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Bible Question: Why
do the Jewish people not believe in Jesus? What do the rabbis say
about the Old Testament passages that point to Jesus being the Son
of God? I would be interested in knowing their view on these prophecies.
Bible Answer: The
rabbis have different views about the Old Testament prophecies related
to Jesus. Consequently, it is not possible to give just one reason.
What They Say. The
Jewish copy of the scriptures is called the Tanakh. By comparing the
Bible with the Tanakh, we can see that they have changed the meaning
to avoid references to Jesus. Unfortunately, we cannot quote the Tanakh
due to copyright restrictions so we have had to explain the differences.
A copy can be purchased at your bookstore or borrow a copy from a
library. Here are a few key passages.
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New
King James Version |
The
Tanakh* |
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Therefore
the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will
be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isa. 7:14 |
The
Tanakh replaces the word "virgin" with "young
woman" and changes the wording to the past tense. It does
not read like something that will occur in the future but as
something that has already occurred. |
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For
a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the
government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince
of Peace. Isa. 9:6 |
The
Tanakh changes the wording to make it read as if the child was
born in the past. The titles "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace" have been removed
and reworded to sound like an ordinary man. |
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Behold,
My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up, and
greatly exalted . . . For He grew up before Him like a tender
shoot . . . nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief; . . . Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our
sorrows He carried . . . He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being
fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.. Isa. 52:13-53:5 |
The
Tanakh does not change the wording, but the rabbis said that
this passage is about the nation of Israel and not Jesus. They
believe that Israel is "My servant." |
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*We
could not quote the Tanakh due to their copyright restrictions. |
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