Jesus is Still the Messiah!

In our conversation that has been developing over the past few days regarding Judaism and the Messianic prophecies (Read it Here!) being fulfilled in Jesus Christ, I have come to understand the feelings of frustration and heartfelt pain that Paul expressed in the New Testament. It was obvious that Paul was deeply hurt by the fact that his fellow countrymen were so consumed with their traditions and with their scholars that they completely ignored, denied, and rejected their own Messiah!

"For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;"
~ Romans 9:3-4

It is sad that this group of people who God so dearly loves and cares for has rejected his perfect gift to them! They have turned their back on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and done it in the name of the very God they are rejecting. Consider for a few moments a few of the things that I have learned about why they reject the Savior of the world.

1. They steep their faith in the credentials of Jewish ancestors rather than in a clear examination of the facts for themselves. In several examples of our conversation, these Jewish people made it painfully obvious that they care more for their faith in their scholars than they do in the facts and logic of the Word of God itself. Consider the following two excerpts from our conversation.
   
   

   "Nicholas, first my statements in regards to the doctor are not Ad Hominem. In Judaism we accept that the Tzadikim have the power to decide, until such time as the Sanhedrin is restored. So the fact that the doctor is not a Gadol is profoundly relevant." ~ Kahaneloyalist
   
   "Nick: Let me enlighten you to a wonderful Jewish concept. The Torah states that matters of Jewish law are in our hands to decide, not G-d's."

   
   Where does God ever hint at the fact that matters of Jewish law are outside of his own hands? This, however, is the simple logic that was used to deny God himself as the savior of the world when they crucified the God-man Christ Jesus! Even though Jesus was God, they made it very clear that it was up to them to decide his fate...not God!


2. The clear denying of other credentialed Jewish scholars when they do not support their position. For example, they deny the clear teaching of a virgin birth as found in Isaiah 7:14.
   
   The multitude of Jewish scholars who who lived prior to Christ, were amazingly learned in the linguistics of the day, translated the Old Testament in the Greek, and believed that Isaiah 7:14 referred to a Virgin between 300 and 100 BC are not relevant to the Jewish community. Notice that it was Jewish scholars prior to Christ who believed without dispute that the verse was adamantly referring to a virgin and not a young woman. As a side note...what kind of sign is it anyway that a young woman will conceive a child? That happens a bazillion times a day today and didn't most women have lots of children back then. It was a sign because it was going to be something out of the ordinary for everyone to see and know!


3. The naively attack the fact the Jesus Christ even existed! I don't even have time to get into this argument as it would take me all day, but let me throw out a few historians that lived during the first few centuries who reference the reality of Jesus Christ.
   
   
   • Josephus
   • Suetonius, chief secretary to Emperor Hadrian
   • The Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) confirms Jesus' crucifixion on the eve of Passover, and the accusations against Christ of practicing sorcery and encouraging Jewish apostasy.


4. They are only willing to hold to a few 'Utopian' prophecies that are either taken way out of context or are referring to the second coming. They have turned their backs on hundreds of prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ for a very small handful of which a clearly indicative of his Glorious return at the second coming of Jesus Christ. They misunderstand the concept or idea that the Messiah first came as a suffering Servant and will come again a second time as the sovereign Savior!
   
   

   "The Jewish idea of the moshiach has nothing to do with a demigod or salvation but rather a human king who will save Israel from the gentiles, ingather the exile, bring world peace, rebuild the Temple, strengthen the Torah and unite the world in service of G-d. JC did NONE of that." ~ Bar Kochba

It is very sad that they refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah and I fear that all too soon they will realize the truth. I pray and I care deeply for all of these people and I hope that they will at least consider the truths found in the Old Testament that point them toward Jesus as the Messiah. Remember the words of Christ himself.

"Search the scriptures...and they are they which testify of me."
~ John 5:39