The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “John’s Gospel, A Jewish-Related Story”
Dr. Jeffrey Seif asks “How well do you know your Bible?” in this mini-series of four programs. On the first program, we look at John’s Gospel from a Jewish perspective.
Series: “Ask The Professor: Insights on the Gospel of John”
Viewers will have a chance to test their knowledge of the book of John as Dr. Seif sets up the questions with insight and visuals that will help us explore more about this beloved Gospel.

Caption transcript for Ask The Professor: Insights on the Gospel of John — “John’s Gospel, A Jewish-Related Story” (1/4)

  • 00:30 HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
  • 00:32 JEFFREY SEIF HERE
  • 00:33 PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU
  • 00:34 ONCE AGAIN
  • 00:36 TO ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
  • 00:38 THIS TIME WE'RE PRESENTING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
  • 00:43 FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAGAZINE...
  • 00:46 AND I HOPE YOU ALL GET IT
  • 00:47 AND YOU'LL SEE HOW LATER ON IN THE PROGRAM...
  • 00:50 I HAVE COLUMN IN THERE CALLED "ASK THE PROFESSOR".
  • 00:54 YOU KNOW I HAVE 21 YEARS AS A BIBLE COLLEGE SEMINARY PROFESSOR UNDER MY BELT
  • 00:58 AND PEOPLE WRITE ME,
  • 00:59 THEY EMAIL ME,
  • 01:01 AND WE GET A LITTLE DIALOGUE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
  • 01:04 WELL THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST OF A FOUR PART SERIES ON "ASK THE PROFESSOR"
  • 01:10 BUT REALLY IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PROFESSOR ASKING YOU.
  • 01:14 WHAT DO I WANT TO KNOW?
  • 01:18 I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU KNOW HOW JEWISH THE CHRISTIAN STORY REALLY IS.
  • 01:25 WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS GRAB YOUR BIBLE,
  • 01:29 OPEN IT UP TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN,
  • 01:31 GET A NOTEPAD IF YOU WANT,
  • 01:33 GRAB A PEN...
  • 01:35 I'M GOING TO BE PITCHING QUESTIONS YOUR WAY
  • 01:38 AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE "HOW SMART DO YOU THINK YOU REALLY ARE?"
  • 01:42 WHAT I WANT TO DO IS DEMONSTRATE HOW THE CHRISTIAN STORY IS SO VERY JEWISH.
  • 01:48 AND THE REASON WHY I'M BEGINNING WITH JOHN IS BECAUSE AFTER I CAME TO FAITH IN YESHUA, THAT IS JESUS,
  • 01:55 I WAS GIVEN A GOSPEL OF JOHN AND TOLD TO READ IT.
  • 01:59 AND AS I'VE TALKED TO OTHERS I'VE BEEN INFORMED
  • 02:02 THAT SIMILARLY OTHERS RIGHT AFTER COMING TO A FAITH IN YESHUA, JESUS
  • 02:07 HAVE ALIGHTED UPON THE JOHANNINE GOSPEL
  • 02:10 TO CUT THEIR TEETH ON THE ESSENCE AND SUBSTANCE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHRISTIAN.
  • 02:14 WELL WHAT I WANT TO DEMONSTRATE AGAIN HERE
  • 02:17 IS HOW THE ESSENCE AND SUBSTANCE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHRISTIAN ACCORDING TO JOHN
  • 02:21 IS REALLY ROOTED IN THE JEWISH BIBLE.
  • 02:25 OKAY... THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON THE MENU...
  • 02:29 LET ME PITCH IT TO YOU...
  • 02:31 A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS.
  • 02:33 IN JOHN'S GOSPEL...
  • 02:35 HERE, LET ME READ MY OWN QUESTIONS AND SEE IF YOU CAN WORK THROUGH THE ANSWERS.
  • 02:39 WHEN JOHN BEGINS HIS FAMOUS GOSPEL
  • 02:42 WHAT DOES HE IN MIND AND POSSIBLY IN HAND?
  • 02:47 EHHH... THE QUESTION MY BE A LITTLE NEBULOUS...
  • 02:50 LET ME JUST READ THE BEGINNING OF THE JOHANNINE GOSPEL.
  • 02:53 THEREIN WE'RE TOLD,
  • 03:07 MY QUESTION IS,
  • 03:09 WHAT DO YOU THINK HE HAS IN MIND WHEN HE IS GIVING VOICE TO THIS KIND OF UNDERSTANDING?
  • 03:14 WHEN HE HARKS TO WHAT HE HAS IN MIND AND IN HAND...
  • 03:19 COULD IT BE THE GOSPEL OF MARK TO TELL THE JESUS STORY?...
  • 03:23 I SUBSCRIBE TO THE MARK IN PRIORITY HYPOTHESIS...
  • 03:26 THAT IS... MARK WROTE FIRST.
  • 03:28 SO YOU HAVE MARK.
  • 03:30 IS HE THINKING OF JESUS' DEATH ON THE CROSS?
  • 03:33 THIRD, IS HE THINKING OF GENESIS CHAPTER ONE?
  • 03:37 FOUR, IS HE SPEAKING OR HARKING TO
  • 03:40 ISAIAH'S PROPHECIES OF A COMING DELIVERER?
  • 03:45 WHAT SAY YE?
  • 03:48 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT SAY ME.
  • 03:50 IN GENESIS CHAPTER ONE, VERSE ONE, IT'S STARTS OFF,
  • 03:55 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 04:04 AND THEN WE'RE TOLD AS WE READ ON,
  • 04:06 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 04:12 ...PARTICIPATING IN CREATION.
  • 04:15 IN GENESIS CHAPTER ONE, VERSE TWENTY-SIX, IN HEBREW,
  • 04:18 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 04:26 WHEN JOHN IN HIS PROLOGUE, IN HIS PRELUDE, HARKS TO,
  • 04:31 "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD" ETC.,
  • 04:35 I THINK HE HAS THE HEBREW BIBLE IN MIND...THE VERY FIRST BREATH,
  • 04:40 SHOWING THAT THE JESUS STORY IS ROOTED IN THE GENESIS STORY,
  • 04:45 THE VERY FIRST BREATH OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE.
  • 04:49 SO MUCH FOR THAT.
  • 04:52 IF ONE LOOKS AT THE VERY FIRST BREATH OF GOSPEL LITERATURE,
  • 04:55 IN THE MARK GOSPEL PARTICULARLY,
  • 04:58 AND EARLY ON ELSEWHERE,
  • 05:00 WE'RE TOLD THAT JESUS' MINISTRY IS VALIDATED BY A FELLOW NAMED JOHN THE BAPTIST.
  • 05:05 I'M TEMPTED TO ASK,
  • 05:07 WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST A SOUTHERN BAPTIST
  • 05:08 OR AN INDEPENDENT BAPTIST?
  • 05:10 BUT I THINK YOU WOULDN'T TAKE KINDLY TO THAT
  • 05:12 CAUSE OBVIOUSLY HE WASN'T.
  • 05:14 WELL WHAT WAS HE THEN?
  • 05:16 IT'S A REASONABLE QUESTION.
  • 05:17 IT'S ONE THAT'S ASKED.
  • 05:19 PEOPLE INQUIRED OF JESUS, "WHO ARE YOU?"
  • 05:23 THERE'S CERTAIN MEASURED CONFUSION THAT WE NEED TO SORT OUT.
  • 05:27 IF YOU LOOK IN CHAPTER ONE, VERSE NINETEEN, WE'RE TOLD,
  • 05:35 ...WE KNOW AS JOHN, BUT I LIKE THE HEBREW "JOHANNAN".
  • 05:51 HERE JOHN IS ASKED TO WEIGH IN,
  • 05:57 TO GIVE VOICE TO WHO HE WAS.
  • 06:00 AND WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE TWENTY WHAT?
  • 06:02 WHO IS THIS PERSON?
  • 06:05 ...THIS JOHN WHO WAS BAPTIZING.
  • 06:08 IT'S A REASONABLE QUESTION IT SEEMS TO ME.
  • 06:10 BUT LET ME JUST SAY WE'LL WORK ON THAT QUESTION LATER.
  • 06:13 WITH REGARD TO BAPTISM...
  • 06:15 WAS BAPTISM ITSELF UNIQUE TO THE CHRISTIAN ERA?
  • 06:20 THAT'S THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK.
  • 06:22 YOU'LL SEE A PHOTO ON THE SCREEN
  • 06:24 OF A MIKVAH, OF A RITUAL BATH,
  • 06:26 DATED TO JESUS PERIOD.
  • 06:27 WHAT WAS IT USED FOR?
  • 06:29 A.BATHING
  • 06:31 B.STORING GRAIN
  • 06:34 RITUAL EMERSION IS THE THIRD,
  • 06:37 OR WATER STORAGE.
  • 06:40 THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS "RITUAL IMMERSION"
  • 06:43 AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS,
  • 06:45 QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH WHO THIS BAPTIST WAS ASIDE,
  • 06:48 WORTH NOTING IS THE FACT THAT BAPTISM WAS AROUND,
  • 06:51 THIS JOHN WAS BAPTIZING PEOPLE BEFORE JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.
  • 06:56 AND TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS JEWS WERE BEING BAPTIZED BEFORE JESUS CAME FORTH
  • 07:01 AND THEN YOU HAVE THE INTRODUCTION OF BEING BAPTIZED IN JESUS' NAME.
  • 07:05 OH THIS STORY IS JEWISH TO THE CORE IN MY ESTIMATION
  • 07:09 BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT,
  • 07:11 COME WITH ME ON THE JOURNEY
  • 07:13 AND LET'S EXPLORE HOW JEWISH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN REALLY IS.
  • 07:38 FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY
  • 07:41 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
  • 07:44 "THE LEVITT LETTER".
  • 07:45 WHEN YOU CALL BE SURE TO ASK FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE
  • 07:48 WITH THE LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC.
  • 07:51 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE,
  • 07:53 "THE INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES"
  • 07:56 INCLUDES READING PACKETS, TEACHING CDS, AND MAIL-IN TESTS.
  • 08:00 YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL OR PETRA
  • 08:03 OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
  • 08:07 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
  • 08:13 MOVING RIGHT ALONG...
  • 08:15 AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD BY GOING BACKWARDS.
  • 08:18 MOMENT AGO I INFORMED THAT BAPTISM WAS NOT UNIQUE TO THE CHRISTIAN ERA.
  • 08:24 THAT CAN BE SHOCKING TO SOME
  • 08:25 BUT BAPTISM PRE-DATES JEWS BAPTIZED, CONVERTS INTO JUDAISM,
  • 08:31 AND JEWISH PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY PART OF THE COMMUNITY
  • 08:34 WERE BAPTIZED FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
  • 08:37 BUT THERE WAS THIS ONE GUY BAPTIZING
  • 08:39 CALLED JOHN THE BAPTIST.
  • 08:41 LET ME PITCH A QUESTION TO YOU RELATIVE TO HIM.
  • 08:45 SEE HOW SHARP YOU ARE.
  • 08:46 HERE WE GO...
  • 08:48 WHEN THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES ASKED JOHN WHETHER HE WAS THE PROPHET...
  • 08:54 HERE'S THIS GUY BAPTIZING BUT HE WAS UNIQUE
  • 08:57 AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW, "ARE YOU THE PROPHET?"
  • 09:00 QUESTION... WHICH PROPHET DID THEY HAVE IN MIND ACCORDING TO THE JOHANNINE INTRODUCTION?
  • 09:08 WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?
  • 09:10 IS HE THE RE-INCARNATION OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL WHO PRESAGED THE MESSIANIC ERA?
  • 09:19 IS HE JEREMIAH, FAMOUS PROPHET IN THE HEBREW BIBLE?
  • 09:25 IS HE ISAIAH?
  • 09:27 WHEN THEY SAY, "ARE YOU THE PROPHET?"
  • 09:29 WHO ARE WE REFERRING TO?
  • 09:31 OR FOUR, IS IT UNCERTAIN?
  • 09:35 WELL LET'S LOOK AT THE BIBLICAL TEXT IN VERSE TWENTY-ONE
  • 09:38 AND THEY ASKED HIM,
  • 09:47 BY THE WAY, THAT'S AN INTERESTING RESPONSE
  • 09:48 BUT I WON'T UNPACK IT HERE.
  • 09:56 ARE WE THINKING OF HIM BEING A RE-INCARNATED PROPHET?
  • 10:02 COULD WE BE REFERRING HERE TO THE PROMISED ONE TO COME?
  • 10:07 ISAIAH AND THE OTHERS SPOKE OF THE MESSIAH
  • 10:10 BUT MOSES IS EXPLICIT IN SAYING,
  • 10:12 "THAT THERE WOULD COME A PROPHET LIKE UNTO ME, HEED HIM."
  • 10:16 THERE'S A GOOD ARGUMENT,
  • 10:18 THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO HERE
  • 10:19 BUT THE TEXT DOESN'T SAY EXPLICITLY
  • 10:21 SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AS AN OPEN QUESTION.
  • 10:24 BUT WE'LL GET TO MOSES IN A MOMENT.
  • 10:28 MOVING RIGHT ALONG RELATIVE TO THE QUESTION IS,
  • 10:32 "ARE YOU THE ONE SPOKEN BY THE PROPHETS?"
  • 10:37 IT'S NOT NOTED EXPLICITLY
  • 10:40 BUT LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION,
  • 10:41 LATER ON THERE ARE A VARIETY OF ENGAGEMENTS WITH YESHUA, WITH JESUS,
  • 10:46 AND THE VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS THAT HE'S CALLING UNTO HIMSELF.
  • 10:50 IT SEEMS THAT YESHUA, JESUS IS TAPPING INTO A NETWORK OF AFFILIATES WITH THIS FELLOW JOHN WHO WAS BAPTIZING.
  • 11:00 AND THEY IN TURN ARE TELLING THEIR FRIENDS
  • 11:02 AND INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THEIR WEBS OF RELATIONSHIPS.
  • 11:05 WELL WHEN THIS FELLOW PHILIP FINDS THE GUY NATHANAEL IN THE JOHANNINE,
  • 11:12 THE BEGINNING STORY...
  • 11:14 AND HE TELLS HIM HE FOUND YESHUA, JESUS, THE MASHIACH, THE MESSIAH...
  • 11:19 HE MENTIONED A HEBREW SOURCE THAT SPOKE OF THE COMING MESSIAH.
  • 11:25 QUESTION...
  • 11:26 WHAT WAS THAT SOURCE?
  • 11:29 LET'S GO AHEAD AND CONSIDER...
  • 11:31 IS HE TALKING ABOUT MOSHE RABANU, MOSES?
  • 11:36 IS HE TALKING ABOUT MATTHEW?
  • 11:39 BECAUSE MATTHEW IS ALL ABOUT CONNECTING JESUS TO THE HEBREW BIBLE.
  • 11:43 IS HE TALKING ABOUT HEROD?
  • 11:46 OR IS HE TALKING ABOUT PETER?
  • 11:49 INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
  • 11:52 WELL LET'S GO ON THE JOURNEY IN JOHN CHAPTER ONE, VERSE FORTY-FIVE WE'RE TOLD,
  • 12:01 AND "NATHAN" IN HEBREW IS "GIFT"
  • 12:03 AND THE SUFFIX "EL", "GIFT OF GOD".
  • 12:06 HE FOUND THIS "GIFT OF GOD" AND SAID,
  • 12:22 SEEMS TO ME THEN THAT "MOSES"
  • 12:25 IS THE CORRECT ANSWER.
  • 12:28 NOW WHAT HAVE WE HERE?
  • 12:29 JUST TO SUMMARIZE AND THEN MOVE ON.
  • 12:33 WHAT I FIND STRIKING IN THE HEBREW BIBLE
  • 12:36 BEYOND THE FACT THAT IT HARKS TO THE GENESIS NARRATIVE ORIGINALLY
  • 12:40 AND THUS ROOTS IT BACK IN THE HEBREW BIBLE.
  • 12:43 AND BEYOND THE FACT THAT THE PRINCIPAL ADVOCATE,
  • 12:47 THIS HARBINGER OF THIS NEW ERA,
  • 12:49 JOHN THE BAPTIST,
  • 12:50 BAPTISM ITSELF AS WE BRIEFLY ALIGHTED UPON,
  • 12:54 HAS A TRADITION IN THE JEWISH WORLD WHERE PEOPLE BAPTIZED
  • 12:58 FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND VARIOUS SEASONS IN THEIR LIFE.
  • 13:02 NOT ONLY THAT, WE SEE INTERPLAY WITH THE HEBREW PROPHETS
  • 13:06 AND THIS ULTIMATE LAW GIVER PROPHET,
  • 13:10 MOSES HIMSELF.
  • 13:12 AND IF I UNDERSTAND THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE CORRECTLY,
  • 13:16 WHAT IS IT THAT I SHOULD UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE?
  • 13:19 IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE JESUS STORY IS ROOTED IN THE JEWISH STORY.
  • 13:27 AND I THINK THIS IS THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
  • 13:30 BUT IT'S SIMILARLY THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD.
  • 13:33 WHEN YOU CHUCK THE OLD TESTAMENT,
  • 13:35 WHEN YOU CHUCK THE JEWISH ROOTAGE OF IT ALL,
  • 13:37 THE STORY JUST LOSES ITS INITIAL MOORINGS.
  • 13:42 AND IT SEEMS TO ME IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS
  • 13:45 THAT JOHN WANTS IT MOORED IN JEWISH CULTURE AND TRADITION.
  • 13:50 I WANT YOU TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT OF COURSE
  • 13:54 AND ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES EXISTS TO DO THAT...
  • 13:57 TO SHOW THE JEWISH ROOTS OF THE FAITH IN ORDER TO TEACH
  • 14:00 NOT JUST ABOUT THINGS PAST
  • 14:03 BUT THINGS TO COME
  • 14:04 AS WE LOOK AT BIBLE PROPHECY RELATIVE TO JESUS' SECOND COMING.
  • 14:08 BUT HERE WE'RE INTRODUCING THE FIRST COMING AND EXPLORING IT...
  • 14:12 THE JEWISH CONNECTION TO IT ALL.
  • 14:14 AND WE'LL ATTEND TO THAT
  • 14:15 AS WE CONTINUE WITH "ASK THE PROFESSOR".
  • 14:27 MY SUGGESTION...
  • 14:28 COME TO ISRAEL...
  • 14:29 YOU'LL ENJOY IT...
  • 14:30 THIS NINE - TEN DAY TRIP HAS TOTALLY REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY I LOOK AT...
  • 14:35 THE PROFOUND MEANING AND THE HISTORY BEHIND EVERYTHING AND...
  • 14:38 WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GREAT THINGS...
  • 14:40 WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH...
  • 14:42 WHAT CAN BE MORE SPECIAL THAN COMING TO GOD'S LAND WITH GOD'S PEOPLE?
  • 14:45 IF YOU WANT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ISRAEL AND GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE I INVITE YOU TO COME...
  • 14:51 YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
  • 14:53 JOIN US IN ISRAEL FOR A TRIP OF A LIFETIME.
  • 14:58 "TACHLIS"
  • 14:59 IT'S A JEWISH WORD FOR "BOTTOM LINE"
  • 15:02 AND HERE IT IS...
  • 15:03 I WANT YOU TO JOIN ME IN ISRAEL.
  • 15:09 AND YOU NEED TO MEET TRACIE
  • 15:11 WHO'S GOING TO HELP YOU GET THERE.
  • 15:12 GOOD TO SEE YOU TRACE.
  • 15:13 GREAT TO SEE YOU.
  • 15:14 TRAVEL MANAGER...
  • 15:16 YOU'RE ALL ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE GET TO THE HOLY LAND...YES?
  • 15:18 I AM...
  • 15:19 WE ARE GOING IN JUST A COUPLE MONTHS
  • 15:20 WITH OUR LARGEST TOUR
  • 15:22 AND IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH THE TRAVELERS.
  • 15:25 AND I THINK WHAT THEY FIND IN ME
  • 15:27 IS JUST SOMEONE THEY CAN DEPEND ON,
  • 15:28 THEY CAN CALL.
  • 15:29 I HANDLE EVERY DETAIL.
  • 15:31 WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT STAFF MEMBERS IN ISRAEL
  • 15:33 THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF LOGISTICS DURING THE TRIP.
  • 15:36 I HANDLE EVERYTHING BEFORE THE TRIP.
  • 15:38 AND SO IT'S JUST A REAL JOY TO WORK WITH THE PEOPLE.
  • 15:41 I GET ANXIOUS SOMETIMES WITH DETAILS.
  • 15:44 WHENEVER I HAVE TO GO ON LINE FOR SOMETHING I JUST KIND OF BLUR.
  • 15:48 I WONDER IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO TO ISRAEL BUT THEY'RE JUST...
  • 15:51 "OH WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO... PACKING AND GETTING READY..."
  • 15:53 I THINK WHAT WE OFFER, DR. SEIF, IS MOST TOURS DON'T HAVE SOMEONE, OF COURSE, LIKE YOU.
  • 15:57 YOU ARE THE MAIN DRAW.
  • 15:59 AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT DR. SEIF IS ON EVERY TOUR.
  • 16:01 AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME TO HAVE YOU DR. SEIF.
  • 16:04 AND THEN WHAT I DO IS, I HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS.
  • 16:06 AND SO WHEN A TRAVELER GOES OVER TO ISRAEL
  • 16:09 THEY NEED TO BE CONCERNED
  • 16:10 ABOUT DEEPENING THEIR
  • 16:11 INTIMACY WITH YESHUA
  • 16:13 AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
  • 16:15 AND WE HANDLE EVERYTHING LIKE I SAID,
  • 16:16 WE'VE GOT OVER ABOUT A HUNDRED AND FORTY PEOPLE FOR THIS TOUR.
  • 16:19 IT'S JUST A JOY.
  • 16:20 AND I THINK WHAT MY PASSENGERS SAY
  • 16:22 IS THAT THEY DON'T EXPECT TO REALLY BOND SO MUCH WITH THE OTHER TRAVELERS.
  • 16:26 THEY GO...
  • 16:27 THEY MEET THE LORD...
  • 16:28 THEY HAVE A FABULOUS TIME.
  • 16:30 WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN GOING TO ISRAEL FOR 28 YEARS AS YOU WELL KNOW.
  • 16:33 I NEVER CANCELLED ONE TRIP.
  • 16:35 WE'RE A GUARANTEED DEPARTURE TOUR.
  • 16:37 ALL THE DETAILS ARE HANDLED.
  • 16:38 YOU COME WITH US...
  • 16:39 YOU WILL MEET THE LORD...
  • 16:41 YOU WILL HEAR DR. SEIF IN PERSON...
  • 16:42 AND I THINK ITS JUST GOING TO BE A JOY.
  • 16:44 WELL THERE YOU GO.
  • 16:46 AND YOU HEARD WHAT THE LADY SAID.
  • 16:48 ONE MORE POINT.
  • 16:50 NOT ONLY ARE YOU ENGAGED IN HELPING PEOPLE TO GET THERE
  • 16:53 BUT WHEN THEY ARE THERE IN A STRANGE COUNTRY...
  • 16:55 NOT THAT ITS SUPER STRANGE...
  • 16:56 BUT ITS NEW...
  • 16:58 YOU'RE LIKE A TRAVELING CONCIERGE TO HELP EVERYONE SOLVE PROBLEMS IN THE LAND.
  • 17:03 ABSOLUTELY, EVERY BUS HAS ITS OWN TRAVEL LIAISON AS YOU SAID.
  • 17:09 ITS OWN GUIDE...
  • 17:10 YOU'RE ON THE BUS...
  • 17:11 IT IS JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE
  • 17:14 BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY THEIR HEAD ABOUT ONE DETAIL.
  • 17:17 THEY'RE PAYING TO COME ON THIS TRIP
  • 17:19 AND WE TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.
  • 17:20 THERE YOU GO.
  • 17:22 AND LIKE I SAID...
  • 17:23 YOU HEARD WHAT THE LADY SAID.
  • 17:25 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT WE SAY.
  • 17:29 AND IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
  • 17:32 WWW.LEVITT.COM
  • 17:35 IS THE PLACE TO GO TO.
  • 17:36 1-800-WONDERS
  • 17:38 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL.
  • 17:40 WE WANT TO SEND YOU OUR FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE
  • 17:43 WHEREIN WHICH WE HAVE THE "ASK THE PROFESSOR" COLUMN.
  • 17:46 IF YOU WANT TO PENETRATE INTO BIBLICAL LITERATURE,
  • 17:50 IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT WITH A JEWISH SET OF EYES,
  • 17:53 COME WITH US ON THE JOURNEY.
  • 17:55 THE OFFERS FOR THE PROGRAM WILL BE APPEARING LATER.
  • 17:58 IT'S A BOOK THAT I WROTE...
  • 18:00 "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS".
  • 18:04 SOME CALL HIM "ST. PAUL",
  • 18:06 OTHERS, "BROTHER PAUL",
  • 18:07 "REVEREND PAUL"...
  • 18:08 I LIKE "RABBI PAUL"
  • 18:10 BECAUSE PAUL WAS A JEWISH RABBI.
  • 18:13 I WROTE THIS BOOK TO GO ALONG WITH THE TELEVISION SERIES THAT I DID... TWELVE PARTS...
  • 18:17 WHERE I FOLLOWED PAUL TRAVELING ALL AROUND THE MIDDLE EAST,
  • 18:20 IN MODERN TURKEY, GREECE, ITALY... WE FOLLOWED HIS STEPS.
  • 18:26 IF YOU WANT TO GET IT;
  • 18:27 THE BOOK IS AN OFFER,
  • 18:28 THE DVD SERIES...
  • 18:30 IT'S ALL COMING TO YOU.
  • 18:31 YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT THAT MORE.
  • 18:33 SPEAKING ABOUT LEARNING MORE, HOWEVER,
  • 18:35 LET'S OPEN UP THE BIBLE NOW
  • 18:37 AND LOOK AT SOME ISSUES THAT RESOLVE WHEN WE CONSIDER JOHN.
  • 18:44 WHAT DO I HAVE IN MIND?
  • 18:47 IN THE NEW TESTAMENT NOT ONLY WAS PAUL A RABBI,
  • 18:53 BUT YESHUA, JESUS, WAS REFERRED TO AS RABBI.
  • 19:00 IT'S A WORD MEANING "TEACHER".
  • 19:05 NOW I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
  • 19:07 WHO SAID "RABBI...'", TO YESHUA, JESUS,
  • 19:11 "YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, THE KING OF ISRAEL."
  • 19:17 WOW THAT'S QUITE AN AFFIRMATION.
  • 19:20 WHO SAID IT IN THE BIBLE?
  • 19:22 WAS IT PETER IN THE JOHANNINE GOSPEL INITIALLY?
  • 19:26 WAS IT NATHANAEL?
  • 19:29 WAS IT JOHN THE BAPTIST?
  • 19:33 OR WAS IT THE VIRGIN MARY?
  • 19:37 INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
  • 19:41 WELL LET'S LOOK IN JOHN CHAPTER ONE, VERSE FORTY-NINE.
  • 19:45 NATHANAEL SAID TO HIM, AND I QUOTE,
  • 19:58 THE ONE ORDAINED, SPOKEN OF BY THE PROPHETS TO SUPERINTEND THE AFFAIRS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
  • 20:05 OH GOODNESS, THAT WAS NATHANAEL OF COURSE
  • 20:08 AND HE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE THAT LAID SIEGE TO THAT CLAIM.
  • 20:10 BUT TO ME IT'S PROFOUND AGAIN,
  • 20:13 AS I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS WHOLE PROGRAM,
  • 20:14 IT UNDERSCORES HOW THE JESUS STORY
  • 20:18 IS ROOTED IN THE JEWISH STORY.
  • 20:21 I WANT TO MOVE ON BEYOND THE FIRST CHAPTER TO THE SECOND AND WORK WITH SOME OTHER ISSUES.
  • 20:29 IN THE BIBLE WE DISCOVER JESUS MAKING HIS ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM
  • 20:34 AND PEOPLE ARE SELLING SHEEP AND OXEN
  • 20:36 AND HE'S NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
  • 20:38 IN JOHN CHAPTER TWO, VERSES THIRTEEN THROUGH TWENTY-FIVE,
  • 20:43 WE READ ABOUT THIS
  • 20:45 AND HE TAKES A WHIP OF CORDS AND DRIVES THEM OUT.
  • 20:47 NOT HAPPY IN THE LEAST, SAYING,
  • 20:53 LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
  • 20:55 IS SELLING LIVESTOCK IN THE TEMPLE ENVIRONS AND CHANGING MONEY,
  • 21:00 DOES THAT IN OF ITSELF BETRAY ANY BIBLICAL MOORINGS?
  • 21:05 IS IT A SIN TO SELL LIVESTOCK IN JERUSALEM FOR TEMPLE PURPOSES?
  • 21:08 YES OR NO?
  • 21:10 INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
  • 21:13 AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW
  • 21:15 THAT THE ANSWER IS "NO".
  • 21:17 THAT IS TO SAY,
  • 21:19 THE ISSUE ISN'T THAT IT WAS PROBLEMATIC TO SELL LIVESTOCK.
  • 21:21 AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS JEWS ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD IN ORDER TO SACRIFICE
  • 21:26 AND THEY HAD TO HAVE UNBLEMISHED LIVESTOCK
  • 21:29 AND SO IF THEY CAME FROM FAR AWAY AND THEY WRAPPED UP BAMBI, FLUFFY, OR WHATEVER...
  • 21:33 A NICE LITTLE LAMB...
  • 21:35 IT WOULD BE BRUISED BY THE JOURNEY, BOUNCING AROUND IN THE CART THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE JOURNEY.
  • 21:39 NO, THEY HAD TO PURCHASE GOOD LIVESTOCK WHEN THEY WERE THERE.
  • 21:42 AND AS IN ANY INTERNATIONAL CITY
  • 21:45 PEOPLE EXCHANGE MONEY TO PUT IT IN THE COMMON CURRENCY SO EVERYONE CAN BUY AND SELL,
  • 21:49 THERE'S A STANDARD AND MONEY'S CHANGED AND TRANSACTED JUST AS LIVESTOCK HAS TO BE ACQUIRED.
  • 21:55 THE ISSUE IT SEEMS TO ME ISN'T ABOUT THERE BEING A PROBLEM WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LIVESTOCK
  • 22:01 OR EVEN CHANGING MONEY.
  • 22:03 NO, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE WERE EXORBITANT RATES ATTACHED TO THAT.
  • 22:07 IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH AN AIRPORT
  • 22:10 AND YOU'RE HUNGRY OR YOU'RE THIRSTY, YOU'LL STOP IN A SHOP
  • 22:13 AND THE PRICES ARE BUMPED UP A LITTLE BIT OFTEN TIMES
  • 22:15 AND WHY IS THAT?
  • 22:16 BECAUSE THEY GOT YA!
  • 22:18 YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE AIRPORT.
  • 22:19 AND IT COULD BE SAID,
  • 22:21 "WE GOT YA!"
  • 22:22 THAT IS TO SAY,
  • 22:23 PEOPLE WERE IN JERUSALEM,
  • 22:24 IT'S A TRIP OF A LIFETIME,
  • 22:25 THEY NEED TO ACQUIRE THE LIVESTOCK,
  • 22:27 THEY NEED TO PURCHASE THE MONEY.
  • 22:29 IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THERE WERE SOME IN THE RELIGIOUS ELITE THAT BUMPED THE PRICES UP.
  • 22:34 IN FACT, THAT'S THE RECORD AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
  • 22:37 THE THING THAT I WANT TO UNDERSCORE WITH YOU
  • 22:39 IS THAT IT'S NOT PROBLEMATIC IN AND OF ITSELF IN ORDER TO PURCHASE LIVESTOCK
  • 22:43 CAUSE EVERYONE WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO DO THAT.
  • 22:46 WELL WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH THAT POINT AS WITH THE OTHERS MADE IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM?
  • 22:51 AGAIN, AT THE RISK OF BEING REDUNDANT,
  • 22:54 IN THIS "ASK THE PROFESSOR SERIES"
  • 22:56 AND THIS IS BUT THE ONE OF FOUR,
  • 22:58 WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS EXPLORE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
  • 23:02 BUT I'M PARTICULARLY GAME TO EXPLORE IT,
  • 23:05 I WANT TO LOOK AT THE GOOD NEWS WITH JEWISH VIEWS
  • 23:09 AND I WANT IT COLORED WITH JEWISH "YOUS".
  • 23:13 WHAT DO WE SEE IN THE PROCESS OF SO DOING?
  • 23:15 WELL WE GET A WHOLE OTHER IMAGE,
  • 23:18 A VISION OF JESUS AMONGST JEWS, FOR JEWS, WITH JEWS...
  • 23:24 I THINK ITS GREAT TO ENGAGE THE JESUS STORY WITH A MIND TO REDISCOVER THE JEWISH STORY...
  • 23:31 A MIND TO GET RID OF ANTI-SEMITIC TENDENCIES
  • 23:34 WHICH SEEM SO UBIQUITOUS IN THE CHURCH...
  • 23:36 EVERYWHERE TO BE FOUND...
  • 23:38 JADED, PREJUDICES AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
  • 23:41 LET'S LOOK AT IT FRESH.
  • 23:43 LET'S LOOK AT THE BIBLE FRESH.
  • 23:45 LET'S DISCOVER JESUS AMONGST JEWS, FOR JEWS,
  • 23:48 THE KING OF THE JEWS,
  • 23:50 THE LOVER OF JEWS,
  • 23:51 AND LET'S BE BLESSED AND ENRICHED.
  • 23:54 THIS AGAIN AS I'D SAID IS THE FIRST OF A FOUR PART INSTALLMENT OF "ASK THE PROFESSOR"
  • 23:59 WHERE WE'RE GOING ON A JOURNEY INTO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.
  • 24:03 AND HAVING TALKED,
  • 24:05 LET'S NOW SING A LITTLE AS WE CONSIDER ZOLA LEVITT, A MUSICIAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT,
  • 24:10 WHO HELPS US EXPLORE THE JESUS STORY WITH JEWISH MELODY.
  • 24:14 OFF WE GO TO ZOLA.
  • 26:10 WELL THERE YOU HAVE MY PREDECESSOR,
  • 26:12 THE LATE ZOLA LEVITT,
  • 26:14 WITH SOME INSPIRATION.
  • 26:16 NOW YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME WITH SOME INFORMATION WITH THIS "ASK THE PROFESSOR" SERIES.
  • 26:22 I HOPE YOU'RE GETTING A SENSE OF IT AND I HOPE YOU'LL ENJOY IT.
  • 26:26 IF YOU'RE ALL ABOUT IT
  • 26:28 YOU CAN CHECK US OUT AT
  • 26:29 WWW.LEVITT.COM
  • 26:31 WE WANT TO GET SOME INFORMATION TO YOU...
  • 26:34 YOU CAN FIND US ON FACEBOOK...
  • 26:36 HOWEVER YOU GET TO US...
  • 26:37 I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
  • 26:38 THANK YOU FOR GOING ON THE JOURNEY WITH US.
  • 26:41 AND AS YOU GO NOW,
  • 26:43 SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM
  • 26:46 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM

Episodes in this series

  1. John’s Gospel, A Jewish-Related Story
  2. Jesus and the Feasts
  3. The Good Shepherd
  4. His Last Days

Guest organizations and links