Witnessing to Jews

As one reads through the Bible, we find progressively detailed prophecies about the identity of the Messiah. Obviously, as the prophecies become increasingly detailed, the field of qualified "candidates" becomes increasingly narrow.

In showing a Jewish person that Jesus is the Messiah, one effective approach is to begin with broad prophecies and then narrow the field to include increasingly specific and detailed prophecies. You might use circles to graphically illustrate your points as you share these prophecies.

As suggested by Stuart Dauermann, seven increasingly detailed "circles of certainty" include:

1.Messiah's humanity (Genesis 3:15).
2.Messiah's Jewishness (Genesis 12:1-3; 28:10-15).
3.Messiah's tribe (Genesis 49:10).
4.Messiah's family (2 Samuel 7:16; Jeremiah 23:5-6).
5.Messiah's birthplace (Micah 5:2).
6.Messiah's life, reception, and death (Isaiah 52:13; 53).
7.Chronology of Messiah's appearing (Daniel 9:24-26).

I think an unmentioned method of witnessing to Jews is also examining their own “traditions” and dogmas. Many of them hold to mystical Kabbalah, which, amongst other things, teaches reincarnation, the divinity of man, and interprets from random unrelated scripture reams of mystical pablum. And all this they base on “traditions” of Rabbis that have no historical authenticity, such as the Zohar, a 12th or 13th century creation, which they pretend goes back to an ancient Jew. The wife of the author, after he passed away, admitted to someone who wanted to see his “original records” that her husband had told her that he made the claim of historicity since he thought it would sell better. Kind of like a Jewish Joseph Smith. I’ve been wanting to post a thread on it for some time, but haven’t had opportunity. Too busy with work.

This endeavor is a huge, and fruitless waste of time. Worse, as it is an attempt to pervert a relationship sanctified by God himself, it is one that carries consequence, as an evil act, and not one of salvation.

However, any Christian who can "convert" any Jew is welcome to the attempt. As long as coercion or threat is not part of the attempt. Otherwise, we are each free to share what we feel is the good news of God's love.

However, Jews who are properly educated are more likely to shake a Christian's faith than the other way around.. and thus, its is normally bad form to put someone in a position where they must not share their thoughts so as not to offend one who is genuinely reaching out in love.

If all of the evil schemes of the past to force Jews into converting to this or that had been able to succeed, there would have been no Jews more than 2000 years ago. So, let go of this idea that animated the Inquisition and the Pogroms of the Czars.. it is unseemly.

No human is able to convert another human to Christianity, for that is the work of God the Holy Spirit, but believers are able to witness to others about God’s Plan and are commanded to minister the Gospel to others.

Romans goes further in later books, say Romans 10-15, discussing how faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and that this is applicable not only for those uncircumcised, but even moreso for those circumcised.

It also clarifies that circumcision is not by the flesh but the circumcision of Abraham was by faith of the uncircumcised. Those Jews who have never believed by Christ are not saved, but those who are of the true olive tree, separated from the root and trunk are much more easily grafted back in than are the Gentiles.

IMHO, it usually takes a different attack than reasoning to witness to a Jew.

Rom 11:25 comes to mind.

Rom 11:25
(25) For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26-36
(26) And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
(27) For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
(28) As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
(29) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
(30) For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
(31) Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
(32) For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
(33) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
(34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
(35) Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
(36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The focus for witnessing to Jews more generally is described in Romans 10. Focus on Righteousness by faith, instead of righteousness by the law, which leads to a hardened heart.

Rom 10:1-10
(1) Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
(2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
(3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
(4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
(5) For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
(6) But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
(7) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
(8) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.