Messianic Apologetics

Addressing the Theological and Spiritual Issues of the Broad Messianic Movement

What Does the Shema Really Mean?

J.K. McKee 21 January, 2020

©Magda Ehlers via Canva.com (Pexels)

While the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 undoubtedly has an imperative for God’s people of worshipping, loving, and serving Him—the Shema also has an important place in religious history as it concerns monotheism. When the Ancient Israelites left Egypt, and were preparing themselves to enter into the Promised Land, they would certainly need a “statement of belief,” if you will, by which they would declare their exclusive loyalty to the LORD God, and not any of the other deities of Canaan. The Shema enjoined the requirements for God’s commandments to be taught to the people of Israel, and that they were to instruct their children. In much of religious studies since, and most especially today, approaches to the Shema have gone beyond what was originally intended for the Ancient Israelites. While all who profess the Shema claim that their devotion is directed to the God of Israel, there can be a wide difference of approach between how the Shema is viewed in Jewish theology and Christian theology—particularly when it comes to the statement “the LORD is one.” In historical Judaism, the Lord being “one” means that God is a single entity. In historical Christianity, being “one” means that God is surely a prime entity, but that He may be composed of multiple elements like Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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What Does the Shema Really Mean?

What_Does_the_Shema_Really_Mean_CONFRONTING_DIVINITY_MESSIAHSHIP

FEATURED PUBLICATION

Confronting Critical Issues: An Analysis of Subjects that Affects the Growth and Stability of the Emerging Messianic Movement

Today’s Messianic movement has arrived at a very important theological and spiritual crossroads. Much of our long term viability and effectiveness as a faith community will be determined by what takes place in the 2010s, and by our approach to a series of important issues surrounding the nature of the Messiah, the reliability of Holy Scripture, our communication style, and whether we want to see all people included and welcome within our assemblies or not.

Confronting Critical Issues is an important compilation book of some of Messianic Apologetics’ key Confronting Issues booklets, as well as some major articles of substance. These are bound to answer some significant questions and controversies that all of today’s Messianic Believers have encountered within their fellowships, congregations, and personal Bible studies. This publication is also bound to stir some of its own controversy, as it inquires how we can be a mature, growing Messianic movement which is able to accomplish all that our Heavenly Father wants us to achieve—or whether those among us are going to disregard our spiritual potential to make a difference.

Some of the subjects addressed in Confronting Critical Issues include:

  • urban legends present in the Messianic movement
  • the Divinity and Messiahship of Yeshua
  • the Shema and the plurality of God
  • potential paganism witnessed in the stories of Holy Scripture, and how we are to avoid liberal theology
  • the origin of the Apostolic Scriptures
  • the negative influence of Jewish mysticism on the Messianic movement
  • the Divine Name of God (YHWH/YHVH)
  • a proper, edifying communication style for today’s Messianic Believers
  • the equality for Jewish and non-Jewish Believers, and both men and women in the Messianic community

This massive powerhouse of material is a must for every Messianic Believer’s library!

available in both paperback ($25.99) and eBook for Amazon Kindle ($9.99)

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