The Distortion: 2000 Years of Misrepresenting the Relationship Between Jesus the Messiah and the Jewish People [Paperback]

John Fischer (Author), Patrice Fischer (Author), John Fischer (Author), Patrice Fischer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

"Jews just don’t believe in Jesus, and never have!"

"The Jews killed Jesus; they rejected their own Messiah."

These statements, although common, are just not true!

This book exposes how these misunderstandings began, how they continued through the last two millennia, what it has cost, not only the Jewish people, but also the Church. In this timely, eye-opening book, Drs. John and Patrice Fischer answer ancient questions being raised anew in response to the film, The Passion of the Christ. Here are just a few of the topics covered:

Are the Gospels Reliable?
Are the Gospels Anti-Semitic?
Has the Church Been Anti-Semitic?
Have the Jewish People Responded to God’s Plan?
A Modern Script for the Passion Story

Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . an important and perceptive book . . . should be widely read by Christians and Jews. -- Dr. Daniel C. Juster, Director, Tikkun International

". . . biblically sound, historically accurate, and deeply relevant." -- Dr. Michael Rydelnik, Professor of Jewish Studies, Moody Bible Institute

". . . turns the traditional Christian perspective on its head; suggests ways to put it right side up." -- Elliot Klayman, Exec. Dir., Messianic Literature Outreach

". . . words that can bring healing between Christians and Jews, and Jews and Messiah." -- Russell Resnik, Exec. Dir., Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations

From the Publisher

With the rise of global anti-Semitism, it is important to have a clear understanding of what the Gospels teach about the relationship between the Jewish people and their Messiah. 2000 years of distortion have made this difficult, even leading Mel Gibson to include, unknowingly, subtle anti-Semitic material in his film, The Passion of the Christ. The Distortion reveals how the facts of the New Testament gradually became distorted in the minds of people, and shows what can be done to rectify wrongs that have led to travesty and tragedy for nearly 2000 years.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: Messianic Jewish Resources International (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880226251
• ISBN-13: 978-1880226254
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i didn't know., August 8, 2008

By 

David M. Schell "The One Jesus Loves" (Latrobe, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Distortion: 2000 Years of Misrepresenting the Relationship Between Jesus the Messiah and the Jewish People (Paperback)

I was impressed with "The Distortion" as a scholarly work because of the way the first chapter rooted the events of the gospels in real history and created a backdrop against which to view Jesus. The first chapter was a work of apologetics, demonstrating the historical accuracy of the gospels... And the remaining chapters dealt with the distortion that centuries of hatred, mixed in with a religion called Christianity, has done to these people God so loved.

After reading "The Distortion," I almost wanted to go out and find a Jew to apologize to on behalf of my Messiah for the horrible things done to them in His name. (Either that, or find a so-called "Christian" - I am a gentile with faith in Yeshua - and strangle them).

I even found ways that things I've written about my own faith have been impacted by the distortion. Since reading that book, it makes better sense.

When I met my Jewish friend, I was excited because I had recently realized just how much the Christian faith was missing by cutting off its roots in Judaism. I had no idea how literally that cutting off of the roots WAS, though.

I was horrified to see how many ways Israel has been abused since Christ left this earth, and watched two "heroes" of the faith, Martin Luther and John Calvin, take on fallen humanity in their abuses of the Jewish people, and their recommendations of such abuse.

What also impressed me were two final chapters: "Does it matter?" and "What you can do to end the distortion." No book is well written if the subject matter is irrelevant, and is equally useless if it has no answers to "what can I do?" "The Distortion" has both.

All told, "The Distortion" IS an important book, even for Christians who love Jesus and love the Jewish people. As the writers illustrate vividly through a story at the beginning of chapter three, "If you do not know what really hurts me, how can you truly love me?"

I ask the same to every Christian who "was given a burden and a love for people's souls:" If you do not know what really hurts me, how can you truly love me?

I had no idea the cuts of "Christianity" into the people God so loved ran so deep - or why Jews hate Christians so much: in the counter to "we loved Him because He first loved us," they dislike Christians because Christians first hated them.

It is appalling and evil. Jesus would be turning over in His grave, were He still dead. Since He is not, I suspect that He weeps. In the end of this review, all I can say is to quote the words of a movie:

"I hate what people like me [have done] to people like you."

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Revealing, January 29, 2006

By 

Gabriel Ruiz "The Acrolect" (Everywhere) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Distortion: 2000 Years of Misrepresenting the Relationship Between Jesus the Messiah and the Jewish People (Paperback)

Distortion is very good and helpful in placing the Passion Plays of old into a more historical context where the apparent misrepresentation of Jews and Gentiles are equally distorted; shedding light on current "realized" and "unrealized" interpretations of the mother-child relationship between Judaism and Christianity. I highly recommend the book.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweeping generalities: everyone should understand the distortion, January 24, 2008

By 

Daniel Baker - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Distortion: 2000 Years of Misrepresenting the Relationship Between Jesus the Messiah and the Jewish People (Paperback)

This book should be required reading - if there could be such a thing - for everyone who considers himself/herself to be Christian. There is much, much more that could be added, but in itself, the book would stifle the uneducated comments that so many people make, and might stifle some of the vandalism and abuse from tag-along people who get a kick out of kicking someone. I don't know that it would have much impact on such as Mel Gibson.

Too many so called Christians from various walks have just a surface level understanding of what happend in the era the messiah was in his ministry. This book helps.