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I read that Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet, who will return one day to proclaim the teachings of Islam. So what do Jews believe about Him? If Jesus was not the Messiah, who was He?
What do Jews think about Jesus?
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Anna_Scott
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mathematoons,
From Jewish writings I have read, Jews believe Jesus was just a Jewish man, who claimed to be the Messiah; but did not fulfill the requirements for the Messiah. So, he is considered to be a false Messiah.
Though the Jews still await the Messiah; they are not expecting the Messiah to be God. They believe he must be descended, on his father’s side, from King David. They view the Trinity as two Gods, too many. They remain fiercely monotheistic.
Here is a link that gives a good summary of “Why Jews Don’t Believe in Jesus.” It’s very interesting: aish.com/jw/s/48892792.html. It discusses the requirements for the Messiah, and also why Jews believe verses referring to Jesus have been mistranslated—the virgin birth prophecy is one example.
Hopefully, Jewish forum members will join the discussion.
I always enjoy hearing from them.Peace,
Anna
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Immaculata90
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I read somewhere that Jewish people believe that someone removed the body of Jesus from the Holy Seplechre, not that he was resurrected. Therefore, He was not the true Messiah, but rather he just claimed to be the Messiah. They’re still waiting for him to come.
I think that is right, but I could be wrong. I would be super interested in hearing from someone who was/is Jewish about this!
I think that is right, but I could be wrong. I would be super interested in hearing from someone who was/is Jewish about this!
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CompSciGuy
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I’ve heard this too.
“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.”
Matthew 28:12-15
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PazzoGrande
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I think we need to note a difference there. Muslims *officially *believe Jesus was a prophet as a part of their faith. Jews officially don’t have any opinion. Individuals and groups of Jewish people can believe differing things, but officially, as a matter of faith, they have no opinion on Him.
Muslims have Jesus in their scripture; Jewish people do not (but of course the Torah was written way before Jesus and the Koran was written after).
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rotlex
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This verse has always bothered me. (Don’t mean to change subject here, but it kinda fits I guess). The reason? Doesn’t it almost seem like it’s stating this just to cover something? Not sure how to word it, but it has just never sat well with me. Kind of like the authors put that in there just to cover up that notion that it may have actually happened that way?
Don’t mean to be disrespectful to the Gospel, blaspheme or anything like that, I just don’t really understand why that verse needs to be there at all. Again, it’s like someone saying, move along, nothing to see here. Of course he was raised from the dead, wink, wink, just read the Gospel, and it will tell you what was done to make the Jews say he was taken away by His disciples.
God, I’m probably not writing what I mean clearly enough, but hopefully it comes across.
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GunnerQuick
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Theres plenty of writings about Jesus in the Torah, they just don’t mention him by name
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manualman
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It makes sense when you remember what the gospels were written for and when. The four weren’t written out the day after the resurrection in order to be a record. They were written out later when the apostles recognized the need to an authoritative record. If the Saduccees really did attempt to spread a discrediting rumor (which would be in character with what we hear of them in the rest of the gospel), then why WOULDN’T the gospel writers, who had already been bumping into this rumor at the time of writing, address the issue? I know when I respond to forum thread arguments, I consider the arguments being made against my position. Why wouldn’t the gospel writers do the same?This verse has always bothered me. (Don’t mean to change subject here, but it kinda fits I guess). The reason? Doesn’t it almost seem like it’s stating this just to cover something? Not sure how to word it, but it has just never sat well with me. Kind of like the authors put that in there just to cover up that notion that it may have actually happened that way?
Don’t mean to be disrespectful to the Gospel, blaspheme or anything like that, I just don’t really understand why that verse needs to be there at all. Again, it’s like someone saying, move along, nothing to see here. Of course he was raised from the dead, wink, wink, just read the Gospel, and it will tell you what was done to make the Jews say he was taken away by His disciples.
God, I’m probably not writing what I mean clearly enough, but hopefully it comes across.
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Publisher
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Do you have several references? I would be interested in reading them.Theres plenty of writings about Jesus in the Torah, they just don’t mention him by name
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Anna_Scott
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Keep in mind there are passages in the TORAH that differ from Christian Bible translations of the Pentateuch. So, you would need to actually quote the Jewish TORAH, for any Jew to consider a text.Theres plenty of writings about Jesus in the Torah, they just don’t mention him by name
As posted before, this link gives a good summary of “Why Jews Don’t Believe in Jesus”: aish.com/jw/s/48892792.html. It discusses the requirements for the Messiah, & also why Jews believe verses referring to Jesus have been mistranslated—the virgin birth prophecy is one example.
Quote from "Why Jews Don’t Believe in Jesus"
“The Christian idea of a virgin birth is derived from the verse in Isaiah 7:14 describing an “alma” as giving birth. The word “alma” has always meant a young woman, but Christian theologians came centuries later and translated it as “virgin.” This accords Jesus’ birth with the first century pagan idea of mortals being impregnated by gods.”
It is true that stories about pagan gods include mortals being impregnated by gods. It is also true that the Septuagint translates “alma” as virgin, while Hebrew texts are translated “young woman” (in most cases.)
The disagreement over the correct translation of “alma” in Isa 7:14 has gone on for centuries. Catholics are aware of the issue of “alma,” as demonstrated by this Catholic commentary:
The Catholic Catechism deals with the translation of Isaiah 7:14 by using the Septuagint (LXX)—the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew text:
The CCC chose the Greek translation (LXX) of the Hebrew text over a translation from the original language of the text. Many Protestant Bible translations do the same.
The Hebrew Isaiah Scrolls, found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, are the oldest known manuscripts of Isaiah: Isaiah 7:14 is translated “young woman,” not “virgin.”
Also, in Isaiah Chapter 7, the young woman or virgin (depending on the translation) is the one who will call her child Immanuel. Yet, Mary called her son Jesus.
Emmanuel (Immanuel in Isaiah) is found only once in the New Testament–in Matthew 1:20-23; and it is a reference to the prophesy of Isaiah; but Matthew says, “they shall name him Emmanuel,” instead of the child’s mother calling her son Immanuel, as stated in Isaiah.
(NRSV) Matthew 1: 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”
If you read the entire 7th Chapter in Isaiah, you will find a sign given to king Ahaz, that was to be fulfilled before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good (v. 16.) I’ve read Jewish authors who say that if the Messiah is God, there would never be a time when he would not know to refuse the evil and choose the good.
Also, the prophecy given to King Ahaz, in Isaiah Chapter 7, was fulfilled during the time period in which the prophecy was given. In 2 Kings Chapater 16, we find that the two kings who threatened Ahaz were defeated, which fulfilled the Prophesy of Isaiah Chapter 7. I realize it is not uncommon for prophesies to have both an immediate and future meaning. However, there can’t be two women, who conceived as virgins.
So, there is a certainly reason for Jews to question the “virgin prophesy” in Isaiah 7:14.
I am a Christian and I do believe that Christ was born of a virgin. I posted these comments just to demonstrate one small example of the complex reasons the Jews do not accept Jesus. It’s really not as simple as many assume.
Peace to all,
Anna
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chosen_people
Guest
This might be a good place to start:
books.google.com/books?id=tx5qrKz6dRMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=twenty+six+reasons+why+jews&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
books.google.com/books?id=tx5qrKz6dRMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=twenty+six+reasons+why+jews&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false
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Noesis
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- It is not always easy to say because, in Judaism, there is no such thing as a Magisterium, and there is instead a wide range of beliefs. Moreover, when an individual Jew subscribes to a belief, he tends to call that the Jewish belief.
- Here is a small sampling of links as to how Jews may argue against the idea that Jesus of Nazareth was the prophesied Messiah.
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Adam95
Guest
Boy are they going to be disappointed.
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Lisa44
Guest
Jews do not believe that God would or could (?) incarnate. He is outside of creation.
I used to have this problem when I met my Catholic husband. I would ask him - How can God be a man?
My husband’s response was God can do anything, he is God.
Jesus can only be understood in the context of Judaism, and that context is that anyone who says they are G-d must be killed.
So right there you have a problem, because if God did incarnate then his creation would kill him.
And its interesting that Jesus, as a Jew knew this. Even if Jesus was an imposter and a fake, he KNOWS that he will be killed for saying or suggesting he is God. So that is tantamount to suicide.
No one would say they were G-d in that culture without getting killed. And THAT is precisely why Jesus had the problems he had. He needed people to recognize him but also *not recognize him if you know what I mean. That is why he tells his disciples - * don’t tell anyone.
Jesus would have to be a mad man to do what he did if he was not God.
But anyways, in Judaism its the greatest heresy for a man to say he is G-d.
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chosen_people
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Devarim - Deuteronomy - Chapter 13
א אֵת כָּל-הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם–אֹתוֹ תִשְׁמְרוּ, לַעֲשׂוֹת: לֹא-תֹסֵף עָלָיו, וְלֹא תִגְרַע מִמֶּנּוּ. {פ}
ב כִּי-יָקוּם בְּקִרְבְּךָ נָבִיא, אוֹ חֹלֵם חֲלוֹם; וְנָתַן אֵלֶיךָ אוֹת, אוֹ מוֹפֵת. ג וּבָא הָאוֹת וְהַמּוֹפֵת, אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר: נֵלְכָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְדַעְתָּם–וְנָעָבְדֵם. ד לֹא תִשְׁמַע, אֶל-דִּבְרֵי הַנָּבִיא הַהוּא, אוֹ אֶל-חוֹלֵם הַחֲלוֹם, הַהוּא: כִּי מְנַסֶּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, אֶתְכֶם, לָדַעַת הֲיִשְׁכֶם אֹהֲבִים אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּכָל-לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁכֶם. ה אַחֲרֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם תֵּלֵכוּ, וְאֹתוֹ תִירָאוּ; וְאֶת-מִצְוֹתָיו תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּבְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ, וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ וּבוֹ תִדְבָּקוּן.
- Everything I command you that you shall be careful to do it. You shall neither add to it, nor subtract from it.
- If there will arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
- and the sign or the wonder of which he spoke to you happens, [and he] says, “Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us worship them,”
- you shall not heed the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream; for the Lord, your God, is testing you, to know whether you really love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.
- You shall follow the Lord, your God, fear Him, keep His commandments, heed His voice, worship Him, and cleave to Him.
God tests the Jews to keep the eternal covenant between Him and the Jewish people. From a Jewish perspective, for a Jew to “believe” in the Jesus figure is a failure of God’s test. While Judaism teaches that it is easier for the Gentile than for the Jew to get into the World to Come as the Gentile has only to uphold the seven Noahide commandments, the penalty of failing God’s test for a Jew is to be separated forever from God in the World to Come.
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Anna_Scott
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GunnerQuick,Theres plenty of writings about Jesus in the Torah, they just don’t mention him by name
As Christians, we start with the belief that Jesus is God, and we interpret the Old Testament through that lens.
My Jewish friends say the New Testament was written with the Hebrew Scriptures open—trying to fit Christ into prophesies.
Your claim that there are plenty of writings in the Torah about Jesus, is a difficult one to prove to one of the Jewish faith. I’m aware of no prophesy that gave any indication that the Messiah would be God or that he would be the only means of salvation.
Answering the Jewish objections to Jesus is not an easy task. Read the links provided by Chosen People; and then answer the objections.
Peace,
Anna
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1voice
Guest
Conversely … why is such a prophecy required?
If the Messiah is God … and it was never mentioned in the Jewish Scriptures (as claimed) … it has no bearing on the fact that God is also the Messiah. The same statement holds true for the fact that the Messiah is the only means of salvation. The fact that they cant find a prophecy does not affirm … nor does it negate the statement.
I have read and heard that some of the leading Rabbis in Israel have studied extensively … and come to the irrefutable conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah … but they will not say anything openly because they fear the firestorm that it would ignite among Jews world wide.
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Anna_Scott
Guest
1voice,
That argument will not hold up with our Jewish brethren, as clearly noted below in Chosen People’s post:
Deuteronomy 6: 4"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
Psalm 146: 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
Numbers 23: 19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
We, Christians, claim Jesus was fully man and fully God. Jesus called Himself the Son of Man. Yet, the Old Testament says that God is one; Israel is not to put their trust in a son of man–in whom there is no salvation; and God is not a man, or a son of man. Surely, you can understand that these passages are problematic, when it comes to the Jew’s acceptance of Christ. How do you explain them?
And how would you respond to Chosen People’s post?
Peace,
Anna
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Petergee
Guest
Some of the modern Jewish Scriptures were written after Jesus, and they say that Jesus’s miracles were the work of the Devil to lead people away from “true” Judaism. (apart from the Resurrection where they say the disciples stole His body, and the virgin birth, where they claim some other bloke who they invented centuries later was the “real” father of Jesus. ) These were the standard Jewish beliefs about Jesus until the late 19th century and still are among orthodox Jews. But after that some Jews began claiming that the miracles were conjuring tricks, or that the disciples simply invented the miracle stories later.
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PazzoGrande
Guest
Can those modern writings really be called Scriptures though? Or are they just opinions that were written down? It would be news to me if the Jews actually believed that theologically.
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