Review
Michael Brown is a compelling voice in the critically important debate over the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth. —Lee Strobel, New York Times best-selling author
The Real Kosher Jesus explains with real clarity how Jesus as a Jew makes sense—biblically, historically, and theologically. It is a pleasure to recommend this work for any who are just curious about him and his relationship to Judaism. —Darrell Bock, PhD, research professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary and author of Blasphemy and Exaltation in Judaism
Will the real kosher Jesus please stand up? Is he a great Jewish rabbi? Or is he the Son of God? Now we know the truth, thanks to this groundbreaking book by Dr. Michael Brown. —Sid Roth, host of It’s Supernatural!
Michael Brown excels as a true scholar as well as an apologist; his answers to objections are carefully thought out, honest and well researched. —Craig Keener, PhD, professor of the New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary and author of Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts
One reviewer said:
Dr. Michael Brown's The Real Kosher Jesus is a dynamic examination of the identity of Jesus within His rich Jewish context. Dr. Brown draws the reader into a progressive revelation of Jesus-Yeshua as a Jew, a rabbi, a prophet, a revolutionary and the long awaited and soon returning Messiah. The occasion of the book was the publication of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's book Kosher Jesus, which I have not read and will not be a part of this review, however The Real Kosher Jesus goes far beyond a narrow or temporary response to Boteach's work. This book, penned in only two and a half months, leads the reader into a discovery of who Jesus really was and is. The progressive revelation of Brown's writing, which manages to both build a case and present a journey, is consistently evangelistic and exceptionally powerful, presenting the beauty of Jesus as the truly Jewish Messiah.
While avoiding an academic or scholarly tone, The Real Kosher Jesus obviously has an enormous scholarly depth and foundation. Dr. Brown is probably the foremost Christian apologist to the Jewish people, authoring five volumes of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, and he effortlessly draws from comprehensive source material. The book moves from Anti-Semitism and the Jewish response through Church history to the Jewishness of Jesus, the Jewishness of the Gospel, the Jewishness of Paul, and a distinctly Jewish path to discovering Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior, Lord, and Son of God. This journey contains vast amounts of revelation for the Christian as well as for the Jew and provides a fresh but vital presentation of the gospel. In reading the book, one feels that this was the progression of the gospel as it was meant to be revealed to the world through the Jewish people and nation. In all the fervor and momentum of the movement back to the gospel in the Church and publishing world today, I have never read a more passionate and more revealing description of the good news in the identity of Jesus.
Dr. Brown refers to Rabbi Boteach's book specifically a number of times and spends three chapters in specific refutation of Boteach's thesis. Having not read Boteach's book, I am unable to thoroughly weigh the argumentation; however, these chapters are immensely relevant without reading Boteach's book. They feature the most entertaining and humorous prose within the book and are also powerful reminders of the revolutionary nature of Jesus in both His spiritual militancy and His passionate non-violence. While Kosher Jesus was the occasion for The Real Kosher Jesus, my impression is that Boteach's work will not stand the test of time, while I hope to see this work endure through many editions.
The Real Kosher Jesus stands out as an exceptionally relevant and readable work of apologetics and theology. It is a prophetic cry both to the Jewish people and the Christian Church to discover the reality of Jesus as He is and as He revealed Himself to the world. It is not only the finest book on the identity of Jesus I have ever read, it is one of finest books on the gospel I have ever read. It has transformed my view of the revelation of God's love and redemption in Jesus-Yeshua.
While avoiding an academic or scholarly tone, The Real Kosher Jesus obviously has an enormous scholarly depth and foundation. Dr. Brown is probably the foremost Christian apologist to the Jewish people, authoring five volumes of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, and he effortlessly draws from comprehensive source material. The book moves from Anti-Semitism and the Jewish response through Church history to the Jewishness of Jesus, the Jewishness of the Gospel, the Jewishness of Paul, and a distinctly Jewish path to discovering Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior, Lord, and Son of God. This journey contains vast amounts of revelation for the Christian as well as for the Jew and provides a fresh but vital presentation of the gospel. In reading the book, one feels that this was the progression of the gospel as it was meant to be revealed to the world through the Jewish people and nation. In all the fervor and momentum of the movement back to the gospel in the Church and publishing world today, I have never read a more passionate and more revealing description of the good news in the identity of Jesus.
Dr. Brown refers to Rabbi Boteach's book specifically a number of times and spends three chapters in specific refutation of Boteach's thesis. Having not read Boteach's book, I am unable to thoroughly weigh the argumentation; however, these chapters are immensely relevant without reading Boteach's book. They feature the most entertaining and humorous prose within the book and are also powerful reminders of the revolutionary nature of Jesus in both His spiritual militancy and His passionate non-violence. While Kosher Jesus was the occasion for The Real Kosher Jesus, my impression is that Boteach's work will not stand the test of time, while I hope to see this work endure through many editions.
The Real Kosher Jesus stands out as an exceptionally relevant and readable work of apologetics and theology. It is a prophetic cry both to the Jewish people and the Christian Church to discover the reality of Jesus as He is and as He revealed Himself to the world. It is not only the finest book on the identity of Jesus I have ever read, it is one of finest books on the gospel I have ever read. It has transformed my view of the revelation of God's love and redemption in Jesus-Yeshua.
About the Author
Michael L. Brown holds a PhD from New York University in Near Eastern languages and literatures and is recognized as one of the leading Messianic Jewish scholars in the world today. He is the founder and president of FIRE School of Ministry, host of the nationally syndicated daily talk radio show The Line of Fire, and the author of more than twenty books. He is a contributor to The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion and other scholarly publications.
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