Digital Logos Edition
“I was born a Jew, and I will die a Jew.” “I won’t betray my ancestors!” “If Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, why isn’t there peace on earth?” When it comes to Jewish Christian apologetics, the best answers are those that respond to actual objections. Incisive and direct, this volume provides an honest, fair, and thorough discussion of 35 common objections on general and historical themes. Answering general objections is usually a matter of correcting misconceptions about Jesus and the New Testament. Historical objections tend to be more substantial, dealing specifically with the purpose of a Messiah, or anti-Semitism, or the Holocaust. Believers and seekers alike will appreciate the spiritually focused answers, which are thoroughly documented and footnoted.
“So, what you expected to be the first act of the play will actually be the final act.” (Page 69)
“Thus, many Jewish objections to Jesus are actually objections to Christendom—by which I mean the diluted and often polluted faith that began to develop several hundred years after the New Testament was completed. Real Christianity is completely biblical, and in that way, ‘Jewish’ in the best sense of the word. It has plenty of room for Jews to live as redeemed Jews and Gentiles to live as redeemed Gentiles. But most Jews today don’t know what real Christianity (or true Messianic Judaism) is.” (Page xxii)
“Whether you’re Jewish or Gentile, you must be born anew through faith in him. The ultimate question, therefore, is not whether you’re Jewish or Gentile but whether you are of the Messiah or not.” (Page 7)
“As the Messianic Jewish faith developed and grew, it began to fulfill one of its key, biblical functions, namely, making the God of Israel known to the nations.” (Page xxi)
“Christianity is a lot more Jewish than many people realize!” (Page xxi)
This is a wonderful resource for study of the relationship between Christianity and Judaism.
—Darrell Bock, Research Professor, New Testament Studies; Professor, Spiritual Development and Culture, Dallas Theological Seminary
There is no other contemporary resource like this, and it will no doubt be useful in countering not just Jewish objections but the objections of so many other skeptics and naysayers of the New Testament.
—David Brickner, Executive Director, Jews for Jesus
Brown’s answers to objections are carefully thought out, honest, and well researched. His work provides a useful model on how to do apologetics for all who are interested in articulating and defending the Christian faith.
—Craig Keener, Professor, New Testament Studies, Palmer Theological Seminary, Eastern University
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, by Michael Brown, is must reading for everyone who desires to be better “prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1Peter 3:15). Michael is thorough in his responses to “typical” objections to the Messiahship of Yeshua, yet, his style of writing makes these responses easy to understand. Much insight is to be gained as a result of Michael dealing with issues such as “Christian anti-Semitism”. I also appreciated his views on the Holocaust (not an easy issue to deal with).
—Messianic Rabbi Noach Zaner
Michael L. Brown is a Jewish believer in Jesus and has a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Literatures from New York University. He was the first president of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry in Pensacola, FL, and went on to help found the FIRE School of Ministry where he serves as its president and full-time staff member. He has been a visiting professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the founder and president of ICN Ministries, which is devoted to taking the gospel of Jesus to Israel, the Church, and the Nations. He is active in Jewish evangelism, debating rabbis on television, radio, and college campuses. Dr. Brown has written more than fifteen books and is a contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of Jewish Religion. His books include Go and Sin No More and Compassionate Father or Consuming Fire.