Engaging the Jew

[JM]

He guys,

Here's my question: is covenant theology the best way to engage a Jew?

All you can do is all that you should do. Present Christ as clearly as possible and trust in God for the rest.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[Jonaitis]

All you can do is all that you should do. Present Christ as clearly as possible and trust in God for the rest.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

Thanks for the reply, very encouraging.

 

[Dave-W]

He is saying that Jewish Christians, who have been raised Jewish, are better equipped to reach Jews than Gentiles who can properly exegete Scripture. In some cases, he is right...but I am talking about a dialogue with someone who wants to engage.

I had a thought last night about this. A traditional Jewish mindset is very very different to our own western mindset. To engage properly you must understand the differences.

I would suggest a book. It was written by one of the most-read Jewish theologians of the 20th century: Abraham Joshua Heschel.

God in search of Man.
https://www.amazon.com/God-Search-Man-Philosophy-Judaism/dp/0374513317

It is a thick book and a difficult read, especially if you are trying to comprehend where the author is coming from and how he arrives at his conclusions. But if you are serious about engaging Jews, the effort is well worth it.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

He guys,

Here's my question: is covenant theology the best way to engage a Jew?

Good question, I honestly do not know the best way to engage a Jew. Seems to be a non-starter when the person rejects the application of prophecy to Jesus Christ and accepts one of the lie/theories concerning the resurrection. How do we get around those presuppositions? Are they not circular like all basic assumptions of a worldview? Perhaps the best way is to preach the Gospel and pray for God the Holy Spirit to sovereignly monergistically regenerate them. Without the work of the Spirit, the wheels just seem to spin. Covenant theology might be the best way on an intellectual level, but I think for the follower of Judaism it will only get a pass up to the "minor" prophets. The reason I think this is because they do not believe the OT prophecies apply to Christ Jesus. Something like C.S. Lewis' "Lord, liar, lunatic" argument might be effective but then again maybe not.

 

[JM]

Maybe a smoke machine, large screen and a huge rock band...wait...that's more entertainment for goats than food for sheep.

Stick with Christ alone, present him clearly, trust in God.

That is all.

jm

 

[david shelby]

"Here's my question: is covenant theology the best way to engage a Jew?"

Engage them in what sense? The Jewish objection to Christianity is that they don't see any way that when read in context prophecies the New Testament claims are about Jesus could be about Jesus, like Isaiah 7 or Micah 5. So how is any particular interpretation about "How" the Old Testament and New Testament "could" fit together "if" you already accept that such passages are about Jesus, in any way engaging with their objection? You're just trying to get around the objection without answering it in that case.

 

[twin1954]

Read the book of Acts. In it you will find that the Jews rejected the best theologian there ever was as far as man is concerned. Then read Romans 1-11. There you will find that theologian explaining why the Jews are blind to the Gospel. Engage them with the knowledge that they are willfully blind and don’t try to convince them of anything. Even if you convince them that the Bible testifies of Christ in the Old Testament as well as the New you have done them no good. All that you have done is made them change on way of thinking to another.

JM is correct that you we are only commissioned to preach the Gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord. The Spirit must do the work of removing the veil over their eyes. Tell them about Jesus and what He has done for His people. That is not only what we are commissioned to do but all we can do. Don’t bother answering their objections for they are only walls thrown up to hide behind. Tell them of Jesus and leave the rest to the Spirit.

 

[Tree of Life]

He guys,

Here's my question: is covenant theology the best way to engage a Jew?

Maybe. In my years in campus ministry I remember ministering to one jewish kid. He was raised in a conservative jewish home and knew all the Bible stories (from the OT). I found that I started getting somewhere with him by looking at the OT stories and connecting them to Christ. Jews are trained to read OT stories as kind of like moral plays - stories that teach something about how we're supposed to live. But if you're able to connect them to Jesus and show how they prefigure Christ, this opens up a whole new lens of interpretation.

 

[JM]

This exchange was great!

 

[Jonaitis]

This exchange was great!

Interesting!