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Jewish Roots

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This excellent book should be required reading in all Theological Seminaries, Bible Colleges/Schools and is a book which should also be read by all Ministers of the Gospel.

The author, himself a senior Pastor, has personally attended five Bible Colleges, obtained four degrees and engaged in three decades of study, providing an enormous wealth of understanding of this crucial subject. This book presents the results of an absorbing research into the heritage given to us by the Jewish people which is so vital for our own Christian faith and which underlies our own Salvation. ("..Salvation is of the Jews"; John 4;22.)

This book is quite detailed and is not to be taken lightly. The seriousness, gravity and implications of this work are likewise so important that they cannot be ignored.

Due to hostility and criticism I have recently been required to restrict my reviews to virtually the "bare bones" in relation to expressions supportive of Israel & the Jews or in criticism of Islam in relation to the Middle East conflict. Such have prevented me from portraying all that I wish to say & what I have felt needed to be said. I therefore will not go into detail about the message delivered here, as I do not wish to cast the precious pearls of this commendable work under the feet of those hostile to this subject.

As a reader, if you are interested in the Truth then you will readily access these essential facts fundamental to our faith. If not, then perhaps you will already have chosen your own path. I can only exhort both Jew and Gentile alike to examine this presentation of our history in relation to Holy Scripture.

In addition to this splendid work I would respectfully recommend Arnold Fruchtenbaum's book entitled "Jesus Was (is) A Jew" (bracketed emphasis is mine).

"Jewish Roots" has been through three editions and multiple printings since it was first published in 1986. This was one of two books that were the first serious theological books of Messianic Jewish Biblical Theology. David Stern published the other. Understanding the Bible from a Jewish context is the pervasive orientation of the book. Instead of filtering the Bible through a wrong interpretation of Galatians, and the New Testament, we first establish the contextual meaning of the Hebrew text. This provides the key to the right interpetation of the New Testament. The New Testament can not contradict the revelation already given. Were it to do so, Jews would be duty bound to reject it. Yet many Christians do not realize that their interpretations do contradict the revelation of the Hebrew Bible. Since the time of pubslishing "Roots" biblical scholarship has progressed and there is much more confirmation of the theology of this book. You will see parallel theologies which greatly agree in such authors as R. Kendall Soulen, Mark Kinser, Mark Nanos, Peter Tomson and Markus Buchmuel.

This book brings to light the truth about the religion called Christianity that was lost when the gentiles joined the messianic movement after the first disciples of Yeshua [Jesus] died. Much of the book focuses on correct theological and faith positions on such topics as the original message of Yeshua and it's misinterpretation by non Jews in the later years of the church, replacement theology, Torah observance, and the place of the Jewish believer in Yeshua as Messiah today. This book should be required reading for those who set the curricula in every Christian theology school as well as those Jews who are interested in understanding what Yeshua and his disciples really taught This book exposes the truths that have been removed from gentile belief in the G-d of Israel; the price of which has been a faith that is at best idolatrous, and is full of replacement beliefs and subtituted feasts, days of observances having nothing to do with Torah.

Highly recommended for those on a sincere spiritual journey.

Awesome book to discover the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Impressive material and content, I recommended to theologians that want to go deeper into the Jewish theology.

Haven't completed the entire book yet, but so far it is excellent. Love Amazon.com and the items they offer. A really satisifed customer.

Rabbi Daniel Juster is founder and director of Tikkun International, and has been involved in the Messianic Jewish movement since 1972; he currently resides in Jerusalem. He is also the author of books such as The Irrevocable Calling: Israel's Role as a Light to the Nations, That They May Be One: A Brief Review of Church Restoration Movements and Their Connection to the Jewish People, Growing to Maturity: A Messianic Jewish Guide, etc.

He wrote in the Preface to the revised (1986) edition of this book, "I stand by the central thrust of the book on all major issues; the nature of the covenants, the call of Jewish people in the Messiah to maintain a Jewish life, the relationship between grace and law and much, much more. I believe that the basic application of the Law in the New Covenant order of existence is as outlined in the text and as reflected in the appendix on the 613 laws."

Here are some quotations from the book: (NOTE: page numbers refer to the 314-page 1986 DAVAR Publishing edition)

"I have become convinced that Rabbinic Judaism is a more severe departure from Biblical faith than I had ever realized in my early days of Jewish recovery... I believe that the heart essence of Rabbinic Judaism is the rejection of the prophetic Spirit that forms the essence of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Covenant Scriptures." (Pg. xi)

"Recently my friend David Stern published a noteworthy book (Messianic Jewish Manifesto)... I believe the tone is too positive concerning that which we have to gain from Rabbinic Judaism." (Pg. xv)

"It is possible that the 'forever' referred to a people under the Mosaic sacrificial system, and that once the sacrificial system was replaced, the 'forevers' were of no further legal import, since the Mosaic system was no longer in force." (Pg. 23)

"The essence of the argument of the book (of Hebrews) is to not place our hopes in ritual or in a purified human priesthood because in Yeshua we have a better sacrifice, a better priesthood and a better Covenant. There is no statement to the effect that we have a better Law, for, as we have seen, the New Covenant promise is to write God's Law, statutes, and ordinances upon our hearts." (Pg. 120)

"Yeshua did not directly teach at this time that the food laws or the Biblical heritage of Jews was then at an end. Indeed the statement, 'Jesus declared all foods clean' may be a scribal addition, as noted in English versions by brackets." (Pg. 126)

"We must re-examine the evangelical certainty of being able to determine just who is and who is not hell-bound. Jews were saved under the period of the Old Testament through their response to the Covenant. Scripture makes it clear, however, that a personal faith response was necessary..." (Pg. 171)

Dan Juster is a Messianic Jew - a Jew who believes in and follows Messiah Jesus. He tells it like it is, with truth, wisdom and insight.