Note: See Part One Here: Introduction One of the most prominent themes throughout the Bible is the kingdom of God. The framework of Israel’s existence and self-understanding was formulated from God’s covenant with Israel and Israel’s servant to God the King. Israel is the people of the king, and the holy land is the land of the king’s rule. Given the Messiah is supposed to be … [Read more...]
Who is the One True God? A Look at Prophecy as a Verification Test
Introduction The skeptical issue in our culture mostly enters into the religious dialogue in the following way: “In the case of God, who isn’t some physical object but a divine being, what kind of evidence should we expect to find? [1] There is a tendency to forget that the Bible stresses that sin can dampen the cognitive faculties that God has given us to find Him. … [Read more...]
Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah”: Part Four
This is our final post in our series on Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah." See Part One, Two, and Three. Here are some more rabbinical sources: Messiah of Justice [Meshiah Tsidenu], though we are Thy forebears. Thou are greater than we because Thou didst bear the burden of our children’s sins and our great opresssions … [Read more...]
Did Jesus Inherit The House Of Joseph?
Christianity is founded on the idea that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Out of all of the requirements for the Messiah, being born in the House of David is the most important one. Yet in order to inherit that house in the Old Testament sense, Jesus would have to be counted as the son of a male descendant of David. Given the Biblical account (which I believe to be the true … [Read more...]
Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah”: Part Three
This is the third part in our series. To see Part One, click here. To see Part Two, click here. Remember the following: Targums are the Aramaic Translations of the Jewish Scriptures (The Tanakh), that were read in the synagogues on the Sabbath and on feast or fast days. Scholars usually assume the Targums were … [Read more...]
Call for submissions to winter edition of EQUIPPED
We are excited to announce the second issue of the Christian Apologetics Alliance publication, EQUIPPED, is in production, with an anticipated release the week of December 15. This second issue, titled "'The Word Became Flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us' - John 1:14," will focus on Jesus' incarnation. [Review the first issue of EQUIPPED, released two weeks ago.] EQUIPPED invites all … [Read more...]
Christmas notes, part 2: Did Messianic prophecy inspire the Christmas story?
One of the favorite targets of destructive biblical criticism is the narrative of Jesus' birth in the first two chapters of Matthew. One distinctive feature of Matthew’s account makes it a particularly tempting target. Matthew’s theological agenda is absolutely overt: over and over in the first few chapters of his Gospel, we get some variation on the phrase, “... all this took … [Read more...]
Christmas Notes, Part 1: Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?
There is perhaps no story so well beloved as the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. But every year we are told on television or in news magazines that we cannot believe the nativity story, that Matthew and Luke contradict each other, and that “scientific” criticism has dissolved the story of the virgin birth into a pious myth. Why do they say this? Could a story of a virgin birth … [Read more...]
Does the Old Testament Teach Two Comings of the Messiah?
Introduction Jewish people and even some skeptics like to assert that Christians are the ones who have come up with two act play about the coming of the Messiah. In other words, since Jesus failed at the messianic task, Christians then had no choice but to make up a second coming of Jesus. I already have a post called “Was Jesus a Failed Prophet?” here. While there is much … [Read more...]
Christ Fulfills Prophecies
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: Introduction One of the most prominent themes throughout the Bible is the kingdom of God. The framework of Israel’s existence and self-understanding was formulated from God’s covenant with Israel and Israel’s … [Read more...]