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You Take Jesus, I'll Take God: How to Refute Christian Missionaries

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Levine's book is very short and has a simple message. Its main task is to assist any 'lost' Jews that may be considering 'the other side' i.e. Christianity. The tone of the book is set early on, Levine isn't too concerned about whether he offends the proponents of Christianity. He is quite blunt with regards to some of the points that he makes, however he assures the reader that he is not out to attack Christianity but instead is out to combat the menace of Missionary Christianity (specifically 'Jews for Jesus').

Levine divides his book into three main parts. The first deals with the verses that Christian Missionaries use in an attempt to convert unsuspecting Jews to the 'truth' of the Christian Messiah. The author analyses each pertininent verse adding personal comments and referring to other Jewish scriptural and non-scriptural sources. Some of his comments are speculative at best, for example his treatment of Josephus' writings about Jesus. He believes that the two 'lonely passages' that discuss him were interpolations (as suggested by one of his sources), and hence claims that there is no true evidence of Jesus' great ministry. Other comments he makes are more solid and are backed up by logic and evidence from scripture itself.

The second section is different from the first, in that it is pro-active in dealing with the missionary problem. It prepares the reader with some ammunition in the form of questions, that the missionary may have a few problems answering regarding Christianity. Some points he brings up include the difficulties of the trinity, faith versus works: why do we need the latter at all?, unfulfilled prophecies and the list goes on.

His final section is a collection of letters wherby he has a discussion with an actual Christian Missionary. This is an interesting approach to show the tactics used by missionaries to win converts. It is a lengthy correspondance that becomes heated at times, however it shows how pointless it is to argue with someone that has discarded logic, reason and critical thinking for blind faith.

Overall this book is a useful introduction to the very weak and unsubstantiated arguments offered by Christian Missionaries to convert unprepared Jews. Although most of his arguments are convincing, he sometimes goes to extremes with his constant reminders about early Christianity and its treatment of the Jews. Although the Spanish Inquisition, crusades and the Holocaust are horrible reminders of Christian iniquity towards the Jewish people, I believe it is possible to logically defeat Christian dogma without constantly appealing to past indiscretions. If you are looking for a good starting point into the arguments regarding Christianity, this is it. However, if you are looking for more substance check out some other books such as Aryeh Kaplan's _Real Messiah_, _The Jesus Puzzle_ by Earl Doherty and _The Jesus Mysteries_ by Timothy Freke.

Excellent book for the Jew who is tired of the missionaries trying to convert them to Christianity and confuse their children into thinking "Yeshua" is Jewish for Jesus. A good handbook for parents who have trouble answering their children's questions about the supposed divinity of Christ. This is a no-holds-barred, non politically correct look at how Christians misinterpret Tanach to fit their own version of reality. Includes missionary tactics and obfuscations, as well as Tanach references used by missionaries and how they are misinterpreted. A must-have book for any Jewish library.

This is a must read for anyone curious about Christianity, confronted by a missionary, or who might some day be confronted by a missionary. This book provides wonderful answers to some of the missionaries' most deceiving questions.

He is partically right, but has been answered, but Christians need to believe he is right on the Torah has prophecys still yet to be fulfilled so it can not be done away with. For our New Testament says all Scripture is G-d breathed, and at the time that was mostly speaking of th Torah. He is also right about some of us not having the answers. He is right in that so many of us have a shallow faith, that is not deep and rich like it should be, for as an ex pastor, I see so much of their faith, that should be in ours and would I believe enrich the Christian faith. So many Christians are against traditions, and rebelous against our own faith. For 1700 years replacement theology has been taught in our faith which is wrong, and we are the minority in Christianity that do not believe such and it has only been a rising teaching in Christianity in the last two hundred years. Us Christians have done against our own Bible in the New Testament in presecuting the Jews, both in times past and still in the present. In our New Testament, we are showed we are debtors to the Jews in Romans 3:2. Christianity is a sect from the Jewish faith. So many Christians have blamed the Jew for the death of Jesus, when we ourselves say He died for us, then would make us the guilty ones. Our problem as Christian is to show repentance, and seek forgiveness for the horrible things done unto the Jew in the name of Christianity, and to bless them and their country Israel. We should be against the dividing up of their land. Our witness should be of love toward them no matter what. We as Christians have only the argument for our faith in is there Justification through the Law before the G-d of the Torah, and if you believe there is without a subsitutionary atonement as in the Torah as he has pointed out is one of our greatest argument. I have no more to say on the issue, for we as Christians just say that all have transgressed the law of G-d, and G-d's law has to be satisfied. I believe the Abramic Covenant is still in force, so all are to bless the Jews, so to have the blessings of G-d on us. As one Christian, I know we have done in our faith's name horrorable things to the Jews, which has hurt our own testimony to the Jews, when we owe the Jews so much, our Messiah, and Scripture. I am sorry for what has been and is still being done to the Jew in the name of Christianity. I know if I was a Jew I would not trust us some, for the pains you have suffered through the name of Christianity. I am truly sorry, for what has been done unto the Jew in the name of Christianity. The Jew has truly been a perticular people of G-d. The Jews have so much that proves their faith, but my problem is addressed in the book somewhat, but not entirely, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of the trangression of the Law, and that has been taught from Adam and Eve and through the whole Torah. Yes, we as Christians believe that Jesus was the lamb of G-d, that takes away sin, and is th Messiah, for He did fulfill many Torah prophecys. I am sorry for the lack of respect given to the Jew, for you as a people group have suffered so much for your faith and heritage. There is so much beauty in your faith, that should be in ours since we have the Torah in our Bible. The Jew is one of the greatest arguments of the existance of G-d, for with all you as a people have gone through you still exist, and have your land back that G-d has given you. I pray that you do not have to give up anything else, for peace. I also believe one day you will have all the land that G-d has given you, and Jerusalem will be the chief place to worship the L-rd G-d. I believe it is the center of the world, and the most important city in the world, and belongs to the Jews, and am thankful you let us Christians worship in your country. I thank you for the reverence in the way you preserved the Torah. I am thankful for the way you welcome us Christians to your country, which means so much to us. I believe your Messiah will come soon, for your Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu believes He is coming soon. I just believe He is ours also. I believe this book needs to be read by Christians to help us in reaching the Jewish people that have yet believed in Yeshua as the way to G-d.

Samuel Levine is "an educator with extensive experience in debating Christian missionaries." He wrote in the Preface to this 1980 book, "This book was written as a response to the many Jewish people that I have met who have either adopted Christianity or were seriously considering it. Since all of them, without exception, did not know the Bible or their Judaism before they were introduced to Christianity, they were easily manipulated by Christian missionaries (some of whom had converted from Judaism themselves). The purpose of this work, therefore, is to demonstrate the arguments used by Christian missionaries, and to present a full presentation of the flaws of those arguments."

Here are some quotations from the book:

"There are really many difficulties with (the Christian) interpretation (of Daniel 9:24-27), which is why the Jews were never impressed with it. The first problem is that the Christians mistranslated the main verse, verse 25. The way they read it is that after seven weeks and sixty-two weeks the Messiah will come; i.e., after 69 weeks... The obvious question is---why didn't Daniel simply write 69 weeks, instead of writing 7 plus 62? The answer is that they mistranslated the verse... According to the correct translation, the anointed one will come after 7 weeks, the city will remain built for 62 weeks, and after the 62 weeks... it will be destroyed." (Pg. 30)
"Another major difficulty is that ... two events were to occur after the 62 weeks---the anointed one would be cut off, AND the city and the sanctuary would be destroyed. As you know, Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D.---which is 38 years after the death of Jesus---more than five 'weeks' off." (Pg. 30)
"Another difficulty is that the Jewish year is not really 360 days long... Thus 445 B.C. plus 483 years (69 x 7) ends up in 38 A.D., and by then everyone admits that Jesus was already dead." (Pg. 30)
"The Christians say that the first 69 weeks were consecutive, then there is at least a 1900 YEAR GAP, and sooner or later the 70th week will occur. This is obviously a very forced explanation, born of desperation." (Pg. 31)
"Jesus died around 32 A.D. and the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. If Jesus died in order to offer us a chance to atone for ourselves, because we need blood, then why did he die during the time when the Temple was still standing?" (Pg. 43)
"(D)o not forget that there is a great probability that the Christian story (citing Zech. 11) has been doctored so that the Jesus story (Mt 26:14-16) will appear to reflect Old Testament prophecies." (Pg. 62)
"The true Christian is often simply another Faust, who also sold his soul to the devil for an enjoyable, neurosis free, guilt-free life on earth." (Pg. 65)
"Thus the question can very well be asked---has there ever been a religion more cruel than Christianity?" (Pg. 75)
"So Jesus fulfilled nothing that was unique. The KEY prophecies, however, were UNFULFILLED by Jesus. He did not fulfill the prophecy of gathering all of the twelve tribes... He did not fulfill the prophecy which said that after the Messiah comes, the entire world will worship only the one God... He did not fulfill the prophecy that peace would reign throughout the world... the grant of a new heart and spirit into the Jews, and the absence of famine, and the great increase in the fruit of the land (Ezekiel 36)--none of these have been fulfilled." (Pg. 76-77)
"Of course, while it may be a personal objection, I have difficulty understanding how anyone could worship, as God, someone who made in his diapers." (Pg. 93)

I found this to be a rather thorough work on the Jewish response to missionaries. I highly recommend as well a shorter work as well of V'da Mah SheTashiv. V'Da Mah SheTashiv: Know What To Answer (To Missionaries) A Thorough Jewish response To Missionaries

Many will try to find fault with this type of book, citing its lack of scholarly backing and intrusion of the author's biases, although there are plenty of references, direct quotes and footnotes for other sources. The real truth is that people are just not comfortable with this topic, period. They would like to dismiss this book as extreme Jewish propaganda. My question to those who dismiss this book as rhetoric: why? Why are there multitudes of Christian-based books claiming the illegitimacy of the Jewish religion, not to mention followers who make this claim actively to Jews, yet there cannot be a Jewish book that tries to show why Judaism is proud to be what it is? Maybe it's a tough pill to swallow, it most certainly should make Christians uneasy; it DOES show the holes in the argument for the religion a few billion call truth. Truth must never be questioned of course, and in this genre which attempts to go against the grain, it is attacked as not accurate. Well that is just a convenient argument for those who are not comfortable with its contents. I admit, even I flinched here and there; there is a definite negative tone against Christians, but perhaps for once, Christians could sit in the seat of inquisition, and take a dose of their own medicine.

Mr. Levine's book is two things: 1.) informative and compelling, and 2.) petty and immature. Shame, too. His questions to missionaries are good questions, and his support of the jewish position is great, but his inability to separate his personal emotion from the discussion seems to weaken his credibility. Instead of reading like a scholarly dissertation on the validity of the classical jewish position, it appears more like his personal opinion. Also, he footnotes his personal opinions frequently, as if he's trying to convince the reader that the christian viewpoint is foolish or stupid, rather than conveying the rich and logical validity of judaism. In short, Levine's book is good, but it would have been great had he not stooped to name-calling and accusation.

An excellent book! I just wish that my friends raised in Judaism who are "Messianic Jews" (a movement which is about as Jewish as the Aryan Brotherhood), or other people born Jews who crossed over to the dark side--i.e., Christianity--had access to this book. Levine's scholarship is exemplary, tarnished only by his recourse to pettiness and patronization.

This book was written to help jews refute christian missionaries. Some of the contents may disturb those who accept Christ as their savior unless they are Gentiles.