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I read with interest Linda Dangoor-Khalastchi’s review in The Scribe No 71 p 29 of the book “On being a Jewish Christian” by Bishop Hugh Montefiore.
I learned some things I didn’t know about this brilliant author. I had forgotten he was Jewish. Given his last name I thought he was of Italian ancestry!
Towards the end of the review she comments upon an apparent contradiction:
At the end, in his “personal view”, he laments “it is sad….large numbers of Jews marry non-Jews, there is assimilation to Christian customs….sad because a strong Jewish community is an asset to this country…. “But forgets that two pages earlier he wrote: “ Naturally, I wish that all Jews would become Christians, in Israel and elsewhere….”
He should make up his mind.
The New Testament is clear that the Jews are the Chosen Tribe of God and Jesus will never abandon his people. Jesus claimed to be the fulfilment of all prophecy and the law of Moses. This indicates a continuum, not a departure from Judaism.
The Gentiles were of secondary importance to Jesus. Saving the Jews was his first priority. This is painfully evident in an incident where a Gentile woman approaches him and asks for a blessing. Jesus is shockingly blunt with the woman, to the point of being rude, comparing her and her tribe of non-Jews to dogs: Mathew 15:22
Similar incidents appear in: Mark 7:23 ; Mathew 25:40 ; Luke 19:9 ; Luke 22:25
As far as we know Jesus never preached to any audience other than Jews.
There is no contradiction. When Hugh Montefiore wishes for all Jews to be Christians I’m sure he looks at it as fulfilment of their Judaism.

Questions:

Benjamin of Tudela claims to have found the Lost Tribes of Israel,
(PBS/NOVA: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/israel/losttribes.html)
Do you know where the ancient Persian town of SABA is? Is it in modern Iran or Iraq?
Was Abram a Chaldean? If so, then the Chaldean language must be very similar to Hebrew. Is this ancient Chaldean dialect still spoken?
Webster Dictionary has this definition:
“Chaldee – the Aramaic vernacular used as the original language of some parts of the Bible”.

Mike Hillman
hillman@texas.net

Scribe:
In answer to your queries:
-The ancient Persian town of SABA is likely to be near the town of Amara in Iraq.
-Abram was not a Chaldean but he was a Hebrew. The name derives from his ancestor Eber. Abram spoke Aramaic.
-The ancient Chaldean dialect is still spoken in Iraq.