My question is this: Why do the Jews reject Christ when it so clearly states that in Isaiah 53? What about the other prophets who foretold Christ? Why do Jews reject Christ?
Those are excellent questions!
I’d like to address your last question first, if you don’t mind. Jews “reject” Jesus simply because we do not feel the need to “accept” him. The Jewish concept of “sin” (better translated as “mistake,” from a Hebrew root which means “to miss a target”) differs from the Christian concept significantly. Primarily, we do not view human nature as intrinsically “sinful” or negative in any way, and certainly not in
a priori need of redemption per se. In fact, we have a tradition that certain individuals, such as Jesse (father of David), died “sinless” (which is a whole separate discussion unto itself). We also believe that, should a person “sin” (make a mistake), it is entirely within that person’s power to undertake what is called
teshuva - more commonly known as “repentance,” but really meaning “returning,” “rethinking,” or “reconsideration.” As a person’s life vis-a-vis God is a personal matter, the idea of vicarious “repentance” or “atonement” - through the personage of another being, be it God, man, or animal - is not found in biblical or early rabbinic thought. It is important to note that the sending-off of the “goat for Azazel” (a part of the Yom haKippurim service described in Leviticus) is
not meant to achieve atonement vicariously (i.e. through the goat) but rather to teach the people an important idea about human choice and destiny. In fact, it is recorded that people who
did think that the goat atoned for their “sins” were specifically chastised. So you see, for us, it is really a matter of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
In regards to your first question, let me clarify something about the traditional Jewish approach to “prophecy” (which is a poor translation of the Hebrew “nevua,” but one which we may use for ease of communication). Jewish prophecy is not identical with oracular prediction or any kind of “fortune telling”; while a Jewish prophet may be able to describe events that will occur in the future, that is secondary to the prophet’s main experience and role within Jewish society. The function of a Jewish prophet is one of social critic; as evidenced by the content of the vast majority of the books of the prophets in the Tanakh (the Hebrew bible), the role of the prophet is to explain to the Jews the consequences of their actions (which are usually negative, unfortunately, but also often positive) and to encourage them to do
teshuva - “return” to the path God advised us, as a people, to take in the Tora (the five books which comprise the first section of the Tanakh). For a Jewish prophet,
nevua is experienced as transcendence of one’s subjectivity, culminating in a broader perspective on the nature of the universe and of humanity within that universe.
Accordingly, a Jewish book of “prophecy” is not a book of cryptic predictions and allusions, but rather the “translation” of that prophet’s experience into terms and metaphors that have meaning and relevance to people at that time. Jewish prophets do not “foretell” things, like an oracle, but rather encourage the people to abandon their mistaken notions and practices and turn back towards God.
Furthermore, it’s also important to note that rabbinic Jews (unlike Sadduccees and Karaites) do
not believe that the Tanakh is intended to be taken literally (according to an alleged
sensus literalis) but is rather intended to be interpreted according to hermeneutic and homiletic principles. “Truth” (in the Greek sense of monolingual ideality), or what is known as “authorial intent,” does not factor in to how we have understood the Tora since it was first given to us. This is what allows it to be the “inheritance” of every Jew - we are all equally to read and interpret the Tanakh according to our own minds and reason. Therefore, even if someone were to interpret a passage in the Tanakh as referring to Jesus, this would not be an authoritative or universally binding interpretation - just one of many.
I’d like to also note one more point, of a more circumstantial and historical nature. For many Jews, the aversion to “accepting” Jesus stems from what is viewed as unwarranted/uninvited overtures from Christian proselytizers. They are uncomfortable with someone trying to persuade or (unfortunately) coerce them into accepting an idea with which they are unfamiliar. Keep in mind that for Jews, “Judaism” is not a
religion but a
culture; it envelops our history, our values, and our way of life. Insofar as the Church outlayed a program of distancing itself from the original Jewish society, joining the Church is often perceived by Jews as an abandonment of Jewish life.
I hope that helps! Thanks again for the great questions.
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