I said to a young friend, “Tell me, Baruch, did not the Jews once believe that Bar Kochba was the Messiah?” “Yes,” he answered, “and Rabbi Akiba said that he fulfilled the promise, ‘There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre arise out of Israel.'” “But,” said I, “has it not been proved that Bar Kochba was not the Messiah?” “Certainly,” Baruch replied, “he was proud, and, according to religious men, did not trust in God.” “Now then,” I said, “there have been a great many men in history whom people, for a time, thought to be the Messiah, but faith in those false Messiahs did not last long. Jesus, on the other hand, has had many followers in every generation since He came to the world.” “I know why,” Baruch broke in; “Jesus had a gracious heart, and a meek, understanding mind. He was not proud.” “So,” I exclaimed, “do you believe Jesus to be the Messiah?” “I do not know,” he replied, “but he interests me very much.” Then I went on to speak of various things, such as the promise to the woman, and the fifty-third of Isaiah, and the destruction of the Temple after the great Messenger had come to it. I said to him, “If you dare not go on your knees to pray, nevertheless pray honestly to God in your heart, saying that you do not know, but desire to know. Instead of offering blood, mention the name of Jesus the Messiah.”
With regard to the idolatry seen at many of the “holy places,” so much has been written in the past about it, that I need not dwell on it. But I wish to say this, that I have often been accused of narrow-mindedness, because I give absolutely no place to idolatry, so far as I am concerned. Of course, “tolerant” people say that kneeling before crucifixes and other things is not idolatry. I should certainly be deeply touched at beholding a tomb in which I had no doubt our Lord once lay, but as far as worship is concerned, “The Lord is not here. He is risen.”
One afternoon recently I had occasion to go to Bethlehem. Returning, I got a seat in a taxi for about threepence halfpenny. After sitting down, I noticed an elderly bearded gentleman, with a face full of character, sitting beside the driver. I addressed him in Arabic, and he replied that he did not know much Arabic. I then asked him if he spoke Hebrew and at once he brightened up and went at it. I asked him if he was a Sabri, (i.e., born in Palestine), and he answered, “I have been in this country a long time, but I was born in Russia. When I left Russia, I was only a lad.” When an opportune moment came, I asked him if he believed the Messiah had come. He answered, “Lo, adoni hanechbad (i.e., No, esteemed sir) because, if Jesus were Christ, then peace would have come to the earth. On the contrary, many Christians, instead of bringing peace, have persecuted and killed the Jews.” On my remarking that many were Christians in name only, he avouched that that was true also of many Jews, and he said, “When I do my merchandise business, I come in touch with many Christians, some of whom are very good people.” I then pointed out that it was through accepting and submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ that peace would come, and I quoted from Old Testament prophecies. I asked him if he had read the New Testament, and he confessed he had not. So I pled with him to read it for his own information and profit, and quoted some things from it. When we arrived at Jerusalem, and exchanged the greeting “Shalom,” he added, “Todah rabbah” (i.e., many thanks). Old Jews are not always as easy to converse with, and here I must give you an instance of Jewish orthodoxy. One Saturday, I went up to Mount Zion, where I have some acquaintances. It was the anniversary of the death of David, and a number of Jews wished to pray at his tomb (traditionally so, of course). There is a charge for entrance to the tomb, and some of the Jews, when they failed to get in free of charge, opened their prayer-books, and began to pray outside. To one old Jew who was lamenting that he could not enter gratis, I said, in Hebrew, “May the Name be compassionate.” He asked, “Upon what?” and I answered with the quotation, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious,” etc. A look of horror came into his eyes, and he said that it was unlawful to repeat that, except in synagogue. I said that God was everywhere, and I could worship Him where I stood through Jesus Christ. That was too much for his orthodoxy to bear, and he moved off as if I had leprosy. Another evening, I had conversation with still another type of old Jew. It was in a Jewish shop I occasionally visit, and, after the shopkeeper introduced us, I sat beside the ancient little man. I said the Hebrew equivalent of “How’s your health, sir?” and he answered, “Thanks be to God! How is yours?” “Quite well, blessed be His Name,” said I, “what is the news?” At once he replied, “We are waiting for the Messiah.” In a tone of surprise, I exclaimed: “What do you mean, waiting for the Messiah? He has come already!” The old man looked at me and said, “Who then is this Messiah whom you say has come?” “Jesus.” I answered. “But He cannot be the Messiah,” said he “because the Nazarenes eat swine’s flesh.” “Why do you call us Nazarenes?” I asked, “Most of us were not born in Nazareth, any more than Jesus was. We are Christians, because we believe in Jesus the Christ, who was born in Bethlehem. Now the Jews were forbidden to eat swine’s flesh, as a sign of something deeper. Did you never eat swine’s flesh yourself?” “No,” he replied, “I have wanted to, but never did.” I asked him why not, and he answered, “Because I was afraid of the mitzvah (i.e., commandment).” “But,” said I, “it is a sin even to desire to do evil. It is not sufficient not to have eaten swine’s flesh, if all the time you desire to eat it. I want to tell you that the religion of Jesus is spiritual. We are all sinners, Jews and Gentiles, and there is no atonement for our sins, except one—the blood of Jesus the Messiah.” Then I told him some of the things most surely believed by true Christians.
Young Nicodemus said to me, a day or two ago, “Although you are a missionary, I like walking with you and speaking with you, because you are my good friend. But I am glad that I am a Jew, because we are prospering on the Land of our Fathers, and we have the true Bible.” As he went on enumerating other privileges, I broke in—”But Nicodemus, these are blessings you enjoy in this world. What about ha-olam ha-ba (i.e., the world to come)?” He said, “We have the Tanach (i.e., the Old Testament).” “That is true,” I replied, “but you do not act according to it. The Tanach repeatedly mentions sin, and God’s hatred to it. How are you going to atone for sin?” Nicodemus replied, “Christians also sin, do they not?” “Certainly,” I answered, “but let me give you a description of a true Christian’s life. As I have already told you, both Jews and Gentiles need regeneration by the power of the Holy Spirit. When a man is regenerated, and has his sins forgiven through the blood of Christ, his heart is so full of love to Christ, that he thinks nothing can ever draw him away backwards. If he continues looking to Christ and following Him, he will be kept, but if he does not, he will be in danger and backslide.” Nicodemus asked what would happen then, and I told him that the repentant backslider was delivered through the blood of Jesus Christ. I referred him to the prophets, especially Hosea, through whom the Lord says, “I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely.” Then I spoke of the two classes of men, and quoted from Daniel—”Some shall awake to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Now, in this land of Israel, all types of Jews are represented. Religiously, there is every shade here, from the most fanatical orthodoxy to free thought. The same is true with regard to politics and patriotism. I know Chauvinistic Jews who are constantly on the look-out for anything detrimental to the honour of their nation, but I have also met some Jews who wished to leave the country as soon as possible. Socially, also, there are all kinds from intellectual and distinguished to the type that reduces its surroundings to the resemblance of a ghetto. Oh! people of God, please pray for them, because the wrath is going to come upon them to the uttermost. Here in Palestine, the Jews, although at present so affluent, will suffer, and in their suffering, they will look upon Him whom they have pierced, and be saved. Then life from the dead to the world will come.