Quote Originally Posted by Gofer Blue View Post
The Jews are still awaiting the Messiah. AIUI Jewish scholars claim that there are a number of translation errors from the original Hebrew which in turn nullify some of the claims about Jesus fulfilling the OT prophesies about the Messiah. Also the Jews expected their Messiah to come as a powerful king who would raise an army to rid Israel of the Roman occupation. Instead Jesus came as the exact opposite - a servant figure, who paradoxically caused them trouble by starting to stir up the population and thereby threatening the status and power that the religious hierarchy enjoyed at that time. By having him executed by the Romans they thought that would be the end of their troubles.

I suppose logically then the Jews could not accept the New Testament as to them it was based on at best a misinterpretation and at worst a lie.

C.S. Lewis popularized the argument that Jesus was either a liar or a lunatic or the Messiah. I think it was Dawkins who added a fourth possibility – that he was deluded. From what I read from the gospels he was not a lunatic.

He could have been a convincing liar I suppose but he “put his money where his mouth was” in the compassionate way he dealt with people and the miracles of healing he performed. Also if he was a liar what did he hope to gain by deceit – not a lot it seems!

Deluded – well that might be arguable bar for the fact that he was resurrected after being dead for 3 days. That would take some delusion on his part I would say!

Hence I believe he was the Messiah and the New Testament is a true account of his life and works. Maybe the Jews will accept him when he returns in the Second Coming as it is will not be anything like the previous one and more in line with Jewish expectations of what the Messiah will be like perhaps?
I know the background of the Torah and the perspective of the Jews. I just wondered why you don't have their take on things. Is it because you were introduced to the Bible as a compendium as a child?