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Those of faith were, examples of which are found in chapter 11 of the NT book of Hebrews, beginning with Abel's blood sacrifice looking forward by faith to Christ's sacrifice, to Abraham's offering up his only begotten son looking forward by faith to Christ, followed by Moses and the temple blood sacrificial system.
And when the object of their faith came, the Messiah (Christ), the faithful Jews realized this is the one to whom their blood sacrificial system pointed, and accepted him. THESE are "the people of the book, no one else is."

Those who reject him and hate him, are no longer the people of the book, for the entire "book" points to faith in Christ. His blood offered, not just for Jews but the entire world.

It never ceases to amaze me how you chrstians don't seem to notice that the only reason you say and believe this is that you already accept the authenticity and authority of the "new testament" from the start (a priori).

Here's a hint: quoting the "new testament" to prove chrstianity is no different than quoting the qur'an to prove islam or quoting the book of mormon to prove mormonism.

BTW, the article at the head of this thread was another attack on Fundamentalist Protestants from their so-called "co-religionists." I was defending both the Bible and Fundamentalism, but never mind that.

Here's a hint: quoting the "new testament" to prove chrstianity is no different than quoting the qur'an to prove islam or quoting the book of mormon to prove Mormonism.

... or quoting the Hebrew Bible to prove Judaism or some Noachide notion ...

Here's a hint: quoting the "new testament" to prove chrstianity is no different than quoting the qur'an to prove islam or quoting the book of mormon to prove mormonism.

That would be true, to a Jew...The OT doesn't mention much about the Gentile church... The O.T. gives numerous prophecies about Jesus and there is not a single one that failed to come true...Historically...There are still some to be fulfilled but if the record stays true, we can count on them happening...

That not only separates those other religions you spoke of from Christianity, but that alone is a pretty good reason to take a serious look at the New Testament...

It never ceases to amaze me how you chrstians don't seem to notice that the only reason you say and believe this is that you already accept the authenticity and authority of the "new testament" from the start (a priori).

This may be so for Protestantism but not for Catholicism or Orthodoxy. Our faith is based on the testimony of the Apostles as it has been handed down by the Church. These men gave their lives for what they witnessed. They were commissioned by Jesus Christ as the first leaders of a living and visible church empowered by the Holy Spirit. This divinely established church continues today under the pastoral leadership of the pope (for Catholics, not the Orthodox) and the bishops. It is by the authority of the Church that the validity and inspiration of the Scriptures is received. This is the point that the (Orthodox) author was trying to make when he says that Christians are not People of the Book. He is also implying that the Protestant reduction of the faith to being a "People of the Book" is a distortion introduced from Islam.