ANOTHER obstacle which confronts those desiring to evangelize Israel is the great theological chasm separating the evangelical Christian from the masses of Jewry. At the present time the Hebrew is a unitarian whereas the well-taught Christian is a trinitarian.

From the Targums, the oldest translations of the Old Testament into Aramaic, and from early rabbinical writings we see that the Jews of the first and second centuries were trinitarians. Furthermore, we learn from the Midrashic literature that they were expecting Messiah to appear in the second quarter of the first century of our era. This historical fact is absolutely proved by Rabbi Abba Silver in his book, Messianic Speculations in Israel. Since they were looking eagerly for His appearance, and since they were thorough-going trinitarians, which constitutes the warp and woof of the Old Testament revelation, the gospel according to Matthew was written by the Holy Spirit to meet their spiritual need and to prove to them that Jesus was their rightful King and Saviour. A casual perusal of this record convinces one that the writer assumed on the part of his readers a belief in the Trinity and an expectation of Messiah's appearance. Therefore the special adaptability of Matthew to the needs of the first century Jew is immediately apparent. The early Christians pressed with telling effect upon them the logic of the fulfillment of their Scriptural predictions in Jesus of Nazareth. From this angle we can see why this record made such wonderful inroads among the Hebrew people at the very beginning.

Being unable to resist the force of the argument based upon fulfilled prophecy, the leaders of Israel veered from their trinitarian position and soon became unitarians. Finally, they were also able to push off to the more distant future the expectation of Messiah's appearance. Nevertheless from time to time as crises have arisen involving the welfare of the Jewish people, their leaders have sought comfort in the Messianic Hope and have pointed to it as the only solution of their problems.

Since the Jew doctrinally now is not where he was when Matthew was written and since a high wall of prejudice has been erected between him and the true Christian world by the persecutions and ill-treatment of the centuries, the Gospel of Matthew, therefore, does not have the appeal and force to him that it had when it was first written. In other words, the Jew is, figuratively speaking, many miles away from his doctrinal position of the first century, for the meeting of which Matthew was especially adapted. This fact has complicated Jewish evangelization very materially and rendered it most difficult. Furthermore, since the orthodox Jew has been taught and believes that the entire New Testament is a collection of forged documents written to bolster up the claims of Christianity, he either will not read it but rather will cast it aside or, if he investigates it, he does so, figuratively speaking, through colored glasses and with a strong prejudice against it as a revelation from God.

There are atheistic Jews as well as Gentiles. These, of course, are not interested in religion. But they are in the minority. We must not make the mistake of interpreting the Jew's indifference to religion at the present time as evidence of his being inately irreligious. Such is not the case. The young American Jew cannot, as a rule, understand the ritualistic service of the Orthodox Synagogue since it is conducted in Hebrew. The same thing is true of those having connection with conservative congregations. Hence their young people naturally drift from things religious and become absorbed in worldly matters. In the reformed temples the teaching, which is in English, is all of the modernistic type and destroys faith in the revelation of God. The natural thing for the young Jew under these conditions to do is to drift from religion. These facts make it all the more imperative that we give the truth to Jewry now.

The Hebrew is innately religious as is demonstrated by his checkered history. Notwithstanding the wave of outward atheism and indifference to religion which is in evidence in many places, he at heart is a firm believer in the true God and His revelation to man. The great majority is orthodox at heart and holds more or less to the traditional views. They must be approached from that angle. A careful study of the present doctrinal position and spiritual outlook of Israel makes it abundantly clear that there are seven fundamental propositions that must be cleared up to the satisfaction of both her intellectual and spiritual natures before she can fully and intelligently accept Jesus of Nazareth as her Messiah, Saviour, and Lord. To the explanation of these fundamental issues and the antecedent conditions underlying them, let us now address our attention.

In the first statement of the Bible we read that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The word rendered "God" in the original language is plural but is used with a singular verb. This unusual construction hints at the plurality of the Divine Personalities of the Godhead and at the same time carefully guards their unity. Before the creation of man there was a conference held in the council chambers of eternity in which these Divine Personalities said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (Gen. 1:26). Here, again, we see a reflection of the plurality of Divine Personalities and at the same time an affirmation of their unity. The plural verb rendered let us make asserts the plurality of the Divine Being and the phrases, in our image, after our likeness, clearly declare their unity. This same doctrinal position is the gist of Israel's confession which literally rendered is "Hear, 0 Israel: Jehovah our Gods is Jehovah a unity" (Deut. 6:4). From many Old Testament passages we learn that there are three persons constituting the Divine Being. As stated above, this doctrine occupies a fundamental position in the teachings of Moses and the prophets.

Far into the second century of the Christian era the Jew still held to the Scriptural doctrine of the Trinity but later, when he was pressed by the Christians to accept Jesus of Nazareth, he discarded this ancient view and espoused the unitarian position. From then to the present time this false concept has dominated his thinking and teaching.

Since he has been taught that the New Testament is not a genuine revelation from God, it becomes necessary for us to present the Trinitarian position from the Old Testament, beginning, as both Jesus and Paul did, with Moses and the prophets and unfolding the Scriptures to him. In other words, first of all he must be shown the doctrine of the Trinity from the Old Testament.

The people of Israel formulate their conception of Messiah from the data found in such books as Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles concerning Saul, David, and Solomon, all of whom were called the Lord's anointed or "messiah." Since they believe that the Law, the five books of Moses, is perfect and needs no further divine revelation, they, especially the orthodox group, assign it a place of authority superior to that given to the rest of the Old Testament. With this peculiar slant on the Scriptures they do not attach the proper importance to the testimony of the prophets relative to the dual nature of King Messiah, i.e., that He is God who enters the world by virgin birth. To them Messiah is simply a man, born by natural generation as Israel's illustrious kings were, who will lead the nation in the future to its former position of glory and power. Hence their conception of Messiah is that He is to be simply an ingenious man of outstanding leadership and of a great soul and dominating personality.

This misconception of Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel, necessitates on the part of the Jewish worker a detailed exposition of the leading passages in the Old Testament which show clearly both the divine and the human sides of His nature. Only after the Jew has been shown from his own Scriptures that, instead of God's being one in the absolute sense of the term, He is a Trinity of Personalities, can one logically present the Old Testament doctrine of the two-fold nature of Israel's future King. This teaching like all else that is to be given to the Hebrews must be presented first as it is found in the Law of Moses and later unfolded in the Prophets.

Having learned that there is a Holy Trinity and that One of them was scheduled to enter the world by virgin birth in carrying out the divine program, the Jew is in a position to be given the Old Testament picture of the entire work of Messiah which He, according to the Scriptures, accomplishes for man's redemption. There are two lines of predictions which constantly appear in the Prophets: one speaks of His humiliation and suffering, whereas the other presents Him as a triumphant conqueror of all foes. Somehow the Jew's attention has been directed to the latter line of thought and he has practically overlooked the former. Especially the orthodox section of the nation is looking for the triumphant Messiah to deliver it from its enemies but knows little of the suffering Messiah. In order, therefore, to present the claims of Jesus of Nazareth to this group, one must expound those passages of Scripture which give the entire redemptive career of King Messiah consisting of His two comings and of the interval separating them, during which He is seated at the right hand of God. Unless this whole outline of His earthly and heavenly ministry is presented from single passages, the Jew feels that one is garbling his Scriptures. When those predictions which deal with the first coming only are interpreted as being fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth nineteen hundred years ago and others which speak of His glorious future reign are presented as awaiting the time for Him to return in order to be fulfilled, the Jew thinks that the Christian is simply juggling facts. Such passages as Isaiah 61 and Psalm 110 unfold before us "the blue print of messianic times." When these and others like them are thus expounded to him, he can see clearly the complete work for which Messiah comes into the world to perform.

The next step in the logical unfolding of the truth concerning the Hebrew Messiah is that of showing the time when He was scheduled to appear on earth in order to begin His redemptive work. There is much material in the Scriptures which bears upon this most important question. Since the heart of this phase of the investigation concerns itself with the time element of His first advent, one must deal with, not only messianic prophecy pointing to His appearance, but also with the entire chronological structure embedded in the Old Testament. There is abundant proof found in the Hebrew Scriptures which enables one to show that the time of His first coming was to be before the sceptre departed from Judah (Gen. 49:10). The collapse of the Jewish nation occurred in 70 A.D.; hence Messiah should have appeared before that calamity. The thorough treatment of this subject demands a detailed exposition of relevant Scriptures or the issuing of a large volume. Such unabridged books should be designed for the intellectual leaders of the nation whereas abridged and simplified works should be prepared for the average Jewish person. Of course, brief explanations should be given to or small tracts written for the man with limited education.

When the doctrines of the Trinity, of Messiah's dual nature, of His entire redemptive work, and of the time for His first appearance have been thoroughly and logically presented to the intelligent Hebrew, he naturally asks if He really came at the time foretold. At this point of unfolding God's truth to the Jew, the Christian should leave the Old Testament field and present the claims of Jesus of Nazareth as they appear in the four records of the gospel. At this stage of instruction or special study the Jew can appreciate fully the testimony of the evangelists.

Some explanation concerning their testimony should be given in order that he might intelligently approach them. In giving this advice I, a Gentile, am speaking from personal experience. I well recall my purchase of a New Testament when I was in my teens. Matthew I read with unusual interest. The further I went into the story the more interesting it became. Having finished it, I began studying Mark. Not knowing the relations existing between the different records, I was much perplexed by reading so many things here which had already been told by Matthew. But having no one to explain the facts, I became more puzzled as I continued my reading in the third and fourth records of the gospel. Nevertheless I went forward in my study until I finished the book of Revelation.

When I began rereading the New Testament, having no books nor anyone to explain the situation to me, I experienced great difficulties. Remembering my perplexities due to a lack of simple instruction, I feel that as an introduction to the New Testament gospel testimony a book should be given the Jew, which will remove the difficulties just mentioned and which will lead to an intelligent appreciation of the gospel records. It is my conviction that, whenever God's Word is presented in an intelligible manner to the honest heart, the Holy Spirit will carry conviction. Hence the necessity of such an explanation is apparent.

Though the average Jew does not study the Old Testament, especially the prophetic portions, with the close scrutiny of a Christian scholar, he does see in the messages of the prophets the general trend of events with which the age ends. It is evident that a thorough, scholarly, and sympathetic exposition of the Word describing the closing scenes of this age should be presented to him, first from the Old Testament point of view and then from that of the New. The logic of fulfilled predictions is most cogent and powerful. The prophetic Word is especially a lamp to one's feet in these days. Since it is being fulfilled, one may understand what to expect in the future. Therefore it becomes necessary to show from different sections of the Word that the time for Messiah to return and complete the work begun at His first advent is close at hand.

Having laid before the intelligent Jew the entire redemptive work of his Messiah and also the tragic history and suffering of His own people, the result of Israel's rejection of her Messiah, one must bring conviction by the Spirit of God to his heart in order to make him realize the enormity of the national sin and the necessity of Israel's repenting of and repudiating it. The message of the Apostles was repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:18-21).

A thorough, intelligible, and sympathetic exposition of the seven points discussed in this section presents the claims of Jesus as the Hebrew Messiah and Saviour and rests the case with the Holy Spirit, who alone convicts men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. If the Jew to whom Jesus is thus presented is honest and is seeking the truth, the Holy Spirit in every such case will convict and lead him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

A THOROUGH understanding of the problem of Jewish evangelization, as has just been outlined, carries the conviction that special and intensive training is necessary to equip one for efficient service among God's ancient people. Of course, one may accomplish a great deal of good for the Lord, though he does not have the proper preparation; but with sufficient mastery of the problems involved one can render a far greater service. With a sickle one may cut grain but with a self binder or header he can perform the work much more efficiently and far more quickly.

Our present civilization is indeed complex. One must be abreast of the times and understand those to whom he wishes to render service. Otherwise, he will expend much time and energy accomplishing little. Especially is this true in the Jewish mission field.

One owes it to His Lord to acquire the greatest proficiency in his chosen field of labor possible. The Jews are a very brilliant people and, as a rule, are educated and abreast of the times. They are quick to detect the lack of training and efficiency in the one who approaches them with the gospel message. They worship, as some one has said, at the shrine of scholarship. This fact demands the highest degree of proficiency possible for successful Jewish work. In this connection let me throw out a warning: an education and training apart from devotion to the Master and a dependence upon Him are a positive detriment; in fact, in many cases they prove a curse to those who are following the Lord afar off.

My advice to any one who contemplates entering the Jewish mission field is to make thorough preparation before attempting to do full time service. Such training will pay large dividends in the form of souls led to the Lord.

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