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Christ on the Jewish Road
A Jew by birth, Richard Wurmbrand acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah while in his 20s. In the years that followed, his path crossed with many other Jewish believers. Together they share their stories and speak of a loving heavenly Father who waits with excitement for the return of every prodigal son.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1975
22 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Richard Wurmbrand
119 books274 followersEarly life
Richard Wurmbrand, the youngest of four boys, was born in 1909 in Bucharest in a Jewish family. He lived with his family in Istanbul for a short while; his father died when he was 9, and the Wurmbrands returned to Romania when he was 15.
As an adolescent, he became attracted to communism, and, after attending a series of illegal meetings of the Communist Party of Romania (PCdR), he was sent to study Marxism in Moscow, but returned clandestinely the following year. Pursued by Siguranţa Statului (the secret police), he was arrested and held in Doftana prison. Wurmbrand subsequently renounced his political ideals.
He married Sabina Oster on October 26, 1936. Wurmbrand and his wife were converted to Christianity in 1938 through the witness of Christian Wolfkes, a Romanian Christian carpenter; they joined the Anglican Mission to the Jews. Wurmbrand was ordained twice - first as an Anglican, then, after World War II, as a Lutheran pastor.
In 1944, when the Soviet Union occupied Romania as the first step to establishing the communist regime, Wurmbrand began a ministry to his Romanian countrymen and to the Red Army soldiers. When the government attempted to control the churches, he immediately began an "underground" ministry to his people. He was arrested on February 29, 1948, while on his way to church services.
Wurmbrand, who passed through the penal facilities of Craiova, Gherla, the Danube-Black Sea Canal, Văcăreşti, Malmaison, Cluj, and ultimately Jilava, spent three years in solitary confinement. His wife, Sabina, was arrested in 1950 and spent three years of penal labor on the Danube Canal.
Pastor Wurmbrand was released in 1956, after eight and a half years, and, although warned not to preach, resumed his work in the underground church. He was arrested again in 1959, and sentenced to 25 years. During his imprisonment, he was beaten and tortured.
Eventually, he was the recipient of an amnesty in 1964. Concerned with the possibility of further imprisonment, the Norwegian Mission to the Jews and the Hebrew Christian Alliance negotiated with the Communist authorities for his release from Romania for $10,000. He was convinced by underground church leaders to leave and become a voice for the persecuted church.
Wurmbrand traveled to Norway, England, and then the United States. In May 1965, he testified in Washington, D.C. before the US Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee. He became known as the "The Voice of the Underground Church," doing much to publicize the persecution of Christians in Communist countries.
In April 1967, the Wurmbrands formed Jesus To The Communist World (later named The Voice of the Martyrs), an interdenominational organization working initially with and for persecuted Christians in Communist countries, but later expanding its activities to help persecuted believers in other places, especially in the Muslim world. However, when in Namibia, and confronted with the case of Colin Winter, the Anglican Bishop of Namibia, who had supported African strikers and was eventually deported from Namibia by South Africa, Wurmbrand criticized the latter's anti-apartheid activism, and claimed resistance to communism was more important.
In 1990 Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand returned to Romania for the first time in 25 years. The Voice of the Martyrs opened a printing facility and bookstore in Bucharest. He preached about God together with pastor Ioan Panican.
The Wurmbrands had one son, Mihai. Wurmbrand wrote 18 books in English and others in Romanian. His best-known book is entitled Tortured for Christ, released in 1967. His wife, Sabina, died August 11, 2000.
Pastor Wurmbrand died on February 17, 2001 in a hospital in Long Beach, California. In 2006, he came fifth among the greatest Romanians according to a poll conducted by Romanian Television (Televiziunea Română).
Richard Wurmbrand, the youngest of four boys, was born in 1909 in Bucharest in a Jewish family. He lived with his family in Istanbul for a short while; his father died when he was 9, and the Wurmbrands returned to Romania when he was 15.
As an adolescent, he became attracted to communism, and, after attending a series of illegal meetings of the Communist Party of Romania (PCdR), he was sent to study Marxism in Moscow, but returned clandestinely the following year. Pursued by Siguranţa Statului (the secret police), he was arrested and held in Doftana prison. Wurmbrand subsequently renounced his political ideals.
He married Sabina Oster on October 26, 1936. Wurmbrand and his wife were converted to Christianity in 1938 through the witness of Christian Wolfkes, a Romanian Christian carpenter; they joined the Anglican Mission to the Jews. Wurmbrand was ordained twice - first as an Anglican, then, after World War II, as a Lutheran pastor.
In 1944, when the Soviet Union occupied Romania as the first step to establishing the communist regime, Wurmbrand began a ministry to his Romanian countrymen and to the Red Army soldiers. When the government attempted to control the churches, he immediately began an "underground" ministry to his people. He was arrested on February 29, 1948, while on his way to church services.
Wurmbrand, who passed through the penal facilities of Craiova, Gherla, the Danube-Black Sea Canal, Văcăreşti, Malmaison, Cluj, and ultimately Jilava, spent three years in solitary confinement. His wife, Sabina, was arrested in 1950 and spent three years of penal labor on the Danube Canal.
Pastor Wurmbrand was released in 1956, after eight and a half years, and, although warned not to preach, resumed his work in the underground church. He was arrested again in 1959, and sentenced to 25 years. During his imprisonment, he was beaten and tortured.
Eventually, he was the recipient of an amnesty in 1964. Concerned with the possibility of further imprisonment, the Norwegian Mission to the Jews and the Hebrew Christian Alliance negotiated with the Communist authorities for his release from Romania for $10,000. He was convinced by underground church leaders to leave and become a voice for the persecuted church.
Wurmbrand traveled to Norway, England, and then the United States. In May 1965, he testified in Washington, D.C. before the US Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee. He became known as the "The Voice of the Underground Church," doing much to publicize the persecution of Christians in Communist countries.
In April 1967, the Wurmbrands formed Jesus To The Communist World (later named The Voice of the Martyrs), an interdenominational organization working initially with and for persecuted Christians in Communist countries, but later expanding its activities to help persecuted believers in other places, especially in the Muslim world. However, when in Namibia, and confronted with the case of Colin Winter, the Anglican Bishop of Namibia, who had supported African strikers and was eventually deported from Namibia by South Africa, Wurmbrand criticized the latter's anti-apartheid activism, and claimed resistance to communism was more important.
In 1990 Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand returned to Romania for the first time in 25 years. The Voice of the Martyrs opened a printing facility and bookstore in Bucharest. He preached about God together with pastor Ioan Panican.
The Wurmbrands had one son, Mihai. Wurmbrand wrote 18 books in English and others in Romanian. His best-known book is entitled Tortured for Christ, released in 1967. His wife, Sabina, died August 11, 2000.
Pastor Wurmbrand died on February 17, 2001 in a hospital in Long Beach, California. In 2006, he came fifth among the greatest Romanians according to a poll conducted by Romanian Television (Televiziunea Română).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 23, 2011
Probably one of my favorite books from Richard Wurmbrand, and perhaps his most personal work I've read. Richard writes of his burning passion: To see Jews come to know Jesus. He tells of his encounter with a German carpenter that leads him, as a violent atheist and ethnic Jew, to know Jesus. He moves from there to his struggle with the hard road Jews walk to follow Jesus in an Anti-Semetic era and among hostile Jewish roots. Yet, convincingly, Wurmbrand rejects bitterness and hatred for any one group--not the Nazis who beat him, nor the Communists who tried to kill him, nor the rabbis and priests that tried to block his way to Jesus--and in the end, paints the picture of Christianity at its roots: Love.
I have read no other book that has spoken to my identity as a Christ-lover and missionary as this book.
I have read no other book that has spoken to my identity as a Christ-lover and missionary as this book.
July 30, 2017
I think the issues and situations raised by Wurmbrand in this book are useful for Western Christian to think seriously about. While 20th century Evangelicals saw expanded business along with growing theological compromise, the 21st century may well bring judgement and persecution. May God have mercy on us if this were to occur, but would Western Christians face such a situation with the passionate courage that Wurmbrand displayed?
March 22, 2012
This is one of the best and most influential books I ever read. The logic and insight of Wurmbrand is quite extraordinary. I highly recommend this book. I have read it several times and probably will keep returning to it.
February 8, 2024
Neasteptat de surprinzatoare prin continut a fost aceasta carte
Ea descopera felul in care evreii vad crestinismul (spoiler alert - nu bine) si pe capul Bisericii Crestine - Isus Cristos.
Cartea reda fragmente din biografia lui Richard Wurmbrand (am scris corect) in care sunt evidentiate inteligenta (bineinteles, ca doar e despre autor) de a gasi o abordare pentru fiecare interlocutor in vederea atingerii scopului, dar mai ales este accentuat efortul de a prezenta adevarul in pofida restrictiilor de ordin politic din acele vremuri
Se pare ca este foarte complicat ca un evreu sa se converteasca la crestinism, desi Domnul Isus Cristos este cel mai notoriu cetatean evreu care a existat vreodata
o recomanare sincera pentru o lectura biografica si filosofica usoara
Ea descopera felul in care evreii vad crestinismul (spoiler alert - nu bine) si pe capul Bisericii Crestine - Isus Cristos.
Cartea reda fragmente din biografia lui Richard Wurmbrand (am scris corect) in care sunt evidentiate inteligenta (bineinteles, ca doar e despre autor) de a gasi o abordare pentru fiecare interlocutor in vederea atingerii scopului, dar mai ales este accentuat efortul de a prezenta adevarul in pofida restrictiilor de ordin politic din acele vremuri
Se pare ca este foarte complicat ca un evreu sa se converteasca la crestinism, desi Domnul Isus Cristos este cel mai notoriu cetatean evreu care a existat vreodata
o recomanare sincera pentru o lectura biografica si filosofica usoara
July 5, 2025
Covers.the Author’s life and thoughts mostly prior to his imprisonment (Tortured for Christ). He was a deep and advanced Jewish Christian thinker compared to almost anyone today. He is slightly satirical is some of the presentations. An entertaining and convicting read.
October 25, 2025
Letto in italiano, purtroppo traduzione non ottimale..
March 20, 2018
This is a challenging quite enlightening book. The Jews wrote most of the Bible so they have unique insights and biblical quotations to highlight inner truths I missed. Also there are staggering examples of God at work in struggling new Christian Jews' lives. It is like early Church. I got a lot out of reading this book. It is very intellectual, witty and deep which I appreciate as Rumanian church had gone through a lot of persecution so learned much from the pain that life in the West with its easy lifestyle loses.
November 28, 2013
I learned of this book through a friend who is also a Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) volunteer. (VOM is the organization that Mr. Wurmbrand founded). I picked it up for a buck on Amazon. It was a great investment.
The book is a mashup of Wurmbrand’s biography, good solid apologetics, how-tos for a solid Christian walk, a treatise on the challenges of being a Jewish-Christian (with an emphasis to evangelism to Jews). Wurmbrand has very intelligent, wise, and insightful observations that are just a relevant now as they were in 1970. He was a very good writer who sets the standard of “walking the talk.”
He describes his role of a Jewish-Christian pastor as being four headed: the head of the theologian, a man capable of scientific thought, a strategist capable of organizing, in addition to the head of a revolutionary. He reveals all of these facets of himself in way that inspires us in a practical manner while glorifying God in the process.
The book is a mashup of Wurmbrand’s biography, good solid apologetics, how-tos for a solid Christian walk, a treatise on the challenges of being a Jewish-Christian (with an emphasis to evangelism to Jews). Wurmbrand has very intelligent, wise, and insightful observations that are just a relevant now as they were in 1970. He was a very good writer who sets the standard of “walking the talk.”
He describes his role of a Jewish-Christian pastor as being four headed: the head of the theologian, a man capable of scientific thought, a strategist capable of organizing, in addition to the head of a revolutionary. He reveals all of these facets of himself in way that inspires us in a practical manner while glorifying God in the process.
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January 21, 2016An amazing testimony of how God used this Jewish Christian to share Christ with other Jews and Gentiles during the Nazi regime and then under communism. Wurmbrand has a very high view of what Jews have accomplished in the world, and what the potential of Jewish converts is for the conversion and blessing of the whole world.
August 9, 2016
Doing research. Powerful!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews