Jewish bible

[ssoliman]

Hello, this is probably a simple question to post here but any help to increase my understanding is much appreciated.

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture. She's claiming that they dont read/believe anything after the torah because there are clear prophecies of Christ such as in the content of Isaiah and so they stop at the torah, is that true? Was she perhaps talking about a certain division within the jewish faith?

Thanks in advance

 

[Standing Up]

Probably a certain division, which IIRC, existed before Christ's birth. But not sure.

Melito (a believer) in 175ad went to palestine area to determine what was used as "ot scripture" and came away with the same OT as prots use (less Esther).

 

[miamited]

hi ssoliman,

The 'general' understanding of those who practice Judaism is that the Scriptures were completed about 400 BC. While they read all the prophecies of Jesus, they believe that he hasn't come yet. There is, however, a branch of Judaism that is Messianic which do believe just as we do, but still feel beholden to the law. Finally, there are people who trace their ancestry through the Jews, but believe wholeheartedly the whole of the Scriptures.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[GreekOrthodox]

No, Jews read all of the Tanakh, although there are some certain services which focus around the Torah itself, like Simhat Torah.

Brian

 

[ebia]

Hello, this is probably a simple question to post here but any help to increase my understanding is much appreciated.

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture. She's claiming that they dont read/believe anything after the torah because there are clear prophecies of Christ such as in the content of Isaiah and so they stop at the torah, is that true? Was she perhaps talking about a certain division within the jewish faith?

Thanks in advance

The Saducees were very skeptical about anything beyond the Torah, in part because of hints about resurrection.

The Samaritans limit themselves to the Torah.

 

[ananda]

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture.

Shalom.

Generally speaking the Tanach is "the Scriptures" as seen by Judaism - however, not in the same way as Christians generally view the authority of "Scripture."

The Tanach consists of three sections - the Torah, the Nevvim, and the Ketuvim. The greatest attention is given to Torah (the Law), as those books are considered the direct words of YHWH. The Nevvim (Prophets) have the next highest authority, as they are considered the words of YHWH as given through human intermediaries.

The Ketuvim (Writings) are not considered to be the inspired words of YHWH; they are however considered edifying (and a distant third-place among the three sections). For comparison's sake, good, godly sermons we might hear preached today (ones which do not deviate from the message as given in the Torah and the Prophets, cf Isa 8:20), would roughly have the authority of the "Ketuvim."

I believe Messiah also recognized the three sections and their relative authority whenever He spoke about and referred to "the Law and the Prophets" in the Gospels. It is also notable that Messiah referred to the "Psalms/Writings" much less than the "Law and the Prophets."

 

[bling]

On this subject could the "Torah" also be used to refer to the whole OT?

 

[ananda]

On this subject could the "Torah" also be used to refer to the whole OT?

Scripturally speaking, "Torah" specifically refers to the first five books (Gen-Deu). In today's cultural usage of the word in Judaism, its meaning has expanded to include the whole Tanach.

 

[ssoliman]

Thanks everyone i guess she must have been talking about a certain division or sth- would you say the majority use the tanakh or the torah?

 

[ananda]

would you say the majority use the tanakh or the torah?

The Tanach includes the Torah - as I said, Jews use all of the Tanach, but place greater emphasis on the Torah section.

 

[ssoliman]

The Tanach includes the Torah - as I said, Jews use all of the Tanach, but place greater emphasis on the Torah section.

Yh i know the torah is included in the tanach i was asking if there were more divisions going for just the torah part as appose to the whole tanach.

Its just weird shed make a statement like that she's very well read thats why i assumed its within certain divisions but you seem to be applying the tanach to all the jews with differences in emphasis on which part within it.

 

[SummaScriptura]

Hello, this is probably a simple question to post here but any help to increase my understanding is much appreciated.

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture. She's claiming that they dont read/believe anything after the torah because there are clear prophecies of Christ such as in the content of Isaiah and so they stop at the torah, is that true? Was she perhaps talking about a certain division within the jewish faith?

Thanks in advance

As in the time of Jesus, so now, there are varieties of Jews and varieties of Jewish practice. One can be a Jew and an atheist, for instance. That being said, among those groups Jews who consider the Torah the word of God, they mostly all also believe in the rest of the Tanach as well. Pick up a copy of the Stone Edtion Tanach. Its a Jewish study Bible from a conservative (read:Orthodox) perspective. The footnotes quote rabbis ancient and not who accept the Tanach as inspired by God.

 

[ananda]

Yh i know the torah is included in the tanach i was asking if there were more divisions going for just the torah part as appose to the whole tanach.

I apologize for my misunderstanding I don't personally know of any branches in mainstream Judaism that discards the rest of the Tanach in favor of only the Torah.

 

[PaladinValer]

Hello, this is probably a simple question to post here but any help to increase my understanding is much appreciated.

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture. She's claiming that they dont read/believe anything after the torah because there are clear prophecies of Christ such as in the content of Isaiah and so they stop at the torah, is that true? Was she perhaps talking about a certain division within the jewish faith?

Thanks in advance

The preacher is wrong.

Jews accept the Tanakh as their scriptures. Samaritans, however, only accept the Torah. Samaritans are not Jews.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Hello, this is probably a simple question to post here but any help to increase my understanding is much appreciated.

I was listening to a preacher and she claimed that the jews only read the torah only while i thought the entire tanakh was part of their scripture. She's claiming that they dont read/believe anything after the torah because there are clear prophecies of Christ such as in the content of Isaiah and so they stop at the torah, is that true? Was she perhaps talking about a certain division within the jewish faith?

Thanks in advance

That preacher is incorrect. Jews view the Torah as the supreme revelation of God, but their liturgies and personal Bibles include all of the books of the Protestant Old Testament.