Weekly Bracha 31

This week in the Messianic blogosphere, plus related items from the Jewish world.

• Paul’s “Rule in All the Churches” and Torah-Defined Ecclesiological Variegation (PDF) – Messianic Jewish scholar David Rudolph has published a paper on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, which suggests Jews should remain Jews, and gentiles should remain gentiles. Interesting read. Additional discussion and Q&A with David Rudolph in the comments here.
• Do You Really Want Moshiach? – DovBear wonders whether we really want Messiah to come, suggesting living under the Torah is not as cool as it might sound. Plus, if Messiah’s not [your sect of Judaism], you’re screwed:

  If you're like most Jews you sort of unreflectively expect that the messianic era means your sect will dominate, but how can you be sure? Perhaps the King Moshiach will be a reform Jew. Perhaps he'll argue that all the familiar and cherished rabbinic pieties we've accumulated over the last 2000 years are invalid, or no longer needed. Will the Orthodox stand for that? And even if he's Orthodox, he might not be your kind of Orthodox. What if he's a Litvak? Will the Hasidic rebbes resign their authority, and recognize his? Unlikely. And what if he's Satmar? Would Lubovitch stick around for a Satmar king? No chance.

• Torah of Messiah - is it different? – Efrayim examines the Law of Christ, and where it differs from the Law of God, the Torah.
• World Cup Transfiguration:

  

  

• Comparisons – Amusing: James Pyles starts reading the controversial book Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism, and is pleasantly surprised that its author, Mark Kinzer, is nothing like the hostile crowd that James has interacted with online.
• Israel’s New Iron Dome – In a bit of Israel news, the tiny Jewish state has a new hi-tech system utilizing cameras and radars to shoot down incoming rockets within seconds of launch. The project was paid for by the US and Israel, both contributing over $200 million towards completion of the system.
• Siddur Containing Isaiah 53-as-Messiah – The Rosh Pina bloggers have been discussing Isaiah 53 with anti-missionaries as of late. The anti-missionaries claim Isaiah 53 is not about Messiah, but rather about Israel. Now, Gev discovers a Jewish siddur which, in the prayers for Yom Kippur, also interpret Isaiah’s suffering servant as Messiah:

  The Moshiach our righteousness has turned from us (meaning, He once had been here, but now has departed from us). We are alarmed, we have no one to justify us. Our sins and the yoke of our transgressions He bore. He was bruised for our iniquities. He carried on His shoulders our sins. With His stripes we are healed. Almighty G-d, hasten the day that might come to us anew: that we may hear from Mt. Lebanon a second time through the Moshiach, who is called Yenon.

• Forked – As a gentile married to a Jew, James lists pros and cons, as he sees it, with Messianic, Church, and synagogue.
• Jewish Groups Hail Presbyterian Outcome – After a group within the Presbyterian leadership sought bring the church to an official condemnation of Israel, level heads prevailed. My question is, how long will this last before being overturned?

  
  
  J-BOMers: Jewish Book of the Month

• Smooth Cookies - As a Driven Leaf – Commentary on June’s selection.
• Let Your Yes be Yes – Yahnatan draws parallels between a statement from July’s selection, The Promise, and a statement from Yeshua in the gospels.

  
  
  Podcasts

• Isaiah 53 and the Salvation of the Jewish People – Michael Brown touches on a subject of great debate in the Jewish-Christian community.