Witnessing to a Jew (Using Only the Tanakh)
How difficult would it be, if the opportunity arose, to witness to a Jew, using only the Old Testament (The Tanakh*)?
*For a glossary of Hebrew words and terminology: (Click Here)
This article will attempt to show how to do just this. The Jews lean as much or more toward tradition than they do the Word of God. They have, over the years, come to mistrust "Christians" greatly due to the severe persecution suffered in the name of "Christianity", brought upon them by the Roman Church, Germany and the Holocaust, and anti-Semitism, which is still growing. It is no wonder that the Jews are reluctant, to say the least, to listen to the Gospel Message.
However, they can be won over, with a tremendous amount of relying on the Holy Spirit. Don't even attempt to witness to a Jew without doing your homework. (For more detail on the Jewish beliefs and traditions, see the article "What is a Jew") (Click Here)
There are literally hundreds of Old Testament Prophecies regarding Yeshua Hamashiach, Jesus the Messiah. The secret is to know where some of the more predominant ones are, and to attempt to show your witnessee how they relate to Messiah.
The Septuagint
Almost three hundred years before the Birth of Messiah, Greek was the language of the people. The Jews had more understanding of Greek than Hebrew, which was used mostly in the synagogue. This being the case, from 285 to 270 BC, 70 Jewish Translators got together in Alexandria (hence the name Septuagint...a fancy word for "70") and translated the Old Testament into Greek.
The Rabbis have said that the final and true understanding of the Tanakh will only come when Messiah arrives to explain it all. Each word, each letter, and even the spaces between the letters have a meaning. Take for example, the genealogy from Adam to Noah.
The Genealogy of Noah
The genealogy of Noah in Genesis 5 is not noticed because it is in Hebrew. Let's examine the meaning of the 10 names listed, and their true meanings in English.
Adam means "Man"; Seth means "appointed". Eve said, "For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew."
Seth's son was called Enosh, which means mortal, frail, or miserable. It is from the root "anash", "to be incurable, used of a wound, grief, woe, sickness, or wickedness".
Enosh's son was named Kenan, which can mean sorrow, or wandering nomad. (The precise meaning is somewhat elusive; some study aids even assume that Kenan is synonymous with Cainan).
Kenan's son was Mahalalel, Which means "the Blessed God." (Often Hebrew names include "El" at the end which is one of the names of God, as "dan-iel," God is my judge", etc.)
Mahalalel's son was named Jared, from a verb yaradh, meaning "shall come down." (Some authorities also tie this to the "Sons of God" corrupting the daughters of men, resulting in the Nephilim of Genesis 6.)
Jared's son was name Enoch, which means "teaching." He was the first of four generations of preachers. In fact, the earliest recorded prophecy was by Enoch, and which, amazingly enough, dealt with the Second Coming of Christ (although it is quoted in Jude 14 and 15 in the New Testament).
Enoch's son, of course, was Methuselah, which stems from two roots, "muth", which means "death", and "shalak" which means "to bring". The name Methuselah means "his death shall bring."
Methuselah's father was given a prophecy of the coming Great Flood, and was apparently told that as long as his son was alive, the judgment of the flood would be withheld. The year that Methuselah died, the flood came.
Methuselah's son was Lamech, which means "despairing." This same root also seems to be behind the English word "lamentation."
Lamech, of course was the father of Noah, which is linked with "nacham", "to bring relief" or "comfort". This is highlighted in Genesis 5:29.
The Composite List
Hebrew English
Adam Man
Seth Appointed
Enosh Mortal
Kenan Sorrow
Mahalalel The Blessed God
Jared Shall come down
Enoch Teaching
Methuselah His death shall bring
Lamech The Despairing
Noah Comfort, or rest.
"Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing, rest."**
**Much of the above excerpted from Koinonia House Ministries tape series "Footprints Of The Messiah" By Chuck Missler. To visit their Website www.khouse.org
Here's the "gospel" hidden within a genealogy in Genesis! (It is hard to imagine Jewish rabbis "conspiring" to hide the "Christian Gospel" right here in the Torah!)
Prophecies Of Messiah
We are going to list a few of the Prophecies found in the Old Testament, and show where, in the New Testament, they were fulfilled. There are actually over 300 prophecies relating to Christ in the Old Testament, some of which have not yet come to pass. (Many scholars put the count at an even 333)
Mathematically, the odds of even seven or eight of these prophecies happening to one man by coincidence is astronomical, let alone all 300.
His Birthplace:
Prophesied in: Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting".
Fulfilled in: Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem....
We find not only that Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, but that He would be a ruler of Israel, (a prophecy not yet fulfilled), and He existed before the creation of time and space...from everlasting which speaks of His pre-existence.
The Virgin Birth
The very first prophecy found in Genesis 3:15 actually alludes to the Virgin birth. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel".
Biologically, the statement "her seed" is an enigma. The "Seed" comes from the man, and the woman supplies the "egg". But here we're told the "woman's seed" would in effect, bring about the Redeemer. Since Jesus did not have a "human" father, and was conceived by the Holy Spirit, He by-passed the "sin-tainted" blood handed down by the man's seed.
This is prophesied in Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (God With Us).
The prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 2, verses 22 and 23: "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us".
Why was it necessary for Christ to be Virgin born? Mary was like any other human on earth, she was a sinner, and she needed a Savior just like any other sinner. The answer lies in the fact that the study of embryology has shown that the egg of the woman contains no blood. The blood only appears after its union with the male sperm, and the embryo begins producing blood on its own. It is also true that blood doesn't actually pass between mother and baby during the pregnancy. Therefore, the Blood of Jesus was in reality, untainted by sin.
Prophecy: His Name
Another Old Testament Prophecy is Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
There can be no misunderstanding what is being said here. "A child is born"....A Son is Given...Who gave the Son? Mary didn't "give" the Son, God gave His Son. The words of Isaiah called Him "The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father....proving that God Himself was to be born as a man, yet holding onto His Godhood.
The Virgin Birth
Isaiah Chapter 7, verse 14 foretells the Virgin Birth of Christ, which is to another sign unto the Israelites:
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name *Immanuel"
*(God with us)
This is one area with which the Jews really have a problem. They cannot conceive (no pun intended) of a woman having a child without having sexual relations with a man, neither do they believe the Messiah is to be God in the flesh, but simply a man. This, in fact, is what got Christ into so much hot water with the Priests and Pharisees....His claim of being the Son of God.
The question to ask is, If God is all powerful; If God's rhetorical question in Jeremiah 32:27: "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there any thing too hard for me?" is to be answered "No"!....then why is it not possible for Him to bring about the birth of a child without the woman being with a man?
The answer....it is possible, just as it was possible for God to create the world in six days; make a man, Adam, from the dust of the Earth, and his wife from his rib; allow Sarah to bear Isaac at the age of 90; and much more.
In answer to the other objection, Messiah being the Son of God, let's read a couple of prophecies relating to this fact.
Psalm 2: 6 - 12: Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Who is God Jehovah speaking of in verse 7 if not Christ, His Son?
Going back to Isaiah 9:6 we see that a "Son is Given".
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given;........"
Proverbs 30, verse 4 declares the Creator has a Son, for He asks His name.
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
Who else but God Jehovah can ascend and descend into heaven? Who else can "gather the wind in His fists? Who answers to all the questions asked in this passage? Only God! And this passage dictates that He (God) has a Son.
The "two" Lords
Another "must read" passage is Psalm 110, verse One;
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
The LORD (God Jehovah) said unto my Lord (Messiah)...Sit thou at my right hand........!"
Who else but Christ would the LORD be speaking to? This speaks not only that God has as Son, but that he existed with God before the world was made.
This fact is made clear in John 1:1 - 3, and verse 14:
1 In the beginning was the Word (Greek, logos - the "divine expression"), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Here we see that Christ, The Word, was with God, was God, and He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and then the Word was made flesh (Greek: sarx - body, flesh, human being) and dwelt on Earth.
(I realize we're supposed to be using only the Old Testament, but if you've gotten this far, you can probably sneak this one in).
Appears on a Donkey
Here is one of the most precise prophecies made regarding Christ. In Zechariah 9:9, we read: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass".
Many times the followers of Jesus tried to make Him King, and He always refused, saying "My time has not yet come", and He sometimes disappeared from sight. On this occasion, however, He planned His entrance with great care. His time had come. This day had been predicted to the very date. We'll touch on that a little later.
This prophecy was fulfilled in Luke 19: 28-44
28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
(Many believe this all was prearranged by the Lord with the owner of the donkeys. It almost seems as if He is giving the disciples a "pass-word" to give to the man.
Notice Jesus says "If any man...."! If this wasn't a pre-arranged set-up, and no one did say anything to the disciples when they took the animals, the disciples would be guilty of stealing, and I don't think Jesus would want that. So this was apparently arranged for ahead of time).
32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
(This really got the priests and Pharisees upset, for they were quoting psalm 118, verse 6, and in affect, calling Jesus, Messiah, the King).
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
It is ironic that just a few days later, these same people who were praising and honoring the Messiah, would be shouting "Crucify Him".
41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
(The majority of people Jesus met and preached to, just didn't want to hear the message He was preaching. The idea that one could achieve salvation outside the Law of Moses, by simply believing on Him was too much for most to accept....just as it is today. How sad that so many well-meaning people rely so heavily on what a "man" or "church" tells them regarding "working for salvation" as opposed to accepting it as a free gift).
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
(This prophecy by Christ Himself regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple took place just thirty-eight years or so later, in 70 A.D. when Titus and his legions utterly destroyed the temple, even taking it apart stone by stone searching for the gold that was there. What does Christ mean by "because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation"? A strange statement, and it is apparently the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. He held them accountable for not knowing the times. They had the scriptures from the prophets, yet they didn't comprehend the "signs of the times").
Daniel's Seventy Weeks
For the answers, we must go to Daniel Chapter 9, verses 20 through 26:
20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy*.
*(Remember, these prophecies have not been fulfilled yet, they are still future. The prophecy can only be understood by knowing what is meant by "70 Weeks".
The Hebrew actually translates "Seventy Sevens". To understand this, you must think like a Jew. In our modern era, we tend to think in "Tens", ten years equal one decade. Our numbering system is set up based on "tens", etc. In most European and Oriental nations, the measuring system is based on the Metric system, which is based on "tens", etc. The Hebrews however, based their thinking on "sevens". Not only did they have a "week of days", seven days; they also had a "week of years", seven years. According to Jewish law, every seventh year was a Sabbatical year when the land was supposed to be allowed to "rest". When a person was sold into slavery to pay a debt he couldn't pay, he was only allowed to remain a slave for 6 years, on the 7th year, he was to go free.
Also, the Jews had a special "Year of Jubilee", which was every 50th year, or every seventh Sabbatical year, or 7 periods of 7 years each totaling 49 years, the 50th was the Year of Jubilee. This was another period when slaves were freed, and property was returned to its original owner. This can be studied in Leviticus 25, verses 1 through 16.
How do we know that Gabriel was in fact, speaking of "years"? The answer is, in Daniel 9:2, Daniel himself was reading a prophecy of Jeremiah: "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books (Jeremiah's writings) the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem".
(In other words, Daniel knew the Babylonian rule of the Jews was soon to end).
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
This 490 year period is broken down into three segments: (1) seven "sevens" or 49 years; (2) sixty-two "sevens" or 434 years; and (3) one "seven" or seven years. What one has to realize is that these segments are not consecutive. There is a span of time between the sixty-ninth year and the seventieth year. That span of time has now lasted almost two thousand years, the Church "Age".
The first segment, or 49 years, starts with the decree (the going forth of the commandment) to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. Other decrees had been issued to rebuild the temple, but this is the first to rebuild the city itself. (Dan. 9:25). This decree was given by Artaxerxes on March 5, 444 B.C.
The second segment, or the next 434 years takes us up to the day Messiah presented Himself to Israel as their Savior.
(The following computations are credited to Sir Robert Anderson, a British Scholar who, in 1894 calculated to the day the appearance of Christ showing Himself as Messiah).
You must realize that the Jewish calendar was based on a 360 day year, which was changed around 701 B.C. for some reason. In fact, all of the ancient civilizations based their year on 360 days, and for some reason, revised their calendars in 701 B.C).
Anderson calculated the 69 "weeks of years" to equal 173,880 days:
(7 x 7) + (62 x 7) years = 483 years
483 years x 360 days (per year) = 173,880
Converting that over to the Gregorian Calendar, based on 365 days per year, we arrive thus:
476 years x 365 days (per year) = 173,740 days
173,740 days + 116 days* + 24 days** = 173,880
*Figuring Leap Years (A total of 476 years divided by four, a leap year every four years, gives 119 additional days. However, three days must be subtracted from 119 because centennial years are not leap years, although every 400th year is a leap year) from the Bible Knowledge Commentary)
**From March 5 to March 30
Remember, there was no year "0"
There are many scholars who agree that this was, in fact, the very day of Messiah's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
(From "Israel: God's Timepiece" by Gary Hedrick, Christian Jew Foundation, San Antonio Texas). www.cjf.org
OK! Enough of the Hi-tech stuff. Let's get back to basic Bible prophecy.
The 22nd Psalm is "must" reading for any witnessing to be affective. This Psalm seems to have been written by the person actually experiencing what is being said. It's written in the First Person Singular, and somehow, through the eyes, ears and mind of David, Christ Himself foretold His experience on the Cross, centuries before crucifixion was invented.
The 22nd Psalm
22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Notice the very first words of this Psalm are the same first words recorded that Jesus cried out from the Cross. If you jump down to the last verse, you'll see that the last words of the Psalm (that he hath done this) carry the same meaning as the last words on the cross..."It Is Finished"
Here we'll jump down to verse 6:
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Remember the people jeering Christ, saying "He saved others, but He can't save Himself (Mark 15: 29-32)
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
It is uncertain exactly what Jesus means by using the term "bulls" except that is His way of defining the soldiers around Him.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs* have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
* "Dogs" is referring to the Gentiles. "Pierced hands and feet" is describing death by crucifixion, and as stated earlier, was not devised as a form of capital punishment until about 90 B. C.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
(John 19: 23 - 24: The soldiers parted His garments, but cast lots for the robe, which was seamless)
At this point, it appears that David now is speaking to the Lord. What a fantastic experience David must have had in "seeing" himself as Christ hanging on the Cross. It's almost as if Jesus Himself "took over" David's mind to relate this prophecy to us.
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
How anyone can read this Psalm and not relate it to the
crucifixion of the Lord is beyond my understanding. We must
remember though, that the Word of God says the "eyes of the
Jews have been blinded". John 12: 37 - 41, where he quotes
Isaiah 6:10: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their
heart. Lest they should see with their eyes and understand with
their heart, Lest they should turn so that I should heal
them".
Our prayer should be that God would take away the blindness....but that will only happen when Messiah returns to claim His people, the Jews. Then will they recognize Messiah as the one whom they pierced:
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Now let's move on to Isaiah 53. This passage goes into great detail as to the suffering of the Lord. Many prophecies are included in the following text:
Isaiah 53:1-12: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
(It is said that after the beating and torture the Lord was put through, His face was unrecognizable; His body so scared and torn from the whip that it was a mass of skin and tissue).
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 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.
(When Christ was brought before Herod and questioned, He said nothing in His own defense. (Luke 23: 8 - 9) The only time He defended Himself was when it was required of Him by the Law).
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
(This almost sounds like a contradiction, until we realize now technical the Holy Spirit can be. He was killed between two thieves, the "wicked", but He was laid in the grave of one of the richest men in the city, Joseph of Arimathea, who, it is thought, was probably a relative of Christ. Herod and Pilate both found no fault in him).
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Thirty Pieces of Silver
Let's take one more. This prophecy is so exact, there can be no doubt as to it's being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Zechariah 11:12 & 13: "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD".
Often in Bible Prophecy, a prophecy will have a double meaning; IE, a meaning for the immediate time of the speaker, and another, deeper meaning that even the speaker may not be aware of. Such is the case here.
When Judas betrayed the Lord, he received 30 pieces of silver. It is thought by most scholars that Judas was, in fact, possessed by Satan himself at this time. Christ even called him a "devil". Upon realizing what the consequences were to be, he tried to return the 30 pieces of silver to the priests. They refused to take it, Judas threw the money down on the floor of the temple.
Because it was against Mosaic law to keep any "blood money", the priests used it to buy a field in which to bury any stranger who happened to die in Jerusalem.
Matthew 27: 3-10: Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy (Jeremiah) the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.
Note: There seems to be a glaring contradiction in this passage. The actual Old Testament passage referred to is actually Zechariah 11: 12 & 13. (See above). According to The Scofield Reference Bible, it is explained thus: "A Talmudic* tradition states that the prophetic writings were placed in the canon in his order: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, etc. Many Hebrew manuscripts follow this order. Thus Matthew cited the passage as from the roll of the prophets and by the name of the first book, IE Zechariah.
*See Glossary (Click Here)
So we see in the above passage, the reasons behind the Lord's crucifixion, and the effect it was to have.
We have tried to touch on some problem areas that will be encountered when witnessing to a Jew. In fact, many of these same problem areas will be encountered when witnessing to a member of a cult. Most cults deny the pre-existence of Christ; the Trinity; the Fact that Christ is God, etc.
There is one more area to cover, and since it will be rather lengthy, we are creating a separate page for this topic: The Trinity. Go to this page for help in understanding and explaining the Christian's belief in the triunity of God.
It is the sincere hope of Maranatha Ministries that the above article will be of help and service in your encounters with the Jew. We welcome your comments, questions, and yes, even criticism. E-mail Maranatha Ministries at: maranatha@oaktree.net
Or you can write to:
Maranatha Ministries, 5625 Imperial Woods Circle, Indianapolis, In. 46224
Sahlom!