Challenging: "Jesus was mentally ill" (and other unproven, unfounded allegations)

Jews for Judaism, an "anti-missionary" group, has a website that exists solely to debunk Yeshua (Jesus), and to make Christianity and Messianic Judaism sound like evil cults that force Jews to convert by force. They have gone out on that proverbial limb to disprove Yeshua in ANY WAY possible, including offering as "proof" Scripture (especially the New Testament) taken completely out of context. Take a look:

Jews for Judaism/Rabbinical Judaism's Challenge:

Question: Is it true that Jesus' family, including his mother, believed that he was mentally ill?

Answer: According to the author of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 3:19-21, 31), during the period when he was preaching, Jesus' relatives, his mother and his brothers, believed that he was mentally ill. The author of the Gospel of John comments that "neither did his brothers believe in him" (John 7:5). Jesus, in turn, rejected them (Mark 3:31-35, Matthew 12:46-50, Luke 8:19-21). Apparently, Mary, the mother of Jesus, forgot the visits of angels, magi, and shepherds. The prophecies of Anna and Simeon completely slipped her mind. Most of all Mary seems to have forgotten her own impregnation by the Holy Spirit. It is more than likely that she had nothing to forget because these episodes never happened. When Jesus started to preach they had a legitimate concern as to his mental condition. This incident, rather than later claims that his family believed in his message, shows that no miracles surrounded his birth.

Messianic Judaism's Response:

Even the most naive lay person would laugh at that contrived response!

Mark 3 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him. 20 And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. 21 When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses." 31 Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him.

"Losing one's senses" and being considered "mentally ill" are two different things! (Stern's version says, "He's out of his mind.") IN CONTEXT, even his own family thought Yeshua was "out of his mind" because He was getting ready to perform miracles, drive out demons, etc. He was teaching and doing things that even the rabbis couldn't comprehend (after all none of THEM had ever performed miracles, driven out demons, raised people from the dead, etc....)

Jews for Judaism quoted John 7 to "prove" that nobody believed Him:

John 7:5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

Dear "learned" Torah scholars: Would YOUR mothers or brothers believe it if YOU started doing miracles and being able to teach circles around the old Torah teachers? Would they believe their eyes if they saw YOU walking on water, or raising people from the dead?

You said: Apparently, Mary, the mother of Jesus, forgot the visits of angels, magi, and shepherds. The prophecies of Anna and Simeon completely slipped her mind. Most of all Mary seems to have forgotten her own impregnation by the Holy Spirit. It is more than likely that she had nothing to forget because these episodes never happened.

This is PURE CONJECTURE on your part! Who died and made the author of this particular response God that he could possibly know WHAT Miriam's was thinking? She knew exactly who her Son was (see Matthew 1 and Luke 1)! Unfortunately, as a mere human with a limited mindset, she couldn't possibly know all the things He would be capable of.

Jews for Judaism uses Luke 8:19-21 to "prove" that Yeshua has mental problems, and was mean or strange because He refused to see His mother and brothers. Clearly they are engaging in silly word games and Scripture twisting! Yeshua was merely trying to show people that He had no time to waste on those who ALREADY believed (remember, He didn't have much time because those "learned and wise rabbis" wanted Him dead!)

Jews for Judaism/Rabbinical Judaism's Challenge:

Question: Can you give a reason why Jews say Isaiah 9:6 does not refer to Jesus?

Answer: Christian theologians argue that the name "A wonderful counselor is the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the ruler of peace" refers to Jesus, who they allege combined human and divine qualities. They mistakenly believe that such a name can only be applied to God Himself. Moreover, the Christians incorrectly translate the verbs in verse 5 in the future tense, instead of the past, as the Hebrew original reads. Thus, the Christians render verse 5 as: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on his shoulders; and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

While admitting that "wonderful counselor" and "ruler of peace" can be applied to a man, Christian theologians argue that the phrases "mighty God" and "everlasting Father" cannot be incorporated as part of a man's name. Thus, they contend that Isaiah teaches that the Messiah has to be not only a man, but God as well. That this entire reasoning is incorrect may be seen from the name Elihu, "My God is He," which refers to an ordinary human being (Job 32:1, 1 Samuel 1:l, 1 Chronicles 12:21, 26:7, 27:18). A similar Christian misunderstanding of Scripture may be seen in their claims revolving around the name Immanuel, "God is with us." The simple fact is that it is quite common in the Bible for human beings to be given names that have the purpose of declaring or reflecting a particular attribute of God, e.g., Eliab, Eliada, Elzaphan, Eliakim, Elisha, Eleazar, Tavel, Gedaliah.

The fact remains that Jesus did not literally or figuratively fulfill any of Isaiah's words. A wonderful counselor does not advise his followers that if they have faith they can be agents of destruction (Matthew 21:19-21; Mark 11:14, 20-23). A mighty God does not take orders from anyone (Luke2:51, Hebrews 5:8), for no one is greater than he is (Matthew 12:31-32; John 5:30, 14:28). Moreover, he does not ask or need to be saved by anyone (Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:42), for he cannot die by any means (Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46, John 19:30). He who is called the Son of God the Father (John 1:18, 3:16) cannot himself be called everlasting Father. One cannot play simultaneously the role of the son and the Father; it is an obvious self-contradiction. He who advocates family strife (Matthew 10:34-35, Luke 12:49-53) and killing enemies (Luke 19:27) cannot be called a ruler of peace.

Messianic Judaism's Response:

Well, let's see what Stern's Complete Jewish Bible says:

Isaiah 9:6 - For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo'etz El Gibbor Avi-'Ad Sar-Shalom (Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace).

The problem seems to be that Jews for Judaism with their blinders on simply refuse to see that Yeshua Ha'Maschiach was foreshadowed throughout the Tanach. After all, if you ignore something, it isn't real, right? We suggest they re-read Genesis 49:10; all of Isaiah 53 (for what it REALLY says instead of what they think or hope it says; Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8; and Isaiah 7:13-15 which promises that a virgin will bear a son who will be called Immanuel ("God is with us" - a foreshadowing of God Incarnate walking among us). After that, they need to take a peek at Qualifications of Messiah, in a Nutshell, Who Does Messiah Say He is: Man or God?, and How Can Yeshua Be the Messiah? He is Not What the Jewish Tradition is Looking For!

Not only did Jesus literally AND figuratively fulfill ALL of Isaiah's words; He has also so far fulfilled the first four Biblical feasts, and a whole slew of Old Testament Prophecies and more!

Let's dissect Jews for Judaism's comments here:

  • A wonderful counselor does not advise his followers that if they have faith they can be agents of destruction (Matthew 21:19-21; Mark 11:14, 20-23).

Matthew 21 says:

19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once the fig tree withered. 20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, "How did the fig tree wither all at once?" 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.

Jews for Judaism should try reading the New Testament IN CONTEXT, as opposed to picking and choosing scripture they hope will support their man-made thoughts and ideas. Yeshua was NOT teaching destruction; He was trying to show His disciples what happens to sinners. The barren fig tree represented sinners who are not producing fruit for God. Those who don't produce fruit will in the end be cut down....

  • A mighty God does not take orders from anyone (Luke 2:51, Hebrews 5:8), for no one is greater than he is (Matthew 12:31-32; John 5:30, 14:28).

Let's take a look at Luke 2:51 and Hebrews 5:8:

Luke 2:51 - And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Hebrews 5:8 - Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

Again, the context was overlooked in these scriptures. Check out what they say PRIOR TO, AND AFTER the verses chosen by Jews for Judaism to "disprove" Yeshua's Deity:

Luke 2: 41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; 43 and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, 44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. 46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." 49 And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

God the Father (YHWH, "the Source", if you will) sent an aspect of Himself to earth in the form of a human so that humans could identify with Him easier than, say, with a burning bush, or a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as outlined in Genesis. (Wonder why Jews for Judaism don't have a problem believing THAT! Why is it easier to believe in a talking bush than a living, breathing Person?) Because He was born to a human female whom God Himself caused to become pregnant, Yeshua naturally had a mother. As such, He (in His human form) was being an obedient Son....

Hebrews 5: 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"; 6 just as He says also in another passage, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK." 7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. 11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

God humbled Himself to walk among us and to teach us His ways and how to treat each other - and then to offer Himself as a final SIN SACRIFICE. He had a human body and He suffered human frailties just like any other human - not because He HAD to, but because He CHOSE to! He wanted to lead by example, to show us exactly how this "God thing" was supposed to be done - in a way that we could actually SEE and comprehend. He was totally obedient to "the Source" even unto death, because (1) He was in human form and therefore obedient to "the Source" - to show US what obedience to God was all about; and (2) He KNEW that that was His ultimate purpose and goal.

Matthew 12 - 31 "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 "Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

In order to provide an indepth response to Jews for Judaism's supposed "proof" that Yeshua was not Deity, we have borrowed the following from Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit by Dave Redick:

Great miracle had taken place. The blind and dumb man spoke and saw. Multitude was amazed. Pharisees knew they must discredit it or they would lose their following. Accused Jesus of casting out demons by the ruler of the demons. This indicates they recognized the miracle and had to attribute it to some power beyond man. They did not want to attribute the miracle to God, however, because then they would have to admit that Jesus came from God or had the power of God. A clear case of denying the truth in the presence of the facts. (People often do this today.)

Jesus showed them how ridiculous their assertion was. Satan would not wage war on Satan. That done, he explains how his power was superior to that of Satan, the "strong man." "How can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man?"

Then He goes on to indicate how serious it was to reject Him. "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with me scatters."

Explanation

These men, Jesus said, were blaspheming the Spirit. Yet, rereading the passage, we see that they had not actually spoken evil of the Holy Spirit in so many words. Actually, their words were aimed at Jesus (see v. 24: "this man"), not the Holy Spirit. In verse 32, Jesus said that such words spoken against Him could be forgiven.

No, it wasn't what they had said that brought them into so much danger, though what they said was certainly a serious matter. The problem was what they were doing.

The words of J.W. McGarvey are helpful here:

"Blasphemy against the Son may be a temporary sin, for the one who commits it may be subsequently convinced of his error by the testimony of the Holy Spirit and become a believer (I Tim. 1:13). But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is in its nature an eternal sin, for if one rejects the evidence given by the Holy Spirit and ascribes it to Satan, he rejects the only evidence upon which faith can be based; and without faith there is no forgiveness."

These men were rejecting the evidence supplied by the Holy Spirit (see verse 28: "if I cast our demons by the Spirit of God....") To continue to do such would be disasterous for them because, as McGarvey says, they were rejecting the only evidence upon which faith could be based.


John 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

In order to provide an indepth response to Jews for Judaism's supposed "proof" that Yeshua was not Deity, we have borrowed the following from Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry:

Jehovah's Witnesses use these verses in their attempt to say that Jesus is not God. They reason that if Jesus were really God in flesh, then He could do anything He wanted to do. But here we see that Jesus says that He can do nothing on His own initiative. If this is true, then how can Jesus be God in flesh? (For further information, please see How Can Yeshua Be God? help to illustrate this point.)

The answer is that Jesus is both God and man in one person. This doctrine is called the hypostatic union. As a man, Jesus was under the law and was obligated to keep the law (Gal. 4:4). In His humbled state of being lower than the Angels (Heb. 2:9), Jesus was cooperating with the limitations of being a man (Phil. 2:5-8). Therefore, He was incomplete subjection to the Father so that He might fulfill the law and be the high priest sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 5:10).

Furthermore, Jesus did not begin His miracles until His baptism. It was at that point that the Holy Spirit came upon Him. Therefore, Jesus was performing His miracles not by His own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. This explains why in Matt. 12:22-32 when the Pharisees said that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of the devil, Jesus said that blasphemy on the Holy Spirit of not be forgiven. In other words, Jesus was doing His miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit and not under His own divine power which He had laid aside the rightful use of while he walked this earth doing the Father's will.

Therefore, these verses do not mean that Jesus is not divine. But it does mean that Jesus, as a man, was completely and totally in submission to the will of the Father and that Jesus would only do the will of the Father as the text clearly says....


Yes, Yeshua WAS God! How do we know? Verses such as Matthew 28: - 18 Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, "All authority in heaven and one earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim (disciples), immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son, and the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age."

It is quite impossible to properly appreciate the significance of the words 'all power.' Yes, Yeshua is omnipotent. He has unlimited power of every kind. All power! Just pause and think awhile about that staggering statement. Also remember that it extends to heaven, and earth and all creatures under the earth. At best we can only begin to understand what He is talking about; but one day we shall really know the detail!

  • Moreover, he does not ask or need to be saved by anyone (Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:42), for he cannot die by any means (Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46, John 19:30).

Matthew 26:39 says:

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

In order to provide an indepth response to Jews for Judaism's supposed "proof" that Yeshua was not Deity, we have borrowed the following from Bible Tools:

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, just a short while after urging His disciples to drink of His cup. As He prayed fervently and emotionally to His Father in heaven, the symbol of the cup was fresh in His mind. Just as He had given His disciples a cup from which to drink, so had the Father placed a cup before Him! Notice Matthew 26:39: "He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.'"

In the Old Testament, the cup is also a metaphor for the divine punishment of sin. Hence, Jesus' death would involve far more than just physical torture and death. Christ would become the target of untold divine wrath, as every sin that had ever been committed would be heaped on this one sinless Being! He who had sought to always do the will of His Father perfectly, He who had heard His loving Father exclaim, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," would now experience His Father's overflowing wrath for all sin, including all the worst sins! Some of what He suffered was for our sins—yours and mine.

Jesus knew that death and incurring God's wrath for sin comprised the climax of His mission on earth as the Messiah. But now, as that hour approached, His awareness of God's wrath against sin became even more intense! The Bible explains this in detail in Romans 1:18—3:20. To Jesus, it was an unimaginable horror!

The second and third times He prays in the Garden, He changes His words slightly, as He realizes He definitely has to drink of that cup: "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done" (Matthew 26:42, 44). He now fully accepts the fact that the only way to get past this ordeal is to go through it.

The cup is still on Jesus' mind even after the soldiers from the High Priest come to capture Him. When Peter tries to defend Him physically with a sword and misses Malchus' head, cutting off his ear instead, Jesus says to Peter: "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?" (John 18:11). Indeed! And shall we not drink the cup which our King has given us?


Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46 and John 19:30 all talk about Yeshua's dying. What Jews for Judaim insist on overlooking is that Yeshua was GOD Incarnate: flesh and blood. He was SUPPOSED to die as a SIN OFFERING for the entire world! This does not mean GOD died. It simply means that the vehicle He used expired, as was preordained (Isaiah 53).

In Genesis 22 verse 7 and 8, Abraham prepared an altar for the sacrifice of his son, Isaac. Then the Scripture tells us Isaac said, Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, GOD will provide for Himself the Lamb for a burnt offering. But a ram, not a lamb was offered as a substitute. (Traditional Jews like to insist that God always required a sacrificial LAMB for sin sacrifice!) Because of Abraham's obedience to GOD, He blessed him, and through him, his descendants, Jews and Gentiles; but in your seed, not 'seeds', who is Messiah YESHUA, all the nations of the earth shall be blest; Genesis 22, verse 18, and Galatians 3 verse 16. GOD revealed much to Abraham. He spoke with him, He ate with him, He walked with him. He revealed Himself as ADONAI, THE LORD, YHWH, YESHUA; Genesis 18. All prophecy is fulfilled and sealed in YESHUA our Messiah.

Yeshua was YHWH's "Son", and when His physical HUMAN body died, He was resurrected and went to be with the Father (Source) - but not before He was seen by at least 500 witnesses. No body was ever found within His tomb - one He couldn't possibly have escaped from, especially after being beaten half to death and losing much of his blood to scourging and being nailed to a cross, and THEN being pierced in the side by a soldier's sword. The tomb in which His body lay was guarded by two armed guards. So, HOW did He get out, if not supernaturally?

  • He who advocates family strife (Matthew 10:34-35, Luke 12:49-53) and killing enemies (Luke 19:27) cannot be called a ruler of peace.

Let's examine this Scripture in context:

Matthew 10: 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.

Those with the Holy Spirit residing in their hearts can understand these verses with no problem. What Yeshua is trying to tell them is that we can prepare for and accept hostility from family and friends, once we accept Him into our hearts. He is not literally talking about purposely causing problems; He is saying that once someone accepts Him, there WILL be strife.

To determine what the Messiah should be and do, we must look beyond Tradition to the Sacred Scriptures themselves. What matters is not what the Rabbis said, but what God said.

Yeshua was NOT "an ordinary human being"! Shema, Yisrael! Wake up and smell the coffee: He is your MESSIAH!