As Americans commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July 2026, it is fitting to remember Jonas Phillips, an Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant whose life embodied both the promise and the challenges of religious liberty in the new nation.
From Germany, Phillips arrived in the American colonies in 1756 as an indentured servant in Charleston, South Carolina. Like many immigrants seeking opportunity, he began with few resources and faced the uncertainty of starting a new life in an unfamiliar land. Yet through perseverance and determination, he built a successful career as a merchant and eventually settled in Philadelphia, home to one of the largest Jewish communities in colonial America. He and his Sephardic wife, Rebecca, helped found Congregation Mikveh Israel, an Orthodox Sephardic community in Philadelphia. The couple had twenty-one children, some of whom became prominent characters in American history, and even purchased and preserved Thomas Jefferson’s estate – Monticello. The Jewish grave of Jonas Phillips’ daughter, Rachel Phillips Levy, can be visited at Monticello.
When the American Revolution began, Phillips embraced the Patriot cause. He supported independence, served in the local militia, and believed deeply in the revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality. However, as a Jew, he understood that those ideals had not yet been fully extended to all Americans.
In 1787, while delegates gathered in Philadelphia to draft the United States Constitution, Phillips wrote a remarkable petition to George Washington and the Constitutional Convention. He objected to religious tests that excluded Jews and other non-Christians from public office, as one had to attest to the authority of the New Testament to serve. He urged the creation of a government that protected freedom of conscience for all citizens. His appeal reflected the hopes of many religious minorities who sought equal participation in American civic life.
Although Phillips did not live to see every barrier removed, his advocacy helped shape the American commitment to religious liberty. The Constitution’s prohibition against religious tests for federal office became a landmark guarantee of equal citizenship.
Two hundred fifty years after the Declaration of Independence, Jonas Phillips reminds us that the American story includes the voices of Jewish immigrants who helped transform the promise of freedom into a broader reality. His journey, from indentured servant to respected merchant and advocate for religious equality, stands as a testament to the enduring Jewish contribution to the American experiment.
Every December, millions of Christians celebrate the nativity story found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Central to that celebration is the belief that Jesus’ birth fulfilled ancient prophecies recorded in the Hebrew Bible. From a Jewish perspective, however, many of the passages cited in support of the nativity narrative are understood very differently.
This article does not seek to criticize Christianity or diminish the significance these beliefs hold for Christians. Rather, it examines several key passages frequently cited in the nativity accounts and explains why traditional Judaism does not regard them as prophecies concerning Jesus. The discussion focuses primarily on the Gospel of Matthew, which repeatedly appeals to the Hebrew Scriptures in an effort to establish Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Genealogies of Jesus
Matthew 1:1–17 and Luke 3:23–38 both provide genealogies for Jesus. Both Matthew and Luke present genealogies intended to connect Jesus to King David. Establishing Davidic ancestry is important because Jewish tradition expects the Messiah to descend from the line of David.
However, when carefully comparing the two genealogies, they differ substantially from one another. Matthew traces Jesus’ ancestry through one line of David’s descendants, while Luke presents a different lineage. Christian commentators have proposed numerous explanations for these differences, including the suggestion that one genealogy represents Joseph’s ancestry and the other Mary’s. Yet both texts explicitly connect the genealogy to Joseph.
From a Jewish perspective, the issue becomes more complicated when combined with the doctrine of the virgin birth. If Jesus was not Joseph’s biological son, questions naturally arise concerning how Davidic lineage would be transmitted. In the Hebrew Bible, tribal and dynastic inheritance is generally traced through the father. Consequently, traditional Judaism does not regard the genealogies as establishing Jesus’ qualifications as the promised Davidic king.
Misquotes & Misinterpretations within the Book of Matthew
From a Jewish perspective, the authors of the various books throughout the “New” Testament tend to grossly misquote the “Old” Testament starting with the nativity narrative. [Note: Throughout my articles, I tend to put “Old” and “New” in quotes when referring to the alleged Testaments because I object to Christianity defining the Jewish text as old, as it infers “out with the old in the with the new” while propagating replacement theology, a dangerous and erroneous perspective.]
(i) Isaiah 7:14 and the Virgin Birth
Perhaps the most well-known prophecy cited in the nativity narrative is Isaiah 7:14. Matthew 1:23 presents this verse as predicting the virgin birth of Jesus.
When read within the broader context of Isaiah 7, however, the prophet is addressing King Ahaz during a military and political crisis in the eighth century BCE. Isaiah offers a sign intended to reassure the king concerning events that would occur in his own generation. For this reason, Jewish commentators understand the prophecy as referring to circumstances contemporary with Isaiah rather than to events centuries in the future.
The Hebrew text also uses the word almah, which traditionally means a young woman of marriageable age. While such a woman may be a virgin, the word itself does not specifically mean “virgin.” Had Isaiah intended to emphasize virginity, other Hebrew terms were available. As a result, Judaism does not view Isaiah 7:14 as a messianic prophecy or as a prediction of a miraculous birth.
(ii) Bethlehem and Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:6 next points to Micah 5:2 as evidence that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Jewish interpretation acknowledges that Micah connects Bethlehem with a future ruler from the house of David. However, biblical prophecies are generally evaluated as complete units rather than isolated phrases.
Biblical prophecies are generally evaluated as complete units rather than isolated phrases (A.K.A. not cherry-picked verses).
The surrounding context of Micah, as well as other similar prophecies found within the Tanakh, describes conditions associated with the messianic age, including the restoration of Israel (Israel is an established nation and all Jews return to the land), all humans know the true God of Israel, Torah teachings will be widely-circulated across the globe; thus, the entire planet experiences subsequent security and peace. Since these conditions have not yet been universally realized, Judaism concludes that the prophecy remains unfulfilled. Thus, even if a claimant were connected to Bethlehem, that fact alone would not establish his identity as the Messiah.
(iii) Hosea 11:1 and “Out of Egypt I Called My Son”
Matthew 2:15 applies Hosea 11:1 to Jesus’ return from Egypt following the death of Herod. Yet when Hosea’s words are read in context, the prophet is recounting Israel’s history rather than predicting a future event.
The verse states, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” Throughout the passage, “My son” refers collectively to the nation of Israel and recalls the Exodus from Egypt. Traditional Jewish interpretation therefore understands Hosea’s statement as a reflection on Israel’s past rather than as a prophecy concerning a future individual.
For this reason, Judaism does not view Hosea 11:1 as a prediction of the Messiah.
(iv) Jeremiah 31:15 and Rachel’s Weeping
Matthew 2:18 also cites Jeremiah 31:15 after describing the slaughter of infants in Bethlehem. In Jeremiah, Rachel is poetically portrayed as weeping for her children as the Jewish people are led into the Babylonian exile.
The broader context of Jeremiah 31 is not a prophecy about the Messiah’s birth but a message of comfort and restoration. The chapter promises that the exiles will return to their land and that Israel’s future remains secure despite present suffering.
Because the passage addresses the Babylonian exile and Israel’s eventual redemption, Jewish commentators do not interpret it as a prediction concerning events in the life of Jesus.
(v) “He Shall Be Called a Nazarene”
One of the most challenging passages in Matthew appears in chapter 2, verse 23, where the author writes that Jesus lived in Nazareth “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.'”
The difficulty is that no such prophecy appears anywhere in the Hebrew Bible. Numerous explanations have been proposed over the centuries, including possible wordplays and allusions to other verses. Nevertheless, there is no direct text in Tanakh stating that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.
As a result, this citation remains problematic from a Jewish interpretive standpoint.
The Jewish Understanding of the Messiah
Beyond individual prooftexts, Judaism evaluates messianic claims by examining whether the candidate fulfills the biblical mission of the Messiah.
The Hebrew prophets describe a future age in which Israel is gathered from exile, the nations recognize the God of Israel, warfare ceases, and peace becomes established throughout the world. Passages such as Isaiah 2, Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 37, and Micah 4 present a consistent picture of this future redemption.
Because these conditions were not realized during Jesus’ lifetime, traditional Judaism does not identify him as the Messiah. Rather than viewing the messianic mission as divided into multiple appearances, Judaism expects the Messiah to accomplish the biblical objectives associated with that role.
Conclusion
The disagreement between Judaism and Christianity is not merely about a handful of verses quoted in the nativity narrative. It reflects fundamentally different approaches to interpreting the Hebrew Scriptures and understanding the role of the Messiah.
Christians generally view the passages cited by Matthew as fulfilled in Jesus through prophecy, typology, or theological correspondence. Judaism, by contrast, interprets these passages according to their historical context, grammatical meaning, and original audience. From that perspective, Isaiah 7:14, Hosea 11:1, Jeremiah 31:15, and the other texts discussed above do not refer to Jesus and are not understood as messianic prophecies.
For that reason, while the nativity story occupies a central place within Christianity, it is not regarded within Judaism, nor regarded from the perspective of Flip Flop Fellowship, as the fulfillment of the promises concerning the Messiah found in the Hebrew Bible.
Within Christian circles, a common interpretation of Daniel 7:13 is this one “coming with the clouds” must be Jesus at the time of his second coming; however, upon reading the text in context as well as with nearly every other prophecy made by the prophets, we learn much about this particular cloudy day as well as who emerges.
I submit to you today that this sentiment of one coming with the clouds may not be Jesus victoriously floating in the cloudy air coming down to earth to rule and reign as some imagine, but more like a person emerging from the ashes or smoke upon the smoldering day of the LORD as the prophets frequently describe.
We know in the final moments of this earth and this heaven, there will come a time when Israel is surrounded and attacked, but God literally and physically saves them from annihilation (see Zechariah 12, as one example). We also see in numerous prophecies written by more than two or three witnesses, being the prophets of Tanakh/the Hebrew Bible, words like earthquakes, fire, burning, melting, dissolve, stubble, blazing, steam, and clouds are all used to describe the great and terrible day of the LORD. Furthermore, we see in Isaiah 45:22 Israel’s sins are forgiven like a cloud covering their transgressions from the sight of the LORD.
How does the LORD prefer for His people and the earth to be cleansed throughout the Hebrew Bible? By water and fire – think about the great flood in Noah’s day or washing the hands before various rituals of the Jewish people or being ritually made clean in a mikvah before the feasts of the LORD and other lifetime events (where baptism came from), as well as the burnt offerings using fire and smoke, a sweet-smelling aroma to the LORD. Now consider the LORD previously used water to cleanse or create a new earth, but this time, He will use primarily fire since He already promised not to flood the entire globe at once; hence, the symbol of the rainbow for that covenant. Many Christians understand this concept as even Peter wrote about it in 2 Peter 3:7-13.
Therefore, it should not be too difficult to comprehend this terminology used in Daniel 7:13 as one “coming with the clouds” is referencing one emerging from the smoke or ashes. Review the previous verses in Daniel 7, specifically verses 9 as it references a “fiery flame”, a “burning fire”, or in verse 10, “a fiery stream..” or verse 11 referencing a “burning flame” all leading up to this one coming with the clouds.
Also, notice in these plethora of passages, they all reference an unbelievable amount of destruction using the fire and earthquake or possibly nuclear related terminology described previously (see Isaiah 24:3-6, 13, 18-23, 44:22-25; Haggai 2:6-7; Zechariah 14; Joel 2:2; Ezekiel 30:3, 34:12, 38:18-23, Malachi 4:1-3; Zephaniah 1:14-18, 3:8; Amos 5:18-20; Jeremiah 30:23-24). Nearly every prophet describes the same or similar event.
Is it not possible this earth-shattering epic event full of fire would not create much smoke-filled clouds? Having lived near the gas and oil refineries in the Galveston Bay area of Texas, it was not unusual for explosions to erupt causing smoke-filled plumes of clouds in the sky. Now, consider how at this same time throughout Scripture, the prophets also speak to a resurrection of the dead, specifically all of Israel, all twelve tribes, and the miraculous reunion of both houses of Israel (see Jeremiah 29-31; Ezekiel 34-37) as God forms a New Jerusalem centered in the New Earth and New Heavens (see the article I wrote, “Are We Raptured to Heaven?” ).
While understanding all of Israel is resurrected as promised by the LORD regathering them to the land of Israel no matter where in the world they were scattered and died, then the LORD washes them clean and dispenses His Spirit of Holiness onto them (see Ezekiel 11:19-20; 36:27), ponder the plausibility of literally David also being resurrected to rule and reign as the prophets reference numerous times in Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24; Jeremiah 30:9; Isaiah 9:7; Hosea 3:5. Notice in Daniel 7:14 and 18, just after describing one who comes within the clouds, that it speaks to one who will rule the reunited kingdom matching what the previous references state as well fulfilling God’s Davidic Covenant or covenant made with King David. Equally interesting is that Ezekiel 34:12 references a cloudy destructive day and then a few verses later also refers to David being made King in Ezekiel 34:23-24.
Due to all of the overwhelming discussion in the Hebrew Bible of said events, it is my conclusion and belief that Daniel 7 is referencing one, specifically King David, emerging from the smoke-filled plumes of clouds due to the fiery day of the LORD, to rule and reign along with the rest of “the saints of the Most High” being Israel (Daniel 7:18), while God’s presence encompasses the newly formed New Jerusalem, New Earth, New Heavens, and activates the promised New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:27, 37:26-28; Jeremiah 29-31; Isaiah 2, 11, 51,59:16-62:12; Micah 4; Zechariah 14).
Just as Daniel foretells, a cloudy day of the LORD indeed appears to be in the forecast.
When we consider one of God’s many names is El Roi, which means the God who sees me, we can expect this God who sees our ways will help us see His will or way for our lives, and often reveals said ways through the physical. It’s a brilliant juxtaposition for an invisible God to use the visible to know who God is, and to learn to trust Him and His directions for our customized lives. In fact, God often asked the prophets, “What do you see?” to convey an important message to the prophets (Amos 7:7-8; 8:2; Jeremiah 1:11-13) and just as God modeled to the prophets, the prophets frequently conveyed God’s message to the people using the physical. In the Exodus account, God used the physical manifestations to reveal Himself to the enslaved Israelites in Egypt as well as Egyptians, which ultimately prompted the mixed-multitude to vacate Egypt as they followed Moses and the Israelites throughout the wilderness (Exodus 12:38). God also used signs to answer those who sought God such as King Hezekiah. In Isaiah 37, King Hezekiah prays to God for clarity, and God immediately answers when the prophet Isaiah sends a message to King Hezekiah writing, “And this is the sign for you…” (Isaiah 37:30) to which Isaiah describes physical manifestations of agriculture within a specific timeline and the interpretation of said signs. Furthermore, the prophets are called seers in Tanakh because much spiritual insight can be perceived through what we see whether in the physical, a sign, a vision, or dream. Nearly every prophet throughout Tanakh has a visual experience (i.e. burning bush, visions, dreams); hence, the label of seer. Similarly, the Levitical priest used the signs provided through the breastplate of decision when they struggled to make an important decision such as to go to war or not. Through the story of Jonah, we see another example of using the physical for clarity as the sailors cast lots to quickly determine who the problem was as the angry seas threatened their lives (Jonah 1:7). All of these examples found in Tanakh reveal that it is not only acceptable to seek God’s will or clarity for our lives and that God uses the physical human/prophet/priest as well as physical objects and or circumstances, but that said physical beings or objects can be accurate and trustworthy resources of guidance.
And yet, if it was permissible to seek out God’s guidance through a “seer” or man or woman of God and God Himself used physical signs to guide individuals, then why do we read in various Torah commands, such as Leviticus 19:26 or Deuteronomy 18:9-12, as some examples, to not consult divination, soothsayer, ghosts, mediums, or omens? Torah teaches us there are both false prophets and true prophets, who have a spiritual gift, and both the true and counterfeit can frequently perform the same physical acts or see or read a person or interpret a dream or circumstance accurately. Ponder the Exodus story as the Egyptian magicians performed the same spells as they matched the manifestations God made through Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:22; 8:3) or how the prophets of Baal dualed the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18) or how Baalam, who was not of Israel, could also accurately see the future and was well-known throughout his region (Numbers 22) or how a different Pharoah consulted Joseph to interpret a dream (Genesis 41) and King Nebuchadnezzar consulted Daniel to interpret the King’s dream (Daniel 2) because their usual people could not do so at that time but normally could. In other words, these gifts of seeing and interpretation, or means of communication with a spiritual realm are real, prevalent, and still exist today; otherwise, there would be no need for God to document these experiences for each generation to learn from and no need to permanently command not to seek out a diviner, medium, ghost, etc. if such things weren’t real. Now that we’ve established these two groups, why is seeking out a seer or perhaps a rabbi or asking God for a sign okay, but forbidden to consult tarot cards, mediums, or psychics, to use some more modern terms?
Like all actions, it boils down to motive. What is the motive of the so-called prophet, seer, medium, psychic, or whatever label given? What is the motive of the seeker? And what is the motive of God?
First, let’s consider God’s motive in our conundrums. Why does God repeatedly welcome and encourage individuals to seek Him in Tanakh? Perhaps by allowing challenging decisions to be made, it provokes an individual to seek out and “trust in the LORD with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding” as Proverbs 3:5-6 bellows. God says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you wonderous things, secrets you have not known.” In fact, through the prophet Isaiah, God chides the House of Israel for making plans without asking Him first (Isaiah 30:1-2). Isaiah reiterates later in 55:6, “Seek the LORD while He can be found, call to Him while He is near.” God’s motive in allowing or creating the circumstances resulting in our internal and external conflicts is to make Himself, His Name, His Sovereignty, His Voice (a.k.a. Torah, His documented voice) known to us (and others around us through our story). Subsequently, these dilemmas we find ourselves in are opportunities to build a healthy relationship of trust between the Creator and the created. But due to our days full of distraction, we often cannot see God in the chaos of our lives – we struggle to pause for anything much less to interpret the various visual clues and what God may be trying to teach us in our surroundings and circumstances. Hence, God’s love for visual reminders like the tzitzits (strings on the corners of the garment Jewish men wear), God’s words on the doorposts (mezuzah), or engraved stone tablets instructing “Remember the Sabbath”, etc. We need visual and tangible reminders because we are visual and tactile learners. Sabbath is a great day to pause and ponder all the visual clues God provided throughout the busy week as we study and learn to walk in God’s Sacred Highway, His light, a.k.a. Torah, all of which is ultimately for our benefit (Isaiah 35:8 sacred highway; Proverbs 6:23 Torah is light; Deuteronomy 6:24 beneficial). God’s motive in it all is a healthy relationship with us and loving-kindness towards us.
Second, what is the motive of the true and false prophets/seers? Throughout Tanakh, individuals failed to seek, trust, and heed God’s guidance. Hence, the role of the true prophet to reflect, correct, and direct wandering souls in God’s heart for them. No true prophet wants to be a prophet for it historically has not ended well for any prophet in Tanakh (i.e. hated, humiliated, imprisoned/captivity, cut in two, stoned, killed in other capacities). The motive of a true profit is an unadulterated love, fear, and respect for God and ultimately, the repentance of others, and ideally, the subsequent relationships others could have with God. Conversely, some prophets are motivated by profit, fame, or power, all of which is forbidden and one clear way to tell if a prophet is true or false is by if they charge for their services like psychics do, and or if they only predict good things to the seeker for they can read the idols of an individual’s heart (Micah 3:11-12; Ezekiel 13-14) whereas a true prophet is all about making God and His commands (Torah) known and that usually is not what people want to hear. In fact, the test of a true prophet is defined in Deuteronomy 13, which warns if a prophet tells you to do away with God’s law (Torah) and or worship another as if he/she/it is God, then you know that prophet is not sent by God. The fake apostle/prophet Paul, the founder of Christianity, taught precisely those violations, and I believe was sent as a test, to which many have failed. In other words, if the voice of an alleged prophet or any other source contradicts Torah, God’s documented voice, then you know that is not truth, not the correct answer. The motive of a diviner, medium, psychic, or false prophet often is rooted in self-centered objectives of financial gain, popularity, or power and control, or all of the above, and therefore, will likely provide welcomed feedback. Ponder the messages preached by mega-churches or bestselling books penned by preachers – they often propel themes of how God can serve you, not how you can serve God. Essentially, false prophets or diviners are forbidden because their motive is to profit from flattering you as they feed your soul with vain promises of prosperity. They cunningly specialize in making you feel as if you are God while they gauge your being (the visual clues you personify) and can easily mislead you into a direction not for you, but against you.
Lastly, what is the motive of the individual, the seeker, that either consults with God directly or consults a true or false prophet/seer/teacher? The seeker is motivated by wanting to avoid unnecessary suffering (healthy fear); some may be motivated by curiosity (like trying out a psychic or tarot card reading); and some may be motived by an authentic ambition to please God as they ask for God’s directions.
In conclusion, seeking God’s guidance for your life through prayer, Scripture, visual clues, or other Torah-modeled resources are not only permissible but encouraged. When seeking clarity, evaluate your motive and the motive of the source you are seeking. As for me, I have come to trust God’s answers or signs when I’ve sought Him for advice. Through it all, because of life’s conundrums and subsequent heart cries of clarity, I am grateful for and adore this God who sees, listens, and answers.
Blood animal sacrifices are not mandatory for atonement. Review the plethora of passages revealing a repentant heart will do just fine. Understand the various forms of payment (ie animals, flour, jewelry, incense, etc.) when a temple in Jerusalem exists, is based on affordability, offense, or circumstance to teach the accidental violator a lesson so as to not repeat their violation. Our court system today is based on this concept. Moreover, human sacrifice has always been forbidden (see Leviticus 18:21, 20:3; Deuteronomy 12:29-32; 18:10; 2 Kings 3:27, 16:3, 17:17; 2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; Psalm 106:35-38; Ezekiel 16:20-21 as some examples) AND no human can die for another’s sins (see Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:1-32; 33:12-20; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Psalm 49:7). In other words, Jesus didn’t die for your sins. All you need is repentance.
When the author of Hebrews uses Psalm 40 to make the reader think a human sacrifice (Jesus) was required for atonement, he changed out what the Psalm actually says. In other words, the author lied. Intentionally deceived and still deceives unsuspecting readers. As Ronald Reagan said, “Trust but verify.” Look this stuff up for yourself.
The Hebrew Bible vaguely introduces the concept of a messiah figure expected to manifest in the future. In this video teaching, we explore 10 criterion of the final Messiah.
