Also, to answer your Q posited, Dr. Brown, I believe belief in Jesus is spiritually given because of this passage:
John 6:41-50 (New International Version)
At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.”
I also believe that if someone sincerely wants to have Salvation from the Father, he/she can find it, receive it, if they seek Him with their whole heart. But it may be that even the desire to seek Him is a gift…
A special drawing for a Jewish person? Very possibly. Since their unbelief is allowing for the fullness of the Gentiles, so their belief will be the harbinger of something heretofore unseen and great. All in God’s good time!
As far as the Jewish objection that God could not appear as a man, what about all the passages in the OT that liken God to a man?
Such as:
Exodus 15:3 (The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society; Leonard S. Davidow, c. 1960)
“The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name.”
Isaiah 42:13 (Ibid.)
“The LORD will go forth as a mighty man, He will stir up jealousy like a man of war; He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against His enemies.”
Zechariah 14:3-4 (Ibid.)
“Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fighteth in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east…”
I believe that Yeshua appeared in the Tanach on several occasions in which I was worshipped and even incense was burnt to Him.
In Genesis 18 we can see that Abraham greeted the Lord by bowing and making reverence to Him. In this chapter Lord (ADONAI) is in all caps which would mean that it was God as man speaking to Abraham. In Genesis 32 we can find another reference when Jacob wrestled with “a man”. After being blessed Jacob named that place P’ni-El [face of God] and said “Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared.”. So why would he say that he saw God? I believe that he saw God as man, Yeshua. In Joshua 5 we also find that when Joshua saw the man “that standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand” and came to the realization that it was Yeshua, he bowed and worshiped. If it were have been just a “regular” servant of God or an angel, they would have opposed his worship, but he didn’t; why? Because He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. With out going into much detail, we can also see in Judges 13 that Yeshua presented himself to Manoah and his wife . Yeshua even suggested a burnt offering that was accepted and then ascended up in the flames; then Manoah and his wife realized who they had been in front of, Yeshua. I personally don’t know what Jewish arguments could be given to these verses…yet, but I think that Dr. Brown addresses them in his Answering Jewish Objections: Volumes (which I have yet to purchase).
Many Blessings
Raul
Thanks for bringing those passages up, Raul. And I know I have read others verses in the past (in the OT) which have also made me wonder along those very lines.
Usually the passage Jews will reference is:
Numbers 23:19 (NIV)
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
The context appears to be — men can lie, change their minds (be capricious), and abrogate their promises — but God does none of that. It has more to do with comparing the human qualities of sin (lying, breaking covenant) with divine qualities of truthfulness, dependability, and the reliability of His word.
But I’ve noticed the part of the sentence, “God is not a man” is what’s taken from that mostly. Yes, God is NOT a man in the ordinary sense of that word. He came as a “sinless man” — not as an ordinary one!
Just to comment on another area from this program, Chiropractic, I accepted your answer to the question, however, what of network “Chiropractic” where the supposed practicioners of this claimed art or science manipulate the auras of the bodies of their clients? It may be best to qualify which school of Chriopractic your questioner was speaking of. Of course, here in Boulder, we have every imaginable supposed Eastern belief undergirdment to many many claims of an enlightened observation about this or that. Often it is in relationship to supposed spiritual attributes given to nature or aspects or created parts of nature. I first encountered network Chiropractic about 20 years ago here, so it is not a new understanding, it would line up with some of the new orders ordaining so-called Rabbis as well in New Age outlooks, often masks for Eastern philosophy.
Can you imagine paying someone %50.00 to move their hands around you six inches to a foot or so from your body, and manipulate your aura??????
It seems to me that the reasons anyone who does not believe Jesus is the Christ are the same for all no matter if they are Jew, Gentile, Hindu, Muslim, Doctor, Lawyer, Plumber, Brick layer, Librarian, or combination thereof. Even if he was a Jewish, sushi eating, yoga teaching, chiropractor, it’s all the same.
The reasons are likely along these lines, such as going about to establish one’s own righteousness, and not submitting to the righteousness of God, rebellion, pride, etc, it’s all the same reasons for all, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God as the scripture has said.
One reason that was given on the program as to why so many Jews do not believe Jesus is the Christ is that they do not accept the Tri-unity of God.
I suppose some people came to God that way, but I came to Jesus as a child who heard of Jesus as the Son of God, the good shepherd who died on a cross for my sins and the sins of the whole world. At that time I knew nothing of the word Trinity, nor the word Tri-unity, something that I heard much later.
The Tri-unity doctrine might just be a stubling block some Jews don’t need to hear. It might be something that keeps them from Jesus.
Another man might think that as long as a person rejects the benefits of chiropractic medicine, he will never come to Jesus and spend his time trying to fix that problem that he believes people have.
Can a man believe that it’s impossible for God to become a man who dies on a cross for the sins of the world, and still be saved?
I believe it’s entirely possible. In fact, isn’t it simply not possible with God? Hasn’t he already sent his Son Jesus who did all that for God’s glory, having done it for God? There are things God will not do such as dishonoring his Son and the work that he did for the Father.
It seems to me that every Trinitarian should know this and not be ashamed to say so. So if Jesus is going to be God in their witnessing of the gospel, it will have to be in some other way.
I think it would do many people good to think about that. If they know it, can and will they communicate it, and if so, how well will they do it? Let’s also think about how effective it will be.
So, let’s see now, how many ways is Jesus God? Can we count the ways?
There is a force field around the human body, which could be called an energy field.
If you rub your hands together until they are warm, and then hold that warmth with your two palms cupping each other, you will soon feel a ball of heat.
When you then hold your hand (and I should add that first you must begin with prayer to the True God) — when you hold your hand over that person’s body about 2 or 3 inches away, and you scan the body with your flat, open hand, any ‘cold’ spots you will feel from the body will be the areas where the circulation is poor. Wherever the circulation is poor, there is likely a problem, because blood brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells. If it can’t bring those to an area, the area will suffer some decline.
So, scanning in this way, and finding the ‘cold’ spots on the body, is an effective diagnostic tool in massage. I was taught this by a gifted massage therapist, and when I rub my mother or sister, use it to know where the problem areas are, increasing circulation through massage, as well as healing, if God so wills. Beginning with sincere prayer, healing can flow. What I’ve also found is that the pain is always where the ‘cold’ spots are.
Energy, like water, does collect and dispurse and it sometimes needs to be adjusted. Just like when you add some salt to your mouth and rinse it before having something sweet and the sweetness then becomes clearer and sharper, so when your hands are warm, coldness can be detected, even without touching the body — it is constantly emanating from the body.
One should be careful, though, I think, whom one allows in that close proximity and use discernment.
Ray,
When you wrote, “In fact, isn’t it simply not possible with God?” did you actually mean “not impossible” ?
Just wanting some clarification there…thanks
Found this link especially helpful today regarding OT descriptions of Messiah as God.
Re: Jesus as God, I wrote extensively about this in vol. 2 of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus.
I just got Vol. 1, but that’s next…(o:
Dr. Brown, Could you please explain how Isaiah 53 would be explained in context? How would this relate to Jesus? For context, this really needs to start from around chapter 41 or 42, and ends several chapters later.
Especially chapter 54, where there is hope to those oppressed, specifically 54.17 – “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.”
I notice that it states servants, however later in the subsequent chapters it states that those gathered of Israel will be added to by ‘strangers’ that keep the sabbath and keeps their hands from doing evil (Isaiah 56.6-8) and from chapter 54 onward, there seems to be a change from a collective personification of ‘him’ as the nation of Israel to language that shows how inclusive these statements are by defining ‘him’.
I have grown up as a Christian and have always believed this to be about Jesus until I actually read it during my yearly reading of the scriptures (interestingly, while fasting and praying). Several things baffled me as to how this one can apply and not the ‘frame’ that it was given in the scriptures. I have read several commentaries, Christian and Jewish, and nothing explains it better or more plainly than the text itself. The problem that I have right now is that it seems that the way this is taken out of context tries to force Jesus into the mold…so much so, that the New Testament also frames it in that fashion (as it does with several other prophecies it claims were fulfilled). I am currently trying to prove Jesus using the Hebrew scriptures and it is difficult to do unless you believe that there is always an additional meaning to everything.
Please Dr. Brown, explain this using the context…otherwise, it could really mean anything you want it to if you frame it right. Thanks, Jeremy
Jeremy,
I’m actually going to be talking about Isaiah 53 on the show today (Monday), but I have treated it in depth (along with other Messianic prophecies) in vol. 3 of my series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, along with in my Isaiah 53 debate with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. If you don’t have these resources (especially the book), I strongly encourage you to get them. It looks like you need to understand some broader principles of Messianic prophecy in general, so the book will help you a lot.
Which principles of Messianic prophecy? Are there any other references I could find on these principles?
Further note, I have also listened to several of your discussions on this topic, including your debate w/ Rabbi Singer. Never once did I hear this scripture placed in context other than by the Rabbi. Also, when Rabbi Singer asked about Zechariah 13, you state he was taking it out of context despite Jesus’ own words in Matthew 26 and Mark 14 placing these verses on himself. IF placed in context, this would render Jesus a false-prophet and worthless shepherd (Zechariah 11.17 – Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword [shall be] upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened…why is ‘idol’ used here?) Zechariah 11.12 is also claimed for the price of Jesus (thirty pieces of silver) and Christians consider chapter 12 speaking of his piercing (although, this is likely Josiah being referred to here as in 2 Chronicles 35 in the Valley of Megiddo). It also says “me” and “him”, so it cannot be the same person. Also, in chapter 14, the fountain that is opened from 13.1 is defined: “And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” It doesn’t stop there, including in 14.16 – “And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles,” which according to what has been said (even in recent broadcasts) is not relevant similarly to the dietary laws, etc, but there will be plagues upon those that do not observe this.
If you would be so kind as to explain this in context and how it applies to Jesus, I would appreciate it. From where I sit, this only furthers some issues, especially since Jesus speaks of striking the shepherd and referring to himself.
Please understand, I am trying to find Jesus here, but I am finding something totally different if placed in context. I have been in the church for 30 years, especially dedicating the last 10 years to Jesus, so I am well invested in the gospel…but right now, reading these verses as they are written make me feel as if I just found out my “father” is not really my father. I have planned on buying your books, but I am waiting to see what kind of answers are provided here first. Where can I find the debate w/ Rabbi Boteach? Thanks, Jeremy
Jeremy,
Unfortunately, I’m not able to respond to the vast majority of posts and emails, but I assure you all this is addressed — and more — in vol. 3 of my series. Nothing magical or mysterious. Just attention to the Word in context. You can find the debate with Rabbi Boteach in the Online Bookstore at AskDrBrown.org.
I also encourage you to call into the show, where I’m able to field a lot more questions.
Ruth, Yes, I have read about and seen visuals on the body’s energy field, but translating that into a manipulatable reality by practicioners of health interventions seems highly doubtful. Is there something I am missing?
..into a manipulable reality…
Hi Jabez,
I’m not a massage therapist and I’m ignorant of the techniques used. A good friend was and showed me that one diagnostic. I once looked into massage school as a way to make a living, and noticed that techniques from different philosophical disciplines are usually combined in the curriculum.
My intense search for God was not satisfied in Eastern religion, and so I remain very wary of those influences. [I found Him when I started reading the Bible in earnest, beginning with the Old Testament. I started with a beautifully-illustrated Jewish Bible that I bought at a thrift shop, and speaking of Isaiah 53, when I got to it, I knew in my heart, it was describing Jesus. Above the chapter, the editors had composed a heading in bold script which read, “Israel suffers for the Lord”. But after I read it, I crossed out “Israel” and wrote “Jesus” and where it said “for the Lord,” I wrote, “for all our sins” because I just knew it was about Him. Coming to a genuine faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I could see where that did not mesh with New Age hybrids of paganism.]
My Mom always says she feels as if a “weight” has been lifted off of her when I massage her. I just try to increase circulation because that alone brings physical healing to the region, but I always hope and pray that God will also touch [them] in a way that only He knows to do. I can’t say what really happens on an energy level; she feels lighter, I get very tired — so much so that I know I couldn’t possibly do that for a living! But people trained in massage no doubt would have an explanation for “auric combing” and the like. Again, I’d urge discernment before allowing anyone to “manipulate energies.”
Ruth, You were touching your Mom’s body, not her aura, correct? I went through a very brief period of examining Eastern religion, not hard to do in Boulder. What I got out of it was a back door entry into Christian centering prayer, where one memorizes a positive scriptural passage, sits still somewhere with eyes closed, and slowly repeats the passage in their mind. I used St. Francis’ Prayer for many years with trials that otherwise may have undone equilibrium. The warmth planted within was worth the time.
One thing stands out in all the above–and I know what it is to be bone tired, as I was a carpenter for over a decade–and that is that folks need relief, healing, by some sense of sharing the pressures and tests of life. I had a cabin for a season in these Rockies, which had a tower attached to it. I would sit on the open top of it in the affirming sun, and repeat the prayers and passages memorized s l o w l y, word by word within (dropping like pearlys into a still pond).
It is amazing what is stimulated when such is practiced, creative ideas, affirmations from the Father, and release.
Ruth, in answer to your question in #9 I meant “not possible” to mean “impossible”. What I was saying is that it is impossible for God to become a man and die on a cross for the sins of the world because for him to do that, would be a violation of the gospel and God can not sin. Since Jesus already did that for God there is no need for God to do such a thing.
I suppose if Jesus were to have failed in his mission on this earth, that it might be that the Father would have done it himself.
Jabez, I like your description of centering prayer very much…
“…Most of the following is taken from Arnold Fruchtembaum’s book ‘Messianic Christology’. Some verses show that the Messiah would also be God… other verses show that He cannot simply be a man.
1. Isaiah 9:6 ‘For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;’
This child which is born is called El-Gibbor, which as I’m sure you know is ‘Mighty God’ and is never used of a man. Avi-Ad is literally ‘Father of Eternity’ and could never describe a mere man. Some quotes for you…
In the Targum of Isaiah we read: “His name has been called from old, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, He who lives forever, the Anointed One (Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us.”
Midrash Mishle, S. Buber edition: The Messiah is called by eight names: Yinnon, Tzemah, Pele [“Miracle”], Yo’etz [“Counselor”], Mashiah [“Messiah”], El [“God”], Gibbor [“Hero”], and Avi ‘Ad Shalom [“Eternal Father of Peace”]
The great rabbi Ibn Ezra said: There are some interpreters who say that ‘wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father’ are the names of God, and that only ‘prince of peace’ is the name of the child. But according to my view, the right interpretation is that they are all the names of the child. (Walter Riggans, Yeshua Ben David [Wowborough, East Sussex; MARC, 1995], p. 370)
Clearly, if this was the only verse, it shows that this child is called God. The Rabbis called the Messiah by the name ‘God’.
2. Jeremiah 23:5-6 ‘The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
The Messiah is given the name of God alone. YHWH. Jehovah. The Midrash on Proverbs 19:21 says ‘Rabbi Hunah said ‘Eight names are given to the Messiah which are Yinnon, Shiloh, David, Menachem, Jehovah, Justi de Nostra, Tzemmach, Elias.’
The Midrash on Lam 1:16 says ‘What is the name of the Messiah? Rav Ava ben Kahanna said ‘Jehovah is his name and this is proved by, ‘this is his name… [quoting Jer 23:6].’
So this passage and these Rabbinic quotes show that the Messiah was called Jehovah. No mere man would ever be called by God’s name.”
?
I will note that in this Jewish Bible, at Jeremiah 23:6,it is written:
…And this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD is our righteousness.
[And not “The LORD our righteousness.”] I am left wondering which it is:
The LORD our righteousness OR The LORD is our righteousness
Amazing what one little word [is] can do to change the meaning of a sentence.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible also has, “The LORD is our righteousness.”
I love the the meaning of that. “The LORD is our righteousness” — because it describes perfectly the imputed righteousness by grace through our Messiah’s atonement.
HE is our righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21-25 (NKJV) “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
No matter how obedient to the Law we might strive to be, we still cannot justify ourselves before God’s perfect holiness. We are hopelessly unrighteous. His substitutionary sacrifice for our sin allows us the righteousness of God.
Now, going back to the phrase — not including the “is” turns that phrase most definitively into a personal name, the personal name of LORD or YHWH (The LORD our righteousness), when two other versions have it as essentially, “The LORD [or YHWH] is our righteousness.”
In both versions, though, all glory is still given to the Father through His Messiah.
I believe one of the things Jesus taught us was how to worship the Father. Fleshing out the perfect son role for us to see so that we would have the perfect example of the devoted, clear-headed and single-minded son always about his Father’s business.
Dr. Brown, you wrote a commentary on Jeremiah – which I’ll get someday, God willing!
Will you clear up what the original language says there at Jeremiah 23:6?
Is it:
The LORD is our righteousness
OR
The LORD Our righteousness
?
Thank you!
How about this…let’s look directly at what the passage says:
1) First, who is speaking? The Nations! Not the church or Israel. If it was Israel, you could make more of an argument for Jesus. 2) Nothing to desire, rejected, despised, not esteemed. This does not sound to me like the flocks of people around Jesus…sure, there were a few that the New Testament describes that hated Jesus, but that what described as a minority. 3) A man of sorrows and SICKNESS, DISEASE: the word used for ‘pain’ in a lot of translations is transliterated as ‘choliy’. Jesus was not sickly or diseased as described in the NT 4) “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” AGAIN, who is speaking?? The nations…Israel suffered for THEIR sins 5) “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth”
Was this Jesus?? NOT SO: Matthew 26.39 – “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].”
Mark 15.34 – “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
When questioned by Pilate in John 18.36-37, he makes an argument that he is not an earthly king, so the government should have no problems with him.
6) Done no violence? Explain Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 2 Or Matthew 10.34, Luke 22.36 One of the worst being the words of Jesus in Luke 19.27: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.” (This one was alarming to me)
7) 53.10 – crush him…make him ill/sick/diseased? Grief = chalah. The offering for sin – repentance, which as a result allows him to prolong his days and see his children (seed – zera…for a better understanding of this word vs. ‘ben’ see Genesis 15.3. ‘ben’ is often used as a characterization such as “son of God”, etc, but zera is used as physical seed/children)
8) Prolong his days? I’ve read commentaries that claims this is the eternal life of Jesus, but I have one question…If Jesus was always eternal, how can you prolong his days?
9) 53.11 – by his KNOWLEDGE shall my righteous servant justify many…why does this not say His Blood?
10) If you put this all in context, it makes sense. How can Isaiah 40-52 be about Israel, 53 about Jesus, and then 54-66 be about Israel again? That doesn’t make sense.
You’re right, no magic in what the text states…but the context is very revealing.
Jeremy,
I addressed all of this in detail in vol. 3, but it appears you have an agenda in posting here rather than wanting to hear the truth. If you want to post weak, old ,counter-missionary arguments, you’ll need to find another place to do it. If you want the truth, get vol. 3 and read it carefully. And if you have the slightest bit of courage in your views, call into my program and raise these arguments — which the text totally refutes — and we’ll let our listening audience hear the truth.
But your disingenuous posting will have to find another outlet rather than here.
Dr. Brown, I have no agenda, I’m just trying to find the truth…no rabbinic teachings, no christian commentaries, no missionary or counter-missionary propaganda, just pure unadulterated scripture.
I found your site/podcasts because I was searching. God led me to searching out Messianic Jewish teachings, etc, and by doing so I found you and a few other references that made complete sense…at first. I have even taken your advise in apologetics: consider the weight of the objection. The weight is this: if christianity is right, then I continue as I have for 30 years; if not, then it is idolatry and I must reject it. I’m not just some simple believer…I’m a preacher. Although I am young in a ministry (about 5 years), I have had comments that I when I speak there is authority and power in the word I deliver…strangely, the majority of my messages were more OT and I never realized it until I reviewed my notes…sure, there was a lot of NT used in my messages, but it was not the majority.
Dr. Brown, I know you are limited in what you can post here, most likely due to a contract w/ your publisher, and I understand that…can you find anything above that you can comment directly? Correct my interpretations of the original Hebrew or something. I have studied and prayed, and I respect especially your opinion, that is why I post and I am very disappointed when “I have questions” and can only get the answer of buying a book.
With all respect, I appreciate your work and I am searching. If you only knew what all this means to me…with what I’m finding right now, I will be giving up quite a lot of time, sweat, tears, study, prayerful seeking…I am currently a man of sorrows, feeling as if my whole life was a lie. Do you know how many souls I have turned to Jesus? Before I was preaching, I was a youth minister and within a year we increased the youth by 30!! All of this while my job at the time was requiring 100+ hrs per week (salary)…I have put everything on the line…so much so, that when I felt my calling was going a certain direction, my wife almost left me because it wasn’t comfortable. I’m not saying this to have you feel sorry for me, but give you an idea of who I am and to abate any thoughts of an agenda.
If this is the wrong place for me, then I will accept that and continue searching. Respectfully, Jeremy
Jeremy,
We receive thousands of emails and there are thousands of posts here, not to mention all the counter-missionary forums — that’s why I wrote the books and put out a 22 hour DVD series to answer the objections.
So, you’ve come to the right place but not the right format. If you can’t afford the book, we’ll gladly send it to you. For the introductory answers, go to http://realmessiah.askdrbrown.org/Messianic_Objections, beginning with objection 4.5.
You can also email my assistant Ryan Lambert at ryan@realmessiah.com. He’ll be more than glad to help you in your search for truth.
I certainly apologize for thinking you had an agenda in posting your comments. When I saw the standard, old, easily-answered, counter-missionary objections (which have been refuted time and again), it made me wonder.
So, take advantage of the resources we have and that should clarify everything for you. I can assure you, having dedicated much of the last 40 years to answering these very issues, that the truth of Jesus stands absolutely firm.
There is no eastern or any strange philosophy in Chiropractic. It is based on realignment of the spine and not some aura. There maybe some Chiropractors who have added eastern mysticism to their practice but many believing Chiropractors I know (most from Palmer’s were never involved with these philosophies.
Ruth, in answer to your question of #22, I’m not going to go through somebody’s website right now.
I heard that the Lord Jesus’s name means “God with us.” That’s a good name. I’m glad his name doesn’t mean “God with him.”, even though that too would be a good name.
I’m glad the interpretation of Emmanuel is “God with us.” instead of “God with him.”, on account o’, I might o’, kind o’, sort o’….felt left out.
Sarcasm and trivialization, Ray?
Re:#29, traditional Chiropractic is as you describe it to be. I suggest you google “network chriopractic,” Here is one site, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-network-chiropractic.htm. The underlying philosophy is openly quoted in the article. There are many offices of this persuasion FYI.
PS I have in the past observed what I described being administered, per se. Here is a quote from the article, “NSA chiropractors hold the philosophy that the spine is a channel of energy that connects individual consciousness to planetary consciousness”. Some assoicates have been observed respecting the application of crystals for “planetary consciousness pure energy administration.” FYI there are also many types of Rabbis in our post modern world, with their own accrediting associations as well.
I will have to search for an answer to my question regarding which version is the original language in Jeremiah 23:6?
Is it:
“The LORD is our righteousness”
OR
“The LORD Our righteousness.”
I must know. Both versions exist, and the “is” matters in terms of meaning. If I find out, I’ll share.
Ruth — I write about this in my Jeremiah commentary. The more likely translation would use “is.”
I’m still listening to this, but here’s an interesting link from Aish re: Why….
http://www.aish.com/jw/s/48892792.html
Also, to answer your Q posited, Dr. Brown, I believe belief in Jesus is spiritually given because of this passage:
John 6:41-50 (New International Version)
At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.”
I also believe that if someone sincerely wants to have Salvation from the Father, he/she can find it, receive it, if they seek Him with their whole heart. But it may be that even the desire to seek Him is a gift…
A special drawing for a Jewish person? Very possibly. Since their unbelief is allowing for the fullness of the Gentiles, so their belief will be the harbinger of something heretofore unseen and great. All in God’s good time!
As far as the Jewish objection that God could not appear as a man, what about all the passages in the OT that liken God to a man?
Such as:
Exodus 15:3 (The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society; Leonard S. Davidow, c. 1960)
“The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name.”
Isaiah 42:13 (Ibid.)
“The LORD will go forth as a mighty man, He will stir up jealousy like a man of war; He will cry, yea, He will shout aloud, He will prove Himself mighty against His enemies.”
Zechariah 14:3-4 (Ibid.)
“Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fighteth in the day of battle. And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east…”
I believe that Yeshua appeared in the Tanach on several occasions in which I was worshipped and even incense was burnt to Him.
In Genesis 18 we can see that Abraham greeted the Lord by bowing and making reverence to Him. In this chapter Lord (ADONAI) is in all caps which would mean that it was God as man speaking to Abraham.
In Genesis 32 we can find another reference when Jacob wrestled with “a man”. After being blessed Jacob named that place P’ni-El [face of God] and said “Because I have seen God face to face, yet my life is spared.”. So why would he say that he saw God? I believe that he saw God as man, Yeshua.
In Joshua 5 we also find that when Joshua saw the man “that standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand” and came to the realization that it was Yeshua, he bowed and worshiped. If it were have been just a “regular” servant of God or an angel, they would have opposed his worship, but he didn’t; why? Because He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
With out going into much detail, we can also see in Judges 13 that Yeshua presented himself to Manoah and his wife . Yeshua even suggested a burnt offering that was accepted and then ascended up in the flames; then Manoah and his wife realized who they had been in front of, Yeshua.
I personally don’t know what Jewish arguments could be given to these verses…yet, but I think that Dr. Brown addresses them in his Answering Jewish Objections: Volumes (which I have yet to purchase).
Many Blessings
Raul
Thanks for bringing those passages up, Raul. And I know I have read others verses in the past (in the OT) which have also made me wonder along those very lines.
Usually the passage Jews will reference is:
Numbers 23:19 (NIV)
“God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?”
The context appears to be — men can lie, change their minds (be capricious), and abrogate their promises — but God does none of that. It has more to do with comparing the human qualities of sin (lying, breaking covenant) with divine qualities of truthfulness, dependability, and the reliability of His word.
But I’ve noticed the part of the sentence, “God is not a man” is what’s taken from that mostly.
Yes, God is NOT a man in the ordinary sense of that word. He came as a “sinless man” — not as an ordinary one!
Just to comment on another area from this program, Chiropractic, I accepted your answer to the question, however, what of network “Chiropractic” where the supposed practicioners of this claimed art or science manipulate the auras of the bodies of their clients? It may be best to qualify which school of Chriopractic your questioner was speaking of. Of course, here in Boulder, we have every imaginable supposed Eastern belief undergirdment to many many claims of an enlightened observation about this or that. Often it is in relationship to supposed spiritual attributes given to nature or aspects or created parts of nature. I first encountered network Chiropractic about 20 years ago here, so it is not a new understanding, it would line up with some of the new orders ordaining so-called Rabbis as well in New Age outlooks, often masks for Eastern philosophy.
Can you imagine paying someone %50.00 to move their hands around you six inches to a foot or so from your body, and manipulate your aura??????
It seems to me that the reasons anyone who does not believe Jesus is the Christ are the same for all no matter if they are Jew, Gentile, Hindu, Muslim, Doctor, Lawyer, Plumber, Brick layer, Librarian, or combination thereof. Even if he was a Jewish, sushi eating, yoga teaching, chiropractor, it’s all the same.
The reasons are likely along these lines, such as going about to establish one’s own righteousness, and not submitting to the righteousness of God, rebellion, pride, etc, it’s all the same reasons for all, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God as the scripture has said.
One reason that was given on the program as to why so many Jews do not believe Jesus is the Christ is that they do not accept the Tri-unity of God.
I suppose some people came to God that way, but I came to Jesus as a child who heard of Jesus as the Son of God, the good shepherd who died on a cross for my sins and the sins of the whole world.
At that time I knew nothing of the word Trinity, nor the word Tri-unity, something that I heard much later.
The Tri-unity doctrine might just be a stubling block some Jews don’t need to hear. It might be something that keeps them from Jesus.
Another man might think that as long as a person rejects the benefits of chiropractic medicine, he will never come to Jesus and spend his time trying to fix that problem that he believes people have.
Can a man believe that it’s impossible for God to become a man who dies on a cross for the sins of the world, and still be saved?
I believe it’s entirely possible. In fact, isn’t it simply not possible with God? Hasn’t he already sent his Son Jesus who did all that for God’s glory, having done it for God? There are things God will not do such as dishonoring his Son and the work that he did for the Father.
It seems to me that every Trinitarian should know this and not be ashamed to say so. So if Jesus is going to be God in their witnessing of the gospel, it will have to be in some other way.
I think it would do many people good to think about that. If they know it, can and will they communicate it, and if so, how well will they do it? Let’s also think about how effective it will be.
So, let’s see now, how many ways is Jesus God?
Can we count the ways?
There is a force field around the human body, which could be called an energy field.
If you rub your hands together until they are warm, and then hold that warmth with your two palms cupping each other, you will soon feel a ball of heat.
When you then hold your hand (and I should add that first you must begin with prayer to the True God) — when you hold your hand over that person’s body about 2 or 3 inches away, and you scan the body with your flat, open hand, any ‘cold’ spots you will feel from the body will be the areas where the circulation is poor. Wherever the circulation is poor, there is likely a problem, because blood brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells. If it can’t bring those to an area, the area will suffer some decline.
So, scanning in this way, and finding the ‘cold’ spots on the body, is an effective diagnostic tool in massage. I was taught this by a gifted massage therapist, and when I rub my mother or sister, use it to know where the problem areas are, increasing circulation through massage, as well as healing, if God so wills. Beginning with sincere prayer, healing can flow. What I’ve also found is that the pain is always where the ‘cold’ spots are.
Energy, like water, does collect and dispurse and it sometimes needs to be adjusted. Just like when you add some salt to your mouth and rinse it before having something sweet and the sweetness then becomes clearer and sharper, so when your hands are warm, coldness can be detected, even without touching the body — it is constantly emanating from the body.
One should be careful, though, I think, whom one allows in that close proximity and use discernment.
Ray,
When you wrote, “In fact, isn’t it simply not possible with God?” did you actually mean “not impossible” ?
Just wanting some clarification there…thanks
Found this link especially helpful today regarding OT descriptions of Messiah as God.
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/JesusisGod.htm
Re: Jesus as God, I wrote extensively about this in vol. 2 of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus.
I just got Vol. 1, but that’s next…(o:
Dr. Brown,
Could you please explain how Isaiah 53 would be explained in context? How would this relate to Jesus? For context, this really needs to start from around chapter 41 or 42, and ends several chapters later.
Especially chapter 54, where there is hope to those oppressed, specifically 54.17 – “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.”
I notice that it states servants, however later in the subsequent chapters it states that those gathered of Israel will be added to by ‘strangers’ that keep the sabbath and keeps their hands from doing evil (Isaiah 56.6-8) and from chapter 54 onward, there seems to be a change from a collective personification of ‘him’ as the nation of Israel to language that shows how inclusive these statements are by defining ‘him’.
I have grown up as a Christian and have always believed this to be about Jesus until I actually read it during my yearly reading of the scriptures (interestingly, while fasting and praying). Several things baffled me as to how this one can apply and not the ‘frame’ that it was given in the scriptures. I have read several commentaries, Christian and Jewish, and nothing explains it better or more plainly than the text itself. The problem that I have right now is that it seems that the way this is taken out of context tries to force Jesus into the mold…so much so, that the New Testament also frames it in that fashion (as it does with several other prophecies it claims were fulfilled).
I am currently trying to prove Jesus using the Hebrew scriptures and it is difficult to do unless you believe that there is always an additional meaning to everything.
Please Dr. Brown, explain this using the context…otherwise, it could really mean anything you want it to if you frame it right.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Jeremy,
I’m actually going to be talking about Isaiah 53 on the show today (Monday), but I have treated it in depth (along with other Messianic prophecies) in vol. 3 of my series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, along with in my Isaiah 53 debate with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. If you don’t have these resources (especially the book), I strongly encourage you to get them. It looks like you need to understand some broader principles of Messianic prophecy in general, so the book will help you a lot.
Which principles of Messianic prophecy? Are there any other references I could find on these principles?
Further note, I have also listened to several of your discussions on this topic, including your debate w/ Rabbi Singer. Never once did I hear this scripture placed in context other than by the Rabbi. Also, when Rabbi Singer asked about Zechariah 13, you state he was taking it out of context despite Jesus’ own words in Matthew 26 and Mark 14 placing these verses on himself. IF placed in context, this would render Jesus a false-prophet and worthless shepherd (Zechariah 11.17 – Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword [shall be] upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened…why is ‘idol’ used here?) Zechariah 11.12 is also claimed for the price of Jesus (thirty pieces of silver) and Christians consider chapter 12 speaking of his piercing (although, this is likely Josiah being referred to here as in 2 Chronicles 35 in the Valley of Megiddo). It also says “me” and “him”, so it cannot be the same person. Also, in chapter 14, the fountain that is opened from 13.1 is defined: “And it shall be in that day, [that] living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” It doesn’t stop there, including in 14.16 – “And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles,” which according to what has been said (even in recent broadcasts) is not relevant similarly to the dietary laws, etc, but there will be plagues upon those that do not observe this.
If you would be so kind as to explain this in context and how it applies to Jesus, I would appreciate it. From where I sit, this only furthers some issues, especially since Jesus speaks of striking the shepherd and referring to himself.
Please understand, I am trying to find Jesus here, but I am finding something totally different if placed in context. I have been in the church for 30 years, especially dedicating the last 10 years to Jesus, so I am well invested in the gospel…but right now, reading these verses as they are written make me feel as if I just found out my “father” is not really my father. I have planned on buying your books, but I am waiting to see what kind of answers are provided here first. Where can I find the debate w/ Rabbi Boteach?
Thanks,
Jeremy
Jeremy,
Unfortunately, I’m not able to respond to the vast majority of posts and emails, but I assure you all this is addressed — and more — in vol. 3 of my series. Nothing magical or mysterious. Just attention to the Word in context. You can find the debate with Rabbi Boteach in the Online Bookstore at AskDrBrown.org.
I also encourage you to call into the show, where I’m able to field a lot more questions.
Ruth, Yes, I have read about and seen visuals on the body’s energy field, but translating that into a manipulatable reality by practicioners of health interventions seems highly doubtful. Is there something I am missing?
..into a manipulable reality…
Hi Jabez,
I’m not a massage therapist and I’m ignorant of the techniques used. A good friend was and showed me that one diagnostic. I once looked into massage school as a way to make a living, and noticed that techniques from different philosophical disciplines are usually combined in the curriculum.
My intense search for God was not satisfied in Eastern religion, and so I remain very wary of those influences. [I found Him when I started reading the Bible in earnest, beginning with the Old Testament. I started with a beautifully-illustrated Jewish Bible that I bought at a thrift shop, and speaking of Isaiah 53, when I got to it, I knew in my heart, it was describing Jesus. Above the chapter, the editors had composed a heading in bold script which read, “Israel suffers for the Lord”. But after I read it, I crossed out “Israel” and wrote “Jesus” and where it said “for the Lord,” I wrote, “for all our sins” because I just knew it was about Him. Coming to a genuine faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I could see where that did not mesh with New Age hybrids of paganism.]
My Mom always says she feels as if a “weight” has been lifted off of her when I massage her. I just try to increase circulation because that alone brings physical healing to the region, but I always hope and pray that God will also touch [them] in a way that only He knows to do. I can’t say what really happens on an energy level; she feels lighter, I get very tired — so much so that I know I couldn’t possibly do that for a living! But people trained in massage no doubt would have an explanation for “auric combing” and the like. Again, I’d urge discernment before allowing anyone to “manipulate energies.”
Ruth, You were touching your Mom’s body, not her aura, correct? I went through a very brief period of examining Eastern religion, not hard to do in Boulder. What I got out of it was a back door entry into Christian centering prayer, where one memorizes a positive scriptural passage, sits still somewhere with eyes closed, and slowly repeats the passage in their mind. I used St. Francis’ Prayer for many years with trials that otherwise may have undone equilibrium. The warmth planted within was worth the time.
One thing stands out in all the above–and I know what it is to be bone tired, as I was a carpenter for over a decade–and that is that folks need relief, healing, by some sense of sharing the pressures and tests of life. I had a cabin for a season in these Rockies, which had a tower attached to it. I would sit on the open top of it in the affirming sun, and repeat the prayers and passages memorized s l o w l y, word by word within (dropping like pearlys into a still pond).
It is amazing what is stimulated when such is practiced, creative ideas, affirmations from the Father, and release.
Ruth, in answer to your question in #9 I meant “not possible” to mean “impossible”. What I was saying is that it is impossible for God to become a man and die on a cross for the sins of the world because for him to do that, would be a violation of the gospel and God can not sin. Since Jesus already did that for God there is no need for God to do such a thing.
I suppose if Jesus were to have failed in his mission on this earth, that it might be that the Father would have done it himself.
Jabez, I like your description of centering prayer very much…
Ray, if Jesus was not God, what would you make of the names by which the Messiah is called? From the website:
http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/JesusisGod.htm
“…Most of the following is taken from Arnold Fruchtembaum’s book ‘Messianic Christology’.
Some verses show that the Messiah would also be God… other verses show that He cannot simply be a man.
1. Isaiah 9:6 ‘For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us; and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbor-Abi-ad-sar-shalom;’
This child which is born is called El-Gibbor, which as I’m sure you know is ‘Mighty God’ and is never used of a man. Avi-Ad is literally ‘Father of Eternity’ and could never describe a mere man. Some quotes for you…
In the Targum of Isaiah we read: “His name has been called from old, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, He who lives forever, the Anointed One (Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us.”
Midrash Mishle, S. Buber edition: The Messiah is called by eight names: Yinnon, Tzemah, Pele [“Miracle”], Yo’etz [“Counselor”], Mashiah [“Messiah”], El [“God”], Gibbor [“Hero”], and Avi ‘Ad Shalom [“Eternal Father of Peace”]
The great rabbi Ibn Ezra said: There are some interpreters who say that ‘wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father’ are the names of God, and that only ‘prince of peace’ is the name of the child. But according to my view, the right interpretation is that they are all the names of the child. (Walter Riggans, Yeshua Ben David [Wowborough, East Sussex; MARC, 1995], p. 370)
Clearly, if this was the only verse, it shows that this child is called God. The Rabbis called the Messiah by the name ‘God’.
2. Jeremiah 23:5-6 ‘The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
The Messiah is given the name of God alone. YHWH. Jehovah. The Midrash on Proverbs 19:21 says ‘Rabbi Hunah said ‘Eight names are given to the Messiah which are Yinnon, Shiloh, David, Menachem, Jehovah, Justi de Nostra, Tzemmach, Elias.’
The Midrash on Lam 1:16 says ‘What is the name of the Messiah? Rav Ava ben Kahanna said ‘Jehovah is his name and this is proved by, ‘this is his name… [quoting Jer 23:6].’
So this passage and these Rabbinic quotes show that the Messiah was called Jehovah. No mere man would ever be called by God’s name.”
?
I will note that in this Jewish Bible, at Jeremiah 23:6,it is written:
…And this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD is our righteousness.
[And not “The LORD our righteousness.”] I am left wondering which it is:
The LORD our righteousness
OR
The LORD is our righteousness
Amazing what one little word [is] can do to change the meaning of a sentence.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible also has, “The LORD is our righteousness.”
I love the the meaning of that. “The LORD is our righteousness” — because it describes perfectly the imputed righteousness by grace through our Messiah’s atonement.
HE is our righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21-25 (NKJV) “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
No matter how obedient to the Law we might strive to be, we still cannot justify ourselves before God’s perfect holiness. We are hopelessly unrighteous. His substitutionary sacrifice for our sin allows us the righteousness of God.
Now, going back to the phrase — not including the “is” turns that phrase most definitively into a personal name, the personal name of LORD or YHWH (The LORD our righteousness), when two other versions have it as essentially, “The LORD [or YHWH] is our righteousness.”
In both versions, though, all glory is still given to the Father through His Messiah.
I believe one of the things Jesus taught us was how to worship the Father. Fleshing out the perfect son role for us to see so that we would have the perfect example of the devoted, clear-headed and single-minded son always about his Father’s business.
Dr. Brown, you wrote a commentary on Jeremiah – which I’ll get someday, God willing!
Will you clear up what the original language says there at Jeremiah 23:6?
Is it:
The LORD is our righteousness
OR
The LORD Our righteousness
?
Thank you!
How about this…let’s look directly at what the passage says:
1) First, who is speaking? The Nations! Not the church or Israel. If it was Israel, you could make more of an argument for Jesus.
2) Nothing to desire, rejected, despised, not esteemed. This does not sound to me like the flocks of people around Jesus…sure, there were a few that the New Testament describes that hated Jesus, but that what described as a minority.
3) A man of sorrows and SICKNESS, DISEASE: the word used for ‘pain’ in a lot of translations is transliterated as ‘choliy’. Jesus was not sickly or diseased as described in the NT
4) “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” AGAIN, who is speaking?? The nations…Israel suffered for THEIR sins
5) “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth”
Was this Jesus?? NOT SO:
Matthew 26.39 – “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].”
Mark 15.34 – “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
When questioned by Pilate in John 18.36-37, he makes an argument that he is not an earthly king, so the government should have no problems with him.
6) Done no violence?
Explain Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 2
Or Matthew 10.34, Luke 22.36
One of the worst being the words of Jesus in Luke 19.27: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay [them] before me.” (This one was alarming to me)
7) 53.10 – crush him…make him ill/sick/diseased? Grief = chalah.
The offering for sin – repentance, which as a result allows him to prolong his days and see his children (seed – zera…for a better understanding of this word vs. ‘ben’ see Genesis 15.3. ‘ben’ is often used as a characterization such as “son of God”, etc, but zera is used as physical seed/children)
8) Prolong his days? I’ve read commentaries that claims this is the eternal life of Jesus, but I have one question…If Jesus was always eternal, how can you prolong his days?
9) 53.11 – by his KNOWLEDGE shall my righteous servant justify many…why does this not say His Blood?
10) If you put this all in context, it makes sense. How can Isaiah 40-52 be about Israel, 53 about Jesus, and then 54-66 be about Israel again? That doesn’t make sense.
You’re right, no magic in what the text states…but the context is very revealing.
Jeremy,
I addressed all of this in detail in vol. 3, but it appears you have an agenda in posting here rather than wanting to hear the truth. If you want to post weak, old ,counter-missionary arguments, you’ll need to find another place to do it. If you want the truth, get vol. 3 and read it carefully. And if you have the slightest bit of courage in your views, call into my program and raise these arguments — which the text totally refutes — and we’ll let our listening audience hear the truth.
But your disingenuous posting will have to find another outlet rather than here.
Dr. Brown,
I have no agenda, I’m just trying to find the truth…no rabbinic teachings, no christian commentaries, no missionary or counter-missionary propaganda, just pure unadulterated scripture.
I found your site/podcasts because I was searching. God led me to searching out Messianic Jewish teachings, etc, and by doing so I found you and a few other references that made complete sense…at first. I have even taken your advise in apologetics: consider the weight of the objection. The weight is this: if christianity is right, then I continue as I have for 30 years; if not, then it is idolatry and I must reject it. I’m not just some simple believer…I’m a preacher. Although I am young in a ministry (about 5 years), I have had comments that I when I speak there is authority and power in the word I deliver…strangely, the majority of my messages were more OT and I never realized it until I reviewed my notes…sure, there was a lot of NT used in my messages, but it was not the majority.
Dr. Brown, I know you are limited in what you can post here, most likely due to a contract w/ your publisher, and I understand that…can you find anything above that you can comment directly? Correct my interpretations of the original Hebrew or something. I have studied and prayed, and I respect especially your opinion, that is why I post and I am very disappointed when “I have questions” and can only get the answer of buying a book.
With all respect, I appreciate your work and I am searching. If you only knew what all this means to me…with what I’m finding right now, I will be giving up quite a lot of time, sweat, tears, study, prayerful seeking…I am currently a man of sorrows, feeling as if my whole life was a lie. Do you know how many souls I have turned to Jesus? Before I was preaching, I was a youth minister and within a year we increased the youth by 30!! All of this while my job at the time was requiring 100+ hrs per week (salary)…I have put everything on the line…so much so, that when I felt my calling was going a certain direction, my wife almost left me because it wasn’t comfortable. I’m not saying this to have you feel sorry for me, but give you an idea of who I am and to abate any thoughts of an agenda.
If this is the wrong place for me, then I will accept that and continue searching.
Respectfully,
Jeremy
Jeremy,
We receive thousands of emails and there are thousands of posts here, not to mention all the counter-missionary forums — that’s why I wrote the books and put out a 22 hour DVD series to answer the objections.
So, you’ve come to the right place but not the right format. If you can’t afford the book, we’ll gladly send it to you. For the introductory answers, go to http://realmessiah.askdrbrown.org/Messianic_Objections, beginning with objection 4.5.
You can also email my assistant Ryan Lambert at ryan@realmessiah.com. He’ll be more than glad to help you in your search for truth.
I certainly apologize for thinking you had an agenda in posting your comments. When I saw the standard, old, easily-answered, counter-missionary objections (which have been refuted time and again), it made me wonder.
So, take advantage of the resources we have and that should clarify everything for you. I can assure you, having dedicated much of the last 40 years to answering these very issues, that the truth of Jesus stands absolutely firm.
There is no eastern or any strange philosophy in Chiropractic. It is based on realignment of the spine and not some aura. There maybe some Chiropractors who have added eastern mysticism to their practice but many believing Chiropractors I know (most from Palmer’s were never involved with these philosophies.
Ruth, in answer to your question of #22, I’m not going to go through somebody’s website right now.
I heard that the Lord Jesus’s name means “God with us.” That’s a good name. I’m glad his name doesn’t mean “God with him.”, even though that too would be a good name.
I’m glad the interpretation of Emmanuel is “God with us.” instead of “God with him.”, on account o’, I might o’, kind o’, sort o’….felt left out.
Sarcasm and trivialization, Ray?
Re:#29, traditional Chiropractic is as you describe it to be. I suggest you google “network chriopractic,” Here is one site, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-network-chiropractic.htm. The underlying philosophy is openly quoted in the article. There are many offices of this persuasion FYI.
PS I have in the past observed what I described being administered, per se. Here is a quote from the article, “NSA chiropractors hold the philosophy that the spine is a channel of energy that connects individual consciousness to planetary consciousness”. Some assoicates have been observed respecting the application of crystals for “planetary consciousness pure energy administration.” FYI there are also many types of Rabbis in our post modern world, with their own accrediting associations as well.
I will have to search for an answer to my question regarding which version is the original language in Jeremiah 23:6?
Is it:
“The LORD is our righteousness”
OR
“The LORD Our righteousness.”
I must know. Both versions exist, and the “is” matters in terms of meaning. If I find out, I’ll share.
Ruth — I write about this in my Jeremiah commentary. The more likely translation would use “is.”
THANK YOU!! I can’t wait to read about it, sir.
Ruth, sir him and he might mam you back.