HEBREW CHRISTIANS": BIBLICAL PARADOX OR RELIGIOUS REALITY


Many individuals are confused by the arguments of the "Hebrew
Christians" and are unaware of the Jewish response to the "Hebrew
Christians' " claims that:

1) Jews can retain their Jewish identity once they convert.

2) The Jewish Bible is full of prophetic references to Jesus.

3) Spiritual salvation and a personal relationship with G-d can only
come through Jesus.

4) Miracles "prove" the validity of Christianity.

5) The Christian belief in the Trinity of G-d is compatible with
Judaism.

It is our hope that by examining each claim and the corresponding
Jewish response, Judaism's position will be clearly understood.

CLAIM # 1:
"JEWS CAN RETAIN THEIR JEWISH IDENTITY ONCE THEY CONVERT "
In their attempt to convert Jews, missionaries claim that one can
remain Jewish while practicing Christianity. The use of terminology
such as "Messianic Jew," "Hebrew Christian," and "Jew for Jesus" is
but a deceptive attempt to represent converted Jews as Jewish.1 In
fact, missionaries even go so far as to claim that a Jew who accepts
Jesus (or "Yeshua," as they call him) is a "completed Jew," implying
of course that all other Jews are incomplete.

The misrepresentation and deception employed in this attempt to
disguise the seriousness of a Jew's conversion to Christianity is
similarly reflected in the widespread misuse of Jewish symbols and
customs, in the fabrication of Jewish texts, and in the
misrepresentation of the background and Jewish education of
many "Hebrew Christians." Numerous "Hebrew Christian" leaders
dishonestly refer to themselves as "rabbis" and to their places of
worship as "synagogues."2

These tactics are employed in an attempt to render their version of
Christianity more palatable to the Jews they seek to convert.
However, in the words of one of the numerous Christian groups which
condemn "Hebrew Christianity," "These proselytizing techniques are
tantamount to coerced conversions and should be condemned." (From a
formally adopted statement issued by the Interfaith Conference of
Metropolitan Washington, D.C.)

The Jewish Response
The fact remains that, regardless of superficial attempts to sound
Jewish, the term "Hebrew Christian," or "Jew for Jesus," is an
oxymoron and a theological contradiction.

So-called "Hebrew Christians" argue that a person who is born Jewish
can never lose his birthright or heritage. However, the Bible teaches
that your beliefs do influence your Jewish status and that a person
who was born a Jew can at some point temporarily cease to be called a
Jew.

In the Book of Kings, Elijah the prophet is sent to rebuke those Jews
who were worshiping a foreign god called Baal. In I Kings 18:21,
Elijah says to them, "How long will you waver between two opinions?
If the Lord is G-d, follow Him: but if Baal, follow him." In other
words, you are either a Jew or a worshiper of Baal; you can't be
both. The story concludes with the Jews renouncing their idolatrous
ways and returning to Judaism.

From this, we derive an important lesson. A Jew who follows another
religion is Jewish only to the point that he retains a spiritual
obligation to repent and to return to Judaism. However, as long as
his beliefs are idolatrous and foreign to Judaism, he cannot call
himself a Jew. (It is important to note that a non-practicing Jew is
different from a Jew who has chosen to follow a foreign path.)

The Torah teaches that Jews and non-Jews are given different paths to
reach G-d. A Jew is obligated to follow the Torah, while a non-Jew
must observe the Seven Laws of the Children of Noah.3 One group isn't
better than the other, merely different. Therefore, certain beliefs
and practices, like eating pork, are permissible for non-Jews but not
for Jews. Similarly, the majority of Christian beliefs concerning G-
d, salvation and the Messiah do not violate the Noahide covenant for
non-Jews, but are absolutely forbidden for Jews. That is why the
term "Messianic Jew," "Hebrew Christian," or "Jew for Jesus," is a
contradiction.

CLAIM # 2
"THE JEWISH BIBLE IS FULL OF PROPHETIC REFERENCES TO JESUS"
"Hebrew Christians" believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and
they attempt to prove this by quoting various passages from the
Jewish Bible. Such quotations may sound impressive, overwhelming and
confusing to anyone with only a passing knowledge of Judaism and with
no command of the Hebrew language.

The Jewish Response
1) The only reason these passages, or so-called "proof texts," appear
to be alluding to Jesus is because they have been misquoted,
mistranslated, or taken out of context. Any written work, if
mistranslated or taken out of context, can be made to suggest
meanings which were never intended, as the following examples will
clearly demonstrate.

The New Testament is no exception. For example, in the New Testament,
(Luke 14:26) Jesus is quoted as saying:

"If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father and mother
and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own
life, he cannot be my disciple."

An initial reading of this verse gives the impression that one must
hate one's family, and even oneself, as a prerequisite to being a
Christian. However, any Christian confronted with a literal reading
of this passage will react defensively and insist that the verse
doesn't mean that at all. It only appears that way, he or she will
explain, because it is being read out of context and without a proper
translation.

This is precisely the point we would like to make. What a verse says
and what it means may be completely different. Before one can
understand any verse properly, whether from the Jewish Scriptures or
from the New Testament, it must be read in context and with an
accurate translation.

Similarly, when a missionary quotes a verse from Jewish Scriptures,
one should ascertain that the verse is being rendered correctly. For
example, Psalm 22:17 from the Hebrew Bible, when correctly
translated, reads "They surrounded my hands and feet like a lion4,"
referring to King David being pursued by his enemies, who are often
referred to as a lion (as in Psalms 7 and 17). Yet, when read out of
context and mistranslated as "They pierced my hands and feet," as
appears in Christian versions, the passage intentionally conjures up
thoughts of Jesus.

This example demonstrates only one of the many verses that the
missionaries twist and mistranslate to suit their purposes. Judaism
has a response and an explanation for each such instance. The rule of
thumb is to always ask: "Are these verses being read in context and
with an accurate translation?" Sadly, most "Hebrew Christians"
blindly accept the Christian interpretation without ever having heard
or fully understood the Jewish view.

After an open-minded re-examination of both sides, thousands
of "Hebrew Christians" have returned to Judaism.

2) Missionaries often use the New Testament as proof that events or
prophecies in their mistranslated passages have been fulfilled.
However, to someone familiar with the Jewish Bible, it is obvious
that the touted "inerrancy" (i.e., lack of error) of the New
Testament is highly questionable. Consider the following examples:

a) In three different places in the Jewish Bible, (Genesis 46:27,
Exodus 1:5 and Deuteronomy 10:22,) it is stated that the patriarch
Jacob came to Egypt with a total of 70 persons. Acts 7:14 in the New
Testament incorrectly gives this number as 75.

b) Hebrews 8:8-13 of the New Testament, when quoting from Jeremiah,
states that G-d replaced His Covenant with the Jews with a "New
Covenant," claiming that, because the Jews did not keep the "Old
Covenant," G-d "no longer cared for them." However, the original
Hebrew text in Jeremiah 31:32 of the Jewish Bible does not say that G-
d did not care for them, but rather that He "remained a husband to
them." Some Christians interpret their translation to mean that G-d
broke His Covenant and rejected the Jewish people. This is completely
inconsistent with the biblical stance that the commandments are
forever (Psalm 119:151-152) and that G-d promised to never reject or
break His Covenant5 with the Jews (Judges 2:1 and Leviticus 26:44-45).

c) Hebrews 10:5 of the New Testament, when quoting Psalm 40, claims
that G-d replaced animal sacrifices with the death of the Messiah, by
stating that, "sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a
body You have prepared for Me." However, the original quote from
Psalm 40:6 does not say this; it says, "sacrifices and meal offerings
You have not desired; My ears You have opened." This refers to G-d's
desire that we listen to Him, as it says, "Behold! -- to obey is
better than sacrifice." (I Samuel 15:22)

Fundamentalist Christians readily accept the Jewish Scriptures as the
inspired and "inerrant" word of G-d and as the foundation for the New
Testament. If they were to be logically consistent, it would follow
that, wherever the "Old" and "New" Testaments contradict each other,
the New Testament must be admitted to be obviously the one which is
in error.

CLAIM # 3
"SPIRITUAL SALVATION AND A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH G-D CAN ONLY
COME THROUGH JESUS"
Missionaries claim that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of G-d" (Romans 2:23), and that there is no salvation from sin or any
possibility of a personal relationship with G-d without belief in
Jesus. Specifically with regard to Jews, their argument is that Jews
have always needed animal blood sacrifices to rid themselves of sin.
Since sacrifices were abolished after the destruction of the Temple
in Israel, they claim that today Jews can find salvation from sin
only by believing in Jesus, who "died on the cross and shed his blood
as the final sacrifice."

The Jewish Response

The notion that we are born condemned, and that without the practice
of animal sacrifices Jews cannot atone for their sins, represents a
blatant misinterpretation of the Jewish Bible.

First of all, the Bible teaches that sin is an act, not a state of
being. Mankind was created with an inclination to do evil (Genesis
8:21), and the ability to master this inclination (Genesis 4:7) and
choose good over evil (Psalm 37:27). Second, G-d gave us a way to
remove our sins. When sacrifices were required they were intended
only for unintentional sins (Leviticus 4:1) and served as a means of
motivating individuals to true repentance. Numerous passages,
including Hosea 14, I Kings 8:44-52 and Jeremiah 29:12-14, inform us
that today, without a Temple or sacrifices, our prayers take the
place of sacrifices. In addition, we read, "The sacrifices of G-d are
a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17) and "I
desire kindness and not sacrifices, the knowledge of G-d more than
burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). The Torah teaches that through
repentance, prayer, fasting, and doing what is right, everyone has
the ability to return to G-d directly.

This concept is beautifully illustrated in the books of Jonah and
Esther, where both Jews and non-Jews repented, prayed to G-d and were
forgiven for their sins without having offered any sacrifices.

Missionaries often misinterpret the Jewish tradition that "the
suffering of the righteous is a form of atonement." Jewish sources
are clear that this concept pertains only to the alleviation of
Divine punishment that was decreed upon the Jewish people as a whole.
It does not pertain to the removal of an individual's sin. Every
person has the responsibility to repent directly to G-d for his own
transgressions. (Ezekiel 18:20)

The Hebrew word for repentance is teshuvah--vcua,, and liter-ally
means to "return to G-d." Our personal relationship with G-d allows
us to turn directly to Him at any time, as it says in Malachi
3:7, "Return to Me and I shall return to you," and in Ezekiel
18:27, "When the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he
has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save
his soul alive." Additionally, G-d is extremely compassionate and
forgiving as is indicated in Daniel 9:18, "We do not present our
supplications before You because of our righteousness, but because of
Your abundant mercy."

Contrary to the New Testament (Romans 4:15-16) portrayal of the
commandments as a curse and stumbling block, King David says in Psalm
19:7 that "the Law of G-d is perfect, restoring the soul."

King Solomon said that the main purpose of humanity is to believe in
G-d and keep his commandments as is stated in Ecclesiastes 12:13-
14: "The end of the matter, when all is said and done: Be in awe of G-
d and keep his commandments, for that is the whole person."

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 teaches that this path to G-d is unquestionably
within our grasp. Isaiah 42:6 teaches that it is the role of Judaism
and the Jewish nation to show the world this path by serving as
a "light to the nations."

CLAIM # 4
"MIRACLES PROVE THE VALIDITY OF CHRISTIANITY"
Some "Hebrew Christians" argue that turning to Jesus changed their
lives and that, as a direct result, they have even experienced
miracles.

The Jewish Response

Claims of miracles and of changes in one's life are not unique to any
one religion. Converts to cults and to other religions also relate
miraculous experiences and events in their lives. The Jewish Bible
warns that supposed "miracles" may, in reality, be a test from G-d. A
classic example of this is found in the beginning of Chapter 13 of
the book of Deuteronomy:

"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises and gives you a sign or
wonder [miracle], and the sign or wonder comes true, saying, 'le us
go after other gods whom you have not known and let us serve them,'
you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of
dreams; for the Lord your G-d is testing you to find out if you love
the Lord your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul. You
shall follow the Lord your G-d and fear Him; and listen to His voice,
and serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of
dreams shall be put to death because he has counseled rebellion
against the Lord your G-d." (Deuteronomy 13:1-6)

These verses teach us that G-d may allow a false prophet to perform
miracles in order to test us to see whether we will follow His will
or be misled by so-called miraculous occurrences.

We also see, from Exodus 7:11, that miracles do not necessarily have
to be attributed to G-d. In this passage, Pharaoh commands his court
magicians to imitate, with their magic, the miracles that Moses and
Aaron performed.

These two examples illustrate that we cannot rely upon miracles as
proof that our beliefs are true.

CLAIM # 5
"CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN THE TRINITY OF G-D IS COMPATIBLE WITH JUDAISM"
The foundation of Christian theology includes belief in the bodily
incarnation of G-d, that G-d exists as a Trinity, and that Jesus was
a mediator between G-d and man. "Hebrew Christian" mission-aries
claim that this theology is totally compatible with Judaism.

The Jewish Response

As stated earlier, Judaism maintains that certain beliefs may be
permissible for non-Jews, but not for Jews. The Christian theology
concerning G-d is one example of a belief that is absolutely
forbidden to Jews according to the Hebrew Bible, as the following
biblical sources demonstrate:

1) The commandment to believe in G-d's absolute Oneness was given
specifically to the children of Israel (the Jewish people), as is
stated in the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear O Israel, The Lord our G-
d, the Lord is One." The concept expressed in this verse not only
refutes the plurality of gods, but also asserts that G-d is the only
true existence. Biblically, G-d is not only infinite, but He
transcends time, space and matter. G-d has no beginning and no end,
as it says in Isaiah 44:6, "I am the first and I am the last and
besides Me there is no other." While Judaism believes that G-d
manifests Himself to His creation (humanity) in many ways, (i.e. as a
judge or a protector) G-d's essence itself is indivisible and
therefore without any possibility of distinction. Something that
transcends both time and space cannot be described as consisting of
three different aspects. The moment we attribute any such
distinctions to G-d's essence, we negate His absolute Oneness and
unity.6

The following verses from the Hebrew Bible, when correctly
translated, further substantiate this fundamental and crucial Jewish
belief in the Oneness of G-d: "See now that I, even I, am He and
there is no god with Me" (Deuteronomy 32:39) and "There is nothing
else besides G-d" (Deuteronomy 4:35).

2) Jews are also forbidden to envision that G-d has "any likeness of
anything." Deuteronomy 4:15-19 and Deuteronomy 5:8-9 are only some of
the many biblical references prohibiting Jews from believing that G-d
dwells in bodily form, as claimed in the New Testament.7

3) The prohibition against a mediator is found in the Second
Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3)
Therefore, the New Testament statement in John 14:6, that "No one
comes to the Father, but through Me [Jesus]" is not acceptable to
Jews. Even if he or she considers something to be a part of G-d, a
Jew is not permitted to use it as a mediator. The Torah teaches that
each person is capable of connecting with G-d directly.

These Christian beliefs, which have their roots in ancient paganism,
have been the basis for the Jewish rejection of Christianity -- even
on pain of death -- for the last 2,000 years. Historically, Jews have
always understood that conversion would mean severing their
relationship with G-d as described in the Torah.

CONCLUSIONS
One thing upon which the entire Jewish community and several
Christian denominations agree is that "Hebrew Christian" movements
are not a part of Judaism. To be a "Jew for Jesus" is as absurd as
being a "Christian for Buddha" and as ridiculous as "kosher pork;" it
is an obvious contradiction. To paraphrase Elijah, if you are a
follower of Jesus, call yourself a Christian. If you are a Jew,
practice Judaism. Don't deceive yourself; you can't be both.

In reality, Judaism is a most beautiful and spiritually fulfilling
path to serving G-d with all your heart, soul and might.

The Book of Proverbs 3:17-18 describes the Torah in these words, "Its
ways are ways of pleasantness, and its paths are peace. It is a tree
of life to those who lay hold of it." The best defense against the
growing onslaught of missionary propaganda is a deep commitment to
Judaism and a thorough understanding of the missionary arguments and
the relevant Jewish responses.