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Jews Don't Need Jesus. . .and Other Misconceptions: Reflections of a Jewish Believer
A debate that's 2,000 years old, and running… Do Jews need Jesus? It’s an age-old debate with eternal ramifications. If Jesus is not the Jewish Messiah, if He is not the savior of the world, if He is not the promised redeemer God sent to restore Israel and redeem the nations (Isaiah 49:6), then bringing His message to the Jewish people is a grave threat to their security. But if He is the prophet God promised to raise up, if God did indeed command Israel to follow Him, and if the Jews will be held accountable by God if they don’t accept Jesus, then sharing His message is beyond imperative. Jesus is either “Lord of all or not Lord at all.” The stakes couldn’t be higher. Jews Don’t Need Jesus… and Other Misconceptions settles this dispute with biblical evidence. It argues that believing in Jesus isn’t apostasy; it’s obedience, and it leads to eternal blessing. That’s what makes this book critical for Jewish people or anyone in gospel ministry to the Jews.
- GenresNonfiction
176 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 22, 2017
Where do we look for eternal life? That is really the basic question of this book. Snyder does an excellent job of pointing us to God’s answer. Every question or objection raised is carefully answered from the Scriptures. It was very refreshing and encouraging.
Several of the questions raised in this book are pretty basic. So, much of the explanation is a basic presentation of the Gospel. For example, Jesus died to pay for men’s sins: Jews are men: therefore, Jesus died for the Jews. There is no other way they can be saved. There are more complex issues covered, but answers are really very simple.
Chapters 10 through 20 were to me the most relevant and interesting chapters of the whole book. They answered objections I had heard before or exposed cop-outs I had taken. Chapters 10, 19, and 20 were especially convicting.
If you are looking for a book to encourage you as you witness, this book will do that.
I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley and Moody Publishers. No review was required but it was my pleasure to write it.
Several of the questions raised in this book are pretty basic. So, much of the explanation is a basic presentation of the Gospel. For example, Jesus died to pay for men’s sins: Jews are men: therefore, Jesus died for the Jews. There is no other way they can be saved. There are more complex issues covered, but answers are really very simple.
Chapters 10 through 20 were to me the most relevant and interesting chapters of the whole book. They answered objections I had heard before or exposed cop-outs I had taken. Chapters 10, 19, and 20 were especially convicting.
If you are looking for a book to encourage you as you witness, this book will do that.
I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley and Moody Publishers. No review was required but it was my pleasure to write it.
September 13, 2017
Being a former Christian and Messianic Jew and now a practicing Orthodox Jew, I thought this book would be perfect for me to read and review. In fact, I acquire an advance reader copy of the text when I was leaving the evangelical fold for Judaism. This book did not do anything to reconcile my concerns and issues I found within the Jesus camp.
Avi shares his personal tale, and while it is moving, at no point does he address why he feels the Jews need Jesus (not from an outsider's perspective, that is). Instead, he only asserts the traditional Christian doctrine regarding salvation. He does not adequately discuss proof that Jesus is the Jewish messiah in any fashion or form, instead relying on doctrine and dogma to motivate Christians to do Jewish outreach.
This is problematic for both the Christians and the Jewish people. Part of my dissertation work is to prevent the very thing that Avi argues strongly for. Theologically, Avi's position as no standing, as Jesus is in no way the Jewish messiah or the self-pronounced son of G-d. This work stands in the way of improve Jewish-Christian relations, as the largest hurdle I have come across with fostering shalom between the two is the evangelism efforts aimed at Jews. Avi writes well, and he may mean well from his perspective, but the harm this brings is unfortunate, as it is not only that the Jews do not need Jesus, but that they commit idolatry by following Jesus.
Disclosure: I have received a reviewer copy and/or payment in exchange for an honest review of the product mentioned in this post. This product is reviewed based on content and quality in consideration of the intended audience. Review or recommendation of this product does not solicit endorsement from Reviews by J or the reviewer.
Avi shares his personal tale, and while it is moving, at no point does he address why he feels the Jews need Jesus (not from an outsider's perspective, that is). Instead, he only asserts the traditional Christian doctrine regarding salvation. He does not adequately discuss proof that Jesus is the Jewish messiah in any fashion or form, instead relying on doctrine and dogma to motivate Christians to do Jewish outreach.
This is problematic for both the Christians and the Jewish people. Part of my dissertation work is to prevent the very thing that Avi argues strongly for. Theologically, Avi's position as no standing, as Jesus is in no way the Jewish messiah or the self-pronounced son of G-d. This work stands in the way of improve Jewish-Christian relations, as the largest hurdle I have come across with fostering shalom between the two is the evangelism efforts aimed at Jews. Avi writes well, and he may mean well from his perspective, but the harm this brings is unfortunate, as it is not only that the Jews do not need Jesus, but that they commit idolatry by following Jesus.
Disclosure: I have received a reviewer copy and/or payment in exchange for an honest review of the product mentioned in this post. This product is reviewed based on content and quality in consideration of the intended audience. Review or recommendation of this product does not solicit endorsement from Reviews by J or the reviewer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2017
First sentence: IF WE’RE GOING TO consider whether the gospel message is relevant to the Jewish people, then we ought to start with an understanding of the message itself. The word “gospel” means good news, but in reality, the message is both good and bad.
Premise/plot: In this one, Avi Snyder argues that Jews DO need Jesus, DO need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, DO need to experience the rebirth. He argues presumably with believers who for various reasons choose to believe that Jews are saved another way--through another covenant, by keeping the law. Snyder insists that being a descendant of Abraham wasn't good enough to save you when Jesus walked this earth, and, it's not good enough to save you here and now. He also resists the notion that Jews will come to faith only when they see Jesus face to face the day of his return. He points out that on that day--the day of the Lord--it will be too late for Jew or Gentile to come to faith.
The book isn't written solely for Christian believers but for a broader audience.
My thoughts: This one was well written. I agreed with Snyder's arguments. I thought he did a good job defending his point of view and advocating biblical truth. I loved how Snyder's go-to source was the Word of God. He used Scripture to counter each claim or excuse. And that is how the book is presented. He tackles the problem one excuse, one argument at a time.
Quotes:
If Jesus is an imposter, then belief in Him threatens our survival as a distinct people, chosen by God. But what if He is the prophet like Moses whom God promised to raise up? What if He is the One whom God commanded the Jewish people to heed? And what if we Jews will be held accountable by God if we fail to listen to what He’s said, just as Deuteronomy 18:18–19 warns? Then to withhold the message of the gospel from the Jewish people specifically because we’re Jews is not an act of love. It’s probably the most anti-Jewish act that a Christian can commit. This is not an easy matter to consider, but we can’t push it aside. Either He’s a blessing for Jews, or He’s a blight. There’s really no middle ground, just as there was no middle ground between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Also, if Jesus is not the Messiah of Israel, then He’s not the Christ of the nations. That means that Christians who worship Him are guilty of idolatry, and they’ll be judged by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for worshiping a man who claimed to be God (John 10:33). Ultimately, it comes down to this: either Jesus is Lord of all, or Jesus is not Lord at all. Either He must be worshiped, adored, and obeyed by Jews and non-Jews alike, or He must be rejected by all as a false savior. Either everyone must hear the message, or no one needs to know His name.
Chosen to bear witness and proclaim. What a privilege! But there’s a problem. We Jews cannot proclaim the gospel until we believe the gospel. We cannot carry His light to the nations until we carry His light in our hearts.
No one is saved by virtue of birth, but by virtue of rebirth. That’s foundational to the gospel; we must be born again.
The problem doesn’t lie with a God who refuses to shed His light. The problem lies with our unbelieving hearts that refuse to receive His light. And the problem lies with believers who refuse to bear His light to those who are looking for a way out of the dark.
If the greatest commandment is to love the Lord wholeheartedly, how can we love Him if we don’t know who He is? How can we love a Lord whose name is a mystery, and whose deeds on our behalf have never been explained?
The purpose of repentance is not to increase the believer’s burden of guilt over generational sins. Rather, it’s to free the believer from the penalty and the shackles of those sins. Wonderfully, the chain to a family’s sins is broken by Yeshua’s cross.
Receiving God’s forgiveness must be followed by proclaiming God’s forgiveness. We’re commanded to make His deeds known. From repentance, to pardon, to proclamation for the sake of those who haven’t yet believed.
True love cannot be silent, if silence allows the beloved to die. True love cares more about the outcome facing the beloved than about the consequences facing the one who speaks. True love compels us to speak. Silence is the enemy of the salvation of any people. All too often, our silence takes two tragic forms. We choose silence before people, and so we fail to speak. Or we choose silence before God, and we fail to pray.
WHY IS IT INTOLERANT if we speak the truth? Why is it unloving if we speak that truth in love? Why is it arrogant if we implore a person to embrace the same life-saving truth that rescued our own lives from imminent danger? And why is it an act of aggression if we tell Jewish people that the Hope of Israel has come?
The gospel is offensive, and this is why we must proclaim the gospel in love. But no matter how lovingly we endeavor to present the good news, the naked reality of the bad news—that we’re sinners who have offended God—will always bring about either the pain of righteous conviction or the pain of self-righteous indignation. The key does not lie in seeking to eliminate the offense of the cross. The key lies in making certain that if offense is taken, it is taken because of the clarity of the message and not because of the callousness of the messenger.
Premise/plot: In this one, Avi Snyder argues that Jews DO need Jesus, DO need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, DO need to experience the rebirth. He argues presumably with believers who for various reasons choose to believe that Jews are saved another way--through another covenant, by keeping the law. Snyder insists that being a descendant of Abraham wasn't good enough to save you when Jesus walked this earth, and, it's not good enough to save you here and now. He also resists the notion that Jews will come to faith only when they see Jesus face to face the day of his return. He points out that on that day--the day of the Lord--it will be too late for Jew or Gentile to come to faith.
The book isn't written solely for Christian believers but for a broader audience.
My thoughts: This one was well written. I agreed with Snyder's arguments. I thought he did a good job defending his point of view and advocating biblical truth. I loved how Snyder's go-to source was the Word of God. He used Scripture to counter each claim or excuse. And that is how the book is presented. He tackles the problem one excuse, one argument at a time.
Quotes:
If Jesus is an imposter, then belief in Him threatens our survival as a distinct people, chosen by God. But what if He is the prophet like Moses whom God promised to raise up? What if He is the One whom God commanded the Jewish people to heed? And what if we Jews will be held accountable by God if we fail to listen to what He’s said, just as Deuteronomy 18:18–19 warns? Then to withhold the message of the gospel from the Jewish people specifically because we’re Jews is not an act of love. It’s probably the most anti-Jewish act that a Christian can commit. This is not an easy matter to consider, but we can’t push it aside. Either He’s a blessing for Jews, or He’s a blight. There’s really no middle ground, just as there was no middle ground between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Also, if Jesus is not the Messiah of Israel, then He’s not the Christ of the nations. That means that Christians who worship Him are guilty of idolatry, and they’ll be judged by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for worshiping a man who claimed to be God (John 10:33). Ultimately, it comes down to this: either Jesus is Lord of all, or Jesus is not Lord at all. Either He must be worshiped, adored, and obeyed by Jews and non-Jews alike, or He must be rejected by all as a false savior. Either everyone must hear the message, or no one needs to know His name.
Chosen to bear witness and proclaim. What a privilege! But there’s a problem. We Jews cannot proclaim the gospel until we believe the gospel. We cannot carry His light to the nations until we carry His light in our hearts.
No one is saved by virtue of birth, but by virtue of rebirth. That’s foundational to the gospel; we must be born again.
The problem doesn’t lie with a God who refuses to shed His light. The problem lies with our unbelieving hearts that refuse to receive His light. And the problem lies with believers who refuse to bear His light to those who are looking for a way out of the dark.
If the greatest commandment is to love the Lord wholeheartedly, how can we love Him if we don’t know who He is? How can we love a Lord whose name is a mystery, and whose deeds on our behalf have never been explained?
The purpose of repentance is not to increase the believer’s burden of guilt over generational sins. Rather, it’s to free the believer from the penalty and the shackles of those sins. Wonderfully, the chain to a family’s sins is broken by Yeshua’s cross.
Receiving God’s forgiveness must be followed by proclaiming God’s forgiveness. We’re commanded to make His deeds known. From repentance, to pardon, to proclamation for the sake of those who haven’t yet believed.
True love cannot be silent, if silence allows the beloved to die. True love cares more about the outcome facing the beloved than about the consequences facing the one who speaks. True love compels us to speak. Silence is the enemy of the salvation of any people. All too often, our silence takes two tragic forms. We choose silence before people, and so we fail to speak. Or we choose silence before God, and we fail to pray.
WHY IS IT INTOLERANT if we speak the truth? Why is it unloving if we speak that truth in love? Why is it arrogant if we implore a person to embrace the same life-saving truth that rescued our own lives from imminent danger? And why is it an act of aggression if we tell Jewish people that the Hope of Israel has come?
The gospel is offensive, and this is why we must proclaim the gospel in love. But no matter how lovingly we endeavor to present the good news, the naked reality of the bad news—that we’re sinners who have offended God—will always bring about either the pain of righteous conviction or the pain of self-righteous indignation. The key does not lie in seeking to eliminate the offense of the cross. The key lies in making certain that if offense is taken, it is taken because of the clarity of the message and not because of the callousness of the messenger.
July 5, 2017
"...to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Gentile) Romans 1:16. Those are the words of God to Paul. And if the Word of God commands us to minister to the Jews, why shouldn't any God-fearing Christian do so? This book was easy for me to read and digest. I've always had a deep respect and love for the Jewish people and stand strong for Israel. This book reinforced my love for the Jews and motivated me to minister to them as well, which is the biggest display of love Christians could ever demonstrate to the people of Israel.
Mr. Snyder, a Jewish believer in the Messiah, has written this book for those who believe that Christianity is not for the Jew and to those who might be intimidated, doubtful, or adamantly against Jewish evangelism. In the first two chapters, he addresses what the Bible says about evangelizing to the Jews. He refutes 16 claims Christians have made to him personally and misconceptions many others might have.
Among these are:
Jews are already saved because they're natural, elected, and chosen
God's covenants with Abraham and Moses
Jews will be judged only according to the light that they've received
Jesus is Israel's only but anonymous Savior
Jewish people can't believe because they are hardened, blind, and veiled from seeing the Truth
All Israel will be saved eventually
Jesus is just for the Gentiles
The church needs to repent, not proclaim
Aliyah is the real priority
Reconciliation must come first
Silent love speaks louder than Gospel words
It's time to comfort, not confront
Jewish evangelism is finishing the work Hitler started
Jewish evangelism is an attack on Judaism
The Holocaust had made Jewish evangelism all but impossible
Gentiles can't witness to Jews
Witnessing to the Jewish people shouldn't be intimidating. It is time to do away with all excuses and be obedient to our calling as Children of God. If we can witness to Gentiles, then we can most definitely witness to the people God chose to bring us the Truth of His Kingdom. After all, Jesus was a Jew. What a great honor and privilege we have to reach out to the Jews with the message of salvation! I highly recommend this book to those with doubts, bias, disagreements, and those fearful of evangelizing to the Jewish people. If there is a group of people who deserve to know about the Messiah, it is the people of Israel! Thank you to Avi Snyder, this book was much much needed! I will be recommending it to everyone!
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Mr. Snyder, a Jewish believer in the Messiah, has written this book for those who believe that Christianity is not for the Jew and to those who might be intimidated, doubtful, or adamantly against Jewish evangelism. In the first two chapters, he addresses what the Bible says about evangelizing to the Jews. He refutes 16 claims Christians have made to him personally and misconceptions many others might have.
Among these are:
Jews are already saved because they're natural, elected, and chosen
God's covenants with Abraham and Moses
Jews will be judged only according to the light that they've received
Jesus is Israel's only but anonymous Savior
Jewish people can't believe because they are hardened, blind, and veiled from seeing the Truth
All Israel will be saved eventually
Jesus is just for the Gentiles
The church needs to repent, not proclaim
Aliyah is the real priority
Reconciliation must come first
Silent love speaks louder than Gospel words
It's time to comfort, not confront
Jewish evangelism is finishing the work Hitler started
Jewish evangelism is an attack on Judaism
The Holocaust had made Jewish evangelism all but impossible
Gentiles can't witness to Jews
Witnessing to the Jewish people shouldn't be intimidating. It is time to do away with all excuses and be obedient to our calling as Children of God. If we can witness to Gentiles, then we can most definitely witness to the people God chose to bring us the Truth of His Kingdom. After all, Jesus was a Jew. What a great honor and privilege we have to reach out to the Jews with the message of salvation! I highly recommend this book to those with doubts, bias, disagreements, and those fearful of evangelizing to the Jewish people. If there is a group of people who deserve to know about the Messiah, it is the people of Israel! Thank you to Avi Snyder, this book was much much needed! I will be recommending it to everyone!
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
July 1, 2017
In order for Jews and Gentiles to experience genuine and thorough reconciliation with each other, each of us must be reconciled to God through the Messiah Yeshua. There can be no true reconciliation between us without the cross. There can be no true peace without the Prince of Peace. Why? Because He is our peace, because He makes us one; because only He can break down the walls of enmity that separate us.
This is the gospel- and the gospel breaks down all racial and cultural lines. I was attracted to this text and author because he is a born again Jew. Jewish people hold rich traditions that many times blind them to their need of a savior and this text helps us see what those blind spots are.
The text is broken is into3 parts.
What the Bible Has to Say
Misconceptions
The Real Reasons for Choosing not to Speak
Each chapter in in misconceptions lead with a misconception..."Jews are already saved because they're natural, elected and chosen. Each misconception gives a history and the truth of what the word really says about salvation and the redemption that God has thru his Son Jesus Christ.
It was a real connection in understanding why our hearts do not believe the gospel. Why we are offended by it and why scoff it. Snyder in his progression towards salvation understood the mercy of God and by understanding was able to embrace Jesus. This text helps us to have heart for the Jewish people and others. I highly recommend.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
This is the gospel- and the gospel breaks down all racial and cultural lines. I was attracted to this text and author because he is a born again Jew. Jewish people hold rich traditions that many times blind them to their need of a savior and this text helps us see what those blind spots are.
The text is broken is into3 parts.
What the Bible Has to Say
Misconceptions
The Real Reasons for Choosing not to Speak
Each chapter in in misconceptions lead with a misconception..."Jews are already saved because they're natural, elected and chosen. Each misconception gives a history and the truth of what the word really says about salvation and the redemption that God has thru his Son Jesus Christ.
It was a real connection in understanding why our hearts do not believe the gospel. Why we are offended by it and why scoff it. Snyder in his progression towards salvation understood the mercy of God and by understanding was able to embrace Jesus. This text helps us to have heart for the Jewish people and others. I highly recommend.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
January 7, 2018
Jews Don't Need Jesus & Other Misconceptions by Avi Snyder is a book that approaches a people group that Christians typically fail to evangelize perhaps more than any other. This book is written so tenderly, yet with unwavering determination and commitment to truth, and as such, is a superb tool for outreach, apologetic, and evangelistic purposes. John Piper writes the forward and agrees that Snyder has written a scripturally-based book to help Jews consider the truths of Christianity, and he handles common objections with ease and forthrightness. Responding to misconceptions like "all Israel will be saved eventually" and "the church needs to repent, not proclaim" Jews Don't Need Jesus & Other Misconceptions is a much needed, long-awaited entry into an area of evangelism, in which the Church needs to consider doing more, or at a minimum, educating their congregations and leaders. I highly encourage you to read Snyder's book as his knowledge comes from both his conservative Jewish upbringing and his Christian education from Fuller Theological Seminary.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody Publishers. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody Publishers. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.
August 13, 2017
Why Jews don’t need Jesus sets forth 17 arguments that Christians pose for why they don't talk to their Jewish friends, neighbors and family members about Jesus. Snyder then gave disputable reasons why these arguments did not prove true. It was an interesting read as I had no idea that there was any doubt that the Jews did in fact need Jesus. This book was well written. It is obvious that Snyder’s heart is for the Jewish people. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.
October 6, 2018
Good, but repetitive.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews