historical Jesus — Why Jesus Is Messiah

The historical record is beyond dispute. Jesus did exist. He was a real Jewish man, born to a Jewish mother in Israel in the first century, and he went by the name of Yeshua. He was born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, and was, in many ways, very much a person of his time and place. Throughout history, Jews and non-Jews alike have been gripped by the person of Jesus as recorded in the accounts of four books of the New Testament called “the Gospels.”

What Proof Do You Have That Jesus Is the Messiah?

Our prophets and sages spoke of a Messiah who would be a Jewish man descended from King David and King Solomon, born in Bethlehem, and called God’s son. The prophet Isaiah wrote that the Messiah would make atonement for the sins of humanity through his death and be resurrected. Daniel prophesied that the Messiah would have to come before the destruction of the Second Temple. Take a look at the evidence for yourself…

Who is Jesus? Meet the most famous Jew who ever lived

Jesus is also as mysterious as he ever was. Those who have accepted his love and forgiveness and have committed their lives to him, can’t quite explain the quality of their spiritual life to those who have not yet experienced the new birth. But one can catch glimpses of it in the lives of those who know him best. They continue to be motivated by his person and moved by his power.

The Claims of Jesus

Words and deeds are the primary windows into a person's character. The words and deeds of Jesus are recorded in accounts known as "the gospels." Critics charge that the gospels are not accurate historical records, just as they challenge other sacred writings. But for the sake of fairness we need to take the gospels at face value, if only because they are the best first-century sources we have.

Is Jesus a Rabbi?

If Jesus came to earth today, where could he be found? Probably in dialogue with the Orthodox, the Conservative, the Reform, the secular, the boomers and the millennials on the streets, online and in the synagogues. He would teach, he would listen, and he would ask the same question he asked his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?”

Why Did Jesus Need to "Die for Our Sins?"

One of the popular myths about Judaism is that there is no place in Jewish thought for the idea that someone can die for the sins of another person, yet both the Bible and Jewish tradition have much to say about dying so that another might have forgiveness.

Did He Or Didn't He? Jewish Views of the Resurrection of Jesus

Did Jesus live? No dispute. Did he die? Absolutely. Yet one issue which is rarely examined by Jewish scholars is the historical event upon which his message stands or falls: his resurrection from the dead. It is the belief in this event which his first-century followers took to heart and boldly proclaimed to the rest of the world. It is the central claim of the New Testament.