Jewish Torah Going Mainstream for Christians?

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) May 8, 2008 -- Recently David Biema of Time Magazine wrote a fascinating article entitled "Future Revolutions" in which he identified the "Re-Judaizing of Jesus" as one of the top ten cultural trends of the 21st Century. Understanding the Jewish context of Jesus is becoming more and more essential for the next generation of Christians in the world today.

Centuries before Jesus walked the earth, Ezra the Scribe divided the first five books of the Jewish Bible -- the Torah -- into 54 portions so that in the course of a year the entire scroll would be recited during services. This practice is still observed in synagogues around the world today.

Perhaps the single most powerful way to understand the Jewish context of Jesus is to study the Jewish Scriptures themselves, namely, the Law (Torah), Writings and Prophets. This was Jesus' own approach with his disciples: "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27).

In this fascinating new book, "A Year through the Torah," author John Parsons provides the reader with a guided tour of the Scriptures that Jesus and his disciples read. Each chapter, covering a single Torah portion, features a wealth of resources, including selections of Torah text (with English transliterations) as well as portions from the Prophets and New Testament. Throughout, careful attention is taken to demonstrate how Jesus and his followers understood the Jewish Scriptures. The 320 page book is filled with numerous charts and artwork, and even includes a companion audio CD to hear the Hebrew terms and text used in the book. More information can be found at the author's web site (http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Online_Store/Books/YTT/ytt.html).

With A Year Through the Torah, now Christians can restore Torah study as the exegetical foundation for their New Testament studies, avoiding common misunderstandings and misapplications. Readers will be better equipped to share the gospel message more accurately to both Jew and Gentile alike.

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