NOTES ON SHARING THE GOOD NEWS WITH JEWISH PEOPLE

CONTENTS

1. Reasons For This Witness
2. Barriers To This Witness
3. Differences Within The Jewish Community
4. Common Attitudes Among Jewish People
5. Strong Points Of Witness
6. Questions Jews Ask

1 Reasons For This Witness
In order to witness effectively we need to be convinced that what we are doing is right. The Rabbis and liberal Christian clergy will try to tell us that it is not and that Christians should leave the Jews alone and that Christianity is only for the Gentiles. However we are to be led by the Word of God, not by the opinions of men. The following points on this issue should be considered:

(a) Romans 1- 3 makes it clear that the Gospel is as relevant to Jews as Gentiles. Note particularly Romans 1.16, 2.9- 11, 2.28- 29, 3.9- 11.
(b) Judaism lacks a true atonement for sin. Leviticus 17.11, Hebrews 9.22.
(c) God has promised a special blessing to the Church through the salvation of the Jews ( Romans 11) and also to those who show love to the Jews. Genesis 12.3, Psalm 122.6. The Christian has received salvation from the Jews and has a debt to return that gift to them.

2 Barriers To This Witness
(a) The main barrier is the past history of Christian - Jewish relations in which the institutional church has shown anything but love for the Jews. When the average Jew thinks of Christianity he thinks of the anti- semitism that has been taught in the name of Jesus, but in total opposition to his Spirit and teaching. Sadly it is not only the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches which have persecuted the Jews. Luther thought he could convert them but when they rejected his testimony he turned against them and wrote words of hatred which were used by the Nazis. Many Jewish people have bitter memories of being labelled ‘ Christ - killers’ and persecuted as a result.

The false theology which teaches that Jews are cursed by God because of their part in the crucifixion has caused untold suffering and damage to Jewish acceptance of Jesus as Messiah. Much of this theology is based on the misapplication of verses like, ‘His blood be upon us and upon our children’ ( Matthew 27.25). From the Bible we learn that:

• Jesus prayed God’s mercy, not his wrath on those responsible for his death ( Luke 23.34)
• The Apostles placed responsibility for the crucifixion on both Jews and Gentiles in rebellion against God ( Acts 4.25- 27) and also pointed to the fact that it was God’s will that it happened ( Acts 4.28, Isaiah 53. 4, 10).
• We are responsible before God for our own sins, not those of our ancestors (Romans 14.12), although we may suffer in this world as a result of our parent’s sins. (Deuteronomy 5.9).
  

We need to approach this issue with love and sensitivity, conscious of the errors of the past and determined to show the difference between ourselves and nominal Christians who were or are anti- semitic. Even if they are not convinced by a single word we say, if we can show Jewish people that we are for them and not against them, we will have accomplished something worthwhile.

(b) The error of much of the church in the past was to treat the Jews with contempt and teach that they were too wicked to be saved. The opposite error is to be found amongst many Christians today. Many say, “ The Jews have good moral standards, what right have we to disturb them by our message?”, or “The Jews are put right with God by keeping the Old Covenant, the Christians by keeping the New Covenant”, or “Christians should make up for past sins against the Jews by supporting Israel and helping the Jewish people, but not telling them about Jesus.”

To answer this we can say:
(i) If the Jewish people can be saved by their own righteousness and devotion to their religion, why not the good Muslim, Hindu or even the moral humanist? On what grounds are we saved - our own good deeds or our recognition of our inability to please God by our own efforts, admission of sin and trust in the sacrifice God has appointed - Jesus the Messiah dying for our sins at Calvary?
(ii) Many Jewish people are conscious of ‘ something missing’ in Judaism and are looking for spiritual experiences. This can lead into counter- feits like spiritism and the New Age. Should we not bring them the true knowledge of the Lord through the Messiah?
To sum up: Jesus loves Jews - Jews need Jesus.

3 Differences Within The Jewish Community
When we do overcome the barriers and get to know Jewish people, we are surprised to find out how varied they can be. Many people with no first hand knowledge of the Jewish community tend to classify all Jews together, but this is very far from the truth. Briefly the main groups within the Jewish community are as follows:

(a) Orthodox Jews
The majority of religious Jews in Britain are orthodox ( although for many this is a nominal connection like Church of England membership amongst many Christians). Orthodox Judaism is based on the Tenach (Old Testament) and the Rabbinic commentaries on it, the Talmud. Great stress is laid on the first five books, the Torah, from which the Rabbis worked out 613 commandments which they say a religious Jew should observe. The rest of the Bible is considered less important and the Prophets are usually not well known. In practice the Talmud is of greater importance than the Bible because it is there the Jew finds rulings on what he may and may not do. Most of the Talmud was written after the time of Christ, the Babyl- onian Talmud being codified in the 5th century.
Orthodox Judaism teaches that when the Messiah comes the Temple will be rebuilt, the Jewish people gathered from exile and there will be peace on earth. After Jesus came the Temple was destroyed, the Jewish people sent into exile and there has not been peace on earth. This is used as an argument against Jesus being the Messiah. To answer this objection see section 6(a).
As far as most Rabbis are concerned Jesus’ teaching has no value for Jews although it may be beneficial for Gentiles. In the Rabbinic idea of salvation if you are born a Christian, be a good Christian, if you are born a Muslim be a good Muslim and if you are born a Jew, be a good Jew and don’t believe in Jesus! It is often taught that Paul was the inventor of Christianity and that Jesus had no idea of being the Saviour of the world through dying as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Some modern Jewish writers have tried to reclaim Jesus as a great Jewish teacher while denying the Christian claim that he was the Messiah.
Most Orthodox Jews look forward to the coming of the Messiah who will bring deliverance to the Jews and world peace, as in Isaiah 2.1-4 ( although for many this is a pious dream for which they see little hope of fulfilment).
They do not think of the Messiah suffering and dying for the sins of mankind as in Isaiah 53. In fact Orthodox teaching denies original sin as Christians understand it. For them there exists only the ‘evil inclination’ and the ‘ good inclination’ (‘ yetser ha ra’ and ‘ yetser ha tov’).
In the present situation the chief concern of Orthodox Rabbis is to prevent assimilation (Jews merging into Gentile society and losing their identity) and inter- marriage, which is seen as a threat to Jewish survival. Christian evangelism is seen as a threat for this reason as the Rabbis say that when a Jew believes in Jesus he or she ceases to be Jewish. Therefore many Jewish believers today prefer to be called ‘Messianic Jews’ rather than ‘Hebrew Christians’ and to show that they still identify as Jews.
It can be noted that many things stressed by Orthodox Rabbis have the effect of preventing social contact between Jews and Gentiles. For example a Jew who only eats kosher food cannot accept hospitality from a Gentile. Sabbath observance, the wearing of a ‘ kippah’ ( skull cap), the placing of a Mezuzah on the doorposts all mark out the Jew as being different from his neighbours and show his desire to identify with other Jews rather than the society around him. In Orthodoxy the outward act is at least as important as inward belief, as it demonstrates one’s allegiance. One may meet Jews who go through all the observances of Orthodoxy but have different views of interpreting the Bible and the nature of God. Orthodox Jews live in the area of the synagogue as the Rabbis rule that they must not drive or use public transport on the Sabbath, so they have to live within walking distance of the synagogue.

(b) Hassidic Jews
‘Hassidism’ is a movement which originated in the 18th century in Eastern Europe as a reaction against the dry Orthodoxy of the day. It derives much from Jewish mysticism and the Cabbala (‘ received’ teachings). Some of the connections of this teaching are occultic and contrary to the Bible.
Members of Hassidic groups are very distinctive in appearance, the men wearing beards, side curls and the black coats and hats which were the style of eastern Europe in the 18th century.
They are divided into a number of small sects with loyalty to different Rabbis (known as Rebbes) whose dynasties go back to the origins of the movement. They take their names from the places of their origin (Ger, Belz, Satmar, etc). The most well known is Lubavitch, a ‘missionary’ movement to bring Jews back to Judaism. This group has become very Messianic since their Rebbe has taught that all the signs point to the imminence of the arrival of the Messiah. They are strongly motivated to bring their message to other Jews because they believe that when the Jewish people are keeping the commands of the Torah God will send the Messiah. Therefore they are also strongly opposed to any idea that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and resist any attempts to bring this message to the Jewish community.

(c) Reform Jews
Reform Judaism is also a reaction against Orthodoxy, but in the opposite direction from Hassidism. It is an attempt to fit Judaism into the modern world and to escape from the ‘ ghetto’ mentality which prevents Jews from mixing with non- Jews. The laws which the Orthodox Jews observe are greatly relaxed: a Reform Jew may drive to synagogue, so he does not have to live in the area where he worships ( though he often may from choice).
Kosher food laws and Sabbath regulations are not so strictly enforced and Reform Jews do not generally wear a head covering except when worship- ping. They are generally more open to enter into discussions with Christians than Orthodox Jews. Many do not believe in a personal Messiah, but have a vague belief in a Messianic age in which reason and goodness will triumph as a result of human effort rather than divine intervention. In theology they are similar to liberal Christians and do not accept literal interpretations of the Bible. Many Orthodox Jews look down on the Reform movement as a compromising, watered down version of Judaism which paves the way for assimilation.

(d) Zionists
There are Jews from various religious groups who are Zionists or supporters of the State of Israel. For some secular Jews Zionism is the main form their Jewish identity takes. They attend Zionist meetings and support the State of Israel financially and politically. There are Zionist classes organised for the learning of modern Hebrew and every year there are some who emigrate to Israel or go on ‘aliyah’ (literally ascend).
Although most British Jews are emotionally involved in Israel they prefer to stay in Britain because of the insecurity of the political situation and the difficulties of living in Israel. Most Jews are sensitive to the hostile propaganda directed against Israel in the media. They appreciate Christians who are informed about this situation and have an understand ing of Israel’s problems. On the other hand there is a minority sect of ultra Orthodox Jews (Satmar / Neturei Karta) who are hostile to the State of Israel because of its secular nature. They say a Jewish state should not exist until the Messiah comes.
In an evangelistic approach to Zionists it is helpful to go over prophecies regarding the return of the Jews to Israel (e. g. Ezekiel 36- 37). One can show how this return will lead to a time of tribulation ( Jeremiah 30, Ezekiel 38- 9, Zechariah 12- 14) which will be brought to an end by the return of the Messiah Jesus (Matthew 24). The Jewish expectation of the coming king (Psalm 102.16, Zechariah 12.10, 14.3- 4, Jeremiah 23.5- 8) can be applied to the second coming of Jesus.

(e) Secular Jews
Some Jews are secular with little time for religion and maybe not much identification with Israel. Some may regard their Jewishness as an accident of birth with no real significance, but others may still feel a strong ethnic cultural and social attachment to the Jewish people. When talking to such people one can point out that the very existence of the Jewish people in the face of so much hostility can be seen as a sign of God’s overruling and the Bible can be shown as the only valid explanation for Israel’s survival. One often encounters attitudes of rebellion against religion, especially amongst young people reacting against what they see as the hypocrisy of their elders. One may also encounter a rejection of God because of the suffering of the Jews during the holocaust. Although such people reject Judaism, they often have similar reasons for rejecting Christianity to religious Jews. They may find their way into alternative, sometimes harmful religious or philosophical movements ( e. g. spiritism, the New Age movement.)

4 Common Attitudes Amongst Jewish People
Despite the differences between Jewish people outlined above there are certain attitudes one is likely to encounter amongst most Jewish people.

The following attitudes are fairly general.
(a) They think all European Gentiles are Christians (excluding Muslims, Hindus etc). They usually have no concept of what it means to become a Christian through personal faith in Jesus and this is an important truth that we should try to communicate.
(b) They find it hard to believe that Gentiles in general and Christians in particular accept them and care about them. This is easy to understand when one considers Jewish history. Centuries of rejection and persecution in ‘Christian’ Europe reached their climax in the Nazi holocaust. All this has left a deep scar of mistrust and suspicion which is not easily erased. It may take time to build up a relationship with a Jewish person, and we should be careful to show that our concern for them is genuine whether or not they respond to our message.
(c) They are sensitive to criticism. Anti- semitic jokes and criticism of Jewish character are hurtful facts of life for our Jewish friends and should have no place in Christian conversation. On the other hand a word of praise for some aspect of Jewish life ( e. g. the Jewish devotion to the family, Israel’s achievements in rebuilding the land, the Jewish contribution to the welfare of society) will go a long way to building the bridge of understanding and making our witness more acceptable.
(d) They are generally more concerned with survival in this world than with the world to come. Again Jewish history explains this. The most heated discussions amongst Jewish people concern their survival in the face of threats from neo- Nazi or anti- Zionist groups. It is useful to have some knowledge of the political forces which Jewish people see as a threat and to concern ourselves with standing by them when they are facing persecution. Unfortunately many Rabbis have convinced their people that the greatest threat to Jewish survival comes from Messianic Jews and ‘missionaries’ so we may encounter some hostility for this reason.
(e) They are often very successful in what they do. Jewish success in all fields of human endeavour ( scientific, artistic, commercial, political, etc.) is out of all proportion to their numbers. A negative side effect of this is the envy of Gentiles which anti- semites are able to inflame as the Nazis did in Germany. It can also produce stress in the family situation particularly for the son who is unable to follow in his father’s successful footsteps. A Christian fellowship which shows love and acceptance can go a long way to help those who feel hurt and rejected because they have not made the grade.
(f) They are generally ‘ God’ conscious. Even the most vehement Jewish atheist may be quite happy to discuss the God he does not believe in unlike his Gentile counterpart who usually cannot be bothered with such discussions.
(g) In traditional Jewish families the role of the sexes is very clearly defined, the woman’s role being to create a ‘ kosher’ home and attend to the upbringing of the children. In Orthodox Judaism the woman is not expected to play a part in the synagogue service or involve herself too deeply in religious affairs, although many are challenging this today.
Orthodox women are generally less instructed in religion than men and more reluctant to be drawn into discussion on spiritual matters. Reform Judaism has given women a greater role to play in religious affairs and one often encounters the tension between traditional values and the aspirations of emancipated women.

5 Strong Points Of Witness
(a) Messianic Prophecies
It is important to be familiar with the many Old Testament prophecies which Jesus fulfilled and to be able to give an explanation of the more important passages like Isaiah 53. There are many Christian booklets on this subjects and you are recommended to read through such booklets to familiarise yourself with the relevant passages. It should be realised however that the Rabbis have counter arguments for most of these passages which many Jewish people are aware of. For example they say that Isaiah 53 is about Israel suffering on behalf of the Gentiles. If this is so Isaiah must have been a Gentile, because he wrote, “For the sin of my people was he stricken.” Isaiah 53.8.

(b) The need for a blood sacrifice
Every covenant in the Old Testament was instituted by a blood sacrifice. God ordained the sacrificial system as a means of atoning for sin. Under the Old Covenant the way of redemption was through repentance and the sacrificing of an animal. The sacrifice showed the person offering it that he deserved to die, but God in his mercy was willing to accept the death of an innocent animal in his place. Without the attitude of repentance and faith the act of sacrifice in itself was useless ( Isaiah 1.11- 20). However there is nothing in the Bible to suggest that the sacrificial system itself was useless. Leviticus 17.11 says plainly that a blood sacrifice is necessary for the atonement of the soul. Recognising Jesus as the Messiah, John the Baptist called him, ‘ The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. His sacrificial death at Calvary was the final blood sacrifice for sin. One reason for the destruction of the Temple some 40 years later was that the sacrifices offered there were no longer an expression of faith and obedience, but of rejection of the new covenant sealed in Messiah’s blood. When the Temple was destroyed, no longer having a place for offering sacrifices, the Rabbis substituted fasting on Yom Kippur ( the Day of Atonement) for the blood sacrifice, although there is no scriptural warrant for believing that fasting can atone for sin. The New Testament teaches that we are restored to fellowship with God through repentance and faith in Messiah’s sacrificial death for our sins and the blood He shed as an atonement for us. This is a parallel to the Old Testament practice and a logical continuation of the process God set in motion at the beginning of time with Abel’s sacrifice. On the other hand Judaism has introduced something new and unscriptural as a way of atonement - fasting, prayers and good deeds ( mitzvoth) to cover our sins.

(c) End time prophecies
This subject generally raises interest with Jewish people and is one which can be used effectively to open conversations. Christians may vary as to their interpretation of the events of the last days, however it is clear that in the days before Jesus’ return

(i) There will be a Jewish restoration to Israel which will provoke hostility worldwide and lead to the final conflict (Ezekiel 36- 39, Zechariah 12- 14, Luke 21, Revelation 16- 19).
(ii) There will be a falling away from true faith in God and righteous moral standards, resulting in worldwide lawlessness, corruption and persecution. (Isaiah 60.1- 2, Daniel 12.1- 3, Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3.1- 9).

Many Jewish people are alarmed at the present trend in world events and helpful interpretations of Bible prophecy can create faith and hope in the midst of the present confusion and distress. Most Jews have vague and often contradictory ideas about the ‘last days’ and a Christian witness on this subject should testify to a sure hope for the future through faith in Jesus as the Messiah who has come once to save us from our sins and who is soon returning to judge the world according to how we have responded to this offer of salvation (see Acts 17.30- 31, Hebrews 9.24- 28). The passages about the restoration of Israel referred to in the section on Zionists ( page 5) are relevant here and often little known by Jewish people.

(d) Personal Testimony
The experience of ‘knowing the Lord’ through being born again and receiving the Holy Spirit is unknown in modern Judaism, although it was clearly the experience of Old Testament believers. It is good to relate personal testimony to Ezekiel 36.26- 27 and Jeremiah 31.31- 34, and show particular ways in which coming to the Lord has caused a moral and spiritual change in your life. The more we can speak about knowing Jesus in a personal way and experiencing his love and power in our lives, the more we create a desire for what we have and provoke Jewish people to jealousy as Paul sought to do in his ministry ( Romans 11.11- 14). In the end Jewish people do not want an alternative set of religious ideas and dogma, but a living Saviour who cares about our needs and fills us with his Holy Spirit and new life.

(e) The Jewishness of Christianity
The kind of Christianity most Jewish people have come up against leaves them with the idea that it is a religion which has almost nothing to do with them. The general idea is that Jesus may have been Jewish but he turned away from his people and invented a new religion for the Gentiles. Even more common is the view that Jesus himself was a Jewish teacher, but Paul invented Christianity and directed the new religion in a way which Jesus himself never intended. We need to show how Jesus ‘ fulfilled the law and the prophets’ and how true Christianity is a logical progression from the Old Covenant. Jesus identified with the Jewish people by attending Jewish festivals ( John 7, 10), keeping the Passover (Matthew 26.17) and instructing the disciples to go only to the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel’ during his earthly ministry (Matthew 10.6). The name Jesus Christ does not sound at all Jewish, but this is a Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua ha Mashiach , the New Testament being written in Greek. Yeshua means salvation and Mashiach , the Anointed One , which in Greek becomes Christ The Hebrew name for Jesus, Yeshua , can be found in Hebrew scriptures, notably Isaiah 62.11 (translated ‘salvation’) and Mashiach in one of the clearest references to the crucifixion, Daniel 9.26. Many prefer to call Jesus Yeshua ha Mashiach when witnessing to Jews. This is all right as long as you are sure they know who you are talking about. Sometimes orthodox Jews will refer to Jesus as Yeshu . This is an insult and actually signifies ‘ May his name perish. ’ We can also point out that all the disciples were Jewish and the whole New Testament with the possible exception of Luke and Acts was written by Jews. Many Gentile Christians can testify to coming to a love and concern for Jewish people and Israel as a result of commitment to Jesus and many Messianic Jews from secular or nominal backgrounds have come to a deeper appreciation of their Jewishness through faith in the Jewish Messiah. If this is your experience it is worth sharing.
(f) Jesus offers the only real explanation for Jewish suffering Perhaps the hardest subject to deal with and one which should be approached with care and sensitivity. The question of Jewish suffering is one which haunts and torments many Jewish people and raises the question as to why God has permitted it. This extract from ‘ The Slave’ by Isaac Bathshevis Singer is one example:

“God has punished his people and hidden his face from them.” “Why aren’t the Jews in their own country?” “ Because they transgressed.” “ What did they do?” “ They bowed down to idols and stole from the poor.”

6 Questions Jews Ask
(a) Why no peace?
The Rabbis teach that the coming of the Messiah will herald an age of worldwide peace and justice during which time Israel will be delivered from Gentile oppression and the Gentiles will learn the word of the Lord from Jerusalem ( Isaiah 2.1- 4). They also say that Israel will be regathered from the dispersion and the Temple will be rebuilt. After Jesus came the Temple was destroyed, the Jewish people went into exile and there have been centuries of wars and persecutions. Therefore, they say, Jesus can not be the Messiah. To answer point out that the prophets give two portraits of Messiah, one of him suffering as an atonement for sin (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Daniel 9.26, Zechariah 12.10), the other of him ruling the nations with power and glory (Isaiah 2.1- 4, 11, Psalm 72, Zechariah 14). The Rabbis themselves have spoken of two Messiahs - ben ( son of) Joseph, the suffering Messiah, and ben David, the reigning Messiah. We see both roles being fulfilled by one Messiah, the Lord Jesus, at two separate times. An interesting passage to study is Isaiah 61.1- 2, which Jesus attributes to himself when he quotes it in Luke 4.17- 18, saying ‘ Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing, ’ but stopping before the ‘day of vengeance of our God. ’ The first part of the prophecy (‘ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me’ etc) was fulfilled during the Lord’s earthly ministry. The day of vengeance (ie judgment) will be fulfilled at his second coming.
The prophets viewing both comings as future events were not aware of the time lag that separates them. The peaks of a mountain range may appear close together when viewed from afar, but on closer inspection they may be separated by a great valley. So also Messiah’s two appearings are separated by a valley of time not always apparent to the prophets.
We can show why this order was necessary. A ‘new world order’ which Jesus will establish at his second coming requires new people who have been redeemed and delivered from the sinful nature which has spoiled the present world system. Human efforts to create a better world without dealing with the sin problem (eg Communism) have all failed, because
man’s corruption has spoiled them. The Kingdom of God needs to be populated by those who have voluntarily turned from sin to righteousness or it too would be corrupted.

(b) Why have Christians persecuted Jews?
The main weakness of the argument above is the history of the Church which for the most part has been corrupted itself and shown little evidence of the new life in Messiah which Jesus came to bring. We need to show the distinction between the nominal Church, which most people belonged to because of an accident of birth, and the true church which is made up of those who have been born again of the Holy Spirit. It is useful to refer to your own testimony and show how you became a Christian as a result of repentance and faith in Messiah Jesus rather than as a result of being born into a Christian family.
The parable of the wheat and the tares ( Matthew 13.24- 43) shows that Jesus himself understood that the church would be infiltrated by people hostile to the true Gospel. We can see from history how this happened especially following the conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine in 312. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire and people became members of the church simply by virtue of living in a ‘Christian’ country. The Jews were the one major group who were outside the Church and thus became viewed as ‘ antichrist’. Persecutions of the Jews took place in situations where the ‘ Christians’ were largely ignorant of the scriptures and led by apostate priests who were inspired by forces hostile to the true message of the Gospel (Revelation 17), either Roman Catholic or eastern Orthodox. On the other hand in countries where the scriptures have been well known and Protestant Christianity has had a strong influence, Jews have generally found freedom to practice their religion and participate in the life of society. It is worth pointing out that in situations like the Inquisition and the Russian pogroms, evangelical Protestant Christians have been persecuted by the corrupt state church system along with the Jews.

(c) How can God have a Son?
One of the most difficult things to explain to Jewish people is the Christian belief in the Trinity and the Incarnation of Jesus. The ‘Shema’ ‘Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord’ ( Deuteronomy 6.4) is the foundation of Judaism and is interpreted to signify an indivisible unity of God which rules out the possibility of Jesus being God incarnate. The following points of explanation can be made:
- The Hebrew word for God ‘Elohim’ is a plural word (‘ im’ is the masculine plural of Hebrew nouns). In Genesis 1.26 and Isaiah 6.8 God speaks in plural form, ‘ Let us make man in our image’ and ‘ Who will go for us? ’
- The Hebrew word for one in the ‘ Shema’ is ‘ echad’ which elsewhere in the Bible refers to a plural unity: eg Genesis 2.24 refers to a man and a woman becoming one flesh, ‘basar echad’ in marriage. They remain two people but become one through the marriage relationship. So also the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three persons, but one ‘ echad’ in the Godhead. There is another Hebrew word ‘ yachid’ which means an indivisible unity, one who is unique. This word is used in Zechariah 12.10 for ‘his only son’ but it is not used of the Lord in Deuteronomy 6.4. If it were we would have to concede that the doctrine of the triune nature of God is impossible. In the 13 principles of faith which were formulated by Maimonides in the Middle Ages and are the basis of faith of modern Judaism, the word ‘ yachid’ is used to describe the unity of God. However this was written after the coming of Jesus as Messiah and in conscious opposition to Christian teaching.
- There are references to the Son of God in the Old Testament. One of the most interesting is Proverbs 30.4. See also Psalm 2, Isaiah 9.6.
- The Angel of the Lord appeared in human form to Abraham, Jacob, Gideon and the parents of Samson. In the context, they understood these appearances to be appearances of God. In the fiery furnace Nebuchadnezzar saw ‘ one like the Son of God’. Moses is described as the one whom the Lord knew ‘ face to face. ’ So the Tenach makes it possible for the Lord to appear and be recognised by human beings.
- The final revelation of what God is like had to come through God becoming man in the Lord Jesus, since Moses and the prophets were themselves fallible human beings and could not reveal the fullness of God (Hebrews 1- 2, John 1.1- 18).

(d) Jesus broke the Torah and encouraged his followers to do likewise.
This is an argument which is often used to make us feel that Jesus is offering a much less demanding faith than the Torah. Sadly much of modern Christianity does give this impression, however when we look at the New Covenant we find this is not so. The following points can be made on this issue.
- By Jesus’ time many additions to the Torah had become binding on religious Jews. The so- called ‘ fence around the Law’ was designed to prevent people from breaking the commandments of the Torah inadvertently. In effect it brought in a multitude of additional rules which were not what God intended. The interpretation of Exodus 23.19 ‘You shall not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk’ is an example which to this day has far reaching implications for the Orthodox Jewish housewife. The original command, which had to do with pagan practices, is held to mean by the Rabbis that you may not eat milk and meat products in the same meal or from the same dishes. This means you have to have two sets of dishes, cutlery, washing up cloths etc.
Jesus condemned the Pharisees for ‘teaching as commandments the doctrines of men’, by which we understand that he rejected the Oral Law (which now forms the Talmud) but upheld the written Law (Torah). His statement ‘ the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath’ ( Mark 2.27) points to his interpretation of the Sabbath as a day of rest granted by God for worship and refreshment. According to Orthodox Judaism today ‘working on the Sabbath’ includes switching on a light, carrying a book on the way to synagogue or using a push chair for babies or the disabled.
- In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stressed the moral aspect of the law rather than the outward observance which is stressed by modern Judaism. He showed the need to deal with the inner attitudes which give rise to sin (e. g. ‘Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart’ Matthew 5.28). Jesus denounced interpretations of the Law which had reduced it to a series of rules but neglected its heart: ‘ You pay tithe of mint, dill and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith.. ’ ( Matthew 23.23). Jeremiah 31.31- 34 is an important passage on this subject and can be used to show how as believers we have come into the new covenant and have the Law of God written on our hearts. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and both Old and New Testaments show that it is impossible to keep all of God’s commandments by our own will power or good intentions. We need the power of the Holy Spirit which we can only receive as we turn from sin and believe in the death and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins. Even the most devout Orthodox Jew has to admit that Paul was right when he said ‘ All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. ’
- Jesus came to bring a missionary faith designed to reach all nations for the Lord (Matthew 28.19- 20). This is perhaps the greatest challenge ever given and remains the task that is still the priority of the believing church. In order to cross cultural barriers it was necessary for the first Jewish disciples to be able to eat the food of non- Jews otherwise they would not have been able to reach them with the Gospel or have fellowship with them (Acts 10- 11, Galatians 2). Jewish believers are free to keep kosher food laws according to conscience ( Romans 14).
- There are many aspects of Torah which it is impossible for Orthodox Jews to keep today, e. g. the entire sacrificial system, laws concerning priests and Levites, judicial laws for dispensing punishment on law breakers.
- The Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants lived as the chosen people on the basis of a faith relationship with God 400 years before the Torah was given. Therefore it is God Himself who defines Jewish identity and not obedience to the Torah.

( e) ‘We go straight to the Boss. You have to go through a Middle Man. ’
This is a common ‘ put down’ to make us feel that we are ‘ second class’ in God’s sight. In fact it is quite untrue to say that anyone can go straight to God. The preparations for the giving of the Torah make this quite clear (Exodus 19.19- 25). The penalty was death for any who approached God or the Holy of Holies without His sanction or without going through the necessary preparatory rituals. Under the Torah the Priesthood offering the prescribed sacrifices mediated between God and his people. Under the New Covenant the Messiah fulfils both the functions of Priest and Sacrifice (Hebrews 7- 10, John 14.6, Acts 4.12).

(f) ‘If we are the chosen people why have we suffered so much? ’
Many Jews lost their faith through the Nazi holocaust and for many more the problem of suffering and evil raises serious problems regarding faith in the goodness of God. For Judaism which does not accept the concept of original sin, the Holocaust has raised a theological question and some Rabbis and liberal Christian clergy have suggested there is no satisfactory answer as to why it happened. For the Bible believer there is no such theological problem. It demonstrates the terrible power of sin which is in the nature of fallen humanity and illustrates the truth of such verses as Jeremiah 17.9, Mark 7.21- 23, Romans 3.16- 18. God does not will the suffering of humanity, indeed He has done all He can to redeem us from our fallen condition through the death and resurrection of the Messiah.
When we reject the Lord we open ourselves up to demonic forces which seek our destruction and the destruction of others through us. It is clear that anti- semitism is such a demonic force which possessed the Nazis and that our modern paganism is causing a revival of this dreadful evil spirit. The true message of the Gospel is the only force strong enough to drive out this evil.
The Bible shows how God is able to bring good out of evil ( Romans 8.28). The story of Joseph illustrates this principle as does the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The experiences of believers in concentration camps ( e. g. ‘The Hiding Place’) show how individuals can overcome evil by good and triumph through faith in the Lord. The Bible does not say that believers will be spared suffering in this life, but it does promise us that God will be with us in our times of need as we call upon the name of Jesus to save us. All suffering on earth has a purpose and is preparing us for the new heaven and earth ‘ in which God will dwell with his people .. and he will wipe away all tears from their eyes. ’ Revelation 21.1- 4. If we can share a testimony of how God has helped us in times of trouble this is helpful.

(g) Why are you preaching in a Jewish area?
This question may be asked if you are evangelising in a Jewish area, and sometimes with a good deal of hostility. Remember that a ‘soft answer turns away wrath’ but do not allow yourself to be browbeaten into accepting that we have no right to evangelise in Jewish areas. Show that the Gospel is relevant to all people and the Lord has instructed us to share it with everyone, however our motives are love and concern and we have no intention of trying to force our opinions on anyone. In the Middle Ages the Church often forced Jews to attend lectures attempting to convert them and penalised them when they refused to accept the message. This naturally left a bitter memory and caused Jews to look at ‘conversion’ efforts with suspicion. Never use the word ‘convert’, ‘mission’ or ‘crusade’. Show that our message is a free will acceptance of the claims of Jesus to be the Messiah which can never be forced on anyone without totally distorting the message. We have no intention of pestering people who do not want to know, but on the other hand we do find those who are interested in what we have to say, and for their sakes and because of the Lord’s command we continue to witness in the area.

(h) Our Rabbis and most Jews don’t believe this.
Ask when truth has ever been determined by a majority verdict. Point out that most of the heroes of the faith in the Bible had times in their lives when they went against the majority and suffered abuse and hostility for their faithfulness to the Lord (e. g. Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Elijah, Jeremiah). Ask, “ Are you content to let others decide for you on such an important matter? Why not read the New Testament for yourself?”

(i) What if someone asks a question you don’t know the answer for?
Tell them you don’t know. You are not God and don’t know everything.
Offer to try to find an answer and let them know later. If it is a genuine question they should be satisfied with this. Trained Jewish anti- missionaries have a series of trick questions to put you off. Generally it is not worth trying to answer such questions. If you answer one successfully they will come back with another.
In the end it is not our ability to answer every question that will win people, but our love for the Lord and for the people we are talking to and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

For further information including booklists and sample of suitable evangelistic material write to:
The Messianic Testimony, 93, Axe Street, Barking, Essex, IG11 7LZ

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