John 3:2

2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

Nicodemus, a member of the Pharisees and the Jewish ruling council came to see Jesus at night to learn the word of God. Nicodemus was a very religious person and occupied a prominent status in the Jewish community for he was a member of the ruling council. In addition he served as a teacher of Israel (rabbi) and therefore a religious leader of the community. Nicodemus was very wise too for unlike his counterparts, he observed and understood that Jesus should have come from God because of the miraculous signs that Jesus performed to prove His identity. As Nicodemus said that no one could do these miraculous signs if God was not with him. He came to see Jesus at night perhaps because of his position as a Pharisee for the Pharisees mostly did not accept the identity of Jesus. Therefore, he came to see Jesus in secret to seek the truth. Jesus accepted Nicodemus’s humility and his willingness even to take the risk in seeking the truth. Jesus taught him the essence of the good news of salvation that one should be born again by the Holy Spirit and not by religious rituals in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3) and salvation is initiated by God out of His great love of the whole world not Israel only. Salvation is made possible by his Son Jesus Christ who died for the sin of the world such that the world will not be condemned. Salvation can be obtained by believing in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).

John 3:3

3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

John 3:16-17

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Judaism is the major religion in Israel even of today. The beliefs and teachings of the Pharisees are still retained after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 A.D. and become the basis of mainstream modern day Judaism. On browsing the Internet recently, I came across a question someone asked about the differences between Judaism and Christianity in a web site representing Judaism. The question is answered in a short article presumably by someone who knows Judaism to some extent, but may not be viewed as the authoritative view of Judaism. The answers given in the article are quite interesting and I would like to study those answers in a few blogs in light of the Scripture. When we study the Scripture which is the revelation of God we receive blessings as we receive His words and obey them. I will be using mainly the books common to both Christianity and Judaism namely the Torah in the sense of the Law, Prophets and the Writings. I will refer to the New Testament only to articulate Christian views in this discussion. However, the New Testament will not contradict the Torah if we study it carefully. Actually, the New Testament harmonizes with and fulfills the Old Testament and reveals God’s love, His righteousness, justice and His salvation to mankind. This is the first difference presented in the article and my comments in light of the Scripture follows.

“Judaism believes that God is Spirit, that He has no form, no likeness that could be fashioned. Christianity teaches that God put some of his essence into a human body, in the form of Jesus.”


Actually, Christians believe that God is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17) and is not limited by a physical body. But, we should not limit the power and flexibility of God by our limited human mindset and understandings. After all, we know that God is almighty and nothing is too difficult to Him. God is so wise, resourceful, flexible and agile (Ezekiel 1:16) that He can accomplish His purpose in the most wonderful way beyond our imagination. Yet, every thing that God does reflects His righteousness, justice and love (Psalm 11:7, Psalm 33:5). A simple principle of communication that we should also practice is to communicate in terms of the audience such as their language, background knowledge and their perception capability and preferences in order to get their attention, interest and comprehension of the message. God, the creator of mankind, whose wisdom cannot be fathomed surely knows how to communicate with mankind. A good illustration is how God communicated to Moses with the burning bush in which an angel appeared as a flame burning but without burning up the bush. This drew Moses’ attention and curiosity and he came near the burning bush. Then God talked to Moses in a voice about His salvation plan of the Israelites suffering in Egypt (Exodus 3:2,6).

1 Timothy 1:17

17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Ezekiel 1:16

16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel.

Psalm 11:7

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.

Psalm 33:5

The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Exodus 3:2, 6

2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Another example is when king Uzziah who was a very good king of Judah, died. Unfortunately, he became proud and sinned against the Lord by burning incense in the temple which only priests were allowed to do such that God caused him to die of leprosy. The death of king Uzziah was like a terrible blow to the nation for Uzziah had been a king of 52 years leading Judah to become a strong nation. The prophet Isaiah was saddened with the feeling of hopelessness by the death of king Uzziah. But God revealed Himself in a vision sitting on the throne in heaven (Isaiah 6:1). This is a good illustration that God being invisible could somehow communicated Himself in a visible manner. Another illustration, taken from the New Testament, is that God’s Spirit by nature is invisible but appeared like tongues of fire and came to rest on the early disciples such that they could know and remembered Jesus’ promise coming and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to all who believe Him after His ascent to heaven (Acts 2:3-4). Again, God used visible means to communicate the invisible in order to get the message across effectively.

Hebrews 1:1-2

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

Isaiah 6:1

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Acts 2:3-4

3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

When it comes to salvation of mankind from sin, what means can be better for God to send His one and only Son in the form of man to communicate to mankind directly this very important message - the good news of redemption? This is the manifestation of the righteousness, justice, love, mercy, and glory of God to the world that Jesus came as a child born by the virgin Mary. This is in fact the ultimate salvation plan of God prophesied by prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7). God even sent the prophet John the Baptist with the mission to prepare the hearts of people to repent from sins, and to serve as the witness of Jesus as the Messiah and the Lamb of God (Mark 1:1-4;John 1:29-30). Jesus came as the Word that became flesh dwelling among us full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus’ birth by itself is a miracle for Jesus was conceived by the invisible Holy Spirit and in the virgin Mary’s womb. Amazingly, this event was recorded in Isaiah 7:14. Notice that Isaiah prophesied that the child name is Immanuel which means “God with us”. Therefore, the notion that God’s essence in the form of human body is not invented by Christianity, but prophesied by the prophets and fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. The reason Jesus was called the Word because He was the express image of God and communicated to mankind the invisible God’s glory, power, love, wisdom, and the revelation of the Father’s plan of salvation and judgment. Jesus communicated to us by both words and action which also served as an example of life to all mankind as created in the image of God (1 Corinthians 11:1). We know that a personal demonstration and example is important for the parents to teach their children about values and many other things. By the same token, we should understand that one reason why Jesus, who is God by nature, came in the flesh was simply to demonstrate and teach the way of life to the redeemed people who become God’s children. Of course there is also an important reason of God’s love which is beyond our understanding. For God is so big and magnificent that He would care for mankind especially when they had gone astray in sin. As the Psalmist wonders, “..what is mankind that you are mindful of them?” (Psalm 8:3-4). In fact, Jesus came and identified with mankind that He called us like family members: brothers, sisters, mothers if we walk in the word of God (Mark 3:34). On another occasion while Jesus was preaching, a woman in the audience shouted saying that it was a great blessing for the woman (i.e. virgin Mary) who gave birth to Jesus and nursed Him. But, Jesus said that it was rather the obedience of God’s word that brought us blessings not even of the fact of relating to Him by heredity in the flesh (Luke 11:27-28).

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Isaiah 7:14

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Mark 1:1-4

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

John 1:29-30

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Psalm 8:3-4

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Mark 3:34

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Luke 11:27-28

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

By the way, I would like to comment on the statement: “Christianity teaches that God put some of his essence into a human body, in the form of Jesus.” Actually, the Scripture teaches that human body is created by God with dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). In today’s terms, they are materials composed of common elements we can found on earth such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, calcium, iron, copper, zinc. We all know that God is invisible and His essence cannot simply be put in physical matter. Therefore, we should rather say that Jesus came in the flesh means that He took a human body and expressed God’s essence in the human body i.e. the body was simply an instrument to express God’s characters and plan. In fact, Jesus does not emphasize the value of flesh, but the Spirit which is closely associated with the connotation of essence of life (John 6:63). The Scripture does teach about resurrection and eternal life for those who trust God and are redeemed by God Himself into His Kingdom (Psalm 49:13-15; Daniel 12:2). Jesus who is God by nature has come in the flesh, died as a redemption sacrifice and resurrected as prophesied by king David (Psalm 16:10 ). Jesus’ resurrection demonstrated God is life and whoever trust in Him will see no death but have eternal life. Although our present bodies will decay in their perishable and weak form when we die, God has promised a glorious resurrection bodies that will last eternally for all who trust in Jesus for He has paid the redemption price with His sufferings in the flesh. All in all, Jesus came in the flesh to identify and communicate with mankind, to show His love and mercy by His sufferings, to demonstrate and give us the glorious hope of resurrection and eternal life. How marvelous is His wisdom and how wonderful is His work.

Genesis 2:7

7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

John 6:63

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

Daniel 12:2

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Psalm 49:13-15

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. 14 They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. 15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.

Psalm 16:10

10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.