Below is a list of all the articles on Chosen People Answers
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The Lost Gospels: Evidence Against the New Testament?
In this article, we will investigate the historical evidence concerning the canonization of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, that is, the process by which these writings became widely accepted as authentic accounts about Jesus and were brought together to form a literary compilation. We will see if the skeptical narratives summarized above can explain what we find. We will ask and answer two main questions: 1. Was the canonization of the New Testament the result of political power? 2. Were there other books that should have been included in the New Testament? Ultimately, we will find that the answer to both questions is, “No.”
The Historical Reliability of the New Testament
If we are investigating the veracity of the New Testament, then we must consider the authorship of its books. Quite simply, if the books of the New Testament were not written by followers of Yeshua or by those closely associated with them, then the New Testament is less historically reliable. On the other hand, if those closely associated with Yeshua did write the books, it increases the likelihood that the New Testament books were firsthand accounts of his life, teachings, death, and resurrection.
Is it Reasonable to Believe that Jesus is the Messiah?
If we were to listen only to the majority voices within Judaism for the last 1,500 years, then it may be clear why we ought to disregard Jesus’s claims.
First off, Jewish people don’t believe in Jesus: only Christians do. Then there is the fact that Jesus didn’t end antisemitism around the world, but rather his followers perpetuated and expanded it. We could add his claims to be divine (a no-no in Judaism) and his teachings against the Torah. Simply put, Jesus did what the Messiah shouldn’t do, and omitted what the Messiah must do. So go the common objections.
Was the Greek Septuagint Twisted by Christians to Prove Jesus?
Rabbi Tovia Singer, a determined opponent of Yeshua and the claims of the New Testament, has made attacks on the Septuagint a key part of his arguments against the New Testament. By sowing doubt on the integrity of the Septuagint, he seeks to undermine belief in Yeshua. Whereas the typical wisdom would be to ask, “How did the Septuagint influence the New Testament?,” Singer flips the logic around.
How Can Jesus Be Messiah If There’s No Peace on Earth?
One of the hallmarks of a Jewish view of the world is that peace will prevail during the Messianic age; it will be a time without war, poverty, antisemitism, and greed. The Messiah will burn every boot used for battle (Isa 9:5) because nations will no longer train for war…
Psalm 22 and “They Pierced My Hands and Feet”
In the sixteenth century, Christian publisher Daniel Bomberg was commissioned to publish the first Mikraot Gedolot (Rabbinic Bible) using the newly invented printing press. Reportedly, as he was preparing the proofs for Psalm 22:16 (v. 17 in Jewish Bibles),[1] one of his Jewish proofreaders drew his attention to a single word: כארו (ka’aru). This word would not do, the Jewish man told Bomberg. If the word were not changed to כארי (ka’ari), “no Jew would buy copies of his Hebrew Bible.”
Textual Criticism 102: Identifying and Solving Textual Problems in Hebrew Bible Manuscripts
In this article, we will summarize some general procedures in textual criticism and demonstrate methods that are helpful in identifying (and correcting) problems in the biblical manuscripts. The end goal is to have a clearer understanding of what is contained within the Holy Scriptures, so that we may better follow…
Textual Criticism 101: The Hebrew Bible
In this article, we will give an overview concerning why there is a need for textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible. We will also define some important terms, introduce our readers to the major text families of the Hebrew Scriptures, and illustrate ways to access them online and in print.…
Forgotten Cohanim: Contrasting the Rabbinic Origin Story with the High Priesthood of Yeshua
Like any system of thought that seeks to answer the significant questions of life, Orthodox Judaism has an origin story. In this article, we will be investigating the historical claims, common in Orthodox Judaism since the Mishnah, that rabbinic sages of the Pharisee sect were the official religious leaders of Israel during the Second Temple period (that is, up until the temple fell in 70 CE).
Does Belief in Jesus Result in Antisemitism?
One contemporary Orthodox rabbi has said, “Jew-hatred is a fundamental, necessary, inextricable tenet of Christian theology from the very beginning.” Is this true?