Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Messianic Jewish Epistles

by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum

Publisher:

Ariel Ministries

, 2005

Overview

Years of meticulous study, writing, and editing have produced this remarkable commentary on the Messianic Jewish Epistles (MJE) covering the books of Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, and Jude. The first installment of the Ariel Commentary Series highlights the real life concerns of 1st century Jewish believers. This important book deals with the issues Jewish believers wrestled with during the turbulent early years of the church. While things in these epistles are applicable to all believers, some are true only of Jewish believers.

With the Mosaic Law now replaced by the law of Messiah, Jewish believers struggled with two major problems: persecution and false doctrine. To deal with the first problem of persecution, Hebrews, James, and I Peter were written. Persecution took place both within the land of Israel and among the Jewish believers of the Diaspora – Diaspora being a technical term for Jews living outside the land of Israel (e.g., James 1:1; I Peter 1:1). The book of Hebrews was written from within the Diaspora in order to deal with the persecution of Jewish believers in the land of Israel. The epistles of James and I Peter were written in order to deal with the persecution of Jewish believers in the Diaspora; James written from within the land of Israel, and I Peter written from within the Diaspora itself.

To deal with the second problem of false doctrine, two other epistles were written: II Peter and Jude. Second Peter was written from one part of the Diaspora to Jewish believers in another part of the Diaspora. Jude was written from within the land of Israel to Jewish believers in the Diaspora.

With Logos Bible Software, this volume is enhanced with cutting-edge research tools. Scripture citations appear on mouseover in your preferred English translation. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Powerful topical searches help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Tablet and mobile apps let you take the discussion with you. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

This resource is also available as part of Ariel Ministries Messianic Collection (11 vols.).

Product Details

• Title: The Messianic Jewish Epistles: Ariel’s Bible Commentary on Hebrews, James, I & II Peter, Jude
• Author: Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
• Publisher: Ariel Ministries
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 478
• Christian Group: Judaism
• Resource Type: Commentaries
• Topic: Hebrews, James, I & II Peter, Jude

About Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum

One of the foremost authorities on the nation of Israel, Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum is a messianic believer and founder and director of Ariel Ministries, a Texas-based organization dedicated to evangelism and discipleship of Jewish people.

Dr. Fruchtenbaum was born in Siberia after his father was released from a communist prison there. Aided by the Israeli underground, the Fruchtenbaum family escaped from behind the Iron Curtain. While living in Germany from 1947 to 1951, Arnold received Orthodox training from his father – who had himself been reared to assume Chasidic (ultra-orthodox Jewish) leadership in Poland, only to later lose most of his family and his faith to the Holocaust. The Fruchtenbaums immigrated to New York, and five years later, at age 13, Arnold came to saving faith.

Before receiving his doctorate from New York University in 1989, Dr. Fruchtenbaum earned his Th. M. from Dallas Theological Seminary. His graduate work also includes studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Having lived in Israel for three years, Dr. Fruchtenbaum’s intensive study of the role of that nation in God’s plan of world redemption has made him a much in-demand speaker at Bible conferences and schools throughout the world.

Contents

Top Highlights

“The theme of the Book of Hebrews is the superiority of the Son.” (Page 16)

“The overall context of Hebrews is dealing with Jewish believers who were undergoing tremendous, severe persecution. Because of this persecution, they were seriously considering going back into Judaism, but that was not the totality of their thinking. As will become evident in the exposition of the epistle, they thought they could temporarily lay aside their salvation and go back into Judaism until the persecution subsided. Once the persecution subsided they could then be saved again later. This new salvation would erase the sin of their earlier apostasy and they could start their spiritual lives anew.” (Page 12)

“The third suggestion is the best one. This letter was written to Jewish believers of the Churches of Judea (Gal. 1:22) located outside of Jerusalem. These believers were undergoing tremendous persecution, short of martyrdom, at the time the letter was written. Nevertheless, they were residing close enough to Jerusalem that there was great incentive to go back into the entire sacrificial system.” (Page 5)

“Disobedience will not result in the loss of spiritual salvation; disobedience will mean the loss of physical life.” (Page 29)

“The key passage to understanding the issue in the Book of Hebrews is Matthew 12:22–45. This chapter records the account of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and the unpardonable sin. In this passage, the leadership of Israel rejected the Messiahship of Jesus on the basis of His being demon possessed. At that point, Jesus withdrew the offer of the Messianic Kingdom from that generation and declared they were now under a divine judgment. This divine judgment was a physical judgment of destruction fulfilled by the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. By way of definition, the unpardonable sin is the national rejection by Israel of the Messiahship of Jesus, while He was present, on the grounds of His being demon possessed.” (Page 11)

Product Details

• Title: The Messianic Jewish Epistles
• Author: Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Series: Ariel’s Bible Commentary
• Publisher: Ariel Ministries
• Print Publication Date: 2005
• Logos Release Date: 2007
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. N.T. Hebrews › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. James › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. Jude › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. 1 Peter › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. 2 Peter › Commentaries
• Resource ID: LLS:ARBBLCM79
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T16:34:37Z

About Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum

Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum (1943– ) is a messianic believer and founder and director of Ariel Ministries, an organization dedicated to evangelism and discipleship of Jewish people. He earned his doctorate from New York University and his MTh from Dallas Theological Seminary, and he studied at Jewish Theological Seminary and Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

As a child, Dr. Fruchtenbaum was trained by his father in Orthodox Judaism, but at age thirteen he came to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. He worked as a missionary with the American Board of Missions to Jews (known today as Chosen People Ministries) and served as editor of their monthly publication, The Chosen People.

Dr. Fruchtenbaum is the author of Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Book of Genesis and the eleven volumes in the Ariel Ministries Messianic Collection, and he is the coauthor of How Jewish Is Christianity?: 2 Views on the Messianic Movement.