A Possible MissionA Possible Mission

Dr. Richard Elofer

What was the Jewish What was the Jewish response to the speech of response to the speech of

the apostles?the apostles?• Luke 8:1 12• Luke 10:1 72• Acts 1:15 120 • Acts 2:41 3,000+• Acts 4:4 5,000+• Acts 5:14 +++• Acts 6:1,7 growth• Acts 9: 28-31 exponential growth• Acts 16:5 church planting movement• Acts 21:20 tens of thousands

““The Teaching The Teaching

Of ContemptOf Contempt””

Justin Martyr (2Justin Martyr (2ndnd century)century)

Justin Martyr said that he is readyJustin Martyr said that he is ready “to “to accept in the midst of his accept in the midst of his Christian community those who Christian community those who continue to practise the law only if continue to practise the law only if they renounce bringing Gentile they renounce bringing Gentile Christians to the Mosaïc laws.”Christians to the Mosaïc laws.”  

Juifs et chrétiens moment de criseJuifs et chrétiens moment de crise”, Editions du ”, Editions du Cerf, Paris, 1989, p. 17Cerf, Paris, 1989, p. 17

JeromeJerome

““If the converted Jews are authorized If the converted Jews are authorized to observe in the churches of Christ, to observe in the churches of Christ, what they learned in the synagogues what they learned in the synagogues of Satan, I am going to tell you what of Satan, I am going to tell you what I think, they will not become I think, they will not become Christians, they will transform us as Christians, they will transform us as Jews.Jews.”” Marc Saperstein, “Marc Saperstein, “Juifs et chrétiens Juifs et chrétiens moment de crisemoment de crise”, Editions du Cerf, Paris, 1989, ”, Editions du Cerf, Paris, 1989,

Saint-AugustineSaint-Augustine

St Augustine wrote: “St Augustine wrote: “that the Jewish that the Jewish practices are for the Christians practices are for the Christians pernicious and mortal and anyone pernicious and mortal and anyone who observes them, whoever it is, who observes them, whoever it is, Jew or Gentile is destined for the Jew or Gentile is destined for the infernal abyssinfernal abyss.”.” Marc Saperstein, “Marc Saperstein, “Juifs et chrétiens moment de Juifs et chrétiens moment de crisecrise”, Editions du Cerf, Paris, 1989, ”, Editions du Cerf, Paris, 1989,

Jean ChrisostomeJean Chrisostome

““If they have not recognized the Father, if If they have not recognized the Father, if they have crucified the Son, if they have they have crucified the Son, if they have rebuked the assistance of the Holy Spirit rebuked the assistance of the Holy Spirit who will dare to say that their synagogue who will dare to say that their synagogue is not the house of demons? […] the worst is not the house of demons? […] the worst tavern is less disgusting than synagogues. tavern is less disgusting than synagogues. The synagogue is not the residence of The synagogue is not the residence of thieves and hotelkeepers; it is the thieves and hotelkeepers; it is the residence of demons. We could say residence of demons. We could say exactly the same of Jewish soulsexactly the same of Jewish souls.”.”

LutherLuther““The most disgusting and the most vile human The most disgusting and the most vile human being we can meet under the sun… full of being we can meet under the sun… full of malice, of desire, of envy, of mutual hatred, of malice, of desire, of envy, of mutual hatred, of pride, of usury, of arrogance and of cursing pride, of usury, of arrogance and of cursing towards us… for 1400 years their will is to be towards us… for 1400 years their will is to be bloody dogs, murderers of the whole of bloody dogs, murderers of the whole of Christianity… they are crafty snakes, Christianity… they are crafty snakes, venomous, bitter, vindictive, murderous, and venomous, bitter, vindictive, murderous, and sons of the devil… our wound, our infection, sons of the devil… our wound, our infection, our misfortune”. Only the divine awful wrath our misfortune”. Only the divine awful wrath can allow anybody to sink into such a demonic can allow anybody to sink into such a demonic infernal abyss of crazy baseness of envy and infernal abyss of crazy baseness of envy and arrogance…”arrogance…” “Of The Jews And Their Lies”“Of The Jews And Their Lies”

What many rabbis What many rabbis and philosophers and philosophers think of Yeshua.think of Yeshua.

““If we can give the Jewish readers an exact If we can give the Jewish readers an exact understanding of the historical Jesus which understanding of the historical Jesus which will be neither that of Christian theology will be neither that of Christian theology nor of Jewish theology and which is as nor of Jewish theology and which is as scientific and objective as possible… then scientific and objective as possible… then we would fill a blank page of Israel’s we would fill a blank page of Israel’s history which has been until today written history which has been until today written almost entirely by Christiansalmost entirely by Christians”. …”. …

Yeshua for Joseph Klausner

““Jesus was a Jew in everything he did and Jesus was a Jew in everything he did and thought. As many devoted Israelites he thought. As many devoted Israelites he practised all the commandments, he regarded practised all the commandments, he regarded God as his heavenly Father, had pity on the God as his heavenly Father, had pity on the poor, sustained those who fell down and loved poor, sustained those who fell down and loved those who repented.those who repented.””

Yeshua pour Joseph Klausner

““It is under the sign of tears, threats and It is under the sign of tears, threats and promises that he exercised his ministry of promises that he exercised his ministry of teaching… Jesus was the most Jewish of the teaching… Jesus was the most Jewish of the Jews, even more Jewish than the great master Jews, even more Jewish than the great master HillelHillel.” .” 

Yeshua for Joseph Klausner

““The day when he will be freed from the The day when he will be freed from the stories of the miracles and of mysticism, the stories of the miracles and of mysticism, the moral book of Jesus will be one of the most moral book of Jesus will be one of the most precious jewels in all of Jewish literature of all precious jewels in all of Jewish literature of all timetime”. ”.

Yeshua for Joseph Klausner

Yeshua for Martin Buber

“For almost fifty years the New Testament has been one of my principal topics of study and I consider myself to be a good reader who listens without prejudice…. From my youth, I felt that Jesus was like a big brother to me. That Christianity considered Jesus as God and Redeemer was always apparent to me as a fact to take extremely seriously, one that I had to seek to understand for myself. That wish to understand resulted in my personal relationship with and a brotherly attitude towards Jesus which only reinforced and purified me while I see Jesus in a stronger and purer light than ever.” Deux types de Foi Deux types de Foi Editions, du Cerf en 1991 p. 33Editions, du Cerf en 1991 p. 33

“Buber’s profession of faith correlates with my own position. Jesus is for me the eternal brother: he is not only the brother of men, he is also my Jewish brother.” Further on, Chorim says: “I never hesitate to say that I consider Jesus of Nazareth as a third authority, to place next to the interpretations of Hillel and of Shammai. It seems to me that a particular tendency in interpreting Jesus is coming to light. It is a question of the internalization of the Law where love becomes the decisive motivating factor.” In In Bruder JesusBruder Jesus, Edition Paul List, Verlag KG, Munich, , Edition Paul List, Verlag KG, Munich,

1967, p.121967, p.12

Shalom Ben Chorim

Josy Eisenberg

« « If the rupture between Judaism and If the rupture between Judaism and Christianity gave birth to two different and Christianity gave birth to two different and opposed religious systems, very often opposed religious systems, very often antagonist, there is no such opposition antagonist, there is no such opposition between the two parts of the Book that is between the two parts of the Book that is composed of the Old and the New Testamentscomposed of the Old and the New Testaments ..

……/…/…

Josy Eisenberg

““We must never forget that their stories took We must never forget that their stories took place in the same country and in the middle of place in the same country and in the middle of the same people. In other words, the stories the same people. In other words, the stories that are told in the New Testament belong to that are told in the New Testament belong to Jewish history, took place among Jews, and Jewish history, took place among Jews, and except for Pontius Pilate concerned Jewish except for Pontius Pilate concerned Jewish men and women.”men and women.”

…/...…/...

“ “ This is completely true of the Gospels, and it This is completely true of the Gospels, and it is also true for the greatest part of the New is also true for the greatest part of the New Testament scriptures. Therefore there is an Testament scriptures. Therefore there is an absolute continuity between the two great absolute continuity between the two great parts of the Bibleparts of the Bible”. ”. Editions du Stock, 1993, p. 379Editions du Stock, 1993, p. 379

Josy Eisenberg

Pinchas Lapide is a professor in the Orthodox University of Bar Ilan. He wrote a book: Jesus, son of Joseph, in which he tried to identify the position of the Jewish people in relation to Jesus. Between 1948 and 1975, 187 books or studies with Jesus as the essential topic were written in Hebrew and published in Israel. There are also more than 500 books about Jesus in the context of other trends in Judaism not taking into account Jewish books written in languages other than Hebrew. This demonstrates the richness of the literature and the deep interest of Jewish people in Jesus.

Pinchas Lapide

School books in use in Israel

1)1) Nowhere do they put on Jesus’ shoulders the Nowhere do they put on Jesus’ shoulders the responsibility for the hatred that Christians responsibility for the hatred that Christians subsequently had against the Jews. Nowhere subsequently had against the Jews. Nowhere is it imputed is it imputed retroactively to Jesus in his retroactively to Jesus in his disfavor what the church has donedisfavor what the church has done””. .

…/……/…

School books in use in Israel

2) 2) The Jewish identity of Jesus, naturally The Jewish identity of Jesus, naturally understood in all the texts, led indeed to a understood in all the texts, led indeed to a different interpretation of his historical different interpretation of his historical role: pretender to the Messiaship, herald of role: pretender to the Messiaship, herald of the end of the times, charmer of the people, the end of the times, charmer of the people, preacher, moralist, or rebel patriot against preacher, moralist, or rebel patriot against the pagan yoke; but when it is a question of the pagan yoke; but when it is a question of his death as a martyr on the Roman cross his death as a martyr on the Roman cross there is a clear identification with the there is a clear identification with the Nazarene.Nazarene. …/… …/…

School books in use in Israel

3) “3) “Even if some texts speak about ‘deviations of Even if some texts speak about ‘deviations of Jesus in connection with the official Judaism Jesus in connection with the official Judaism of his time, it is much more often a question of of his time, it is much more often a question of his faithfulness to the Torah, of his attachment his faithfulness to the Torah, of his attachment to the Scriptures and of his Jewish moralityto the Scriptures and of his Jewish morality .”.”

School books in use in Israel

““It is in the current Israeli school books that It is in the current Israeli school books that we found indubitably the most sympathetic we found indubitably the most sympathetic picture of Jesus ever presented to any Jewish picture of Jesus ever presented to any Jewish generation.”generation.”

School books in use in Israel

““In conclusion we can describe briefly the In conclusion we can describe briefly the main portraits of Jesus in the school books main portraits of Jesus in the school books used in Israel: used in Israel:

…/……/…

School books in use in Israel

““Can the Jewish picture of Jesus proposed by the Can the Jewish picture of Jesus proposed by the current teaching in Israel serve as an example current teaching in Israel serve as an example of tolerance, by which the Christian teaching of tolerance, by which the Christian teaching could be inspired to elaborate a more could be inspired to elaborate a more Christian and authentic image of Judaism?”Christian and authentic image of Judaism?” Pinhas LapidePinhas Lapide

« « From both sides, for almost two thousand From both sides, for almost two thousand years, we have lived and prayed the one years, we have lived and prayed the one against the other; let us now together research against the other; let us now together research the earthly Jesus, let us learn to discover him the earthly Jesus, let us learn to discover him first as a human being and then let us see first as a human being and then let us see where God will lead us”.where God will lead us”. Dialogue avec Hans KungDialogue avec Hans Kung, , Editions Beauchêne, 1979 p. 76Editions Beauchêne, 1979 p. 76

Pinchas Lapide : “Jesus in Question”

Two MessiahsTwo Messiahs

...the words ...the words ““no shrub of the field was yet in the no shrub of the field was yet in the earthearth”” refer to the first Messiah, and the words refer to the first Messiah, and the words ““no no herb of the field had yet sprung upherb of the field had yet sprung up”” refer to the refer to the second Messiah. Why had they not shot forth? second Messiah. Why had they not shot forth? Because Moses was not there to serve the Shekinah-Because Moses was not there to serve the Shekinah-Moses, of whom it is written, Moses, of whom it is written, ““and there was no man and there was no man to till the groundto till the ground””. …. …

Two MessiahsTwo Messiahs

This is also hinted at in the verse This is also hinted at in the verse ““the scepter shall not the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the rulerdepart from Judah nor the ruler’’s staff from between s staff from between his feethis feet””, , ““the scepterthe scepter”” referring to the Messiah of the referring to the Messiah of the house of Judah, and house of Judah, and ““the staffthe staff”” to the Messiah of the to the Messiah of the house of Joseph. house of Joseph. ““Until Shiloh comethUntil Shiloh cometh””: this is Moses, : this is Moses, the numerical value of the two names Shiloh and the numerical value of the two names Shiloh and Moses being the same. It is also possible to refer the Moses being the same. It is also possible to refer the ““herbs of the fieldherbs of the field”” to the righteous or to the students to the righteous or to the students of the Torah... of the Torah... Zohar Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 25b Zohar Soncino Zohar, Bereshith, Section 1, Page 25b

The sufferings of the Messiah

““Rachi in his commentary on the Guemara adds Rachi in his commentary on the Guemara adds that as well as being a perfectly righteous man, he that as well as being a perfectly righteous man, he will know, just before his revelation, the most will know, just before his revelation, the most terrible sufferings. According to the expression of terrible sufferings. According to the expression of our Sages : “three measures of sufferings were our Sages : “three measures of sufferings were introduced in the world; the first for the introduced in the world; the first for the patriarchs, the second one for the period of patriarchs, the second one for the period of persecutions and the third one will be for the persecutions and the third one will be for the Machia’h”.Machia’h”.

……/…/…

The sufferings of the Messiah

““Why it will be so? Because before revealing Why it will be so? Because before revealing the highest perfection in the world, the the highest perfection in the world, the Messiah would redeem his generation from Messiah would redeem his generation from their sins. It is through the suffering of the their sins. It is through the suffering of the Messiah that this will be done. Messiah that this will be done. That’s why, That’s why, said the Alche’h,said the Alche’h, “he will accept them with “he will accept them with Joy”. And the Maharal of Prague said that the Joy”. And the Maharal of Prague said that the Messiah will suffer because it will be time to Messiah will suffer because it will be time to make all the evil disappear from this world. make all the evil disappear from this world. That is the task of the Messiah.” That is the task of the Messiah.”

Machia’h MaintenantMachia’h Maintenant n° 58, du 22 juillet 1993, p. 3 n° 58, du 22 juillet 1993, p. 3

The coming of the Messiahin 1844

« Then the « Then the Admour Hazaken said that the Admour Hazaken said that the Machia’h should come en 5603 (1843-1844). Machia’h should come en 5603 (1843-1844). afterwards, the Tsema’h tsedek (3rd rabbi of afterwards, the Tsema’h tsedek (3rd rabbi of Loubavitch) explained that the deliverance Loubavitch) explained that the deliverance was replaced by the edition of the “Likoutei-was replaced by the edition of the “Likoutei-hatorah”, one of the fundamental books of hatorah”, one of the fundamental books of Hassidic thought. That was therefore only a Hassidic thought. That was therefore only a spiritual redemption by which no one could be spiritual redemption by which no one could be satisfied.” satisfied.” Machia’h Maintenant n° 46 du 30 janvier 1993 p. 3Machia’h Maintenant n° 46 du 30 janvier 1993 p. 3

What will be the Jewish What will be the Jewish answeranswer

There are among the There are among the Jews many who will Jews many who will come to the light, come to the light, and they will and they will proclaim the proclaim the immutability of the immutability of the law of God with law of God with wonderful power. wonderful power. Man.74, 1905Man.74, 1905

When this gospel shall be presented in its When this gospel shall be presented in its fullness to the Jews, many will accept fullness to the Jews, many will accept Yeshua as the Messiah. AA, 380Yeshua as the Messiah. AA, 380

What will be the Jewish What will be the Jewish answer ?answer ?

There are among the Jews There are among the Jews many who will who will many who will who will be converted, and we be converted, and we shall see the salvation of shall see the salvation of God going forth as a God going forth as a lamp that burneth.lamp that burneth. 1 MR 3141 MR 314

The time is coming when there will be as many The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the day of converted in a day as there were on the day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit. The Jews are to be a power to labor for the Spirit. The Jews are to be a power to labor for the Jews and we are to see the salvation of God.Jews and we are to see the salvation of God. 1 MR 1 MR 137-138137-138