Understanding The Jewish Roots Of Christianity

How Jewish is Christianity? The question of how Jesus' followers relate to Judaism has been a matter of debate since Jesus first sparred with the Pharisees. The controversy has not abated, taking many forms over the centuries. In the decades following the Holocaust, scholars and theologians reconsidered the Jewish origins and character of Christianity, finding points of continuity. Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity advances this discussion by freshly reassessing the issues. Did Jesus intend to form a new religion? Did Paul abrogate the Jewish law? Does the New Testament condemn Judaism? How and when did Christianity split from Judaism? How should Jewish believers in Jesus relate to a largely gentile church? What meaning do the Jewish origins of Christianity have for theology and practice today? In this volume, a variety of leading scholars and theologians explore the relationship of Judaism and Christianity through biblical, historical, theological, and ecclesiological angles. This cutting-edge scholarship will enrich readers' understanding of this centuries-old debate.

How Jewish is Christianity? The question of how Jesus' followers relate to Judaism has been a matter of debate since Jesus first sparred with the Pharisees. The controversy has not abated, taking many forms over the centuries. In the decades following the Holocaust, scholars and theologians reconsidered the Jewish origins and character of Christianity, finding points of continuity. Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity advances this discussion by freshly reassessing the issues. Did Jesus intend to form a new religion? Did Paul abrogate the Jewish law? Does the New Testament condemn Judaism? How and when did Christianity split from Judaism? How should Jewish believers in Jesus relate to a largely gentile church? What meaning do the Jewish origins of Christianity have for theology and practice today? In this volume, a variety of leading scholars and theologians explore the relationship of Judaism and Christianity through biblical, historical, theological, and ecclesiological angles. This cutting-edge scholarship will enrich readers' understanding of this centuries-old debate.

Although the roots of Christianity run deep into Hebrew soil, many Christians remain regrettably uninformed about the rich Jewish heritage of the church. Our Father Abraham delineates the vital link between Judaism and Christianity, exemplified by the common ancestry of the two faiths traceable back to Abraham. Marvin Wilson calls Christians to reexamine their Semitic heritage to regain a more authentically biblical understanding of what they believe and practice. Wilson, a trusted voice among both Jews and Christians, speaks to both past and present, first developing a historical perspective on the Jewish origins of the church and then discussing how the church can become more attuned to the Hebraic mindset of Scripture. Drawing from his own extensive experience, he also offers valuable practical guidance for salutary interaction between Christians and Jews. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter make this book especially suitable for use in groups—Christian, Jewish, or interfaith—as readers strive to make sense of their own faith in connection with the other. The second edition of Our Father Abraham features a new preface, an expanded bibliography of recent relevant works, and two new chapters: one that discusses Jewish-Christian relations after the Holocaust and another that reflects on Wilson’s own fifty-plus-year career as an evangelical Christian deeply committed to interfaith dialogue. As Christians and Jews feel a growing need for mutual support in an increasingly secular Western world, Wilson’s widely acclaimed book will offer encouragement and wise guidance toward this worthy end.

A Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faithis a comprehensive handbook that serves as an introduction to the Jewish roots of the Christian Faith. It includes Old Testament background, Second Temple Judaism, the life of Jesus, the New Testament, and the early Jewish followers of Jesus. It is intended as a resource for college and/or higher education. It is no longer a novelty to say that Jesus was a Jew. In fact, the term Jewish rootshas become something of a buzzword in books, articles, and especially on the internet. But what does the Jewishness of Jesus actually mean, and why is it important? This collection of articles aims to address those questions and serve as a comprehensive yet concise primer on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. It consists of thirteen chapters, most of which are divided into four or five articles. It is in a "handbook" format, meaning that each article is brief but informative. The thirteen chapters are grouped into four major sections: (1) The Soil, (2) The Roots, (3) The Trunk, and (4) The Branches. Craig A. Evans, PhD, DHabil, is the John Bisagno Distinguished Professor of Christian Origins at Houston Baptist University in Texas. He is a frequent contributor to scholarly journals and the author or editor of over seventy books. Evans resides in Houston, TX. David Mishkin, PhD, serves on the faculty of Israel College of the Bible in Netanya, Israel. He is the author of The Wisdom of Alfred Edersheimand Jewish Scholarship on the Resurrection of Jesus.

This volume delineates the link between Judaism and Christanity, between Old and the New Testaments, and calls Christians to reexamine their Hebrew roots so as to effect a more authentically biblical lifestyle.

Are your roots firmly grounded in Scripture? The destiny of Israel and the Christian Church is bound together, evident in the Scriptures. Learning this truth is essential for survival. Jewish Roots—A Foundation of Biblical Theology is an introduction to biblical theology from a Jewish contextual point of view plus practical evaluation and council for the Messianic Jewish communities and the Christian Church. Jewish Roots presents the fundamentals regarding biblical theology, Israel and the Church, the Jewish people, the Messianic Jewish community, and much more. Important matters are discussed such as the relationship of law and grace, the role of the Spirit, and an approach to Judaism. This new edition considers recent biblical scholarship and evaluates the progress of the Messianic Jewish community—a pulsating grass roots movement among Jewish and non-Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth who recognize and identify with their Jewishness. Messianic Judaism and Messianic Jewish biblical theol­ogy are significant not only to those who are part of Messianic Jewish congregations—indeed, because the destiny of Israel and the Church is bound together, Messianic Jewish theology has implications of great importance for all people worldwide.

For Christians, the Old Testament is mysterious and often unexplored. This book offers a broad, yet basic, study of Judaism for Christians who are curious about the origins of their faith. The entire Bible and every one of its authors were Jewish. Jesus was a Jewish teacher and his apostles were Jewish. Jesus spoke primarily to a Jewish audience. This study will seek to answer questions like: - Who is a Jew? - Do all Jews share the same beliefs? - Why don't Jews believe that Jesus was the Messiah? - When did Jews become Christians? Christians, Muslims and Jews all look to Abraham as their father. Both Christians and Jews look to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as our forefathers. Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah are our Matriarchs. These are our common ancestors. God chose a people through who a Messiah could come. No othe4r Jew in history has rivaled Jesus in the magnitude of his influence. The words and deeds of Jesus the Jew have been and are an inspiration to countless millions of men and women. This study will explore how Jews pray. Readers will also explore how some of the Jewish prayer rituals are in practice in Christian churches everywhere. Communion has its roots in the Jewish blessings over wine and bread. At the last supper, Jesus the Jew took two of the most common prayers to instruct his disciples to remember him. The Christian Call to Confession has its roots in Yom Kippur, the Jewish High Holy Day of Atonement. You can see baptism in the Jewish mikveh, the ritual bath. As you might guess Jews and Christians look at the meaning of the Messiah differently. There is much Messianic prophecy in Jewish scripture. This reader will guide Christians in their understanding that Jews look at the Messiah as more a question of what not who. In Jewish Holy Days and Festivals, readers will explore Shabbat, the Sabbath Day. It has been said, "More than the Jews have kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath has kept the Jews." The Sabbath is on

"A timely and groundbreaking take on the roots of the Christian church and its place in the entirety of God's kingdom. . . . There is no better time than now to learn about and become firmly grounded within your spiritual heritage." —from the foreword by Perry Stone The early church was made up of Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus, and the church's culture was rooted in Judaism and a Jewish understanding of God's relationship to His people. Over time, however, Christianity became increasingly more Roman than Jewish, and the church lost its identity. Rabbi Curt Landry's personal story is remarkably similar. Born to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Landry was put up for adoption, and for more than thirty years he had no understanding of his heritage, his roots, or who his parents were. But when he discovered the truth of his story, his life changed completely. The key to a life of power and purpose is understanding who you are. In this revelatory book, Curt Landry helps Christians discover their roots in Judaism, empowering them to walk in the revelation of who they really are and who they are born to be. Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage reveals the mysteries of the church, letting Christians grasp the power that comes from connecting with their true identity.