SUMMARY

Hosts Jeff Morgan, Elisha Lazarus, and Arielle Randle from Jews for Jesus interview Jewish New Yorkers, reading Old Testament Messianic prophecies to reveal reactions mistaking them for New Testament descriptions of Jesus.

STATEMENTS

• Jewish interviewees initially attribute passages like Isaiah 53 to the New Testament, assuming they describe Jesus.
• The hosts reveal that these passages originate from the Hebrew Bible, specifically Isaiah, written 700 years before Jesus.
• Interviewees express skepticism or outright rejection of the idea that these prophecies point to Jesus, adhering strictly to the Torah.
• One interviewee notes that God has no son, dismissing the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 about a child born as the Prince of Peace.
• The hosts reference Isaiah 6, describing a spiritual veil that prevents people from perceiving the Messianic truths in the Old Testament.
• An interviewee admits never reading the New Testament, viewing it as unnecessary or potentially unbeneficial.
• The video encourages Jewish viewers to study specific Old Testament passages like Psalm 22 and Zechariah 12:10 to see Jesus as the Messiah.
• The hosts emphasize that the New Testament serves as commentary on the Tanakh, highlighting fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies.

IDEAS

• Jewish tradition often overlooks Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, leading to surprise when they are presented without New Testament context.
• Passages like Isaiah 53 vividly describe a suffering servant pierced for transgressions, mirroring Jesus' crucifixion centuries later.
• The concept of a spiritual "veil" from Isaiah 6 explains why some refuse to connect Old Testament prophecies to Jesus, despite clear textual evidence.
• Interviewees' immediate association of these prophecies with Jesus reveals an intuitive recognition, overridden by doctrinal adherence.
• The prophecy in Micah 5:2 foretells the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, a detail that aligns precisely with Jesus' origins.
• Zechariah 12:10 speaks of a pierced one whom people will mourn, evoking imagery of Jesus' death and the widespread impact on humanity.
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 promises a new covenant written on hearts, which the New Testament claims Jesus fulfills through his sacrifice.
• Psalm 22 details suffering and thirst on the cross, astonishingly parallel to Jesus' words, written long before crucifixion was known in Jewish culture.
• The hosts' street approach demonstrates that direct engagement with scripture can challenge preconceptions without confrontation.
• Refusal to read the New Testament stems not from fear of harm but from belief it adds nothing beneficial to Torah study.
• Isaiah 9:6's titles like "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father" applied to a born child suggest divine incarnation, clashing with strict monotheism views.
• Jacob's encounter in Genesis, seeing God's face and surviving, hints at divine-human interactions that prefigure Messianic revelations.

INSIGHTS

• Old Testament prophecies contain layered meanings that traditional Jewish interpretations may suppress, revealing Jesus as the fulfillment through careful reading.
• A spiritual hardness, akin to the veil in Isaiah 6, blocks perception of Messianic truths, prioritizing doctrine over textual evidence.
• Intuitive recognition of Jesus in prophecies occurs naturally, but cultural barriers reinforce rejection, underscoring the power of unbiased scripture exposure.
• The New Testament's role as interpretive commentary on the Tanakh bridges ancient promises to modern faith, enriching rather than supplanting Jewish heritage.
• Engaging prophecies directly, without preconceptions, fosters curiosity and potential transformation, as seen in interviewees' initial surprise.

QUOTES

• "But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon him. And by his wounds, we are healed."
• "I think this is from New Testament... I'm assuming that the text is referring to Jesus."
• "Would you be surprised if I told you this is Isaiah, the Hebrew Bible? I didn't see anything like that yet. That's 700 years before Jesus."
• "For unto us a child is born. For unto us a son is given and his name shall be called mighty God, everlasting father."
• "That is a veil. And that is what our brothers and sisters have on them right now... The Tanakh says that explicitly in Isaiah 6."
• "If all the proof was there that Jesus was the Messiah, would you believe? He said, 'No, I can't.'"
• "How can Jesus not be the Messiah? That needs to be the question."

HABITS

• Hosts regularly conduct street interviews in New York to share faith through direct scripture reading.
• Interviewees maintain a practice of exclusive Torah study, avoiding New Testament materials entirely.
• One interviewee reflects on biblical stories like Jacob's encounter to interpret divine visions.
• The team encourages viewers to comment and share videos to amplify Messianic messages online.
• Jewish participants express a habitual skepticism toward Christian interpretations, sticking to traditional sources.

FACTS

• Isaiah 53 is from the Hebrew Bible, dated approximately 700 years before Jesus' birth.
• Isaiah 9:6 prophesies a child born as the Prince of Peace, titled Mighty God and Everlasting Father.
• Psalm 22 describes suffering including pierced hands and feet, predating Roman crucifixion practices.
• Micah 5:2 specifies the Messiah's origin in Bethlehem, matching Jesus' birthplace.
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 foretells a new covenant transforming hearts, referenced in the New Testament.
• Zechariah 12:10 predicts mourning for a pierced one, aligning with Jesus' crucifixion description.

REFERENCES

• Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12 (suffering servant prophecy).
• Isaiah 9:6 (child born as Prince of Peace).
• Isaiah 6 (veil over eyes and ears).
• Micah 5:2 (Messiah from Bethlehem).
• Psalm 22 (suffering and crucifixion imagery).
• Zechariah 12:10 (pierced one mourned).
• Jeremiah 31:31-34 (new covenant).
• Genesis account of Jacob seeing God's face.
• Tanakh (Hebrew Bible).
• New Testament as commentary on Torah and Tanakh.
• Jews for Jesus resources: Learning Hub, live chat, Instagram, TikTok.

HOW TO APPLY

• Select key Messianic passages from the Old Testament, such as Isaiah 53 and 9:6, to read aloud without revealing the source initially.
• Engage individuals in public settings like streets, asking their interpretation to gauge intuitive responses before disclosing origins.
• Address objections by referencing scriptural context, like the veil in Isaiah 6, to explain potential spiritual barriers gently.
• Encourage personal study by suggesting specific verses (e.g., Psalm 22, Micah 5:2) and inviting feedback in comments or discussions.
• Share experiences online through videos, likes, and shares to broaden reach, fostering community dialogue on prophecies.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Jewish people intuitively link Old Testament prophecies to Jesus but face doctrinal veils blocking full recognition.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Jewish viewers should independently examine Isaiah 53, 9:6, and related passages to discern Messianic fulfillments.
• Consider reading the New Testament in Hebrew to explore its commentary on Tanakh without preconceptions.
• Engage in street-style discussions with open-minded questions to challenge and expand scriptural understanding.
• Share surprising prophecy alignments on social media to spark curiosity among peers.
• Pray for removal of spiritual veils, as described in Isaiah 6, to perceive deeper biblical truths.

MEMO

In the bustling streets of New York, hosts from Jews for Jesus—Jeff Morgan, Elisha Lazarus, and Arielle Randle—approach Jewish passersby with a provocative question: Are these poignant words from the New Testament or the ancient Hebrew scriptures? Reading Isaiah 53's vivid depiction of a suffering servant "pierced for our transgressions" and "crushed for our iniquities," most interviewees confidently peg it as Christian text about Jesus. Their surprise turns to intrigue or dismissal when revealed as prophecy from 700 years before Christ's birth, highlighting a tension between intuition and tradition.

Deeper into the interviews, passages like Isaiah 9:6—"For unto us a child is born... Mighty God, Everlasting Father"—elicit strong reactions. One man insists God has no son, adhering strictly to monotheism, while another ponders divine encounters like Jacob's vision of God's face. Never having touched the New Testament, participants view it as extraneous to Torah study, yet the hosts point to a biblical "veil" from Isaiah 6 that blinds perception. This exchange underscores how Old Testament texts, including Psalm 22's crucifixion-like agony and Zechariah 12:10's pierced mourner, strikingly foreshadow Jesus, challenging viewers to reread without filters.

The video culminates in a call to action: Dive into prophecies like Micah 5:2's Bethlehem origin or Jeremiah 31's new heart-covenant. For Jewish audiences, the message is clear—how can Jesus not be the Messiah? By sharing these encounters, the hosts amplify a narrative of rediscovery, urging likes, comments, and shares to pierce modern veils and illuminate ancient promises.