Transcript Lesson notes - The Jewish Home

Counter-Missionary Education
Messiah Wanted!
A Counter-Missionary Education Lesson
by
Uri Yosef, Ph.D., Director of Education
Virtual Yeshiva of the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.
http://virtualyeshiva.com
[The article on this topic is located here - http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Wanted.pdf]
Copyright © Uri Yosef 2011 for the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.
All rights reserved
January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 1 of 6
Introduction
As noted in our lesson Judaism and Christianity: The Twain Shall Never
Meet, Judaism and Christianity disagree on the concept of the Messiah
– who he is, and what his mission is.
In this lesson we shall first learn what the Hebrew Bible teaches about
the promised Jewish King/Messiah and his mission. Then we shall
extract from the accounts in the New Testament the qualifications of
Christianity’s Messiah (Jesus), and use the historical record to evaluate
his accomplishments, and compare both, his qualifications and
accomplishments, against what the Hebrew Bible specifies concerning
Judaism’s promised Messiah (‫יח‬
ַ ‫ )מָ ִׁש‬and his mission.
January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 2 of 6
Defining the Position
An instructive way to illustrate the specifications contained in the Hebrew
Bible for the attributes of the promised Jewish King/Messiah and his mission
is to cast it in the form of a job requisition:
Category
Requirements
Position Available
ַ‫ מָ ִׁשיח‬- the Jewish Messiah.
Job Description
To usher in the messianic era, as foretold in the Hebrew Bible,
and to preside over the people of Israel as their king, sitting on
the throne of King David.
Job Requirements
To execute and successfully complete the messianic agenda, as
described in the Hebrew Bible, within one lifetime.
Prior Job Experience
None.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will possess certain attributes that are
specified in the Hebrew Bible.
Performance
Appraisal Criteria
The successful candidate will be expected to complete the
messianic agenda and, thereby, bring about certain conditions
during his reign, though some actions will commence prior to his
being identified as the Messiah.
We shall now take a closer look at the key items in this job requisition.
January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 3 of 6
Prior Job Experience
ַ‫( מָ ִׁשיח‬per Hebrew Bible - Y)
Jesus (per New Testament - )
• Not required since this position
was never held before
*
• Not required since this position
was never held before
Score*

Indicates whether the accounts in the New Testament comply with the specifications in the Hebrew Bible.
Qualifications
ַ‫( מָ ִׁשיח‬per Hebrew Bible - Y)
Jesus (per New Testament - )
Score
• A biological descendant
(progeny, seed = ‫ )זֶרע‬of David
and from the tribe of Judah, i.e.,
via paternal lineage
• A “begotten” son of God from a
virgin (who has neither David as
his biological ancestor nor the
required tribal affiliation of Judah)

• Lineage to David that passes
through Solomon
• Two irreconcilable genealogies
conflict with this requirement

• A political/military and spiritual
leader
• No evidence of political/military
leadership and Torah scholarship

• Married with children
• Never married nor fathered any
biological (physical) children

January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 4 of 6
Performance Appraisal and Criteria
ַ‫( מָ ִׁשיח‬per Hebrew Bible - Y)
Jesus (per New Testament - )
Score
• Elijah will appear to herald the
arrival of the King/Messiah
• Claimed John the Baptist was
Elijah; John the Baptist denied it

• The 3rd Temple will be built in
Jerusalem
• Did not do it. Instead, 2nd Temple
was destroyed in the 1st century

• The Jewish exiles will be
returned to the Land of Israel
• Did not do it. Instead, Jews were
dispersed further in the 1st century

•Judah and Israel will be reunited • Did not do it. Judah & Israel still
into one people
not one people in the 1st century

• World peace will be established
• Did not do it. Wars raged all over
the region in the 1st century

• A universal knowledge of God
will be brought about
• Did not do it. Instead, he founded
a new religion in the 1st century
that diverted people further from
the knowledge of One True God

• The general resurrection of the
dead will take place
• A general resurrection of the dead
did not happen in the 1st century

January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 5 of 6
Summary
Question
Did Jesus, Christianity's candidate for the position of Jewish Messiah, qualify
for the job?
Answer
Based on his score in the section on qualifications, Jesus did not possess the
requisite qualifications for the job.
Question
Did Jesus, the Messiah of Christianity, do the job as specified in the Hebrew
Scriptures?
Answer
Based on his score in the section on performance appraisal and criteria,
Jesus did not meet the performance objectives of the job.
Conclusion
Jesus was a failed candidate for the job of Jewish Messiah, as defined
in the Hebrew Scriptures. Therefore, the position remains open!
January 27, 2011
Messiah Wanted!
Page 6 of 6