What is supersessionism, and why is this Christian theology so detrimental to the Jewish people? Supersessionism is the belief that the promises, covenants, blessings, and election bestowed upon the Jewish people in the Hebrew Bible have (1) been transferred to Christians and (2) been abrogated, cancelled, or made obsolete for Jewish people. This theology has […]
As we celebrate Passover, a season steeped in tradition and remembrance, many of us will gather with family to retell the story of our liberation from Egypt. We’ll ask the four questions, dip parsley in salt water, and savor matzah—all symbolic acts that connect us to generations past, and our redemption in the future. But […]
‘Tis the season of wintertime magic. Whimsical carols fill the air. Families bundle up inside. Hot cocoa warms our mugs as snow blankets the ground. Enchantment and serenity are the promises of the season. Even so, in our culture, the magic is intertwined with Christmas—the holiday for Christians to celebrate the coming of Jesus. Try […]
According to the Jewish prayer book for the High Holidays (the machzor), “Repentance, prayer, and charity can avert the severity of the evil decree.” According to Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hashanah, God opens up two books in heaven: the Book of Life, and the Book of Death. For the following ten days, each person has […]
Ever since its declaration of independence in 1948, the State of Israel has been under attack from forces who desire her destruction. Jewish people from within Israel and the Diaspora have been the primary supporters of Israel’s cause since that time. Surprisingly, however, Gentile Christians have also been staunch defenders of Israel, and they have […]
To read Part I of this series, click here. In this second article on Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures, I am going to introduce you to a concept that I believe is the key to finding Yeshua throughout Israel’s experience in the Old Testament. No One Can See God and Live In Exodus 33, Moses […]
According to the New Testament, the resurrected Yeshua was walking on the road with two of his disciples on Resurrection Sunday (Easter), and they didn’t recognize him. They were depressed that their rabbi had just been executed. So Yeshua replied to them: “‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the […]
As Ellis Goldstein watched the police car enter his driveway, he braced himself for the bad news. The officer handed Ellis the driver’s license of his seventeen-year-old daughter, Heather, regrettably informing him that she had just died in a fatal car crash. “When Heather died,” Ellis recalls, “I questioned God’s love for a long time.” […]
Things are not always what they seem. Sometimes, discovering this can change everything. The enduring appeal of crime dramas and murder mysteries illustrates how the human mind is eager to uncover what is hidden. Think, for example, of the classic thriller, The Sixth Sense, which includes a plot twist so radical that it begs rewatching […]
Is there a single word that best sums up the life of Jesus? Many call him “the Savior” because he saves people from being alienated from God. Others call him “the Redeemer” for much the same reason. Perhaps the most common title used to describe Jesus is “the Christ,” which is the Greek word for […]