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-----Original Message-----
From: Shomeir
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 11:29 AM
To: House of Israel Newsgroup
Subject: The REAL "Great Commission"
Shalom friends:
As I have shown in previous emails (see the newsletter archives at:
http://bnai-el-chai.com/newsletter.htm) that the so-called “Great
Commission” of Matthew 28:19 seems to have been added to the text after the
Council of Nicea in 325 CE. For proof of this compare the numerous quotes of
this section of Matthew in Eusebius’ pre-Nicene writings with the quotes in his
post-Nicene writings. Also look at Origen’s quotes of this passage. All of these
witnesses conform to the Hebrew text of Matthew (at least to the Shem Tov
manuscript).
We can find the REAL “Great Commission” in Matthew 10:5-6 where Rabbi Joshua ben
Joseph (a.k.a. Jesus) instructed the twelve to go only “to the lost sheep of the
House of Israel.” He later emphasizes this point in Matthew 15:24: “But he
answered and said, ‘I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the House of
Israel.’” This passage is conveniently overlooked by most Christians because it
just does not fit their theology. This is why Christianity ignored the “Old
Testament” for centuries – because the prophets did not mention Christianity;
but, rather, Hashem spoke to the prophets of the return of the exiles of the
House of Israel. Hashem spoke to Ezekiel of the House of Israel (also called
Ephraim) rejoining the House of Judah. Hashem spoke to Jeremiah of this same
event and said that He would write His Torah on the hearts and minds of the
House of Israel (not the House of Judah). Zechariah mentions the House of Israel
coming to the Jews to learn.
Some, like the United Israel World Union founded by the late David Horowitz, see
the House of Israel in Protestant Christianity; but the House of Israel can also
be found among the Buddhists, the adherents of Shinto, and other religions.
Others, like Israeli scholar Yair Davidi, see the House of Israel among the
Anglo-Saxon/Celtic, Nordic, and Western European peoples; but the House of
Israel can also be found in India, Afghanistan, Japan, and many other places.
Israel may well be scattered among every nation, race, and religion. The
evidence would suggest that the heaviest concentrations of the lost ten tribes
may indeed be among English-speaking Protestant Christians.
I think that one of the best tools for reaching the House of Israel is the book
Origins of Our Faith – The Hebrew Roots of Christianity by Rick
Richardson. Mr. Richardson is now offering a free online study guide that goes
along with his book. Check it out at
http://originsofourfaith.com/aleph-0.html. Origins of Our Faith has
been read and endorsed by Rabbi Chaim Richman (director of the Temple Institute
in Jerusalem), Michael Medved (nationally syndicated radio talk show host),
Rabbi Avraham Feld (director of the Maccabee Institute in Jerusalem). It is a
book about Christianity written for Christians, but it has also caused many in
the Orthodox Jewish community to see Christianity in a different light also.
Origins of Our Faith can be purchased at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1412008247/crmijudeochristi/103-2174443-4868619.
Kol tov,
Shomeir
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