To Christians:

Before you speak to Jewish people about Jesus, perhaps there are some questions you first should ask yourselves. A few that come to mind are:

Do you truly know the One you purport to represent?

Has it occurred to you that Jesus is not His name? I am aware that the English version of Matthew 1:21 says, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” But is this the meaning of the Greek name “lesous” (ee-ay-sooce’)?

No, the name “Jesus” really has no meaning. However, if you check, you will find that the Hebrew name His mother called Him (the one the Angel of יהוה informed Mary [Miryam in Luke 1:31] and Joseph [Yoseph in Matthew 1:20-21] that He was to be named) is Y’hoshua, meaning “YAH is salvation.”

Who is YAH?

YAH is a contraction of the name יהוה , YAH-WHEY, the Holy One of Israel, the Creator of the Universe: “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of יהוה shall be saved.” Joel 2:32(a).

Another question: Do you follow Him?

If you say that you do, then why do you ignore His words in Matthew 5:17-18? Look at them very carefully: “Do not think that I came to annul the Law (the Torah [Instructions for Having Life]) or the Prophets. I did not come to annul but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one iota or one point will by no means pass from the Law until all things occur.” (The Interlinear Bible. Hebrew/Greek/English.)

Walk outside. Look up. Is the sky still there? Look down. Is the earth still underfoot? Is there prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then I submit to you that the Messiah made replete the Spring Feasts that He came to fulfill, and He also will fulfill the Fall Feasts at the appointed time.

“But those things which EL foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ (the Moshiach, the Anointed) would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.” Acts 3:18.

He did not do away with the Torah, which is “perfect for restoring the soul.” Psalm 19:7(a)

Further proof: Check out the false witnesses in Acts 6:9-14. These false witnesses said: “This man (Stephen) does not cease to speak blasphemous words against the holy place and the Law (the Torah); for we have heard him say that this Y’hoshua of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.

And have you paid particular attention to the words in Mark 12:28-29? Listen to them: “Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceived that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which is the first (foremost) commandment of all?’ Y’hoshua answered him, ‘The first (foremost) of all the commandments is: ‘Sh’ma Israel. יהוה Elohanu. יהוה Echad. (Hear, O Israel, יהוה our EL, יהוה is one.) And you shall love יהוה your EL with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength. This is the first commandment.”

It would behoove all of us to imitate the Jews of Berea (Acts 17:10-11), who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things (the teachings of Paul [Shaul]) were so.” I might also add that, as they checked out Paul’s (Shaul’s) teachings in the Torah and the Prophets, they found them to be true, for verse 12 tells us that “many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.”

Either the New Testament (Messianic Scriptures) is true, or it isn’t. If you believe that it is, you cannot disregard the statement made by the elders to Paul (Shaul), “…that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law (the Torah).”

Lastly, we all can profit from Paul’s (Shaul’s) advice in 2 Timothy 2:15, where he tells us, “earnestly (study) to show yourself approved to Elohim, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law (Torah) is truth.” [Psalm 119:142]