The Hebrew Yeshua vs. the Greek Jesus: New Light on the Seat of Moses from Shem-Tov’s Hebrew Matthew

I definitely recommend this book. However, there are a few areas needing reevaluation. Therefore, here are list of my pros and cons with this book:Pros:1. Nehemia Gordon's journey from 'Phariseeism' to 'Karaitism' provide information on how certain sects of the Jewish population lived during and after the 2nd Temple Era. Dr. Gordon delineates how the Pharisees basically created the 'Oral Torah', and how this 'Oral Torah' is in opposition to the 'Written Torah'. For example, Dr. Gordon provides a story about Rabbi Eliezer who was trying convince other Rabbis about a certain perspective of Rabbinical Law. Rabbi Eliezer, as the story goes, shouted, 'If the law agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!' Then, a voice called out from heaven stating that Rabbi Eliezer is right and the law agrees with him. The Rabbis respond to Rabbi Eliezer, 'Sorry, we do not listen to Heaven, since the Written Torah is not in heaven. Furthermore, the Rabbis continued, since the Written Torah is no longer in heaven, Yahweh (our Creator, not the substituted Germanic-Indo name 'god') had no say in interpreting it. The numerous interpretations of the Written Torah (now known as the Oral Torah) creates so much confusion due to misinterpretations of the Written Torah (some say that these misinterpretations were deliberate.) that many modern Jews have become secularist, which means that they have abandoned not only the Oral Torah, but also the Written Torah.2. Dr. Gordon defines the ‘Sadducees’ as ’simply the Greek form of the Hebrew ‘tsadokim’ which means ‘Sons of Zadok’. Zadok was the high priest under King ‘David’, who was also the first to serve in ‘Solomon’s Temple, and to anoint Solomon King. The Sons of Zadok/Sadducees believed that the written Torah (and later the Tanach) must be followed. Moreover, Dr. Gordon states that not all Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead, but only a small faction who believed this.3. Dr. Gordon provides a brief history and definition of Karaism. Furthermore, Dr. Gordon posits how Messiah Yehoshua could have been a Karaite Jew.4. Dr. Gordon states that Rabbis ‘tell false stories about all their enemies.’, including how Messiah Yehoshua founded ‘Christianity due to being spurned by his teacher, Mohammed founded Islam because he was spurned by the Jews of Mecca, and how Anan Ben David founded Karaism because he was kicked to the curve by the Rabbis.5. Dr. Gordon states that the Septuagint is a poor translation of the Hebrew Tanach due to not translating the Tanach into proper Greek. The Greek copyists left behind numerous Hebrew thought patterns, making it difficult to read for the everyday Ancient Greek reader. However, according Dr. Gordon, someone who is familiar with the Tanach in Hebrew, and understand how to read Classical Greek, the Septuagint is easy to read (See more on pg. 34 & 35).There are many other positives with Dr. Gordon’s book, including (there are more, but I am trying to keep this review brief) the significance of Hebraic word puns, glosses (either Hebraic, Greek, or Latin), Hebraic Syntax and how Hebraic Syntax differs from English, Greek, & Latin Syntaxes, and the history of ‘Disputations’.Cons:1. Dr. Gordon believes that since Yehoshua ben David/our Messiah has not fulfill the criteria of reigning as eternal King over Israel, then Yehoshua is not the long-awaited Messiah. Does Dr. Gordon believe that Yehoshua rose from the grave, and that Yehoshua will return, again? Of course he doesn’t, since Dr. Gordon doesn’t ‘pay attention to anything outside of the Tanach.’ I think Dr. Gordon needs to do more research, and pray about this one. There is a great chance that he is making a very costly, everlasting decision. The clock is ticking….2. . Our Messiah/Mashiach name is Yehoshua (some say Yahashua, but this is a later translational belief), not Yeshua. Yeshua is the Aramaic substituted name. Dr. Gordon states that the Jews started using shorten names, starting in the 2nd Temple era. Hence, the name Yeshua. However, he provides no evidence that that the Jews started using shorten names.3. Why does Dr. Gordon still uses the term ‘God’ in his book? Doesn’t he know that the title/name of ‘God’ is an insult to our Creator? Didn’t our Creator inform the Ancient Hebrews in Sh’mot/Exodus Chapter 3 & 6 that His name is Yud-Heh-Waw-Heh or Yahweh, and that His name would be known throughout the Earth?4. Dr. Gordon believes the lie that ‘after the return from Babylon, the Aramaic language gradually replaced Hebrew as the language of many Jews.’ This is not true. Many scholars, like M.H. Segal (in his book ‘A Grammar of Mishnaic Hebrew) and Jeff A. Benner (in his Ancient Hebrew Research Center website) explain and provide evidence that the vast majority (95%-99%) of the Ancient Hebrews never spoke or wrote in Aramaic (even in his book ‘A Critical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, J. Dyneley Prince asserts that the entire book of Daniel was originally written in Hebrew). Furthermore, Dr. Gordon makes the mistake of assuming that Aramaic language is the same as Mishnaic Hebrew. M.H. Segal does a great job dismissing this mistake in his text.5. Most scholars believe that Judaism was not invented/established as a religion until well after the destruction of the 2nd Temple in 69 CE (some say not until the completion of the written Talmud in 500 AD/CE). So, we need to be very careful about using this term. Basically, the eras should be as follows: Written Torah Era-Oral Torah & Written Torah Era-then Judaism?Overall, I believe that this is a book worth reading. Dr. Gordon also provides more evidence that the entire’ New Testament’ was originally written in Hebrew (IMHO).

Though this book can be read in just a few hours, they are power-packed hours. Maybe it's because I'm a priest and can catch certain insights from so many years of research. But for any reader, what Nehemia wrote is factual and captivating. The theme of his book is his quest to figure out a certain contradiction in the gospels between Jesus condemning Judaism's man-made traditions and Christ's command to obey Judaism's defenders of these traditions in Matthew 23:1-3, as well as His assertion that He is fulfilling the Law and expecting us to obey the Law. Apostolic Tradition, as early Christian records reveal, has always interpreted this Biblical contradiction by explaining that Jesus wants us to obey the original teachings of the Law, not the changes that have been made to it over the centuries, as manifested by the killing of the Prophets and crucifying Jesus. Nehemia's book substantiates this unwritten Apostolic message by explaining Judaism's man-made traditions to be unbiblical and man-glorifying, even lawfully and proudly opposing God's word itself! And he can say this as a faithful Jew, though not of the Orthodox-Pharisee sect, but as a Karaite Jew, which is an ancient form of Judaism having roots in the Sadducees and other sects before Christ. He bases his findings in a little-known Jewish text from the 1100's, which the Jews used to understand the Gospel and learn how to defeat it in debates. This text is the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew, but it's not a typical text. In certain places, its wording is more accurate than the Greek and more accurately aligns with Apostolic Tradition in resolving the contradiction between obeying Judaism and opposing it. Plus, scholars are convinced that its original language was Hebrew, not Biblical Greek. This correlates with the early Christian tradition that Matthew was originally written in Hebrew, which was not necessarily accurately translated into Greek. Why would Jews in the 1100's falsify certain words and verses in Matthew in order to defeat Christians in debates, which was a life-and-death situation? Get this book! It really is illuminating to hear modern Jewish criticism of Judaism, which Jesus Christ similarly preached. And it's fascinating to hear a Karaite Jew's perspective on Christianity.

This intriguing book challenges the authorised assertion that the Gospel of Matthew was written in Greek. Using both his own analysis and the work of other scholars, Nehemiah Gordon a Keraite Jew and Hebrew scholar demonstrates the possibility that the Gospel of Matthew has Hebrew origins.Narrated in the conversational style of the author, this short book is essentially the script for an exuberant and enthusiastic presentation given by Gordon (and available on YouTube). It provides some useful examples to support his case, clear references and a helpful glossary, so is well worth the physical copy.Readers should be aware that the introduction pitches the investigation with an unnecessary undertone of a conspiracy theory that could obscure the academic detective work. In some cases, the "misinterpretations" of Jesus'/Yeshua's teaching that Gordon presents have, to an extent, been rectified by more modern bible translations such as NRSV. By referencing popular but arguably flawed English translations of the Bible (KJV, NIV) Gordon's case could be made vulnerable. These are weaknesses most students of biblical exegesis would at least acknowledge, if not avoid. Nevertheless his explanations of Pharisaical Judaism are valuable and illuminating for Christians and, in demonstrating Hebrew word play, his case for a Hebrew origin remains strong. I found his approach refreshing and welcome his enthusiastic challenges to established ideas.

This is an academic book and you need to know some things about the Holy Bible to appreciate it, like it was written two thousand years ago by people who followed the Man called Jesus. It is scholarly but it is not heavy and not uninteresting. Basically the book opens up on an interesting piece of history. There were four writers of Jesus' life: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. All their writings are in existence in ancient Greek, but the earliest records talking about Matthew's gospel said, he wrote his Gospel in Hebrew. It is with interest that a Jewish scribe seems to have preserved it-but also corrupted it!!!! Nehemia Gordon unpicks the pieces to reveal his best attempt to give a comparative study between the Greek and Hebrew scriptures to ascertain what was in the original writings of Matthew- a must read for theologians, Biblical translators, first century Judean and New Testament historians.

It is a mind changing read, and bring us a reality of meaning, not a theology of belief about Yeshua, but what he taught and why.

Interesting. Well researched and presented. Though I do think that people (experts if you will) tend to over complicate the Lords message unnecessarily. The Lord God is Love.

Great book, amazing author - highly recommend.