Jesus the Jewish Prophet

Was Jesus just a Jewish Prophet of God?

Jesus is a real, historical person, born in Palestine during the Roman occupation in the year 3 BC. Jesus was born and raised a Jewish Prophet. This is not disputed or argued by any historian.

Jesus certainly did not intend to found a new religion.

He did not repudiate Scripture, though on occasion he emphasized some Scriptural principles at the expense of others. With a few rare exceptions he did not call in question the law of Moses. But he did challenge established conventions and priorities.

Jesus believed he had been sent by God as a prophet to declare authoritatively the will of God for his people: acceptance or rejection of him and his message was equivalent to acceptance or rejection of God. Graham Stanton, The Gospels and Jesus pp.269-270, Oxford University Press, 2002
Stanton (1940–2009) was Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University

Judaism was more than a standard challenge to Christian identity; it was also a competitor for Gentile adherents.

During this period [1st and 2nd centuries] and long after, Gentiles continued to attach themselves to the synagogue for the same reasons that had always drawn them before: Judaism's monotheism, its antiquity, its articulated ethics and strong community, its claims to revelation, and its prestigious sacred text.

The rise of the Gentile Christianity is itself the best evidence of Judaism's appeal: the church, though it repudiated the synagogue, also used it socially and religiously as a model.

Christianity thereby offered to Gentiles fewer of Judaism's disadvantages (circumcision for adult males; association with a nationality implicated, after the bloody revolts of 66, 117, and 132, in anti-Roman activity) but many of the same attractions (strong community, revealed ethical guidelines, and the scriptures themselves – already available, thanks to the Hellenistic synagogue, in Greek).

But the churches competed for these Gentiles against a religious community both better established and more broadly recognised. Here Christianity again offers the best evidence of Judaism's abiding appeal.

Christian invective, from the gospels through the writings of the second-century fathers and beyond, most often and most energetically targeted Judaism. Why? If its goal were to wrest Gentiles from the errors of paganism, one would expect more attention to polemics against idolatry; if its goal were to condemn the unethical exercise of power, one would expect stronger criticism of the empire, which after all had executed the Saviour and continued, sporadically, to persecute his followers.

Why expend so much effort disparaging a community ostensibly engaged in compatible activity, turning Gentiles from idolatry to the worship of the God revealed in scripture? Because, to those Gentiles drawn to such religions and such communities, Judaism represented an attractive alternative to the church. Paula Fredriksen, Jesus to Christ: The Origins of the New Testament Images of Jesus pp 211-212

1. Jesus the Prophet
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A Prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. MATTHEW 13:57
2. Prophet to his Disciples
And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: LUKE 24:19
3. Prophet to the People
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. MATTHEW 21:11
4. His name, Yeshua
Jesus is a real, historical person, born in the Land of Israel, during the Roman occupation, in approximately the year 3 BC. At the time, his name was pronounced "Yeshua".
5. A Jewish Prophet
Jesus was born Jewish. This is the least contested truths of the Bible.
6. Tribe of Judah
Jesus (Jesus) is from the Tribe of Judah (Heb. 7:14). His earthly father was descended from David (Matt. 1:6-16) and His mother was as well LUKE 1:27 LUKE 1:32-34 LUKE 3:23-31
7. Hebrew Scripture
When faced with temptation, Yeshua answered from Hebrew Scripture. When teaching, He taught from Hebrew Scripture . When admonishing, He quoted from Hebrew Scripture. MATTHEW 4:2-10 DEUTERONOMY 8:3 DEUTERONOMY 6:16 DEUTERONOMY 6:13 MATTHEW 22:42-45 MARK 7:6-13
8. Jewish Temple
In the sermon on the mount He affirmed the authority of the Torah and the Prophets even in the Kingdom of Heaven. He regularly attended synagogue and His teaching was respected by the congregants. He taught in the Jewish Temple. If Jesus were not a Jew, he would never have been allowed into any part of the Jewish Temple. MATTHEW 5:17 MATTHEW 5:19-20 LUKE 4:16 LUKE 4:15 LUKE 21:37 ACTS 21:28-30
9. Loved the Temple
Yeshua's parents made the 140 mile round trip to Jerusalem every Passover. It was at the age of 12 that Yeshua stayed behind an extra three days to learn from the Temple teachers. Although He already understood the Torah well, His attitude of listening and questioning indicates love of the Hebrew scripture and respect for the teachers. He also respected the Temple itself, calling it His Father's. Near the end of His life, He praised a widow for giving all she had to the Temple. LUKE 2:41 DEUTERONOMY 16:16 LUKE 2:46 LUKE 2:47 LUKE 2:49 LUKE 21:1-4
10. Jewish Festivals
He observed Passover and went up to Jerusalem. He observed Succot and went up to Jerusalem. He also observed Hanukah and probably Rosh haShanah, going to Jerusalem on both those occasions as well, even though it's not a Torah command. JOHN 2:13 DEUTERONOMY 16:16 JOHN 7:2 JOHN 7:10 JOHN 7:14 JOHN 10:22 JOHN 5:1
11. Known to be Jew
A Samaritan woman easily recognized He was a Jew JOHN 4:9
12. Dressed as a Jew
Yeshua not only taught others how to live a Jewish life, He lived it Himself. The outward signs of this were such things as wearing tzitzit (tassles) on His clothing (Strong's 2899) to serve as a reminder of the commandments. LUKE 8:43 MATTHEW 14:36 NUMBERS 15:37-39
13. I am Jew
Yeshua self-identified as a Jew and as King of the Jews From His birth to His last Passover. Jesus lived as a Jew. JOHN 4:22 MARK 15:2 LUKE 22:14-15
14. Disciples spoke Jewish
Yeshua's disciples spoke Hebrew JOHN 1:38 JOHN 1:41
15. Disciples were Jewish
In adult life, His disciples were Jews JOHN 1:47 MATTHEW 20:25-26
16. Rabbi to Disciples
They called Him 'Rabbi' . Mary called Him 'Rabboni' . They sought Him because they believed the Torah and the Prophets. JOHN 4:31 JOHN 20:16 JOHN 1:45
17. Parents were practising Jews
Yeshua's parents made the 140 mile (225 m.) round trip to Jerusalem every Passover in observance of LUKE 2:41 DEUTERONOMY 16:16
18. Born a Jew
Jesus was born a Jew. Jesus lived as a Jew.
19. King of Jews
In addition, Jesus was born King of the Jews . The King of the Jews must Himself be Jewish. Jesus was born King of the Jews . The King of the Jews must Himself be Jewish. MATTHEW 2:2 DEUTERONOMY 17:15 MATTHEW 2:2 DEUTERONOMY 17:15
20. Circumcised
Jesus was circumcised according to Jewish law and redeemed according to Jewish law. LUKE 2:21 LEVITICUS 12:2-3 LUKE 2:22-23 NUMBERS 18:15
21. Tribe of Judah
Nevertheless, according to the Bible, the Messiah must be descended from the tribe of Judah as King David was and descended from King David himself . That is why the Messiah is called Son of David. Jesus (Jesus) is from the Tribe of Judah . His earthly father was descended from David and His mother was as well . GENESIS 49:10 1 SAMUEL 17:12 1 CORINTHIANS 28:4 2SAMUAL 7:12-13 ISAIAH 9:6-7 JEREMIAH 23:5-6 MATTHEW 21:9 HEBREWS 7:14 MATTHEW 1:6-16 LUKE 1:27 LUKE 1:32-34 LUKE 3:23-31
22. Family were Jewish
His aunt Elizabeth was Jewish (a descendant of Aaron, Moses' brother) and His uncle Zacharia was a Jewish priest. His mother atoned according to Jewish law. His mother atoned according to Jewish law . His aunt Elizabeth was Jewish (a descendant of Aaron, Moses' brother) and His uncle Zacharia was a Jewish priest . Both of Yeshua's parents were from Nazarethand they returned there with the Child when they had done everything according to the Law of the Lord that His birth required . His aunt and uncle were also Torah observant Jews so we can see that probably the whole family took their faith very seriously. LUKE 1:5 LUKE 1:36 LUKE 2:24 LEVITICUS 12:6-8 LUKE 2:24 LEVITICUS 12:6-8 LUKE 1:5 LUKE 1:36 LUKE 1:26-27 LUKE 2:4 LUKE 2:39 LUKE 2:39 LUKE 1:6
23. Birthplace
Although He was born in Bethlehem, Jesus was raised in Nazareth. Both were Jewish towns at the time, according to archeologists and historians. Bethlehem is just south of Jerusalem while Nazareth is north, in the Galilee section. MATTHEW 2:1 MICAH 5:2 LUKE 2:39-40
24. Geneology
The book of the genealogy of Messiah Jesus ("Jesus Christ"), the son of David, the son of Abraham MATTHEW 1:1
25. Abraham was father of Jews
Abraham was the first Hebrew. God changed his name from Abram . In the Bible he is called Abram the Hebrew. So we can see that Jesus (Jesus) is descended from "Abram the Hebrew." Even to this day, Jews are also called "Hebrews", and the language of the Jews is "Hebrew". Abraham and his descendants were given the unconditional covenant of the Promised Land and the covenant of circumcision. Abraham is the father of the Jews . Isaac was his son and Jacob was his grandson. Thus, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are known as the Patriarchs, the fathers of the Jews. GENESIS 17:5 GENESIS 14:13 GENESIS 17:8 GENESIS 17:10 ACTS 3:12-25 MATTHEW 1:2
26. Jacob had 12 sons
Jacob's name was changed by God to "Israel" and he had twelve sons from whom come the Twelve Tribes of Israel. All of their descendants are known collectively throughout the Bible as the Children of Israel. GENESIS 35:10-12 GENESIS 35:23-26 EXODUS 1:6-7
27. Judah was a Jew
One of those twelve sons was Judah and it is from his name that we get the word 'Jew'. Although Yehudah (Judah) was only one of the twelve, by 700 BCE, because of the course of Israel's history, the word Yehudee (Jew) came to mean any person descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob . So, for instance, Saul haShaliach (the Apostle Paul) was of the tribe of Benjamin yet he self-identified as a Jew. GENESIS 35:23 MATTHEW 1:2 JEREMIAH 34:9 ROMANS 11:1 ACTS 22:3

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Jesus the Jewish Prophet

Was Jesus just a Jewish Prophet of God?

Jesus certainly did not intend to found a new religion.

Judaism was more than a standard challenge to Christian identity; it was also a competitor for Gentile adherents.

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