The number one question I always get asked is why we don't accept or believe in Jesus. Here is the answer which I have kept as brief as possible. I am happy to answer any follow up questions asked in good faith.
The main reasons we don't accept Jesus as the Messiah is because we don't believe he fulfills the requirements. I am shocked how few Christians actually know Messianic prophecy and beliefs, at least from the Jewish perspective. The main points, but certainly not all, are the following:
1. The Messiah must be from the house of David. Jesus did not have a father and therefore cannot belong to any house or tribe which is inherited via the father. I have been told Mary is from David's line, but this is irrelevant by Jewish law since a mother cannot pass said lineage. Even if we were to give this a pass there is:
2. The Messiah is supposed to rebuild the temple. The temple was not even destroyed when Jesus lived.
3. The Messiah is supposed to liberate the Jewish people and return them to Israel. The Jews were not even scattered when Jesus lived.
4. The Messiah is supposed to establish world peace (Swords to ploughshares), bring the knowledge of G-d to the world and write the Torah in people's hearts. Jesus did not do any of this.
5. G-d calls human sacrifice an abomination in Deuteronomy 12:31, and also condemns it harshly in Jeremiah 19:4 - 5. In addition, G-d told Moses in Exodus 32 that a person cannot be punished or pay for the sins of another. Deuteronomy 24:16 restates this very clearly. We believe that G-d does not change or reverse himself, so Jesus "dying for our sins" violate this clear declaration by HaShem.
6. G-d says that blood sacrifice isn't even required to forgive sin in Ezekiel 18.
7. G-d said that the Torah is binding and eternal, in other words forever. We will never accept any theological position that HaShem has changed, altered or otherwise modified the Torah. This is because such an action would violate G-d's clear statement that he never changes or reverses himself. The idea that the 613 Mitzvot have been done away with, or there is a "New Testament" clearly contradicts what G-d has previously declared.
The main reasons we don't accept Jesus as the Messiah is because we don't believe he fulfills the requirements. I am shocked how few Christians actually know Messianic prophecy and beliefs, at least from the Jewish perspective. The main points, but certainly not all, are the following:
1. The Messiah must be from the house of David. Jesus did not have a father and therefore cannot belong to any house or tribe which is inherited via the father. I have been told Mary is from David's line, but this is irrelevant by Jewish law since a mother cannot pass said lineage. Even if we were to give this a pass there is:
2. The Messiah is supposed to rebuild the temple. The temple was not even destroyed when Jesus lived.
3. The Messiah is supposed to liberate the Jewish people and return them to Israel. The Jews were not even scattered when Jesus lived.
4. The Messiah is supposed to establish world peace (Swords to ploughshares), bring the knowledge of G-d to the world and write the Torah in people's hearts. Jesus did not do any of this.
5. G-d calls human sacrifice an abomination in Deuteronomy 12:31, and also condemns it harshly in Jeremiah 19:4 - 5. In addition, G-d told Moses in Exodus 32 that a person cannot be punished or pay for the sins of another. Deuteronomy 24:16 restates this very clearly. We believe that G-d does not change or reverse himself, so Jesus "dying for our sins" violate this clear declaration by HaShem.
6. G-d says that blood sacrifice isn't even required to forgive sin in Ezekiel 18.
7. G-d said that the Torah is binding and eternal, in other words forever. We will never accept any theological position that HaShem has changed, altered or otherwise modified the Torah. This is because such an action would violate G-d's clear statement that he never changes or reverses himself. The idea that the 613 Mitzvot have been done away with, or there is a "New Testament" clearly contradicts what G-d has previously declared.
