Dr Richard Harvey, a leading Messianic Jewish academic interviews Roni Mechanic about his new book – A Quest for The Jewish Jesus

Roni Mechanic’s “A Quest for the Jewish Jesus”

Messianic Jewish writer Roni Mechanic on his new book – A Quest for the Jewish Jesus. A Quest for the Jewish Jesus – Roni Mechanic – New Publication A Quest for the Jewish Jesus is for all who discover not only the Jesus of history, but also the Jesus of Faith. Many false notions are refuted and in this book the author Roni Mechanic endeavours to show who Jesus is. A Quest for The Jewish Jesus Jewish people say, “Look at what they have done to him!” Many struggle to even say the name “Jesus.” While Gentiles over two millennia have distorted his image by fashioning him according to their own theological and cultural outlook. However, this quest for the Jewish Jesus of history and faith is of paramount the importance. Rabbi Leo Baeck says, “He was a Jew among Jews; from no other people could a man like him have come forth, and in no other people could a man like him work; in no other people could he have found the apostles who believed in him.” (Ben-Chorin, Shalom, 1974:408; also see p 25). For Jewish people if Yeshua was not a Jew, then many like Roni would want to have nothing to do with him or the faith that he and his Jewish disciples proclaimed and propagated. That is why this quest is so important because it confronts may of the distorted images that people have made, exposing an often an underlying anti-Judaism, and sometimes a deep rooted Judeophobia that gives expression to anti-Semitic attitudes and actions. These at times have resulted in the murder of Jewish people in the name of “Christ.” The Aryan Jesus of the Nazi’s imaging is the worst example of Jesus being turned into the enemy of the Jews who they hold he came to destroy. Nothing could be further from the truth of who Jesus/Yeshua is, what he came to do and how we as Jews may reclaim him and embrace not only his Jewishness, but equally our own. This affirmation of our faith in the Jewish Messiah Yeshua should give us new confidence in our witness to our people. Roni also explores Jewish and rabbinic attitudes towards Yeshua. Some have taken bold steps towards reclaiming him as their own. This includes some famous Jewish scholars and rabbis such as Abraham Geiger, Leo Baeck, Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, Will Herberg, Abraham Heschel, Susannah Heschel, Pinchas Lapide, David Flusser, and Geza Vermes. While none of these people became believers in Yeshua, they went a long way to reclaiming his as a Jewish luminary of great importance. This book, “A Quest for The Jewish Jesus,” will help answer the questions about how Yeshua is both the Jesus of history and equally the Jesus of faith. There cannot ever be a division between these two aspects of his being. There are those who say that we can’t really prove that he is a real historic person and beside the New Testament which is written by his disciples as a piece of propaganda, there is little else that is written about him that we can rely upon. Equally, there are many who say that by believing in Yeshua as Messiahs, it is like believing in Elvis Presley, who some say he is still alive. The historic Jesus and the Jesus of faith are the same person, and there can never be a division. Roni also shares something of his personal quest in this discovery of the Jewish Jesus and how that we may also discover a strong personal faith in God through him. About the author Roni Mechanic is an Artist, theological educator, writer, conference speaker and Messianic Jew. He has studied theology up to Master’s degree level. Roni taught Contemporary Judaism at the Nazarene Theological College, Manchester University, UK. This is also where Roni was awarded his MA in Theology, 2000. In addition, Roni is involved in inter-faith dialogue, particularly Jewish-Christian relations, and also Moslem and Israeli-Palestinian bridge-building. The book and e-book are both available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quest-Jewish… See all Amazon websites for International orders. ISBN: 9781790847815 – Imprint: Independently published: High Volatage