Jewish

Isaiah 7:13-14

"And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el."

Jews will state one of two things against this prophecy. One, they often argue that the the word "virgin" is a misinterpretation and that in reality the word used meant (almah vs. betulah) "young maiden" or 'young woman." They will also say that this was meant to apply to Ahaz' wife and mother of King Hezekiah, who at the time of Isaiah, was still a young, unmarried woman. Christian interpretation understands this as well, but also recognizes its importance because it will enable the promise made to King David by God, that the Messiah will be a descendant of his line. Through St. Matthew's gospel we also come to understand the more transcendent nature of this prophecy in relation to Mary and the birth of her Son, Jesus. The prophet need not have known or understood the full force latent in his own statements. The Holy Spirit, in preparing for the nativity of Jesus, may have used these words which were familiar words to faithful Jews, to also help them recognize the promised Messiah, from the Davidic line, who was Jesus.

Secondly, they will often say that Jesus could not be the Messiah because he was not named Immanuel ("God with us"), but rather given the name of Yeshua ("God saves"). Even though he was not named Immanuel by his parents he was known to be Immanuel by his disciples and followers, who did refer to him as such. Keeping this in mind did Ahaz' wife have any children she named Immanuel? No she didn't, directly, but much further down the Davidic line we see that "she" did!

Isaiah 11:1-2

"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."

This is the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 1:1-16:

"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of She-alti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

Jews will say that we Christians do not believe Joseph to be Jesus' father so then Jesus cannot be a descendent of Joseph's Davidic lineage. I find this interesting since from the Jewish standpoint Jesus would have to have been seen as a son of Joseph which does place him in the Davidic line. It bears no meaning to the prophecy what Christians would believe later about Jesus' paternity because in Jesus' day he was seen only as Joseph's son. (Matthew 13:53-56) Christians recognize the fact that Joseph was the "earthly father" of Jesus. For thirty years, as far as any of his contemporaries knew, Joseph was his father. According to Jewish law and custom Jesus would have been recognized as a descendant of Joseph's lineage. Thus, he does fulfill that prophecy. Jesus is also the fulfillment of the prophecy in Genesis 3:15

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Jesus is the only human that was the "seed" of a woman. Since Mary is believed, by the testimony of Christ's apostles, to have conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit her human "DNA" was the only "seed" that Jesus had. The Holy Spirit also knowing that the Messiah must be from the line of King David provided this through Mary's husband, Joseph. Regardless of how one chooses to believe Jesus' conception occurred, during his times and according to Jewish custom he would have been recognized officially and legally as one of Joseph's heirs.

Jews say the Jewish messiah will be fully human. He will in no way be supernatural.

As Christians we know and accept the fact that Jesus was fully human...just as human as you and I... except for sin. He was as fully human as anyone could possibly be. He had the same urges, temptations and weaknesses we all struggle with. The difference is we succumb to them, where as Jesus never did.

Jews say that the miracles of the Messiah's day, will not be done by the messiah, only by God.

Jesus always gave credit to God the Father (John 5:19, 14:10-11), who performed many miracles, through him, the Son. Jesus claimed all power came from God and that he performed his many miracles and healings only because he was one with the Father. He stated that without the Father he would be powerless.

Jews claim certain things must happen in the messianic age for it to be considered the messianic age. One of those things is the ingathering of all the children of Israel, all the Jews, from the whole world.

At the time of Jesus' birth and earthly ministry the second Temple to be built in Jerusalem was the grandest and most magnificent temple ever constructed. Jews from every nation gathered there to worship and celebrate the Jewish Holy Days and feasts. Jews (from all nations or tribes) made the pilgrimage there and gathered together at least once a year for the Passover. Microsft Encarta 97 says the following with regard to the second temple:

"The consecrated area which contained the Holy of Holies, entered only by the High Priest. Three times a year - Succoth, Shavuot and Passover - throngs of Jewish pilgrims from all over the country assembled here to attend the ceremonies."

Jews say peace must be occur after the attempted destruction of Israel, a peace where "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore".

The era at the time of Jesus' earthly life was known as the "Pax Romana" the longest (200 years) and most productive and peaceful era in ancient times or in any era of recorded human history. In contrast, the era before this historically peaceful period was one filled with wars and devastation for the Jewish people.

Jews claim that God will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem during the messianic age.

John 2:13-22 "The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me."(Isaiah 69:9) The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken."

As Christians we believe God did rebuild His Temple in three days, when he raised Jesus from the dead.

Isaiah 9:6-7

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."

Jews claim that Isaiah was referring to the birth of Hezzakiah. This is accepted by Christian theologians as well. It is noted though, that Hezzakiah did not meet the expectations that were stated in Isisah's prophecy. What I find interesting is that the Jews were fiercely monotheistic and what Isaiah states here is that a mere man, Hezzakiah, would called "Mighty God". Yet with Jesus we know that he is God and was known as the Son of God, (Romans 1:1-5) as well as the other titles listed by Isaiah. Where Hezzakiah failed, Jesus did not.

Isaiah 49:5-6

"And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength--he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

Jews claim that the people of Israel, collectively, are the servant spoken of by Isaiah. This is the same understanding that Christians have as well. We understand that the servants vocation will not only be the restoration of Israel but the conversion of the whole world as well. We see this fulfilled in the life and mission of Jesus Christ (A Jew and son of David). When the people/nation of Israel fell into disfavor again through their sinful ways God once again offered salvation for His people. Knowing that even with His law we could not overcome our sinfulness, he gave us His saving grace through His Son. Jesus justifies us to the Father (restores us to God's favor) through his life and death. His gospel of salvation has been spread through out the world... and continues to grow. He has been the Light of the World (John 1:1-18) in that he has brought many to belief and understanding of God. Jews, as a rule, do not evangelize their faith, they do not look for converts and in fact are reticent about accepting converts to the faith. By reading Old Testament scripture we see how God's people (Israel, Jews) continually failed at meeting God's expectations. But...because He loves us, his creatures, so much he never gives up despite all the disappointments. His grand plan was Jesus, his Living Word, sent to walk among us so that we could know God the Father through Him. Jesus would be and has been the light to show us the way.

Isaiah 52-53 "Suffering Servant"

"Behold, my servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. As many were astonished at him-- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men-- so shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand."

Jews once again state that Isaiah spoke of Israel as the suffering servant. Jesus Christ is the personification of what God expects his "suffering servant Israel" to be. The "nation" of Israel has not fulfilled this prophecy but it was completely fulfilled in Jesus. How much higher can one be exulted and lifted up then to be the Son of God and Redeemer of man?

"Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our grieves and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. (
Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."(Mt 26:67-68, Lk 23:4-11, John 19:01, Matthew 27:27-30, Matthew 27:23; 27:25, John 19:17)

Jews, once again, claim that this pertains to the people of Israel. During Isaiah's time when the prophecy was given it is understood that the prophet believed this to mean Israel. Knowing that and understanding that does not preclude the fact that there was a greater and more transcendent meaning the prophet did not comprehend. Because "Isaiah" spoke it as meaning Israel does not mean that it cannot pertain to Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was/is the embodiment of God's desire for his chosen people. Christ was in effect the perfect Israel, the perfect suffering servant. Jesus is how, God the Father, fulfilled His promise to Israel that they shall be the source of salvation and a light to all nations... How do the Jews personally make themselves an offering for the sins of the world? Furthermore, how does Israel's suffering redeem the rest of the world? While there is limited fulfillment in understanding this as Israel, it is completely fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Psalms, Prophets	New Testament
Psalm 2:6-8 "I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill." I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Jews will say that many Jews were God's anointed such as Aaron, Saul, David, Solomon... etc. So that this wouldn't point directly to Jesus. All the above eventually fell from God's favor through sinfulness and failed. Only Jesus has fulfilled the prophecy.	Matthew 3:16 " And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Psalm 22:1,6 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? But I am a worm, and no man; scorned by men, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me, they make mouths at me, they wag their heads; "He committed his cause to the LORD; let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him!" Jews will say that if Jesus was God why would He cry out in such a way. They say that only a man would cry out like this. As Christians we realize that Jesus was just as human as any of us (except for sin) and subject to the same emotions and feelings we have. The fact that he is divine as well did not cancel out his humanness.	Matthew 27:38 "And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabach-thani?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Psalm 22:16-18 Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet-- I can count all my bones-- they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots. Jews will claim this refers only to David... But, Jesus is a son of David. The line Messiah is expected from. David did not fulfill these prophecies himself. But they were fulfilled by Jesus, descendent of his house.	Matthew 27:35-37 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots;then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
Psalm 69:21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.	Matthew 27:38 "And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This man is calling Elijah." And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. John 19:28-29 "After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said, "I thirst." A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth.
Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born. Psalm34:19-20 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.	John 19:31 Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth--that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."
Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass."	"Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass." The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;they brought the ass and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon.
Micah 5:2 "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.	Luke 2:3-5 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.	Matthew 2:13-15 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Jeremiah 31:31-34 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."	Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ; and you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him. Galatians 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir.
Isaiah 6:6-10 Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 9 And he said, "Go, and say to this people: 'Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.' 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."	Matthew 13:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: 'You shall indeed hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. 15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.' 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.