60 Questions Christians Ask About Jewish Beliefs and Practices

by Brown, Michael L.

• ISBN13: 9780800795047
• ISBN10: 0800795040
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-10-01
• Publisher: Chosen Books Pub Co

Summary

Written in a compelling, accessible style, this book answers the most common questions about Jewish people and culture, drawn from the steady stream of queries Michael L. Brown's ministry receives every month.As a Messianic believer, Brown provides clear answers to questions like "Are there Jewish denominations?" and "Do the Jewish people expect a literal Messiah?" The book also addresses Christians' questions about their own relationship to the Old Testament law, such as "Should Christians observe the Sabbath on Saturday?" and "Are Gentile Christians spiritual Jews?"

Author Biography

Micheal L. Brown is director of the Coalition of Conscience and founder of FIRE School of Ministry. He holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University and is the author of 20 books. He hosts the nationally syndicated daily talk show Line of Fire, and he was the host of the Jewish-Christian TV series Think It Thru. He has debated Jewish rabbis and professors on radio, TV and college campuses, and he is widely considered to be the world's foremost Messianic Jewish apologist.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 9
Judaism and Jewish Practice
Are there Jewish denominations?	p. 13
What is Hasidic Judaism?	p. 25
What is the Oral Law?	p. 30
What is the Tanakh?	p. 34
What exactly is meant by the term Torahl	p. 39
What is the Masoretic text?	p. 42
What are the holy books of Judaism?	p. 45
What are the main differences between Judaism and Christianity?	p. 49
What do Jewish people think about Jesus?	p. 54
Do the Jewish people expect a literal Messiah?	p. 57
Do Jews refer to God by the name of Jehovah?	p. 60
What is meant by the term kosher7	p. 64
Why do traditional Jews have separate dishes in their kitchens for meat products and dairy products?	p. 67
Why do traditional Jews light candles at the beginning of the Sabbath?	p. 71
Why don't traditional Jews drive on the Sabbath?	p. 79
Why do traditional Jewish men wear a skullcap (called yarmulke or, in Hebrew, kippah)?	p. 81
Why do traditional Jewish women wear wigs (or even shave their heads)?	p. 84
Why do some Jewish men grow long side curls?	p. 86
Why do some Jewish men wear white fringes outside of their shirts?	p. 88
Why do traditional Jewish men pray with black boxes (called phylacteries or, in Hebrew, tefillin) on their heads and arms?	p. 92
What are the little boxes (mezuzahs) on the door ways of Orthpdox Jewish homes?	p. 95
Why do some religious Jewish men wear long black coats?	p. 97
Why'do traditional Jews claim that Jewish descent is matrilineal (i.e., coming through the mother) rather than patrilineal (i.e., coming through the father)?	p. 99
Are there really 613 commandments, in the Torah?	p. 102
What are the seven laws of Noah?	p. 106
The Jewish People and Jewish History
What is the origin of the term Jew, and can Jews today really trace their lineage back to the Jewish people of the Bible	p. 112
What are the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel?	p. 115
Are the Samaritans really Jews?	p. 120
Who Ire the Karaites?	p. 123
Why have Jewish people been; so hated and persecuted through the centuries?	p. 128
Do contemporary Jews want to rebuild the Temple?	p. 135
Has there been a continuous presence of Jews in the land of Israel for the last two thousand years	p. 139
Should all Jews move back to Israel?	p. 140
Are the Palestinians descendants of the ancient Canaanites?	p. 143
In the Bible, is the fig tree a prophetic symbol for Israel?	p. 149
Rabbi Yeshua and the Jewish Background to the New Testament
Was Jesus really a rabbi?	p. 154
Did Jesus follow the Oral Law?	p. 155
What is the original Hebrew name for Jesus? And is it true that the name Jesus (Greek Iesous) is really a pagan corruption of the name Zeus?	p. 160
What language did Jesus and the apostles speak?	p. 165
Was the New Testament originally written in Hebrew?	p. 169
Was the New Testament originally written in Aramaic?	p. 175
What are some examples of the Jewish background to the New Testament?	p. 180
What does it mean to "restore the Jewish roots" of the Christian faith?	p. 187
Was Paul really an educated Jew who knew the Hebrew language well?	p. 190
Did the Jews really kill Jesus?	p. 195
Contemporary Christians, the Law of Moses and the State of Israel
Did Jesus abolish the Law?	p. 202
Did Paul abolish the Law?	p. 208
Should Christians keep the Law?	p. 213
Should Christians observe the Sabbath on Saturday?	p. 219
Should Christians adhere to the dietary laws?	p. 224
Should Christians observe the biblical Jewish holidays?	p. 226
What is the difference between Passover and Easter?	p. 230
Are Gentile Christians spiritual Jews?	p. 233
What is the "Two House Theory"?	p. 238
What is the difference between a Messianic Jew and a Hebrew Christian?	p. 244
Are Messianic Jewish leaders really rabbis?	p. 246
Is it good for Christians to attend Jewish synagogues?	p. 252
Should Christians unconditionally support the nation of Israel?	p. 254
What did Paul mean when he said that "all Israel will be saved"?	p. 264
Did God make a special way for Jews to be saved without believing in Jesus?	p. 269
Notes	p. 275
Index	p. 297
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