Why Have Jewish People Been So Hated?
Filed under Israel & The Jewish People on February 11th, 2009 by Michael L. BrownEditor’s Note: Excerpted, in shortened form, from Dr. Brown’s recent book What Do Jewish People Think About Jesus?
Why have Jewish people been so hated and persecuted through the centuries?
I devoted much of my book, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood, to the subject of anti-Semitism, and on several occasions I have delivered lectures on the question of why anti-Semitism exists. Out of all the hatreds in the world, anti-Semitism is unique.
At the invitation of Christian campus groups, I spoke on this topic at both Yale and Columbia universities, two of America’s most prestigious centers of learning, each time fielding questions from the listeners for better than an hour. My challenge was simple: I have a supernatural, biblical explanation for the phenomenon of anti-Semitism, one which even includes the devil himself—not the most popular theory on a university campus! “Do any of you have a better answer?”
After each lecture, I listened carefully to proposal after proposal, and despite the educational background of many of those in the audience, which included students and graduates of these universities, not one proposal could fully explain the “why” of anti-Semitism. In fact, the best theory that anyone offered was that, perhaps, anti-Semitism was due to aliens! (For more on “alien anti-Semitism,” stay tuned. I’m actually going to address that shortly.) What then makes anti-Semitism such a unique hatred?
First, it is the longest hatred of all time, dating back at least 2,300 years (and even longer if the book of Esther is included). As expressed by the Catholic scholar Edward Flannery, “Antisemitism is the longest and deepest hatred of human history. . . . What other hatred has endured some twenty-three centuries and survived a genocide of 6,000,000 of its victims in its twenty-third century of existence only to find itself still intact and rich in potential for many years of life?” Today, Anti-Semitism is at its highest levels since immediately before the Holocaust, equaling, in fact, those pre-Holocaust levels. How can this be?
These words penned twenty-five centuries ago, still ring true in the hearts of many anti-Semites today: “There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples . . whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey [international] laws; it is not in [our] best interest to tolerate them” (Esther 3:8, with slight modifications made to make this more contemporary). Why has this hatred and fear of the Jews persisted for so long?
Consider this attack on the Jewish people made in Ezra’s day, also roughly 2,500 years ago:
The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations. Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. (Ezra 4:12-15)
To this day, Jerusalem remains the center of international controversy, the only capital city not recognized by the rest of the nations. Why Jerusalem? Why the Jews?
Second, anti-Semitism is the most widespread hatred of all time. It can be traced from the Greco-Roman world to Christianity (yes, Christianity, including vicious comments from some of the church’s greatest leaders); from Islam to Fascism to Communism (intense anti-Semitism links Muslim terrorists, Adolph Hitler, and Joseph Stalin!); from White Supremacists to Black Supremacists (yes, both groups bash the Jews); from university campuses to the world press; from the philosopher Voltaire to the historian Arnold Toynbee; from the composer Richard Wagner to the car designer Henry Ford; from Japan to Russia to Iran. Why the Jews?
A few years ago, a very bizarre group made a big media splash when they claimed to have produced the world’s first human clone. The group, called the Raelians, is a UFO religion, led by its founder Rael, who claims to have been enlightened by aliens. (This is the literal claim: “On the 13th of December 1973, French journalist Rael was contacted by a visitor from another planet, and asked to establish an Embassy to welcome these people back to Earth.”) After hearing the cloning report, which was universally dismissed by scientists as a cheap publicity stunt, I went to the Raelian website, purely out of curiosity. (As of this writing, the site was available in more than twenty-five languages.) To my utter amazement, the featured message from Rael was laced with anti-Jewish sentiments, including the charge that “Israel is engaged in State terrorism” and the claim that “a small handful of the millions of American Jews are holding the rest of the 250 million Americans hostage.” Even the Raelians were polluted by an anti-Semitic stream! Why this widespread hatred of the Jews?
Third, anti-Semitism is the most vicious hatred of all time, and both the incredible violence and the depth of animosity against the Jews defy rational explanation. The enormity and depravity of the Holocaust alone is testimony to the viciousness of this hatred, and yet the Holocaust is simply the worst of countless acts of Jew hatred over the centuries. This horrific crime included several nations and led to the cooperative and systematic execution of six million Jews, including 1.5 million babies and children. So depraved were the Nazis (and other Jew killers) that Jewish infants were sometimes thrown into burning pits alive in order to save a bullet, leading to the oft-quoted dictum of Rabbi Irving Greenberg: “Moreover, summon up the principle that no statement should be made [about the Holocaust] that could not be made in the presence of the burning children.” Nothing more needs to be said.
Fourth, anti-Semitism is the most irrational hatred of all time. The absurdity of the anti-Semitic libels simply defies rational explanation. When the Black Plague decimated Europe, Jews were accused of starting the plague by poisoning the wells with a mixture made of spiders, lizards and the hearts of Christians mixed together with the sacred elements of the Lord’s supper. Outraged mobs slaughtered thousands of Jews as a result of this pernicious rumor. When the Catholic Church declared in 1215 that the elements of communion literally became the body and blood of Jesus, Jews were accused of stealing and torturing communion wafers, leading to whole Jewish communities being burned at the stake. In the Muslim world today, it is still believed that every year, Jews kidnap and torture a priest (or other victim), using his blood to make Passover matzah (unleavened bread). The Muslim world also takes seriously the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a notorious forged document from the nineteenth century that claims to report the secret plans of a hidden group of Jewish leaders who are poised to take over the entire world—ultimately bringing it into subjection to the Hindu god Vishnu! (To quote from the Protocols: “Our kingdom will be an apologia of the divinity Vishnu, in whom is found its personification.”). Jews have also been blamed for the spreading of AIDS as well as for orchestrating the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (several Muslim cabdrivers in New York City explained this to me with real conviction, not realizing that I was a Jew). Jews have even been accused of controlling the Catholic Church!
Article Seventeen of the Hamas Charter states: “Zionist organizations under various names and shapes, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, espionage groups and others are all nothing more than cells of subversion and saboteurs. These organizations have ample resources that enable them to play their role in societies for the purpose of achieving the Zionist targets and to deepen the concepts that would serve the enemy.” Even the Masons are controlled by the Jews!
So irrational are the lies told about the Jews that even an utter rationalist like Sigmund Freud had to say, “With regard to anti-Semitism, I don’t really want to search for explanations; I feel a strong inclination to surrender my affects in this matter and find myself confirmed in my wholly nonscientific belief that mankind on the average and taken by and large are a wretched lot.”
What then are some of the explanations offered to explain the phenomenon of anti-Semitism?
(1) “It all traces back to Christianity,” meaning that the charge that the Jews killed Jesus (see #45), thus making them guilty of deicide (killing God) has so permeated Western history and culture that “Christian” anti-Semitism provides a link between all manifestations of anti-Semitism. But this theory is seriously flawed. How do we explain pre-Christian anti-Semitism? And does Christian anti-Semitism adequately explain Islamic anti-Semitism? And what of Christian philo-Semitism, a direct result of the testimony of the very New Testament that allegedly produced worldwide anti-Semitism?
(2) “It is because there always has to be a scapegoat,” meaning that someone always has to be blamed for bad things that happen in the world. But this begs the question rather than answers it. Why are the Jews always being blamed? As George Orwell remarked, “However true the ‘scapegoat’ theory may be in general terms, it does not explain why the Jews rather than some other minority group are picked on, nor does it make clear what they are a scapegoat for.”
(3) “It is because of the Jewish religion, which makes the Jewish people different,” and so people attack what they don’t understand. The problem with this view is that secular Jews have often been singled out for persecution. In keeping with this, it has often been said that at the time of the Holocaust, most German Jews were more German than Jewish. Not only so, but the Nazis slaughtered Jews who were even “one-quarter” Jewish—meaning only one grandparent was Jewish—also murdering Jews who had converted to Christianity. There is also worldwide animosity toward the modern state of Israel, despite the fact that the nation is far more secular than it is religious. And why haven’t Muslims been universally hated for being different?
(4) “It is because the Jewish people are especially bad” (this was actually stated to me by a Pakistani cabdriver with whom I discussed the question of anti-Semitism)—but this theory hardly needs refutation, since Jews are often some of the most moral and ethical people in the world, and, to be sure, there are plenty of rotten Gentiles! So, to put it mildly, Jews certainly don’t have a monopoly on being bad.
(5) “It is because the Jews always have all the money”—which, in fact, is not a theory but rather another anti-Semitic libel! In any case, through the centuries, Jews have often been the poorest people in their societies, often because of oppressive laws passed against them. But they were hated and persecuted nonetheless.
(6) “It is because of Jewish guilt, leading to divine judgment”—a harsh-sounding charge, but with some truth to it, since the Torah clearly states that national obedience would be blessed while national disobedience would be cursed (see Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). But the hatred has been too intense, too vile, too destructive to be explained by this alone and even within the Tanakh itself, God often expressed His displeasure with the nations whom He used to judge His people, stating clearly that they had gone too far (see, e.g., Isaiah 10:5-19; more broadly, see Zechariah 1:14-15).
Clearly, all of these theories fall short in one way or another, failing to explain the intense, irrational and long-lived nature of anti-Semitism and failing to connect all the dots. What then is the explanation for anti-Semitism in the world? It is simply this: God has singled out the Jewish people as His instrument for world redemption, He has promised that they will always remain on the earth as a distinct people—despite their sins and failures—and the devil himself has marked them out for destruction. Ultimately, it is through the Jewish people that the knowledge of the one true God has come to the world, through the Jewish people that the Messiah has come, and through the Jewish people that the message of the Messiah went to the nations. And it is the Jewish people in Jerusalem who will ultimately welcome the Messiah back to earth to set up His kingdom (see Matthew 23:37-39). That’s why the devil hates them so!
As I wrote in Our Hands Are Stained with Blood:
Why does Satan so passionately despise the Jews? For one thing, it is a reflection of his hatred for God. The Jews are God’s chosen people! By hurting them he seeks to hurt the Lord and take revenge for his own sentence of death. His effort to annihilate the Jews is also an attempt to discredit the Lord, since He has sworn in His Word that they will never be destroyed. If Israel ceases to exist as a distinct people, then God did not, or could not, keep His promise. That would mean that He was either powerless or that He lied!
But there is another reason the devil despises the Jews: The salvation of Israel means the return of Jesus, the resurrection of the righteous, the revival of the Church and the restoration of the earth. The fulfillment of the Jews’ destiny will seal the devil’s doom. Yes, “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20) . . . and he is beginning to squirm! The time to favor Israel is upon us and Satan is quaking with fear. The countdown has begun.
Understanding, then, that anti-Semitism is ultimately a spiritual phenomenon rather than a cultural, ethnic or even religious phenomenon, we can also understand that anti-Semitism has to do with God and His purposes rather than with the Jewish people themselves. That is to say, it is not because the Jews are better or worse than anyone else; it is because God chose the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to bring redemption to the world, the Messiah Himself being a Jew. In that light, it will be a bad day for anti-Semites when they realize that the all-powerful King coming in flaming fire is a glorified Jew.
Tags: anti-semitism, Dr. Michael Brown, Islam, israel, Jewish roots of Christianity, jews, Muslims, Rabbi Irving Greenberg, Raelians, Sigmund Freud
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Dr Brown,
I haven’t been listening to your program for very long but have enjoyed what little I have been able to catch. I have read this article about why the Jewish people are hated and though we will never know everything that creates this anger towards the Jewish people, it is always good to continue reasearching this topic. They are God’s people no doubt. A website I found resently that gave some very interesteing information about this very topic, is http://www.nkusa.org, This is a group of Jews that have a view of the world sceen that I have never really considered. I spent a good part of a day recently reading their articles. They have a different approach about Israel than I ever thought I would hear coming from Jewish people. When you have some time to look at the site I would like to know what you think about it.
Dr. Brown, thank you for this information. I personally know some anti-semitic people and it really bothers me that they are anti-semitic. I am always trying to think of ways to defend Jews to these people that I know and since I am not very gifted with speech, it is hard for me to word things right. This helps. I am going to try to memorize this article so that the next time I hear all the anti-semitic rhetoric I will be able to defend the Jewish people. It is really hard when you live in an environment where there is such extreme, intense hatred towards Jews and you have to hear it every single day of your life. It really tears at my heart because these people that hate the jews so much are people that I love very much and it is so scary because they are so intelligent yet their hearts are so hardened in their hatred against the jews that they are not able to see the truth. Thanks again :-)
Perry,
Yes, I’m quite familiar with the Neturei Karta (Aramaic for “keepers of the city”). They represent the tiniest of factions within ultra-Orthodox Judaism, and are strongly criticized and rejected by almost every part of the Jewish community. Infamously, some of their leaders attended an anti-Semitic conference in Iran! Their views arise out of the belief that only the Messiah can regather and reestablish the nation and people of Israel, and any human attempt to do that before its proper time only delays the Messiah’s coming and increases world hatred of the Jews.
Dr. Brown:
I find your analysis of the cause of antisemitism interesting, but I also notice many similarities with its counterpart in the traditional Jewish version (see Aish Ha Torah’s “Why the Jews” http://www.aish.com/Seminars/whythejews/wtj01000.htm) especially vis-a-vis the fact that most rational explanations of antisemitism fail to comprehensively characterize the full and pervasive extent of antisemitism.
Would you please discuss how your view differs from the traditional Orthodox Jewish view?
Matt
[...] Click here for the link to full article. [...]
“God has singled out the Jewish people as His instrument for world redemption…”
“The Jews are God’s chosen people! ”
I would have to say that proclamations like the above really make the crazies foam at the mouth, and attracts the attention of the people/groups just looking for a target, any target.
Chris,
Do you believe those proclamations are true? That would be the ultimate issue, would it not?
Chris-
Are you implying or stating that others’ “foaming at the mouth” is a reason not to speak the truth? Just curious. We are fortunate that the first generation of believers did not remain silent when faced with stones or Romans or lions foaming at the mouth.
Dr. Brown-
Thank you for writing “Our Hands Are Stained With Blood”. I read through it, and agreed in principle, on an intellectual level, coldly. I slept on it, and the next morning I woke up with such a hurting in my heart that I was nearly in tears on the way to work. What a tool in the hands of the enemy has the church been. What a tragedy. The horrible irony of it all is so painful. Again, I thank you for your book. Keep proclaiming the truth!
Blessings,
Justin
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Justin,
Thanks so much for the good word.
Thankfully, just as many false and/or hypocrital believers have done much hard, many true believers have done much good. Love will triumph over hatred and light will triumph over darkness!
Dr Brown;I don’t believe it is relevant to the thesis question you pose. If expressing that specific belief cause the believer to be subject to hatred and discrimination, what is the benefit of proclaiming it? Surely it must be enough to simply know it? I don’t believe in God (or any god) so the preference of another’s God/god doesn’t matter to me. But, using a family analogy, if my sibling told me he/she was the parent’s favourite (”chosen”) that would cause some resentment. In an unbalanced or fanatical person, this resentment might swell to rage or violence. In this context, the parent’s favourite (or whether the parent has a favourite) is less relevant than the perception of the slighted sibling.
“Are you implying or stating that others’ “foaming at the mouth” is a reason not to speak the truth? ”
Not at all. One must simply ask: Is speaking what you believe to be the truth always beneficial? Or are there instances when it is better to remain silent? Another analogy: if your friend gains weight, or gets a bad haircut, is it the best course of action to point it out? Sometimes one needs to shout the truth, and sometimes it is better to whisper it. And sometimes it is best to simply know it.—-Dr Michael Brown April 4th, 2009 7:10 pm :
Chris,
Do you believe those proclamations are true? That would be the ultimate issue, would it not?
Chris,
Thanks for your explanation. My article was written primarily to people who do believe the Scriptures to be God’s Word, and I was simply restating what the Bible says.
That being said, if you will study anti-Semitism carefully, as I have, you will see that Jewish suffering cannot rationally be explained by the argument that people hated (and still hate) the Jews because they considered themselves specially chosen by God.
Do some serious research, and you’ll see that the ongoing existence of the Jewish people along with the extreme suffering they have endured through the ages point to both the reality of the God of the Bible and the reality of the calling of the Jewish people.
Thank you Dr. Brown for that great explanation of anti-semitism. I have long held that this is one of he “evidences” that Jesus is who He said He is and that Father (Yahweh) God has set aside this chosen race so humanity could realize God’s plan of redemption. Anti-semitism proves everything; God’s Word, Yahweh, Yeshua, the beginning, the end and everything in-between. How could eveything in existence constantly point in the same direction if it wasn’t true. All of Israel’s conquests and failures exposed Father’s great compassion, (even in His anger He remembered mercy), power and plan for this world. Existence, in God’s plan, is so cohesive and constant in its chaos. The Jews prove it all.
Thank you, Dr. Brown, for putting it so simply. I find it so awesome (a word it save for God alone) it starts breaking circuits in my head. Aaahhh, but my spirit knows, thank and praise to Jesus!!
Chris-
I apologize if I came off wrong. I see where you are coming from. Sometimes knowing when to be silent is a virtue. It would be foolish in most circumstances to walk up unsolicited to a band of armed skinheads or neo-nazis and tell them that the Jews are God’s chosen people. It would be dishonest and cowardly however, to deny this to the same group of people if asked. Even though the consequences might be ugly. I agree with you that it is sometimes better to remain silent. On the other hand, sometimes it’s not!
As far as the friend with the bad haircut or expanding waistline, if asked, I would tell him/her the truth. My friends know better than to ask if they don’t want the truth! :-)
Blessings,
Justin
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Dr. Brown,
I’m wondering about the following excerpt from your article above:
“Ultimately, it is through the Jewish people that the knowledge of the one true God has come to the world, through the Jewish people that the Messiah has come, and through the JeUltimately, it is through the Jewish people that the knowledge of the one true God has come to the world, through the Jewish people that the Messiah has come, and through the Jewish people that the message of the Messiah went to the nations. And it is the Jewish people in Jerusalem who will ultimately welcome the Messiah back to earth to set up His kingdom (see Matthew 23:37-39). That’s why the devil hates them so!wish people that the message of the Messiah went to the nations. And it is the Jewish people in Jerusalem who will ultimately welcome the Messiah back to earth to set up His kingdom (see Matthew 23:37-39). That’s why the devil hates them so!”
I believe this is the accepted view of many in the church(I believe it myself) and is known as as a form of premillenialism (please correct me if i’m wrong as I’m just trying to gain understanding). The view being that there will be an earthly return/kingdom of Jesus. I was recently confronted by an old friend who says he has come to believe that full preterism(the belief that all prophecy was fulfilled by the destruction of temple in 70AD and that the kingdom of God is here now…. available to us in its ‘fullness’ and it is up to us to take dominion of the earth… resurrection/rapture is spiritualized…) is true. This concerns me for a number of reasons. One of them being that I believe this line of thinking leads to some form of replacement theology(the Jews have been replaced by the gentile church. hasn’t this been used by the church in the past to stoke the flames of anti-semitism? Luther used by the Nazi’s… etc.) I’m trying to study some of what he is sending me and dig into the scripture for myself so that I can give him solid answers and points to think about and so that I will have a solid foundation on this issue. Can you recommend some good resources?
Also, it seems Darby/Scofield’s framework for eschatology, dispensational premillenialism (circa 1850’s), is a point of contention for him. I’m wondering what the accepted belief prior to Darby/Scofield was….? What was the historical Jewish belief regarding apocalyptic thinking? How does the book of Revelation tie in with this?
I was recently reading a bit of Norman Geisler’s(seems like he is pre-trib) response to Steve Gregg’s defense of his and Hank Hanegraff’s partial preterism (http://www.normangeisler.net/lastdisciple_2.html) and also wonder what you might have to say to partial preterism.
Please point me in the right direction. Thanks.
Yoo Hoo,
Thanks for your excellent question.
First, I see no possible way to support the preterist reading of the NT. The New Jerusalem is not yet here; the final end to death and pain has not yet come; the dead have not been resurrected. Need I say more? I do not even believe that Matthew 24 can properly be read in wholly preterist terms, but I can’t get into that more right now. (You can listen to my broadcast today on the Line of Fire where I deal with this subject.)
Second, since the first believers were Jews, they would have been expecting an earthly, Messianic kingdom, and Jesus did not tell them they were wrong when they asked about this in Acts 1:6. Rather, he told them it was not for them to know the times and seasons when this would take place. Peter also declared that when Israel repented, then God would bring about the times of restoration spoken by the prophets (Acts 3:19-21) — and without a doubt, that meant the glorious kingdom of God fully manifest on the earth.
Third, I hold to historic premillenialism (rather than dispensationalism). I would recommend the new book edited by Craig Blomberg entitled, The Case for Historic Premillenialism: An Alternative to the “Left Behind” Eschatology. You might also want to consider Barry Horner’s Future Israel, which makes a strong case for the prophetic role of Israel today, also dealing with other eschatological views and historic anti-Semitism. You’ll also get some relevant information by reading chapters 12-14 in my book Our Hands Are Stained with Blood.
The truth will triumph!
Amen & amen, Dr. Brown!
Though over-simplified, this parenthetical occurrence in the realm of eternity, called God’s plan of redemption, in creating a Bride for His Word and a People for Yahweh, the development of the said has an “agonist and an antagonist.” That is to say, in order to have a choice one must be able to choose, duh! Well, we have light and dark. We have a people of Yahweh (light) and a people of the world, Satan the evil one (dark). Israel, including the ‘grafted-in’, are God’s chosen Oracle to reflect Him and bring the Words of redemption drawing people into the Kingdom of God. The right vs. wrong, light vs. dark and good vs. bad, have been an on-going theme from beginning. Being that Israel is God’s chosen people it is simply an effort of an evil charged world against God’s way. The innate hatred of the Jews is a seed in the soul of an unregenerated person. The battle of light and dark goes way beyond intellect or reasoning. The natural man’s seed of hatred has deep roots in the world’s system. The unregenerate thinks and acts at whatever levels its roots have grown. This is less a phenomena than interaction of light and dark, righteousness acts as a catalyst when injected into the flow of evil.
The spiritual state of the Jew is of no consequence regarding the “seed” of being the chosen race. The fact is, the Jew is in the blood line of God’s chosen race and, therefore, suffers the wrath of the world’s deep rooted hatred.
I have always loved the Jewish people. However, when I was 4, I had an awesome relationship with Yeshua. I subsequently was distanced from him for 25 years, as a consequence of decisions made by my dad. But my initial relationship with Jesus kept me close to the Jewish race, spiritually loving God’s chosen people.
Therefore, since the battle ensues long and hard between light and dark, the relationship one has with the Jewish people is determined by the roots of one’s logistics: light/dark, good/evil, right/wrong. The hatred of God’s chosen race magnifies the plan of redemption. The world system, God haters, prove the existence of Yahweh and His wonderful, awesome plan to redeem a people who freely choose, though enticed with a battery of pleasures, to lay up treasure in Heaven and for the Joy set before them will endure one’s Cross and abstain from the worldly desires that so easily distract and draw to destruction, loving what God loves and hating what God hates.
Earnestly pray for the Jewish people; that the scales will wash from their eyes and will see their God, their wonderful Messiah.
I’d go along with 6. It may have escaped your attention, but they are not the only ones who have suffered through the centuries. The persecutors become the persecuted, the oppressors the oppressed, the invaders the invaded. Looking at what has gone on in the last 30 years, the next World War is going to be absolutely horrendous, all because of the never ending greed of people in this time. The Gods’ irony-disobey the truth, and your children will be punished, no matter your faith or beliefs. Nemesis will be along soon to avenge the Hubris of our times, it was ever thus, though given the destructive capabilities of weaponry today, it is unlikely to be forever so.
I agree that the next World War will be horrendous. I wouldn’t pin it on the never-ending greed specific to this period of history though. People never change, our capacity for greed, selfishness, and evil never changes. What changes is the scope of our weapons and the destructive capacities of our militaries. If Atilla the Hun had nukes and machine guns, you can bet he would’ve used them.
I think that even from a non-theist point of view, people’s children are often “punished” for their parent’s disobedience of “the truth”. I look at it like this. God made the world. He knows how it works. He gave us laws to live by, how to interact with His creation. Call it “truth” or “law”, or whatever you want. Whether one is a believer or has faith is often immaterial, as often our “punishment” for breaking the “laws” of this creation are merely consequences of our actions. If I break God’s law and divorce my wife, my kids suffer. If I develop a sinful and self-serving lifestyle, my children will suffer. If I am irresponsible and fail to teach the how to live in this world, they will suffer. That’s just plain reality, not necessarily God’s punishment.
I do believe that there are instances where God specifically punishes individual or groups of people. Often though, people blame the logical and natural consequences of their own actions on God.
That’s my $.02 for what it’s worth. (Probably not $.02!)
Blessings,
Justin
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Correction to my last post-
“I wouldn’t pin it on the never-ending greed specific to this period of history though.”
I could’ve worded that better. I don’t believe never-ending greed is specific to this period of history. We have been been selfish, greedy, and self-serving since the beginning. This is what sin is. Self over all else. That’s the whole cause the pain and suffering in our world.
Sorry for the mistake.
Blessings,
Justin
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Thanks for the recommendation of resources concerning Israel and eschatology! Also, appreciate you sharing some points concerning preterism. I did look up Barry Horner and haven’t yet bought his book Future Israel; however, I did find a book, Judeo-Centric Eschatology: an Ethical Challenge to Reformed Eschatology, by him in PDF format on
http://www.bunyanministries.org/ and I’ve begun reading it. I looked up Blomberg and will hopefully be getting ahold of some of his materials. I have read your book Our Hands are Stained with Blood and will refer back to the chapters you recommended. I’ve been reading over and comparing Mt 24, Mk 13, and Lk 21. Also, listened to your program on Mt 24. Helpful but if ever possible I’d like to hear more in-depth teaching from you on these especially in regards to the original language of the texts and some of the specific points preterists refer to like the word ‘generation’ in Mt 24:30. I plan on doing some word studies and more study on these but would appreciate hearing what you have to further say on this issue.
Hi. Dr Brown, thank you for the article. You mention Satan has a beef with God so picks on the Jews. Just one thing though…now I ask this question more out of idle curiosity….what is Satan’s REAL beef with God? Surely he knows he can never win the battle? I mean to say, I would not get in the boxing ring with Mike Tyson as I know I have no chance. Similarly speaking I am sure Satan is ’smarter’ than I am. What do I make of this?
Rgds
Amazambani
Hi Amazambani,
I would like to give an answer to your question, even though Dr. Mike Brown will have his own answer for you.
I believe satan’s ‘beef with God’ is to do with issues of Kingdom. God’s Kingdom is special in that it is to do with communion and fellowship with mankind, through His Son and the Holy Spirit. They in turn will accomplish His purposes in this life and the ages to come.
Satan wants that place of elevation, worship and dominion, and has attempted to have a ‘people for his own possession’ and kingdom - to accomplish his purposes!
God’s purpose from creation was to achieve that, and it has been and will be realised through Jesus Christ, and those who call upon His name from every tribe and tongue.
God chose Israel to be His vessel in a fallen world, that carry this message and mission. From this lineage, Christ came to fulfill that aim, both for Israel and for the Nations. Isaiah the prophet foresaw much of this.
When satan sees the nations turn, and Israel as a whole repent, he knows that the purposes of God are being consummated, and HIs time is up! that God’s rule is stretching from shore to shore, from age to age, and in every level of existence in the heavenly places.
That is, Jesus the King, with His people, are and will reign and crush the serpent’s head. This is Kingdom but with communion, righteousness and relationship at the heart, rather than tyranny.
So to wipe out the Jews (in satan’s mind) is to abort that purpose and plan coming into consummation.
A bit wordy that, but I hope that helps.
Dr Brown will also add to that I am sure.
Hello Amazambani and Andrew:
I’m not sure if you totally answered Amazambani’s question about Satan Andrew vis-a-vis why Satan would embark on a mission he knows he is going to fail given his presumed intelligence.
I would like to answer it from the traditional Jewish perspective. From this viewpoint, Satan is not an independent being who is waging his own war against G-d and the Jewish people, but rather he is a special angel of G-d himself assigned with the unique position of trying to lead man astray.
If you are wondering why G-d would try to lead man astray, it all goes according to the principle of free will, that if it were not for man’s evil inclination (our inherent desires to do evil), we would never be able to choose good. It would not be a decision at all. We would just do it automatically. That is we have two components, a spiritual component and a physical component. Our spiritual component in general only wants to do good and attach ourselves to our Creator, while our physical component desires things that remove us from G-d.
Satan (or Hasatan in Hebrew) is the angelic manifestation of G-d’s needing to create a channel through which man could possibly desire to go against his Creator. In this regard, G-d has commanded Satan to try to lead man astray so that their choices to follow Him is actually a real choice and not just an automatic reflex.
This view that Satan is an angel of G-d (with quite a unique function) can be found in the book of Job, where Satan must actually ask permission from G-d in order to wreak havoc on his life.
An alternate explanation can be found in the book of Exodus (17:5-15) when the people of Amalek wage war against the Jewish people. (It must be understood that Amalek are the ultimate enemies of the Jewish people.) Our sages say that Amalek had absolutely no chance against the children of Israel who had been delivered from Egypt and who just crossed the Red Sea. It says in Deut. 25:18 “Asher Karcha baderek…”, that Amalek “happened” upon the Jewish people. It is an interesting word the Bible uses for a nation meeting another nation in battle. One explanation is that Amalek is the nation that opposes G-d and just believes in random chance. That is why they just “happened” upon the Jewish people. According to Amalek, thehere is no plan, no meaning to anything, and definitely no Creator with a purpose for man.
Another answer (more appropriate to Amazambani’s question) is that the word for “happened” in Hebrew used in this verse is Karcha which is very closely related to the word for ”cold” in Hebrew. The sages describe a story where someone jumps into a bathtub filled with boiling water just to cool it down just a little bit. Never mind that the person ends up getting scalded in the end, he has decreased the temperature of the boiling water just a little bit, and that is what he wanted to do. Similarly, even though Satan knows he cannot win the battle against the Jewish people in the end, it is still his job to reduce the temperature just a little bit.
I hope this was somewhat insightful and/or illuminating and at least interesting.
Matt,
Where in scripture is your first idea from? Are there many Jews who think this? Also, do you think there is a difference between a short term achievement of a goal and an ultimate victory?
Thanks for posting,
Marc
Hi Matt,
I was particularly answering the question, ‘what is satan’s beef with God / Jews’ (paraphrased).
I do see some of your points but also like Marc would like to know some of your Scriptural validity for your views.
Whilst believing that satan is under the control of God’s sovereignty, I don’t know if he in fact has been ‘assigned’ directly, as you put it, a particular role that he carries out for evil. (almost as if he is in obedience to that role, for God?)
The key for me is in Isaiah’s prophecies to the King of Assyria (which I believe to have double meaning both historically and spiritually) that whilst he is / can be, an instrument of God’s wrath, in himself, his thoughts are always rebellious and anti Christ. i.e. He knows the purpose of God (in part) and rebels & wars against it with all his might, and yet in his rebellion he is ultimately serving God’s purpose.
So it is not a matter of satan’s intelligence vs his lack of. Rather, in his powerful schemes, he is still under the overall rule and purposes of God. That must incredibly frustrate him.
I do not see Scripturally that satan was specifically created for evil purposes, as you may suggest. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that he was made to glorify God for good! (Of course we know that God knows the end from the beginning)
To add to this: Some of these issues, even with the parts we are told in Scripture, are hard to grasp for any human being, and we may not fully know until the ages to come, the hows, the whys and ifs etc.
Andrew
Hello Mark and Andrew:
I believe that it is totally legitimate for you to require a scriptural source for the points that I made about Satan. I also want to point out that I said that these views come from traditional Jewish sources. Therefore, I will not use the New Testament at all to make my points, nor will I (as an Orthodox Jew) accept any scriptural sources from the New Testament.
That said, there are only two places in the entire Old Testament where Satan is mentioned. One in the book of Job and the other in the book of Zechariah. Job 1:6-12 describes a dialog between Job and G-d. In this dialog, we notice some interesting points. The Satan does not take an adversarial position towards G-d at all, he takes an adversarial position towards Job (vs. 9-11)! Second of all, G-d gives his power to the Satan to test Job (v. 12), but only after the dialog, implying that it was only through G-d’s permission to the Satan that such power to test him could ever take place, and G-d told this to Satan.
Now Marc, you speak of Isaiah’s prophecies about the King of Assyria in the book of Isaiah having double meaning. If by a plain scriptural sense Isaiah is speaking of the King of Assyria, how can you prove this “double meaning.” (I can accept double meanings in Scripture but I also think that there should be solid proof behind them.)
Also you say “I do not see Scripturally that satan was specifically created for evil purposes, as you may suggest. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that he was made to glorify God for good!”
In fact I think, as I explained before, that G-d’s creation of evil is part of his entire plan that ultimately glorifies him. First a proof that G-d created evil. This is very easy. Isaiah 45:7 makes the bald-faced claim that G-d created evil. “Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of peace and Creater of evil, I am the Lord, creator of all these.” Therefore there is no contradicition between G-d creating Satan to glorify Him, and Him creating Satan also for evil. Besides, I am unclear how the “Bible makes it clear” that Satan was created to glorify G-d for good.
Please share with me your thoughts, because I am interesting in hearing.
Matt
Thnks for some of the interesting responses. Doesn’t Paul mention something of the ‘mystery of iniquity’?
Hi Matt,
Sorry for the late response.
Obviously, with regard to you being an Orthodox Jew in belief and me being a New Testament follower of Christ, our understanding of key scriptures will be different in the light of my faith in Jesus Christ as Son of God and Messiah. But I do respect your view, and thus encourage you to consider the following:
I would spiritually interpret the OT in the light of that fact. So for me, the Scriptures concerning Lucifer, and some Kings of the Earth who opposed God’s people in the OT, have a special significance in that they speak of historical events, but also ‘Kingdom’ realities.
So in the light of this we would need more than this forum to discuss such a huge subject. So I’ll just leave some points here for you to consider:
1. Genesis 1: 31 - God saw everything He had made, and it was ‘Good’ That means even the Angelic realm at that time was in accord with HIs righteousness.
2. Peter’s 2nd epistle (2: 4) and that of Jude 6 (which I know you will not find valid) actually quote some of the book of 1 Enoch. That ‘God did no spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell…’ etc. Therefore, they were removed from God’s glory, because of rebellion.
3. It is not uncommon for Hebrew Scripture to pass from a description of an earthly King to a description of Divine Messiah (See Psalm 45) Therefore, the same method can be applied in regard to satan. (See Isaiah 14, and also consider Ezekiel 28 which emphasises how this being fell from his estate)
4. Is your interpretation of the Isaiah 45: 7 text correct? If you isolate it, it certainly does appear to be as you say, but then we have to interpret Scripture in the light of the context of the chapter, and other Scriptures. So I would encourage you to interpret it in the light of Deuteronomy 32: 4 & Psalm 5: 4. Also , I would suggest reading your Isaiah text in the context of the entire 45th Chapter and see also Lamentations 3: 38 - where God is spoken of as the one from whom natural / physical calamities come, rather than moral evil per se.
God cannot ever be the author of evil in that sense. He is the author of goodness and holiness.
Bless you ,
Andrew
Andrew:
As I said before, I am not opposed to the idea of Scripture taking on double meaning. Indeed Jewish exigesis often relies on multiple layers of meaning behind Scripture, to which Christian Apologists (such as Dr. Brown) are bitterly opposed.
Further I understand your desire, and that of Christianity in general to identify passages such as 14:12 into a Christian context, but that simply does not have any relevance to me. To summarize, there is a very specific concept that Christianity has of Satan, but that concept is really not found in the Old Testament, so other verses that do not necessariy refer to Satan such as Is. 14:12 are employed with the concept of “double meaning.” That is fine from a homiletic standpoint within the context of Christianty, but not from a Christian Apologetic standpoint.
To address some of your other points that you wished me to consider:
1) In a manner of speaking, even evil is “good” from G-d’s perspective as it allows man to achieve his destiny.
2) Not only do I not find Peter or Jude valid, but I also reject Enoch (and I thought you might too as they have never been considered canonical within either the Jewish or Christian religions.
3) You are begging the question here since I reject any idea of a Divine Messiah.
4) I believe that my interpretation of Isaiah 45:7 is correct. The chapter in general basically makes the philosophical point that there is nothing in this world that was not created by G-d including evil. This chapter pretty much rules out the possibility of a angelic force that is independently evil because G-d has created all things including evil. But as I’ve said before, there is an ultimate good in G-d’s having created evil in that it permit’s man’s free will. Therefore, perhaps the verses you have cited should actually be interpreted in light of Is. 45:7. That is, G-d has created evil but does not wish that man walk in that path. That said, he must make it a real option and for that purpose created a Satan.
Also, you have not responded to the points of Job 1:6-12.
In summary, I think that the Jewish interpretation of the Satan most cleanly answers Amazambani’s original question of how Satan knowing the truth could so boldly go against G-d’s will. If he is a being created by G-d for the sole purpose of tempting and leading man astray, he is in fact not going against G-d.
You asked me for Scriptural proof which I brought in ample supply and you have not fully challenged.
I hope I do not sound overly strident. I just very much enjoy a good spirited debate.
Matt
Matt,
I have not had time to engage in this discussion yet, but I noticed this one line in your most recent post: “Indeed Jewish exigesis [sic] often relies on multiple layers of meaning behind Scripture, to which Christian Apologists (such as Dr. Brown) are bitterly opposed.”
Could you please explain what you mean here? What is it that I alleged bitterly oppose?
Also, for the sake of other readers here, it’s important to remember that Judaism is not based primarily on Scripture itself but rather on the rabbinic interpretation of Scripture and on the myth that God gave Moses an authoritative Oral Law that was passed on through the generations and without which the Written Law cannot be understood. Thus, traditional Jewish views on Satan are not based primarily on the few references to him in the Hebrew Scriptures but rather on the descriptions of Satan in rabbinic literature.
Dr. Brown:
I’d prefer to not get off track, as this was just a side point that I made in my general point and I see that your post here could easily turn things into an entirely new debate. However, it is your site, and I am merely a guest, so I feel obliged to respond how you are bitterly opposed to the idea of Tanach being read on different levels.
Vis a vis the Oral Law, the text of Tanach can be read in many different levels. One of these levels is a homiletic level we feel is equally valid to the plain meaning of the text (for an explanation listen to http://www.dovidgottlieb.com/Rabbi_Gottlieb_Tapes.html and click on “Geneseis part 1″). Therefore verses such as Ex. 23:2 or Ex. 34:27 which we believe have multiple meanings, you have spoken against the Jewish interpretation of the deeper meanings as being not valid. However, isn’t Andrew Yeoman doing the same with Isaiah 14:12?
What you have said “Also, for the sake of other readers here, it’s important to remember that Judaism is not based primarily on Scripture itself but rather on the rabbinic interpretation of Scripture and on the myth that God gave Moses an authoritative Oral Law that was passed on through the generations and without which the Written Law cannot be understood. Thus, traditional Jewish views on Satan are not based primarily on the few references to him in the Hebrew Scriptures but rather on the descriptions of Satan in rabbinic literature, ” is not true. “Rabbinic” Judaism is based EQUALLY on Scripture and the Oral Law. Calling it a myth is extremely offensive (especially when I could much more easily say this about the Virgin birth). And it is not true that we believe that Scripture cannot be understood without the Oral Law. It is just that there is a LIMITED understanding of Scripture without the Oral Law. And as I have written above, the fundamental Jewish view of Satan (as carrying out G-d’s will) are clearly backed up by Job 1:6-12.
Really Dr. Brown, I would expect you to better back up what you say with at least a bit of evidence.
Matt
Just a point to add Dr. Brown:
What was the point of adding that last paragraph you added? All my discussions above you can see were entirely according to Scripture. I didn’t invoke anything within the Oral Law at all. I was trying to argue on “common ground.”
Matt
Matt,
My comments were in response to your reference to different layers of interpretation in Jewish exegesis (along with your comments about my alleged bitter opposition to different layers of interpretation in a biblical text). Also, I posted this to help our readers here, most of whom are not familiar with traditional Judaism and hence, would wrongly think that there was “common ground” in terms of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), whereas in reality, you ultimately read the Tanakh through the lens of rabbinic interpretation, even when that interpretation changes the plain meaning of the biblical text.
That being said, I repeat: I was primarly responding to your comments. (As stated earlier, I might not have time for further interaction, but I wanted to clarify this point.)
Matt,
Thanks for respecting the thread here and your status as a guest. I’ll make this the last post on the Oral Law here, and you can freely interact with me privately as time permits, but not here on the subject of Oral Torah on this thread. I will take a moment to set the record straight.
1) The NT reads the Tanakh on many different levels, as do all Christian scholars and teachers whom I know. However, under no circumstances can a secondary level overrule the primary, plain sense of the text. You were, therefore, completely mistaken in your statement about my alleged “bitter opposition” to multiple levels of interpretation.
2) The concept of the “myth” of the dual Torah given to Moses comes from the most prolific rabbinic scholar of the era, Prof. Jacob Neusner. You might find my words offensive, but they are quite accurate and are also used by Jewish scholars (with the exception of Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox).
3) You are wrong to represent rabbinic Judaism as being based equally on Scripture as on rabbinic tradition, since without the latter, the former is considered to be unintelligble. In the words of Orthodox Jewish author Chaim Schimmel, “The Jewish people are frequently called “The People of the Book”, yet if one were to search out a people who follow literally the Bible’s behest, one might be led to the Samaritans, who still practise their religion on the outskirts of Shechem, or the Karaites who are now settled to the south of modern Tel-Aviv, but never to the Jewish people. They do not follow the literal word of the Bible, nor have they ever done so. They have been fashioned and ruled by the verbal interpretation of the written word, more particularly by the “Torah”, which embraces both the written and the oral law.”
Or, to quote Dr. Immanuel Jakobovitz, former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, “When our Sages asserted that “the Holy One, Blessed be He, did not make His covenant with Israel except by virtue of the Oral Law” (Gittin 60B), they not only propounded a cardinal Jewish belief, they also expressed a truth as evident today as it was in Talmudic times. The true character of Judaism cannot be appreciated except by an intimate acquaintance with the Oral Law. The Written Law, that is the Five Books of Moses, and even the rest of the Hebrew Bible, we share with other faiths. What makes us and our faith distinct and unique is the oral tradition as the authentic key to an understanding of the written text we call the Torah.”
4) The examples you cite actually prove my point, using Exod 23:2 as the best example. As you know, the Talmud and Maiomindes both wrongly interpret the ending of the verse to say “follow the majority” whereas the plain sense of the text — as recognized by virtually all Jewish translations — says the opposite. Yet this becomes the basis for Jewish law!
I discuss all this at length in vol. 5 of my series on Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, forthcoming, but in the interest of time and space, this is all I can post here.
Feel free to return to the original discussion (and I remind you that I only jumped in because you strongly misrepresented my position), but the discussion of the Oral Law will have to end here for now.
Matt,
Dr. Brown made it clear that his July 1st, 2009 2:58 pm comment would be his last on the subject. Any further interaction should be done privately.
Thanks,
Marcus French
Editor:Voice of Revolution
Marcus:
If you read my post carefully, you will see that I avoided all discussion of the Oral Law. I even say in the post that there were certain items that I would have liked to mention, but could not.
In light of these facts, I believe that you should release my post.
Matt
Matt,
Dr. Brown will soon be debating points such as these on Real Messiah (www.realmessiah.com). You’ll be able to freely join in there and discuss these issues.
Thanks,
Marcus French
Editor:Voice of Revolution
The Ancient Hebrews killed many people in the Old Testament (roughly four to five million) in the name of their god YHWH or with the help of their god as stated in the bible. The bible also state if you live by the sword you will die by the sword. However, just maybe the gods of these murdered people have made the jews pay for the sins they commited by being hated and murdered by all nations of the world. Who know maybe Yhwh was dethrone in the divine council of Elyon Psalm 82:1and sentence to die like men becaues the earth was not any better off under his rule. That is probably why he can’t help the Jews, answer prayers, or heal the sick.
Betty,
I’m interested - where did you get the figures of four to five million from?
Marc
Dr. Brown
I have just finished reading the Israeli scholar Shlomo Sand’s book “The invention of the Jewish People” and find after reading that he(and many other scholars) believe that their never was a Jewish” people” and that the modern Jewish representatives(Ashkenazim)are in fact converts from a Turkish Khazar empire in the 8th century A.D.These non semitic peoples descendants are actively trying to disspossess the Palestinians (who are in fact descendants of indigenous Semitic Judeans who converted to Christianity and Islam after the resurrection and subsequent Islamic invasions)with the willing approval of many Christians(where does Jesus instruct us to love our enemies but help kill our friends enemies?)
Dispensational Christianity’s support for the political state of Israel is at best spiritually confusing while Israel, as it is called, remains in a state of rebellion against our Lord .Where in the Old or New testament does God bless anyone in a state of rebellion? Around 80% of the state of Israel is atheist and many religious Jews practise a Kabbalistic form of Judaism which the propets of old condemned .So the question is begged, why is the Israeli state being supported by uninformed church members hoodwinked by Scofield/Darby cut and paste hermeneutics.What if this marriage of the apostate state of Israel(the Beast from the sea Rev.13)with the apostate church(the Beast from the earth Rev.13)is the coming dark side of prophetic fullfiment, when even the very elect will be deceived?Where does Christ instruct us to do anything but love and convert our neighbour, instead we empower an army disguised as a state(Israel)to kill the physical descendants of our Lord,s brothers(the Palestinians)in the name of bringing on the Apocalypse.The Church should be doing things worthy of martyrdom instead we pray for darkness. Marana Tha.
Stephen,
I am not a dispensationalist and have not been for almost 35 years now. But that is hardly the issue.
Unfortunately, Sand’s book represents the extreme fringe of very marginal scholarship, as many of the one-star reviews on Amazon point out. Moreover, Sand is recognized for his scholarship in modern French history, meaning that almost all of his book is written from outside his own field.
One quote cited by a reviewer summed things up nicely: “Sand is not publishing this book at a dignified conference in Bern at which scholars of the Middle East debate the origins of the Jews … He is dropping manufactured facts into a world that in many cases is ready, willing, and happy to believe the absolute worst conspiracy theories about Jews and to use those conspiracy theories to justify physically hurting Jews. … It is nothing new …” (Jeffrey Goldberg, staff writer for The Atlantic, “the most influential journalist/blogger on matters related to Israel.”)
To set the record straight (in bite-sized form), please read my book from which the article above, is taken (where you will also find solid biblical reasons that the Church should stand with the Jewish people today, even while they remain yet in unbelief), as well as the relevant chapters in Our Hands Are Stained with Blood. You might also want to study carefully Barry Horner’s Future Israel.
Also, for important descontruction of many of prominent anti-Israel myths in accessible form, please go HERE. I do hope that you will keep studying so that the whole truth might indeed set you free from false information and biases. And ultimately, as the Church stands with the Jewish people, it will indeed be something worthy of martyrdom, and perhaps coming at that very high price. Corrie Ten Boom can teach us something about that, for sure.
Dr. Brown,
Thank you for your quick response on this most important issue.Most unbiased scholars are aware that modern Jewish/Zionist leaders(who represent a small minority of the Jewish population) usurped the Jewish identity starting in the 19th century with Moses Hess and Theodor Herzl(from a Yiddish and German secular background)This politcal movement later adopted a mythic Hebrew scriptural agenda to opportunistically(Balfour and Sykes /Picot agreement)establish a politcal center in Palestine( vis a vis the turmoil of WW1 and the collapse of the Ottoman empire.)There are many Israeli Jews both Christian(Roi Tov,Israel Shamir, Mordecai Vanunu)and Jewish (Israel Shahak,Sholmo Sand,Gilad Atzmon,Avindav Begin(Menachim Begin,s grandson) and even Ehud Olmert’s daughter Dana)who at great risk to themselves act as real peacemakers seeking true justice without enabling the spiritual descendants of the Pharisees in their quest for temporal power.
Antisemitism has lost any logical meaning(and the term was ironically, coined by an antisemite) and has become a example of semantic infiltration used by those in power as metaphoric tear gas, to blind and disperse and stop any justified crtitcism of Israeli actions(Gaza can not be justified by anyone espousing to be a disciple of the Prince of peace.) and as you seem to question Shlomo Sands credentials(without reading his or Arthur Koestler,s books)might I suggest you read Peter Schafer,s(Professor of Judaic Studies at Princeton) book “Jesus in the Talmud” for insight on how Rabbinic Judaism views Jesus.
In closing what should I tell my Palestinian Christian friend Fuad ,born in Nazareth in 1947 and forced out of his ancestoral home with 800,000 other Palestinians( after the massacre at Deir Yassin) about this unholy alliance that has created death,destruction and exile for millions of Arab Christians.How does any Christian mission to the Islamic world witness for Christ with this millstone around our neck.Does scripture tell us that Arabs have no inheritance in Jesus’s kingdom?Does God really want blood sacrifice , a Temple and a priesthood reconstituted between the Nile and the Euphrates after what he did for us at Golgotha?
P.S. Rabbinic Judaism has 613 binding imperatives ,we as Christians have 1 binding imperative,love.We can free our Jewish brothers from this bondage if we test all things and hold on to that which is good and by loving Jesus more then we love popular causes.I love Jews enough to tell them the truth .Repentance,righteousness , worship.
Jesus is the great”I am” of the Tanakh.
Your brother in Christ.
Stephen,
Thanks likewise for your prompt response.
Please do read the sources I referenced in my previous post, as they will correct some of the erroneous information you seem to have imbibed (including some of the myth concerning the “forced exile” of 800,000 Arabs from Palestine). At the least, go to the website I cited and read the relevant — and quite accurate — articles there.
As for Schafer’s book, it is excellent and, aside from his thesis that the Talmudic literature is reacting against John’s Gospel in particular, he tells us nothing new about the rabbinic literature, nor does he claim to. These sources have been known for many years — and Paul addressed the issue clearly in Rom 11:28-29.
I have given my life to Jewish evangelism rather than popular causes, but the Church has often driven people away from Jesus by its anti-Semitism and even violence (in Jesus’ name, at that!), and standing with Israel is part of our prophetic calling, not to mention a debt of love.
As for your friend Faud, ask him where he has more liberty to be a Christian, among the PA or Hamas, or in Israel. And ask him how it is that Messianic Jews and Arab Christians often work together and pray side by side — in the Land of Israel! I have personally been in meetings such as this, and it is glorious. (For a more accurate perspective on the “Palestinian” mentality, why not read Walid Shoebat’s Why I Left Jihad?)
I say this to you with all gentleness: As much as you evidence a real sincerity and desire to honor the Lord with your stance, you have imbibed much misleading and even dangerous misinformation, and you really need to get the other side of the story, both from the Word and from solid academic sources.
Since my time to post here is quite limited, I would appreciate it if you would go through the online articles I cited and, if possible, read Our Hands Are Stained with Blood before responding. I’m simply unable to repeat what I’ve written elsewhere and what other scholars have explained.
Blessings on you, my brother!
Per the kaballah, its OK for Jews to cheat goys. PNAC was started by and mainly made up of sociopathic Jews. Most of US foreign aid just goes to Israel. The Jews media is controlled by Jewish CEOs, pumping propaganda. Stalin’s main propagandist, Jew Ilya Ehrenburg came up with that fictional number of 6 million. There is no evidence to support that claim. The Jews are milking the victim card, and I don’t buy it. They deliberately sank the USS liberty. The Mussad (sp ) puts the CIA to shame for crimes committed. Stalin’s purges were carried out disproportionately by Jews. It’s the 95% of sick, greedy, ponzi-scheming, lying, sociopathic, insider-trading, Jews that give a bad name to all the rest. Jews boast about how they control Washington. The Jewish banksters and economists are killing the US. We need to declare our independence from Israel. Yes, 9/11 seems to have been perpetrated and / or covered up by Jews. They certainly benefitted and should be investigated. But no, Bush awrded the AG job to the Jew preventing any 9/11 inquiries from going forward. Philip Z. ( Jew ) controlled the whitewash 9/11 coverup report. By their fruits ye shall know them.
Robbi,
Would you be kind enough to supply with the exact rabbinic references in context from the Kabbalah? You repeat lots of standard anti-Semitic libels here (really, your post actually refutes itself), but rather than label you an anti-Semite, I’d rather hear your arguments based on fact rather than broad accusation.
So, let’s start with the notion that “per the kaballah, it’s OK for Jews to cheat goys.”
Dr. Brown,
Iam still reading “our hands are stained with blood”so I will answer in due course on the content.As for the Jewish Virtual Libary, I pefer my propaganda less screedish.They completely white wash the collaboration between the Nazi,s and Zionists(Betar movement)which helped establish the state of Israel(please see Prof.Shahid Alam: Israeli exceptionalism,The destabilizing logic of Zionism and The Case against Israel by Michael Neumann.)Dear brother I viewed some of your debates with Shumely Boteach and as 1 drummer to another you definitely have the apologetic chops,very inspiring(although you could have called him on his allusion to Jesus as racist for calling the Caananite women in Matthew 15:26 a dog,he did not, he in fact called her kunarion or puppy in Greek a completely different connotation as our Lord led her to himself)Dear Michael you are in the Lord,s hands but beware after having personally spent 30 years studying cults,Rabbinic talmudic Judaism is a cult and as you witness to the Jews be aware the oral Torah(the Talmud,midrash etc.) trumps the written Torah(except among the Karaite Jews)and when you debate, your terms of reference and definitions are meaningless(PLEASE refer to the Israeli web site Daat Emet and discover what Rabbinc Talmudic Judaism really believes not what redacted books about the Talmud want you to believe)And in closing Rabbinc Judaism has ensnared so many gifted young Jews only the real Moshiach(Yeshua Ha Notzri)can release them from this combination treadmill/maze.Shalom.
Stephen,
Alas, what I call good, solid fact, you call screedish. What can I say?
Thanks, though, for your other kind words; as for the Oral Law, vol. 5 of my series on Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus focuses exclusively on this subject — so I’m quite familiar with its ins and outs.
Again, thanks for interacting.
The last paragraph of your article tells it all! The single, solitary reason for anti-semitism is that it is a spiritual matter and nothing else. Those who have never met the Lord cannot understand this.
The FACT about judaism is that its a materialist racist-supremacist “religion” that tells Jews that God and Nations are false concepts and that is the duty of the Jews to rule over the goyim (inferior people). Anyone that knows just a little about Judaism can see this. This is why Jews are behind International Communism and all its trojan-horses (liberalism, atheism, decadent culture, etc).
Pedro,
Thanks for posting this very funny and quite ridiculous comment. You have obviously bought into the standard anti-Semitic lies, and you obviously know nothing about Judaism. If you’re interested in truth, let us know, and we’ll be happy to set the record straight. But for the moment, thanks for posting such drivel! It helps to remind us that anti-Semitism is alive and well today.
Isaiah 53:3
Mr Brown,
Im a Christian so i cant be anti-semite, but im not blind either. My observation of current reality, my research of the true History of the XX century, my research of the Talmud and Jewish prophecies and my Bible clearly tells me that (false) Jews want to rule the World. When you were debating Rabbi Boteach he said that the Jewish “messiah” is also political one, that political “messiah” is nothing but the destruction of Christianity (and indeed all religions), the destruction of the “Nation-State” and the implementation of a leftwing totalitarian One World Government that will allow (false) Jews to fulfill their prophecy of ruling over Mankind. Mr. Brown…i have the feeling that, deep inside, you know this to be true…
I may be a Christian but i dont have to be nailed to the cross…i think its better for EVERYONE (Jews and Gentiles) if Christians start to push the “top Jews” (jews have a pyramidal power structure where the “common jew” is manipulated by the “top” ones) out of banks, politics, high-finances, education, news media and intertainment media. And judging by Thomas Muthee (Sarah Palin pastor) preaching we might get a chance of doing that.
I want the (false) Jews saved from themselfs…to become real Jews, and i also want Christianity and Mankind saved from the “ones that claim they are Jews but are not…”
Pedro, you can be a Christian and be grossly misinformed. Let’s start very simply. Give me some evidence from the Talmud or other classical rabbinic writings indicating that the Jews want to rule the world. Remember: Be sure to give me FACTS, not opinions or someone else’s interpretation that you read on the internet.
Most people lump the whole tribe of Israel into the one tribe of Judah. There were twelve tribes and Joseph’ tribe received a double blessing ephraim and mannaseh. There are many people in the bible who claimed to be Jews but they were only residents of Judah not of our brother Judah. The twelve tribes are scattered all over the earth. read Jacob’s Pillar by E. Raymond Capt and you’ll discover probably over half the people of the world are of one of the tribes of Israel. the word saxon in gaelic means “Sons of Isaac”. anglo saxon.
The term Jews was used by the kNIGHTS OF Malta to identify their people inside the Jewish nation. The priest who had Jesus crucified were sons of Cain as Jesus identified them as them being of their father the first murderer and the father of lies
Linda,
Do you realize that the theories you put forth here are quite tenuous and without serious scholarly support, especially that “over half the people of the world are one of the tribes of Israel”?