Jewish Apologetics, Dr. Brown Style

Dr. Michael Brown at Denver Seminary, 01/09/12

So I'm taking this class on Jewish Apologetics with one of my modern-day heros of the faith, Dr. Michael Brown; and I'm really enjoying it. Even though I've read the texts years ago (see list below), I don't mind going through them again. I like to sit in a classroom, watching and listening to a lecture, and interacting with the instructor. I think if I was a single guy without any responsibilities, I'd probably be a professional student. Anyway...

When most folks think of Apologetics a typical image that comes to mind is 'debating in order to win someone to Messiah', in other words 'getting them saved.' However, Apologetics is not necessarily a tool to bring people to faith. Leading someone to Messiah through Apologetics can and does happen, but these instances are not the norm. The goal of Apologetics is to equip the Believer. A study in Apologetics prepares Believers for potential questions and arguments about their faith. This class is on Jewish Apologetics or defending our faith when 'debating' a Jewish person, religious or not. Dr. Brown is an expert in this area. As a Messianic Jew, Dr. Brown has been speaking with and debating religious Jews since he was very young. His five volume book series Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus are based on these personal experiences.

Dr. Brown started the discussion last night by sharing two principles of Apologetics that he finds fundamental. These principles are:

1) Adequately understanding the actual objection. Before we can begin a debate, we need to clearly understand what our opponent's objection is. We need to be patient and spend some time seeking clarity. This could be in the form of repeating their objection back to them but in our own words.

2) Feel the weight of the objection. Once we clearly understand what the objection, it is important that we are sympathetic to their point of view. We should take the time to put ourselves in their shoes; see the world through their eyes. We need to step back and resist 'pulling the trigger' on our response, even if we know we are right.

From Dr. Brown's perspective, the current Christian methods of Jewish Apologetics are nothing more than giving "answers that make us feel good." When Christians respond to Jewish arguments they are not addressing the real issues, and not doing it sympathetically, but rather "getting a monkey off of their backs." In other words, their answers and reasoning sounds good to Christians but the Jews don't buy it and are usually insulted by the Christian response. The Christian answers to Jewish questions are spoken in Christian-ese and not in a way that Jewish people can understand and accept. Christians need to approach Jewish arguments from a Jewish perspective if they want to be effective.

This can be said about any opponent in an argument or debate. When trying to reach any people group, we need to communicate to them in a way that is familiar to them and with respect. I see this all the time when Messianics try to win their Christian friends to Torah by telling them about the pagan origins of their traditions. Is that being sympathetic to their point of view? Messianics will arrogantly ask "What DID Jesus Do?" as if Christians are going to say, "Okay! I will now drop all of my beliefs and traditions just because you asked that clever question." That's an insult; a slap in the face. I'm guilty of this as much as any zealous Messianic, but over the past few years I've taken a new approach; and this class is helping me shape my approach.

In the Messianic camp folks are big on prophecy and prophets. Everyone wants to be a prophet and blow someone out of the water with the word of God and exclaim, "I showed them!" I remember once inviting our Messianic community and our neighbors to a Sukkot party at our house. Two of our Messianic friends blasted an elderly Christian neighbor for worshipping God on Sunday. They later gloated about running this little old lady out of the party. How did that interaction glorify God? It sure didn't win her to Torah.

It would do Messianics some good to keep Dr. Brown's two fundamental principles in mind when answering questions and addressing arguments with Jews and Christians.

I'm looking forward to tonights class—continuing Historical Objections and then on to Theological Objections. Rock'n Roll!

Related Links:
Jewish Apologetics - Christianity's Ongoing and Unique Challenge
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: General and Historical Objections (Vol. 1)
Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus: Theological Objections (Vol. 2)
Twenty-Six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus



~