𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? 𝐀 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲

Sometimes, we feel the tug of doubt, especially when faced with questions about our faith that seem difficult to answer. A thoughtful friend or a passionate critic might ask why we trust the New Testament or believe Yeshua is the Messiah. Their challenges might sound convincing. Maybe they point to verses in the Torah or quote respected sages. You want to respond with wisdom, but where do you begin? Let’s take a journey together through Scripture, history, and reason. Along the way, we will find that the path of trusting Yeshua as Messiah is both deeply Jewish and perfectly aligned with the Torah.

𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞

One of the loudest objections we hear is this: "God is not a man." They quote Numbers 23:19, "God is not a man, that He should lie," and Deuteronomy 4:35, “There is no other besides Him.” These verses are true. God is beyond human comprehension. He fills the heavens and the earth (Jeremiah 23:24). But does this mean He could never choose to dwell among us?

Think about the Tabernacle in the wilderness. God’s glory came down and filled a tent made by human hands. His presence hovered above the Ark of the Covenant. The Torah even says that Moses spoke with God "face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" (Exodus 33:11). Did this diminish God's transcendence? Of course not.

Throughout the Tanakh, we see God revealing Himself in ways that humans can understand. He appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre (Genesis 18:1-3). Jacob wrestled with a mysterious man who later blessed him and said, "You have wrestled with God and man and have prevailed" (Genesis 32:24-30). These are not metaphorical stories. They show us that while God is not limited by creation, He sometimes chooses to meet us within it.

Yeshua as Immanuel—“God with us”—is the ultimate expression of God’s immanence. Isaiah foretold this when he wrote, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The incarnation is not God ceasing to be infinite. It is God choosing to draw near.

𝐀 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐡-𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡

Another argument often raised is that Yeshua contradicts the Torah or promotes a different religion. This could not be further from the truth. In Matthew 5:17-18, Yeshua said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” His teachings consistently point us back to the heart of Torah—loving God and loving our neighbor (Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5).

Critics of Paul often claim he abandoned the Torah. Yet Paul’s actions tell a different story. In Acts 21:20-26, he participated in purification rituals at the Temple to show that he remained Torah-observant. Paul himself wrote, “Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). Paul taught that Torah is foundational for understanding God’s righteousness and that salvation for Gentiles does not nullify its importance for Jews.

To say Yeshua or the New Testament abandoned Torah is to misunderstand their message. Both Yeshua and Paul sought to uphold and deepen the Torah’s purpose, not to replace it.

𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐬 𝟏𝟏𝟎: 𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞

The antimissionary will point to Psalms 110 and argue that it does not support the idea of Yeshua as Messiah. They might say that “The Lord said to my Lord” is a mistranslation or misunderstanding. But let’s look closely.

The phrase “my Lord” (Adoni) refers to someone who is given authority by God. This passage has long been seen as messianic, even by Jewish commentators like Rashi. The psalm describes the Messiah ruling from Zion and defeating God’s enemies. This aligns with prophecies throughout the Tanakh, such as Isaiah 11:1-9, which speaks of a righteous branch from David ruling with justice.

When Yeshua quoted Psalms 110:1 to the Pharisees (Matthew 22:44), He revealed that the Messiah is greater than David. The Messiah is not just a political leader. He is the one who bridges heaven and earth.

𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Some critics say Yeshua’s divinity is a pagan idea. They compare it to myths of gods becoming men. But let’s look at the context. The Tanakh repeatedly shows God interacting with humanity in profound and personal ways. The Angel of the Lord appears to Hagar, Gideon, and Manoah’s wife, speaking as if He is God (Genesis 16:7-13, Judges 6:11-24, Judges 13:3-22).

The idea of God revealing Himself is not foreign to Judaism. In fact, Jewish mystical traditions, such as the Kabbalah, explore the ways God’s infinite essence interacts with creation. Concepts like the Shechinah (God’s indwelling presence) and tzimtzum (divine self-limitation) provide a framework for understanding how the infinite can dwell within the finite.

Yeshua’s incarnation fits within this Jewish worldview. It is not pagan. It is a fulfillment of the deep longing expressed in Isaiah 53—a servant who suffers for the sins of others and brings healing.

𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The New Testament has been accused of being fabricated or unreliable. But history tells a different story. The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the cultural and religious context of first-century Judaism. Early church writings show that the teachings of Yeshua and His apostles were consistent with Jewish thought.

Critics argue that God’s name does not appear in the New Testament as it does in the Tanakh. This misses the point. Yeshua Himself said, “I have made Your name known to them” (John 17:26). He embodied God’s character, fulfilling the meaning of the divine name revealed to Moses—“I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

Far from being unreliable, the New Testament echoes and fulfills the promises of the Tanakh. It testifies to the faithfulness of God and His plan to bring salvation to all nations through Israel.

𝐀 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲

Our Torah Pursuant journey is not about replacing the past. It is about building on it. From the Torah and the Prophets to the teachings of Yeshua and the apostles, from the wisdom of the sages to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to walk a path of discovery. This path is not easy, but it is rich with meaning.

The questions critics ask can lead us to deeper faith when we respond with humility and wisdom. Yeshua is not a break from the Torah. He is its fulfillment. He is not a foreign god. He represents the God of Israel, drawing near to His people.

As you continue to study the mitzvot and explore the Scriptures, remember that your journey is part of a larger story. It is the story of a God who loves His creation and desires to dwell with us. In Yeshua, we see the fullness of that love.

So if a critic wanted to undermine the NT and belief in Yeshua, how could they do it and how should we respond?

Some claim that Christianity is nothing more than a human invention. They argue that the New Testament was designed to gain political power and break away from the Torah. They say the canon was carefully chosen to include only texts that supported a made-up doctrine, while other writings were left out. Critics also point to inconsistencies in translations and historical details. They suggest that Yeshua’s teachings stray from the Torah, making Christianity a departure from the faith of the Tanakh.

However, our faith stands firmly on the foundation of the Torah and the Tanakh. Yeshua fulfilled ancient prophecies and revealed God’s covenant in its deepest form. The New Testament’s books were widely recognized by early believers, and thousands of manuscripts show their consistency and reliability. Yeshua’s teachings reflect the heart of the Torah, calling for love, justice, and faithfulness. This is not a human invention but the unfolding of God’s plan through history. The prophetic truth, the integrity of Scripture, and the lives transformed by Yeshua’s message prove its divine origin and its connection to the God of Israel.

Let’s keep walking this path together. Shalom.