Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: General and Historical Objections (Paperback)

~ Michael Brown (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Brown delivers a much-needed resource to Christians. He offers well-researched, thoughtful, biblical responses to difficult questions that arise when Christians share Yeshua (Jesus) with Jews.... Brown doesn't shy away from challenging subjects such as anti-missionary efforts and the Holocaust. As a result, the material is engaging and convicting. This soul-winning tool is written with a perfect blend of passion, wisdom, and revelation. It's ideal for readers wanting to reach Jewish family members, friends, or coworkers. It's also a must-have for anyone interested in understanding Christianity's Jewish roots. Highly recommend it. -- CBA Marketplace, January 2000

Michael Brown's work in the area of Jewish apologetics is the most thorough and penetrating I have seen. There is no doubt in my mind that this work will make a major contribution to the ongoing discussion and will, in fact, set the standard in the field -- Richard Averbeck, associate professor, Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Michael Browns thinking is incisive and to the point. His ability to explain so that anyone can understand is amazing. He will surely be acclaimed as the new expert in Jewish Christian apologetics. I would be happy to recommend his much needed book to anyone -- Moishe Rosen, founder, Jews for Jesus

Michael Browns work in the area of Jewish apologetics is the most thorough and penetrating I have seen. There is no doubt in my mind that this work will make a major contribution to the ongoing discussion and will, in fact, set the standard in the field -- Richard Averbeck, associate professor, Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

We desperately need this book! -- Sid Roth, founder and president, Messianic Vision

Product Description

What kind of answers hold fast in Jewish Christian apologetics? Answers that are fair. Answers that are detailed. And above all, answers that respond to actual objections. In the first of three volumes of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, Michael Brown provides defensible answers. He addresses the same arguments that arise in his dialogue and debate with friends, rabbis, and anti-missionaries. Some objections include:

- "I was a born a Jew and I will die a Jew."
- "I wont betray my ancestors."
- "If Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, why isnt there peace on earth?"
- "Christians have always hated and persecuted the Jewish people!"

Brown knows all about such objections. At age sixteen, he discovered Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, and it changed his life. Called to defend his new faith, Brown went on to master Hebrew, earning his Ph.D. in Semitic languages. In the past decades he has established himself as a leading Jewish Christian apologist.

Brown brings together his learning and his love for his people to answer thirty-five commonly heard objections. He provides believers and seekers alike with honest, spiritually focused answers, thoroughly documented with notes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books; 1st edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080106063X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801060632
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #376,546 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, detailed and accurate, but pointless, August 27, 2003

By	Joseph T Reinckens II (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This is a planned four-volume set.

Dr. Brown is the leading expert on responding to objections to Jesus and Christian theology raised by knowledgeable Orthodox Jews. He has a doctorate in Semitic languages, the books are well-researched and well-written and he covers the material in detail, going into Talmudic interpretations, Rashi, Maimonedes, etc. Although such Jewish theologians are unfamiliar to most Christians, their names are as familiar to knowledgeable Jews as Moody and Scofield are to Christians.

Although most purchasers are gentile evangelists, material is arranged essentially as dialogues between an Orthodox Jew and a responding Messianic.

Unfortunately, the books are rather pointless. Why? See Evangelism Explosion. If a person is not open to the gospel, no amount of arguments will matter. You can see similar debates in Internet newsgroups between Protestants and Catholics, Protestants and Mormons, Messianics and non-messianic Jews, etc.

I recently took Brown's course on Messianic Apologetics. He started by having two Messianic Jews try evangelizing him and he responded as an Orthodox would, with arguments from his books. One of the evangelists is an Israeli graduate of the Jewish Studies program at Christ for the Nations experienced at Jewish evangelism.

Responding like a non-messianic Orthodox, Brown "wiped the floor" with both of them, with things like "Are you Jewish?" "Is your mother Jewish?" "Is HER mother Jewish?" "Do you keep kosher?" (Contrary to the Bible, the Israeli Supreme Court says a person only is Jewish if their mother is Jewish. Hence, if the mother's mother wasn't Jewish, the mother isn't Jewish, so he's not Jewish, etc.)

It then moved on to, "Numbers 23 says, 'God is not a man'. Since Jesus can't be God, all your so-called 'messianic prophecy proofs' are worthless. Also, they can't be proofs, since Messiah has not come yet. Where do Hebrew Scriptures say Messiah will be God? He will be anointed, but only a man. Where does Isaiah 53 talk about Messiah? It's not a messianic prophecy; it's talking about Israel."

One evangelist said, "Since the Temple is destroyed, sacrifices can't be offered. How do you get atonement for your sin?" The response was, "After Solomon's Temple was destroyed there were no sacrifices. How were Daniel's sins forgiven?"

For non-Christians reading this review, understand that Brown didn't "wipe the floor" with them because their arguments were wrong. They had never heard Orthodox arguments and were not prepared to respond "off the cuff". Brown's books show that many Orthodox arguments contradict Scripture or historic Jewish interpretations or both.

For gentiles considering Jewish evangelism, an argument often raised by Orthodox Jews is, "If you could read Hebrew you would know that's not what it says." Brown studied Semitic languages because he kept getting that argument even though he's Jewish. He said materials written by Christians for Jewish evangelism routinely have Hebrew errors.

Sadly, despite claims to the contrary, what comes across in the 15-hour course and books is the attitude of "I am going to convince THAT person." An informal survey has indicated it is EXTREMELY rare for a Jewish person to accept Jesus unless the person (1) was raised secular or (2) marries a Christian. Such people are willing to listen to and honestly evaluate the beliefs of Christianity. Missiology studies show that 80% of people raised in a religion stay in that religion.

Jesus interacted with religious leaders who disputed him but he did not get into extended debates like those in Brown's books. Also see Matthew 10:14

Although Dr. Brown is VERY active in evangelism, I can't help thinking, "How many hundreds of times MORE people could have been brought to Jesus if time spent researching and writing for a VERY small audience almost totally resistant to the gospel had been spent reaching out to the MILLIONS of people who are simply indifferent and uninformed but are willing to listen if someone tells them?"

If you are a Christian considering Jewish evangelism, review the sample pages, examine the books if you get a chance and visit "anti-missionary" websites, e.g., Tovia Singer. You'll see this is EXTREMELY unproductive SUPER-specialized work requiring responses to arguments you won't hear ANYWHERE elsewhere.

But don't let that deter you from GENERAL Jewish evangelism. MANY Jews are quite secular. Their main arguments are "I'm Jewish. Jews don't believe in Jesus." and "What about all the persecution the Church has done against Jews?" They are open to the gospel if you hang in there and honestly address their concerns with sensitivity.

And if YOU think Jesus or the apostles CONVERTED from Judaism to Christianity, YOU need to learn about the history of the Church BEFORE 100 A.D. In Acts 15 the apostles created "Christianity" for GENTILES, as a religion PARALLEL to Messianic Judaism.

TELL your Jewish friends that JESUS IS JEWISH. He was born Jewish, he was Torah-observant, he died Jewish, came back from the dead Jewish and he's STILL Jewish.

Hebrews 4:14 ... WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST who has gone through the heavens, JESUS ...

THE HIGH PRIEST ISN'T CATHOLIC AND HE ISN'T PROTESTANT--HE'S JEWISH!

Check these out:

Our Hands Are Stained With Blood-Michael Brown
Restoring the Jewishness of the Gospel-David Stern
Messianic Jewish Manifesto-David Stern
Complete Jewish Bible-David Stern
Evangelism Explosion-D. James Kennedy

Shalom!

34 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Sensitive Interaction with Jewish People, March 1, 2000

By	Keith A. Wells DC (Whittier, California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For any serious Christian who interacts with Jewish persons, this book is a must read. Michael Brown is a fascinating Jewish Christian scholar whose depth of research into the tough questions about Christianity and Jewry leaves the reader feeling educated and prepared. The author's style is interesting; he writes as though he is dialoguing with a Jewish skeptic of Jesus. The Gentile reader may feel a little left out or in the dark at first, but the insightful reader will eventually feel he or she is sitting in on a debate of the utmost importance. A Christian who knows little about Jewish people will be at times shocked and saddened over the treatment Jews have received over the centuries by so called "Christians", and at the same time fascinated by insight the author offers into how these issues may be heard and answered. This is the first of three volumes due to be released in the year 2000; this volume deals with general and historical objections to Jesus and Christianity. I cannot imagine reading the first without reading the others!

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brown Exceeds Expectations!, September 7, 2000

By	Dr. Michael L. Brown (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book, which I have been waiting for years to be completed, has far exceeded all of my expectations and I am so thankful to now have it on my bookshelf! Dr. Michael Brown powerfully and convincingly answers every objection that a Jew would have to the Messiahship of Yeshua/Jesus in terms that can be understood by both a young Jewish seeker as well as satisfying the questions of an aged theologian. Although the Scriptures speak for themselves and contain all of the answers that one ever needs in life, Brown's masterpiece will prove the perfect supplement in Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus!