WiseReader

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”
[Proverbs 18:17 - ESV]

The Messianic Movement: A Field Guide for Evangelical Christians
Rich Robinson & Naomi Rose Rothstein, Eds.
Purple Pomegranate Productions, 2005
ISBN:188102262
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The Messianic movement - that growing body of Jewish believers in Jesus seeking to live out their faith in a Jewish context - is not a new movment. For many years it was barely noticed by the evangelical church at large. But recent devlopments among Messianic leaders and congregations are catching the attention of a growing number of evangelical leaders. Some of those developments carry profound implications for the work of the gospel, particularly among Jewish people. Christians need to be better informed about this movement described by its practioners as Messianic Judaism.

As with any religous movement, the Messianic movement exists on a fairly wide spectrum of doctrinal distinctives and practice of ministry. Trying to sort through the differences can be a daunting task. But there is help available.

For a general overview of Jewish ministry from congregations to mission agencies, there is probably no better initial guide right now than The Messianic Movement: A Field Guide for Evangelical Christians. In 198 pages you will learn about Messianic congregations, discover what “Torah-observance” really means, and meet many of the major players in Jewish ministry today.

Among several valuable appendices is one called “Rationale for Jewish Evangelism”. That such a subject requires treatment at this late date in Christian history belies the growing ferment within Messianic circles. Sadly, a growing number of Messianic leaders believe evangelical missions to the Jewish community should disappear.

Christians unfamiliar with Jewish ministry may be surprised to learn that the publication of this guide was itself a point of controversy within the Messianic community. One Jewish believer, writing in a major Messianic publication, begain his review of the book with these words: “Jews for Jesus writing a field guide on the Messianic movement is akin to England’s monarch producing a guide-book on America’s New England states. They may have visited and even lived there before, but they certainly aren’t intimately involved or capable of being an expert on it.” When seasoned ministry leaders within one of the leading ministries to Jews are written off as cavalierly as this, evangelicals need to sit up and take notice.

Profound changes are blowing in the winds of Jewish ministry. The Messianic Movement field guide will provide a good starting point for believers who care about the future of the Jewish believing community.

The Lost Gospel of Judas: Separating Fact From Fiction
Stanley E. Porter & Gordon L. Heath
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2007
ISBN: 0802824561
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We were just emerging from the cyclone of excitement around The Da Vinci Code when word of the Gospel of Judas hit the news stands. It seemed as if Christian history revisionists were on a roll. No doubt the wholesale support of media heavyweight National Geographic contributed to what Porter and Heath call “the Gospel of Judas’s meteoric rise to become the topic of choice at water coolers, newsrooms, and talk shows.

Of course, “cooler-talk” has moved on to other things, and while little is heard these days from The Gospel of Judas folk, it remains an important topic for Christians to understand. How should Christians view the Gospel of Judas? Is it really a “lost gospel” that should be embraced, or should it simply be relegated to the dustbin of failed attempts at subverting and undermining the Christian faith?

Stanley Porter, President, Dean, and Professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) and Gordon Heath, Assistant Professor of Christian History and Director of the Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster Divinity College, teamed up to provide a truly accessible book, helping us to put these matters into perspective.

Since the Gospel appears intent on rehabilitating Judas, Porter and Heath take chapter one to introduce us to Judas, outlining how the Scriptures present Judas, and how subsequent history has understood him.

Following this introduction to Judas, Porter and Heath give us a fascinating chapter on Gnosticism; defining it, tracking its spread and explaining why it was a problem for the Christian church. Not a household term among contemporary evangelical Christians, Gnosticism nevertheless is finding new life in our day via many routes, including the discovery of gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi (Egypt), and the above-mentioned Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. With a brief overview of major aspects of gnostic teaching, readers learn that at least fifty-two gnostic texts sruvive from ancient times, along with ten manuscripts from seven church fathers who wrote to refute gnostic teaching.

For those wondering why the Gospel of Judas “disappeared” in the first place, Porter and Heath explore the early church response to this manuscript, providing good reasons for why the church rejected it along with the other gnostic writings of the time.

Other chapters assess the significance of this find; explore the content and authenticity of the document; and help readers understand how rehabilitation literature worked in ancient times.

If you have wondered what to make of The Gospel of Judas, I recommend this book as a great starting place. Thorough, succinct and accessible, the authors have provided a great resource.