Highly controversial but impeccably researched, The Real Messiah explodes the myth that Jesus was the long-prophesied Messiah of the Jewish nation. Indeed, it argues that Jesus never claimed that role but thought of himself as herald to the true Messiah: Marcus Julius Agrippa, the last King of the Jews and Jesus’ contemporary. It was he who truly founded what became known as Christianity, and wanted to build a faith to which anyone could aspire. Though Marcus Agrippa was initially successful, with the passing of time those in charge of the new faith capitulated to the whims of successive Roman Emperors and centered their religion on Jesus instead.
This book traces the history of the idea that the king and later the messiah is Son of God, from its origins in ancient Near Eastern royal ideology to its Christian appropriation in the New Testament. Both highly regarded scholars, Adela Yarbro Collins and John J. Collins argue that Jesus was called “the Son of God” precisely because he was believed to be the messianic king. This belief and tradition, they contend, led to the identification of Jesus as preexistent, personified Wisdom, or a heavenly being in the New Testament canon. However, the titles Jesus is given are historical titles tracing back to Egyptian New Kingdom ideology. Therefore the title “Son of God” is likely solely messianic and not literal. King and Messiah as Son of God is distinctive in its range, spanning both Testaments and informed by ancient Near Eastern literature and Jewish noncanonical literature.
Explore the Jewish and Christian Scriptures with the world renowned Bible scholar and expert on Jewish evangelism, Rabbi Tovia Singer. This new two-volume work, Let's Get Biblical! Why Doesn't Judaism Accept the Christian Messiah?, takes the reader on an eye-opening journey through timeless passages in Tanach, and answers a pressing question: Why doesn't Judaism accept the Christian messiah? Are the teachings conveyed in the New Testament compatible with ageless prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures? Rabbi Singer's fascinating new work clearly illustrates why the core doctrines of the Church are utterly incompatible with the cornerstone principles expressed by the Prophets of Israel, and are opposed by the most cherished tenets conveyed in the Jewish Scriptures. Moreover, this book demonstrates how the Church systematically and deliberately altered the Jewish Scriptures in order to persuade potential converts that Jesus is the promised Jewish messiah. To accomplish this feat, Christian "translators" manipulated, misquoted, mistranslated, and even fabricated verses in the Hebrew Scriptures so that these texts appear to be speaking about Jesus. This exhaustive book probes and illuminates this thought-provoking subject. Tragically, over the past two millennia, the church's faithful have been completely oblivious to this Bible-tampering because virtually no Christian can read or understand the Hebrew Scriptures in its original language. Since time immemorial, earnest parishioners blindly and utterly depended upon manmade Christian "translations" of the "Old Testament" in order to understand the "Word of God." Understandably, churchgoers are deeply puzzled by the Jewish rejection of their religion's claims. They wonder aloud why Jewish people, who are reared since childhood in the Holy Tongue, and are the bearers and protectors of the sacred Oracles of God, do not accept Jesus as their messiah. How can such an extraordinary people dismiss such an extraordinary claim? Are they just plain stubborn? Let's Get Biblical thoroughly answers these nagging, age-old questions.
The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.
The Galoshes of Fortune have the power of carrying the person who wears them instantly to any time and place they desire – but is this really a good thing? Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist. Celebrated for children’s literature, his most cherished fairy tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Match Girl". His books have been translated into every living language, and today there is no child or adult that has not met Andersen's whimsical characters. His fairy tales have been adapted to stage and screen countless times, most notably by Disney with the animated films "The Little Mermaid" in 1989 and "Frozen", which is loosely based on "The Snow Queen", in 2013. Thanks to Andersen's contribution to children's literature, his birth date, April 2, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.
Walk from creation to eternity in a way guaranteed to change your view of the world. You'll finally understand the war Satan is waging against God and how that conflict has affected history, including the persecution of Jewish people and Christians.
Experience the Old Testament as Never Before Take a journey to discover all God has planned since before the foundation of the earth. You’ll never grow tired of studying Scripture with this innovative and immersive Bible study experience. Through compelling instruction and motivational devotions, it reveals God’s redemptive plan from the beginning of creation. Explore… timeline icons to help you track God’s plan through the Old Testament key questions at the beginning of each section to guide your focus opportunities for creative expression, including full-page graphics and bookmarks to color sidebars that offer fascinating historical insights practical application questions to guide and deepen your walk with Christ online opportunities for connection and interactive community As you discover new ways to engage with God’s Word through this in-depth approach to studying Scripture, you will gain wisdom and understanding about his incredible, unchanging love for you. Designed to be used for group study or for individual reflection. To find out more about the complete series, explore many creative resources, and connect with the authors and other readers, visit DiscoveringTheBibleSeries.com.
This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. The Bible portrays King David as an exceptional man and a paragon of godly devotion. But was he? Some scholars deny that he existed at all. Did he? This challenging book examines the written and archaeological evidence critically in an effort to paint an accurate picture of one of the Bible's central figures. Neither defending nor rejecting the traditions about David, Baruch Halpern, a leading scholar of biblical history and the ancient Near East, traces the origins of development of David's persona. Because the biblical text clearly responds to concerns that can only be contemporary with David himself, we can believe that David was both real and a central actor in the historical drama of ancient Israel. Yet at the same time, the written record also shows that contemporaries understood David's character to be much more unsavory trhan the tradition has hitherto allowed. Halpern digs beneath the layers of tradition to understand David as an individual, as a person. The man he uncovers turns out to have been complex, ambiguous, and -- above all -- surprising. According to Halpern, the image of David grew over time. He was the founder of the dynasty that perpetuated the texts about him, and they progressively exaggerated his accomplishments. But in the earliest writings David remains a modest figure, as this book shows for the first time. To understand David as a human being, one must keep in mind that he was primarily a politicians who operated in a rough-and-tumble environment in which competitors were ready literally to slit throats. Halpern's work raises many provocative questions: Was David an Israelite or a Philistine? Was Solomon really David's son? Did David take the throne of Israel by the consent or against the will of the people? How many murders did he commit on his way to the crown? Indeed, was David someone it would have been wise to even invite to dinner? The challenging arguments in David's Secret Demons are sure to provoke all kinds of discussion among biblical scholars and general readers alike. In addition -- a big bonus -- Halpern's accessible, at times humorous prose will itself draw readers everywhere into the compelling story of David found between these covers.
What difference should doctrine make on our day-to-day Christian life? This book summarizes Christianity in 5 core truths—the Trinity, the Son of God, the Spirit, the church, and heaven and hell—to show how theology is intended to bring people closer to God. Drawing from writers throughout church history—particularly St. Augustine, Richard Baxter, and C. S. Lewis—this book summarizes the building blocks of “pure Christianity” and how they shape minds, hearts, and actions, so readers can know simply and concisely what it means to live for God.
