4 thoughts on “Why are the Alleged Jesus Prophecies in the Old Testament So Ambiguous?”
It all depends on which scriptures might really have been prophecies.
Let’s look at it this way (just as something to consider): Let’s say there was this guy named Jesus, and he went around preaching that the Kingdom of God is near, etc, and he’s done a few things that some regard as miraculous, etc. Then, he gets crucified, and a couple of days later, he is resurrected. (yes, for this consideration, I’m going with the ‘he was literally, bodily resurrected’ story).
What are Jews supposed to do with that? I mean, Jews like Peter, James, John, Paul? How does one wrap one’s mind around a resurrection, and in particular, one that happens in a way it wasn’t *theorized* to happen? (meaning, a “general resurrection at the Last Day”)
So, Jews are going to go back and start combing through the OT to try to find some way to somehow understand this totally-out-of-theoretical-sequence event. They’re going to be looking for some kind of “hint”, some kind of indication that it was going to happen.
And, maybe a half dozen, maybe a dozen scriptures might actually fit the bill (if that many). But, later on, you have a bunch of non-Jewish Gentiles who really know nothing about Judaism nor the “Jewish mindset” nor the Jewish understanding of the Tanach (and so on), and they’re going to find some random line that says “the afflicted shall rise”, and say “oh, wow, look at that! That *must* be talking about Jesus!”
So – is that a “vague prophecy”? Or is it some Gentile clowns *claiming* it to be a prophecy?
In the video Rabbi Skobac agrees with you. He suggests that if Christians were to read “War and Peace” they could find “Jesus prophecies” in that text too. The rabbi suggests that people should read the Bible without an agenda first, and interpret it later, instead of hunting for passages to support your preconceived beliefs.
It boils down to the simple truth that when we, as humans, engage with any piece of literature, art, cinema, or even nature with the predetermined idea that we are going to find “proof, clues, or omens,” we will find them. It’s the brain’s way of honing in on its own self-serving assumptions and corroborating them with external evidence. “Maybe I should stop for ice cream. Oh, look. There’s a billboard with ice cream on it. Must be a sign from God.” Our brains crave supporting evidence for the things we want to believe. We can use this same mysterious power to “debunk” everybody else’s religion, by finding very clear red flags throughout their doctrines, but can never see the contradictions, improbabilities, and impossibilities in our own religion, until we’re brave enough to tell our brains that we might not be right, thereby opening the door to a more objective read.
Escaping Christian Fundamentalism 
It all depends on which scriptures might really have been prophecies.
Let’s look at it this way (just as something to consider): Let’s say there was this guy named Jesus, and he went around preaching that the Kingdom of God is near, etc, and he’s done a few things that some regard as miraculous, etc. Then, he gets crucified, and a couple of days later, he is resurrected. (yes, for this consideration, I’m going with the ‘he was literally, bodily resurrected’ story).
What are Jews supposed to do with that? I mean, Jews like Peter, James, John, Paul? How does one wrap one’s mind around a resurrection, and in particular, one that happens in a way it wasn’t *theorized* to happen? (meaning, a “general resurrection at the Last Day”)
So, Jews are going to go back and start combing through the OT to try to find some way to somehow understand this totally-out-of-theoretical-sequence event. They’re going to be looking for some kind of “hint”, some kind of indication that it was going to happen.
And, maybe a half dozen, maybe a dozen scriptures might actually fit the bill (if that many). But, later on, you have a bunch of non-Jewish Gentiles who really know nothing about Judaism nor the “Jewish mindset” nor the Jewish understanding of the Tanach (and so on), and they’re going to find some random line that says “the afflicted shall rise”, and say “oh, wow, look at that! That *must* be talking about Jesus!”
So – is that a “vague prophecy”? Or is it some Gentile clowns *claiming* it to be a prophecy?
I’d say it’s clowns…
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In the video Rabbi Skobac agrees with you. He suggests that if Christians were to read “War and Peace” they could find “Jesus prophecies” in that text too. The rabbi suggests that people should read the Bible without an agenda first, and interpret it later, instead of hunting for passages to support your preconceived beliefs.
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It boils down to the simple truth that when we, as humans, engage with any piece of literature, art, cinema, or even nature with the predetermined idea that we are going to find “proof, clues, or omens,” we will find them. It’s the brain’s way of honing in on its own self-serving assumptions and corroborating them with external evidence. “Maybe I should stop for ice cream. Oh, look. There’s a billboard with ice cream on it. Must be a sign from God.” Our brains crave supporting evidence for the things we want to believe. We can use this same mysterious power to “debunk” everybody else’s religion, by finding very clear red flags throughout their doctrines, but can never see the contradictions, improbabilities, and impossibilities in our own religion, until we’re brave enough to tell our brains that we might not be right, thereby opening the door to a more objective read.
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Well said.
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