Christian Challenge International

"Ask the Pastor"

We frequently receive questions in email from people about doctrine, practice, etc. From time to time we will post the questions and the answers here on the web page. If you'd like to submit a question, simply email our pastor at Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org or use the form below.

December 21, 2002

> Question:

> dear paster i would like to know why jesus christ is called the son of
> god.... and..........why jews don't believe in jesus as the son of god
> thanx & best regards.. shilpa

Shilpa,

Your first question as to why Jesus is called the Son of God, comes
from the Bible. The prophet Isaiah said, "For a child will be born to
us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His
shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (9:6)

Then we have this: "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He
said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. 'Ask of
Me, and I will surely give the nations [Gentiles] as Your inheritance,
and the very ends of the earth as Your possession." (Psalm 2)

And again, "Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and
you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How
blessed are all who take refuge in Him!" (Psalm 2) The ancient
sages applied these prophecies to Messiah.

When it came time for Messiah to appear, according to the prophet
Daniel, He was born into our world through the womb of the Jewish
girl Miriam. (Mary.) The angel told Miriam not to be afraid, "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called
the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

And so we have the prophets, the sages, and the Hebrew writers of
the New Testament all giving credence to Messiah being the Son of
God. There is much to be said here but I'll limit what I am sharing
to a minimum. (If you have further questions please feel free to
write me.)

Your second question pertains to why Jews don't believe in Jesus
as the Son of God. This is where it helps to know a little history.
The very first believers in Jesus were all Jews. True Biblical
Christianity began as a Jewish religion. If you separate Christianity
from its Hebraic moorings, you no longer have true Christianity.

But the reason many Jewish peoples have had a difficulty with
Jesus being Messiah and Son of God stems from two sources. One
is Jewish. The other is Christian. Before the destruction of the
temple in 70 A.D., Judaism was undergoing great changes. Many of
the Jews had already received Jesus Christ as Messiah, including a
great many priests. But you also had those who did not accept Him.

The destruction of the temple cause a deeper rift between the two
Judaisms. Where there was no temple or sacrifice, there was no
longer a Judaism of Moses and the prophets. For those Jews who
had accepted Jesus Christ as Messiah and Son of God, this was
not a problem. But for those who disbelieved in Jesus, it caused a
great dilemma. Where there was no temple, priesthood, or
sacrifice, there could be no fulfilling the law of Moses. Thus a new
Judaism emerged which became known as Rabbinic Judaism.

One of the tenets of this new Judaism was the rejection of Jesus
Christ as Messiah. (There is also much to be said here, but again
I'll leave it with just the basics.)

Now for the Christians --- After the destruction of the temple in 70
A.D., Jewish believers in Jesus continued as a strong element in the
land of Israel. There was considerable dialogue between the two
Judaisms. Each claimed to be the heir of Moses and the prophets.
But something else was taking place primarily outside the land. A
Gentile Christianity was coming forth that wished to cut itself off
from its Jewish roots. And this is the sad story that many Christians
are still unaware of.

Over time Christianity shifted its power base to Rome. As
Christianity moved further from its Jewish roots, the more it began
to pick up pagan elements. Out of this came a Romanized
Christianity that was hostile to the Jews. But the Roman religion did
not represent true Biblical Christianity. In fact a great many true
Christians as well as Jews, were put to the sword by the Roman
Catholic Church.

What was happening is that Roman Christianity had become so
pagan, that the Jewish leadership began to use this as a
background in distorting who Jesus really was. It has only been in
the last century that Jews began to realize that Jesus and the
apostles were all Jews of the land, and that original Christianity was
Jewish in its heart and soul. Jesus Himself had said that salvation
is from the Jews.

But there is a glad side to all this. The Scriptures taught that the
Messiah would disappear from the Jewish peoples for a time, would
be accepted by the Gentiles, but that in the latter days the Jews
would come to Him. This is exactly what has been happening. The
Jewish peoples are beginning to bring Jesus home. According to
one Jewish rabbi in Jerusalem, more Jews have turned to Jesus in
the last 19 years than in the last 1900 years.

A final thing that is happening is that Jews and Christians are
beginning to look at one another with renewed vision. While the
Jews are taking a long second look at Jesus, the Christians are
longing for a return to their Hebraic roots. And all of this is in accord
with prophecy.

I hope this helps a little.

Blessings,

Buddy

Bro. Buddy Martin - Ask the Pastor

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org