More fun.
Siam:
If some Saduccees and Pharasees were quibling over the issue 2,000 years ago...
Wow. Talk about a minimizing statement! Whoa.
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Siam:
Jewish refutation of Isiah 53....Basically saying one has to READ THINGS IN CONTEXT.....
Let's go directly back to your source here...the
About page of Mr. Bruce James...
1)It is very obvious that this man has not read the New Testament at all. Seriously. He talks about MISSIONARIES using this text. He doesn't seem to note that this text was SPECIFICALLY used by Jewish apostles in the early church. In other words, modern Christians wouldn't be thinking this way about the texts of the Jewish Christians of the early church hadn't done it. He makes absolutely no mention about this. He acts like modern Christians just cherrypicked this Scripture themselves and that's absolutely not true. Wierd.
2) I almost want to say "DUH!" here. The Messiah is a REPRESENTATIVE of Israel. Just like the HIGH PRIEST was at the time of the Day of Atonment. And that's EXACTLY how the early Jewish Christians took it. Again, modern day Christians didn't make this up. This is what was taught in the synagogues by the earliest Jewish Christians (even the JUDAIZERS taught this!)
From the wikipedia that you quote later...
One of the first claims in the New Testament that Isaiah 53 is a prophecy of Jesus comes from the Book of Acts, in which its author (who is also the author of Luke) describes a scene in which God commands Philip the Apostle to approach an Ethiopian eunuch who is sitting in a chariot, reading aloud to himself from the Book of Isaiah. The eunuch comments that he does not understand what he is reading (Isaiah 53) and Philip explains to him that the passage refers to Jesus. "And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." This has been the standard Christian interpretation of the passage since Apostolic times. Isaiah 53:4 is also quoted in Matthew 8:17, where it is used in context of Jesus' healing ministry.
So, I don't know what Mr. James is on...but he needs a little more information if he's gonna try to just go after Christians like he does.
Something for thought, Siam. It's not good to use anachronistic refutations that don't take good consideration of the true source of the claim. It looks...well...
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Siam:
The passage survives in three versions, from three autonomous and parallel manuscript traditions: the Masoretic text that is the most familiar one, the Septuagint text, and the Qumran community's Great Isaiah Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, dated to the 2nd century BCE[5]
The Christian "Man of Sorrows" passage of Isaiah 53 is a selected text that usually omits those characteristics of the human scapegoat for the sins of Israel that are not applicable directly to Jesus, or that can only be applied through allegory, such as "he is as a root in a thirsty land: he has no form nor comeliness; and we saw him, but he had no form nor beauty. But his form was ignoble, and inferior to that of the children of men." (Septuagint version)---wikipedia
Just read the Masoretic text, then. There's plenty of online helps for that.
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Siam:
My point is that---almost NO ONE refutes that Jesus Christ(pbuh) was a wise spriritual person whose teachings were of benefit to human beings. ---Therefore, if Christians were to appreciate this treasure and live by it, instead of 2,000 years of TALKING about the "Nature" of Jesus Christ(pbuh)----I think the human race would be better off.
As I've already said...if everyone who believed Jesus was TRULY a Prophet and Messenger of God would obey his reification of Loving God with all one's heart soul, mind, and strength...and loving the neighbor as oneself...we WOULD all be better off. Including Muslims AND Christians.
Actually, I believe that even SECULAR HUMANISTS wouldn't disagree with the "love your neighbor as yourself" thing. At all.
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Siam:
Daniel 7:13
In the 7th chapter of the book of Daniel, we learn of a prophetic vision granted to Daniel. He tells us of four great beasts rising out of the sea, one after another. After describing each of the four beasts Daniel sees “one like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13). Missionaries consider this verse to be of “critical importance”, because it establishes the exalted nature of the Messiah . . This is incredible. This is one of the few passages in scripture that come along with a commentary. Scripture itself explains this passage and the “son of man” of Daniel 7:13 is not the Messiah – it is the people of Israel!
Here we go again. I'd like you to note, Siam, the REACTIONARY tone of these Jewish sites that you are citing. It's quite obvious that they have a "bone" to pick with the Christian interpreation of things. They say "missionaries" again. This source seems ENTIRELY CLUELESS that 1) this was from the perspective of the earliest JEWISH Christians and 2) that the Messiah is a representative for Israel...and that's how the earliest Jewish Christians SAW it.
What is with this antagonism against "missionaries"? Sheesh. It is obviously slanting the views! ^o)