Rabbi Jacob Emden’s Appeal to the Christians…

Rabbi Jacob Emden (d. 1776) was a famous Rabbi for his day and is highly regarded in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, particularly among the Chasidic Jews. This epistle, I think is quite a challenge and a revelation that Christians today (like their predecessors in Europe) need to hear. Read this with and open mind and a heart tuned to the Spirit of God, rather than our own “comfort zone” of theology.

Rabbi Jacob Emden’s Letter (Seder Olam Rabbah Vezuta)

The Sanhedrin and the Church, Part IV

The Acts of the Apostles – and the history of the Church known for certain of its infant years – ends shortly thereafter and no more is spoken concerning their relationship with the Sanhedrin. Flavius Josephus, a Jewish zealot, captive, and author under the patronage of Vespasian and his son Titus – reports one incident that implies the action of certain members of the Sanhedrin – namely, the Sadducees:

The Sanhedrin and the Church, Part III

Despite the fact that the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Sanhedrin of the Church continued to exist separately for the next three centuries, it was recognized by many pious Jews that the “Followers of the Way” were not simple Law-breakers, but were people of strong faith in Messiah – a Messiah they simply could not accept.  In many ways, these Jewish believers are similar to the Chabad Orthodox Jews who believe the Rebbe to be Messiah and to still be alive today despite the understanding by everyone else that he is indeed dead.  Yet, the difference is that the Master of the Way had been dead at one time but had risen to life, and on to the glory at the right hand of the Father.

Sanhedrin Backs Lebanon-Israel War

The nascent Sanhedrin has issued a statement, dated July 18, 2006 (Tamuz 22, 5766), supporting the military call-up of reserve forces in Israel.  This statement was issued by the Special Court (beit din) for Matters Concerning The Nation and State, a sub-court of the Sanhedrin.  It is headed by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, a renowned Torah scholar and the head of the Temple Institute.  Here is a portion of the “special judgment” of the court:

The Sanhedrin and the Church, Part II

With the loss of the Sanhedrin’s legitimacy, the Church was left to itself for quite some time, yet the Sanhedrin’s structure and style was soon adopted. The Council of Jerusalem operated in a manner very similar to the disputes of the Sanhedrin. Many, in fact, refer to James the Just as the Nasi of this council, seeing as he was one of the chief “pillars of the church” and issued a ruling concerning the Gentiles in the Church: that they should follow the Seven Laws of Noah in their living:

The Sanhedrin and the Church, Part I

The Sanhedrin has quite a reputation in Christian circles that is sadly negative. Its role in the death of Jesus has left a seemingly irremovable stain on its name and the Hebrew people have endured much grief because of it - to the shame of the Church. At the heart of this tragedy is a lack of understanding concerning the Sanhedrin’s origins and role - as well as its impact on the Church. As the Church begins to understand its importance in the past, so it will see also its vitality in the future.