• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Judaism vs Christianity: Second Coming of Messiah

TransmutingSoul

Veteran Member
Premium Member
So God says that his law is perfect and then he changes it. Got it.

I see that G_f gives us the laws suited to the age we live in.

I personally see the world reflects the change G_d offers us, there is nothing in this world that is not subject to change.

I see Islam and Baha'i are still strong in the Law, I see Christianity was a gift to show us that to know and Love G_d, that faith is a gift to each of us, that each of us are responsible to G_d for our choices, in the Law G_d has revealed in the age we live.

All the best and may the Love of G_d be our path and all our hearts.

Regards Tony
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
They are considered synonymous. Why, what distinction do you see between the two?

I was thinking of metaphors more as colourful descriptive language and figurative as in the apocalyptic writings where something is used in replacement of something else. But really the overlap is so great that it is hard for me to pin point the difference except that a metaphor might be adjectival and figurative (as in apocalyptic) you don't even know for sure what object is being spoken about.
But anyway in Isa 53 I don't see any problem with the servant having children. The children do not have to be begotten through sexual intercourse to be children.
It is just an assumption that because "children" is used in a biological sense mostly that it has to be biological always.
Does this mean that God became a father biologically?
Ps 2:7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
Ps 2:7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
But anyway in Isa 53 I don't see any problem with the servant having children
I know you don't. And that's why I'm questioning your line of reasoning.
The children do not have to be begotten through sexual intercourse to be children.
Then they would not be children. They would be students, followers, adopted children, etc.
Does this mean that God became a father biologically?
For me it does not. But as I've already explained, I'm okay because I don't view the servant in Isaiah as a literal singular servant. You, on the other hand, randomly hop between literal and metaphorical, depending on which interpretation helps you stuff Jesus into the verse.
Still waiting for an explanation.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
I was thinking of metaphors more as colourful descriptive language and figurative as in the apocalyptic writings where something is used in replacement of something else. But really the overlap is so great that it is hard for me to pin point the difference except that a metaphor might be adjectival and figurative (as in apocalyptic) you don't even know for sure what object is being spoken about.
.
Figurative language creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas. Words or phrases are used in a non-literal way for particular effect, for example simile, metaphor, personification.
Figurative language.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
I know you don't. And that's why I'm questioning your line of reasoning.

Then they would not be children. They would be students, followers, adopted children, etc.

For me it does not. But as I've already explained, I'm okay because I don't view the servant in Isaiah as a literal singular servant. You, on the other hand, randomly hop between literal and metaphorical, depending on which interpretation helps you stuff Jesus into the verse.
Still waiting for an explanation.

If the Son of God does not have to be a biological Son in Psalm 2 then the children do not have to be biological in Isa 53 when the Father is more than a man and can beget us spiritually.
We are followers, students and adopted children but the adoption is more than just a legal contract, it is the Spirit of Christ in us joined with out spirit to give us new life. This is the New Covenant as shown in the Hebrew Scriptures. The Spirit of God in you which gives you a new heart and a desire to do what the Spirit wants of us.
What in Isa 53 is literal to you?
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
If the Son of God does not have to be a biological Son in Psalm 2 then the children do not have to be biological in Isa 53 when the Father is more than a man and can beget us spiritually.
Look, I've gotten this already. That is not my question. My question is really very simple: How is it that in one place your interpretation is literal and in another place, in the very same chapter, your interpretation is not?
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
Are you citing 9:6? There is no mention that the person spoken about will rule forever:
"To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end, on David's throne and on his kingdom, to establish it and to support it with justice and with righteousness; from now and to eternity, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish this." To those who think it means that one person will be eternal, the commentators explain that the phrase in Hebrew does not mean that (and then at least one of the commentators points out that if one were to take the words incorrectly as non-Jews are wont to do, it would actually undermine a central idea of other religions...)

It makes things hard when translations differ. Isa 9:1 is Isa 8:23 in the Tanakh and "Galilee" is left out altogether.
Isa 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—
Isa 8:23 For there is no weariness to the one who oppresses her; like the first time, he dealt mildly, [exiling only] the land of Zebulun and the land of Naftali, and the last one he dealt harshly, the way of the sea, and the other side of the Jordan, the attraction of the nations.

Isa 9:6,7 is Isa 9:5,6 in the Tanakh and it is completely different really. I have seen various Jewish translations of the name/s of the child and one in which the name is all the other names joined together into one big name. From this I ascertain that the Christian translation is legitimate. (and especially when part of the reason it is seen as about Hezekiah is that the name Hezekiah has a sort of similar meaning to "Mighty God".) All of this (including the leaving out of Galilee) makes me wonder if the Jewish translation is legitimate language wise or if it just a translation based on Jewish theology.
Isa 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.
Isa 9:5
5For a child has been born to us, a son given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, "the prince of peace."
6To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end, on David's throne and on his kingdom, to establish it and to support it with justice and with righteousness; from now and to eternity, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish this.

Well, you need to be abit more precise about which section you are calling teh "Septuagint." Here is a write up which explains that the translation of the 5 books was subject to revision, and the books beyond were never free from Chrsitian influence even in their creation.

That the text was corrupted by the Christians is unknown. All that is known is that it differs from the Masoretic text.

No, the citation I provided showed that the only ones who think that alma means virgin are Christians -- so the Sept is definitvely wrong..

OK

Well, one will be. The fact that none is now, and none was in the year 1 CE is exactly the point.

My point would be that it does not seem to matter with other candidates for Messiahship, only Jesus.


I'm not sure why this means anything other than what it says, talking to a singular (and mortal) king:
"Your sons will succeed your ancestors;
you will appoint them princes throughout the land.
I commemorate your fame for all generations,
so peoples will praise you forever and ever."

Again a different translation. It would be a very important King for the peoples (nations) to praise Him forever and ever. (that looks like it means into eternity)

In post 209 you wrote, "just as we see Moses as a type of the Messiah the prophet"

That would mean that I did not say he was a Messiah even if he was chosen and anointed by the Spirit to save Israel from Egypt.

Except for one problem -- though there was no oil, God explicitly said Cyrus was "anointed". Can you show me where God said the same of Moses?

Isa 45:1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,

I have shown you where Moses is shown to have been anointed with the Spirit of God.
You want a Messiah to have been anointed and it is plain the Cyrus would not have been anointed with oil or the Spirit of God imo. So Isa 45:1 is evidence that you wanting Jesus to have been anointed with oil is something like a moot point. Of course he certainly was chosen by God and may have been led by the Spirit of God to release the Jews from Babylon to go and rebuild the Temple and in these way anointed.

Then he went against his own teaching about the particular religious authority of his day. He said to his followers to follow the teachings of a group that taught he wasn't a prophet. So either he misled his followers, or he contradicted his own advice.

Telling people to do what the teachers said was in relation to the Law of Moses and not about everything.

So God says that his law is perfect and then he changes it. Got it.

In Israel at that time, the Law was just what God wanted and was perfect. Times change and laws have to, in order to reflect the different times and circumstances.
If the New law is Love and God's Spirit is in us guiding us about what that means in all circumstances, then how can the law have changes in principle?
Let's face it, you don't follow the law to the letter these days, a Rabbi might guide you from the Law about what would be the appropriate thing to do in a circumstance that is not precisely covered by the Law.

What? The priest will be on HIS throne -- the throne that belongs to the priest. Two people, two thrones. Basic English.

In the prophecy there is only Joshua and he is the priest who wears the crowns of a King. He sits on only one throne because He is one person, and on that throne is both a King and a Priest. Basic comprehension.

There were 2 offices, stemming from 2 tribes and they were separate. While there was a time in Jewish history when the two were merged, that led to disaster. Your verse explicitly says 2 people. It explicitly notes 2 thrones "and harmonious understanding shall prevail between them." How can that be if there is only 1 person?

It can be because it is saying that the 2 offices, when joined into the one person, will not be a disaster. That is why some translations recognise that the peace is between the 2 offices and not 2 people.
 
Last edited:

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Would you consider Isa 53 as just using figurative language or as an allegory with some hidden meaning?
There is a lot of highly poetic figurative speech in Isaiah 53. The very fact that it continues the basic metaphor of the People Of Israel as a servant is figurative speech. Just because language is figurative doesn't mean the meaning is hidden. I think Isaich 53 is pretty obvious.
 

rosends

Well-Known Member
It makes things hard when translations differ. Isa 9:1 is Isa 8:23 in the Tanakh and "Galilee" is left out altogether.
Some translations see the Hebrew word "g'lil" as a noun as it isn't "gAlil" which might be a different form. Here is one commentary on it which ties the word to another word based on root, and not seeing it as a proper noun:
the attraction of the nations Heb. (גְּלִיל הַגּוֹיִם). That is the entire land of Israel, which would roll (גּוֹלֶלֶת) to it all the nations, for all longed for it and came to it for commerce, like the matter that is stated (Jer. 3:19): “A heritage desired by hosts of nations.” Jonathan, however, rendered this differently.

So what makes it hard is the decision to work with translations at all.
makes me wonder if the Jewish translation is legitimate language wise or if it just a translation based on Jewish theology.
I guess someone who doesn't know Hebrew and doesn't see how the translations are developed would think that.


That the text was corrupted by the Christians is unknown. All that is known is that it differs from the Masoretic text.
Then you didn't read the material at the link I presented. So noted.
My point would be that it does not seem to matter with other candidates for Messiahship, only Jesus.
No, it matters for all messiahs. It just so happens that Jesus fails in this regard while other messiahs didn't fail in this regard.

Again a different translation. It would be a very important King for the peoples (nations) to praise Him forever and ever. (that looks like it means into eternity)
And if you could read and understand the Hebrew then you could decide why the different translations say what they do. But you can't so instead you deny the authority of the Hebrew so that you are absolved of understanding it.

That would mean that I did not say he was a Messiah even if he was chosen and anointed by the Spirit to save Israel from Egypt.
you said he was a type of messiah and by the way, it isn't the messiah's role to "save" anyone.

Isa 45:1 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
Yes, as I said, he was called "anointed" by God. I asked you where Moses was called anointed by God and you haven't provided any proof.
I have shown you where Moses is shown to have been anointed with the Spirit of God.
No, you cited Num 11:17 which says nothing about being anointed.
You want a Messiah to have been anointed
No, that's the definition of the word.
and it is plain the Cyrus would not have been anointed with oil or the Spirit of God imo.
But God CALLS HIM ANOINTED REGARDLESS which explains why he is an exception to that rule.
Your argument should be an admission that Jesus wasn't anointed and yet God called him the messiah. Then show me the verse that says that God, in the first person, called Jesus a messiah.


Telling people to do what the teachers said was in relation to the Law of Moses and not about everything.
That's a strange interpretation -- he sided with teachers who taught something and you say he didn't mean "everything they taught...just some stuff."

In Israel at that time, the Law was just what God wanted and was perfect. Times change and laws have to, in order to reflect the different times and circumstances.
Really? Because God says his law is eternal and applies at other times as well. But OK.
Let's face it, you don't follow the law to the letter these days,
Really? How do you know? You can't even read the letter, nor do you understand what the law is.
a Rabbi might guide you from the Law about what would be the appropriate thing to do in a circumstance that is not precisely covered by the Law.
No, we would show how the laws applies and covers the situation. Y'see, I'm a rabbi so it would be presumptuous for you to tell me what I would do.

In the prophecy there is only Joshua and he is the priest who wears the crowns of a King. He sits on only one throne because He is one person, and on that throne is both a King and a Priest. Basic comprehension.
No, in the text you cite, there is reference to 2 people grammatically. Ignoring the explicit use of "the two of them" and the conjunction and the grammar of the sentence is the only way that you can come to a different conclusion.

It can be because it is saying that the 2 offices, when joined into the one person, will not be a disaster. That is why some translations recognise that the peace is between the 2 offices and not 2 people.
No, it can't unless you ignore the rest of the verse and go in LOOKING for a particular meaning. The actual wording is really clear about their being 2 people involved.
 
Last edited:

Brian2

Veteran Member
Look, I've gotten this already. That is not my question. My question is really very simple: How is it that in one place your interpretation is literal and in another place, in the very same chapter, your interpretation is not?

When I read it through, the only thing that is not literal for me is the identity of the servant.
I don't see a problem with that.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
Yes, that has long been concluded.

Well, thank you for your time. Bye.

It is the identity of the servant that we disagree on. That does not mean that what the servant is said to have done or what is said to happen to him is not literal, even if the name of the servant is not given.
Isa 52:13 to 53:12 is not a figurative passage imo.
 

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
It is the identity of the servant that we disagree on. That does not mean that what the servant is said to have done or what is said to happen to him is not literal, even if the name of the servant is not given.
Isa 52:13 to 53:12 is not a figurative passage imo.
Except the debate that we had was not on the identity of the servant. In fact, it wasn't really a debate. I simply attempted to understand your logic in interpreting the chapter. Unfortunately, I did not merit yet to understand it.
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
No, it matters for all messiahs. It just so happens that Jesus fails in this regard while other messiahs didn't fail in this regard.

I did not know that other candidates for messiahship had been anointed with oil. Why were they anointed?
Were they anointed with God's Spirit?

And if you could read and understand the Hebrew then you could decide why the different translations say what they do. But you can't so instead you deny the authority of the Hebrew so that you are absolved of understanding it..

Are you saying that those who translate the Old Testament do not know the Hebrew?

you said he was a type of messiah and by the way, it isn't the messiah's role to "save" anyone.

So why is it the role of the Messiah to save Israel politically?

Yes, as I said, he was called "anointed" by God. I asked you where Moses was called anointed by God and you haven't provided any proof.

Anointed by God? Did God tip oil onto Cyrus?
If Cyrus was anointed by God and called to a task of saving Israel and setting them free, as Moses was called also for that task, then it is logical to see Moses as anointed by God even if the scriptures do not say those words. The scriptures do however show that Moses was given the Spirit of God for his task.

No, that's the definition of the word.

So you want a Messiah who has been anointed with oil.
By whom and for what purpose?

But God CALLS HIM ANOINTED REGARDLESS which explains why he is an exception to that rule.
Your argument should be an admission that Jesus wasn't anointed and yet God called him the messiah. Then show me the verse that says that God, in the first person, called Jesus a messiah.

In the New Testament God said calls Jesus His beloved Son and tell the disciples to listen to Jesus.

Really? Because God says his law is eternal and applies at other times as well. But OK.

Really? How do you know? You can't even read the letter, nor do you understand what the law is.

The Law is the complete Word of God from start to finish, and includes the New Testament and the prophecies about the New Covenant.

No, we would show how the laws applies and covers the situation. Y'see, I'm a rabbi so it would be presumptuous for you to tell me what I would do.

That is what I was saying a Rabbi would do. The Spirit of God also guides through the Word and in accordance with the Word.

No, in the text you cite, there is reference to 2 people grammatically. Ignoring the explicit use of "the two of them" and the conjunction and the grammar of the sentence is the only way that you can come to a different conclusion.

There will be peace between the 2, between the priest and the King.
Joshua is both priest and King.
You are inserting another throne and another person when the text speaks only about Joshua.
 

rosends

Well-Known Member
I did not know that other candidates for messiahship had been anointed with oil. Why were they anointed?

Because the job of "messiah" is the job of a king or high priest and they were anointed because that was an element of being in the job.
Were they anointed with God's Spirit?
Don't know. The text requires specific oil.

Are you saying that those who translate the Old Testament do not know the Hebrew?
I'm saying that you are in no position to judge the accuracy of any translation if you can't read the original.

So why is it the role of the Messiah to save Israel politically?
I don't know what it means ti "save" politically. Does a king save politically?

Anointed by God? Did God tip oil onto Cyrus?
God declared Cyrus to be anointed even without oil, making this an explicit and listed exception.
If Cyrus was anointed by God and called to a task of saving Israel and setting them free, as Moses was called also for that task, then it is logical to see Moses as anointed by God even if the scriptures do not say those words.
That doesn't follow. If Cyrus was anointed by God's word and given the job of X, then anyone else who is told by God to do X must have been anointed by God? No -- that the text specifically DOESN'T say anything about anointing means it is NOT the case.
The scriptures do however show that Moses was given the Spirit of God for his task.
But so what? You made a claim about anointing.

So you want a Messiah who has been anointed with oil.[/quotw]
What I want is immaterial -- this is a matter of the text.
By whom and for what purpose?
Probably by the high priest, and in order to be the king.
Mashiach: The Messiah / Torah 101 / Mechon Mamre

In the New Testament God said calls Jesus His beloved Son and tell the disciples to listen to Jesus.
So not what I asked. Thanks.


The Law is the complete Word of God from start to finish, and includes the New Testament and the prophecies about the New Covenant.
No, it includes the Jewish bible, written and oral and not the gospels or the koran or the BofM.

That is what I was saying a Rabbi would do. The Spirit of God also guides through the Word and in accordance with the Word.
You made a claim about what a rabbi would do and you were wrong. Now you are changing to agree with what I said a rabbi would do. You said that the rabbi guides where the case isn't precisely covered by the law. But a rabbi doesn't do that -- a rabbi shows how to understand the law and the case to expain how it IS covered.

There will be peace between the 2, between the priest and the King.
Right -- so there are 2.
Joshua is both priest and King.
No, then there would be 1.
You are inserting another throne and another person when the text speaks only about Joshua.
No, you are ignoring that the text explicitly speaks of 2.
 

gnostic

The Lost One
So why is it the role of the Messiah to save Israel politically?

The relevant Messianic signs and prophecies all points to unification of the 12 tribes, the prophecy that Jesus has never fulfilled.

It isn’t just about Judah (tribe).

Despite the gospels saying Romans putting up a sign that say Jesus is the “King of the Jews”, during being crucified, Jesus never was king in the political sense of the word as “king”.

Jesus never ruled Judah, much less the 12 tribes of Israel. So Jesus never fit the bill of the messiah.

The gospels interpretations of some passages as being “Messianic”, like
  • Matthew 1:22-23 (cf Isaiah 7:14),
  • Matthew 2:15 (Hosea 11:1) and
  • Matthew 2:18 (Jeremiah 31:15)
But when Jeremiah 31, Isaiah 7 and Hosea 11, are read as “a whole”, as in reading the whole respective chapters, these passage that the gospel of Matthew have quoted are not seen as “Messianic”.

Hence you have Jewish version of the messiah and Christian version of the messiah, where most that are considered Messianic to Christians, are not considered Messianic to the Jews.

And Jesus never fulfilled the important signs, like unifying the 12 tribes and ruling those same 12 tribes.

The 10 tribes were exiled and forgotten after the fall of Samaria to the Assyrians, so I don’t see how it would even be possible to even fulfilled the unification of Israel without the 10 missing tribes, not by Jewish signs or Christian signs. All I know, is that Jesus didn’t meet this criteria.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Rosends said : "I'm saying that you are in no position to judge the accuracy of any translation if you can't read the original."

Hi @rosends AND @Brian2

The problem of original texts and later religions assuming they are the same as the early religions called by a similar name

One of the problems this principle causes for the various modern Jewish sect is that they also do not have the original text.
Nor can the modern Jews tell if the translation they have from the most original texts are accurate.
Nor can modern Jews tell if their translation from presumably original languages is correct.
Nor can modern Jews know how the original religion of the ancient Israelites interpreted the texts and how that differed from their own interpretation of the text.

I think that many "Jews" (such as the Jews of the modern religion of "orthodox" rabbinic Judaism) tend to think their modern religion is the same as the religion of the ancient Jews while the Karaite Jews and many of the other "Judaisms" feel the same way.

Since the modern religions that call themselves "Jewish" are not monolithic and none of them have convincing evidence that they are the same as ancient judaism (other than they feel like they follow some of the same practices), they have no right to simply assume they are the arbiters of what is "authentic ancient judaism". Having said that, the various Christianities have fallen into that same line of thinking as the Jews adopted in thinking their sect is like the original.

Clear
ειτζφυσεφυω
 
Last edited:

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
I think that many "Jews" (such as the Jews of the modern religion of "orthodox" rabbinic Judaism) tend to think their modern religion is the same as the religion of the ancient Jews while the Karaite Jews and many of the other "Judaisms" feel the same way.
Just being persnickety here. Karaites may in fact be Jews, but their religion is not Judaism.
 

Clear

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Clear said :
Rosends said : "I'm saying that you are in no position to judge the accuracy of any translation if you can't read the original."


Hi @rosends AND @Brian2

The problem of original texts and later religions assuming they are the same as the early religions called by a similar name

One of the problems this principle causes for the various modern Jewish sect is that they also do not have the original text.
Nor can the modern Jews tell if the translation they have from the most original texts are accurate.
Nor can modern Jews tell if their translation from presumably original languages is correct.
Nor can modern Jews know how the original religion of the ancient Israelites interpreted the texts and how that differed from their own interpretation of the text.

I think that many "Jews" (such as the Jews of the modern religion of "orthodox" rabbinic Judaism) tend to think their modern religion is the same as the religion of the ancient Jews while the Karaite Jews and many of the other "Judaisms" feel the same way.

Since the modern religions that call themselves "Jewish" are not monolithic and none of them have convincing evidence that they are the same as ancient judaism (other than they feel like they follow some of the same practices), they have no right to simply assume they are the arbiters of what is "authentic ancient judaism". Having said that, the various Christianities have fallen into that same line of thinking as the Jews adopted in thinking their sect is like the original.

Indigochild5559 said : "Just being persnickety here. Karaites may in fact be Jews, but their religion is not Judaism."

Hi @IndigoChild5559

Do you mean you feel Karaite Judaism is "not judaism" in the same way Orthodox rabbinism and other later "Judaisms" are not the same as authentic, ancient Judaism or do you mean Karaite Judaism disagrees with your Judaism or are you making this claim about their Judaism for some other reason?

Can you explain why Karaite Judaism is "not Judaism" in your opinion?


Clear
ειτζφυνετωω
 
Last edited:
Top