian scriptures claim that their leader, one Jesus of Nazareth, was crucified by the Romans and that as a result of this he died. These au...
An arctic blast has emptied the streets of the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn, yet inside the Living Springs Family Center, a storefront Pe...
Among evangelical Protestants "end of this world" predictions have been big business for centuries. It has spawned thousands of denominations, sect...
Does the Jewish Bible have prophetic references to Jesus?
While no doubt reveling in all the attention his recent book is receiving, Shmuley Boteach has begun feeling the heat of scrutiny that it and he ar...
The Watchtower Society describes itself as "the only organization on earth that understands the 'deep things of God'" and "the true Christian organ...
Many Christians have a very difficult time understanding how it is possible for Jewish people to study their Bible and fail to see it pointing to J...
The staff shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh arrives, and his will be an assembly of nations
Isaiah 53 is the fifty-third chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible. It is said that the chapter talks about Jesus, or does it? Let's fi...
A growing movement of solidarity and support for Israel and the Jewish people has emerged from within the ranks of Evangelical Christianity, and th...
Faith & Family
This article has been republished with permission. Written by Gil Student, this article discusses the topic of Jesus in the Talmud. Read on.
Christianity began as a movement within Judaism. In this fascinating class, Rabbi Michael Skobac discusses the steps that may have led to its morph...
Why Jesus didn't have to Die to Atone for Sin? Find out in this interesting video.
I was so strong in my faith. I was certain that when we got married that my husband would 'see the light' and join me. I really loved God and I rea...
When Jesus died, was there a resurrection of the dead? Let's find out.
Jews for Jesus has a slogan, "We exist to make the Messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue to our Jewish people world-wide." If this is the reaso...
I know it’s dicey to write a critical reflection on Jews embracing Christmas. Hearing the inevitable chorus of “intolerant Scrooge” certainly gives...
How prevalent is the Jewish belief in reincarnation today? How does it differ from the Asian belief? What do the Rabbis think of it?
The following are the Counter-Missionary Survival Seminar notes for the Why Jesus Didn't Have To Die To Atone For Sin Session
Is The “prince Of Peace” A Divine Son Of God? Find out in this post
By: Rabbi Daniel Mechanic1 (In consultation with Doron Witztum2 and Harold Gans3) DANIEL MECHANIC is a senior international Codes lecturer and r...
Christian missionaries point to the passage Isaiah 52:13 thru 53:12 as the “ultimate proof” for their belief in Jesus.
This video was produced to persuade Jews for Jesus, Messianic Jews and Hebrew-Christians to take another look at the issues of Jewish Christianity.
YOU TURN - Jews for Judaism produced this video to help you cross-examine the missionary claim that Jesus died for our sins.
Is Jesus in the Talmud? Find out from this interesting video.
From “jew For Jesus” To Orthodox Rabbi
Session 4. The Real Messiah And Why Jews Can’t Believe In Jesus - Rabbi Kravitz
This is part 2 of a 3 part series by Angela Dekort about why she converted to Judaism. You can read Part 1 and Part 3 as well.
This is the last part of the 3 part series by Angela Dekort about why she converted to Judaism. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 as well.
The second part of verse 26 is a sweeping historical synopsis of events leading to the destruction of the Second Temple. This is the tragedy encaps...
ISAIAH 53: JESUS IS NOT THE SUFFERING SERVANT THE TEXT: ISAIAH 52:13-53:12 Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, a...
The phrase, “My servant,” presents a problem for the trinitarian doctrine: servant and master are two separate entities. A servant by definition is...
The rest of the story The fact is that Jesus’ death through crucifixion was no remedy for sin. He did not die in man’s place; his death was not ...
ISAIAH 53:1 53:1: “Who would have believed our report [literally, “what we have heard”]?” As we enter chapter 53, a change of speakers occurs...
ISAIAH 53:2 53:2: “[H]e grew up … a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry land … no form nor comeliness … nor appearance that we should delig...
Continued from Part 5 ISAIAH 53:3 53:3: “He was despised, and rejected of men … and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, an...
Continued from Part 6 Jesus’ popularity in review: Do the Gospel’s describe Jesus as a person who “was despised and rejected,” or from whom p...
ISAIAH 53:4 5:4: “Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; but we considered him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” ...
Continued from Part 8 ISAIAH 53:5 53:5: “But he was wounded as a result of our transgressions, he was crushed as a result of our iniquities.”...
The rest of the story John’s claim that Jesus was “scourged” during the trial before Pilate (John 19:1) leaves open the extent of injury incurred ...
Not by blood loss Presuming Jesus was nailed to the cross, did blood oozing from the nail wounds cause his death? The Roman method of execution by...
Did Jesus fulfill the Torah’s requirements for blood sacrifice (Matthew 5:17-18)? Under no circumstances can one say that Jesus shed his blood as...
ISAIAH 53:7 Isaiah 53:7: “as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; and opened not his mouth” The silence that was a bit too loud Was Jesus hum...
Jesus and his philosophy of violence Jesus was not adverse to using violence and held no general principle against violent action. If Jesus was tr...
53:9: “neither was there any deceit in his mouth” The issue of Jesus’ deceitful behavior Is there any indication that Jesus was deceitful to fr...
Did Jesus suffer vicariously for the sins of mankind? Jesus is often portrayed as suffering vicariously for the sins of mankind. No support for su...
53:10: “he shall prolong days” The concept of prolonging of days and that of gaining eternal life: The differences: The concept of a prolonge...
ISAIAH 53:11 53:11: “From the labor of his soul he shall see; he shall be satisfied.” Christian commentators claim that the life’s work of Je...
ISAIAH 53:12 53:12: “I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the mighty” There is a great divide betwe...
Continued from Part 27 The servant’s rewards for faithfulness to God In verse 12, God speaks of the servant, who, as a result of his selflessness,...
Continued from Part 28 Jesus and the spoils of war shared with the mighty. What portion did Jesus share with the great, what spoil did he divid...
As mentioned above a verse by verse explanation of how the people of Israel are the fulfillment the Suffering Servant prophecy can be found in Isai...
Continued from Part 2 Similarly, when asked if he would “at this time” restore the kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6) Jesus replied: “It is not for yo...
John quotes Jesus as saying: “I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am” (John 14:28). Is this coequality within the Trinit...
Paul states “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). Some Trinitarian Christians allege this shows that Paul...
Jesus, the man, is said to be the mediator between God and men. Paul writes, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the ...
Continued from Part 7 God: undivided and without equal How did John’s Jesus view the possibility of a division in the divine essence? Chapter 17 o...
Continued from Part 8 Paul’s Jesus: A savior but not God The New Testament authors make a definite distinction between the one-and-only God a...
Continued from Part 11 Nevertheless, Barnes believes that Jesus is himself the uncreated and eternal Creator. However, he does not base his beli...
Continued from Part 12 The author of John expounds the belief that Jesus had a prehuman existence as the Word who was “in the beginning with God...
Continued from Part 13 Syncretic roots of Paul’s Jesus Much of Christianity is the development of Paul and his theological descendants, who pre...
Continued from Part 14 Subordination and subjection Wherever the relationship of Jesus to God is treated in the New Testament, Jesus is always rep...
Continued from Part 15 The New Testament Jesus: A distinct supernatural agent Despite the distinctiveness with which God and Jesus are regarded...
Continued from Part 17 Revelation 1:17 and 2:8 do not contain the words the Alpha and the Omega. In these verses the author of Revelation uses p...
Continued from Part 26 Establishing paternity In Matthew’s version of the alleged conception of Jesus story (Matthew 1:18) it states that Mary ...
Continued from Part 27 The baptism formula Some Christian commentators allege that the command by Matthew’s Jesus to, “Go therefore, and make d...
Continued from Part 34 Is the Trinity Doctrine a New Testament teaching? Paul, speaking of Jesus says, “for in him all the fullness of deity dw...
Continued from Chapter 4 (Genesis 3:15, 17:8) God made two significant promises to Abraham concerning the everlasting possession of ’Eretz Yi...
(Deuteronomy 13:2-4) The New Testament claim that Jesus performed miracles is one more exaggeration on the part of early Christians seeking to i...
(Deuteronomy 18:15, 18) The Torah declares that “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your bre...
(Isaiah 7:14-16) Isaiah 7:14-16: Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the young woman shall conceive, and bear a son, and s...
Could God bring about such a miracle as is proclaimed in the doctrine of the virgin conception? The Jewish Scriptures teach that God is omnipotent...
Who could say with certainty that she was a virgin following her child’s conception or at his birth?11 A virgin being with child would not be an ou...
(Isaiah 9:5-6) Who is the child? Isaiah presents many of his messages through the use of prophetic names (Isaiah 7:3, 14; 8:3). In one such pas...
(Isaiah 11) Isaiah 11 is generally accepted as a passage which speaks of the Messiah and the messianic age. In verse 1 the prophet states: “And ...
THE TEXT: ISAIAH 52:13-53:12 Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
Isaiah 52:13: “Behold My Servant” My servant There are a number of reasons why Jesus cannot be considered the servant. The phrase, “My servant,...
52:14: “So marred was his appearance unlike that of a man, and his form unlike that of the sons of men” Let the truth be told Although many pos...
53:2: “[H]e grew up … a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry land … no form nor comeliness … nor appearance that we should delight in him.”
53:3: “He was despised, and rejected of men … and as one from whom men hide their face: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
Was Jesus abandoned by everyone in his last hours? The Synoptic Gospels maintain that at the crucifixion “many women were there looking on from a ...
53:5: “But he [Israel] was wounded as a result of our [the nations of the world] transgressions, he was crushed as a result of our iniquities.” ...
53:5: “The chastisement of our [the nations] welfare was upon him [Israel], and with his wounds we were healed.” The scourging mystery “[W]ith ...
53:6: “the Lord has visited upon him the iniquity of us all” The pre-Gospel church and its developing christology The pre-Gospel church develop...
Isaiah 53:7: “as a sheep that before her shearers is dumb; and opened not his mouth” The silence that was a bit too loud Was Jesus humble and sile...
53:8: “As a result of the transgression of my people [the nations] he [Israel] has been afflicted.” The literal rendering of this verse is: “Fro...
53:9: “neither was there any deceit in his mouth” A Parable on Deceit Once upon a time, in a far off city a man entered the city’s largest chur...
Salvation was reserved for the select few Jesus claimed that he revealed the meaning of his esoteric declarations (the parables) only to his disci...
53:10: “If he would offer himself as a guilt-offering” The suffering servant as a guilt-offering Following the initial declaration that it was ...
Bloodshed and vicarious suffering: The Torah view The blood shed is all-important in the symbolic ritual of animal sacrifice done in the Temple, b...
53:12: “because he had poured out his soul to death” Many have poured out their soul to death “Because he has poured out (‘arah) his soul to de...
(Hosea 5:15) The prophet Hosea declares: “I will go and return to My place until they feel guilt and seek My face; in their trouble they will ea...
The prophet Zechariah declares: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king is coming to you, he is jus...
(Psalms 16:9-10) My flesh dwells in safety The Masoretic text of Psalms 16:9-10 reads: Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my fl...
Physical or spiritual body? What does the New Testament claim happened to the corpse of Jesus? Jesus is said to have been resurrected, to have ent...
Could Jesus have risen in either a completely different material body or in an immaterial body possessing the properties of an angelic being which ...
(Psalm 22) Finding the Jesus who never was The early church used the Jewish Scriptures to augment the little they knew of the circumstances sur...
(Psalms 69:22) The Gospel authors often employed scriptural verses out of context in order to support their claim that Jesus is the central theme ...