Jews

4. What do the Jews say about Jesus of Nazareth?

[Obviously, the person who asks this question wants to know what the Jews who do not accept Jesus as the promised Messiah say about Him, in that there are some Jews who are the remnant according to the election of grace, who believe that He is the Messiah and thus they are our brothers]

Generally, the Orthodox and Ultra orthodox Jews, basing their statements on several texts of the Jewish tradition, say the following things about Jesus. He was a mamzer, that is, an illegitimate child born of an adulterous relation between her Jewish mother and a roman soldier. He was excommunicated by one of the rabbis because of a disagreement, and after that he forsook the Jewish religion, he worshiped the idols and led astray Israel. He studied magic in Egypt and from there he managed to smuggle some magical formulas by thrusting them into a fold of the skin. Since he was a wizard, he used to make birds of clay and to infuse life into them, but he was defeated by the rabbis in a magical competition. He was sentenced to death because he was a wizard, but he could be hanged just on a stalk of cabbage because he had cast a spell over all the other trees so that they could not accept his body. Jesus was thrown into hell because of his sins and there he acknowledged his mistakes!!

Instead, the non-Orthodox Jews are generally more moderate toward Jesus and they even show some appreciation toward a part of his teachings and the way Jesus taught (that is, they appreciate His parables) and in certain cases they go as far as calling him a teacher of ethics or a prophet and this makes the Orthodox Jews angry. Some of these Orthodox Jews do not even dare to mention the name of Jesus of Nazareth!! The reason why these Jews (who are so radical) refuse to mention the name of Jesus is that according to them the name of Jesus is the name of the God of the Christians (it was Paul who created their God) and in the law it is written: “Make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth” (Exodus 23:13). Therefore, when these Jews need to say something about Jesus they call Him ‘the founder of Christianity’ to avoid mentioning His name.

However, no matter what the Jews say about Jesus, no matter what current they belong to (the main currents are the Orthodox Current, the Reformed Current, the Conservative Current, and the Reconstrutionist Current), all of them come to the same conclusion, which is this: Jesus is not and cannot be the Messiah of the House of David that the God of Israel promised in the Scriptures; He can’t be God, He did not die on the cross for the sins of men, and He did not rise from the dead. Even though some of them appreciate certain words or acts of Jesus, all of them at the end of their speech say the same thing: Jesus is not the Messiah. If God wills, I will come back to this topic.

I conclude by reminding you of what the Scripture says about those Jews who do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah: “God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always” (Romans 11:8-10).

Therefore, since most of the Jews have been hardened by God lest they should believe, we Gentiles in Christ Jesus must glorify God for He gave us eyes that we should see, and ears that we should hear. In His goodness God had mercy on us by giving us repentance and faith; yes, this was His good pleasure. Therefore, to Him be the glory by Christ Jesus now and forevermore. Amen.

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