In “Reading Moses – Seeing Jesus”, we give our perspective as Jewish followers of Jesus to the following What is the purpose of the law? Why did God give the Torah in the first place? Did Messiah come to point us back to the law? Are we under the law? Should we follow Rabbinic traditions? What about our Hebraic Roots? Should we keep the Torah? How? In this book, Dr. Seth Postell (Academic Dean with Israel College of the BIble) and Dr. Eitan Bar (Theologian, Evangelist-Apologetic) accompanied by Dr. Erez Soref, will deal with these questions.
The authors present an insight into Jewish traditions very useful to understanding the Law's purpose. Even more valuable to me, this book has exposed a depth of wisdom in Scripture as yet unexplored in my personal study. Most welcome from this book was a richness in my view of my Messiah.
“The Law witnesses against us, points us to Yeshua, teaches us about God, offers us wisdom and insight, deepens our understanding of the person and work of Yeshua, and challenges us to love God and our neighbor. We have seen how followers of Messiah Yeshua are in the truest sense faithful disciples of Moses, who fulfill the requirements of the Law by believing God and loving people (1 John 3:23).”
In John 5:46 Jesus says to the religious leaders, “If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me.” If you’ve read that verse in John’s Gospel and thought “Where?” “How?” then this book is for you. The authors show that the Torah and the Torah story are messianic and lead you right to Jesus. Well worth your time no matter how familiar you are with the Torah. In fact, I’m quite confident that even the most scholarly individual will find a number of things in this book that will cause them to say, “How’d I miss that before?”
This little book is excellent. The thesis of the book is that the purpose of the Torah is to lead Israel through the broken Law and beyond it to the Messiah. That is to say, the Law was never intended to be an end in itself, but rather it was always intended to lead Israel beyond itself to the Messiah, Yeshua. Therefore, to properly interpret and be Torah observant, one must believe in the Messiah, who is the fulfillment of what the Torah teaches.
The beginning of the book where it discusses the narrative structure of the Torah, the fallacies of teaching that the Law was the goal of the Torah, ma'asei avot siman l'banim, and key phrases at strategic places in the Torah are worth their weight in gold. The rest of the book is good too, but those beginning parts were my favorite. Oh yeah and the discussion on how the structure of the Torah itself proves Paul's point that people died as a result of the giving of the law (Romans 4:15).
The middle section discusses how the Law should be applied to the life of a believer. The end discusses Rabbinic Oral law and tradition. Helpful and insightful.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who is confused about the role of the Law in the life of a believer, to those who want to understand how to more intelligently dialogue with their religious Jewish friends, or for anyone who simply wants to understand the Bible better! Don't let the small size of this book fool you - it is a real gem!
A must read for Jewish & non-Jewish believers in Yeshua
This book answered the questions I have been having in my mind - why the law; did the law serve its desired purpose; what does non-Jewish believers in Yeshua have to do with the law; where does the law fit in the new covenant.
The authors are Messianic Jews, so they come from a very unique perspective. Their insights into the Torah are quite intriguing. One of the ideas is that the fathers foreshadow their children.
One example is that Adam foreshadows both Noah and Israel. They note how each was chosen, set a part, given a command, failed, and endured shame (nakedness) as a result. Israel follows the pattern as well.
They deal with the question of the Law and its purpose and give a compelling argument. They suggest that the law was never perfect, even from its origin. It wasn't ideal, but stil far superior to that of the nations around them. Yet, they couldn't even live up to that.
Definitely worth a read and probably a few re-reads.
To be clear, this is the second copy that I bought. I got my first one and showed it to my brother when I went to see him. I hadn't finished it yet, but after he started reading it, he basically told me that he wasn't going to let me have it back. :D
I like how compact and straight to the point each chapter is. There are no wandering Rabbit holes to distract or drag the reader down. Very good notes for each point. Very clear and concise. And this book equips the reader with facts needed to understand and discuss with a Jewish non believer, what the Scriptures really say about the Law. In my humble oblivion. Pretty clear apologetic tool of what the Hebrew Scriptures really say and where it says it about the Law, about the coming Messiah as foretold by Moses. I especially liked the focus on what Moses pedicures about the Jewish people in the future. Now you understand exactly what Jesus was talking about when He mentioned Moses and what the Scriptures say.
As a gentile trying to totally accept Jesus as the Messiah has been hard for me. I had a great fear that I would betray God by accepting Jesus is God. I went to Israel to try to see if being there would help me to believe. I came back in more doubt. Preachers that I spoke with could not give me the answers I needed This book let me see Jesus through Jewish eyes. It made me see how everything in Torah truly pointed to Jesus. I am going to buy this book so I can keep it to study more throughly. Thank you so much for writing this insightful book. May we meet in heaven and bow before Jesus together!
Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus offers a compelling perspective on the Torah from a Messianic Jewish standpoint. The authors, drawing from at least a decade of academic research, present a well-structured and accessible study for everyone but particularly aimed at a Jewish audience. Their central thesis is that the Torah ultimately points to Messiah Yeshua, aligning with Jesus’ claim in John 5:46. Without imposing the New Testament on their readers, the authors seek to demonstrate from within the Torah itself how its narrative, themes, and purpose anticipate the Messiah.
The book highlights the Torah’s overarching structure and its inherent theological message. While acknowledging the presence of only a handful of explicit Messianic prophecies in the Torah (Gen. 3:15; 49:8-12; Num. 24:7-9, 17-19; Deut. 18:15), the authors argue that its broader narrative structure provides a deeper Messianic framework. They emphasize the Torah’s inability to bring ultimate obedience and redemption, drawing on the parallelism between the beginning of the Thora (Gen. 1-11) and the end of the Torah (Deut. 29-34). Just as Adam failed to keep one commandment and went into exile, so Israel will fail to keep the 613 mitswot and go into exile. The history of Adam repeats itself in Israel, just as Moses foresaw. According to Postell, Bar, and Soref, Moses foresaw Israel’s disobedience and subsequent exile, underscoring that the Torah was not given as an end in itself but as a guide leading beyond itself—toward the Messiah.
A key argument in the book is that the Law was never intended to be a permanent or sufficient goal in itself. The authors explore the Torah’s structure in six major sections: (1) Primeval History (Gen. 1-11); (2) The Patriarchal Narratives (Gen. 12-50); (3) The Exodus (Ex. 1:1-15:21); (4) The Wilderness Journeys to (Ex. 15:22-18:27) and from Sinai (Num. 10:11-36:12); (5) The Sinai Narrative (Ex. 19 – Num. 10:10); and (6) Moses’ Exposition of the Torah in Moab (Deut. 1-34). They make insightful observations regarding parallel themes, particularly in how Israel’s journey to and from Sinai mirrors each other, yet the consequences of disobedience drastically shift after the giving of the Law. Before Sinai, complaints and disobedience largely go unpunished; after the Law is given, transgressions result in severe judgment (e.g., Num. 11:33).
A significant takeaway from the book is the claim that the goal of the Torah is not obedience to the Law, but the promise of restoration through the Messiah. The authors explore the Torah’s references to the “last days” (Gen. 49:1; Num. 24:14; Deut. 4:30; 31:29), emphasizing that Moses’ expectation was not Israel’s success under the Law but the eventual coming of a Messiah in the last days.
The latter chapters (9-12) transition from an exegetical reading of the Torah to discussions on the role of the Law today, particularly in the context of the Messianic Jewish community. The book argues that, without a functioning priesthood, Temple, or sacrificial system, it is impossible for Israel to fully observe the Mosaic Law. The authors explain how they see the Law and how they as Jewish followers of Messiah Yeshua relate to Jewish traditions. They note that a Jewish follower of Yeshua does not become “more Jewish” by adhering to Jewish law and traditions—just as a Chinese person does not become more Chinese by eating Chinese food. However, certain traditions such as the feasts are needed to make Yeshua more tangible and comprehensible to their fellow Jews.
Overall, Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus is a highly insightful yet concise work. The first eight chapters are particularly strong, offering fresh perspectives on the Torah and its focus not on obedience to the Law but hope for the Messiah. The book effectively bridges scholarly insights with accessibility, making it a valuable resource for a general audience. The parallels between Adam and Israel, the narrative approach, and the focus on the "last days" are the aspects I appreciate most about the book; they are insightful and presented with remarkable clarity. Besides the content, I really appreciate the concise form in which the authors manage to get their point across.
However, from an academic perspective, the book has some limitations. It largely omits discussions on the historical development of the Torah and its source-critical composition. While this omission aligns with the authors’ theological intent (i.e. writing for a broad audience), a methodological justification for their approach would strengthen their argument, particularly for theologically trained (Jewish) readers. Additionally, while the book’s discussion of the Law’s contemporary relevance is important, the final chapters (9-12) feel less compelling compared to the rich exegesis of the earlier sections.
Despite minor critiques, Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus succeeds in its goal of presenting a Messianic reading of the Torah in a clear and accessible manner for a general audience. It offers valuable insights into the narrative and theological dimensions of the Torah, making it a recommended read for anyone interested in understanding the Messianic perspective on the Pentateuch. For those wishing to explore these themes further, The Pentateuch as Narrative by John H. Sailhamer serves as an excellent complementary resource for in-depth Bible study of the Pentateuch. Even if you remain unconvinced by the authors' arguments, this book will challenge you to explore the Torah with renewed curiosity and insight!
I cannot recommend this book enough although you will need to get a Kimdle edition unless you want to pay $135 at Amazon for a hard copy! To say it presents an approach to the Torah that is different from what I was taught in Sunday School and church is obvious but welcomed. If anything it has made me admire the absolute beauty of the literary structure and message of the Torah. The Torah is not a law book. It is a “story” book with laws in it. The focus is the story (factual and historical, true to its core) of eternal promises and of God’s plan of redemption for His fallen people. Foretold by Moses and completed in Yeshua (Jesus). A must read for Messianic Jews and Christians!
Maybe you think some a little too excited to talk about the Old Testament, or you’ve been pondering the connection between the old covenant and new. Maybe you’re trying to understand law versus grace, or you’re just in the market for a solid theology read. I commend “Reading Moses, Seeing Jesus” to you.
Its authors are experts in both study and practice, whose desire to point to Christ is as evident in their tone as in their argument. Though relatively short for such a topic, the succinct academic style lends itself to meaningful discussion rather than useless pontificating.
I have a friend whose business partner is Jewish (goes to synagogue Jewish, not just an ethnicity). I read Eitan Bar's other book "Refuting Rabbinic Objections to Christianity" and then saw this book. I sent it to my friend to read and then to have his partner read because it could start some really great conversations. Christianity is NOT the enemy of Judaism, it is the natural fulfillment of what God was/is doing in Jesus.
I think this is a book that could be highly helpful in discussions like this.
It does what a good book on reading the Old Testament should do: it makes connections that seem so obvious that I don't know why I didn't see them before.
Case in point: reading the Gibeonites without having Genesis 1-3 in mind makes that story a bit odd. Postell and Co. make explicit the connection to the Serpent in Eden: both are clever (ערום in Gen 3:1, ערמה in Josh 9:4) and both become snares from Adam/Israel.
The book has some editing problems (inconsistent use of AD/BC vs. CE/BCE, for example) and the Kindle edition was not particularly well formatted.
So much goodness wrapped up in this little book. The love these authors have for King Jesus shines through on every page and their wisdom and understanding of the scriptures is a beautiful thing. I was very blessed by this book and would recommend it to everyone out there to give it a shot.
I loved thos book because it does not fall for propaganda, political correctness, or overgeneralization. It is respectful of sources. It only quotes lines in context. It brings clarity to scriptural questions that are murky to both Christians and Jews. It honestly examines the sources for the idea of a Messiah.
Overall the book is very insightful from a Messianic Jewish perspective, however sometimes it seems that the authors are contradicting themselves on various occasions and many of the instructions are not very clear. The book does however give us insight on what the Torah was supposed to mean from the beginning.
This book is excellent and has given me a greater understanding of the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) and how it points to Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah (Christ). I would recommend it to any student of the Scriptures if you want to gain greater understanding of what you're reading.
Outstanding and incredibly helpful to anyone wanting to understand the role of the Law in the Old Testament today. While academic, it is written in an easy to read style. Great observations and truly fascinating, helpful conclusions that encourage worship of the One whom the Old and New Testament testifies.
This book is a useful addition to the library of anyone exploring the complex questions brought up by the Messianic movement. Although I found the reasoning in some chapters faulty, overall, this is a great resource in the discussion on the role of the Torah.
I have been struggling to understand whether we need to keep the 10 commandments and/or the law of Moses as followers of Jesus, Yeshua. This book has been very helpful to me. Thanks!
To the point, clear, inspiring. The thesis: A close reading of Torah can rationally lead one not to works centered righteousness, but to faith in the Messiah. I buy it. Love the portions dealing with the intermittent poems in Genesis and Numbers.
This was a food read. The author, who is A Jewish follower of Christ, does a nice job pointing out how different aspects of the Torah point towards the Messiah.
I enjoyed this read! It’s written in simplicity but not leaving out essentials of the author’s thought. I’ve definitely got a better understanding of messianic prophecy from the Torah.