Aish.com - WHY DON'T JEWS BELIEVE IN JESUS?

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Let's break it apart, folks ;)



WHY DON'T JEWS BELIEVE IN JESUS?


From: Laurie Summers - dsummers@sk.sympatico.ca2/1/2000

I am a Christian, and I was just wondering why Jesus is denied as the Messiah, even though he fulfills every prophecy written regarding the Messiah.

I am not writing to be rude to you, I have a deep respect and love for the Jewish people, and I know there are those who call themselves Christians, who have said and done terrible things in the name of Jesus.

Thanks for taking time to read my letter. I hope to hear from you soon.

[size=+1]THE AISH RABBI REPLIES:[/size]

Thank you for your thoughtful question. For 2,000 years, Jews have rejected Christianity and the idea of Jesus as messiah. It is important to understand why Jews don't believe in Jesus. The purpose is not to disparage other religions, but rather to clarify the Jewish position. The more data that's available, the better-informed choices people can make about their spiritual path.

Jews do not accept Jesus as the messiah because:

1) Jesus did not fulfill the messianic prophecies.

2) Jesus did not embody the personal qualifications of the Messiah.

3) Biblical verses "referring" to Jesus are mistranslations.

4) Jewish belief is based on national revelation.

At the end of this answer, we will examine these additional topics:

5) Christianity contradicts Jewish theology

6) Jews and Gentiles

7) Bringing the Messiah

-------------------------------

1) JESUS DID NOT FULFILL THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES

What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:

A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).

C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)

D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world -- on that day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).

The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies.

Christians counter that Jesus will fulfill these in the Second Coming, but Jewish sources show that the Messiah will fulfill the prophecies outright, and no concept of a second coming exists.

---------------------------------------

2) JESUS DID NOT EMBODY THE PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF MESSIAH

A. MESSIAH AS PROPHET

Jesus was not a prophet. Prophecy can only exist in Israel when the land is inhabited by a majority of world Jewry. During the time of Ezra (circa 300 BCE), when the majority of Jews refused to move from Babylon to Israel, prophecy ended upon the death of the last prophets -- Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

Jesus appeared on the scene approximately 350 years after prophecy had ended.

B. DESCENDENT OF DAVID

The Messiah must be descended on his father's side from King David (see Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 11:1). According to the Christian claim that Jesus was the product of a virgin birth, he had no father -- and thus could not have possibly fulfilled the messianic requirement of being descended on his father's side from King David!

C. TORAH OBSERVANCE

The Messiah will lead the Jewish people to full Torah observance. The Torah states that all mitzvot remain binding forever, and anyone coming to change the Torah is immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4)

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus contradicts the Torah and states that its commandments are no longer applicable. (see John 1:45 and 9:16, Acts 3:22 and 7:37)

----------------------------------

3) MISTRANSLATED VERSES "REFERRING" TO JESUS

Biblical verses can only be understood by studying the original Hebrew text -- which reveals many discrepancies in the Christian translation.

A. VIRGIN BIRTH

The Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah 7:14 describing an "alma" as giving birth. The word "alma" has always meant a young woman, but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated it as "virgin." This accords Jesus' birth with the first century pagan idea of mortals being impregnated by gods.

B. CRUCIFIXION

The verse in Psalms 22:17 reads: "Like a lion, they are at my hands and feet." The Hebrew word ki-ari (like a lion) is grammatically similar to the word "gouged." Thus Christianity reads the verse as a reference to crucifixion: "They pierced my hands and feet."

C. SUFFERING SERVANT

Christianity claims that Isaiah chapter 53 refers to Jesus, as the “suffering servant.”

In actuality, Isaiah 53 directly follows the theme of chapter 52, describing the exile and redemption of the Jewish people. The prophecies are written in the singular form because the Jews ("Israel") are regarded as one unit. The Torah is filled with examples of the Jewish nation referred to with a singular pronoun.

Ironically, Isaiah's prophecies of persecution refer in part to the 11th century when Jews were tortured and killed by Crusaders who acted in the name of Jesus.

From where did these mistranslations stem? St. Gregory, 4th century Bishop of Nanianzus, wrote: "A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose on the people. The less they comprehend, the more they admire."

--------------------------------------------

4) JEWISH BELIEF IS BASED SOLELY ON NATIONAL REVELATION

Of the 15,000 religions in human history, only Judaism bases its belief on national revelation -- i.e. God speaking to the entire nation. If God is going to start a religion, it makes sense He'll tell everyone, not just one person.

Judaism, unique among all of the world's major religions, does not rely on "claims of miracles" as the basis for its religion. In fact, the Bible says that God sometimes grants the power of "miracles" to charlatans, in order to test Jewish loyalty to the Torah (Deut. 13:4).

Maimonides states (Foundations of Torah, ch. 8):

The Jews did not believe in Moses, our teacher, because of the miracles he performed. Whenever anyone's belief is based on seeing miracles, he has lingering doubts, because it is possible the miracles were performed through magic or sorcery. All of the miracles performed by Moses in the desert were because they were necessary, and not as proof of his prophecy.

What then was the basis of [Jewish] belief? The Revelation at Mount Sinai, which we saw with our own eyes and heard with our own ears, not dependent on the testimony of others... as it says, “Face to face, God spoke with you...” The Torah also states: “God did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us -- who are all here alive today." (Deut. 5:3)

Judaism is not miracles. It is the personal eyewitness experience of every man, woman and child, standing at Mount Sinai 3,300 years ago.

-----------------------------------------------

5) CHRISTIANITY CONTRADICTS JEWISH THEOLOGY

The following theological points apply primarily to the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian denomination, and the one most familiar to the Western world.

A. GOD AS THREE?

The Catholic idea of Trinity breaks God into three separate beings: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

Contrast this to the Shema, the basis of Jewish belief: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE" (Deut. 6:4). Jews declare the Shema every day, while writing it on doorposts (Mezuzah), and binding it to the hand and head (Tefillin). This statement of God's One-ness is the first words a Jewish child is taught to say, and the last words uttered before a Jew dies.

In Jewish law, worship of a three-part god is considered idolatry -- one of the three cardinal sins that a Jew should rather give up his life than transgress. This explains why during the Inquisitions and throughout history, Jews gave up their lives rather than convert.

B. MAN AS GOD?

Christians believe that God came down to earth in human form, as Jesus said: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).

Maimonides devotes most of the "Guide for the Perplexed" to the fundamental idea that God is incorporeal, meaning that He assumes no physical form. God is Eternal, above time. He is Infinite, beyond space. He cannot be born, and cannot die. Saying that God assumes human form makes God small, diminishing both His unity and His divinity. As the Torah says: "God is not a mortal" (Numbers 23:19).

Judaism says that the Messiah will be born of human parents, and possess normal physical attributes like other people. He will not be a demi-god, and will not possess supernatural qualities. In fact, an individual is alive in every generation with the capacity to step into the role of the Messiah. (see Maimonides - Laws of Kings 11:3)

C. INTERMEDIARY FOR PRAYER?

The Catholic belief is that prayer must be directed through an intermediary -- i.e. confessing one's sins to a priest. Jesus himself is an intermediary, as Jesus said: "No man cometh unto the Father but by me."

In Judaism, prayer is a totally private matter, between each individual and God. As the Bible says: "God is near to all who call unto Him" (Psalms 145:18). Further, the Ten Commandments state: "You shall have no other gods BEFORE ME," meaning that it is forbidden to set up a mediator between God and man. (see Maimonides - Laws of Idolatry ch. 1)

D. INVOLVEMENT IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD

Catholic doctrine often treats the physical world as an evil to be avoided. Mary, the holiest woman, is portrayed as a virgin. Priests and nuns are celibate. And monasteries are in remote, secluded locations.

By contrast, Judaism believes that God created the physical world not to frustrate us, but for our pleasure. Jewish spirituality comes through grappling with the mundane world in a way that uplifts and elevates. Intimacy in the proper context is one of the holiest acts we can perform.

The Talmud says if a person has the opportunity to taste a new fruit and refuses to do so, he will have to account for that in the World to Come. Jewish rabbinical schools teach how to live amidst the bustle of commercial activity. Jews don't retreat from life, we elevate it.

--------------------------------------

6) JEWS AND GENTILES

Judaism does not demand that everyone convert to the religion. The Torah of Moses is a truth for all humanity, whether Jewish or not. King Solomon asked God to heed the prayers of non-Jews who come to the Holy Temple (Kings I 8:41-43). The prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all nations."

The Temple service during Sukkot featured 70 bull offerings, corresponding to the 70 nations of the world. The Talmud says that if the Romans would have realized how much benefit they were getting from the Temple, they'd never have destroyed it.

Jews have never actively sought converts to Judaism because the Torah prescribes a righteous path for gentiles to follow, known as the "Seven Laws of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully observes these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.

-------------------------------------------------

7) BRINGING THE MESSIAH

Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of God. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

Indeed, the world is in desperate need of Messianic redemption. War and pollution threaten our planet; ego and confusion erode family life. To the extent we are aware of the problems of society, is the extent we will yearn for redemption. As the Talmud says, one of the first questions a Jew is asked on Judgment Day is: "Did you yearn for the arrival of the Messiah?"

How can we hasten the coming of the Messiah? The best way is to love all humanity generously, to keep the mitzvot of the Torah (as best we can), and to encourage others to do so as well.

Despite the gloom, the world does seem headed toward redemption. One apparent sign is that the Jewish people have returned to the Land of Israel and made it bloom again. Additionally, a major movement is afoot of young Jews returning to Torah tradition.

The Messiah can come at any moment, and it all depends on our actions. God is ready when we are. For as King David says: "Redemption will come today -- if you hearken to His voice." For further study, read "The Real Messiah" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
 

simchat_torah

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1) JESUS DID NOT FULFILL THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES

What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:

A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).

C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)

D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world -- on that day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).

The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies.

These are all prophecies concerning Moshiach ben Dovid, and have nothing to do with Moshaich ben Yossef... the role that Y'shua fulfilled.

It is very common in Judaism to believe in two messiahs:
1) The Suffering Servant: Moshiach ben Yossef (messiah, son of joseph)
2) The Reigning King: Moshiach ben Dovid (messiah, son of david)
Ancient Judaism teaches these two messiahs were one messiah who would come twice.

While the Rabbi at Aish does speak of the Messiah, he is speaking of Messiah ben David... the messiah who comes second as a reigning king.
You can read all about the two messiahs here: http://www.christianforums.com/t36712
2) JESUS DID NOT EMBODY THE PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF MESSIAH

A. MESSIAH AS PROPHET

Jesus was not a prophet. Prophecy can only exist in Israel when the land is inhabited by a majority of world Jewry. During the time of Ezra (circa 300 BCE), when the majority of Jews refused to move from Babylon to Israel, prophecy ended upon the death of the last prophets -- Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.

Jesus appeared on the scene approximately 350 years after prophecy had ended.

1) Y'shua made many prophecies that were directly fulfilled.
2) This argument is silly because if prophecy ended, and the messiah is to be prophet, that means there will not be a messiah... ever.

B. DESCENDENT OF DAVID

The Messiah must be descended on his father's side from King David (see Genesis 49:10 and Isaiah 11:1). According to the Christian claim that Jesus was the product of a virgin birth, he had no father -- and thus could not have possibly fulfilled the messianic requirement of being descended on his father's side from King David!

Jewish ancestory is typically traced through the mother... according to halacha.
C. TORAH OBSERVANCE

The Messiah will lead the Jewish people to full Torah observance. The Torah states that all mitzvot remain binding forever, and anyone coming to change the Torah is immediately identified as a false prophet. (Deut. 13:1-4)

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus contradicts the Torah and states that its commandments are no longer applicable. (see John 1:45 and 9:16, Acts 3:22 and 7:37)

These passages are referencing halachic disputes (and some of these references are rather random and make no sense, such as John 1:45). Y'shua did not teach against Torah, but taught how to properly fulfill/live according to the Torah principles and laws. It is christianity, not Y'shua, who teaches against torah.
A. VIRGIN BIRTH

The Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah 7:14 describing an "alma" as giving birth. The word "alma" has always meant a young woman, but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated it as "virgin." This accords Jesus' birth with the first century pagan idea of mortals being impregnated by gods.
Almah can mean a young woman, or halachically it can mean a woman who is a virgin. According to halacha, a woman who goes through menopause (can no longer give birth to a child) is considered a virgin again. This prophecy was directly spoken over Isaiah and his wife (where it was directly fulfilled). Isaiah's wife was past the age of giving birth. So it can not literally be interpretted as "young woman". Nor can it be a "great sign" that a young woman gives birth... this happens everyday millions of times across the world.

Thus the only literal interpretation can be either a virgin or a woman who has had menopause and can no longer bear children.
B. CRUCIFIXION

The verse in Psalms 22:17 reads: "Like a lion, they are at my hands and feet." The Hebrew word ki-ari (like a lion) is grammatically similar to the word "gouged." Thus Christianity reads the verse as a reference to crucifixion: "They pierced my hands and feet."

Even Jewish translations render this verse as "Tehy pierced myh hands and feet." Only recently has this passage been reinterpretted like this Rabbi has done... merely to 'disprove' the messiah. Who's tampering with the scriptures now?
C. SUFFERING SERVANT

Christianity claims that Isaiah chapter 53 refers to Jesus, as the “suffering servant.”

In actuality, Isaiah 53 directly follows the theme of chapter 52, describing the exile and redemption of the Jewish people. The prophecies are written in the singular form because the Jews ("Israel") are regarded as one unit. The Torah is filled with examples of the Jewish nation referred to with a singular pronoun.

Many Rabbis are split on this issue. Some say it is a passage regarding Israel, others say it references the messiah. Either way it does not prove NOR disprove the messiah.
Of the 15,000 religions in human history, only Judaism bases its belief on national revelation -- i.e. God speaking to the entire nation. If God is going to start a religion, it makes sense He'll tell everyone, not just one person.

Problem 1:
Y'shua did not come to change religions. The Messiah does not change the religion from Judaism to Buddhism or something else... he more firmly establishes Judaism.

Problem 2:
Y'shua certainly did make a dramatic impact upon the entire nation of Israel, inspiring volumes to be written about him, more so than any other person in human history.
Judaism, unique among all of the world's major religions, does not rely on "claims of miracles" as the basis for its religion. In fact, the Bible says that God sometimes grants the power of "miracles" to charlatans, in order to test Jewish loyalty to the Torah (Deut. 13:4).
This is a dangerous sentance. G-d certainly does prove himself over and over again in the Torah through miracles... just look at the 10 plagues in Egypt, Moses, Elijah, Noah, etc. However, there are often imposters. I would also say that Y'shua certainly did not 'rely' soley upon miracles, but his teachings, ressurection, and perfect lifestyle to prove his messiahship.
5) CHRISTIANITY CONTRADICTS JEWISH THEOLOGY

I'm not even going to address the points listed under this heading. Christianity and Y'shua HaMoshaich are entirely different entities. What Y'shua taught is drastically different than what christianity teaches. I agree with his points that they contradict Judaism and the Torah, but the problem is, Y'shua did not teach these things. They are later inventions of man.
6) JEWS AND GENTILES

Judaism does not demand that everyone convert to the religion.

Nor does Y'shua. Again, he's thinking of christianity, not the teachings of Y'shua.
The Torah of Moses is a truth for all humanity, whether Jewish or not. King Solomon asked God to heed the prayers of non-Jews who come to the Holy Temple (Kings I 8:41-43). The prophet Isaiah refers to the Temple as a "House for all nations."

The Temple service during Sukkot featured 70 bull offerings, corresponding to the 70 nations of the world. The Talmud says that if the Romans would have realized how much benefit they were getting from the Temple, they'd never have destroyed it.

Jews have never actively sought converts to Judaism because the Torah prescribes a righteous path for gentiles to follow, known as the "Seven Laws of Noah." Maimonides explains that any human being who faithfully observes these basic moral laws earns a proper place in heaven.

Amen. These are wonderful principles. The problem with this is that this is exactly what Y'shua taught ;)
7) BRINGING THE MESSIAH

Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity (and Islam) is part of God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world

A little rat poisin can ruin a dinner. Putting a few good morals into, let's take Islam for exmaple, a religion that teaches to utterly wipe out the Jews by sword, does not mean G-d is behind it. :(
The same can be said of christianity for other reasons.
Indeed, the world is in desperate need of Messianic redemption. War and pollution threaten our planet; ego and confusion erode family life. To the extent we are aware of the problems of society, is the extent we will yearn for redemption. As the Talmud says, one of the first questions a Jew is asked on Judgment Day is: "Did you yearn for the arrival of the Messiah?"
Yes, if Moshaich ben Dovid were here, all of these problems would melt away.
Unfortunately, he has not yet come.
The Messiah can come at any moment...
Here we go again with another spin. First this Rabbi claims the messiah will be a prophet, but then he claims all prophecy ended. If this second claim is true then there can not be a messiah. Maybe he's mistaken? ;)

That would be my guess.

shalom Ryan,
Yafet
 
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simchat_torah

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Now, with all that said... I typically don't get all that involved with arguing to Jews that Y'shua is the messiah. I tend to think that a Jew who is living the message (torah) they don't necessarily need to believe in the messenger. The Message is more important than who spoke it. At times, for specific reasons, I have argued and debated Jews that Y'shua is HaMoshiach.

But that's a different discussion all together.

I have specifically addressed the issues you brought up here because it seems to be something you are struggling with. I hope that my answers have helped and if there's anything else I can clarify, please let me know.

shalom,
yafet
 
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RyanLJohnson1

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Well done! :thumbsup:

Let's see if we can break this down even FURTHER!!!! :D (probably not, lol)

In the future I am probably going to keep on posting more and more articles like this so that they can be disproved to the best of our ability.

Love in Yeshua,
Ryan
 
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simchat_torah

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In the future I am probably going to keep on posting more and more articles like this so that they can be disproved to the best of our ability.
Well, like I said, its not really something I'm that interested in debating... but I'll continue here if need be ;)
 
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sojeru

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Oh no,

I think that things here need to be corrected on, and studied upon much more.

I find the response to be fauly in few respects especially of Yafet's Calibre.
I am found to be greatly dissapointed of what I have seen here written by him.

I have sent you a PM Yafet,

blessings and Shabua Tov!
Antonio
 
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Talmidah

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simchat_torah said:
Jewish ancestory is typically traced through the mother... according to halacha.
Jewishness is passed on via the mother, but tribal affiliation is only through the birth father. So, for example, if a child is born of a woman from tribe of Judah and a man from tribe of Levi, the child would be of the tribe of Levi, not Judah.
 
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Tribal identity is done through the father, and is carried through via means of adoption as well (that is what Joseph did... adopt Y'shua). However, ancestory is traced via the mother. Either way, both are established.

shalom,
-yafet
 
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Talmidah

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simchat_torah said:
Tribal identity is done through the father, and is carried through via means of adoption as well (that is what Joseph did... adopt Y'shua). However, ancestory is traced via the mother. Either way, both are established.

shalom,
-yafet
OK...this might be dangerously close to debating, which is what I don't want. I am just interested in this. If the mods feel I'm debating, please delete my post rather than move the thread.

Yafet, let's say a child is born who's father is from tribe of Benjamin, so child is considered of Benjamin. His father dies and his mother remarries a man from tribe of Reuven who adopts the child. Now, the child would become of the tribe of Reuven? Then, this man dies and mother again remarries...now a man from Levi. Do you now consider the child to be a Levite?
 
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sojeru

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For Yeshuah to sit on the throne of David as Messiah, no adoption can suffice for it.
If Yeshuah was the only son of Yosef then yes- this would be the rightful heir.
However, Josef's firstborn of his own is the rightful heir, not Mary's firstborn (in the thought of christian interpretation).

This is how the halacha in Bava Batra 8 works.

shalom
 
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simchat_torah said:
2) This argument is silly because if prophecy ended, and the messiah is to be prophet, that means there will not be a messiah... ever.
Judaism today teaches that without a majority of the Jewish people in the land of Israel, there cannot be prophets. I don't think this rules out prophecy by individuals per se, but there can't be an office holder with the title prophet. I don't know where this comes from or how long this understanding has been held. But it doesn't mean that there will never be a prophet, because certainly when most of world Jewry returns to Israel, then there could be someone with this office.

There is a huge fallacy in this argument however. I have tried to point this out to Aish, but of course, they ignored it.

During the same time period, Rabbi Akiva believed Bar Kochba to be the messiah. If there could be no prophets at that time, how could R' Akiva have declared or believed Bar Kochba to be the messiah? Obviously, either the majority of world Jewry was considered to be in Israel at that time or this concept did not exist at the time. If the concept existed, the great R' Akiva of all people would certainly have known about it.

So this is clearly an argument which holds no water based on Jewish sources. I can't stand inconsistent arguments like that. Apply it to yourself first and make sure that your own teachings stand up.

On a side note, I continually come across well-meaning people who are going 'to prove' that Yeshua is the Messiah. That is clearly impossible. You can't prove it at all. You can show that due to what he did fulfill, there is good reason to believe that he will return and fulfill the rest. But bottom line, belief that he is the messiah is based on reasonable faith and not proof.
 
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simchat_torah

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On a side note, I continually come across well-meaning people who are going 'to prove' that Yeshua is the Messiah. That is clearly impossible. You can't prove it at all. You can show that due to what he did fulfill, there is good reason to believe that he will return and fulfill the rest. But bottom line, belief that he is the messiah is based on reasonable faith and not proof.
I agree.
 
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Jewishness is passed on via the mother, but tribal affiliation is only through the birth father. So, for example, if a child is born of a woman from tribe of Judah and a man from tribe of Levi, the child would be of the tribe of Levi, not Judah.

On a side note, the original author from Aish said Y'shua was not descended of David, but did not speak of Tribal heritage. While Tribal heritage is traced through the father (and passed on via means of adoption) this really has nothing to do with the author's point... he stated Y'shua was not descended from David, something which halachically would be traced through the mother.

shalom,
yafet
 
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