“Know therefore today… that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39).
When someone asks a convert to Judaism, “Do you still believe Jesus is the Messiah?” they enter into a Torah misstep, framing faith through a Christian lens that clashes with the Torah’s focus on God’s oneness and our Torah-observant walk. Instead, Torah-aligned questions like “Have you rejected avodah zarah in your walk?” are answerable without gotcha traps. As a convert, I recently faced this from a teacher who asked, “Do you still believe Jesus is the Messiah?” I replied, “I believe forcing the question reveals more than the answer provides.” He pressed, “I need to know where you stand on this, as many people are rejecting Yeshua for the religion of Judaism for identity.” This teaching, for my Hebrew Roots and Messianic brothers, uses Tanakh to show why these questions are misguided, why Torah obedience prioritizes affirming the Shema and rejecting avodah zarah before messianic midrash, and how better questions foster understanding, aligning with the Bridge of Faith goal of explaining a convert’s journey.
A Mismatch in Focus
For Hebrew Roots and Messianic believers, asking about Jesus feels natural, given your focus on Torah and a messianic figure. But these questions misalign with Jewish theology, which centers on God’s oneness: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), and serving only Him: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Even Jesus affirmed the Shema as the greatest commandment (Mark 12:29-30). Questions about Jesus’ divinity create a catch-22, distracting from monotheism and a walk free of avodah zarah, as Leviticus 19:4 warns: “Do not turn to idols… I am the Lord your God.”
Torah’s True Focus
The Torah emphasizes God’s uniqueness and covenantal duty. Deuteronomy 4:39 declares, “The Lord is God…there is no other,” prioritizing monotheism over speculation about human figures. Leviticus 19:4 underscores that avodah zarah, worshiping anything other than God as divine, is a grave sin, unlike uncertainty about who the messiah is. Questions about Jesus’ potential role are irrelevant to a Jewish walk, which focuses on God’s commandments. Only after ensuring no avodah zarah is being performed in any way can we engage in messianic midrash, which the Torah doesn’t prioritize.
Ask me if I’ve given up idolatry, avodah zara, forbidden service, prayer to intermediaries…any intermediary! Those are very easy to answer. Potential messiah candidate beliefs in your mind that do not manifest in avodah zara are completely fine! So my ‘yes’ is not the same as your ‘yes!’ My ‘no’ is not the same as your ‘no!’ To the convert, the topic is now midrash, to the asker, it is doctrine: it is required! If required, have we added to the Torah? God forbid!
The Jewish View of Messiah
Judaism sees the messiah as a future human leader fulfilling prophecies like Isaiah 2:2-4: “The law will go out from Zion…Nation will not lift up sword against nation” and Isaiah 11:1-9: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb… and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:6, 9). Similarly, the Passover Haggadah barely mentions Moses, focusing on God as the true Deliverer, showing that even great leaders are secondary to the Creator. Many Jews consider messianic candidates, past or present, and this is halakhically acceptable, as believing in a candidate isn’t avodah zarah; worshipful actions, such as ascribing divinity, are. This teacher asked, “Do you still believe Jesus is the Messiah?” and pressed, “I need to know where you stand on this, as many people are rejecting Yeshua for the religion of Judaism for identity.” His question was asking without specifying the much greater problem: avodah zara. Conversion is about embracing God’s covenant: “I make this covenant…with those who are not here with us today” (Deuteronomy 29:14-15).
Not knowing the messiah’s identity isn’t a sin; avodah zarah is a million times worse. He should ask, “Have you rejected avodah zarah?” This is a question a convert can answer clearly, before any messianic midrash. In fact, a Torah teacher should ALWAYS prioritize teaching about idolatry (avodah zara) or unauthorized service before anything else! It IS the sin of the golden calf, it is the sin of Nadav and Abihu, and it is rampant in those movements. Fortunately, today it is from ignorance and not defiant rebellion. Hebrew Rooters very clearly seek to obey Hashem and the Torah. Unfortunately, their teachers also came from the church so getting there is an uphill climb. A rabbi, preferably one who can also speak about the NT (very rare), will be better at showing you in a way you will clearly see it.
Why the Asking Reveals More
The teacher’s question reveals a Christian perspective, not a Jewish walk. Deuteronomy 4:39 and Leviticus 19:4 test our loyalty to God’s oneness. Hebrew Roots and Messianic friends, your Torah journey is inspiring, but questions about Jesus belief risk clinging to a Christian lens. Torah obedience requires affirming the Shema, as Jesus did (Mark 12:29-30), rejecting avodah zarah before messianic debates. The teacher’s claim about “rejecting Yeshua for identity” misrepresents conversion’s covenantal depth. This added requirement to God’s covenant is a dangerous misstep.
A Better Way
Instead of questions about Jesus’ status, ask Torah-aligned questions a convert can answer: “Have you rejected avodah zarah in your walk?” “How does the Shema guide your faith?” “How do mitzvot strengthen your covenant with God?” Let’s discuss avoiding avodah zarah a year before any messianic midrash.” Torah-observant folks and Hebrew Roots believers should affirm the Shema when pressed. As Isaiah 55:8 says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts… declares the Lord.” Let’s align with His, ensuring our walk is free of forbidden service.
To answer the question affirms the misstep. We should instead be asking everyone about avodah zara. To all my friends on the same page with me on all aspects of avodah zara…we can midrash the messiah topic. =)
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