Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith

by Marvin R. Wilson

Although the roots of Christianity run deep into Hebrew soil, many Christians are regrettably uninformed about the rich Hebrew heritage of the church. This volume delineates the link between Judaism and Christianity, between the Old and the New Testament, and calls Christians to reexamine their Hebrew roots so as to effect a more authentically biblical lifestyle.

As an introduction to the world of Hebrew thought, Our Father Abraham is biblical, historical, and cultural in nature. At the same time, the writing is personal and passionate, reflecting Marvin Wilson's own spiritual pilgrimage and his extensive dialogue with Jews. The book (1) develops a historical perspective on the Jewish origins of the church, (2) sets forth the importance and nature of Hebrew thought, (3) discusses how the church can become more attuned to the Hebraic mind-set of Scripture, and (4) offers practical suggestions for interaction between Jews and Christians.

The study questions at the end of each chapter enhance the book's usefulness as a text and also make it suitable for Bible-study and discussion groups. All Christians--and Jews too--will profit from Wilson's sensible treatments of biblical texts, his thorough understanding of both the Christian and the Jewish faith, and his honest historical analysis of the general failure of the Christian church to acknowledge and understand its relation to Judaism.

Genres: Christianity, Theology, Christian, Religion, History, Nonfiction, Judaism

395 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

About the author

Dr. Marvin R. Wilson's widely used textbook, Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, has been translated into Italian, Chinese, Korean and other languages. For a number of years, Marvin worked as a translator and editor of the New International Version of the Bible. Recently, he contributed a major article to the ESV Study Bible. Marvin also served as primary scholar of a two-hour TV documentary, Jews & Christians: A Journey of Faith, a program that has now played on more than 200 PBS stations.

Reviews

[Matthew John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book can be fairly dense at times, but it fascinatingly illuminates, as it's subtitle attests, the "Jewish roots of the Christian faith." The author points out, in ways that make you want to trust him, that perhaps Western Christianity isn't necessarily what it ought to be. That perhaps we Christians should all be a little bit more Jewish -- in how we approach the Scriptures and how we think about truth and faith.

All in all, this book is a great read for anyone who wants truly to study the Christian faith.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob and I are reading this together .. Out loud .. Many hard to pronounce words .. Very good , for us it takes 3 :Bob, I , and Ruach hakodesh aka holy spirit ... Some language for advanced students .. Marvin Wilson often uses words that are not often used in conversation.. Good to see there is oodles to get introduced to . Context very thoughtfully researched .. Footnotes ..for additional verification. We we continue the task .. Chapter by chapter.. Studying ... With the direction of our Father G-D. Thank you , bb
This is one we keep going back to .... Questions at the end of each chapter very helpful...... To make sure u understood ...like a quiz ... Great book for the advanced students in class.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

outstanding foundation for our faith..

[Elliana (The Real Count of St. Germain) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book SO MUCH. So naturally, I'm going to torment all of you by writing this review like a freaking recipe blog lol.

My Connections Pastor, a very bubbly, very sweet, southern woman from Kentucky, was cleaning out her bookshelves. During this process, she got rid of a good portion of her non-fiction and textbooks from Seminary.

A few months before this, she heard I love the Old Testament, and have a passion for discovering the Middle Eastern/Hebraic roots of the Bible. After that conversation, my Christian non-fiction collection grew immensely. I went from having half a shelf of general non-fiction to having a complete shelf of exclusively Christian-based non-fiction. Since then, I now have multiple bookshelves worth of Christian non-fiction and theology texts.

Our Father Abraham was the first book she gave me. Thus, it is the first of her gifts I've decided to pick up.

Fast-forward three years, and I've finally finished it. This was my Everest, the tome of knowledge that I've been conquering for 1,091 days. After reaching the top of this mountain, I can say this was SO. INCREDIBLY. WORTH-IT. M.R. Wilson does such a wonderful job explaining the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, and providing practical application for believers so they can live out their roots in sensitive, spiritually-rich, and enduring ways. Every time I picked up this book, I wanted so desperately to soak all of the knowledge into my brain for all of eternity. But I guess I'll have to settle for LOGOS highlights and notes to suffice. Such a shame.

So excited to move on to another Everest (at some point). But for now, I will stick with the shorter non-fiction on my shelves. This book, daunting as it was, was truly wonderful. I will use it as a reference in so many essays during my M.Div.

This topic—the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith—is the theological concept that I am most passionate about. To read a book like this is so encouraging. Highly recommend to anyone who desires to learn more about the Hebrew roots of Scripture.

currently-reading updates

19% (thoughts on chapter 4) | I find it incredibly hilarious and ironic that one of the main reasons Hebrew Christians were so persecuted in the 1st century AD is that they weren't political. In fact, they were so anti-political that the Jews saw them as a greater threat because of it. Who woulda thunk?

"Jesus Himself became a new and living Torah, the very center of the thoughts and life of the early church."

Love this^^

"[Jesus rejected] the belief in God's punitive justice and [emphasized] instead God's mercy, His will to heal, to forgive, to overcome enmity with love...and calling them [others] to follow him and his ministry of love to the lost, the poor and the enemy."

I mean, yes and no. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). What He did come to abolish was the non-Biblical perversion and legalistic religiosity regarding the Law that was so prevalent in that day (and is, dare I say, just as prevalent today), and to remind His people that in addition to the much-emphasized justice, He was also abounding in love and mercy and healing and forgiveness. Not because these truths weren't revealed in the Old Testament, but because they had been largely forgotten by that time.

"Jesus became the Temple (John 2:19-21) and the atoning sacrifice ("the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world"--John 1:29). At Passover the matzah, "unleavened bread," represented His body (Mark 14:22); likewise, the lamb sacrificed at Passover symbolized Jesus' sacrificial death (1 Cor. 5:7). In addition, Jesus declared Himself Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). He also distinguished the ritually clean from the unclean (Mark 7:1-23). In sum, in early Jewish Christianity the 'Sabbath, Temple, Law, sacrifices are Christologically reinterpreted by the One who is greater than them all.'"

I find this one incredibly interesting to think about. I've never considered it quite that way before. And while I think Mr. Wilson is using this in a context I would disagree with, I don't disagree with it completely when on its own... if that makes sense.

15% (thoughts on chapter 3) | Mr. Wilson and I finally came to an agreement, and one I am very pleased with: Yes. Christians do not have to follow Hebrew Law to a T to be saved... they do not have to eat kosher, or take Shabbat on the 7th Hebrew day (Friday just before sunset through Saturday just after nightfall), or participate in Hebrew festivals to make it into Heaven. To believe otherwise would be Judaizing.

However, we still disagree on something here: Mr. Wilson holds fast to the belief that "Gentile-Believers" should not adhere to these Hebrew traditions. This is not only illogical, but it goes against the analogical patterns found in the Old Testament. Just like regularly attending church, praying before a meal, or even worshipping daily, these ceremonies and traditions should be observed. Not to get us into Heaven, but because they will foster and enrich one's faith. God tells us to do them many times throughout the Bible. To obey in these respects is an act of love to Him.

I understand this is an uncommon belief amongst the modern, Westernized Church. But I am thrilled that I at least understand his position better, and can respect it. We still disagree, but not in such a polarizing fashion as I first thought.

12% (thoughts on chapters 1 & 2) | Agreed with nearly everything he said in chapter one. Then, just like my sins, the honeymoon phase was forgotten and Mr. Wilson and I had QUITE the disagreement in chapter two.

I can tell from his hints of what's to come that Sir and I are going to encounter many more agreements and disagreements on my path to finishing this book.

That's OK.

I'm looking forward to alternately praising and screaming at this man in the margins. :)

tbr update

Huge thanks to Melissa Fryrear for blessing me with this gift. I don't deserve you. <3

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent, Scripturally based, is written with compassion, authority and reveals how the roots of Christianity run deep into "Hebrew soil", showing the Hebrew heritage of the Christian Church to be rich and extensive. This is a must read and is a very good primer which should encourage the reader to read more from men such as David Baron, Adolph Saphir, and Alfred Edersheim. The book describes at the outset how this heritage has been largely unexplored and ignored by Christian seminaries, colleges and other educational institutions.

Jesus did speak from "within Judaism" and never abandoned His "ancestral faith". The book also describes how a prime facet of Old Testament/Jewish thought was the promise and fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in relation to the coming Messiah. Something which the earliest Christians, themselves Jews, found resolved in the person of Jesus Christ.

One of the problems in the book is that there is almost no difference in meaning made between "Jewish thought" and " Biblical thought". The Book also fought the departure of Christianity from its biblical roots, and this is true, but failed to realize that Rabbinic Judaism also departed from the faith of Father Abraham who rejoiced to see the day of the Lord Jesus. As always we should think as we read and study.

Overall this book is extremely helpful for those who desire to study and think deeply about Scripture.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful, in-depth study of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, as well as the common roots of both in the Hebrew Scriptures. He surveys what we can learn from Jewish interpretive methods, worship, education, and much more.

[Sarah Waldrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of this was hard to get through but so worth it.

[Jonathan Winsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this is a good rebuke of the shallow New Testament or "red-letter" Christianity that is prevalent in some circles. Wilson gives some great insight into the world and culture of the Old Testament, and his section on the poetry of the Psalms makes me want to learn Hebrew. But the book suffers from a fatal flaw. Wilson wants the Church to be aware of the root it is grafted into, but has no concept of what it means for Israel's branches to be broken off; he wants the church to be grafted into the broken-off branches of rabbinic Judaism, and places little urgency on seeing them grafted back in to the root. He is greatly concerned for the material and temporal well-being of Israel, but scarcely mentions their need for the Savior they rejected.

Some rough notes follow:


Thesis of chapter 1: Israel is the root of Scripture and the Church; Hellenistic philosophy is not.
So far so good.

Chapter 2 begins to lay some suspicious foundations. On the one hand, it correctly defines "Judaizing" as requiring adherence to the ceremonial Law, not voluntary observation, as Paul himself observed certain feasts and such in Acts. On the other hand, it deliberately fails to distinguish between Judaism as delivered by God to His people and Judaism as it developed after they rejected Him.

Chapters three through six are mostly a historical survey, telling the story of the gradual separation of the Church and the Jews, beginning with the controversies between the Hellenistic and Hebraic elements of the church through the conflict between the Jews and Christians during the Jewish revolts. Chapter six ends with this quote:

There was a growing awareness, however, that the Synagogue was firm in its stance that Jesus was not the Messiah of Israel, and that on this point the Synagogue was not going to change its mind. The realization of this impasse gradually drew the Church to define itself in terms of discontinuity with - indeed, as the replacement of - Israel. To this point not only had Jewish Christians considered themselves part of the national body of Israel, but so too had gentile believers. They saw themselves as grafted into Israel, as part of a believing remnant within Israel, not those who had usurped the place of Israel, not as a separate people independent of Israel. Therefore, as long as the Church had a reasonable balance of Jews and Gentiles in the same body, there was no tendency to take over the term Israel. But by Justin [Martyr]'s time, that balance had been lost.

Chapter seven is a survey of the remainder of history since the split between the Church and rabbinic Judaism. It leans heavily into the "replacement theology" claims. It labels the church as the 'new' Israel in scare quotes, as if - despite being grafted in - the gentile church has no right to the name.

Critically, Wilson tries to perform a bait-and-switch: after defining the "root" of the vine as the patriarchs in an earlier chapter, he begins to refer to contemporary rabbinic Judaism as the "root" that the church is "tearing away from."

Of course, when you can't tell the root from the broken-off branches, you're in for a world of theological issues.

He seems to reject the idea that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was any kind of divine judgment on Israel, claiming that such rhetoric made the Jews "victims of discrimination and contempt." From this foundation he attributes nearly all anti-semitism to the Church, either by active persecution, giving cover, or simply standing by.

It's true that the Church has not been guiltless, but nor I think can we play the "victims are always innocent" card here.

Chapter Eight begins the section on understanding Hebrew thought. It correctly scolds the neo-Marcionism of "New Testament Christians" who can't be bothered with the Old Testament, or those who overemphasize the contrasts between Old and New and ignore the continuity.

He also makes the case that extrabiblical Jewish sources such as the oral traditions and Apocrypha provide helpful background for understanding the cultural and historical setting of the New Testament, which seems like a no-brainer.

While discussing the importance of the Hebrew language, there's another howler:

On the tombstone of Judah Monis [a rabbi who converted to Christianity and published a Hebrew grammar] in Northboro, Massachusetts, is engraved this poetic epitaph:

A native branch of Jacob see,
Which once from off its olive broke,
Regrafted from the living tree
Of the reviving sap partook.
From teeming Zion's fertile womb,
As dewy drops in early morn,
Or rising bodies from the tomb
At once be Israel's nation born.

The influence of Judah Monis upon the early stages of Hebrew studies in America can hardly be overestimated. For many years the study of the Hebrew language held a central place in the core curriculum of Harvard. But... the composition and curriculum of Harvard has changed. No longer do today's students have the opportunity or feel the need to partake of that reviving sap of the olive tree in the same way as Monis and his learners did.

As if the "reviving sap" were the Hebrew language rather than the very life of Christ.

Chapter Nine explores the "contour of Hebrew thought," and is a really good background for understanding the language, metaphors, and poetry of the Old Testament. It makes me wish I knew Hebrew. His observation of the integrated nature of Old Testament religion is quite on point too: no distinction between sacred and secular areas of life, religion as a way of life and not merely ceremony or ritual. History as not circular and purposeless, but linear, going somewhere, to an ultimate glorious goal.

Chapter Ten, "Where the Church Went Wrong," begins with a critique of Greek philosophical dualism, and the idea that the material world is not as important as the spiritual world. Gnosticism and asceticism have certainly plagued the church as a result of borrowing those philosophies. Wilson stresses that spirituality, salvation, and faith are not relegated to an immaterial or future spiritual realm, but are lived out actively in our present material world. (Very postmil, in some respects.) And he highlights the negative aspects of American Protestant individualism in contrast to holding a strong sense of corporate identity as the people of God. More very good conclusions.

Chapter Eleven begins a section of specific Jewish traditions and ideals with Marriage and the Family. This section is very pro-marriage, pro-children, anti-divorce, dismisses Western romantic notions of falling in love, and is overall sound aside from some minor egalitarian squishiness.

When Wilson starts drawing lessons from other Jewish traditions instead of Scripture, things get a bit shakier. For example, he lists out several ritual prayers before and during a Jewish wedding ceremony, and draws the conclusion that parents ought to pray for their child's future spouse. Really? You needed to be inspired by Jewish traditions to figure that out?

There is some more good advice around the home: making it the center of the family's religious life, making it peaceful, practicing hospitality. Then some good Biblical perspective on aging and the elderly that a young whippersnapper like me hasn't spent much time contemplating.

Chapter Twelve has a receipt from a Walmart in Ocean City, MD from 2006. Interesting historical tidbit. The chapter itself is on the Passover and the Last Supper, and the gist of it seems to be that we can learn from the Jews how to throw a proper feast.

Chapter Thirteen gets into the land promises, and while strongly Zionist, there's this interesting admission:

When the modern State of Israel was founded, this newborn entity was difficult for many Jews and Christians to accept. National rebirth of an ancient people did not come because God had sent his Messiah; rather, it came largely from secular, political, and naturalistic forces. These conflicting viewpoints in part explain why many within the Hasidic community in Israel today refuse to serve in the Israeli military. They do not recognize what they consider to be a largely secular state not established in connection with the Messiah's coming.

Though Israel often strove for power, especially from the time of the prophets Jews were taught as a nation to renounce military might, political alliance, and worldly power. In exile, driven from their land, they became more spiritual, believing their powerlessness, victimization, and sufferings would hasten the Messiah's coming. This passive stance toward history, which resulted in the Jews responding to the actions of others rather than initiating their own action, became a central emphasis in the teachings of Rabbinic Judaism. The early Zionists taught that Jews must seek to control rather than be controlled. This tension between traditional messianic thinking and modern secular thinking created the necessity for the former to be transformed or transmuted. There would be a radical break with the past. Now a so-called secular messianism had evolved in which "Jews would seek their own salvation, and at the same time await the Messiah... (they) would work and build instead of wait and sigh."

Though Zionist, the chapter is at least not dispy, looking down on the "divine right by prophecy" justification for the nation of Israel. Wilson prefers to justify its existence on the grounds of "justice, morality, and history," since (as noted above) its existence is due more to secular efforts than spiritual blessings. As a result, he looks for a peaceful middle ground in Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, though with no clear idea what that might be.

Chapter Fourteen, on learning, has some real gold and will be will worth re-reading. We've lost a lot of wisdom about learning and teaching our children in recent times.

Chapter Fifteen concludes the book with a call to action. Wilson calls for "interfaith relations" characterized by genuine love for the Jewish people, face-to-face dialogues for the purpose of learning about each other's views, and recognizing the differences between the two faiths. He recommends learning about Judaism by experience, visiting Israel or Holocaust memorials, experiencing rituals and traditions in their synagogues, exchanging lectures between churches and synagogues. The church ought to specifically stand by the Jews, fighting antisemitism through education and social action.

Unfortunately the emphasis is squarely in the present, material situation. Wilson cares deeply about antisemitism, but has little or nothing to say about sharing the Gospel. Interfaith dialogues are not about conversion... nor, apparently, are any of the other emphases in this chapter.

[Josh Trice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a wonderful job or arguing for the need of Christianity to return to its oft-neglected Jewish roots.

[Jake Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating study into a much more rich way of looking at the Christian faith and how to think more Jewish. Also gave great context for a lot of the scriptures and had some interesting commentary on modern day issues. Overall great read and would recommend for anyone

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is just a confused book. On the one hand, I strongly agree with a lot of Wilson's diagnoses of ills in the modern American church, such as individualism, ignorance of the Old Testament, tendency toward dualism, and so forth. However, I disagree with what he deems to be the cause of it: the church's de-Judaization, or as he puts it, cutting itself off from its Hebraic roots. Wilson's solution is for the church to return to its Jewish roots and once again be nourished by the root.

The biggest problem with the book is its exegesis of Romans 11 and the inconsistent way Wilson identifies "the root." Taken as a whole, Wilson defines "the root" basically as Judaism as a whole, including its present form. At one point, he even essentially defines the nourishment of the root as the study of the Hebrew language. He recounts how Harvard once had a thriving Hebrew studies program, but now that the curriculum has changed, "No longer do today's students have the opportunity or feel the need to partake of that reviving sap of the olive tree in the same way as Monis and his learners did" (p. 130). It's a confused interpretation and application. Nor does it taken into account what it means that some branches were broken off.

I was often left wondering who this book was written for. I feel like it's aimed at conservative Christians, but then the emphasis on the Jewishness of Jesus and the apostles seems just preaching to the choir; I don't know anyone who is orthodox who needs convincing of that. Part of me feels like he was responding to the quest for the "historical Jesus" at the time which devalued his Jewishness, but that crowd is not the audience for this book.

Chapter 9 was just bad linguistics. Overly psychologizing the Hebrew mind based upon the grammatical structure of the language. Early on, he also tried to interact with James Barr's The Semantics of Biblical Language, but I don't think he understood Barr all that well.

Ultimately, I'm not entirely sure how this is a Christian book. Wilson largely finds little of value in the Christian tradition and very much of value in the Jewish tradition. Wilson thinks the Church went wrong long ago, back in the second century, and now needs to course correct by essentially becoming more Jewish. He even went so far as to essentially pin the Holocaust on the church's trajectory ("Perhaps the most important reason the Holocaust happened is that the Church had forgotten its Jewish roots" [p. 101]). Missing here is any distinctively Christian message of hope in Jesus as the Messiah or in his resurrection. I have a lot more I could say about the overall program, but suffice it to say that Wilson does not seem to view modern-day Jews who deny Jesus as Messiah as branches who need grafting back into the olive tree, but instead seems to consider them as the root that Christians need to be nourished by.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any Christian looking to understand where we came from, this book is a great place to start.

I took pages and pages of notes when it delved into the history of our religions—from Abraham, to the Jewishness of Jesus, to the separation of that new Jewish sect that eventually became Christianity. It's not biased one way or the other, stating facts and admitting when each side messed up that pushed Christianity farther and farther away from its roots.

But it's not just history. It explores Jewish teachings, and how we can learn from them; it discusses Israel itself as our joint homeland. It ends with ways to bridge the gap, rebuilding a relationship between Jews and Christians that's not merely tolerant, but respectful and loving.

Like the book states, it's not enough for Christians to just know of our Jewish roots. It's our duty to also act on those teachings, because in that is our history, too. And we could learn a thing or two about divine love (and love for one another) from our Jewish neighbors.

[Ben Smitthimedhin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Dr. Marvin R. Wilson takes us through the history of antisemitism, the differences in Hebrew thought from Western Christianity, and what the church can learn from Judaism (which is seen as the roots of our faith) all to back up the point of his thesis of how the Christian church should seek to reconcile their broken relationship with their own Jewish family and background while putting a halt on the trend of antisemitism. This has huge implications that can change one's perspective on faith and Christian living completely as Dr. Wilson traces the history of some of the false beliefs that permeate the Christian church today.

Highly Recommend!

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most important book for believers to read. It covers a broad variety of topics. Here are some of them: A new People: Abraham's Spiritual Children, Church and Synagogue in the light of History, Understanding Hebrew thought, Jewish heritage and the Church, Toward Restoring Jewish Roots.
I can't stress enough that you should read it. I've read it at least 3 times. It contains study questions at the end of each chapter that help enhance learning.

[Dr. Paul T. Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that triggered my interest in studying more about the Jewish roots of Christianity. Dr. Wilson is one of the pioneering scholars of the Messianic Jewish movement, and this is his most famous book. It's a bit academic in style, but definitely readable. This is a great place to start if you have only been exposed to Gentile teachers.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing insight into the roots of the Christian faith. Couldn't recommend it more highly.

[Marianne Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought two copies of this book so I could share one with friends. This book taught me so much, and it put an historic context on my faith.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great review of Christianity's Jewish roots. Also gives good insights into the way the biblical writers thought about truth and Scripture.

[Tammy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A STAPLE IN YOUR THEOLOGY LIBRARY- but not just for scholars. For all readers.
A most informative book.
Very deep, lots of information.

[Carrie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The integrity of this book is high. I highly recommend it.

[Sasha (bahareads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Westerners have often found themselves in the confusing situation of trying to understand a Jewish book through the eyes of Greek culture."

Our Father Abraham was supposed to be a required read for my Hebrew Culture and Civilization class, but it got cut by my professor; however, I had the opportunity to still acquire the book. It could be quite a lot of material to read at times, but the amount of information and knowledge in this book is outstanding! Wilson does a great job with trying to mediate just Jewish our Christian faith is. I can see how Hellenized Christianity become as a result of drawing away from our Jewish roots. There are a whole bunch of rich topics here which I believe deserve to be read and re-read to fully grasp the concepts. I loved how what I read in Our Father Abraham reaffirmed what I'm learning in some of my Hebrew classes right now. This is a great read for anyone who wants to dive deeper into Christianity and what it means to be a 'Christian'.

[Denee Howeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to finish this book, but it became more anti Christian the more I read. Honestly, it really only deserves one star. I appreciate the Jewish history, the early Church and our brothers and sisters in Christ… but Romans 8-11 is clear. We are ONE in Christ. The church didn’t replace Israel, it’s the fulfillment of the covenant made with the forefathers. The 3rd and lasting temple of living stones. ALL promises are fulfilled in Christ. Our Commission is to disciple the nations, not tippy toe around the Jewish community with “guilt”. The horrible things people suffer should be taught properly in schools so we learn the ugly truth of what mankind is capable of. The sins of people in the church throughout history will be dealt with by our Savior on an individual basis. We in the church need to live out our faith to ALL people regardless of race, religion, or creed. I pray veils are lifted and ALL who do not know and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior come to Him in full repentance and receive His Mercy and Grace ❤️

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written about 30 years ago and is academic in tone, so I prefer the more recent books I've read on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Still, I found this worth reading. When speaking about Christian beliefs, the author would state an extreme view found in Protestant or Catholic Christianity and state it like it was the common Christian belief. This meant that he was often arguing against things my church doesn't actually believe. But, anyway, he feels that Christians ought to be more Jewish if they're going to follow Jesus' teaching correctly.

So he educates the reader about the Jewish mindset on topics like marriage and the family, valuing the aged, the land of Israel, education, worship, and the Passover. He also provided a brief history about how Christianity started to reject the Jewish heritage of their Jewish Jesus. He talked about how the Christian church got biblical teachings wrong because of this and urges Christians to learn more about the Jewish faith by getting to know Jews today.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this book has been written, I believe the church has moved towards an embracing of the Jewish people and culture, at least in my particular experience with a local church.

While I believe the attitude towards Jewish culture has changed, I think we have a long way to go in learning how to read and study the Bible through a Jewish perspective, which is the only right way to attempt to understand it. This book attempts to help Christians understand why they might need to consider how a Jew would interpret the messages of Scripture.

Minus one star because it reads rather like a dissertation. It would be more accessible with a different tone.

[L Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting examination of the Hebrew roots of the Christian church. While the author was clear that he was not advocating for the church to adopt ancient Hebrew practices, he straddled the fence at times. The first half was more interesting than the second. The portion about the land in the latter part of the book was interesting but not really what I was looking for out of it. There are several aspects of the Hebrew faith, people and culture that are enlightening in aspect to Jesus and the early church. Some of the historical discussion about the origin of anti-Semitism didn’t apply to my goal for reading the book but turned out to be an interesting side note.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me forever because of work taking away time, but completely worth it. This book is AMAZING. Reads like a dissertation at times, but full of knowledge of the Jewish faith and how it is interwoven with the Christian faith. It is mind-blowing how far the church has gotten away from its Jewish heritage, and this book does a great job of bridging the gap. Not sure this is for the brand new Christian...probably a better read for someone who has been a Christian for a while now. If you plan on going to/have already been to Israel, I highly recommend this one.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My discovery of this book was through a journey for spiritual and communal fulfillment. After twenty years in church leadership and lay ministry, this book has breathed new life into this wine skin. Yes the book is dense at times, and took me longer to finish than usual. However, the meaty feast found within is exactly what this tired heart and soul needed. If you are experiencing a loss of fulfillment in Western Christianity perhaps this book will provide a gate onto a path of pilgrims progress with biblical proportions otherwise not known to the Sunday Christian. It sure did for me.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After twenty plus years in church leadership and lay ministry, I began searching for something more than a Sunday morning experience. In the process this book among a few others caught my eye and opened a whole world of possibility for spiritual and communal fulfillment. This book is dense and takes time to read but is all the more worth it. Marvin helped me gain a better understanding of my faith, its heritage, and possibilities. Furthermore, the practicality of this message gave my faith roots and communal purpose. I highly recommend this book and its bibliography of suggested readings.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're ever wondering where Christianity began and how it's connected to and divulged from Judaism, this is a great read. Rich with history and theology. However, this is dense and feels like a textbook. I read this with my women's small group/Bible study which is the only way I could have truly processed it all. I had a wonderful leader who was able to extrapolate the finer points for discussion and make it more readable and relevant.

[Scott Broberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are beginning on your journey of understanding the Jewish roots of Christianity this book is a must! Or, if you've been on the journey for a while, this book will enhance your journey and become an indispensable resource.

I've had this on my shelf since 2004 and I continually refer back to it on the numerous topics he covers.