Messianic MythBusters: How The Church Got It Wrong? Beyond the Stained Glass... Rethinking Christianity, Ebionites, New Covenant & Theological Debates with Richard Cortes: Episode 23

This episode promises insightful and thought-provoking discussions, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of religious beliefs and interpretations. Delving into the concept of the New Covenant and the beliefs of the Ebionites. Here's a summary of key points:

The Ebionites Strike Back: Debunking the Myths of Christian Origins: Explore the beliefs of this group who viewed Jesus as a prophet, challenging the notion of a singular "middle ground."

• Beyond the Binary: Rethinking Jesus and the Christian Narrative: According to Richard, Jesus can only be seen as either the Christian Jesus or a Torah-observing Jew.
• The Ebionite Enigma: Challenging Christian Supremacy: Jeramiah clarifies that the historical Ebionites, who were Essenes, viewed Jesus as a prophet calling for reform, not a king or military leader.

The New Covenant Conspiracy: Was Jesus a Fabrication?: Examine differing interpretations of the New Covenant, questioning the universality applied by Christianity and emphasizing the importance of contextual understanding.

• Cracking the Code: Unveiling the Secrets of the New Covenant: They argue that the New Covenant, as described in the Torah, applies specifically to the house of Israel and Judah, not all people. They also criticize the Christian rejection of the Torah and the Law.

Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling: Dismantling Dogma: Explore how certain translations and cultural understandings can shape our interpretations of scripture. Analyzing the misinterpretations of biblical passages.

• Messiah Meltdown: Focus on the "suffering Messiah" concept: They discuss the misuse of certain Isaiah passages to support this idea, while ignoring contradictory text.
• Rewriting the Bible: Debunking Christian Misinterpretations: Richard discusses the significance of understanding the Hebrew term "alma" and its implications within Jewish culture. He also criticizes the lack of Hebrew education in seminaries, which he sees as hindering understanding and perpetuating anti-Semitic views.
• Roman influence on Christian theology: Jeramiah points out the influence of Roman culture and government on the development of Christian theology, including anti-Semitic undertones.

Other Discussions:

• Significance of Isaiah 7:14: Richard emphasizes its error interpretation, while criticizing the Greek Septuagint translation and highlighting the authenticity of the Hebrew Masoretic text.
• Hebrew term interpretation and Jewish faith: Richard and Jeramiah emphasize the importance of reading original Tanakh texts to avoid misinterpretations. They also discuss the incompatibility of Jesus as a divine savior figure with traditional Jewish beliefs.
• Christian Theology and Jewish Origins: Uncover the evolution of the "word of God" concept from Jewish roots to its role in Christian theology, highlighting the influence of Platonic thought and the development of Binitarianism and Trinitarianism.
• Talmudic Literature and Dualism: Richard warns against misinterpretations and misuse of these texts by Christians and clarifies the concept of dualism, emphasizing its incorrect separation of aspects like mercy from their source.
• Theological conversation: Engage in a thought-provoking discussion about language, capital punishment, the nature of Satan, and the contrasting views of afterlife and individual accountability, contrasting Jewish and Christian perspectives on these topics.
• Religion, accountability, and Christianity: The conversation concludes by exploring the historical use of religion for control, skepticism towards unproven concepts, and the importance of personal responsibility within religious contexts.

Overall, this podcast episode offers a thought-provoking discussion on the New Covenant, the Ebionites, and the complexities of interpreting religious texts and traditions.

Keywords: Ebionites, Jesus, New Covenant, biblical texts, suffering Messiah, Christian origins, Satan's nature, afterlife,