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by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum Th.M., Ph.D.
Reviewed by Joe Davidson
This is a wonderful resource book, but one that needs to be read at least once through if possible. The book is 1012 pages, counting its IV appendixes. The work was 13 years in the writing and was Arnold's doctoral thesis to earn his Ph.D. from New York U.
The book is a systematic theology of all the scriptures has to say in regard to the people of Israel.
Arnold is outside the main stream of Messianic Judaism in that he identifies himself as a dispensationalist. Dispensationalism is one of two or one of four historical theological positions of the church over the centuries.
Arnold does a wonderful job of detailing the three theological positions of Covenant Theology concerning Israel and then Dispensationalism. He quotes extensively from the most popular commentators of those different doctrinal positions. It seems quite useful to have at hand a book that quotes these authors from their own writings and so clearly identifies their doctrinal positions concerning Israel.
All covenant theology is replacement theology,thou some is more antagonistic towards Israel than others. Dispensatioalism sees the calling of Israel as suspended in this present age. Both schools of Theology make Israel irrelevant to one degree or another. Dr. Fruchtenbaum's attempt is to create an Israelology that fits within the perimeters of the Dispensatioalism that he espouses.
It might be considered that he succeeded but that doesn _t mean that Messianic Judaism as a whole would be in agreement with it. Fruchtenbaum sees Israel as part of the church rather than the church as a part of Israel. It would seem that Dispensationalist _s most sacred cow is their doctrine of a pretribulation rapture and any doctrine of Israelology must not violate it.
In appendix I. Dr. Fruchtenbaum takes Dan Juster to task for his book Jewish Roots. It is particularly engaging because it tries Messianic teaching under some heat but the result is an even greater confidence in the positions that we have espoused. One of the funny accusations that Dr. Fruchtenbaum made against Dr. Juster is he accused him of being wordy. Dr. Fruchtenbaum's work is over a thousand pages, Jewish Roots is only 303, but Dr. Juster is wordy?
Appendix II. Is An Interchange on The Law of Moses and Hebrew Christian/Messianic Jewish Practice, with a reply from Dan Juster: The Torah and Messianic Jewish Practice, and then a final reply from Dr. Fruchtenbaum.
Appendix III. is An Interchange On Hebrew Christian/Messianic Jewish Congregations precipitated by an official public statement from the Elder Council of Grace Community Church in Ca.
That official statement is fully quoted in A. of appendix III. Grace Community church takes a Dispensational theological position, which is usually more sympathetic and appreciative of Judaism than Covenant
Theology, but in this case they are very anti-Semitic. Dr. Fruchtenbaum takes them thourly to task for their position but they neither recant nor make any kind of reply.
The fourth and last appendix is a treatment of several of the Messianic Jewish Epistles that are interesting.
This book really helps a person get a little better grasp on the positions and definitions of these different theologies and where they stand on one of the most important issues of the entire word of G-d , Israel.
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