Jesus, the stumbling block..

The Bible is incredible. While reading through the Old Covenant Scriptures I googled for some information and came accross a website started by a Jewish woman. I was curious to see what she had written about Jesus, the Messiah, and certainly did not expect something positive.

From her article against Christ she referenced a man by the nickname Rambam. His full name was Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, or Moses Maimonides. He was a well-known and preeminant Jewish philospher. He was born in 1135 AD and died in 1204AD. He is still held in high regard among Jews and is regarded as one of the most famous.

The Jewish woman quoted him on her website when he wrote concerning Jesus the following: "Is there a greater stumbling block than [Jesus]?"

What an amazing remark from such a learned and revered Jewish philosopher! The Apostle Paul would agree with him...but in a different light of course. haha

1 Corinthians 1:23
but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

Christ Jesus is indeed a stumbling block to the Jew. This is also contained in the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 8:14; 28:16
"He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

The Apostle Paul shows the meaning of this prophecy:

Romans 9:31-33
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

And also the Apostle Peter:

1 Peter 2:7-8
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

What an amazing confirmation from one of the most eminant philosophers of Jewish history since the coming of Christ. He asks...is there a greater stumbling block than Jesus? God's answer? Not unto us which are obedient, but unto you who are disobedient to the Word.

Lord Jesus, may we not stumble at You or be offended by You.

**Some may have read this and wondered at the difference in the redenering of Isiah 28:16 and the way it is written in Romans 9:33. The difference lies with the Apostle Paul using the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Covenant Scriptures. On this point John Gill made a very interesting observation:

" A very learned Oriental critic of our own nation has observed, that the Arabic words "Haush" "Hish" answer to the Hebrew word, vwx, the prophet uses, and which have three significations in them, "hasten", to "fear", and be "ashamed"; the first of these is retained here by the Jewish commentators and modern versions; the second by the "Chaldee paraphrast", and Syriac translation; and the third by the Septuagint, and the apostle; and they may be all taken into sense, for he that is afraid runs about here and there, and at length is put to shame and confusion."