I have a question...

[Guy355]

I talked to a rabbi and he said that:

1. “How can Jesus be both the son of God and son of David?”
2. “God didn’t need to come into flesh.”
3. “If Christians say that the new testament is the end of the cycle of the new testament, why then don’t they follow the teachings such as:eating kosher food, resting on the Sabbath etc.”
4. “Why does he need to come a 2 times and this coming from the dead thing sounds Pagan to me”

Can someone please answer me those questions so that I could tell him?

Thanks and god bless.

 

[DaveBj]

I talked to a rabbi and he said that:

1. “How can Jesus be both the son of God and son of David?”
2. “God didn’t need to come into flesh.”
3. “If Christians say that the new testament is the end of the cycle of the new testament, why then don’t they follow the teachings such as:eating kosher food, resting on the Sabbath etc.”
4. “Why does he need to come a 2 times and this coming from the dead thing sounds Pagan to me”

Can someone please answer me those questions so that I could tell him?

Thanks and god bless.

The answer to #1 is easy. I am both the son of, say, Seaborn (one of my great-grandfathers, just to pick an ancestor) and the son of Gerhard (the man who actually “begat” me).

#3 doesn’t make any sense – “the new testament is the end of the cycle of the new testament”?

I’ll leave the others for someone else or for when I have more time.

 

[hazcompat]

#2 Anselm: Do you not perceive that, if any other being should rescue man from eternal death, man would rightly be adjudged as the servant of that being? Now if this be so, he would in no wise be restored to that dignity which would have been his had he never sinned. For he, who was to be through eternity only the servant of God and an equal with the holy angels, would now be the servant of a being who was not God, and whom the angels did not serve.

ewtn.com/library/CHRIST/CURDEUS.HTM

Peace

 

[Guy355]

When I typed: “If Christians believe that The new testament is the end of the cycle” I meant the end of the cycle of the Old testament. not the new one.

 

[Ophelia23]

I talked to a rabbi and he said that:

1. “How can Jesus be both the son of God and son of David?”
2. “God didn’t need to come into flesh.”
3. “If Christians say that the new testament is the end of the cycle of the new testament, why then don’t they follow the teachings such as:eating kosher food, resting on the Sabbath etc.”
4. “Why does he need to come a 2 times and this coming from the dead thing sounds Pagan to me”

Can someone please answer me those questions so that I could tell him?

Thanks and god bless.

1. This was addressed pretty well by the first response someone else posted.
2. God didn’t need to do anything. That hasn’t stopped Him from doing everything.
3. Christians see the New Testament as the completion and fulfillment of the Old Testament. Christ was asked once to choose which law of the old testament was most important, and it was meant to trap him. You see, there were so many laws in the old testament, how could he pick just one without offending either God or the Pharisees? But he summed it up into two rules: Love God with all of your heart, and Love your neighbor as God loves them. Every commandment of importance easily falls into these two categories.
4. What is the purpose of asking why in terms of why God does what he does? Why did He reveal himself in a burning bush rather than a burning tree? Does not the idea of a mystical fire that speaks also seem a bit pagan? We are all welcome to view God’s actions with whatever lens we wish. Who was Isaiah speaking of, it were not Christ? What other man has been borne of a virgin, as Isaiah wrote about? The Old Testament is riddled with prophesy regarding Christ.

 

[anruari]

I talked to a rabbi and he said that:

1. “How can Jesus be both the son of God and son of David?”

Jesus descends from David, through his Adoptive father Joseph. See Chapter 1 of Matthew. This defines Jesus Legal descent.

In 3 Luke we see a genealogy that differs. The actual greek does not define Josephs biological father, but his Father in Law (Mary’s Father). It therefore also shows Jesus Descent from David, using Biology rather than Law.

1. “God didn’t need to come into flesh.”

God didn’t need to create the universe. Ours is not to question what God Chose to do.
The coming of the Messiah, and that he would be the Son of God, and Immanuel (God with us),“Wonder - Counsellor, Mighty God Prince of Peace” This was foretold by the Prophets.

1. “If Christians say that the new testament is the end of the cycle of the new testament, why then don’t they follow the teachings such as:eating kosher food, resting on the Sabbath etc.”
   Jesus came to Fullfill the Law, and to replace the Law written on stone, with the Law of God written on our Hearts. We now follow Natural Law, as revealed in Creation. We are explicitly excused from the Works of the Law as a means to Salvation. The Law was replaced by Jesus who died for us. He is our Redeemer and our Saviour.
   Divine revelation to St. Paul made it clear that the Kosher Laws do not apply to christians. It is enough that we abstain from the BLood (but I don’t personally know where eating black pudding comes in… I must look into that)
   We are not bound by the Sabbath of the Jews, but have replaced it with The Lords Day, on Sundays. This is the day for common worship and for rest from our normal work.
2. “Why does he need to come a 2 times and this coming from the dead thing sounds Pagan to me”
   The concept of resurrection from the death was not a novel Idea in the time of Jesus. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were 2 sides of a major theological argument on that point. The Sadducees only considered the Torah - The Pentatuach to be scripture. and rejected the theology of Ressurection from the Dead and Life Eternal.
   The Pharisees were the dominant theological school. They accepted a cannon of scripture which was the same as or very similar to our Old Testament, including 1 & 2 Maccabies. and other sources. These speak very clearly about a Resurrection from the dead and Life Eternal.
   So therefore there’s nothing “Pagan” about it.

He will come again at the end of the world as we know it: to judge the Living and the Dead. this Final Judgement will include accepting those who accept his Judgment into His presence for all eternity, and those who reject him will cast themselves / be cast out of His Presence for all eternity - a state we call “Hell” in modern parlance.

 

[Aussieman88]

The answer to the first question is answered and very well explained including a quote from David himself and several other important points in the book of Hebrews. You should give him a copy.

You could alternatively ask him what parts of the torah tell of the coming messiah and then show him how Jesus satisfies all the criteria.

 

[Guy355]

Thank you all for helping me. I will tell him the things I’ve learnt next time I meet him. God bless.

 

[COPLAND_3]

I heard a nice story one time, its only a story so please don’t think I’m quoting this as a source, but an illustration. Here it is…

One day Satan approached God and wanted to mock His created mankind. Satan said, “God, everybody you have created I have caused them to sin. You create Adam and I caused him to sin. You created Noah and I caused him to sin. You created Moses, David, and Solomon, and I caused them all to sin! Everybody you create I cause them all to sin!” God replied, “I will come down as a man and let’s see if you can cause me to sin!”

Point is, God became man and accomplished something that nobody ever could, to live a sinless life and then pay the price of all our sins, to be that perfect Sacrifice on the Cross to die and to pay for all our sins.

 

[grannymh]

1. “God didn’t need to come into flesh.”

Naturally, Jesus had to be both True God and True Man. That fact I learned in grade school.

There is an obvious difference between the status of God as Creator and Adam as creature. The Mediator or Reconciler had to be on the same level as God in order to repair the shattered relationship. At the same time, He had to be on the level of the sinner so that all humanity would be included.