1. The 1st point that Jews and christians need to see is the history of the modern christian church, and seperate it from the person that was Jesus. The more that people understand the mechanisms behind the development of the christian faith, the more they will understand, and I believe, the less animosity each will harbor to one another. The Cliffs notes version is this: Jesus was a rabbi most likely of the Essene sect. He taught nothing new, all of our rabbis taught the same thing at the time. Akiva was more eloquent, bar Kochba more revolutionary. In short just another rabbi in a turbulent Judah under Roman rule. The documents that are closest chronologically to him show nothing about him claiming to be divine, and of course all of us Jews are Sons (and daughters) of G-D. So in later centuries, when the Hellenized disciples got ahold of the message, they infused it over the next 300 years with thier own paradigm and myth beliefs (yes there is a pun there.). in the middle of the 4th Century BCE, the Council of Nicea was convened. The leaders of the christian movement were gaining ground in the Roman Empire after a few centuries of persecusions (and after the 2nd Temple being destroyed, many of us were slaves, but many of us were doing quite well in both Rome and the provinces.). christianity at the time was a hodgepodge of beliefs much like many new age groups now (or one could argue reform / reconstructionists...ouch). The leading Bishops of Rome wished to make one doctrine for the christian belief and used the force of the Roman state to outlaw "heretical" beliefs which stated Jesus was not divine, or that he was a prophet, or just a messiah, etc. They set the rule founded in Greek and Roman myth of a "man god" and applied it to Jesus to set apart that movement from Judaism. Until that time many groups of christians were simply a sect of Jews in many areas. After that, politics and ignorance played a role in christians and kings looking upon us in an unfavorable light as killers of there god. Knowing these events helps to counter and educate many of the confused christians. Rabbi Schneerson of blessed memory, taught of the Bnei Noach, or righteous gentiles. We should not shut out those who are confused in their seeking to know G-D. We are a light to nations, but many times try to cover that light. If we know the real history of the christians, we can se that, yes it is a doctrine loosely using Torah for its legitimacy, but then adding pagan myth transforming it into somethign different. Tell a christian this, and first they will be shocked, angry maybe. But in the end you bring them closer to knowing the reality of G-D, and Bnai Noach. This, I believe will go far in "normalizing" relations between our groups. But if you feel that you must read the chrisian bible. Study the history of it first, look at the Nag Hammadi scrolls to see what was taught by 1st generation christians (therefore closer to what Jesus was actually saying than 200 to 300 years later when written by "inspired" Hellenic writers). Then read the christian bible so you can point out to the christian the many fallacies in the works. Then turn him on to Bnai Noach. 2nd: You must be careful when revealing that a christians religion is false. The worse thing you can do is to transform his desire to worship a divine power into a negative function of being a secular humanist. This is even more dangerous to Jedaism than christian persecution.

I don't understand, if jews truly believe they hold the Work of the God. Then why not allow others to study other text. It is God who allows people to understand His Word. Not the feable minds of men. Very similar to Darwinist not wanting creation to be taught in the classroom they are afraid that their "scientific evidence" will not withstand the Word of God.

We don't need help, thank you. You're theory is a bit backwards. Didn't you know that the two pillars of western civilization are Judaism and Greek culture? Judaism is the father monotheistic religion, Christianity and Islam are daughter religions. We have a lot of pearls of wisdom, values, and traditions that were wonderfully "borrowed" by others. Day of rest? That's us. "Do unto others"? Again, Judaism. Freedom? Look at the Exodus and Passover story. Baptism? Our mikva has something to do with that one. The value of study and learning? And so on...

It is important to know your enemies and why they hate you so that you can combat it.

I agree with you, it's amazing how some members of a religion (Judaism) that always was in favor of knowledge, have sunk to believing the answer is in ignorance

I think that Jewish people could benefit by reading the Gospels and Epistles for the same reason that I--a Christian--am benefitting by reading this Jewish blog: reading well-reasoned arguments from people I at least partially disagree with, helps me to understand their perspective, and clarifies my own thinking. If all you ever do is read only the arguments of people who agree with you 100%, how do you ever grow? If your faith, or mine, cannot withstand and adequately respond to the the arguments put forth by other people's faiths, then that faith is a weak one in deed. I do not believe the Jewish faith--which has immeasurably blessed the world for centuries, is that fragile.

As a christian who has studied 2nd Temple Period Judaism for almost two decades - Talmud, Mishnah, Haggadah, Zohar, etc., it is Christians who should study the Torah Judaism of the time of Jesus, and come to abandon the hundreds of ignorant misrepresentations of the Jewish faith found in orthodox christianity. Jews should stand up and teach the Laws of Noah -- the essentials of civilization.

I love Israel and pray for your peace daily.

A Jew can read the so called New Testament and he will find a totally different G'd. I read from cover to cover many times and realized there was one G'd in the Old Testament and a different one in the new. It will be real obvious to a Jew who knows any Torah and should not hurt his belief system at all. I was not a casual church goer but went to a church that insisted on using the Bible and not a lesson prepared by someone. We knew the books and could quote passages easily as children. I was a Sunday School teacher and studied extensively. I am glad now that my training was reading and hearing sermons from the Bible and that good deeds were taught to me as a way of life. I converted and am now a Jew. Now I look back and know all my questions are answered and I know who G'd is. He never split into three or died. Jesus was a Jew and he would be shocked hisself to see that he was changed into a god. So i worship the one and only G'd who created the heavens and the earth and made promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob that he keeps. Christians read and research your Old Testament and ask yourself who this is about and who is it talking to and do not take a verse and turn it into something it is not. You will not be punished for not getting people to convert to your religion. The world all over already knows what your religion is and you can relax now and study your own borrowed from the Jews Old Testament. Most of the Old Testament is about the nation of Israel and its relationship to the one G'd and to the land. Men changed what occured centuries later and most of chistian belief was decided in 300 by men. If they had left the Old Testament out of their Bible what would they have? Only a pagan religion which is what they changed to from what they started with. Non-Jews can worship the same G'd of Israel and only have to obey just 7 laws of Noah. Christians relax and study your Old Testament. Jews you can read the New Testament but you will recognize that your G'd is not there.

There are some people here who think their faiths are so fragile they demand that pictures of piggies be airbrushed out of children's stories that take place on a farm!

let's make sure we are familiar with our own prophets and the context and meaning of the Hebrew text. I myself am a former evangelical minister and missionary to Israel. My studies of the Hebrew background of the NT led me to resign from Christianity altogether and to embrace Orthodox Judaism. Contrary to Paqid 16's comment, there are way more of us than he may think who are migrating from evanglicalism to Torah Judaism.

I have to tell you how happy I am with this article. Yes, I am Jewish, both parents. I have worked with Jews for Jesus. And let me tell you why what the author says is so important for the Jewish community to hear and do: Most of the conversions I've seen among Jewish people becoming Christians have been because of this exact issue! When I've spoken to other Jewish people about belief in Jesus my "selling point" is almost always, "How can you have NOT read the single most influential book in Western Culture? This New Testament is the single most read book in the world. It has influenced more nations, the rise and fall of kings, and the music and popular culture of Europe and the Americas. To ignor this book, to never read it pure Ignorance." In fact I use this line: "If you never become a Christan, you are still a fool to ignor the best selling and most influential book in world history. If you do, you're both illiterate and ignorant."

The Nag Hammadi is the collection of gospels written by a group know as the Agnostics. The Gospel of Judas now being promoted is one of those false gospels. They were condemded by the early church leaders because they taught that they alone possesed special "secret" knowledge mystically divulged to them alone by G_d. The Council of Nicene had to address the falsehoods that were creeping in and causing confusion. Remember, books were extremely rare and communication was extremely slow. The four gospels of the NT are actually dated to the years 70 to 90 AD. Considering how old they are, historians consider them one copy removed from the original. (Consider that the oldest copy of "The Iliad" by Homer is said to be copied 900 years after he died and we don't question its validty.) These four NT gospels do indeed claim he was devine. Jesus himself declared this and was almost killed by the Jewish leaders at that time for affirming that it was so. Jesus told one Gentile woman during his life that he needed to minister to the Jews while he was here and did not come for "dogs" (i.e. gentiles) but for the Jews! The first century Christians were in fact mostly Jews who still went to temple. The growing Gentile membership and the pushing out of the "Christian" Jews from the temple led to the schism. As a Christian, I have been taught to respect G_d's chosen people. I have also been taught that those Jews who have never heard the gospel of Jesus must exactly follow the law to get into heaven, just as the Jews of Old Testament times were "saved" (i.e. saved from eternal damnation, an eternal life apart from G_d.) and looked forward to their Redeemer. Only G_d can redeem someone and prepare their heart to hear His message about Jesus, I'm only a messenger. I have no personal responsibility whether anyone believes it or not. Any Christian who tries to enforce his beliefs upon a Jew is a bore at best and at worst, well we all know what the worst examples of "Christians" did to Jews. Just remember those people were one step removed from being Barbarians. Natzis were NOT Christians and were established in the occult. The once largely Christian nation of the US was horrified by their actions and took care of business. Shalom!

Yes, HUMAN sacrifice is an abomination to G_d. So why would he ask Abraham to do that which is an abomination in His eyes by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac? Christians view this as a foreshadowing of G_d sacrificing His only son, Jesus, for us, because He provided a perfect sinless sacrifice in Jesus, just as He provided a perfect sacrifice of a ram in place of Isaac.

Absolutely true: Judaism is a great religion. Jesus was a Jew, born in a Jewish land with a Jewish capital (JEW-rusalem). Your point??? You want me to say it again: the Jews are the chosen ones. You better believe it. No Judaism = No Christianity. But your point western civilization is based on Judaism and Greek culture???? Man you got me here big time: give credit to everything but Christianity. You know that dude Wilberforce in England who fought to abolish slavery and succeeded ??Some say he was a devout Christian. But according to you it must have been the hellenic influence who got him started. But you got to help me, you say Judaism was the first to come up with: "Do unto others". I read the Tenach and can't find it anywhere. Can you point me to the book, chapter and verse??

It breaks my heart to see the discord between Jews and Christians. We all believe in the one true God - the God of Abraham and Moses. It is so sad to see these two groups of peoples at odds. I am a Christian and do not understand much about Judaism, but I do understand the Jews basically do not think Jesus was the Messiah promised by God and foretold of by the prophets. However, I fail to understand how a Jewish person can dismiss this if they have never read the "Christian Bible". In the end, it's all in the hand of God. His will done!

I'm amazed at what Rabbi Cook has said. Jews are not ignorant of the Gospels which are primarily a Jewish text. Jesus' sources are Biblical and his approach is Pharisaic. Jesus apparently, knows the Torah and remains committed to its authentic expression of Jewishness. Actually, I often refer to the Gospels in teaching so that I can illuminate the way in which Jesus' teachings were never meant to start a new religion; just amplify the religion he practiced. On the contrary, any real hope of authentic dialogue between Jews and Christians can only begin in an objective discussion of the Gospels

First of all, as you see here, any time the New Testicle is brought up online or in personal interaction, the Xians are always there trying to claim Yeshu was Moshiach - so ridiculous and offensive. Unfortunately, the yeshivot teach primarly chumach, not Tenach or midrashim, so, while not firmly grounded themselves and if they have an "open", or rather empty mind and are devoid of spirituality themselves, they're more apt to follow this avoda zara. In addition, as a general rule, people are not aware of the specific details on how the NT is not only inaccurate, but wa edited, written in GREEK, is not monotheistic and has been used as a tool to destroy Jewish culture, religion and life. If someone wants to study it, fine, but first learn history of both the region and of the church - THEN look at it. I'm surprised this was even a news article.

While I believe that traditional Jews reading the Brit Hadashah (New Testament) is a good thing, I do believe that without context there can geat confusion in what the New Convenant scriptures are actually telling you. Centuries of retranslating translations of translations have lead to Christianity leaving it's Jewish roots. They have forsaken the teachings of Torah based on mistranslation and misunderstanding the NT teachings. Whereas the Tanach has been faithfully recopied by scribes letter by letter for millenias. Besides the inevitable mistranslation from the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the Pagan inductees into Christianity quickly overwhelmed the ability of the stewards of the faith to keep it pure from Pagan influences. Now Christianity is permeated with Pagan doctrines, pagan holidays not set apart in the Scriptures (the Kodesh Mikqra, Feasts of the Lord), and traditions of man. The scriptures that are able to make thee wise unto salvation as Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy, are the TANACH!! It was the only scripture they had. These scriptures are righteous, good and holy as Paul states. They are given by inspiration of God and are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. The New Covenant Scriptures can and have been twisted by the uneducated of the Jewish roots of our faith, to their own distruction as Peter writes in 2 Peter chapter 3:15-17. Peter says to be steadfast in the faith delvered to them. That faith had a long history in Israel and was just a waiting HaMashiach. It didn't need the pagan doctrines, pagan icons and pagan holidays to make it whole. The whole of Christianity has a big wakeup call coming very soon as do many of our Jewish brothers. WARNING! Things aren't as they seem.

I am an Evangelical Christian who anxiously awaits the day when Yeshua HaMashiach restores His Creation to its original intent. The biggest misconception is that the New Testament REPLACED the Old Testament. That would be like saying the foundation replaces the house. Both Books validate eachother - both are incomplete without the other. It seems that many Jews are jaded by the historical treatment they received by the Catholic Church over the centuries (ie. the Crusades, the Roman church's apathy during the reign of Hitler, etc.) ... but Biblical Christianity is far different than the organized religio/politico system of the Catholic church. We hold God's Land / People dear to our hearts. We acknowledge G-d's continuing and everlasting Promise to the Jews. We revere and honor that. And we pray for the coming day of the glorious union of the "Olive Tree (you) and it's grafted branches (us)" to be one in Christ. Through you came salvation to the world. May the Word of G-d be your guide ... His entire Word.

I am posting this because I love you guys and I pray God would lead you all to repentence. Take this test to see if you are a "Good" person. http://www.livingwaters.com/good/

I will certainly pray that God will reveal Himself to Jewish students who study the New Testament. How many have already come to saving knowledge of Yeshua as their Messiah just from reading the Gospels and seeing the direct and perfect fulfillment of the Prophet Isaiah?

Jesus tells Jewish detractors to study Torah because Moses wrote of him. It seems that the newly enlightened Hebrews coming out of Israel were always a phase shift out of sync with their God. "Go into the land." "No! we can't." "OK, then go around this wilderness, and DON'T go into the land then." "Weeeelllll, OK we will go into the land." Moses had to put guards at the foot of the mountain to keep the Hebrews from gazing, but when their God asked them to come see him face to face, they say, "Whoe! We aren't into suicide. YOU go and get your face lit up with God and if you come back, we will do what God wants us to do" God, tells Moses, that it would be nice if they would but they have well said and this is going to be the way it is from their mouth...and then let's see if they REALLY will do what I say. In the meantime, if they do not like fire and thunder in my visage, then I will come to them, meekly as you, Moses, and see if they are as ready to accept what I say, then. But if they do not accept my words when I am come meekly to them, then they will be destroyed if they do not listen to me at that time, though I come otherwise meekly. Along with this conversation, Moses tells of the Cities of Refuge and the difference between murder and ignorant manslaughter. When Jesus says, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," he testifies that those people of that evil generation not guilty of the unpardenable sin because of their attitude toward the Holy Spirit works, are only ignorant of what they are doing. In so doing he negates the curse the Jewish leaders would have the people place on themselves and their children. Only the Jewish leaders knowingly murdering Jesus, in spite of the testimony of two or more witnesses concerning the Holy Spirit Works, and the words of Jesus, will not survive the destruction of the temple after that forty year generation of murderers were destroyed, and those who did not respond to the city of refuge by coming to Christ. Outside of that, there is NO currant curse of the Jew outside of the one Moses, himself, places on the people, because that generation before the last destruction of the temple had all the blood of the prophets and righteous folk spent on them. The Christian scriptures plainly says that our religion is not advanced with real swords and spears or "carnal weapons." If the elect are few, then there will still be plenty enough Jews to enter into the land, and be converted when Jesus comes back. No success of church evangelism is going to sweep the world clean of Talmud believing Jews. Thats all solid in prophecy.

"The ethic of reciprocity (or the Golden Rule) is a general moral principle found in virtually all religions and culture, often as a fundamental rule, a fact which suggests that it may be related to innate aspects of human nature (see altruism). It is most commonly rendered as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In most formulations it takes a passive form, as expressed by the Jewish sage Hillel: "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man." In Western culture, however, the most famous formulation is active, as expressed in the Torah as "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethic_of_reciprocity

Please will you read the prophecies that have told of He Who is to come? The old explains the new aggreement between The King of Kings and all of mankind who will come to Him. He told of the false king who will first come to destroy all by a false peace agreement. He said for us to be prepared. Amen!

Christians do not find it right to murder at all. Why would you comment on such a blatant lie?

Dear friend, Jews need to understand the new Testament because believers in Yeshua are waking up to the fact that he was a Torah observant Jew and he said if you love me, keep my commandments --- He also said to those who didn't to depart from me you workers of Torahlessness (translated iniquity wrongly). Many Christians would like to follow Yahshua (jesus) in spirit and truth and we know so little of Judaism. The prophet Jeremiah prophesized of a time when Gentiles would could to the Jews for instruction exclaiming that they (Gentiles) had inherited lies from their fathers. I am a gentile in such a position and most Jews don't even seem to know how very much we would like to understand Torah and what a Jewish person would make of NT. I had one rabbi who I did ask say you guys are really in a mess if Jesus said that --- yes, we are --- when are Jews going to wake up and realize many christians are hungry for what they take for granted. The early church was begun and led by Jews and antisemitism only came about as gentiles got away from scripture with no one to bring them back. Deb Sari Bluemont, VA

I agree #53. The Jews are God's chosen people and He does not go back on His Word. If it were not for the Jews, I would not have the knowledge of my Majestic and Wonderful God - the God of Abraham. I don't pretend to understand the mind of God. But someday I will.

I believe it would greatly increase understanding and friendship between Christians and Jews if Jewish people did read the New Testament directly for themselves. Christians truly are discovering the Jewish meaning, and origins of their faith that have been hidden from them by inaccurate teaching promoted by Roman distortions of past centuries. It was by reading the Hebrews Scriptures and New Testament scriptures directly for themselves that Protestant Christians first saw the errors they had been taught by Rome, and that pagan traditions had been joined to the Christian faith causing great error, and which produced a beginning of change called the "Reformation". Example: The "Last Supper" was a Passover meal and really ought to be celebrated as a Passover meal today. Roman tradition began to separate Christians from Jews for poltical purposes when they began to call the Passover (symbolic of the Lamb sacrificed for protection and to atone for sin...Jesus, "the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world", John 1:29) "Easter". Easter (Ishtar) is a pagan fertitiy religious celebration and has nothing to do with the Passover as Jesus (the Jew) and his Jewish disciples understood it or celebrated it. We Christians have been learning a lot and there is much to repair between Christians and Jews from mistakes of the leaders of past centuries. Jesus said he came "to fulfill the Law" (the promises of the Hebrew Scriptures and the prophecies of the Hebrew prophets) not to destroy it." The "New Testament", (which also was written entirely by Jews) is , Christians believe, the "New Covenant " mentioned in Jeremiah 31:31-34. Christians and Jews should be much better friends than history has let us be. -Shalom

His death wasn't the end. He arose.