Broken Promises: The Balfour Declaration and the British Mandate in Palestine
By Jack Wasson. The Balfour Declaration is considered by many to be the seminal milestone in the creation of the modern nation of Israel. This assumption is widely accepted by Jews, Christians and even Arabs. Do the facts support the conclusion that Britain made a magnanimous, selfless show of support for the persecuted and oppressed Jewish masses, with every intention of assisting in the creation of a modern Jewish state? On November 2, 1917, the foreign secretary, Lord Arthur Balfour, proclaimed on behalf of the British...
read moreRenewing a Global Messianic Vision
By Gail Levin. Reprinted with the permission of the Messianic Times. “Germany’s population has been growing alongside a tremendous increase of Messianic congregations and groups—from none in 1994 to at least 40 today,” announced Messianic Jewish Rabbi Vladimir Pikman. Vladimir was addressing those who gathered in Berlin for the 22nd Conference of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance (IMJA). Delegates and observers represented 14 countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Columbia, Germany, Great Britain, Israel,...
read moreBetween Church and Synagogue
By Menahem Benhayim. Between Church and Synagogue: The Dilemma of Hebrew Christians and Messianic Jews It is only within the past two centuries that Jews who embraced New Testament faith could – or would – begin to struggle to reaffirm the original New Testament view of a Jewish distinctive as valid within the Church. In apostolic times and briefly afterward, the Jewish believer in Yeshua, while subject to sometimes fierce opposition within the mainstream Jewish community, could also still live within the Jewish community;...
read moreTraditions: Keeping the Faith
By Dr. Patrice Fischer. The primary focus in the struggle to keep the Jewish traditions alive has always been the family. Each Jewish family sees itself as the repository of Jewish knowledge and values, to be passed on through the years. This may seem strange to Christians who see the church as ultimately responsible for keeping the Christian faith alive, but Jews have traditionally viewed themselves as the keepers of their traditions. It is possible to celebrate each and every major holiday within Judaism in the home (especially...
read moreUnderstanding the Dead Sea Scrolls
By David Sedaca, M.A. Lifting the veil of an archaeological “mystery”: a review of Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls, edited by Hershel Shanks The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls has been one of the greatest events in Biblical archaeology. No other similar event has helped us to better understand the Bible against the backdrop of time and history. Although the subject has been discussed at length by scholars and common folk, the truth is that few people fully understand what are commonly called the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS). Many...
read moreWaiting for the Messiah
A Contemporary Jewish Scholar Takes a Look at Messianic Expectations Throughout Jewish History. By Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Professor of Judaism, University of Wales. For thousands of years, the Jewish people have longed for messianic deliverance. Sustained by this belief the community has endured persecution and suffering, confident they will ultimately be rescued from earthly travail. Such expectations began with the Hebrew Bible. Scripture foretells a future redemption of the Jewish people that will be accomplished by the Messiah, an...
read moreGentiles in the Messianic Movement
By Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, Ph.D. The Messianic movement is a revitalization of Jewish ethnicity, as well as certain aspects of first-century Judaism, based on the belief that Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) is the Messiah promised to Israel. The movement includes both Jews (openly defined) and non-Jews. Messianic Judaism holds that Torah observance (the laws of Moses) is normative for Messianic Jews. Messianic congregations also include non-Jewish (Gentile) participants. In many cases, the role of Gentiles in Messianic congregations and the...
read moreThe Rebirth of Messianic Judaism
By David Sedaca, M.A. The second half of the 20th century has witnessed the rise of Messianic Judaism, a movement that has finally found its niche in the religious world. Today, Messianic Judaism is rapidly growing in different parts of the globe: Israel, North and South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Because of its history and the impact of such a movement in the light of Biblical interpretation, it cannot be dismissed as an experiment to be tested or a fad to be tried out. Any conscious analysis of...
read moreThe Search for a Genuine Messianic Jewish Identity
By David Sedaca, M.A. A question was posed to a rabbi, “Teacher, who is a Jew?” Not being able to give a definitive answer, the teacher finally replied, “I cannot give you a precise description of a Jew, but I can tell you for sure who is not a Jew.” One of the most difficult of queries has been, “Who is a Jew?” The apparent, simple answer has eluded even the most inquisitive of Jewish minds, with the search for a Jewish identity being the goal of many sages, rabbis and teachers. Today, Messianic Judaism...
read moreThree Reasons Why Messianic Jews Believe the Scriptures
By Messianic Rabbi Barney Kasdan. You don’t have to go far today to realize there is a resurgence of interest in the ancient book known as the Bible. One need only peruse the local Barnes and Noble bookstore to see that many people from various perspectives are intrigued with this amazing document. From the speculation of the “Bible Codes,” to the “Jesus Seminar,” and to postmodern relativists, scholars and laymen alike are taking a fresh look at the Scriptures. Not that everyone is arriving at the...
read moreTorah and Gospel – What is the Relationship?
By Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, Ph.D. The Torah and the Gospel, or more commonly in Christian terminology, the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, have to be placed into proper relationship before several other issues can be resolved. For example, the relationships of Israel and the Church, of Jews and Gentiles in the Kingdom of God, and of Judaism and Christianity cannot be determined without first addressing the relationship of the covenants. Theologians who have struggled with these issues have tended to fall into two major theological...
read moreThe Messiahship of Yeshua
By Daniel Juster, Th.D Our purpose in defending a distinctive Messianic Jewish stance does not require a comprehensive summary of the reasons for our belief in the Messiahship of Yeshua. We only briefly recount here a summary of the messianic hope and our reasons for affirming that He is the One of whom the prophets spoke. The messianic hope begins in Genesis 3:15, where God promises to the human race a seed of woman who will crush the head of the serpent (Satan, the representative of evil), even though this seed will be bruised in...
read moreWhose Land Is It?
By David Sedaca, M.A. Since the end of World War II, no other topic has taken up more printed pages – or has been more intensely debated – than Israel: its land, its wars, and its rights. For most people, Camp David no longer means the presidential retreat for the American presidents, but the place where Israel and Egypt agreed to peace. The Wye River accord, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights have become familiar terms to any newspaper reader around the world. When you opened ENCARTA 95, the popular electronic...
read moreArchaeology and the Legitimate Bible
By Dr. Randall Price. Until modern times, both the academic and the average man believed the historical accounts in the Bible accorded well with what was known of the ancient Near East. Science texts accepted the Noahic Flood as a reasonable explanation for geological formations, and secular history books included not only Abraham and Moses, but also Adam and Eve as historical figures. The Bible, as the foundation for Western culture, was regarded both as the Good Book and as good history. In the nineteenth century, the acceptance...
read moreThe Ephraimite Error
By Kay Smith, Ph.D. Committee Members and Advisors: Kay Smith, Ph.D. Daniel Juster, Th.D. David Sedaca, M.A. The Ephraimite Error – (Click here to get full paper as PDF). A position paper and short summary submitted to the International Messianic Jewish Alliance, of a movement alternately known as the “Ephraimite,” “Restoration of Israel,” “Two-Covenant Israel,” or “Two House Movement,” has recently gained ground in some areas among ardent Christian Zionists. Introduction A...
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