Did Matthew Change the Hebrew Bible to Make Jesus the Messiah?

So he literally collapses the center. This is mind-blowing. Mind-blowing. You should right now send an email to your church saying I resign and stop all credit card donations to your church because this This is not the word of God. This I'm afraid is theological chicanery. And if you play with my Bible, I'm going to be a Christian. >> Okay, so just a little preparation here. This next caller is his name is Christian from Indiana and he and he's right Yeah, right. He is very very recently in or out of Christianity. He's got a lot of questions and he doesn't really know how to put them together. So I told him the best thing to do is have me introduce him have him introduce himself to you and let you guys have a little conversation and then you can kind of guide him into what question that's going to be fitting for him today, okay? Okay, Christian you are live on the air. Brother go ahead and and tell your question to Rabbi. Well, well, just introduce yourself to Rabbi. >> Okay, Rabbi, thank you so much. Um, so again my name is Christian. Um, I just recently saw in your debate with Pastor Michael Williams about is Jesus the Messiah or not and I just watched um, you guys go back and forth sharing scriptures and um, sharing you guys expertise on that. And so um, that kind of just led me down a little bit of a rabbit hole um, trying to figure out um, if he is actually the Messiah um, or should we be looking for someone else? Um, and then I just so happened to stumble across your live stream asking about um, questions about um, New Testament about the New Testament. So I thought, "Oh my gosh, perfect opportunity to call in." So um, I appreciate um, your time for speaking with me and thank to ask questions and pick your brain a little bit. Um So, if you don't mind, I'd like to start in Matthew. Um because I remember on your live on your debate with the pastor, one of the scriptures that was brought up was about the the virgin birth. Um and the scripture in Isaiah that talked about the the virgin will conceive and um give birth to a child. And then you you mentioned that there were two kings um that was also part of that prophecy which stated that before the boy um know is old enough to choose the I mean the to choose the right and reject the wrong, the two kings um will be destroyed or something something to that nature. So, I kind of wanted to go a little bit further into that because um the reason why is because I wanted to talk about Joseph and how um Joseph the scripture says that Joseph was pledged to be married um to Mary and I'm assuming that he had not had sexual relations with her because he was planning to marry her. And then all of a sudden he finds out that he's actually pregnant. And Joseph honestly believed I mean it's written that he certainly believed it himself that an angel the angel Gabriel appeared to him in a dream and told him that the child that he is having is of the Holy Spirit and that he shouldn't be afraid to marry her because um of the miraculous sign that God was performing through her. And so, I wanted to get your interpretation on that. Um what you think about that scripture? Do you believe that the angel Gabriel appeared to Joseph? Um what do you what is your take on that? >> No. It's all mythology. And for that reason, you will not find that story Actually, you won't find that story in any other uh New Testament book. Uh you'll find something different, but has some similarities in Luke. But Paul doesn't mention it, but remember that the book of Matthew, Joseph is not writing it. Whoever We don't know who wrote the book of Matthew. But um just like you would reject the claims of Mormon Church, even though the Book of Mormon is quite clear that Joseph Smith had an encounter with the angel Moroni fairly recently in April and September 21st, 1823, but I don't think you'd be persuaded by that. So, the Matthew does have a plot device in which we are told that Joseph discovers that the woman that he was engaged to is really that he was whatever engaged to was pregnant, but that's just the story. I don't believe it anymore than I believe the Bhagavad Gita or that I believe the Pali Canon or other books or I just No, it's not And the reason I don't believe in it because it's not compatible with the Hebrew Bible. I want to be clear about that. Meaning going back to Isaiah, which you correctly pointed to it's not speaking about a virgin, but the text says in Isaiah 17, "Behold, the young woman is with a child, and she will bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel. So, therefore, what Matthew conveys in chapter 1 verse 23 is not compatible with that cuz Matthew says, "Behold, a virgin um shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel." So, that's completely incorrect. And moreover, and you pointed this out correctly, that Matthew is taking Isaiah out of context. You're right. Isaiah is referring to the Afro-Syrian war, in which Jerusalem is surrounded by Pekah ben Remaliah and Rezin, the king of Israel and Syria, respectively. And the sign is not even the conception or birth of the child, and you pointed that out perfectly. The sign is that be the maturity of the child that before the child matures, these two kings that you abhor will be destroyed. So, this clearly not talking about uh Jesus cuz what two kings? The context of Isaiah 7 is it's the Afro-Syrian war. And moreover, what do you mean when the child knows the difference between good and evil to reject bad? This is not referring to Jesus. Therefore, the reason we can be confident that Matthew 1 and 2, as in the rest of the book, the other 26 chapters, should be rejected is cuz Matthew is misappropriating, misquoting, mistranslating passages in the Hebrew Bible. So, that's like a very low bar to reject it. That's why I don't believe it. >> Okay. Um so, I want to answer your question about the two kings. Um so, in Matthew chapter 2, uh during the birth the birth of Jesus Christ, if you know, I mean, if you remember, uh it was written that the wise men came from the east because they say that, you know, they saw a star. When the when the chief priest and the religious leaders point pointed to the fact >> ruler would come from Bethlehem, and that they knew that he that he had already been born because the the the wise men from the East came in asking, "Where is this king of the Jews?" And they immediately pointed to Bethlehem. So, could you walk me through uh what was going through the minds of the the chief priests and the religious leaders at that time which would point them >> I got it. >> in that direction. >> I'm going to answer your question, but it seems both of your questions seem to be predicated that you already believe the story as though it's historical. Now, while these stories are well-crafted, I think you would agree that if you believe in the New Testament that it's a reliable record of history, then you're already a Christian. I just want to raise that point because in each case you present the story as though the story is compelling as something that is truthful, that's historical. And I just want to just say this point, I don't think you'll disagree. If I already accept the Christian Bible as a reliable historical record, then I'm already a Christian, and therefore there's no dilemma. The New Testament, and then you're engaging in circular reasoning, you're playing tennis without a net. So, the dilemma is is the Christian Bible true? And if it is true, then we should be a Christian. And if it's not true, we should run away from Christianity. I just wanted to And I'm going to answer your question cuz William has told me that we have a few extra minutes. So, I want to ask you, why do you predicate your question like the New Testament says so? Why do you believe Like why would you predicate the question on the Christian Bible? Why do you accept it? Cuz if you do, then there's no question. Could you just explain that part? And I'm going to answer your question, it's a very good question. >> Of course, of course. Well, well >> Do you understand what I'm asking you? >> Yes, you're asking why I believe >> You're right. You're expressing Matthew 2 as though it actually happened. Like, "Well, how do you explain it?" Well, but why what why would you I mean, if you say, "Look, I was raised a Christian and Jesus spoke to me in table." Fine, but if you're critically examining, the question is did it happen? Isn't that Go ahead. I'm pleased. >> Well, because well, that's that's one of the things that that I'm trying to find out because I want to know what was the climate because during the first century the the the Jewish What was the Jewish climate? Because you know, if I if I'm if I'm if I'm reading the Bible, you know, that's all I have. That's all I have to to go off of. Um, I'm reading >> Is that Is that Just forgive me for a moment. Is that really correct? I want to persuade you otherwise. And please just just a little bit back and forth. I apologize. So, I want to share with you that No, that's not all you have, but you have the Hebrew Bible, right? Which is long, long ago. Isaiah was written 700 years before Christianity. So, you have Isaiah. And the question is is the New Testament compatible with Isaiah? So, I want to just push back with your permission, a Christian, and and say, "No, you very much have Isaiah at which to measure the claims of Matthew." Does that make sense to you? >> Uh, it makes sense, but uh one thing that I I'd like to state is that um I believe that Matthew I mean Put your, you know, preconceived beliefs aside. I believe that Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and John is just uh uh accurate recollection of the events that happened in those >> How do you know that? I know the statement. I'm using you and I'm going to answer your other question. I want to know You said, "I believe." And I want to If you just say, "Look, I believe it is faith." then you're no different than a Mormon or Muslim. They believe that, too. I mean, Muslims believe that Muhammad split the rock in sura 54. I presume you don't believe that. I mean, so it's a bias confirmation. You believe those things that are already compatible with you But I'm not asking you that. I'm asking you what Why do you believe that? I I get there are billions of people who believe that. I'm asking you the why, not what you believe. Why do you believe that? What is >> Okay. >> Why? That's what I'm asking. >> I'm no Hebrew scholar. I I don't study, you know, biblical theology. I don't I'm just a guy who goes to church every Sunday, you know, just trying to understand the word of God. You know, I want to I want to serve God. Um I've been taught, you know, since I was since I was a young child that, you know, Jesus is the Messiah. We should put our faith and trust in him, and that he alone um can save us. But, you know, um in the last few years, you know, I you know, been hearing other things, you know, and I watched a a little bit of your content saying that, you know, Jesus is not actually the Messiah, and that um Christians are wasting their time because and I've debated with um Muslims, you know, that say that, you know, Christians have placed another god beside the Lord, um and that we worship Jesus as our idol. >> I apologize. I just want to ask you the following question. You're in a search right now for the truth. All right. And you recognize, Christian, that if Jesus is the Messiah, then a person should believe in him, right? Of course. If he's not the Messiah, then it's idolatry, then it's something that's heretical, right? You understand that That's something at stake. >> Okay, so stay with me. So, you now are in a point of saying, I granted you grew up that way. I didn't, but I I said you did. But you're now at a stage in your life where you're going, "Wait, I need to figure this out." And therefore, I'm suggesting for your consideration that when you figure it out, if you presuppose that the New Testament is the word of God, well, then you're not critically evaluating it. I'm not saying that proves it's not, but the That's the whole question. Is the Christian Bible the word of God? Is it reliable record of history? Is there no such thing as a Jewish culture or Those are The question is, is it? So, if the question is, is the New Testament the word of God, the response can't be, "Well, the Christian Bible says so." Cuz then you're engaging in a closed loop of circular reasoning. And essentially, there are no God I mean, you're gone. That means you're already a Christian. If I believed a priority that the Christian Bible was the word of God, I'd be a Christian, of course. That's why I want to And I'm going to address your question about Matthew 2. I'm going to, but that's what I just want to discuss the epistemological question. Like, how do you know? So, it's clear then that the Christian Bible is what is in question. And therefore, it can't be marshaled as evidence for the truthfulness, cuz that's the whole question. You You can't use the Christian Bible logically to prove the veracity of Christian, cuz that The New Testament's what's exactly in question. It's on and it needs to be tested. Does that make sense to you at all, Christian? >> It does. It does. >> Good. Okay, good. So, I I just hope I'm not trying to convince you not to be a Christian, but I want to just say to you that you have a Tanakh, the holy word of Hashem, there. And that is our source. That's the predicate, right? I mean, all Jews and Christians agree that that's the holy word of Hashem. And then we have to then test every claim. And if the claim is compatible with Tanakh, then it's considered. If it's not compatible, then it's utterly rejected. And I am sure, like I'm guessing that you're not Roman Catholic. I'm just going to guess that you're not. So >> No. >> And if you Okay, so why don't you believe in the Pope and transubstantiation and immaculate conception? Because you don't believe those ideas are compatible with the Bible. I know that. I didn't even have to ask you that. So I'm just asking you as a child of God to marshal the same sort of rigorous testing of the Christian Bible. Go wait. Hold on. Now let's test if the Christian Bible is compatible with the Hebrew Bible. And you very much have a lot. And that is you have Tanakh, which is the word of God. So if we're in agreement, I would like you to think in the If it only if it makes sense. Cuz if not, then you can't test it. As I said, you're then playing tennis without a net, which means you the you can't There's you can't go wrong. And then you're in a closed loop of just following yourself, and there are no guardrails there. So that's not a very good predicament to be in. Okay, I I sound like we're in agreement on that. So now, with your permission, now let me address cuz I want to address your question directly. Because you you presented this the infancy narrative of Matthew, which is strikingly different than Luke. I won't ignore that. And the infancy narrative in Matthew has the wise men first stopping off, and you're quite right. You really went to Sunday school. You really paid attention. And the star first stops at Herod's palace. Perfect. That's the way Matthew presents our story. I I want to just look at it face value and not question, you know, just look at it. And then you're very right. Everything you said was nailed, nailed, nailed. You really studied well. And then what happens is that Herod is no scholar, but rather Herod brings in people who are scholars, and they, you say, quote, the Micah chapter 5, verse 2, or verse 1, depending on what kind of Christian Bible. And you say, "How could this happen? How could these great learned rabbis who were working for Herod, how could they Why would they say that the Messiah is supposed to be born in Bethlehem, right?" And you're asking a question, but the question is predicated that it was actually historical. It never happened. If you can go back in time 2,000 years, you would not be able to film that. It's rather invented. Now, I want to persuade you why that is the case. But how do you know? Maybe I don't like Christians and Christianity, and I'm just saying those things because I just have a unfavorable view of the Christian Bible. I do, but that Why should that be relevant to you? What some rabbi in Jerusalem thinks? Who cares? So, here's how I want to persuade you, and that is the story we're told in Matthew is clearly concocted. The quote from Micah chapter 5 verse 2 in the Christian Bible, verse 1 in Hebrew, doesn't matter. Just that's important. That is you actually quoted it accurately. I was really quite stunned that you uh quoted the text in Matthew chapter 2 verse 6. In Matthew 2:6, look at the text very carefully. If you read Matthew 2:6 A, which means the first part of the passage, it really does read as though the Messiah is supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Full conceding that point. But part B reveals the truth. And look what Matthew does. So, I want to encourage you if you have a Matthew 2:6 in front of you, I'd like you to look at it with me. But I also, if you were on a computer, open another window or browser, whatever it's called, and open up a Micah chapter 5 verse 2 if it's a Christian Bible. Okay? So, have them side by side cuz we need to compare these two. Okay? This is going to be everything as part B. So, Matthew 2:6, and I'm not going to get pedantic on it. It's not just we'll just read through. But you Bethlehem in Judea are by no means least of the rulers of Judah for out of you will come forth a ruler. Now, stop there. The problem is how does the text actually end in Micah 5:2? Whose origins are from old from ancient days whom I say is of me that may alum. Okay, that's very critical. Micah 5:2 says that his origins, what does that mean? What is the relationship between the Messiah? It is told you the Messiah. What's the relationship between the Messiah and Bethlehem? Another he's born there. So the modifiers part B of Micah 5:2 or one whatever you use. And that is whom I say is of and what are the origins of the Messiah's connection to Bethlehem? It's not that he's born there. It's me that may alum. That means from his origins from old times from his origins are me may alum from ancient days. Don't let Christian Bibles fool you in saying from eternity. That's a misquote. Me may alum means from ancient days. Now, just so you know a piece of history cuz you don't know this you'll be very confused. When did Micah live? Do you have any idea? It's not even that important. Micah lived during the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Means he lived 2,700 years ago. When did King David live? He lived 3,000 years ago which means Micah lived approximately three centuries after King David. This is very critical. This is everything. So Micah is telling us that the Messiah it's true has a connection to Bethlehem but the connection is me that may alum from the ancient days. Like look at Micah chapter 7 verse 14. See the same term used, ancient days. So, Micah is saying that the connection between the Messiah and Bethlehem and Bethlehem is from the old days, from the old times. That's a problem. That's a problem with Matthew cuz Matthew wants to present Micah 5:2 as evidence, marshal's evidence, that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem. But, part B of Micah 5:2 completely shatters that idea. What does Matthew do? You won't believe what I'm about to tell you. But, don't trust me. Please look it up for yourself. Let's look at uh Matthew chapter 2 verse 6. How does it end? It ends with uh out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Shepherd my people Israel? What did you do with the end of the verse? You ripped it out. He ripped out whose origins are from old from early days from ancient days. How do you play with the Bible? And what he's doing is if you go forth the next verse, there you have the shepherd in verse 4 in the Christian Bible. So, he literally collapses the center. This is mind-blowing. Mind-blowing. Matthew literally takes out a a scalpel. He cuts out the end of Micah 5:2. He takes his mouse, his trackball, he selects it, hits the delete key, and he puts instead, "will shepherd Israel." You should right now, I'm just saying to you in a friendly way, you should right now send an email to your church saying, "I resign." And stop all credit card donations to your church because this This is not the word of God. This, I'm afraid, is theological chicanery. And if you play with my Bible, I'm going to be a Christian." So, here we can see transparently that the author of Matthew, we don't know who wrote it, but whoever wrote it was engaging in basically in a bait and switch all between the texts. In this case, it's one of 11 times that Matthew will misquote the Hebrew Bible. In this case, it's just ripped apart. This issue This is not This is smoking gun. This should alert you that Matthew is not a reliable source. Why? Cuz I don't like the story? Cuz I'm not a Christian? No, because Matthew is advertising that he's not loyal to the Hebrew Bible. Do you understand? Christian? Okay. So, I just want to say >> degree um >> Where do you disagree specifically? >> I'm sorry? >> Where do you What do you disagree with? Do you Do you understand what I'm saying? >> I understand what you're saying when you say that Matthew isn't being faithful to the Hebrew translation. >> No, not translation. Just to what it says. It's not a translation issue. This is not a bad translation. This is a corruption. There's a big difference. I understand >> you mentioned You mentioned in the debate with the pastor about the translation of the Bible into Greek, you know, the Septuagint version of the Bible and how that may or may not be, you know, an accurate um representation of what the scriptures say. Um and then when you take into the fact that the whole New Testament was written in in Greek as well, you know, it it seems to further your point that you know, the the the Christian Greek scriptures are not um authoritative in the way that we would like for them to be because the differences. Um So, with that being said, I want to um ask you about Daniel. >> Can I just Can I just ask you this, okay? But and I I'm happy with We've run out of time, but I want to extend a few more minutes here. But just I want to get Do you agree that this is a very serious problem? And this what we encounter in Matthew 2:6 is not is not compatible with a reliable record. And therefore this calls into question the veracity of the book of Matthew. Would you agree? Can we settle this and then >> I don't want to speak I don't want to speak too hastily because >> That's good, but do you That's why I used the words carefully. I'm just saying does this cause you considering what we just showed you? Because the Greek translation doesn't matter. The The Septuagint doesn't read the text doesn't read differently. So does this in a sense point to questioning not that you conclude that you're not a Christian anymore. Of course not. You're no fool. You know you have to study these things. But does this address the question of how did this happen? He says it never happened and Matthew made it up and he he misapplied he marginal text that's not authentic and corrupted it. Now I'm not saying you accept it. You have to study it further, but do you at least understand what I'm sharing with you and for further study if you want. Does that fair? >> I I completely understand what you're saying. >> Good. >> okay. That's why I'm in in good faith in good faith I'm asking you to explain the what the the Jewish climate was in the first century, you know, because in the New Testament >> mean? What is Jewish climate? Just explain specifically what is a Jewish climate mean? What And how would that be germane? >> Okay, so before there was the before people started to shift into accept Jesus as the Messiah. Um the religious leaders who lived in in Israel in the first century. In the New Testament we're told there are Pharisees and Sadducees. Um but I don't know. I'm I'm asking you to explain to me what was going on in the Jewish community in the first century during that time when Jesus was supposedly had been born and was preaching and sharing his message. Give me a Give me a sort of insight into the the mind of of of of a a rabbi during that time. >> Yeah, that's easy because we have sources for that. A lot of sources for that. Many people uh Philo of Alexandria, Josephus didn't live exactly that time, but he lived a little shortly after. Uh the Jewish people were living under the heel of the Roman Empire. It was not at any point of the Roman Empire was a golden age of the Roman Empire. And it was a very difficult time. It was a time when there was a vassal state. Israel was a vassal state under the empire. And the And life was not easy. And Jews were trying to figure out how to move another day. While there were many um not many, let's say there were six different groups of Jews. Josephus identifies it that way. But the the major group were Jews who were Orthodox Jews. Rather than using the word Pharisee, which is unconventional, it was Jews who believed in the written oral Torah and understood that the empire was encroaching on religious practices and was engaging in all kinds of very severe taxation, and there was rebellion and the empire was dealing with that. There was also a civil war between Jews, which means Jews were battling Jews. It was a time of enormous upheaval for Jewish people. But I assure you of this, and that is during that time a a person from the Galilee going around and saying, you know, the world's coming to an end or whatever it is, that would have been of very little interest to the Jewish people at the time. What was critical to the Jews is the empire and how could they navigate as a vassal in the empire, not as somebody who's coming from a fishing village. That was of very little interest. It should be mentioned also that there's not a single contemporaneous historian in the first third of the first century who says one word about Jesus. Zero. Nothing. Not one. So, this was obviously not a very important event. The The religion eventually emerges, but the Jews join to figure out how to navigate the empire. They were sure the Messiah wasn't there cuz if the Messiah was there, then there would be a temple built, the Jews would be restored, they would defeat their enemies, there'd be worldwide peace and the resurrection. In In reality, they got the opposite. There was nothing about Isaiah 2 or 11 or Ezekiel 37 that were in play. Now, there is today, but not then. That was the climate at the time. I want to just say the following to my friends. The Christian Bible is what's in question. So, what you If you've tried to conclude which path do I navigate spiritually cuz I love God, I want to serve him in truth. And I recognize that if Jesus is not the Messiah, he could have is a nice guy, not doesn't matter, then I I don't want to be a Christian, let alone worship him as God cuz then you're that's idolatry. Right? If he is the Messiah, then you want to be a Christian. But if you're testing the Christian Bible, you can't presuppose that it's a reliable record cuz if you do, then you are ready a Christian. Just like if you presuppose that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, well, then you're already a Mormon. You have no way of testing the claims of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you already presuppose that Joseph Smith in 1823 encountered the angel Moroni. Imagine, you guys have How if Joseph Smith was not a prophet, how in the world did he have a whole conversation with the this angel in upstate New York. But you would say, but I don't believe it. And or you would say, these claims that are fantastic need require fantastic evidence. I mean it says, but the but the Book of Mormon says so. You would go, what? You're that's circular reasoning. And again, you're then playing tennis without a net. And then there are no guardrails. And then you're in this closed loop. And the rest of it So I encourage all of you go back to the Hebrew Bible, go back to the original, and make informed decisions in your life. And Christian, you are in my prayers. May Hashem guard you. Thank you so much for joining. To all the viewers, thank you so much for joining me here on there with William. Please, very important, would you watch our shows? Please remember, very important, cuz if you want that the word of Hashem should spread around the world, please like every video you watch. Please make sure that you subscribe to our channels. Please make sure that you share these shows with your friends, so that the whole world will know the truth. If you enjoyed this program, please like and subscribe. >> [singing and music] [music and singing] [music] [singing]