The author provides an interpretation of the words of Jews living during the intertestamental period and through the third century, including several hassidim. A hermeneutics grounded in the perception of early Rabbinic texts as sharing in events rather than as linguistically autonomous is used. The phenomenology of Jewish martyrdom is read as an acting-out of the Binding of Isaac. The search leads into the question of the bindingness of the La. The The religious soul's passion for the revelation of Law is followed out in its path of temptation to martyrdom. A grand drama of sacrifice and messianic yearnings is thereby unearthed.
This book is the go-to source for introductory information on Messianic Judaism. Editors David Rudolph and Joel Willitts have assembled a thorough examination of the ecclesial context and biblical foundations of the diverse Messianic Jewish movement. Unique among similar works in its Jew-Gentile partnership, this book brings together a team of respected Messianic Jewish and Gentile Christian scholars, including Mark Kinzer, Richard Bauckham, Markus Bockmuehl, Craig Keener, Darrell Bock, Scott Hafemann, Daniel Harrington, R. Kendall Soulen, Douglas Harink and others. Opening essays, written by Messianic Jewish scholars and synagogue leaders, provide a window into the on-the-ground reality of the Messianic Jewish community and reveal the challenges, questions and issues with which Messianic Jews grapple. The following predominantly Gentile Christian discussion explores a number of biblical and theological issues that inform our understanding of the Messianic Jewish ecclesial context. Here is a balanced and accessible introduction to the diverse Messianic Jewish movement that both Gentile Christian and Messianic Jewish readers will find informative and fascinating.
The Hebrew Messiah: The Glory and Triumph of Israel takes seriously the witness in the Tanakthe books of teaching, the prophets, and the writingsthat Judaism receives as its Scripture. It listens to that witness to discover the truth of the Hebrew Messiah. Drawing upon study inspired by an intense interest to explore and appreciate the riches of Judaism, Allan Russell Juriansz has poured his findings into this exploration of the crucial role of Ha-Mashiach, the Messiah, in the Tanaks works that span a millennium of Jewish life and reflection. The exploration of The Hebrew Messiah begins by sketching out the contemporary scholarly climate in Judaism. Then it conducts a detailed survey of the witness to the Messiah in the Tanak, particularly in its prophetic writings. Next, it examines the place of this witness to the Hebrew Messiah in the life of modern Jewry. Finally, The Hebrew Messiah concludes by celebrating the good news that Ha-Mashiach is the glory and triumph of Israel. The Hebrew Messiah: The Glory and Triumph of Israel will satisfy the curiosity of all who desire to know how intimately and extensively the witness to the Messiah is woven through the tapestry of the Tanak. It will speak to members of the modern Jewish community who desire to take a fresh look at the foundations of their faith. Finally, it will offer Christians the blueprint for their understanding of the Messiah available to them. He is the Hebrew Messiah, Israels glory and triumph.
An introduction and survey that digs into the Bible’s picture of the Messiah’s entire career from Genesis to Revelation, A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is for anyone interested in learning more about Messianic prophecy, its support for Jesus’ identity as the Christ, and its meaning for our present and future. Exploring the Messiah’s First and Second Comings as they are described throughout the Bible and with attention to archaeology, biblical feasts and the Jewish wedding system, history, and current events, this Scriptural synopsis examines Messianic prophecies that span all of time. Some are fulfilled, yet many are to come. Covering topics from the beginning of creation to the last days and beyond, A Primer on Messianic Prophecy is a foundational and inspirational text for readers wanting a better understanding of the Bible’s intricate inerrancy and picture of the key figure throughout Scripture—Jesus Christ, Lamb of God and Lion of Judah.
"J. Thomas Hewitt demonstrates how Paul's development and uses of the expression "in Christ" arise from his messianic intepretation of scriptures concerning Abraham's seed and Daniel's "son of man". This type of creative scriptural interpretation is a common trait of ancient Jewish messiah texts." --
Are you settling for half the story? Highlighting connections that have been hidden from non-Jewish eyes, Rabbi Jason Sobel will connect the dots between the Old and New Testament, helping you see the Bible with clarity as God intended. Most people—even people of faith—do not understand how the Bible fits together. Too many Christians accept half an inheritance, content to embrace merely the New Testament, while Jewish people may often experience the same by embracing only the Old Testament. But God has an intricate plan and purpose for both the Old and the New. In Mysteries of the Messiah, Rabbi Jason Sobel reveals the many connections in Scripture hidden in plain sight. Known for his emphatic declaration “but there’s more!” he guides us in seeing the passion and purpose of the Messiah. Mysteries of the Messiah: Uncovers connections between the Old and New Testaments Connects the dots for readers with details about Jesus, the Torah, and biblical characters Written with the unique perspective of a rabbi with an evangelical theological degree No matter how many times you have read the Bible, Mysteries of the Messiah will bring fresh perspective and insight. God’s Word, written by many people over thousands of years, is not a random selection of people and stories. Rabbi Jason Sobel connects the dots and helps us see with clarity what God intended.
This book asks: How might the earliest gospel have been heard by those first followers of Jesus who were religious Jews? Assuming that the earliest Jesus traditions took their shape from forms familiar to Judaism, Sabin sets the composition of Mark in the context of the theological discourse of first-century Judaism. In that context, she notes, all theology was biblical. It took the form of an exchange between current events and Scripture: contemporary persons and happenings were understood through the lens of the Hebrew Bible, while at the same time, the biblical word was reopened--that is, reinterpreted--so as to reveal its relevance to the present faith-community. Applying this kind of compositional process to the Gospel of Mark, Sabin uncovers a fresh reading of the seed, fig tree, and vineyard parables; of the various Temple scenes; of the foolish disciples and the wise women; and of the controversial ending. She highlights the results of her findings by juxtaposing them with interpretations of the same passages given by various church fathers such as Origen, Irenaeus, and Bede, as well as by readings from the twentieth century. The results are provocative. Sabin sees Mark as an original theologian shaping his material out of two primary Jewish traditions: the Wisdom traditions, with their emphasis on God's presence in daily life, and Creation theology, which imagined the End Time not as a catastrophe but as a return to the Garden. She thus offers a new way of understanding Mark's use of Scripture, his eschatology, and his presentation of Jesus. In conclusion, she argues that retrieving Mark's voice in the context of Early Judaism brings with it insights much needed in our day: of God's presence in the ordinary; of God's image reflected in female as well as male; of watchfulness as the way of wisdom; of God's revelation as ongoing.
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.
The messianic idea that a redeemer sent by God will come to end the suffering of a persecuted people and inaugurate a new age of justice and peace has been one of the most powerful and influential concepts given by the Jewish people to western civilization. This book represents a sample of the most penetrating and provocative scholarly interpretations of Jewish messianic movement from various perspectives- historical, sociological, psychological, and religious.
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.
