Book Comment: Judaism for Everyone and Why the Jews Rejected Jesus

Two books this time: Judaism for Everyone (2002) and Why the Jews Rejected Jesus (2005). These two books are two sides of the same coin and discuss some of the same issues.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the author of eleven books with titles like Kosher Sex, The Rabbi and the Psychic, and The Jewish Guide to Adultery, wrote Judaism for Everyone as an apologetic work  (but, he emphatically points out, not as an evangelistic effort). The secondary title of the book is Renewing Your Life Through the Vibrant Lessons of the Jewish Faith.

David Klinghoffer says that he wrote Why the Jews Rejected Jesus as an explanation to his well-meaning Christian friends who cannot understand why he would reject the free gift of salvation offered by the Gospel.

For both authors the idea reduces down to one point: they do not believe that Jesus fulfilled the requirements for being declared the Messiah. Christians, of course, see the same things, but come to an entirely different interpretation *.

The Jews list these reasons for rejecting Jesus:

1.     Jesus never fought the Romans. * Chrisians say that Rome clearly saw Jesus as a threat.

2.     Jesus did not establish a physical political messianic kingdom.  * Christians say that Jesus established His kingdom in the hearts of His followers, an idea which Jews utterly reject.

3.     A new Temple was not built in Jerusalem.  * Christians say that Jesus Himself is the new Temple and its priest.

4.     The world did not recognize God as Lord.  * Christians say that at the Second Coming every head will bow and every knee will bend in acknowledgement of God.

5.      A New Covenant based on restored commitment to observance of the Law was not given to the Jews. * Christians say that the New Covenant based on Faith in the Saving Grace of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law.

6.     There was no ingathering of the Jewish exiles.  * Some Christians see the fulfillment of this requirement in the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

The Jews saw the claims of Jesus and His Christian followers to be blasphemous.  Klinghoffer points out that to the Jews, blasphemy is abusing God’s name for a forbidden purpose. Boteach clarifies what the Jews see as that forbidden purpose: He declares that the idea that God can be Human is the ultimate heresy. *Christians, of course, insist that Jesus was fully divine and fully human.

I urge you to read both of these books. Christianity and Judaism have major differences between them.  A Christian, for example, cannot echo Rabbi Boteach in saying, “Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is far more important than waiting for the right motivation.”

Even with the differences, there is agreement on the vast majority of our two worldviews and an understanding of Jewish history, symbolism, and theology is absolutely essential for a proper understanding of Christianity. Jesus was an orthodox Jew.

Also, since God does not change, all of His promises to Israel still stand. He is not finished with the Jews.  The Bible tells us that in the end days “all Israel shall be saved.”

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A general caution: books may give you wonderful new insights and explanations of subjects, but you should never base your Christian beliefs on any one book or the teachings of one person, no matter who they are. All teachings must be consistent with scripture. Read as the Bereans did, with discernment. “… for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11 NASB

Any doctrines must be consistent with the historical full body of Christian thought. Doctrines or teachings inconsistent with scripture in any way must be rejected. You would not eat cheese which had a fuzzy fungus growing on it.

Magic Squares in Christian Occultism, Part 1

I had to remove today’s post because it became corrupted by some sort of commercial spam. I am instead posting on another subject entirely. Before you read this, let me absolutely declare that I am not an occultist of any sort.  I reject the practice of magic. I am not speaking about stage magic, which is a form of entertainment based on sleight of hand and visual deception.  That is clearly not real and does not claim to be real.

What I am talking about is Magic (or more properly Magick). Magick is based on the belief that there is an underlying basis to reality which is not apparent to the normal human senses. Magick  believes that with knowledge of the correct words, phrases, or actions, one may influence, or even force, the universe to produce particular intended results. In other words, spells and curses. The traditional Christian understanding is that we should have nothing to do with any of this. Of course, some Christians, even some very learned Christians, have not abided by this understanding. Knowing about Magick and understanding how it crept into Christian use is not a violation of the proscription against it. It is necessary so that we do not do it again. (Sadly, some still do.) [Deuteronomy 18:9-13; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:26, 19:31, 20:6, 20:27; Galatians 5:19-21.]

This will take several days to discuss, so bear with me and keep on reading. The subject of this series of posts is “Magic Squares” and how they have been used in Christian symbolism.

The simplest Magic Squares are, of themselves, merely mathematical constructs which consist of numbers arranged so that the addition of the numbers in a column in any direction (left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, or diagonally from corner to corner) always add up to the same sum. Examples are:

                                    2 7 6                                    All the columns in any

                                    9 5 1                                    direction total to 15.

                                    4 3 8

                         8   58 59  5   4   62 63  1

                        49 15 14 52 53 11 10 56  

                        41 23 22 44 45 19 18 48            All the columns in any

                        32 34 35 29 28 38 39 25            direction total to 260.

                        40 26 27 37 36 30 31 33

                        17 47 46 20 21 43 42 24

                         9  55 54 12 13 51 50 16

                        64  2   3   61 60  6   7  57

These mathematical constructions were known in numerous cultures around the world from early in the history of mathematics.  

The mathematical process for producing the squares can be expressed in mathematical formulae. The earliest squares were based on addition, but later squares have been based on multiplication, complex numbers, shapes other than squares, hypercubes, primes, and even genetic algorithms.  The term “magic square” is also applied to word squares which read the same in any direction.   

The squares became associated with occultism through the practice of numerology. Numerology assigns number values to individual letters of alphabetic writing systems. Every word or name can be assigned a numerical value.

More in the next post: Magic Squares in Christian Occultism, Part 2

Film Comment: It’s Not About the Nail

Watch this short video, It’s Not About the Nail (2013), written and directed by Jason Headley.  The predominant reaction to this humorous film is that it is about relationships between men and women and that it is specifically about marriage.

In my prior film comments, I have taken the stance that films may have applications from a Christian perspective even when that was not the intent of the film’s creators.   Films deal in archetypes and metaphors which can be interpreted in multiple ways.   Films can often be seem as parables.  This is acceptable as long as one realizes that works of art may not fit perfectly into any one philosophical system.

To the Christian, this short film has very stark symbolism.  The woman complains of her headaches.  The man tries to reply, “Maybe it is the nail in your forehead.”  The woman angrily replies that “It’s not about the nail.”

Christians can very clearly see that non-Christians lack Jesus in their lives and that many of their life problems stem from that fact.  The Christian knows that Jesus is right there, right in front of the non-believer’s face.  The non-believer cannot see Jesus at all.

The non-believer will say, :I don’t believe that.  That doesn’t exist.  My problems have to be from some other cause, maybe from you. … It is not about the nail!”

But, to the Christian, everything is about The Nail.

White Shoe Polish on a Rear Windshield

If you live in the United States you have probably seen an automobile where the owner has taken a white shoe polish dispenser and written a slogan on the glass of the rear window.  Usually the message is something like “Just married,” or a phrase encouraging the local high school football team to win that week’s game.

Yesterday, I saw a car like that, with a slogan in large white block letters, “I love Jesus! XOXO ☮.”  Although I was pleased that someone was not afraid or ashamed to acknowledge Jesus, this disturbed me.

I know that the two teenaged boys in the car were probably sincere and were just expressing the vibrant enthusiasm of young new believers.  My objection was that they were doing it in a shallow way which opened them and the faith up to ridicule.  We must always be careful not to send unintended messages to unbelievers.

The XOXO is a modern cell phone texting abbreviation for “hugs and kisses.”  Yes, the Church is the Bride of Christ, but XOXO is not exactly what is meant by that.  Romance is fine, even silly romance, but the marriage of the Church and Christ the Bridegroom is not all bunny rabbits, bubbles, and flowers.

The Peace Symbol ☮ was popularized among the 1960’s counter-culture which was opposed to United States involvement in the Vietnam War.  Regardless of their feelings about the war, many Christians were highly offended by the symbol.

The Peace Symbol, the symbol for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, appears to be an inverted cross with the cross-arms broken and drooping downward ☮.  The symbol was soon adopted as a generic anti-war logo. The anti-war activists always insisted that the symbol was not intended as an insult to Christianity though many Christians were not so sure.  The 1960’s counter-culture was also associated with the concept of “free love” (interpretation: promiscuous sexuality) and advocated the unrestricted use of illegal psychotropic drugs.

Names in the Bible: Hosea

The name of the Hebrew prophet Hosea (8^th Century BC/BCE, ca. 780-725) is derived from the Hebrew word for “salvation.”  Hosea and his adulterous wife, Gomer, are seen by biblical interpreters as symbolic of Yahweh and Israel.  Just as Gomer ran away to another man, God declared that Israel was chasing after other gods.  The gods were affluence, Canaanite religions, sexual immorality, drunkenness, and magical practices.

Hosea named his daughter Lo-ruhama, meaning “not pitied.”  His son he named Lo-ammi, meaning “not my people.”  Both names expressed God’s displeasure. With Israel.

What happened next is also symbolic of God and Israel.  Hosea brought Gomer back and with love and patience, restored her to her proper place.  He remained true to her in spite of her unfaithfulness.  His love was redemptive.

Christians believe that what is taught of God and Israel speaks also to them, those grafted into the tree.  The relationship between redeemed man and God is seen as an ideal marriage.  Because of our limited ability to understand, God speaks to us in powerful symbols we can understand.

The names Joshua (Hebrew: Yehoshua) and Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua) are derived from the same word as Hosea/Hoshea and ultimately mean “Yahweh is salvation.” 

The Only Dream I Remember

I had a dream two nights ago and I remembered it.  This is remarkable because I have never remembered any of my dreams.  This is the only one …  ever.   I know this is not normal, but it is true.

In the dream, I was eating barbecue sandwiches with three people, an older man and two women, none of whom I knew, but who clearly knew and loved me.  They expressed their pleasure with me, told me I was on the right track, and that I should continue what I was doing.  The older man noticed that I had barbecue sauce on my cheek and reached over to wipe it off with his napkin.  For this to be the only dream I have ever remembered was puzzling.

I am definitely not a believer in occultism or “the science of dream interpretation.”  It is said that dreams speak in the language of symbols and that they may be an avenue for us to work out problems in our lives which we cannot address on a conscious level.  Many non-Christians see dreams as a place where they receive “guidance” from “somebody.”  Others see dreams as a series of archetypal human images produced when our minds are in neutral gear.   Still others feel that dreams have no meaning whatsoever.

In the Bible, God often used dreams to speak to his people (Matthew 1:20-24;  Acts 10: 1-48) and, sometimes, to those who were not His. (Genesis 40:8-19)  I have no idea if my dream was from God or not, but nothing in it is contradictory to a Christian understanding.

The archetypal symbols present in my dream are, to me, quite obvious.  While I place absolutely no credence in the “science of dream interpretation,” I thought it would be interesting to see what a dream interpretation dictionary would have to say about this dream.  I was not surprised at what I found.

The most obvious element of the dream is the presence of three people.  Three is the number of the Trinity, the number of divine perfection.

The older man is a symbol of wisdom, kindness, and forgiveness; the women, of nurturance and love.  Eating with others is taken to symbolize harmony and intimacy.  Eating or cooking meat is seen as getting to the heart of a matter. I have absolutely no idea what that matter would be.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly is seen by many Christians as a symbolic representation of the Resurrection (of both Jesus and of the individual believer) and can also be seen as representative of the conversion of an unbeliever.  The caterpillar can be seen as representing the daily life of man, busy eating and living, hanging closely onto a stick.  The chrysalis would represent death, wrapped in linen and enclosed in a tomb.  The butterfly would represent the rebirth as a totally new and beautiful being, able to fly away unbound by the concerns of the former life.


Butterflies are not specifically mentioned in the Bible.  Symbolism such as this is, of course, indirect, like a reflection in a mirror of an image reflected from another mirror.


"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:   It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:   It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. " 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

What Do You Do In the Dark?

The Kiss in the Tunnel (1899) is a humorous one minute long short in which a couple sneaks a passionate kiss when their train goes into a tunnel.  The film is terribly crude by our standards, but remember that it was made one hundred and two years ago.

The film opens with one of the first "phantom rides" ever seen in a film.  This consisted of strapping a cameraman on the front of the train, probably a very frightening thing at the time. The film then switches to a brightly lit studio set (which is supposed to have gone totally dark, but then we would not have been able to see).  We would not have been in on the shocking act.

The couple consisted of the director, George Smith, and his real-life wife, actress Laura Bayley.  When the train leaves the tunnel, the couple quickly ends their liplock and gets back to proper behavior.  The man is in such a hurry that he sit on his hat.



The obvious imagery is sexual, even phallic, as the train enters the tunnel.  Commentators have suggested that nineteenth century British audiences would have missed this symbolism.  I doubt that.  They lived in a very restrained culture but they were not stupid.

The Christian application of this film is as an illustration.  What things do we do in the dark that we have to scurry to hide when the lights come back on?  Don't we realize that all our actions and thoughts happen before God in His bright daylight?

Pretzels

The next time you are at a baseball game and are about to stick your giant salted pretzel into the dollop of mustard the vendor gave you, think about this: pretzels have their origins in Christian symbolism.

The baked bread was created by monks (possibly in 610 AD/BCE in Italy) to hand out as treats to children who successfully remembered their prayers. Pretzels rapidly spread across Europe, always carrying their religious significance with them. Dough was formed into long strips which were crossed in the characteristic pattern to resemble a heart in shape, and then were baked. The crossed pattern in the center of the pretzels represented children's arms folded over their chests in prayer and the three holes in the pretzel were meant to stand for the Trinity.

Various derivations have been offered for the name. "Pretiola," Italian for "little rewards," has been suggested. The Italians claim to have made the first pretzels, as do some Greeks, French, and Germans. The German name is "brezel." Some claim the word is derived from the Latin words "bracellus" ("bracelet") or "bracchiola" ("little arms").

Trivia: The marriage euphemism, "tying the knot," reflects the practice of using a pretzel to represent the tying together of two families in marriage.