That is the reason when I discuss religion with my Jewish friends they always laugh at me. "We wrote the book and you want to tell us how to interpret it?"
Spot on Pear
Jesus was a Jew. This fact may escape the casual reader of the New Testament, but it is crucial to understanding Jesus and the book written about him—the Bible. In 21st century we are far removed from the land of Israel and the ancient culture of Jesus and his Jewish ancestors.
Let me ask a few questions.
Were you born and raised in Israel? Did you study the Torah with the rabbis
Do you speak Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic?
Do you have the same Culture and Customs?
Does our grammar have the same meaning / understanding as it did 2000 years ago
Have you traversed the rocky hills and dusty paths to celebrate the mandatory feasts in Jerusalem?
Without this background, we are at a great disadvantage when studying the Bible and its central character.
When we open the pages of our English Bible, we find a Jewish book! The setting revolves around Israel and the worship of Yahweh.
The point is, how can we understand the Bible and the teaching surrounding Jesus without understanding his people, his culture, and his Jewish identity?
And that is why we have some 38000 different Protestant domination, with no historical background its like the blind leading the blind..
